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27 Oct 11 - 04:26 PM (#3245801) Subject: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Spleen Cringe Ahead of the release of the Woodbine & Ivy Band album, we're releasing the band's version of Spencer the Rover, featuring a lovely vocal from Fay Hield, as a digital single. It will be available from iTunes, Amazon, eMusic and all the usual suspects from 14th November. We'll also be making it available via our Bandcamp page. We have the slightly grandiose notion that it would make a great Christmas hit single... and we reckon the last time there was a folk rock Christmas hit in the UK was way back in 1972 when Steeleye Span took Gaudete to No 14 in the UK charts (we're conveniently ignoring the Pogues' fantastic Fairytale of New York for the purposes of this story, of course). 39 years is far too long. We've started a Facebook page to support the single, which you can find here: Facebook. If you use Facebook, please 'like' the page, post a link on your wall and spread the word. If you don't like Facebook, you can listen to the song here: Soundcloud The album will be out on 28th November. More news on that to follow. Thanks for reading. Before any wag mentions it, yes, we know if nearly two months til Christmas, but... we keep hearing this dreadful rumour that the X-Factor mob are determined to keep us off the number one spot AND that they have a bigger promotional budget than we do! So we thought we'd better get a head start. Please indulge our preposterous scheme! |
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27 Oct 11 - 07:14 PM (#3245878) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Tootler Nicely done. Unfortunately, dream on. |
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27 Oct 11 - 07:23 PM (#3245882) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Spleen Cringe Hey Tootler, Thank you! Less of the 'dream on' though... we may surprise ourselves yet! |
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28 Oct 11 - 08:42 AM (#3246062) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Banjiman Good luck Mr Cringe. I hope it's a big hit! |
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28 Oct 11 - 09:21 AM (#3246070) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: GUEST,glueman Do Christmas No.1s still exist? |
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28 Oct 11 - 09:24 AM (#3246071) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: theleveller Love it! It'll beat the b******s off anything from X Factor. |
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28 Oct 11 - 10:29 AM (#3246100) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Johnny J "we reckon the last time there was a folk rock Christmas hit in the UK was way back in 1972" You have also forgotten "Day Trip to Bangor" by Fiddlers dram in 1979. |
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28 Oct 11 - 10:36 AM (#3246106) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray Do they still exist? Well, Mr Hanky was a Christmas No 1... What this thing needs is a video, like Annie Lennox's Xmas album - and Tori Amos's reworkings of Xmas classic. Love this: Tori Amos - Jeanette, Isabella |
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28 Oct 11 - 10:47 AM (#3246113) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: AllisonA(Animaterra) This is lovely! Thanks for telling us about it! |
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28 Oct 11 - 10:56 AM (#3246119) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: theleveller "Do they still exist?" No - parts of them morphed into Oysterband. |
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28 Oct 11 - 11:54 AM (#3246138) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Richard Bridge I don't like it, but thank you for the Soundcloud link which will be a great help in working out the harmony version of this song that has been half-lurking in my head for several months. |
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28 Oct 11 - 12:06 PM (#3246142) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Big Al Whittle Trouble is, stiff competition http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.bigalwhittle.co.uk/johnkellyharmoniumhero/index.html |
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28 Oct 11 - 12:20 PM (#3246143) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: johnadams And a bit of competition from Pilgrim's Way - a rather nice bit of singing from Lucy Wright. |
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28 Oct 11 - 12:34 PM (#3246152) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray All this talk of competition runs contrary to the cause! Where's the spirit of co-operation and contribution to the greater cultural & common good? Or must we succombe to churlishness & general humbug? Perish the thought! Omnia Tempus Habent!! |
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28 Oct 11 - 01:59 PM (#3246192) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: johnadams Surely the spirit of co-operation and contribution to the greater cultural & common good has been achieved by making the tracks in the first place and damn fine tracks they are too. Getting them to a wide audience would be a further aim and the number one slot is, by definition, a competition, as is getting a gig or selling a cd. |
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28 Oct 11 - 04:19 PM (#3246275) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Spleen Cringe Pilgrim's Way and John Kelly are both brilliant! We hope they sell zillions of records and have crowds clamouring to get into their gigs, because they deserve it. Now get over and 'like' our Facebook page! |
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28 Oct 11 - 06:17 PM (#3246333) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Reinhard That's a wonderful single by Pilgrims' Way. But I wonder why the iTunes store can't spell their name properly and why they chose to throw away the name of the single, Shining Gently All Around, and named it after the first track instead. That makes it difficult to find and therefore difficult to become *the* Christmas hit. |
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28 Oct 11 - 06:50 PM (#3246349) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: johnadams Sorry Reinhard, I don't understand your post. The original Incredible String Band track was, as far as I can see, Chinese White which is the subtitle of this track, now renamed Magic Christmas Tree. What's the 'first track' you refer to? Yes, the name has suffered from the dreaded misplaced apostrophe. |
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28 Oct 11 - 07:03 PM (#3246360) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Reinhard John, according to the Fellside website and the cover picture, the album's title is "Shining Gently All Around". The three tracks on it are Magic Christmas Tree (Chinese White), Light Dragoon, and Howden Town (a.k.a. The White Hare of Howden). iTunes sells the album under the name "Magic Christmas Tree". |
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28 Oct 11 - 07:15 PM (#3246368) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: johnadams Ah, I get you. I think they should have not bothered with the other two tracks and just put up the Christmas track, but I guess that the single track download will sell over Christmas whatever package it's in. Their new 11 - track CD, Wayside Courtesies is excellent and I'll be featuring it on my next radio show prior to PW doing the Ryburn Club on Nov 30th. I'd like to get hold of the Woodbine & Ivy track as well. It's a great rendition of one of the favourite songs from my old Muckram Wakes days. There's some great music around isn't there! |
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28 Oct 11 - 07:33 PM (#3246378) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Reinhard There is, by all means. Both songs / albums are excellent. By the way, Jon and Fay sang Spencer the Rover as the November 4, 2010 entry of A Folk Song a Day project, so the song will be back on the AFSAD website next Friday. It will be interesting to compare their unaccompanied duet to the Woodbine & Ivy version. |
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28 Oct 11 - 07:33 PM (#3246379) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Spleen Cringe Oi you lot! Start yer own thread.... |
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29 Oct 11 - 02:56 AM (#3246510) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Spleen Cringe ... meant in the nicest possible way of course! Back on the subject of Spencer the Rover, check your emails in about five minutes, John. |
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29 Oct 11 - 03:50 AM (#3246521) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Fossil Hmm! Nice song, nicely sung. But too long, the lead singer needs harmony support and the band needs to be turned down a notch, to let the story get through. Christmas No 1? (what an archaic concept!). Nice though it is, slightly out of left field. So probably not. If I ever bought records any more - why bother when you can get it out of the library? - I'd put it on the list. Wish y'all and your audacious concept all the best! |
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31 Oct 11 - 06:20 PM (#3247951) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Spleen Cringe We love archaic concepts! That's why we like folk (boom! boom!)... Thanks for all the good wishes on this thread. You can still follow us on Facebook and if you're so inclined via @TheFolkPolice tweets. Now I'll stop doing random shameless promotion until I have something new to add... |
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31 Oct 11 - 06:52 PM (#3247973) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: katlaughing I "liked" it on FB. Nicely done, though I agree about the band being turned down a notch. Thanks for sharing and good luck! |
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01 Nov 11 - 09:32 AM (#3248344) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Edthefolkie Excellent. Sounds positively Sound Techniques to me. Er, did Bill Leader have anything to do with it by the way? I see he's in some pics on the F/Police site. |
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01 Nov 11 - 10:06 AM (#3248379) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Spleen Cringe Ed - Bill came along to some of the sessions and offered some great help, advice, support and general good vibes. It was a pleasure and a privilege to meet him. |
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14 Nov 11 - 06:56 AM (#3256685) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Spleen Cringe Now available from iTunes, pop pickers! |
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14 Nov 11 - 07:37 AM (#3256704) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Dave the Gnome Count me in :-) DtG |
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14 Nov 11 - 05:05 PM (#3257042) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Bernard We played it on Oldham Community Radio this evening! |
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14 Nov 11 - 05:21 PM (#3257048) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Jean(eanjay) I enjoyed listening to it. I have clicked 'like' and both links are on my Facebook wall together with the link to this thread. |
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14 Nov 11 - 05:52 PM (#3257066) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Spleen Cringe Thanks Dave, Bernard and Eanjay! And thanks to Ali for playing it... |
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14 Nov 11 - 05:59 PM (#3257070) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray And there's badges too! |
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18 Nov 11 - 02:56 AM (#3259129) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Spleen Cringe Hooray! Four stars in today's Guardian! Woodbine & Ivy Band |
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18 Nov 11 - 03:29 AM (#3259139) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: theleveller Just off to buy it now. |
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18 Nov 11 - 04:07 AM (#3259154) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray Still waiting for my W&IB chufty badge, Spleen - we want to wear 'em with pride at Kikby Fleetham tomorrow where we'll probably kick off the Ballad Session with Alison Gross... |
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18 Nov 11 - 05:12 AM (#3259182) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Les in Chorlton Manchester and Folk Police musicians The Woodbine and Ivy Band in The Guardian today: It starts with gently edgy backing and sturdy vocals from Fay Hield, and then suddenly the traditional favourite Spencer the Rover is transformed, with a startling, epic wash of sound in which trumpets are matched against pedal steel guitar, percussion and keyboards, with a 12-piece vocal chorus joining in. There have been earlier experiments in reworking British folk song, from the folk-rock of Fairport Convention to the global influences and electronica of the Imagined Village, and now comes a group of nine Manchester musicians with their own unique approach. Each of the 10 tracks here features a different lead singer, including several (mostly female) folk celebrities, whose work is transformed thanks to the bold arrangements. So on Alison Gross, the husband-and-wife team Rapunzel & Sedayne sing against a barrage of twanging guitars, galloping percussion and keyboards, while on the bleak Derry Gaol, Jackie Oates is backed by harp, trumpet and repeated electronic effects. At times there's a danger of sonic overkill – The Roving Journeyman almost topples over in a barrage of rock guitars, squeaking effects and voices – but it's a brave and entertaining set. L in C# |
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18 Nov 11 - 05:42 AM (#3259196) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray Ahem - that should be ...the husband-and-wife folk 'n' fun team Rapunzel & Sedayne... |
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18 Nov 11 - 05:58 AM (#3259206) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Phil Edwards Good press - and the R&S rise to world domination continues! Weird that he didn't like The Roving Journeyman, though - it's one of the best things on there IMO. And he didn't even mention my personal favourite, Olivia Chaney's beautiful reading of Poor Murdered Woman. |
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18 Nov 11 - 06:23 AM (#3259217) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: Les in Chorlton What a voice she has L in C# |
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18 Nov 11 - 07:18 PM (#3259681) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray Just pinned my W&IB chufty badge on my duffle coat to my Rhombus ov Doom button; now I feel ready for anything... |
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20 Nov 11 - 02:58 PM (#3260525) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: GUEST,Suibhne Astray Loving the album; the louder the better. On our recent travels we've listened to it a goodly few times - along with Matt Berry's Witchazel album which (like W&IB) is neo-folk folk-antedote of the highest order... Anyway - a few favourites beggining to emerge. Gentle Johnny is an erotic-pop masterpiece - I was freestyling it around York today in the freezing fog (I put my hand all on her belly, she said fuck I'm watching the telly etc.) but my favourite is Jim Causley's morning dog song which is like Martin Carthy meets The Smiths on Craggy Island over seen by The Divine Comedy... Classic stuff. I FATEA's view of things: An album that will serve as a reference point for years to come, it really is that strong... if you fail to be moved by this album it would be because you are already dead |
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27 Dec 11 - 11:35 AM (#3280549) Subject: RE: Spencer the Rover - a Christmas No 1? From: GUEST,Rob Barratt (Bodmin) It's funny but only today (27th Dec - a bit late, I know) I was thinking that "Spencer The Rover" would make a great Christmas song becaiuse of its beautiful tune and humanitarian, anti-materialist lyric. But the version I've been listening to to give me this idea is by Cornish duo, Corncrow. I've been playing it a lot since they brought out their first CD in the Spring. I googled it to find out about the origin of the song which is how I came across this page. Anyway, good luck with your version and I hope it goes to No.1! Rob Barratt (Bodmin) |