> Folk Music > Records > Blowzabella: Blowzabella
Blowzabella: Blowzabella
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Blowzabella Plant Life Records PL 038 (LP, UK, 1982) |
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Produced by Blowzabella;
Recorded by Mark Powell at Woodworm Studio, Barford St. Michael, Oxon.;
Cover photograph by Ian Martin;
Graphic and artwork by Graham Bignell and Janina Lech
Musicians
Sam Palmer,
Cliff Stapleton: hurdy-gurdy;
Jon Swayne: English, Flemish and Macedonian bagpipes,
recorders, flute, curtal, tin whistle, vocals;
Dave Roberts: melodeons, piano, tambura, drums;
Paul James: English bagpipes, rauschpfeife, bombard, saxophone,
tin whistle, recorder, vocals;
Chris Gunstone: bouzoukis, drums, vocals
Tracks
Side 1
- Blowzabella / Marriage Marches
- L’Enfant de Dieu / Faerie Dance
- Kolomtanz
- Bourrée de Sologne / Ai Vist Lou Loup
- Two Scottishes
- Yane Sandanski
Side 2
- Bourrée de Brand / Valce Sauteuse de Rett
- Jenny Pluck Pears / Half Hannikin
- Cotillon / Drops of Brandy
- Three Polka Piquées
- The Sun from the East / Laura
- Bourrée à Huit / Bourrée Tournante
- Bourrée / Bourrée de Cusset
All tracks trad. except
Track 14a anon.
> Folk Music > Records > Blowzabella: In Colour
Blowzabella: In Colour
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In Colour Plant Life Records PL 051 (LP, UK, 1983) |
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Side 1 recorded at Wave Studios,
Engineereds Charles Gray and Mike Brown;
Side 2 recorded live during a dance at Newbury Arts Workshop by the
Sound Advice Mobile,
Engineer Malcolm Rivett-Carnac;
Produced by Paul James and Charles Gray;
Mastered by Jack Adams at Tape One, London;
Photography by David Hoffman;
Artwork and design by Janina Lech
Musicians
Dave Armitage: vocals, bass curtal, drums, tapan, bombard;
Paul James: vocals, soprano saxophone, English bagpipes, recorder,
D whistle, soprano curtal, bombard, drum, percussion, triangle;
Sam Palmer: hurdy-gurdy,
Dave Roberts: vocals, button accordion, melodeon, C whistle, drum;
Dave Shepherd: violins, bombard;
Cliff Stapleton: vocals, hurdy-gurdy, recorder,
Jon Swayne: vocals, piano, Bulgarian bagpipes, English bagpipes,
Flemish bagpipes, soprano saxophone, flute, recorder, D whistle,
tenor curtal, bombard
With guests
Max Johnson,
Dave Mitchell,
John Spires:
vocals [2];
The Amnesian State Folk Ensemble:
[3];
Terry Chimes:
drums [6c]
Tracks
Side 1
- Polka Piquée (1.37)
- Masters of War (3.54)
- Rutchenitsa (2.36)
- Captain Lemo / Robin’s in the Green / Epic Branle (3.54)
- Queen Adelaide / Bricks and Mortar (4.22)
- Epping Forest / The Rolling of the Stones (Roud 38; Child 49) / Dans-tro Plinn (5.27)
Side 2
- Bourréees One and Two (4.49)
- Farandôle Tarascaire / Trip to Lincoln (3.50)
- Dorset Four Hand Reel / Twin Sisters / Sidbury Four Hand Reel (5.00)
- Spanish Jig (La Fleur de Bruyère) (3.25)
- The French Assembly (2.58)
- Bourréees Three and Four (5.30)
All tracks trad. arr. Blowzabella except >
Frankie Armstrong >
Records >
Frankie Armstrong, Brian Pearson, Blowzabella, Jon Gillaspie: Tam Lin
Tam Lin Plant Life PLR063 (LP, UK, 1984) Recorded at Ideal Sound Recorders, London; Frankie Armstrong: vocals [1a, 4b, 5, 8, 10-12],
backing vocals [2-3, 6]; Blowzabella: Jon Gillaspie: piano, harmonium, bassoon,
soprano & alto baroque recorders, bass renaissance recorder,
clavinet, synthesisers, vocoder, syn-drums, drums, percussion,
backing vocals
Track 1a trad. arr. Frankie Armstrong; >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella: Bobbityshooty
Bobbityshooty Plant Life Records PL 064 (LP, UK, 1984) Recorded at Ideal Sound Recorders, London; Dave Roberts: melodeon, button accordion, whistle, percussion;
All tracks trad. except >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella: The Blowzabella Wall of Sound
The Blowzabella Wall of Sound Plant Life Records PL 074 (LP, UK, 1986) Recorded at Ideal Sound Recorders, London; Nigel Eaton: lute-bodied hurdy-gurdy in D,
guitar-shaped, double keyboard hurdy-gurdy in G;
All tracks trad. except >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella: A Richer Dust
A Richer Dust Plant Life Records PLR 080 (LP, UK, 1988) Recorded at MILO in March 1988; Nigel Eaton: hurdy-gurdies; with
All tracks trad. except >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella: Vanilla
Vanilla Special Delivery (Topic Records) SPD/SPDCD 1028 (LP/CD, UK, 1990) Engineered and mixed by Paul James and Peter Lazonby at
Longhome, Northamptonshire; Digital booklet by Topic Records Andy Cutting: melodeons, percussion;
Tracks 1, 9ac, 11a, 12 Andy Cutting; >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella: Compilation
Compilation Osmosys Records OSMO CD001 (CD, UK, 1995)
Sleeve notes by Paul James with thanks to Jon Swayne and Sam Palmer; see the individual records
Tracks 1-5, 7c, 10bcd, 12bc, 14a trad. arr. Blowzabella; >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella: Octomento
Octomento Blowzabella 1 (CD, UK, 2007)
Recorded at Saint Michael’s Church, Inkpen on 12-14 January and 17-20 February 2007; Andy Cutting: diatonic button accordion [1-5, 7-10, 12-14];
Tracks 1, 4, 5b, 13a Andy Cutting; >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella: Dance
Dance Blowzabella 2 (CD, UK, 2010)
Recorded live in Exeter, Bath and Lincoln by Mark Simms in October 2009; Andy Cutting: diatonic button accordion [1-12];
Track 1a trad. Flemish; >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella: Strange News
Strange News Blowzabella 3 (CD, UK, 2013)
Recorded by Paul James and Jon Swayne at Kennard Moor Drove, Coxbridge, Somerset, England (thanks to Sarah Orme)
and in Franchesse, Allier, Auverne, France (thanks to Patrick Bouffard and Violaine Jourdren); Andy Cutting: diatonic button accordion, triangle; with guest
Tracks 1, 4, 8a, 11, 13b trad.; >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella: Two Score
Two Score Blowzabella 4 (CD, UK, 30 March 2018)
Recorded by Jo Garcia at Kennard Moor Drove, Coxbridge, Somerset, in March and November 2017; Andy Cutting: diatonic button accordion;
Tracks 1, 7 Gregory Jolivet; >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella: Tilham
Tilham Blowzabella 5 (CD, UK, November 2022)
Recorded by Joe Garcia at Tilham Farm, Baltonsborough, UK, in 2021 and 2022; Andy Cutting: diatonic button accordions;
Tracks 1a, 9b Dave Shepherd; >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella: Happy Times: French Dances
Happy Times: French Dances Goat Bag Records GB015 (CD, UK, 6 March 2024) Eleven French folk dances playing for the L’Escargot French Folk Dance
group London SIFD in Victoria Park, Hackney, London UK 1979. Produced by Chris Gunstone; Dave Armitage: melodeon, long drum; >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella: Original Blowzabella
Original Blowzabella Goat Bag Records GB016 (CD, UK, 15 March 2024) Rediscovered tapes of UK group Blowzabella in their first groundbreaking
year 1979 with its creator Bill O’Toole playing the English bagpipes he
reconstructed. This innovative group brought back the English bagpipes and
hurdy-gurdy to the UK music scene. Their ceilidh’s introduced multi-cultural
music and dances ie French bourrée, Breton and Macedonian dances. They
popularised French dances in the UK where now there are over 100 French dance
clubs. Produced by Chris Gunstone; Dave Armitage: melodeon, drum; >
Folk Music >
Records >
Blowzabella
Track 2 words Bob Dylan, music trad. arr. Blowzabella;
Tam Lin

Frankie Armstrong, Brian Pearson, Blowzabella, Jon Gillaspiealbum details
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Musical arrangements by Jon Gillaspie;
Engineer: Charles Gray;
Artwork and design: Janina LechMusicians
Brian Pearson: vocals [2-3, 6-7, 9-10, 12],
backing vocals [2];
Dave Roberts: melodeon, side drum, backing vocals;
Cliff Stapleton: hurdy-gurdy, alto renaissance recorder;
Jon Swayne: B-flat and E-flat whistles,
alto, tenor & bass renaissance recorders,
musette, soprano saxophone, Flemish and Macedonian bagpipes,
soprano shawm, bombarde, piano, tapan, backing vocals;
Dave Shepherd: fiddle, viola d’amore, lyra da braccio;
Dave Armitage: bassoon, baroque bassoon, backing vocals;
Paul James: sopranino & soprano rauschpfeifen,
Flemish bagpipes, alto, tenor & bass renaissance recorders,
soprano saxophone, string drum, tapan, backing vocalsTracks
Side 1
Side 2
Track 1b trad. arr. Paul James, Dave Shepherd;
Tracks 2a, 6, 8, 11 Brian Pearson;
Track 2b Cliff Stapleton;
Tracks 3, 4b, 12 Frankie Armstrong, Brian Pearson;
Tracks 4a, 4c Jon Gillaspie;
Tracks 5, 10 Frankie Armstrong;
Track 7 music trad. arr. Jon Gillaspie, Paul James; words Brian Pearson;
Track 9 music trad. arr. Jon Swayne; words Brian PearsonBlowzabella: Bobbityshooty

Blowzabella
Osmosys Records OSMO CD015 (CD, UK, 1998)album details
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Engineered by Charles Gray;
Produced by Paul James and Charles Gray;
Originally mastered by Jack Adams at Tape One, London;
Re-mastered for CD at Reflex, Huntingdon;
Original artwork and design by Janina LechMusicians
Cliff Stapleton: hurdy-gurdy, alto recorder;
Jon Swayne: English and Flemish bagpipes, flute,
soporano/alto/tenor/bass recorders, soprano and alto saxophones,
whistle, musette, bombarde;
Dave Shepherd: violin, viola d’amore;
Dave Armitage: bassoon, percussion;
Paul James: English and Flemish bagpipes, soprano saxophone,
soprano rauschpfeife, whistle, alto recorder, vocals, percussionTracks
Side 1
Side 2
Track 1a Paul James;
Tracks 1b, 7abd, 10ab Cliff Stapleton;
Track 3 Jean-François Dutertre;
Tracks 5, 11b Jon Swayne;
Track 6, 9c Dave Shepherd;
Track 7c trad. Swedish;
Tracks 9b, 11a trad. / Dave ShepherdThe Blowzabella Wall of Sound

Blowzabella
Osmosys Records OSMO CD005 (CD, UK, 1996)album details
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Engineered by Charles Gray;
Produced by Charles Gray and Paul James;
Photographs by Paul James and Jon Swayne;
Sleeve design, original artworks and graphics by Jamima LechMusicians
Paul James: curved soprano saxophone,
Flemish bagpipes in D, boxwood whistle in D, drums, vocals;
Ian Luff: fretless acoustic bass guitar, 4-course cittern, 5-course mandola,
darabuka;
Dave Roberts: G/D melodeon, B/C button accordion, boxwood whistle in D;
Dave Shepherd: violins;
Jon Swayne: half-long bagpipes in F, Flemish bagpiopes in D,
boxwood whistle in D,
Renaissance recorders (great bass in F, bass in C, basset in F),
soprano saxophone, alto saxophoneTracks
Side 1
Side 2
Tracks 4a, 10 Jon Swayne;
Track 5 Paul James;
Track 11 Nigel Eaton, Jon SwayneBlowzabella: A Richer Dust

Blowzabella
Osmosys Records OSMO CD010 (CD, UK, 1996)
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Engineered by Charles Gray and Jim Toler;
Mastered at CTS,
Produced by Charles Gray;
Photography by Angela CoombesMusicians
Jo Fraser (Jo Freya): vocals, tenor and C melody saxophones, whistles;
Paul James: bagpipes, soprano saxophone, rauschpfeife, whistles, darabuka,
tapan, side drum, vocals;
Ian Luff: bass guitar, cittern, darabuka, side drum;
Dave Roberts: melodeon, darabuka;
Dave Shepherd: violin, viola d’amore
Jon Swayne, bagpipes, alto saxophone [1-6];
Charles Gray, ambient soundTracks
LP Side 1: The War of the Roses
LP Side 2
CD Bonus Tracks
Tracks I, III Jon Swayne, Paul James;
Tracks II, V, 7a Ian Luff;
Tracks IV, 11 Dave Shepherd;
Track VI Jon Swayne;
Tracks 7bc, 10, 12 trad.,
Track 8 Anne Lister;
Track 9 C. StapletonBlowzabella: Vanilla

Blowzabella
Green Linnet GLCD 3050 (CD, USA, 1990)
Topic Records TSCD595 (CD, UK, 25 May 2018)
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Digital post production by Adam Skeaping and Duncan Cowell;
Produced by Paul James;
Photography by Andrew Cleal;
Design by Tony EngleMusicians
Nigel Eaton: hurdy-gurdies, cello, percussion;
Jo Freya: vocals, tenor saxophone, clarinet;
Paul James: soprano saxophone, bagpipes, rauschpfeife, percussion;
Ian Luff: bass guitars, cittern, guitar, percussion;
Jon Swayne: alto and soprano saxophones, bagpipesTracks
LP Side 1
LP Side 2
CD
Track 2a, 3a trad. arr. Blowzabella;
Track 2b, 5b, 7c Nigel Eaton;
Tracks 3b, 9b, 11b Ian Luff;
Track 4 Riccardo Tesi;
Track 5a Jon Swayne;
Tracks 6, 10 trad. arr. Jo Freya;
Track 7a, 8 Paul James;
Track 8 Henrik Ibsen, Edvard GriegBlowzabella: Compilation

Blowzabellaalbum details
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Design by Graham Hawkins;
Artwork by Janina JamesMusicians
Tracks
from Blowzabella (Plant Life PLR 038, 1982)
from In Colour (Plant Life PLR 051, 1983)
from Bobbityshooty (Plant Life PLR 064, 1984)
from Wall of Sound (Plant Life PLR 074, 1986)
from A Richer Dust (Plant Life PLR 080, 1988)
from Vanilla (Special Delivery SPD 1028, 1990)
Tracks 6a, 15 Paul James;
Tracks 6b, 7abd Cliff Stapleton;
Track 8a Dave Shepherd;
Track 8b Nigel Eaton;
Tracks 8c, 12a, 14b Ian Luff;
Tracks 9, 10a Jon Swayne;
Track 11 Jon Swayne, Paul James;
Track 13 Andy CuttingBlowzabella: Octomento

Blowzabellaalbum details
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Mixed at Gilbert’s Corner, Baltonsborough in March 2007;
Mastered by Adam Skeaping;
Design and photography by Victor Nicholls;
Band photography by Peter AbrahamsMusicians
Jo Freya: bass clarinet [2, 12],
low whistle in D [13],
soprano saxophone [3, 5],
tenor saxophone [1-2, 7-9, 14];
Paul James: bagpipes [2, 10, 12a, 13a],
soprano saxophone [2-3, 5, 9, 14],
alto saxophone [1-2, 5, 7-8];
Gregory Jolivet: hurdy-gurdy [1-3, 5-10, 12-14];
Dave Shepherd: violin [2-3, 5, 9-10, 12, 14],
5-string violin [1, 7],
octave violin [11],
Barnaby Stradling: bass guitar [1-7, 9-11, 14],
acoustic bass guitar [7-8, 12];
Jon Swaye: bagpipes [2, 7, 12b, 13b],
soprano saxophone [3, 5],
alto saxophone [1-2, 8-9, 14]Tracks
Tracks 2a, 5a Jo Freya;
Tracks 2b, 8 Paul James;
Tracks 3, 12a Dave Shepherd;
Tracks 6, 14 Gegory Jolivet;
Tracks 7, 9, 12b, 13b Jon Swayne;
Tracks 10-11 trad. arr. BlowzabellaBlowzabella: Dance

Blowzabellaalbum details
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Mixed by Paul James;
Mastered by Adam Skeaping;
Sleeve notes by Paul James;
Design by clear22.comMusicians
Paul James: bagpipes in D [13bc],
bagpipes in G [1, 8, 11, 12a, 13a],
soprano saxophone [1-2, 4, 6, 9-10],
alto saxophone [3, 5, 7, 10];
Gregory Jolivet: electric alto hurdy-gurdy [1-12];
Dave Shepherd: violin [1-5, 7-9, 11-12],
octave violin [6, 10];
Barnaby Stradling: electric bass guitar [1-12];
Jo Freya: tenor saxophone [1, 3, 6-7, 9-10],
soprano saxophone [2, 4],
clarinet [5, 8, 12-13],
whistle in G [11],
low whistle in D [11];
Jon Swayne: bagpipes in D [2, 12b, 13bc],
bagpipes in G [4-5, 8, 11, 13a],
soprano saxophone [3, 9],
alto saxophone [1-2, 4, 6-7, 10]Tracks
Tracks 1b, 8b, 12a Ian Luff;
Track 2a, 3b, 4a, 12b Jon Swayne;
Track 2b Jon Swayne, Nigel Eaton;
Track 3a Andy Cutting;
Track 4b, 9, 13b Paul James;
Track 4c trad. 16th century;
Tracks 5, 11 Dave Shepherd;
Track 6ab, 13c Cliff Stapleton;
Track 7a Frederic Paris;
Track 7b Maxou Heintzen;
Tracks 8ac Andy Cutting;
Track 10a Michel Pichon;
Track 10b Nigel Eaton;
Track 13a trad. 17th century;
Blowzabella: Strange News

Blowzabellaalbum details
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Vocals recorded by Neil Ferguson in Leeds, England;
Photography by Lieve Boussauw;
Back cover photograph by Julien Wieser;
Design by www.emspace.co.ukMusicians
Jo Freya: vocals, clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano and tenor saxophones;
Paul James: border bagpipes, soprano and alto saxophones, whistle;
Gregory Jolivet: alto hurdy-gurdy;
Dave Shepherd: violin, octave violin;
Barnaby Stradling: acoustic bass guitar, octave bass guitar;
Jon Swayne: border bagpipes, soprano and alto saxophone
Patrick Bouffard: hurdy-gurdy [12]Tracks
Tracks 2ab Andy Cutting;
Tracks 3, 8b Gregory Jolivet;
Tracks 5, 7b, 10a, 12a Paul James;
Tracks 6a, 9a, 10b, 13a Jon Swayne;
Track 6b Barnaby Stradling;
Tracks 7a, 9b Jo FreyaBlowzabella: Two Score

Blowzabellaalbum details
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Mixed by Jo Garcia at Joe’s Garage, Bristol, in November and December 2017;
Mastered by James Plotkin;
Pinhole camera photography by Paul Woloschuk;
Design by Natalie Peter-BudgeMusicians
Jo Freya: vocals [2, 6, 10],
soprano saxophone [1, 4-5, 12],
tenor saxophone [7, 9],
clarinet [7],
bass clarinet [11],
B♭ whistle [3],
low D whistle [8];
Paul James: vocals [2, 8],
bagpipes [2, 4, 9a, 11],
alto saxophone [1, 5, 7, 9, 11-12],
baritone saxophone [1, 4, 6],
soprao saxophone [2, 5];
Gregory Jolivet: hurdy-gurdy [1-9, 11-12],
plucked hurdy-gurdy [10];
Dave Shepherd: violin [1-2, 4-6, 8-12],
octave violin [7],
viola [12];
Barnaby Stradling: bass guitar [1-6, 8-12];
Jon Swayne: bagpipes [2, 9b, 11],
alto saxophone [1, 5-7, 9, 11-12],
soprano saxophone [3-4],
D whistle [8]Tracks
Tracks 2a, 8b, 11 trad.;
Track 2b Andy Cutting;
Tracks 3, 12 Jo Freya;
Tracks 4, 8a Paul James;
Track 5 trad. / Dave Shepherd;
Track 6 trad., extra lyrics Jo Freya;
Track 9a Barnaby Stradling;
Track 9b Jon Swayne;
Track 10 trad., adapted with extra lyrics by Jo FreyaBlowzabella: Tilham

Blowzabellaalbum details
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Mixed by Joe Garcia at Joe’s Garage Recording Studio, Bristol, UK;
Mastered by Nick Cooke Mastering;
Design by Rosalie BosteelsMusicians
Jo Freya: whistle in B♭, whistle in A, clarinet in B♭,
soprano and tenor saxophones, vocals;
Paul James: Border pipes in G, F, and low D,
whistle in B♭, alto and baritone saxophones, vocals;
Dave Shepherd: violins, five-string baritone viola;
Barnaby Stradling: acoustic and electric bass guitars;
Jon Swayne: Border pipes in G, F, low D, low C,
whistle in low D, alto saxophoneTracks
Tracks 1b, 2ab, 4b, 7b Jon Swayne;
Tracks 3, 6a, 9a, 12 trad.;
Track 4a Barnaby Stradling;
Tracks 5, 8, 11 Jo Freya;
Tracks 6b, 10 Paul James;
Track 7a Andy CuttingBlowzabella: Happy Times: French Dances

English, French, Breton & Belgian Dances
Blowzabellaalbum details
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Recorded by Chris Gunstone in 1979;
Cover photograph by Caroline and Sam PalmerMusicians
Chris Gunstone: bouzouki, tapan;
Sam Palmer: hurdy-gurdy;
Bill O’Toole: English & European bagpipes, bombard;
Jon Swayne (not available on this concert)Tracks
Blowzabella: Original Blowzabella

English, French, Breton & Belgian Dances
Blowzabellaalbum details
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Digital editing by Max La VillaMusicians
Chris Gunstone: bouzouki, drum;
Sam Palmer: hurdy-gurdy;
Jon Swayne: English & European bagpipes, flute, bombard;
Bill O’Toole: English & European bagpipes, bombardTracks
Other records with Blowzabella
Various Artists:
Special Delivery in Hi Fi,
promo CD, Special Delivery, 1991
Various Artists:
The Folk Collection,
2 CD, Topic TSCD707/8, 1999
Various Artists:
The Acoustic Folk Box,
4 CD, Topic TSFCD4001, 2002
Various Artists:
BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2008,
3 CD, Proper PROPERFOLK05, 2008
Various Artists:
Three Score and Ten: 70 Years of Topic Records,
7 CD, Topic TOPIC70, 2009
Various Artists:
Folk Against Fascism,
2 CD, Folk Against Fascism FAF1CD, 2010

