Richard Thompson (and Linda and Fairport)

Music
1

no thread for one of the greatest living songwriters? shame on us!

12 Likes
2

1952, as obvious as it is, has been one of my all-time songs ever since I heard it - teared up while trying to sing along to it just yesterday tbh. But for whatever reason I never really pushed beyond that, or bothered to try and see him live

then earlier this year I saw he was playing locally, in a fav venue, and got all excited - but the only tickets left were very poor view, and they went soon after that anyway. Luckily though the venue waiting list came through, and instead I ended up with two dead centre balcony seats. Best seats in the house really, procrastination does pay off! rarely

so now Iā€™ve done a dive into his back catalogue and man, heā€™s pretty fantastic eh? really should have been a proper fan for years on the evidence of this. Mum has a Fairport compilation we listened to over Easter, and Iā€™ve gone back and done first listens to Rumour and Sigh, 13 Rivers, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, Shoot Out the Lights - and loved every single one. 13 Rivers especially seemed very vital and alive for an album that late into a career

gonna spam some more thoughts about fav tracks as I go through more of his stuff, everyone please join me

3

UK tour coming up June 18-30 if anyone else missed it like I did initially

https://www.richardthompson-music.com/tour-dates/

1 Like
4

Those first three albums they did together (I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight, Hokey Pokey, Pour Down Like Silver) are so magic. Richard also great on his own, particularly love his first solo album Henry The Human Fly

2 Likes
5

I only really know IWTSTBLT and Pour Down Like Silver but they are both fantastic

6

IF YOU SEE A BOX OF PINE
WITH A NAME THAT LOOKS LIKE MINE
JUST SAY I DROWNED IN A BARREL OF WINE
WHEN I GOT TO THE BOOOOORDERRRR

1 Like
7

My first guitar hero. When everyone else at school was obsessed with Blur and Oasis I was obsessed with Fairport, especially their '69 output. Crazy to think how young they all were.

For my money the best British guitarist of that era in folk/folk rock. His style seems so effortless and sounds so clean.

3 Likes
8

even to 2023 ears, his solos go off in directions I donā€™t expect - starts off like heā€™s just hitting a normal pentatonic or rock run and then it takes a turn. Has a flavour of someone like Nels Cline more than any of your standard ā€œgoodā€ rock guitarists

2 Likes
9

only really got into him (and Linda) last year, off the back of Calvary Cross being a main plot point in the film The Night House. did loads of reading and listening and especially fell in love with the idea that he refused to join shitloads of massive american bands because he was so devoted to the ā€˜Britishā€™ folk sound. a true student of music history in that sense.

1 Like
10

One of the standout songs from my listening so far

1 Like
11

Recently read Joe Boydā€™s fantastic autobiography, who was at the epicenter of 1960s music, responsible for launching the careers of Pink Floyd, Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, John Martyn, Vashti Bunyan et all, and I think he sums up Thompsonā€™s playing perfectly:

ā€œHe can imitate any style, and often does, but is instantly identifiableā€

1 Like
12

Heā€™s great,

Amazed never recorded it in a studio. Heā€™s been on some absolutely great records, Norma Watersonā€™s solo album, that Dave Burland album, a couple of John Kirkpatrickā€™s list is bloody endless.

1 Like
13

Saw him in a pretty small tent at Cambridge Folk Festival many years ago, I think it was billed a Q&A so didnā€™t pull a massive crowed but he had his guitar on stage and regularly just cracked into a song as part of the session. Didnā€™t know much about him but his playing and voice was magnetic.

Someone used to do this at xyloā€™s open mic nights and itā€™s always stuck with me

4 Likes
14

Yep getting obsessed pretty fast: equally overjoyed to be seeing him and wondering why I havenā€™t revered him all these years at the same level as Nick Drake or Neil Young

15

Love that black lightning song so much. Just one of those extremely formative songs you stumble across completely in your youth.

1 Like
16

His best songs are just peerless. Love the story songs like Vincent Black Lightning and Beeswing but he can also do gorgeous little things like this

17

Yeah this is a stunning track, been getting loads of spins the last few weeks. Sounds like it sound have existed forever, just a perfect melody

18

When Iā€™m in the mood for this kind of music him and John Martyn are the two I would go to.

(Usually bright lights for Thompson and London conversation for Martyn. )

19
1 Like
21