Simon Nicol’s notes in fact come before David Suff’s in the CD insert, and kick off like this:
“Gottle O’ Geer, wossat then? Crikey! What a strange prospect. Sleeve notes for a re-issue of one of the most anomalous, confusing and oddest records (yes that was what we called them back in the ’70s) Fairport Convention ever allowed to escape. As opposed to having released…
“New readers start here…
“After the issue of almost a dozen albums on the wonderful, ground-breaking ISLAND label Chris Blackwell had single-handedly started to initially challenge [sic] and comfortably destroy the cozy oligarchy then existing in the marketplace of EMI and DECCA etc., we as Fairport, appeared to be the only act signed to him which had unaccountably not “gone gold”. A severance, or something was in the wind. A solo Swarbrick set might be a new direction.
“Off the chaps went to Cornwall, to Tony Cox’s Sawmill studio, with a new and different drummer (in the best possible sense) on board in the person of Grease Band survivor Bruce Rowland, up the railway track from Fowey (and the only way to get there, honestly, along 400 yards of sleepers after a ten minute boat trip). We are talking about 1975 here [actually 1976, Simon]. Seemed a good idea. At the time.”
We continue with these notes next time.
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