So, in the closing months of 1974, when all I had of Fairport Convention was the original “Fairport Live Convention” LP, without the benefit of the bonus tracks on the CD or “Ebbets Field”, I was guardedly optimistic about the continued existence of the group. This period also marked my first term at university, with the spectre of formal exams (second only to Finals) looming at the end of the second term. It also marked a time when I had more or less given up on romance as bad job. And so it came to be that I stayed on at university for a week after term ended, swotting feverishly. During that week everyone else gradually disappeared, until I was quite alone by the time of my 19th birthday at the end of the week. That day was undoubtedly the loneliest one of my life. My return home for Christmas was marked by a feeling of intense relief, release and joy.
This next bit is a first for me, as I have never before used a “copy and paste” from a previous post. This is from one dated 6 September 2013, which was all about a short summer stroll:
“One of these girls was a drop-dead gorgeous brunette with long straight hair, and both Mick and I fancied her to bits. The other was a sort of mousey one, though by no means unattractive, and I remember thinking that she had the prettier name.”
This sets the scene nicely for the second and final part of this post, which, God Willing, follows next time.
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