We are told:
7CD box set celebrating the first 10 years of Fairport Convention’s career. Includes their debut album on Polydor, all of their seminal albums on Island Records and the final 3 albums on the Vertigo label. Features key album tracks, non-album singles, radio sessions and previously unreleased live recordings from all of the classic line-ups.
Compiled by Andrew Batt, the curator of the very successful show, ‘The Lady – A Tribute To Sandy Denny’, which toured the UK in 2012, this collection celebrates Fairport’s first 10 years, beginning with their eponymous debut for Polydor in 1968, through all of their seminal albums for Island Records and finishing with tracks from their two albums for Vertigo, The Bonny Bunch of Roses and Tippers Tales.
Of the 121 tracks featured here, 55 are previously unreleased. Highlights include key tracks from all of their classic albums, single B-sides, BBC Radio Sessions, 5 songs from the French TV programme, ‘Pop 2’ (December 1970), 5 songs from the Television show, ‘The Man They Couldn’t Hang’ (1971) and the audio for an entire concert at The Fairfield Halls, Croydon (December 16th 1973) plus 2 songs recorded live for the Scottish Television programme, ‘Anne Lorne Gillies – The World of Music’ (1976).
The set comes complete with liner notes by respected English writer, Patrick Humphries, author of many highly regarded books including, ‘Nick Drake – The Biography’ ( Bloomsbury 1998 ), ‘Richard Thompson – The Biography’ ( Music Sales Ltd 1997 ) and ‘The Many Lives of Tom Waites’ (Omnibus Press 1989).
Formed in London in 1967, Fairport Convention are the hardy perennials of the British Folk scene and are credited with inventing the genre known as Folk Rock on the release of their influential album Liege and Lief in 1969. Over the years they have enjoyed a shifting line-up, which has helped to launch the successful solo careers of founder members Richard Thompson, Judy Dyble, Ashley Hutchings and Simon Nicol and subsequently the careers of Sandy Denny, Dave Swarbrick and Dave Pegg.
