Limited Edition 11CD+DVD Set. For the first time ever, fans can experience the timeless magic of Fairport Convention’s ‘second golden age’ all in one place with this meticulously crafted and comprehensive 11CD and DVD deluxe boxset ‘It All Came Round Again: Onstage and On Air 1982-90’. The set includes over 160 tracks, 57 of which are previously unreleased recordings.
Also included in this limited edition set is a replica festival programme signed by Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, Dave Mattacks and Richard Thompson. This bespoke Madfish offering, curated by Bert Jansch/John McLaughlin biographer Colin Harper, is the definitive tribute to the legendary British folk-rock band’s enduring legacy.
The Fairport Convention legend was forged between 1967 and 1979 – 12 years, 16 albums, umpteen line-ups and four exhausted people at the end of it. In August 1980, the last line-up – Simon Nicol, Dave Swarbrick, Dave Pegg and Bruce Rowland – reunited for a day in a farmer’s field in Cropredy, Oxfordshire, establishing the iconic ‘Fairport’s Cropredy Convention’ festival in the process. Five relatively quiet years passed by before, in 1985 and by popular demand, a new recording and touring Fairport Convention assembled around Peggy and Simon. Everything moved up a gear. There would be four new albums by 1990 and BBC Radio welcomed the reborn folk-rockers with remarkable regularity.
Included inside: Limited edition 11CD + DVD set with 60-page book and slipcase. Reproduction memorabilia signed by four members of the legendary 1970 Full House line-up: Richard Thompson, Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, Dave Mattacks. Live at Cropredy Festival 1982-84 and 1986-87 plus BBC concerts and studio sessions. Guest performances from Ralph McTell, June Tabor, Ian Anderson & Martin Barre (Jethro Tull). Over 160 tracks – 57 previously unreleased. Over 100 minutes of BBC DVD content including three bonus sessions from 1972-76. Mastering is by the mighty Eroc and the 60-page booklet features an extensive new essay by Kate Bush/John Martyn biographer Graeme Thomson, new appreciations by Fairport biographers Patrick Humphries and Nigel Schofield, vintage interview features by Colin Irwin and Mat Snow and superb photography from Dave Peabody.
Track info here: https://piranharecords.net/UPC/636551828758
Is this the one I supplied the cassette tapes for @Colin-H ?
I guess it must be!
Much as I agree the old codgers were still a worthwhile ticket in the 80s, from reforming to when Maaart was sacked and DM left for a third(?) time, 11 volumes of year by year live is a bit niche too far for most, I would have thought.
What a fine thing this is. Can anyone tell me if there exist decent recordings of their Glastonbury performances? I recall seeing them there one year when Simon Nicol (IIRC) called up a female vocalist either from the audience directly in front of the stage, or maybe from the wings, I don’t remember which; she was a woman obviously known to the band but likely not intending to actually perform with them. She joined them on stage and they delivered a spine-tingling Who Knows that reduced me to tears. I’d love to hear it again.
Mmm. For me they were done by 1975.
@eddie g wasn’t everyone done by 75 for you Eddie?
If Deram comes along, he’ll tell us her can *just about* tolerate FC’s first album in 1968, but Fairport (and indeed popular culture in general) was a busted flush for him after that.
He prefers their old stuff in the Ethnic Shuffle Orchestra.
I liked the Dyble and Denny years. But after that it all became a bit twiddly fiddly finger in the ear-o for me.
No one who missed it likes to hear it, but it was. Sorry.
Paul McCartney ain’t ever going to wish that he was born in 1956 or some such variation that isn’t 1942.
No great interest from me, though 86/87 was when I started seeing them under the influence of friends. 1987 was my first of many Cropredy Festivals, but even though I have great affection for the Maart line up I don’t really feel the urge to revisit the shows. With rare exceptions the Fairport I play is the stuff I was too young for at the time up to and including Full House.
1987 was the first Croppo for me to, and I too gravitate towards the ‘Full House’ era as peak FC. But I promise you, having curated the set and heard the mastering etc., there really is a strong case for the 80s as ‘a second golden age’ – the veterans were still almost all in their 30s (Swarbrick was early 40s), all in their absolute prime as performing musicians, while the Allcock & Sanders five-piece of 1985-90 had totally new energy and musical chops.
It’s hard to compare the 1985-90 studio output with any of the 60s-70s output, with no songwriter now within the band, BUT this collection doesn’t feature the studio albums – it features that new line-up performing: (a) by and large the best of that late 80s repertoire; and (b) lots of FC classics of yore – so it delivers a more rounded picture of what that line-up could do. The 1989 BBC studio session in particular is a revelation – the only studio recording of the ‘metal’ ‘Matty Groves’ plus others, in stunning sound.
The 60-page booklet also makes a strong case – the main essay by Graeme Thomson is a masterpiece.
The “metal” Matty Groves, Colin? What on earth…?
Well, it seems to be called ”metal’ Matty’ in FC fan circles – it was an OTT Martin Allcock arrangement that lasted a few months – more ‘U2 Matty,’ to my ears – huge guitar cadenza, echo pedals etc.
Interesting…it’s actually the Pink Floyd / The Wall version, judging by the heavy echo guitar…and the violin is reminiscent of Demolition Man (Grace Jones, I think…) in places.
Fascinating – truth is, it’s chock full of different references!
Did I hear the Sweet Home Alabama riff??
The Metal Matty was reprised for 2018, the now terminally ill Alcock joining the band for a final send off. He died only months later. RIP.
https://youtu.be/wc4im9L-g1g?si=OvQCE_TXvJnDhGjq
Well, I’m in for this! Thanks @Colin-H
Video trailer just uploaded and the set ‘officially’ announced:
An unboxing video involving myself and Derbyshire/Northern Ireland design sensation Mark Case – meeting on a ledge with an advance copy of the Fairport Convention 11CD+DVD+book set ‘It All Came Round Again: Onstage and on air 1982-90’., released on July 26. 🙂
Looks lovely Colin! Can’t wait to explore this…
Ta, Nigel 🙂