Fairport Convention

Fairport Convention was the most famous British folk revival band, even if they were probably the less artistically skilled. They embodied the quintessence of this movement, who rarely could depart from its revival trait.

The band was formed in 1967, in the underground clubs of London, by a group of folk musicians, Richard Thompson (guitarist), Ian Matthews (singer) and Ashley Hutchings (bassist). Their first album was Fairport Convention (Polydor, 1968), a mixture of original songs and covers from American folksingers. Following the suggestions of their producer, Joe Boyd, the band recruited singer Sandy Denny (who had formerly played in the Strawbs), abandoned all Byrds’ clichés and gave preference to the writing of original songs. Denny’s Fotheringay and Thompson’s Meet On The Ledge enhanced their repertoire in What We Did On Our Holidays (Island, 1968), while Who Knows Where The Time Goes (Denny) and Genesis Hall (Thompson) where the main gems of Unhalfbricking (1970). This album also included a "progressive" arrangement of the traditional A Sailor’s Life. By her own side, Denny had one of the most peculiar voice of his era, inventing a style that will influence the following generations (for example, Kate Bush and Tori Amos). Other material (mainly covers) is included in Heyday (Hannibal, 1987 - Island, 2002).

Violinist Dave Swarbrick (a folk veteran, who had also worked with Martin Carthy) filled the gap left by Matthews’ departure. This talented group turned to play traditional songs, and produced a concept album Liege And Lief (A&M, 1970), that can be considered the British folk-rock manifesto. Modern arrangements, sharp-witted rhythms, and the duets between Swarbrick and Thompson transformed this traditional folk songs into something original and meaningful, in particular in the grand folk suites like Matty Groves and Tam Lin. Undeniably it’s a great folk album, but a poor rock album.

The band soon lost Denny and Hutchings who began independent careers (Fotheringay and Steeleye Span). So, Full House (1970) is primarily a Swarbrick’s and Thompson’s effort. This folk rock album (more folk than rock) contains the catchy Walk Awhile and the best grand folk suite of the band, Sloth, two gems of Thompson’s repertoire. In the same year, bass player Dave Pegg joined the band.

After Thompson’s departure, Fairport Convention definitely became the band of Swarbrick who, after the mediocre Angel Delight (1971), composed for the ensemble his first folk work, Babbacomb Lee (1972) story of a sentenced to death of 1800s.

Hystory (Island, 1972) is a double anthology.

In the meanwhile, Denny recorded some album that were probably better than the band’s ones, in particular the trilogy of The North Star Grassman (Hannibal, 1971), Sandy (A&M, 1972) and Like An Old Fashioned Waltz (Hannibal, 1973).

On Rosie (1973) and Fairport 9 (1974) Swarbrick even tried to write some pop ballads. Shortly after, Denny rejoined the band and wrote most of the new material of Rising For The Moon (Island, 1975), in particular What Is True and Rising For the Moon. However an overly virtuoso Swarbrick overwhelmed the music herein. Gottle Geer (1976), Bonny Bunch Of Roses (1977) e Tipplers Tales (1978) were horrible albums which put a decisive end to Fairport Convention.

Sandy Denny, generally acclaimed as the best British singer of the 70s, died in 1978, after a mediocre album of pop ballads, Rendesvouz (Hannibal, 1977). No More Sad Refrains (A&M) is a double anthology of his career.

Swarbrick’s soloist album, Smiddy Burn (Logo, 1981) was nothing more than a reunion of Fairport Convention appeared in Full House.

Instead, Gladys Leap (Varrick, 1985) belongs to a Dave Pegg’s line-up, who performed under the name of Fairport Convention, with Simon Nicol as lead vocalist but without Swarbrick. This was soon followed by an instrumental album Expletive Delighted (1986), and then by Red And Gold (Rough Trade, 1989), Five Season (Rough Trade, 1990), Jewel In The Crown (Green Linnet, 1995), all good albums lacking of innovative ideas.

Formati nel 1967 nei club dell'underground londinese dal sodalizio di un pugno di animatori della scena folk, fra cui il chitarrista Richard Thompson, il cantante Ian Matthews, e il bassista Ashley Hutchings, i Fairport Convention debuttarono con l'album Fairport Convention (Polydor, 1968), un'accozzaglia di brani originali e di covers dei folksinger americani. Dietro i suggerimenti del produttore Joe Boyd, il complesso si arricchi` della cantante Sandy Denny (proveniente dagli Strawbs), abbandono` il cliche' dei Byrds e si oriento` verso le composizioni originali. Fotheringay di Denny e Meet On The Ledge di Thompson impreziosiscono cosi` What We Did On Our Holidays (Island, 1968 - Water, 2008), mentre Who Knows Where The Time Goes e Autopsy della prima e Genesis Hall del secondo sono i cardini di Unhalfbricking (1970 - Water, 2008). Quest'ultimo vantava anche un lungo arrangiamento "progressivo" di un traditional, A Sailor's Life. Denny aveva dalla sua una delle voci piu` originali del suo tempo, inventando uno stile che sara` influente sulle generazioni successive (Kate Bush e Tori Amos fra le tante). Altro materiale dell'epoca (ancora in prevalenza covers) apparve su Heyday (Hannibal, 1987 - Island, 2002).

Quando, alla partenza di Matthews, subentro` il violinista Dave Swarbrick (veterano del circuito folk, accompagnatore di Martin Carthy), quest'accolita di talenti si volse decisamente al materiale tradizionale e creo` il concept album Liege And Lief (A&M, 1970), che per molti versi si puo` considerare il manifesto del folk-rock britannico. L'arrangiamento moderno, il ritmo spigliato e i duelli aerei fra Swarbrick e Thompson conferivano nuovo significato al materiale folk (tutti i brani sono traditional), in particolare negli scatenati e trascinanti medley di gighe e reel e nelle "grand folk suites" di Matty Groves e Tam Lin. Si tratta di un grande album di folk, ma di un mediocre album di rock.

Il gruppo perse subito Denny e Hutchings, ciascuno avviato a carriere indipendenti (Fotheringay e Steeleye Span). Full House (1970) e` pertanto opera (piu` folk che rock) di Swarbrick e Thompson. Vanta l'incalzante Walk Awhile e la grand folk suite piu` riuscita del complesso, Sloth, due delle gemme del repertorio di Thompson. Il bassista Dave Pegg entro` in formazione in questo album.

Dopo che anche Thompson lascio` il complesso, i Fairport Convention divennero di fatto il complesso di Swarbrick, che, dopo il mediocre Angel Delight (1971), compose per l'ensemble la prima opera folk, Babbacomb Lee (1972), storia per quadri di un condannato a morte dell'Ottocento.

History (Island, 1972) e` un doppio antologico.

Intanto Denny registrava album forse superiori a quelli del gruppo, in particolare la trilogia The North Star Grassman (Hannibal, 1971), Sandy (A&M, 1972) e Like An Old Fashioned Waltz (Hannibal, 1973).

Su Rosie (1973) e Fairport 9 (1974) Swarbrick provo` a scrivere persino ballate pop. A quel punto Denny rientro` nel gruppo e scrisse gran parte del materiale di Rising For The Moon (Island, 1975), in particolare What Is True e Rising For The Moon. A lungo andare Swarbrick soffoco` pero` la musica del gruppo con i suoi virtuosismi. Gottle Geer (1976), Bonny Bunch Of Roses (1977) e Tipplers Tales (1978) sono album orrendi e sembrarono mettere fine ai Fairport Convention.

Sandy Denny, da molti considerata la massima cantante della musica britannica degli anni '70, mori` nel 1978, dopo un mediocre album di pop ballads, Rendesvouz (Hannibal, 1977). No More Sad Refrains (A&M) e` un doppio antologico della sua carriera.

L'album solista di Swarbrick Smiddy Burn (Logo, 1981) fu di fatto una reunion dei Fairport Convention di Full House.

Gladys Leap (Varrick, 1985) e` di una formazione di Dave Pegg che si faceva chiamare Fairport Convention, con Simon Nicol al canto ma senza Swarbrick. Venne seguito dall'album strumentale Expletive Delighted (1986), e poi da Red And Gold (Rough Trade, 1989), Five Season (Rough Trade, 1990), Jewel In The Crown (Green Linnet, 1995), Red & Gold (1996), l'acustico Old-New-Borrowed-Blue (1996), album dignitosi ma senza grandi idee.

The Fairport Convention became a British institution, changing line-up but surviving the revolutions in style. Who Knows Where the Time Goes (1997), the first album with fiddler and mandolinist Chris Leslie, marked the beginning of a new era as the subsequent albums were mostly composed by Leslie and violinist Ric Sanders: The Wood and the Wire (2000), XXXV (2002), Over the Next Hill (2004), Sense of Occasion (2007), with the only exception of Fame and Glory (2009), entirely composed by French singer-songwriter Alan Simon. Festival Bell (2011), however, was another Leslie-Sanders show.

Swarbrick died in 2016.