Fairport Live Convention
Encyclopedia
Fairport Live Convention is a folk rock album by Fairport Convention
originally released in 1974 by Island Records
. It was recorded live at the Sydney Opera House
, the London Rainbow and the Fairfield Halls
, Croydon
by John Wood
and mixed down at Sound Techniques
, London
. It was produced by Trevor Lucas
& John Wood
.
The album was issued in the US and Canada under the title A Moveable Feast and in Germany as Fairport Convention Live '75.
The original UK LP issue included an inner sleeve photograph of the band posing on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, with Dave Mattacks sporting a shirt bearing the prominent legend "Harrison Birtwistle
where its at".
Also credited on the original LP sleeve - stage mix by Phil Benton and Roger Proctor, photographs by Stephen Westlund and design co-ordination by Fabio Nicoll Associates and Dave Mattacks
.
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
originally released in 1974 by Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
. It was recorded live at the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
, the London Rainbow and the Fairfield Halls
Fairfield Halls
Fairfield Hall is an arts centre in Croydon, London, England and opened in 1962. It contains a concert hall, the Ashcroft Theatre , the Arnhem Gallery civic hall and an art gallery....
, Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
by John Wood
John Wood (music producer)
John Wood is an English sound engineer and producer, best known for his work with Fairport Convention, John Martyn, Cat Stevens, Sandy Denny, Nick Drake, the Incredible String Band, Pink Floyd, Nico and Squeeze.-Career:...
and mixed down at Sound Techniques
Sound Techniques (studio)
Sound Techniques was a popular London recording studio at 46a Old Church Street, Chelsea, London, SW3 founded in December 1964. The premises were originally built as a dairy. It quickly became one of the top independently-owned studios in England. In 1976 the original location in Old Church Street...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It was produced by Trevor Lucas
Trevor Lucas
Trevor George Lucas was an influential folk artist, a member of Fairport Convention and one of the founders of Fotheringay...
& John Wood
John Wood (music producer)
John Wood is an English sound engineer and producer, best known for his work with Fairport Convention, John Martyn, Cat Stevens, Sandy Denny, Nick Drake, the Incredible String Band, Pink Floyd, Nico and Squeeze.-Career:...
.
The album was issued in the US and Canada under the title A Moveable Feast and in Germany as Fairport Convention Live '75.
The original UK LP issue included an inner sleeve photograph of the band posing on the steps of the Sydney Opera House, with Dave Mattacks sporting a shirt bearing the prominent legend "Harrison Birtwistle
Harrison Birtwistle
Sir Harrison Paul Birtwistle CH is a British contemporary composer.-Life:Birtwistle was born in Accrington, a mill town in Lancashire some 20 miles north of Manchester. His interest in music was encouraged by his mother, who bought him a clarinet when he was seven, and arranged for him to have...
where its at".
Side one
(as rendered on the original release)- "Matty GrovesMatty Groves"Matty Groves" is an English folk ballad that describes an adulterous tryst between a man and a woman that is ended when the woman's husband discovers and kills them. It dates to at least the 17th century, and is one of the Child Ballads collected by 19th-century American scholar Francis James Child...
" (Trad. arr. Denny, Pegg, Mattacks, Lucas, Swarbrick, Donahue) - "Rosie" (Swarbrick)
- "Fiddlestix" (Trad. arr. Lucas, Swarbrick, Donahue, Mattacks, Pegg)
- "John the Gun" (Denny)
- "Something You Got" (Chris KennerChris KennerChris Kenner was a New Orleans R&B singer and songwriter, best known for two hit singles in the early 1960s, that became staples in the repertoires of many other musicians.-Biography:...
)
Side two
- "Sloth" (Thompson, Swarbrick)
- "Dirty Linen" (Trad. arr. Swarbrick)
- "Down in the FloodDown in the FloodDown in the Flood is a song by Bob Dylan, copyrighted and originally recorded by him in 1967 and featured on his 1971 compilation album, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II. He has recorded it with The Band, too - this version was featured on the 1975 album The Basement Tapes...
" (Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
) - "Sir B. MacKenzie" (Swarbrick / Thompson, Nicol, Mattacks)
Bonus tracks on CD reissue
- "The Hexhamshire Lass" (Bob Davendorf, trad. arr. Fairport Convention) – 4.09
- "Polly on the Shore" (trad. arr. Dave Swarbrick, Trevor Lucas) – 5.12
- "Bring 'Em Down" (Trevor Lucas) – 11.39
- "Far From Me" (John Prine) – 3.16
- "That'll Be the Day" (Jerry Alison, Buddy Holly, Norman Petty) – 3.19
Personnel
- Sandy DennySandy DennySandy Denny , born Alexandra Elene Maclean Denny, was an English singer and songwriter, perhaps best known as the lead singer for the folk rock band Fairport Convention...
– vocals, piano - Trevor LucasTrevor LucasTrevor George Lucas was an influential folk artist, a member of Fairport Convention and one of the founders of Fotheringay...
– acoustic guitars, vocals - Jerry DonahueJerry DonahueJerry Donahue is an American guitarist and producer primarily known for his work in the British folk rock scene as a member of Fotheringay and Fairport Convention as well as being a member of the rock guitar trio The Hellecasters.-Biography:Donahue was born in New York, the son of big band...
– electric guitar, vocals - Dave SwarbrickDave SwarbrickDave Swarbrick is an English folk musician and singer-songwriter. He has been described by Ashley Hutchings as 'the most influential [British] fiddle player bar none' and his style has been copied or developed by almost every British, and many World folk violin players that have followed him...
– fiddle, vocals - Dave PeggDave PeggDave Pegg is an English multi-instrumentalist and record producer, arguably most visible as a bass guitarist. He is the longest-serving member of the pre-eminent electric folk band Fairport Convention and has been bassist with a number of important folk and rock groups including The Ian Campbell...
– bass guitar - Dave MattacksDave MattacksDave Mattacks is a rock and folk drummer. Best known for his work with Fairport Convention, Mattacks has also worked both as a session musician, and as a performance artist...
– drums
Also credited on the original LP sleeve - stage mix by Phil Benton and Roger Proctor, photographs by Stephen Westlund and design co-ordination by Fabio Nicoll Associates and Dave Mattacks
Dave Mattacks
Dave Mattacks is a rock and folk drummer. Best known for his work with Fairport Convention, Mattacks has also worked both as a session musician, and as a performance artist...
.