The Village Thing
Encyclopedia
The Village Thing was an independent record label in the United Kingdom
which published folk music, blues and acoustic music between 1970 and 1973, under the tag
of "The Alternative Folk Label".
, rose from the thriving Bristol
contemporary folk scene based around the Clifton
area and centred on the Bristol Troubadour Club
. Specialising in local acts, it took the music to a wider audience and was highly influential in the development of British folk and blues based music in the 1970s and after. Records were pressed in relatively small numbers and a cult
following has resulted in them becoming highly collectable. Typical pressings were about 2,000 copies, but their best seller, "The Folker" by Fred Wedlock
sold some 20,000. Village Thing was founded by Gef Lucena, Ian A. Anderson
and John Turner. Lucena was already running a local indie label, Saydisc, which had already gained a reputation for publishing low-run pressings by local folk/comedy artists including Fred Wedlock
; Saydisc was the "parent" company and continues to trade today. Anderson had become well-known for his part in the "White Blues Boom" of the late 1960s and had recorded for Fontana
both solo and with Mike Cooper. Turner was manager of the Troubadour Club and played bass with the humorous folk/jazz fusion band, The Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra
. Village Thing records were distributed by Transatlantic Records
.
The company logo was designed by Rodney Matthews
, as were some of the album covers; Matthews later became very well known for his fantasy art
and produced album covers for major artists including Thin Lizzy
, Magnum
and Rick Wakeman
.
, The Weekend Beatnik
, Saydisc and Sunbeam (UK); Riverman (Korea); and Vinyl Japan.
VTS7, VTS17 and VTS18 were also released on cassette and 8-track cartridge
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which published folk music, blues and acoustic music between 1970 and 1973, under the tag
Tagline
A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product , or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product...
of "The Alternative Folk Label".
History
The company, based at The Barton, Inglestone Common, Badminton, GloucestershireBadminton, Gloucestershire
Badminton, Gloucestershire, is a village in England famous for its horse trials, which take place in early May each year in the grounds of the Duke of Beaufort's residence, Badminton House...
, rose from the thriving Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
contemporary folk scene based around the Clifton
Clifton, Bristol
Clifton is a suburb of the City of Bristol in England, and the name of both one of the city's thirty-five council wards. The Clifton ward also includes the areas of Cliftonwood and Hotwells...
area and centred on the Bristol Troubadour Club
Bristol Troubadour Club
In the late 1960s and early '70s, a thriving contemporary folk music scene in Bristol was centred on the short lived but influential Bristol Troubadour Club in Clifton village, the student quarter above the city centre...
. Specialising in local acts, it took the music to a wider audience and was highly influential in the development of British folk and blues based music in the 1970s and after. Records were pressed in relatively small numbers and a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
following has resulted in them becoming highly collectable. Typical pressings were about 2,000 copies, but their best seller, "The Folker" by Fred Wedlock
Fred Wedlock
Fred Wedlock was a folk singer best known for his UK hit single "The Oldest Swinger In Town". Wedlock performed at many venues in Britain and Europe, presented programmes for West Country TV and acted with the Bristol Old Vic and the Ministry of Entertainment, as well as undertaking after-dinner...
sold some 20,000. Village Thing was founded by Gef Lucena, Ian A. Anderson
Ian A. Anderson
Ian A. Anderson is an English magazine editor, folk musician and broadcaster.-Country blues and The Village Thing:...
and John Turner. Lucena was already running a local indie label, Saydisc, which had already gained a reputation for publishing low-run pressings by local folk/comedy artists including Fred Wedlock
Fred Wedlock
Fred Wedlock was a folk singer best known for his UK hit single "The Oldest Swinger In Town". Wedlock performed at many venues in Britain and Europe, presented programmes for West Country TV and acted with the Bristol Old Vic and the Ministry of Entertainment, as well as undertaking after-dinner...
; Saydisc was the "parent" company and continues to trade today. Anderson had become well-known for his part in the "White Blues Boom" of the late 1960s and had recorded for Fontana
Fontana Records
Fontana Records is a record label which was started in the 1950s as a subsidiary of the Dutch Philips Records; when Philips restructured its music operations it dropped Fontana in favor of Vertigo Records. In the seventies PolyGram acquired the dormant label....
both solo and with Mike Cooper. Turner was manager of the Troubadour Club and played bass with the humorous folk/jazz fusion band, The Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra
Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra
The Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra were an eccentric band of British musicians, who joined together in early 1968 to play a fusion of comedy, jazz, and folk music, in a unique style which has been compared with the Temperance Seven and the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. Many of the songs performed dated...
. Village Thing records were distributed by Transatlantic Records
Transatlantic Records
Transatlantic Records was a British independent record label. It was established in 1961. It started began primarily as an importer of American folk, blues and jazz records - by many of the artists who influenced the burgeoning British folk and blues boom. Within a couple of years, the company had...
.
The company logo was designed by Rodney Matthews
Rodney Matthews
Rodney Matthews is a fantasy artist and illustrator.In 1978, he published Yendor: The Journey of a Junior Adventurer, a hard-back picture book featuring his distinctive paintings of "The Wild Country", a fantasy world seen through the eyes of young Yendor, named after his son...
, as were some of the album covers; Matthews later became very well known for his fantasy art
Fantasy art
Fantasy art is a genre of art that depicts magical or other supernatural themes, ideas, creatures or settings. While there is some overlap with science fiction, horror and other speculative fiction art, there are unique elements not generally found in other forms of speculative fiction art...
and produced album covers for major artists including Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...
, Magnum
Magnum (band)
Magnum are a British progressive rock band from Birmingham, England. Formed as a four piece by Tony Clarkin , Bob Catley , Kex Gorin and Bob Doyle in order to appear as the resident band at The Rum Runner night club Birmingham...
and Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman
Richard Christopher Wakeman is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes...
.
Availability
Some of The Village Thing albums have been reissued as CDs on labels including Scenesof (US); CastleCastle Communications
Castle Communications was a British independent record label founded in 1983 by Terry Shand, Cliff Dane and Jon Beecher. The company was acquired by the American music distributor Alliance Entertainment in 1994 and in 2000 it was absorbed into Sanctuary Records Group...
, The Weekend Beatnik
The Weekend Beatnik
The Weekend Beatnik is an independent record label in the United Kingdom, which specialises in the reissue of albums within the world, folk, blues and acoustic music genres, often issuing albums in CD format for the first time. The company policy is to provide "maxi-length, mid-price CDs with...
, Saydisc and Sunbeam (UK); Riverman (Korea); and Vinyl Japan.
Albums (12 inch vinyl)
- VTS 1 PIGSTY HILL LIGHT ORCHESTRAPigsty Hill Light OrchestraThe Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra were an eccentric band of British musicians, who joined together in early 1968 to play a fusion of comedy, jazz, and folk music, in a unique style which has been compared with the Temperance Seven and the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. Many of the songs performed dated...
Phlop! - VTS 2 THE SUN ALSO RISESThe Sun Also Rises (duo)The Sun Also Rises were a Cardiff-based folk duo, comprising Graham Hemingway and Anne Hemingway who performed in the late 1960s/early 1970s...
The Sun Also Rises - VTS 3 IAN A. ANDERSON Royal York Crescent
- VTS 4 WIZZ JONESWizz JonesRaymond Ronald Jones better-known as Wizz Jones is an English acoustic guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has been performing since the late 1950s and recording from 1965 to the present...
The Legendary Me - VTS 5 STEVE TILSTONSteve TilstonSteve Tilston is an English singer-songwriter.-Early years:Steve Tilston was born in Liverpool and raised in Leicestershire. Tilston was a graphic designer before taking up music in 1971, living in Bristol at the time, where he recorded his first album "An Acoustic Confusion". In the early...
An Acoustic Confusion - VTS 6 DAVE EVANS The Words In Between
- VTS 7 FRED WEDLOCKFred WedlockFred Wedlock was a folk singer best known for his UK hit single "The Oldest Swinger In Town". Wedlock performed at many venues in Britain and Europe, presented programmes for West Country TV and acted with the Bristol Old Vic and the Ministry of Entertainment, as well as undertaking after-dinner...
The Folker - VTS 8 PIGSTY HILL LIGHT ORCHESTRA Piggery Jokery
- VTS 9 IAN A. ANDERSON A Vulture Is Not A Bird You Can Trust
- VTS 10 MUDGE AND CLUTTERBUCK Mudge And Clutterbuck (NOT RELEASED)
- VTS 11 HUNT AND TURNER Magic Landscape
- VTS 12 TIGHT LIKE THAT Hokum
- VTS 13 TUCKER ZIMMERMAN Tucker Zimmerman
- VTS 14 DAVE EVANS Elephantasia
- VTSAM 15 VARIOUS ARTISTS Us
- VTSAM 16 VARIOUS ARTISTS Matchbox Days
- VTS 17 DERROLL ADAMSDerroll AdamsDerroll Adams was an American folk musician.-Biography:Adams was born Derroll Lewis Thompson in Portland, Oregon. At 16, he served in the Army and later in the Coast Guard. He was a tall, lanky banjo player with a deep voice...
Feelin’ Fine - VTS 18 IAN A. ANDERSON Singer Sleeps On As Blaze Rages
- VTS 19 AL JONESAl JonesAlun Ashworth-Jones , known as Al Jones, was an influential English folk and blues songwriter, guitarist and singer, noted for his distinctive and original folk-rock guitar style and his often darkly humorous lyrics.-Early career:He first came to prominence in the Bristol folk scene in the...
Jonesville - VTS 20 FRED WEDLOCK Frollicks
- VTS 21 CHRIS THOMPSON Chris Thompson
- VTS 22 Dave PeabodyDave PeabodyDave Peabody is an English singer-songwriter, blues and folk musician, record producer and photographer, active since the late 1960s, who has appeared on more than 60 albums...
- Peabody Hotel - VTS 23 LACKEY AND SWEENEY Junk Store Songs For Sale
- VTS 24 WIZZ JONES When I Leave Berlin
- VTS 25 NOEL MURPHYNoel Murphy (musician)Noel Murphy is an Irish folk musician, actor and entertainer. His family moved to Dublin when he was seven years old. At school he was a keen actor and played drums....
Murf
Singles / Extended Play (7 inch vinyl)
- VTSX 1000 VARIOUS ARTISTS (Wizz Jones/The Sun Also Rises/Ian A. Anderson/Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra) The Great White Dap EP
- VTSX 1001 STRANGE FRUIT Cut Across Shorty / Shake That Thing
- VTSX 1002 IAN A. ANDERSON One More Chance / Policeman’s Ball
VTS7, VTS17 and VTS18 were also released on cassette and 8-track cartridge
External links
- Village Thing MySpace page
- Saydisc Records
- Discography at Vinyl Attic.com
- Bristol Folk provides a discographical history of many of the artists that recorded for Village Thing and also includes a partial history of the label
- The Saydisc & Village Thing Discography includes a complete discography for Village Thing, including pictures of all sleeves and label designs. It is rounded off with a history of Village Thing