The Albion Band
Fred Bulger
I've just been introduced to the Albion Band, and glad I am as the
woman who sings, Chris While, is one of the most beautiful singers I've
ever heard! I'm in awe of the beauty of several of the songs she sings.
The CD I have is called "Acousticity". I basically want to know what you
people can tell me about them - opinions, tidbits, etc.
Many thanks...
-Fred.
Ken Josenhans
The Albion Band is the common name for a number of different bands
led by Ashley Hutchings. Hutchings was a founder of both Fairport
Convention and Steeleye Span. It's probably a gross oversimplification
to say that the Albions came about because
Hutchings wanted to focus on English music, while Steeleye was
drawing a great deal from Irish and Scottish sources.
The first use of the Albion name was on NO ROSES, by Shirley Collins
and the Albion Country Band, from about 1971. The "band" was the
collection of folkies and folk-rockers,
including Richard Thompson, who Hutchings had
assembled to play on the album. The Albions eventually became a more
established band, went through a dance stage, hit a fabulous peak
in the late 70's, and then turned to theatrical work, following
Hutchings' wandering muse. In the early 1980's much of the classic
line-up bolted the stage group and formed a new band, The Home Service.
Hutchings rebuilt the Albions in the early 1980s with a mostly-new
lineup and a female vocalist, Cathy LeSurf, who came from the early
versions of the Oyster Band. Lesurf departed in the late '80s and
Hutchings sang for a while. ACOUSTICITY marked another new lineup for the
band; it's Chris While's first recorded appearance with them.
As the title suggests it is a break with the band's electro-trad/folk-rock
history. While continues with the band for their current release,
ALBION HEART, which adds a second female vocalist; I have not yet heard
this one.
So, if it's The Albion Band with Chris While which interests you the
most, there is only one more CD to get. (I have a vague memory of While
having issued a solo album, but I can't be sure about this.)
My Ashley Hutchings/Albion Band discography is in tatters; it badly
needs reworking, but I have been unwilling to keep up with the flood of
Ashley/Albion CD reissues, which is running at a pace of 4-6 per year.
(I've also been assuming that John Falstaff's book would pick up the
slack.) There are something like 25 releases in the discography.
My picks for the best items under the Albion name:
Albion Country Band, BATTLE OF THE FIELD: US/UK LP issue, out of print,
never on CD, not hard to find
used
Albion Dance Band, THE PROSPECT BEFORE US: EMI cd issue in UK
The Albion Band, RISE UP LIKE THE SUN: EMI cd issue in UK
Three gems from the 70s folk-rock scene; RISE UP LIKE THE SUN
is one of the best albums ever done in the genre.
The lineup on BATTLE OF THE FIELD includes Martin Carthy and
John Kirkpatrick.
The Albion Band, STELLA MARIS: out of print on CD ?
Only album with Cathy Lesurf which I really enjoy; her somewhat
piercing soprano was quite tamed in this recording.
Albion Band '89, GIVE ME A SADDLE I'LL TRADE YOU A CAR may be in print
Hutchings steps forward as lead singer and (for once) delivers
a lot of high-quality originals, plus some well chosen trad/cover
tracks.
Some of this post sounds like I'm pretty critical of the Albions, so I
should say that, of the three major English folk-rock bands from the 70s,
Ashley Hutchings' Albions are the only ones who are still pushing into
new ideas, and not just coasting on past glories.
-- Ken Josenhans, once a manic Hutchings collector
k...@netsun.cl.msu.edu
Ray Price
> I've just been introduced to the Albion Band <snip> I basically want to
know what you people can tell me about them - opinions, tidbits, etc.
Well 'off the top of my head' - The Albion Band was started by the bass
player Ashley Hutchings in England after he had played in many bands
including being one of the founders of Fairport Convention and Steeleye
Span.
There have been MANY versions of the band and many changes of name. To
name but a few there has been the Albion Country Band, the Albion Country
Dance Band, the Albion Morris Band and even Albion bands with the year of
their existence after them!
Ashley is known as a hard taskmaster and his bands don't stay together
very long. Every line-up is of very high quality and you never know what
you are going to get when a new grouping forms.
Most of the good English folkies have been through the ranks at some
point, but I guess guitarist Simon Nicol has been in more line-ups than
most. Martin Carthy has been in a few and you should look out for a
classic album called 'Rise up like the sun' which features the amazing
vocal talents of John Tams.
There's so much to say about them - if you can track it down, 'Folk Roots'
magazine in England did a special on Ashley et al in a back issue some
time ago
url: http://www.cityscape.co.uk/froots/
I hope this helps to start you on your way.
Cheers,
Ray
--
* rayp...@cruzio.com - Moving Mandala - Santa Cruz, California *
Deep peace of the running wave to you
Deep peace of the silent stars
Deep peace of the flowing air to you
Deep peace of the quiet earth
* homepage: http://cruzio.com/personal/rayprice.html *
George Hawes
>In article <DAvAx...@cs.dal.ca>, aa...@ccn.cs.dal.ca (Fred Bulger) wrote:
>
>> I've just been introduced to the Albion Band <snip> I basically want to
>know what you people can tell me about them - opinions, tidbits, etc.
>
>Well 'off the top of my head' - The Albion Band was started by the bass
>player Ashley Hutchings in England after he had played in many bands
Not sure about the "Many" but Albion implies "includes Ashley"
>There have been MANY versions of the band and many changes of name . .
> <including> the Albion Morris Band
Actually the Albion Morris are/were an outer London morris side connected
to Ashley; he and friends recorded 2 records/tapes with them - they were
released some years apart but I don't know about the recording dates. At
least one tape includes a/some Martin Carthy vocal(s).
>
>Ashley is known as a hard taskmaster and his bands don't stay together
>very long.
Perhaps a little harsh . . . I understand he can be a little inflexible
at times. But the "vibes" I pick up are that he has, perhaps, mellowed. .
Major impacts on band life have also been the economic viability of large
folk bands and the organisational difficulties of bands of musicians who
must do other work to make a living.
>
>Most of the good English folkies have been through the ranks at some
>point, but I guess guitarist Simon Nicol has been in more line-ups than
>most. Martin Carthy has been in a few and you should look out for a
>classic album called 'Rise up like the sun' which features the amazing
>vocal talents of John Tams.
"Albions" have also included Richard Thompsom (I think that was on "Rise
Up" but it might have been "The Prospect Before Us".
In early line-ups Phil/Philip Pickett made a notable contribution; he's
VERY well-known in early music circles; he's on the invigorated side of
that music.
They also worked on a number of OUTSTANDING National Theatre productions,
with Bill Bryden as director and (I forget his christian name) Dudley as
designer; the height of these was The Passion (an adaptation by Tony
Harrison of the medeaval mystery plays), which was broadcast (Chanel 4).
There were records of this (outstanding) and also of Lark Rise
(well worth listening to). I think Lark Rise is the only time Martin
Simpson recorded with them.
At about this point the band divided, with John Tams and Bill Caddick
going off to form Home Service, who continued the theatre work - indeed,
The Passion may have been with Home Service. Home Service made two records,
Home Service and Allright Jack, both of which are available on CD and should
be regarded as essential listening.
IMHO the best Albion line-up was never recorded - it featured an expanded
brass section (as did Home Service; this was not long before the split)
and I well remember a barn dance of theirs at a Bracknell Folk Festival.
There have been 2 very recent CDs of theirs:
The Etchingham Steam Band: (NOTE it doesn't mention the Albion Band!!):
This was a cut-down band intended to give a more viable band for touring.
This is the first time this material has been released but it got an
excellent review in July's Folk Roots (I will be buying it!)
Kicking Up the Sawdust: This is attributed to the Albion Band but is a
collaborative work with a number of Traditional (as opposed to Revival)
musicians. As the FR review says, it's rather uneven but I'd say it's
worth having - I enjoy playing my vinyl copy from time to time, though
not as often as their other LPs in my collection.
There are two other Hutchings "project works" to look out for:
The Complete Dancing Master: Based on Playford tunes (largely) but with
readings, etc. I LOVE this record, but some might find it a bit "arty" -
although that can't be said of the playing on it!
Rattlebone and Ploughjack: Folk customs (e.g. Plough Monday processions)
including some archive recordings and some modern re-creations. While this
is enjoyable it would be so much better if it included some notes on its
contents!!
(This is "Albion History" and says nothing about the last 10 years -
or perhaps longer, since time flies!)
George Hawes
Cambridge UK
Brian Rost
In the US, Albion recordings are pretty hard to come by. Less than
half of the ones I know about have ever had official US releases; of
those, most are out of print here. Every year it seems like I hear
about another title that I had never heard of.
After vocalist Cathy LeSurf left in the mid-80s, I have found that the
band's recordings have fluctuated wildly, mostly because Ashley
doesn't measure up as a vocalist against folks like Martin Carthy and
John Tams (that's being charitable). The instrumentals have remained
of high quality throughout, but I cringe on many of the vocal numbers.
That said, I'm pleased to hear thst the latest lineup has Simon Nicol
back as well as two new female vocalists. This sounds like it must be
fantastic, now maybe sometime in the next five years I'll be able to
find a copy of their recordings 8^(
My personal advice would be to find anything you can with the Albion
name on it up to "Rise Up Like The Sun"; those are the essential ones
for me. You should also look up "Morris On" and "Son of Morris On"
which are not Albion recordings per se, but have Ashley and many of
the usual suspects present.
--
Brian Rost
Ascom Nexion
ro...@nexen.com
********************************************************
"Put the money in his hand and the Cubmaster will rock!"
- Cub Koda
********************************************************
George Hawes
>I just wanted to pitch in my two cents here.
>After vocalist Cathy LeSurf left in the mid-80s, I have found that the
>band's recordings have fluctuated wildly,
<Much cut>
Which might have some connection with why my acount stopped where it did?
Also, in that period, much of the work has much less of a "traditional"
feel to it.
The two new re-releases I referred to are:
The Etchingham Steam Band Fledg'ling FLED 3002
Kicking Up the Sawdust BGO Records BGOCD244
And you certainly should be able to get them on import.
George Hawes
Cambridge UK
Jeffrey S. Adair
> I just wanted to pitch in my two cents here.
>
> In the US, Albion recordings are pretty hard to come by. Less than
> half of the ones I know about have ever had official US releases; of
> those, most are out of print here. Every year it seems like I hear
> about another title that I had never heard of.
>
> After vocalist Cathy LeSurf left in the mid-80s, I have found that the
> band's recordings have fluctuated wildly, mostly because Ashley
> doesn't measure up as a vocalist against folks like Martin Carthy and
> John Tams (that's being charitable). The instrumentals have remained
> of high quality throughout, but I cringe on many of the vocal numbers.
>
> That said, I'm pleased to hear thst the latest lineup has Simon Nicol
> back as well as two new female vocalists. This sounds like it must be
> fantastic, now maybe sometime in the next five years I'll be able to
> find a copy of their recordings 8^(
>
> My personal advice would be to find anything you can with the Albion
> name on it up to "Rise Up Like The Sun"; those are the essential ones
> for me. You should also look up "Morris On" and "Son of Morris On"
> which are not Albion recordings per se, but have Ashley and many of
> the usual suspects present.
>
> --
>
> Brian Rost
> Ascom Nexion
> ro...@nexen.com
>
>
> ********************************************************
>
> "Put the money in his hand and the Cubmaster will rock!"
>
> - Cub Koda
>
> ********************************************************
>
>
Brian,
I find the easiest thing is to mail order them over the phone from
Terrapin Trucking. They take credit cards. The number to dial
direct is 011-44-181-292-0085. Lots of Fairport, Steeleye, etc,
too. The only Albion stuff they might not carry could be the ones
distributed by Celtic Music; most of the UK mail order places
don't deal with them, but they do their own credit card mail order.
Their number is 011-44-1423-888-979. If you need more info, let me
know.
Scott Adair
C. Woods
: Brian Rost wrote:
: >I just wanted to pitch in my two cents here.
: >After vocalist Cathy LeSurf left in the mid-80s, I have found that the
: >band's recordings have fluctuated wildly,
: <Much cut>
: Which might have some connection with why my acount stopped where it did?
: Also, in that period, much of the work has much less of a "traditional"
: feel to it.
: The two new re-releases I referred to are:
: The Etchingham Steam Band Fledg'ling FLED 3002
: Kicking Up the Sawdust BGO Records BGOCD244
: And you certainly should be able to get them on import.
: George Hawes
: Cambridge UK
: > Brian Rost
: > Ascom Nexion
: > ro...@nexen.com
: >
: >
: > ********************************************************
: >
: > "Put the money in his hand and the Cubmaster will rock!"
: >
: > - Cub Koda
: >
: > ********************************************************
Nice to see all these Fans of the Albion Band out here :-)
Most things have been said better than I could have done - but two CD's not
to be ignored (in MY opinion) are The Guv'nor volumes I and II.
These are parallel retrospectives of Ashley Hutchings work. They include
tracks from Early Fairport, Steeleye Span (on I) and assorted albion lineups
over the years right up to present.
All the tracks are either live versions of songs from studio albums,
out-takes, or lineups officially unrecorded/released etc and none of the
tracks are on any other albums. An excellent way to sample all the different
band lineups and styles, or for established fans (like me) to get more
material.
The albums are on HTD in the UK, I don't know anything about US availability.
Chris
--
Chris Woods ps...@keele.ac.uk
Frank Scott
>Most things have been said better than I could have done - but two CD's not
>to be ignored (in MY opinion) are The Guv'nor volumes I and II.
>These are parallel retrospectives of Ashley Hutchings work. They include
>tracks from Early Fairport, Steeleye Span (on I) and assorted albion lineups
>over the years right up to present.
>All the tracks are either live versions of songs from studio albums,
>out-takes, or lineups officially unrecorded/released etc and none of the
>tracks are on any other albums. An excellent way to sample all the different
>band lineups and styles, or for established fans (like me) to get more
>material.
>The albums are on HTD in the UK, I don't know anything about US availability.
>Chris
My company Roots & Rhythm can supply the two "Guv'nor" CDs on HTD also
The Etchingham Steam Band on Fled'gling. Prices are $20.98 each plus
shipping and handling.
Frank Scott