To borrow a phrase from Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In: go like
this (making "ok" sign with thumb and forefinger) and say "wrong"!
toomanyhatz wrote:they hung on way too long.
If you only count their career through the '70s, then yeah. But they've been at it again since 1985 or so, and while I can't say I'm familiar with their recorded work from this period, they're still a great live band.
Last week I found out they were playing in LA (Cal Tech Pasadena) over the weekend, and having blown the opportunity to get Ric Sanders' autograph on my Soft Machine family tree last time I saw Fairport (Roxy 1999), I stopped by during sound check on Saturday. Listened for a while outside, then went in after they finished. Ric not only signed the booklet, but invited me back to hang with him for 20 minutes when their dinner arrived. We talked mainly about music and old movies (two subjects near and dear to my heart), and I gave him a copy of the Kevin Ayers live CD, which he was thrilled to receive. When he found out I didn't have a ticket or the cash to get one, he put me on the guest list, which was very nice of him. The current tour is just him, Chris Leslie (vocals, violin, mandolin, etc.) and Simon Nicol - no drums, no Dave Pegg - but it was still excellent. Mostly songs I'd never heard (plus lovely versions of Now Be Thankful and Meet On The Ledge), lots of joking between songs, and an appreciative audience of maybe 300. I was surprised not to see you there, Dave; did you know about it?
toomanyhatz wrote:I ultimately think the Byrds had a better career overall.
You're kidding, right? I love the Byrds, but even if you just take both bands' work up to 1972, I'd still say Fairport comes up the winner. And if you factor in Sandy Denny's post-Fairport albums up to that point, it's no contest. (I also have a soft spot for the album she did with the Strawbs, before joining Fairport.)
toomanyhatz wrote:And early Steeleye Span is better. And Maddy Prior is a better singer than Sandy Denny.
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAA - HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA- HA! You're killing me, Larry! I've been listening to the
Boxful Of Treasures set a lot these last couple of weeks, and it just reinforces my belief that there
is no better singer than Sandy Denny.
toomanyhatz wrote:But if you cut 'em off in about '75, they're one of the greats.
Okay, I'll agree that the late '70s albums aren't so hot (although each of those albums has at least one or two songs worth hearing). But their current incarnation is definitely not trading in on past glories, and their continued existence is justified by the Cropredy festivals alone.
Album - probably
What We Did On Our Holidays, with three or four others tied for second
Song - impossible to pick one, let alone a top 20 - one of my favorite bands for the last 30 years, and the next 30 as well