Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)

Subject: RIP Dave Swarbrick
From: Lester
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 07:55 AM

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jun/03/dave-swarbrick-dies-at-75-fiddler-fairport-convention?CMP=share_btn_fb

Subject: RE: RIP Dave Swarbrick
From: GUEST,HiLo
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 08:00 AM

Oh, That is very , very sad news. What a loss to us all .

Subject: RE: RIP Dave Swarbrick
From: Andrez
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 09:12 AM

Yes this is very sad news indeed but I'm thinking that 75 was a very good innings given the medical history in the Guardian article above. Liege and Lief of course is simply one ageless album of many recorded by Swarbs. What an amazing legacy for all!

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: RIP Dave Swarbrick
From: gillymor
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 09:18 AM

One of those special musicians. I admired the way he carried on with all his medical problems.

Subject: RE: RIP Dave Swarbrick
From: Lighter
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 09:39 AM

His was *the* fiddle sound of the British folk revival. What more need be said?

I don't know which is more shocking: his death, or that he was already 75!

Subject: RE: RIP Dave Swarbrick
From: Llanfair
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 09:42 AM

Saw him at Cropredy just after his earlier death notice, he was on oxygen then.
Also with Martin Carthy at the MSG Manchester, their performance blew me away, and I've never forgotten it.
Keep playing, Swarb, wherever you are.

Subject: RE: RIP Dave Swarbrick
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 09:45 AM

R.I.P. Dave. I hope to have a pint with you someday on the other side.

Subject: RE: RIP Dave Swarbrick
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 10:30 AM

RIP Dave, always one of my top musicians.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: melodeonboy
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 12:57 PM

A brilliant and distinctive musician, and a decent bloke too. R.I.P.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,Big Jake
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 01:41 PM

Another hero gone. Has been known to post on here, too.
R.I.P. Swarb

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,Mike Feist
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 01:48 PM

Dave was living proof that music can help overcome almost anything. Good on yer Swarb and thanks!

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,GY Morris man
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 01:58 PM

Oh to be a spectator of that big session in the sky.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,brakn
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 05:43 PM

Sad news.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 06:04 PM

Sad news indeed. Irish music fans tend not to have such time for English fiddlers - but Swarbs was an exception for many.

RIP

Regards

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 06:58 PM

Musician Dave Swarbrick, best known for his work with influential folk group Fairport Convention, has died at the age of 75.

Known as "Swarb", the musician performed mainly on the violin and wrote many of the group's songs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36443117

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: michaelr
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 07:00 PM

Cigarette smoking killed him. Sad but true.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 03 Jun 16 - 09:26 PM

I'm glad I got to see him play with Alistair Hulett, back in the days when both lived in the Sydney area. RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,Gilly
Date: 04 Jun 16 - 03:39 AM

A legend and a lovely guy with twinkly eyes and a great sense of humour. He enriched the lives of a lot of people. His music will live on.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 04 Jun 16 - 07:38 AM

A real gent. Whenever I saw him live in smaller venues, he seemed to make a special effort to engage with the audience. When I saw him in folk clubs, unlike many "headliners" he'd always listen appreciatively to the support acts and/or floor spot performers.

I once sang "Banks Of The Sweet Primroses", accompanying myself on mandolin, as a floor performer at one of his appearances at a local folk club. I could see him at the back of the room, singing along and tapping his feet as I played. He came up to me at the end with a: "Really well done, I enjoyed that a lot. It's one of my favourite songs". I'm sure he was just being nice, but it made my day (and several subsequent ones!).

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: CupOfTea
Date: 04 Jun 16 - 08:17 AM

Lovely man - the sound of his playing is part of the soundtrack of some of the best years of my life. The memory of being able to present him in concert with Martin Carthy in a lovely chapel on the Case Western Reserve campus was one I knew, at the time, was something to treasure deeply.

Joanne in Cleveland, formerly of Celtic Ceol

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 04 Jun 16 - 09:05 AM

A great musician and a good man. We will miss him.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,ottery
Date: 04 Jun 16 - 09:32 AM

Sorrow. I loved listening to his recordings with Martin Carthy. Just wish I'd seen him play live.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: fat B****rd
Date: 04 Jun 16 - 12:32 PM

RIP Mr.Swarbrick

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 04 Jun 16 - 01:08 PM

Dave Swarbrick was a great man. Luckily I did see him play live and will always treasure those memories. I have added his name to the "In Memoriam" thread. RIP Dave, and thanks for the memories you have left us with.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: My guru always said
Date: 05 Jun 16 - 04:26 AM

Echoing the observations of others, Dave Swarbrick was a gentle man. I only met him once when I accidently 'opened' for him at a club years ago, but understand what a difference he made to our folk world. RIP

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Brian May
Date: 05 Jun 16 - 04:34 AM

He's one of the main reasons I followed folk (rock) - loved him in the Ian Campbell folkgroup, but far more in Fairport.

Favourite Swarb tracks for me:

To Althea From Prison and Lord Marlborough.

What are yours?

What a great legacy he's left.

RIP mate and thanks for all the toons.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 05 Jun 16 - 07:10 AM

If you can find it there is a great CD 'Dave Swarbrick and Simon Nichol, Live at The White Bear In Masham ' Theakston did a special brew for the event, ' Swarbricks Old Peculiar '

Dave described himself and Simon as ' a public school hooray and a half Polish Brummie '

It's a brilliant CD Swarb was on top form [ so was Simon mind ]

Dave H

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,Desi C
Date: 05 Jun 16 - 08:50 AM

He was responsible for me going into Folk music. After singing a pop song in a B'ham free n'easy he asked "was that you singing?" I said "yes, did you like it?" He replied "no, it was crap. but you ought to try singing Folk instead" He introduced me to Ian Campbell and the rest is history, Good to think he'll now be back with Ian and the group. He was the world's greatest fiddler

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: The Sandman
Date: 05 Jun 16 - 11:32 AM

a wonderful accompanist. HE WILL BE MISSED

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,Stephen Harvey
Date: 05 Jun 16 - 12:30 PM

As others have said - a great fiddle player,one whose playing is immediately recognisable. Thanks for all the inspiring music, Swarb.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: akenaton
Date: 05 Jun 16 - 12:59 PM

Never heard Dave play live, but remember his virtuoso playing with the Campbells in the early sixties.
Still have the vinyl LP of Dave, with Diz Disley and Martin Carthy.
"Rags, Reels and Airs" great stuff!

Sorry, but I didn't care too much for his time in Fairport he seemed to lose the dancers touch.

RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Tunesmith
Date: 05 Jun 16 - 01:28 PM

I first saw Dave with the Ian Campbell Group ( 1964?).
What a talent he was! Great fiddler, and I loved his singing which sounded so natural, so real, so Dave!
Here is Dave singing a terrific song that he co-wrote with Richard Thompson.
Dave sings.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 03:16 AM

You thought you knew the tune until you heard him play it with all sorts of variations - and the next time you heard him, it would be different again.
RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,IainG
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 04:56 AM

Dave Hanson, "live at the White Bear Masham" that must have been 1981

I was there, I think we got locked in again, seemed to happen a lot back in the day

RIP Swarb,you will be missed

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Johnny J
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 05:00 AM

Sad news.

One of the few musicians who was already brilliant and experienced(for well over 20 years) when he was a "Whippersnapper"... ;-))

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 05:47 AM

Lucky bugger IainG, I would have loved to have been there, although I saw Swarb many times with Martin Carthy and once with Fairport that is one gig I would have loved, the CD is brill.

Dave H

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,Mathew
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 06:04 AM

This is devastating news, I had always wanted to see him play live.

Cheers to the greatest fiddler of his time, warmest wishes to his family.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,Mathew
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 06:31 AM

Rags, Reels and Airs, what a great album!


I really loved the album Skin and Bone that he did with Carthy. Those two were the best together. Such sad news

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Raggytash
Date: 06 Jun 16 - 08:41 AM

He provided much of the music of my youth, Thank you Swarb, sleep easy.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jun 16 - 07:11 AM

This is devastating news; I just got back from Colorado, and I missed the reports of his passing. I first saw Dave at Fairport's 1969 sold-out concert in the Royal Festival Hall in London, where they promoted the Liege And Lief album, and I was entranced - I just loved his masterful wild, ululating fiddle and his artful, entertaining stories. Dave was the treasured guest at Llantrisant Folk Club five times; once with Simon Nicol, once with Alistair Hulett, once with Beryl Marriott, and twice solo. ( saw him twice at Roots Unearthed in Lefel 3 at St David's Hill, Cardiff, in partnership with Martin Carthy. Sincere condolences to Martin, with his 51-year musical collaboration with Dave, and Dave's family - especially Jill. -.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: bubblyrat
Date: 07 Jun 16 - 08:18 AM

On "rags,reels,and airs" he played the mandolin, and I was staggered at how good he was. I also remember him sitting impishly atop a straw bale in the film "Far From The Madding Crowd " .What an amazing guy.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 07 Jun 16 - 12:05 PM

Indeed he will be missed.

A query regarding his Times obit, published today. A picture shows him playing with Fairport Convention. The central figure, lead-singing alongside Sandy Denny at the mic, is playing an accordion or melodeon [not quite clear which]. I don't recall any free-reed bellows instruments in Fairport, and the Wikipedia entry on the group does not include an accordionist or melodeon player in any of their lineups. Who would this have been?

≈M≈

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 07 Jun 16 - 12:54 PM

I've not seen the Times obit, but I'm guessing it's Richard Thompson from their Top of The Pops performance of 'Si Tu Dois Partir'. Small picture here

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Vic Smith
Date: 08 Jun 16 - 05:55 AM

The last of the many times that we booked him was in 2014. He had arrived at the pub before us. This was his opening gambit:-
"Here, Vic, I've had a message from my old surgeon. Could he use my old lungs for an experiment. Blimey! I told him to go careful. Don't light a match near them or there will be a conflagration. Don't let anyone sniff the air near them or they will be out of their minds for days."

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 08 Jun 16 - 10:02 AM

MGM - Richard Thompson played accordion. Don't you remember;

No shindig is half complete without that famous polka beat
That's why they invite me, I suppose
Waltzes, Strathspey's, eightsome reels, now you know how good it feels
Crank that handle babe, away she goes

I said, Don't sit on my Jimmy Shands, don't sit on my Jimmy Shands
Unless you wanna wind up black and blue
I said, Don't sit on my Jimmy Shands, don't sit on my Jimmy Shands
And that's my very best advice to you

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Gozz
Date: 08 Jun 16 - 11:43 AM

I have seen Swarbs many times over the years and always was blown away by his performances, but my last memory was him and Martin Carthy at the Village Pump last year. Two men who were able to IMPROVE on previous recordings they have made together, thanks to their experience in maturity and connected in such an amazing way that their audience was given an absolute treat.

RIP Swarbs, you will not be forgotten.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 08 Jun 16 - 02:00 PM

Thanks to henryp & ed for reminding me. Accordion is not listed as one of Richard's instruments in wiki's article on Fairport, hence my forgetfulness.

≈M≈

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: bruceCMR
Date: 09 Jun 16 - 06:58 PM

Last night, Gordon Hotchkiss broadcasted a tribute to Dave on Celtic Music Radio http://www.celticmusicradio.net

68 minutes of recollections, stories and wonderful music.

You can hear it again on the Celtic Music Radio archive site, http://listenagain.canstream.co.uk/celticpodcast/index.php?id=505

[e-mail]
Celtic Music Radio is a Charity registered in Scotland, number SC041172

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 10 Jun 16 - 10:16 AM

Genuine link below:

https://carthyonline.wordpress.com/2016/06/10/swarb-carth-an-appreciation/

It's been a week since the passing of Dave Swarbrick and social media has been filled with celebrations of his life from some of the thousands of people whose own lives were touched by his music, kindness and wit.

(sorry can't do clickies - the site is soooo ssssllloooowwww!!)

CJB

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Brian May
Date: 10 Jun 16 - 12:57 PM

Thank you Bruce . . . downloaded fine.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: GUEST,George Frampton
Date: 10 Jun 16 - 01:01 PM

As a young musician, I tried to learn everything from 'Rags Reels & Airs' on mandolin - bloody reels!

Swarb was immense. I last saw him with Martin Carthy at Sidmouth two years ago, and he was getting back to form after his baroque experiment. Never afraid to dabble!

A sad loss. Swarb would have been very welcome in the Sidmouth Volunteer.

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Newport Boy
Date: 10 Jun 16 - 03:38 PM

A nice little follow-up story to the Guardian's obituary: letter

Subject: RE: Obit: RIP Dave Swarbrick (1941-2016)
From: Helen
Date: 10 Jun 16 - 03:56 PM

Just read this article in the local rag, Newcastle Herald, in Oz.

Dave Swarbrick