Steeleye Span

[Stu H]

I saw Steeleye Span in concert last night - very good indeed!

After 35 years Maddy Pryors voice is still as powerfull and haunting as ever.

They played some tracks from their new album 'They called her Babylon' as well as lots of classics. All in all a great night out.

Only drawback - not a fipple in sight!

Any other fans out there?

[Jayhawk]

I am. I didn't know they were still together...or are the "back together"?

You don't know if they're planning to come across the pond to play, do you?

Eric

[chas]

Any other fans out there?

If you do a search, you should find the recent thread in which close to half of the respondents said Steeleye were the group that got them into traditional music. I personally consider them the best group of my lifetime, and Maddy one of the best singers. After 35 years, they're still making great music.

The thing that has impressed me is that, through all the personnel changes and incarnations of the band, all of the different combinations of people have been great. I thought they couldn't produce anything decent after Tim Hart left, but it's been what, 20 years now? And the two albums without Maddy were both great, too.

Eric, most of the Span members have their own things going. It seems like in the last 10 years or so, when enough members are free, they get together, select some songs, cut an album and do a tour. (Peter Knight thanks their record label on his website for their putting up with Span's irregular schedule.) They recently made a big disc with new interpretations of many of their classic songs. Evidently, they've also cut an album of new material (thanks for the heads up on that, Stu).

There was also a big celebration last year for their 35th anniversary. Every past member of the group was on hand, and all (what is it, 7, 8, 9?) incarnations of the group performed. Had I known it was happening, I would have been on a plane in a heartbeat.

[JohnPalmer]

They are the first band I ever heard who did anything Irish, and I was hooked, back in the late 70's

[Nanohedron]

I've lost touch but remember them very fondly.

My last time with them was live; they opened for Jethro Tull. They came out bouncing around in parti-colored streamers and singing "Gaudete, gaudete, Christus est natus ex Maria Virgine, gaudete" in a Cockney accent (think "gow-die-tie"). It was great. I wanted more.

[Wombat]

This is strange. Apart from Please To See the King which I like, and despite numerous listens, I just don't like this band much. I like most of the bands and solo performers that people who like them like, but not them. OTOH, Fairport Convention in the Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson days would be my favourite folk rock band and one of my favourite rock bands of any kind. I wish I could see what others see in them but, so far, no luck.

[Nanohedron]

Wombat, I think the reason I don't listen to them now is the same reason I liked them back in the day: their sound. Of course I was listening to Led Zeppelin and the like, and what with Steeleye Span's electric guitars and contemporary flavoring, I found the retro source material to be refreshing, an introduction to and reinterpretation of roots then only partly known to me, and a finger pointing back to a tradition. Eventually (soon, actually), I came to prefer the roots themselves; more nourishing to my palate than higher-tech rock-ish arrangements.

(edited to add that the roots are still only partly known to me)

[Wombat]

Wombat, I think the reason I don't listen to them now is the same reason I liked them back in the day: their sound. Of course I was listening to Led Zeppelin and the like, and what with Steeleye Span's electric guitars and contemporary flavoring, I found the retro source material to be refreshing, an introduction to and reinterpretation of roots then only partly known to me, and a finger pointing back to a tradition. Eventually (soon, actually), I came to prefer the roots themselves; more nourishing to my palate than higher-tech rock-ish arrangements.

You could be right. Back then I was already listening to roots music much more than rock. But I still like Fairport, all these years on. I still think Sandy Denny had a magnificent voice. I suppose Fairport played much less roots music, even though they were thought of as folk rock.

[Darwin]

I found the retro source material to be refreshing, an introduction to and reinterpretation of roots then only partly known to me, and a finger pointing back to a tradition. Eventually (soon, actually), I came to prefer the roots themselves; more nourishing to my palate than higher-tech rock-ish arrangements.

That's sort of what happened to me as a result of the Calypso/Kingston Trio intro to folk music in about 1958-59, leading through groups like the New Lost City Ramblers to the older sources. (Then I moved forward in time again to Bluegrass.)

In a way, R&B led back through John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters to Bukka White, Son House, and Big Bill Broonzy. Oddly enough, I was watching Bonnie Raitt on Austin City Limits the other night, and she brought Roy Rogers out. I ended up on the 'Net, ordering his instruction video on slide guitar, got myself a slide, and now my Fender is tuned to open E and my whole left forearm and hand are sore.

I thoroughly enjoyed Steeleye Span--seen mostly on Midnight Special, and a bit later, Fairport Convention. I agree with Wombat that Sandy Denny was wonderful. Somewhere I have the LP with "Tam Lin", "The Deserter", and "Mathy Groves". I used to play fiddle on one of their songs, performed by a friend, but don't recall the name. It started out something like:

As I walked out one midsummer's morning
For to view the fields and to take the air...

I think it might have had "Strawberry" in the title.

[buddhu]

As I walked out one midsummer's morning
To view the fields and to take the air
Down by the banks of sweet primroses
There I spied a most love-lie fair

Three short steps I stepped up to her
Not knowing her as she passed me by
I stepped up to her thinking to view her
She appeared to be some virtuous bride

I said "Fair maid where are you going?
What's the occasion of all your brief?
I will make you as happy as any lady
If you grant to me one small relief."

"No, oh no, you are a false deceiver
You are a false deceitful man I know
For tis you have caused my poor heart to wander
And in your comfort lies no refrain."

I'II go back to some lonesome valley
No man on earth shall there me find
Where the pretty small birds do change their voices
And every moment blow blusterous wild

Come all young men who go a-sailing
Pray pay attention to what I say
There's many a dark and cloudy morning
Turns out to be a sunshiny day

[Darwin]

As I walked out one midsummer's morning
To view the fields and to take the air
Down by the banks of sweet primroses
There I spied a most love-lie fair

Thank ye muchly. It was primroses, not strawberries. You wouldn't think you'd forget something like that in just 30 years.

[cowtime]

I've lost touch but remember them very fondly.

My last time with them was live; they opened for Jethro Tull. They came out bouncing around in parti-colored streamers and singing "Gaudete, gaudete, Christus est natus ex Maria Virgine, gaudete" in a Cockney accent (think "gow-die-tie"). It was great. I wanted more.

Gaudete was the tune that go me hooked on them. I still love it and have as a goal to teach it to my church choir for a Christmas revelry tune.

My favorites have always been the tunes that have less "modern sounds" with the accapella songs the very favorites.

One of my facisinations with their music, is the same thing that draws me to many of the Tull tunes- the LYRICS.

Without them, I would have had a longer wait until I found the traditional music of the British Isles in general, Scots and Irish in particular.

[Wombat]

.... and now my Fender is tuned to open E and my whole left forearm and hand are sore.

Be careful Mike. Although early bluesmen often tuned up rather than down, it can be a serous strain on the neck. I'd be inclined to tune down to open D and use heavy guage strings on those strings where you do tune down, medium elsewhere. Capo at the second fret if you want to play in E. I have a Telecaster copy permanently set up that way and resonator permanently tuned to open G, again tuned down from open A. I also have the action set as high as possible whilst still allowing fretting on the bottom five to seven frets—sounds best if you don't let the slide touch the frets.

I thoroughly enjoyed Steeleye Span--seen mostly on Midnight Special, and a bit later, Fairport Convention. I agree with Wombat that Sandy Denny was wonderful. Somewhere I have the LP with "Tam Lin", "The Deserter", and "Mathy Groves".

That's Lief and Liege I have a CD issue which is terrible. They've just started reissuing the early Fairport albums with much better sound and extra tracks. I think that album is next in line.

[BrassBlower]

They are the first band I ever heard who did anything Irish, and I was hooked, back in the late 70's

And I would almost be willing to bet that you like Arcady, Altan, Dervish, and Solas today!

[Darwin]

Be careful Mike. Although early bluesmen often tuned up rather than down, it can be a serous strain on the neck. I'd be inclined to tune down to open D and use heavy guage strings on those strings where you do tune down, medium elsewhere. Capo at the second fret if you want to play in E. I have a Telecaster copy permanently set up that way and resonator permanently tuned to open G, again tuned down from open A. I also have the action set as high as possible whilst still allowing fretting on the bottom five to seven frets—sounds best if you don't let the slide touch the frets.

Thanks, Womb. (Can I call you "Womb"? )

I already had super-slinkies on it, so I'm not too worried about the neck. I tuned to E, because that's what the video started with. He does tune to D after a couple of songs, though.

Unfortunately, the guitar I'm using is a Telecoustic ( http://www.zzounds.com/item--FEN0957500 ), so it doesn't have an adjustable bridge. I've thought of seeing if I could adjust the neck to raise the action, though.

The Telecoustic, with its fiberglass body, isn't well thought of by real electric guitar players, but it was cheap enough for what I wanted--something to play unplugged in my bedroom without disturbing the rest of the household. Also, it has a kind of funky sound that I like.