Steeleye Span Your Favorite Period

Subject: RE: Steeleye Span Your Favorite Period
From: Claire M
Date: 14 Sep 12 - 12:40 PM

Hiya,

That's one of the things I've always liked about them. They seemed like they'd rather have been a rock band than a folk band. I thought that was their only album. It wouldn't have bothered me either way, because I thought it was so good. I was so pleased when I found loads, then tons of Maddy's solo stuff which I'd shied away from before.

I wish they'd record the other version of 'Bright Morning Star' [i]("oh where are our dear fathers")[/i] .etc -– I don't have 'Winter' because I don't see the point of a cd you'll only play once a year. I've heard Steeleye are touring next year & can't wait (even though I don't know whether I can actually get there or not!) , but I really don't think they'll make a new album now. I could be wrong, & I hope I am!

Subject: RE: Steeleye Span Your Favorite Period
From: wyrdolafr
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 04:16 PM

I really like the first five or six albums but I've a soft spot for the 'All Around My Hat' album too as I loved the title track when I was junior school and it's great for a nostalgia fest.

One thing I've never liked about Steeleye Span's stuff is some of the guitars. My taste in music is pretty eclectic and involves a lot of fairly heavy guitar (I'm listening to Mastadon as I'm writing this), but some of the guitar effects makes me wince. 'One Misty Moist Morning' would have been 500% better if it wasn't for the bizarre wah-wah and the 'it goes up to 11' ending of 'Alison Gross' just ruins it for me.

Subject: RE: Steeleye Span Your Favorite Period
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 02:58 PM

First album.

Subject: RE: Steeleye Span Your Favorite Period
From: Claire M
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 02:06 PM

Hiya,

[continued]

My favourite's 'The Fabled Hare' – I've got a picture of one with the spell from it on.

I must say I prefer that side of Maddy's work to the gallery hymns, good though they are, because that was what made the band/her appeal to me in the 1st place (that sounded wrong). My own interest in, er, "mystical stuff" coincided with the hare song & hearing Steeleye – being both fascinated & frightened --, & I just can't think of one without the other.

Subject: RE: Steeleye Span Your Favorite Period
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 01:41 PM

"Please To See The King", "Mr.Reservoir Butler" and "Below The Salt" - lost the plot after they added drums.

Subject: RE: Steeleye Span Your Favorite Period
From: Claire M
Date: 13 Sep 12 - 01:14 PM

Hiya,

As do I. I particularly like 'Bib & Tuck'. It always puts me in a good mood. If I've got Steeleye on whatever I'm listening to becomes my favourite until I change it. I've listened to a lot of music I've eventually tired of, but that hasn't happened with them, & I don't think it will. Every time I have a big life change or some sort of crisis, on goes 'All Around My Hat'.

I've seen Allan's book on Amazon. It may go on my Xmas list; it sounds just like my cup of tea – really gritty. I'm not just saying that because I think his daughter can do no wrong!

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: GUEST,James
Date: 14 Dec 04 - 12:50 PM

Below The Salt is my favourite, but the first five albums were GREAT. I liked Rocket Cottage and Sails of Silver but they were not so good as the early stuff. I like a lot of the stuff that Maddy Prior has done outside of SS. I think she contributed a lot to SS being a great band rather than a very good one.

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 14 Dec 04 - 11:26 AM

I understand she is the daughter of James Prior, a Conservative MP

Not sure where that story comes from. Maddy's father is, I believe, Alan Prior, playwright and TV Script writer of many well known UK progs.

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 06:10 AM

Red Max (3.12.2004) said: "It's pretty hard to fault anything up until Mike Batt entered the scene, but there are a couple of tracks on Now we are six that are a little twee"

I presume this refers to "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"!

I remember at about that time reading a review of an album by SS in which the reviewer stated that at one point on an album track, the Band played a riff which sounded like "Remember You're a Womble". This was probably not surprising as Mike Batt (who had recently become involved with Steeleye Span - I can't remember whether as a player or a producer/manager) was then best known as the Creator of the Wombles.

For anyone outside the UK (or if born in the UK but younger than about 30) the Wombles ("of Wimbledon Common") was a children's TV program; I suppose one could call them animated puppets, which to me looked a bit like teddy bears with pointed noses. I never really watched them so can't remember much about them.

Anyway my favourite SS album was "Below the Salt".

Maddy Prior seems possibly to have stayed with SS for longer than anyone else. I understand she is the daughter of James Prior, a Conservative MP, who was once the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who was nicknamed "Farmer Jim", I think; he had the sort of chubby red face one tends to associate with farmers in the old days (I think he did genuinely have some farming connections).

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: el_punkoid_nouveau
Date: 05 Dec 04 - 12:55 PM

Hmmmmmmm - tricky one this. Every album has been different, with a different Steeleye sound to it. Even the use of a Junior School Choir or Peter Sellers guesting on uke added to the sound, although I think Now We are Six probably one of the weaker ones.

As to absolute fave - toss up between Hark, The Village Wait and Parcel of Rogues. But, there again, I haven't yet listened to Babylon - and while the line up was different, they were every bit as good in Derby last year as they were in Sheffield back in 1974.

epn

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Dec 04 - 12:14 PM

Nothing later holds a candle to the first 3 albums

Sez who;-)

'They called her Babylon' is a fabulous album. Haven't heard 'Snow' yet but will buy it when I see them on the 17th. I think everything they do is good in one way or another although some are better than others. I wouldn't dream of stating my 'undoubted' view that my preference was better than anyone elses...

(Good job you know I'm only pulling your leg, Ed:-) )

Cheers

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Ed.
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 04:17 PM

The early period, undoutably.

Nothing later holds a candle to the first 3 albums

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 03:52 PM

Now performing "Gaudete"...."Rosebud in June"...."Cadgewith Anthem" and many more to come.....Love all Steeleyes' stuff.
Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Ooh-Aah2
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 03:50 PM

I remember as a little boy being completely spellbound by 'One Misty Moisty Morning' - to me it was the acme of the mysterious rainy magical England I was exiled from in the merciless hot dry glare of Australia. When I grew up Span (along with 'The Spinners English Album', which I understand is considered terribly infra dig!) completed my passionate conversion to English folk. But to answer the question, I too love their early stuff the best - their version of 'Boys of Bedlam' is the best I have come across and 'The Female Drummer' sums up for me essence of folk-rock.

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 12:53 PM

June 1970 - December 2004 to date. May change next month;-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: JohnB
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 11:15 AM

I like a lot from most of the albums I have, which is about 13 in various formats. Never did buy Rocket Cottage, they performed a lot of material from it at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester in 197? and I was not too impressed. We left England in 1977 for Canada and have seen them here in what Bob Johnson described as "the world's biggest ashtry, with seats". Saw them this year in Chatham they are still pretty good after all these years.
JohnB

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: cobber
Date: 04 Dec 04 - 07:53 AM

We toured Australia with them in 1980 when they released Sails of Silver. I may be biased by the memories but I've always loved that album. Otherwise, I go back to Hark, the village wait as second favourite. I don't really agree that their later stuff was in any way bad. They went through several evolutions and the music was a reflection of it. Of course, if you are expecting them to sound like something and they change on you, it can take some getting used to.

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Raedwulf
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 07:16 PM

For me also, Steeleye got me interested in Folk. Though being a mere pup, the only time I've seen them was in Kentish Town on their 25th anniversary tour.

King Henry probably doesn't quite get my vote for best track, but then it does have to compete against Cam Ye O'er Frae France & Parcel Of Rogues. Below The Salt, though, is the better album (more consistent), with Parcel a close second. Please To See The King & Now We are Six are top albums too, though the latter is spoilt by the last two tracks, which are naff against otherwise excellent stuff.

I'd say albums two through six (three being a bit of a mixed effort) is their best period myself. There's some outstanding tracks outside of that, but the whole tends to be more uneven in quality.

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Piers
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 06:45 PM

I have always thought 'Rocket Cottage' highly underated.
Piers

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 05:22 PM

Funny the concert i saw in 1975 ( I think ) was Emerson Lake and Paulmer. then Doc Watson and top billing Steeleyded Span . When ever it was Martin had just left . I made the mistake of asking Tim Hart before the show where Martin was and would he like to play some banjo with me after they finished . Oh well i was young and I know Hart thought me a jerk . THis was at Tanglewood. I remember runing up to a car ( a green TR7 if I remember) after the show was over because it had a GB sticker on it to tell the inhabitents I had worked in Wales and there was poor Mr Hart again . God he must have thought me a crazed yannkee dog !!!I stopped in my tracks ... I think my last word to him was something like OOOPS SORRY . A fine moment all the way around !!! AH youth . All the best , Guy

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Nerd
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 04:55 PM

Actually, some folks did not like Ten Man Mop, including Martin Carthy and Ashley Hutchings; hence the lineup changes that ensued. I think Ashley felt the band was going too much in an Irish direction, and Martin wanted to do something very different after Ashley left but was voted down. I've always enjoyed the album, though!

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: GUEST,stevi
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 04:21 PM

yes agree steeley started my interest in folk music to! recently bought a best of cd and herd for the first time captain coulston as it progresses to the violin solo really rekindled memories of hearing steeley for the first time years ago. Does anyone remember seeing them perform the one oclock slot pebble mill at one i think in the late / early eighties?

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Torctgyd
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 05:50 AM

red max,

They were certainly the band who got me into folk music.

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: red max
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 05:32 AM

It's funny how you'll often hear high praise for Please to see the king and Below the salt, and yet between those two was the excellent Ten man mop which no one ever mentions

It's pretty hard to fault anything up until Mike Batt entered the scene, but there are a couple of tracks on Now we are six that are a little twee

I sense that a lot of folkies held them in disdain, but didn't Steeleye do more to reach "the folk" than any club purists in the 70s? I'm eternally grateful that they introduced me to a wonderful sphere of music that I'd have otherwise been oblivious to

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: chris nightbird childs
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 03:54 AM

Right now, the Early 70's would be my favourite... could change though.

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Jeanie
Date: 03 Dec 04 - 03:49 AM

Yes, me too. I saw them in Birmingham Town Hall on the tour when "Below the Salt" came out, with the band "Amazing Blondel" as the support. Wonderful on both counts.

(Saw Tom Paxton on tour there around the same time - also wonderful. Best of all though, in my memory of that year, was Al Stewart in quite a small concert at Mason Hall, Birmingham Uni. Magnificent.)

Better stop now before more early 70s memories bubble up into my ageing brain.....

- jeanie

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 09:36 PM

Yes I agree the first two cd's are still my faverites very strong and played in my pottery shop every week . !

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Lighter
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 09:12 PM

There is not a weak track on any of SS's first 4 albums. They were truly inspired then. To my mind, the first track I just didn't care for was "Robbery with Violins" on "Parcel of Rogues" (and the only weak one on that great album.)

"Now We are Six" has some very good stuff, as has "Commoner's Crown," but I think by that time they were beginning to lose their touch. The first album that I was really disappointed in was "Live at Last." Since then, they've continued to do at least one fine song (and sometimes more)per album; "Horkstow Grange" was their absolutely weakest effort.

"Below the Salt" remains my favorite rock album of all time. If Martin Carthy had still been with them then, it might have, in some metaphysical way, been almost TOO GOOD.

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: GUEST,DMcF
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 06:16 PM

Please to See the King

Positive inspiration to form a folk-rock band,
(even if it took till 2001)
Still gets me,
the riff from Female Drummer -
Dum dum....
Dum dum...
Dum dum...
Da da da Diddle dah

Pure magic.

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: ard mhacha
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 05:02 PM

Hark the village wait. No 1.

Subject: RE: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: GUEST,stevi
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 04:57 PM

yes that is probally mine too!recently bought the cassette off ebay and have played it to death! also hark the village wait fantastic stuff.

Subject: Steeleyspan Your Favorite Period
From: Torctgyd
Date: 02 Dec 04 - 08:26 AM

All you SpanFans out there - which is your favorite period/line up.

Mine is the period around 1972 'Below the Salt' is still my pick of their LP's