I first heard Steeleye Span on a cassette brought back from the U.K. by a colleague. We worked in Turkey; it was 1975 or 76. I have been fascinated by Maddie's voice ever since. Thirty three years later, I'm still listening to her songs. Funnily enough, I don't recall any other singer of that era.
Saw them in 1972 when they opened up for Procol Harum- rocked my world! They were totally as fabulous as Procol Harum. Have loved them ever since. Love watching Rick Kemp rock- had never seen anyone play bass like that before. Great style.
Sheepcrook and Black Dog was the best thing they ever did ...also on the classic Salt album. Saw them do the album live in Dublin circa 74 and they were mindblowing.. esp when Maddy sang Sheepcrook.
Years ago, the "Green Guide" of the Age newspaper, in Melbourne, Australia, cited C'am ye O'er From France, by Steeleye Span, as the best test for your bass speakers. To this day this is still true of the original studio version. They hit, and sustain, bass notes you would not believe and at high volume, some speakers will give up. - Interesting for a folk band. It got me interested in them & I am still a big fan.
Yes - and these first five Chrysalis albums have FINALLY been remastered and are available as a 3-CD set called "A Parcel of Steeleye Span." It sounds fantastic. This and "Cam Ye O'er Frae France" have never sounded so good. I recommend it!
Funny ... in 1987 (I was also 13 yrs old) I learned about Steeleye Span from a cousin. There was nothing more I wanted than to go to a Steeleye Span concert but it was impossible because I was living in Eastern Germany at this time and the borders were still closed.
Adrian Legg composed a tune, The Pregnant Folk Singer, in honor of Maddie Prior. According to Legg, Maddie "showed up" at an annual festival one year "agriculturally pregnant." She sang seated on a stool and the legs spread under her added weight.
No, she doesn't mess up. I have the album. The line is: "And he has slain his berry brown steed, though it made his heart full sore." That's exactly how she sang it.
She is actually the Sovereignty Goddess, the goddess of the land who marries the king and grants him the right to rule. Found in Chaucer and the King Arthur stories.
Please don't diss Bob Johnson. He took the band in a more rock orientated direction maybe but did a heck of good and original work. Just listen to Alison Gross or Long Lankin which is verging on prog in its structure.
Yes - it kills me that the remaster of "Rocket Cottage" is out of print already. The recent release of "Ten Man Mop" does sound fantastic. The "Parcel of Steeleye" set starts with "Below the Salt" because that's their first album on the Chrysalis label. I think it's Chrysalis, not the band, who's behind the re-releases. However, as the original Shanachie discs (among the first CDs I owned in the very early '90s) sound rather lousy, I'm ecstatic about the remaster job on this set!
It seems that Steeleye keep re-releasing boxed sets etc of old stuff to keep the cash coming in; although I once got 10 Man Mop on cd, those days seem gone. They are all compilations and it is hard finding too much from the Martin Carthy albums. Might be a manarement thing as Steeleye became a band with an almost constantly revolving door. -- I am about to transfer Stormforce 10 to cd & my computer. It is so good (like 10 Man Mop) I want to avoid wear & tear on it, while it is still pristine.
Great; checked this out on Amazon. No point to it if one has all (I think) original albums. Interesting point is that of the 3 cd's, there is NOTHING from the album 10 Man Mop (..etc), perhaps their best period, with Martin Carthy. He left in 71 (as did Ashley Hutchings) and rejoined in '77 for their "Stormforce 10" album, which also included Tim Hart, even though Maddy had left him for Rick Kemp, also on the album. A great album, even though Martin later left again, feeling it was a mistake.
I will say that, having all these albums on LP, the newer remasters do sound better - gloriously so. The original CDs sounded simultaneously harsh and muddy compared to the vinyl as analog-to-digital converters were in their infancy then, but the new releases are fantastic. There's "space in the mix," and they never sounded better. The box I mentioned IS a collection, but at least the albums are complete, and it's a great price for five remastered albums. Makes me happy at a high volume!
No. This is actually an English or Scottish fairy tail. The woman in question is the daughter of King Under-waves and she is actually quite beautiful. But for some reason, she is under hideous enchantment. The spell can only be broken (apparently) when a man will, as she states, "give me all my will." Listen carefully to the last verse where the spell has been broken.
I saw this show, and the mix was notoriously bad. Peter Knight threw a hissy fit halfway through the set and started listing the specific adjustments that needed to be made. The final few songs, of which this is one, sounded far better than the first few.
The 80s weren't that kind to Steeleye Span...let's be honest. Being dropped by their record company in favour of punk/new wave rubbish, losing two world class members [Tim and Rick] in relatively quick succession, nine years of disappointment for the band...let's be glad they pulled through it. 1989's Tempted and Tried is a FANTASTIC album, and really shows them bck on top form. Thank heavens for Tim Harries is all I can say. Don't judge Steeleye by what you see from material from this time.
What I wanna know is what happened to King Henry. Did he become a beggar bacause his wife ate him out of house and home? Did he later get forgiven and go to Heaven?
thanks for info also check out my music videos on you tube just enter my full name to find them hope you like them as they are not the sams style as sp thanks again
Ah, the guy on guitar is the guy who replaced Martin Carthy when he left; one Robert (Bob) Johnson. --- Good, but not in the same class as Carthy. Good song.
Kindly note that he had his hand to his ear through the entire number because he was not hearing much, if at all, from his stage speaker and or his headset. e.g. Imagine that you are in a studio to record Bolero and while doing your solo or duet and the snare drummer audio cuts out a few times.
I ADORE Steeleye Span - have since the late 70's - Thank you!
I first heard Steeleye Span on a cassette brought back from the U.K. by a colleague. We worked in Turkey; it was 1975 or 76. I have been fascinated by Maddie's voice ever since. Thirty three years later, I'm still listening to her songs. Funnily enough, I don't recall any other singer of that era.
Saw them in 1972 when they opened up for Procol Harum- rocked my world! They were totally as fabulous as Procol Harum. Have loved them ever since. Love watching Rick Kemp rock- had never seen anyone play bass like that before. Great style.
RIP Bob Johnson
Sheepcrook and Black Dog was the best thing they ever did ...also on the classic Salt album. Saw them do the album live in Dublin circa 74 and they were mindblowing.. esp when Maddy sang Sheepcrook.
Thanks for posting this. I have their old vinyl and even saw them live in Boston in the late 70s. Great music!
Years ago, the "Green Guide" of the Age newspaper, in Melbourne, Australia, cited C'am ye O'er From France, by Steeleye Span, as the best test for your bass speakers. To this day this is still true of the original studio version. They hit, and sustain, bass notes you would not believe and at high volume, some speakers will give up. - Interesting for a folk band. It got me interested in them & I am still a big fan.
Yes - and these first five Chrysalis albums have FINALLY been remastered and are available as a 3-CD set called "A Parcel of Steeleye Span." It sounds fantastic. This and "Cam Ye O'er Frae France" have never sounded so good. I recommend it!
Wow at Bardney??? I was there too...great concert wasn't it! Had many bands including 'Incredible String Band'...
Funny ... in 1987 (I was also 13 yrs old) I learned about Steeleye Span from a cousin. There was nothing more I wanted than to go to a Steeleye Span concert but it was impossible because I was living in Eastern Germany at this time and the borders were still closed.
Thank you, that is fantastic!
Adrian Legg composed a tune, The Pregnant Folk Singer, in honor of Maddie Prior. According to Legg, Maddie "showed up" at an annual festival one year "agriculturally pregnant." She sang seated on a stool and the legs spread under her added weight.
My favorite from Below The Salt. Nothing beats studio version though. Still.... Nice!!
I've been a fan of STEELEYE for many ,many years.There music is timeless.Any-one know of the fanclub details?
awsome album been jethro tull fan sinse 1972 somehow dident disciver span untill reciently love to see them live wonder if it is still possible?
Hilarious - do you mean "fairy" or an actual boat? Brilliant.
Steeleye Span will live on forever.
No, she doesn't mess up. I have the album. The line is: "And he has slain his berry brown steed, though it made his heart full sore." That's exactly how she sang it.
She is actually the Sovereignty Goddess, the goddess of the land who marries the king and grants him the right to rule. Found in Chaucer and the King Arthur stories.
They are supposed to tour the UK in 2013.
4:00 oh man it was too difficult to him
Please don't diss Bob Johnson. He took the band in a more rock orientated direction maybe but did a heck of good and original work. Just listen to Alison Gross or Long Lankin which is verging on prog in its structure.
Yes - it kills me that the remaster of "Rocket Cottage" is out of print already. The recent release of "Ten Man Mop" does sound fantastic.
The "Parcel of Steeleye" set starts with "Below the Salt" because that's their first album on the Chrysalis label. I think it's Chrysalis, not the band, who's behind the re-releases. However, as the original Shanachie discs (among the first CDs I owned in the very early '90s) sound rather lousy, I'm ecstatic about the remaster job on this set!
It seems that Steeleye keep re-releasing boxed sets etc of old stuff to keep the cash coming in; although I once got 10 Man Mop on cd, those days seem gone. They are all compilations and it is hard finding too much from the Martin Carthy albums. Might be a manarement thing as Steeleye became a band with an almost constantly revolving door. -- I am about to transfer Stormforce 10 to cd & my computer. It is so good (like 10 Man Mop) I want to avoid wear & tear on it, while it is still pristine.
Great; checked this out on Amazon. No point to it if one has all (I think) original albums. Interesting point is that of the 3 cd's, there is NOTHING from the album 10 Man Mop (..etc), perhaps their best period, with Martin Carthy. He left in 71 (as did Ashley Hutchings) and rejoined in '77 for their "Stormforce 10" album, which also included Tim Hart, even though Maddy had left him for Rick Kemp, also on the album. A great album, even though Martin later left again, feeling it was a mistake.
I will say that, having all these albums on LP, the newer remasters do sound better - gloriously so. The original CDs sounded simultaneously harsh and muddy compared to the vinyl as analog-to-digital converters were in their infancy then, but the new releases are fantastic. There's "space in the mix," and they never sounded better. The box I mentioned IS a collection, but at least the albums are complete, and it's a great price for five remastered albums. Makes me happy at a high volume!
No. This is actually an English or Scottish fairy tail. The woman in question is the daughter of King Under-waves and she is actually quite beautiful. But for some reason, she is under hideous enchantment. The spell can only be broken (apparently) when a man will, as she states, "give me all my will." Listen carefully to the last verse where the spell has been broken.
I saw this show, and the mix was notoriously bad. Peter Knight threw a hissy fit halfway through the set and started listing the specific adjustments that needed to be made. The final few songs, of which this is one, sounded far better than the first few.
Sometimes, parents actually do know stuff.
what is the background to this song?
The 80s weren't that kind to Steeleye Span...let's be honest. Being dropped by their record company in favour of punk/new wave rubbish, losing two world class members [Tim and Rick] in relatively quick succession, nine years of disappointment for the band...let's be glad they pulled through it.
1989's Tempted and Tried is a FANTASTIC album, and really shows them bck on top form. Thank heavens for Tim Harries is all I can say. Don't judge Steeleye by what you see from material from this time.
Gawjus, simply Gawjus.
What I wanna know is what happened to King Henry. Did he become a beggar bacause his wife ate him out of house and home? Did he later get forgiven and go to Heaven?
whoopsie! someone fucked up XD
thanks for info also check out my music videos on you tube just enter my full name to find them hope you like them as they are not the sams style as sp thanks again
Ah, the guy on guitar is the guy who replaced Martin Carthy when he left; one Robert (Bob) Johnson. --- Good, but not in the same class as Carthy. Good song.
Agreed. Too much rhythm. Maddys clogging needs work, but she rescues the lead singer at 3:51 when he forgets the words.
He was still singing. There was a glitch-snafu in the audio system. It happened to others.
Kindly note that he had his hand to his ear through the entire number because he was not hearing much, if at all, from his stage speaker and or his headset. e.g. Imagine that you are in a studio to record Bolero and while doing your solo or duet and the snare drummer audio cuts out a few times.
Yes - good song - not as good on this version as on the Album Below the Salt - my 2nd Steeleye Span album
Wow, bad.
The female singer is off key much of the time