The Albion Band
Country of origin:
England
Type of music generally:
Traditional and neo-traditional folk and folk/rock
Status:
Band broke up in 2002. Final release, An Albion Christmas (2003)
See also:
Wikipedia's entry on The Albion BandAlso known as the Albion Country Band and the Albion Dance band. Ashley Hutchings also performs solo and with various friends, including Ridgeriders, Morris On, and Fairport Convention's Liege and Lief album.
Comparisons:
Along the same lines as Morris On, Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, though it has its own flavour.
Covers/own material:
Traditional and own
General comments:
The Albion Band has had a long musical career from the late 1970s through to 2002, when according to their website they broke up. The band has had an ever-changing line-up of Celtic folk luminaries, producing many albums and having a rich life of live shows over the years. (Neile)
Recommended first album:
Rise Up Like the Sun is by far my favourite of the albums I've heard
Recordings include:
- Battle of the Field (1976)
- The Prospect Before Us (1977)
- Rise Up Like the Sun (1978)
- Albion River Hymn March (1979)
- Lark Rise to Candleford (1980)
- Rise to Candleford (1983)
- Light Shining (1984)
- Shuffle Off! (1984)
- Under the Rose (1984)
- The Wild Side of Town (1987)
- Stella Maris (1987)
- I Got New Shoes (1987)
- A Christmas Present from the Albion Band (1988)
- Give Me a Saddle, I'll Trade You A Car (1989)
- 1990 (1990)
- Songs from the Shows (1990)
- Songs from the Shows 2 (1991)
- BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert (1993)
- Captured (1994)
- Albion Heart (1995)
- Acousticity (1996)
- Along the Pilgrim's Way (1998)
- Happy Accident (1999)
- Live at the Cambridge Folk Festival (1999 )
- Demi Paradise (1999)
- Road Movies (2001)
- Before Us Stands (2002)
- No Surrender (2003)
- The HTD Years
- Before Us Stands Yesterday
- Road Movies (2001)
- An Evening with the Albion Band (2002)
- An Albion Christmas (2003)
Rise Up Like the Sun
Release info:
1978—EMI Harvest; 1992—EMI Harvest 0777 780058 2 7 (CD re-release)
Availability:
England
Ecto priority:
Highly, highly recommended for folkrock fans
Group members:
John Tams—vocals, melodeon
Ashley Hutchings—electric bass
Dave Mattacks—drums, tambourine
Simon Nicol—vocals, electric guitars, acoustic guitar
Phil Pickett—shawns, bagpipes, curals, trumpet
Pete Bullock—synthesiser, piano, clarinet, baritone saxophone, organ
Michael Gregory—drums, nakers, tambourine
Ric Sanders—violin, violectra
Graeme Taylor—Electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Guest artists:
Kate McGarrigle—vocals on 3 tracks
Julie Covington—vocals on 2 tracks
Linda Thompson—vocals on 2 tracks
Pat Donaldson—vocals on 1 track
Richard Thompson—vocals on 2 tracks
Martin Carthy—vocals on 3 tracks
Andy Fairweather-Low—vocals on 2 tracks
Dave Bristow—synthesiser on 1 track
Produced by:
Joe Boyd and John Tams
Comments:
Just what is it about this album that I've been listening to it for around 20 years? Something to do with the energy and enthusiasm the group brings to their traditional and neo-traditional material. They sing and play with such verve that it's hard not to enjoy the music as much as they clearly do. This album is a classic. (Neile)
