> Sandy Denny > Obituaries, Interviews and Articles > Interviews by Flip Feij

Interviews by Flip Feij From the Netherlands, Translated Into english.

Bedankt Flip!

Introduction by the author

Internet revives memories. Memories of my younger days, when I was highly interested in the Fairport Convention and all matters related. I had just learned to write a little and singlehandedly filled school papers and club periodicals. I would often write about music. I gathered my information from English radio programmes and well-known publications such as Melody Maker, New Musical Express, and a Dutch magazine, ‘Hitweek’. Fairport Convention would be mentioned in the same breath with Pink Floyd and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, bands which I didn't find very appealing. Fairport was more humane and easier to grasp; one could actually touch the members if one wanted to and it showed in their music.

I started my career in 1971 as an apprentice journalist for a local newspaper, ‘De Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant’, in Vlissingen and I was allowed to write for the pop music column. I would often write about Fairport Convention. I attented concerts and, armed with a notepad, I would exchange thoughts with Richard Thompson (Vlissingen, London, Goes), Dave Pegg (Rotterdam), Jerry Donahue (Amsterdam) and Sandy Denny (Vlissingen and London).

The Sandy Denny Homepage inspired me to submit a few yellow-stained newspaper pages. More than 20-25 years ago I used to write in a somewhat baroque style. It was a wonderful time with plenty of beautiful music, which fortunately is still available in abundance today.

Internet revived memories. These articles aren't more than that: sweet memories.

Flip Feij, January 1997.

> Sandy Denny > Obituaries, Interviews and Articles > Sandy Denny, Like an Old Fashioned Waltz

Sandy Denny, Like an Old Fashioned Waltz

The patience of Sandy Denny fans -a category to which we are happy to belong- has been severely tried. It took almost a year before Island Records released her new work. The reason for this strategy is unclear to us. Sandy herself didn't understand it either but even a child will know that her new album Like an Old Fashioned Waltz couldn't have been sent to the retailers at a better moment, commercially seen. After all, the blond lass recently (re)joined the famous band of her husband Trevor Lucas, the Fairport Convention. Reason enough for the music media to bring her to the attention of the public.

This time we can be brief about the qualities of Sandy Denny, singer/ songwriter/ pianist/ guitarist. The regular reader of these columns will know that we all appreciate these qualities very much. Her compositions are full of atmosphere and emotion and are charged from beginning to end. When she performs solo and accompanies herself on the piano, it all comes down to the great strength of her lyrics and the irresistable beauty of her melodies. At such moments it shows that Sandy Denny possesses a rare experience of life and a sensitivity for musical beauty.

The contents of her lyrics vary from sweet (nature, flowers, love) to moralising, meanwhile including various interesting subjects. Her piano work is functional, her guitar work reasonable and her supporting friends are usually superb.

Like an Old Fashioned Waltz is not only her latest album, it's also her best, her most versatile. She obviously feels no longer restrained by the folk tradition; she subtly moves on the plane of variety. We hear entertainment music of a high standard with Sandy playing the leading role and with instrumentalists like Pat Donaldson, Gerry Conway, Dave Pegg, Dave Mattacks, Danny Thompson, Alan Skidmore, Ian Armit, Jean Roussel, Jerry Donahue, Trevor Lucas, Richard Thompson, Diz Disley & Rabbit.

The magnificent orchestra arrangements are by Harry Robinson and the whispering brass is by Bob Leaper. Producer Trevor Lucas can be proud of his lady. It will be clear by now that we well recommend this album; an old fashioned waltz has many charms.

> Sandy Denny > Obituaries, Interviews and Articles > Simon and Garfunkel Encouraged Her…

Simon and Garfunkel Encouraged Her…

Sandy Denny entered the music scene on the day - years ago - that her mother asked her if she wanted to have piano lessons. She agreed and the lessons - which would soon bring her the status of ‘skilled pianist’- started immediately. After her school period she worked as a nurse in a hospital and in her free time she concentrated on playing the guitar with which she would later even start to perform. She was encouraged to pursue her music career by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, who where then performing in small London folk clubs. Sandy used to play on her own then and made the album Sandy Denny (Saga 8153, “Nobody should have it”, she says now), to pay her rent arrears.

Afterwards she played with The Strawbs, the now well-known English band, which was no more than an average folk trio then. During her Strawbs period Sandy started writing songs like Who Knows Where the Time Goes?. She then met the boys of Fairport Convention, who were just looking for a successor to their singer Judy Dyble. She decided to take the job and stayed with the band for two years. With Fairport, she made Unhalfbricking (Island ILPS 9102) and Liege & Lief (Island ILPS 9115). Early 1972 she made her first American tour and began the preparations for her new album.

She guested on albums of - for example - Ian Matthews, Marc Ellington en Led Zeppelin. When the winter will have properly set in, the second piece of work from Sandy Denny will hit the market. The tapes had already been recorded in June and the mixing at the Air London began this week. As a reminder, Sandy Denny made quite an impression during the spring season with her own band, in which especially ex-Fairport guitarist Richard Thompson performed with excellence.

> Sandy Denny > Obituaries, Interviews and Articles > I'm Not a Girl Who's in Love With Her Own Voice

I'm Not a Girl Who's in Love With Her Own Voice

Sandy Denny, Still a Member of the Fairport Family

A trustworthy looking bystander estimates her age at 25. She presses her lips tightly together, pensively studying but not quite understanding the French menu which a waiter from the Vlissingen restaurant had handed her over.

Alexandra (“It's a long time since someone called me that”) Denny, the performer of a unique, British folk ideom. She first attracted attention when she played with Fairport Convention, the band of Ashley Hutchings, Martin Lamble, Simon Nichol, Ian Matthews and later Dave Swarbrick, Dave Mattacks and Dave Pegg. Amongst others, she contributed to the most beautiful album that Fairport Convention ever released, Liege & Lief. Sandy Denny is quite the opposite of the well-proportioned glamour singer who's supposed to put on a pretty face in the presence of photographers or television people. However, Sandy turns out to be a friendly and responsive person. A somewhat fatty girl with windblown ash blond hair, dressed in knitwear which sloppily stands midway between a handy potato bag and a spacious cape.

“What does it say here?”, she asks, pointing at some indistinct French delicacies. “I care less what I'm eating, as long as there's cheese. Famous Dutch cheese.” A manager is already looking for a servant.

“I'm surprised that everyone I talk to here seems to know Fairport. I don't think that we in England always realise that.”, she says, meanwhile generously handing out tax-free filter cigarettes. “Of course we've played a few times in Holland with the old Fairport - which was fun, by the way - but here in Vlissingen too, everyone seems to know exactly how Fairport and the other bands of the family are doing. I hadn't expected that.”

Family?

“We still see each other regularly. The Fairport and everything which evolved from it, including friends. There's a very distinct atmosphere in that family. We all love music, which is the basic reason for keeping our ties together.” This family, as the Fairport fans will know, ensures that everyone at any given time plays in a comfortable band. Or at least that every member has a virtually interminable supply of the best musicians in the genre.

What happened after Sandy's follow-up band Fotheringay was disbanded?

“You know that I made The North Star Grassman shortly after. That album was made using a large number of those family-members. Richard [Thompson], Trevor [Lucas], Pat [Donaldson] and Gerry [Conway].”

“Then came the band, my new band: Richard Thompson (Richard never plays bad), Pat Donaldson and Tim Donald on drums. We play three or four times a week with this formation in England and sometimes, like now in Vlissingen, just outside. We've been to America too. Every member of the band is free to go their own way. It also happens that I perform solo. For example, when Richard and Pat are supporting someone in another town, that's the advantage of our family. My new album has also been released with the lineup I just mentioned.”

Matured

The tapes are ready, are you satisfied?

“Yes, very. Although I haven't heard a mix yet, I can already tell you that this album will be more positive than the previous one.”

In what way?

“More positive, because the music has been developed, perfected to my taste. This album represents the music that I'm making now, that I want to make. It's a product of the working period which came after the North Star Grassman. Nobody should see this album as my ultimate goal, because everytime I notice that I can do even better, or different in any case, more tuned to living situations and personal experiences. That may all sound a bit boastful or grotesque, but you asked for it so I'm telling you in all honesty what I think of it. You shouldn't think that I'm a girl who's in love with her own voice or whatever. I just happen to sing and people like it so I'm just trying to do my best. By the way, Sneeky Pete also played on my new album.

What's the title of the album?

“The title isn't known yet. There's another Dylan song on it. I'm sure you'll know it: If Tomorrow Wasn't Such A Long Time. I just love Dylan. There's also a song by Richard Fariña, whom I also admire very much. He was married to Mimi, Joan Baez' sister. That song is called Sweet Joys Of Brotherhood. And there's The Music Weaver, Bushes And Briars, Thistles and Thorns, Sweet Rosemary and It'll Take A Long Time. But those titles won't mean very much to you right now.”

What was your American experience like?

“We've had a lot of fun. But you probably mean the country and the Americans. I think America is very different from Europe, different in a negative way I think. It almost seems as if all Americans are living a very shallow life, that there's little room for personal contacts and social environments. Impersonal. Everybody's rushing to a certain place to do something, business or whatever. Then they return to do business somewhere else the next day. America is frightening too. People appreciated our music where we played, but that doesn't mean very much.”

She takes a few bites of what you could call a cheese salad with paprika and aloudly asks herself whether Richard Thompson and the others would be finished with the football game they had discovered in the restaurant of the Vlissingen sports complex.

“You do know that Richard recently released a solo album? Henry the Human Fly. A fine album on which Richard developed many ideas. Pat and Tim too have made an album, Song Album, a Chris Blackwell production. An album which shows their professionalism.”

Production

Is Sandy interested in the production, or, more general, in the technical aspects of recording an album?

“The production is very important. A producer can make you or break you, it requires a good understanding between the engineers and the artist. I've got a lot of experience with recording, but I must say that men are more interested. They know more about it than I do, too. If I record an album with Richard Thompson, then Richard will give directions. I never have tell Richard that his guitar isn't sounding right or the drums need to be different. Richard will say that himself. About those drums too. He can tell you exactly what's wrong. It's a very pleasant way of working.

A few moments later she is standing on the stage before an attentive audience. The songs are performed smoothly; lively, soft folkrock with the typical characteristics of Sandy's controlled and simple, but functional piano- and guitar work. Behind that, there's the subtle backing of Richard Thompson and Pat Donaldson and the well-balanced breaks of Tim Donald. A remarkable group of British musicians, who will soon enrich the record market with a piece of work that no doubt will deserve its place in history.

> Sandy Denny > Obituaries, Interviews and Articles > Sandy Denny, Well Recommended

Sandy Denny, Well Recommended

It's good to know that there are still people in the contemporary music scene who prefer making pure music above an absurd and controversial presentation or a large scale propagation of a favourite sexual preference. That's about what goes through your mind when you - after hearing the contemporary sounds of Alice Cooper, David Bowie, The Sweet and The Kinks - are pleasantly surprised with 'Sandy', officially the second solo album (unoffically the third, but she doesn't want to know about the first one) of Sandy Denny, former singer of the English Fairport Convention and Fotheringay.

We have already announced the recently musical piece of work because of the visit that Sandy Denny and her supporting band payed to our province. The expectation which the singer expressed on that occasion has come true. She said: “My new album will be more positive than my previous one. More positive, because the music has been developed, perfected to my taste. This album represents the music that I'm making now” (spring 1972) “, that I want to make. It's a product of the working period which came after The North Star Grassman and the Ravens. Nobody should see Sandy as my ultimate goal, because everytime I notice that I can do even better.”

As suits a proper member of the Fairport family, Sandy Denny used a number of musical friends on the successor to her official solo album debut. On the first album there were still a few tracks which lacked the quality of the excelling ones. Sandy, however, is made up of pure gems of a remarkable calibre. The musicians -apart from Sandy (vocals, piano, acoustic guitars) herself- are: Richard Thompson (guitars, mandolin), Pat Donaldson (bass), Timi Donald (drums). So far the -until recently- permanent members of Sandy's backing band. And further: Dave Swarbrick (solo violin), Pete Kleinow (pedal steel), John Bundrick (organ, piano) en Linda Peters (backing vocals). The first general impression: more massive pieces than on the first album (amongst others, because of a more massive orchestration), nonetheless with sufficient attention for the -with regard to orchestration- more austere mildly swinging tracks.

There's also room for the “gimmicks”which we can expect from departed Fairport members -and which we have learned to appreciate so much- with well-balanced harmony a cappella vocals. Two of the ten art pieces weren't written by Sandy herself, these are: Quiet Joys of Brotherhood (words by Richard Fariña, music trad. arr. by Sandy Denny) and the Dylan song Tomorrow Is a Long Time , which was also recorded by Rod Stewart and his stablemates.

Just a few remarks, as music is primarily meant to be heard: the album starts with the weary It'll Take a Long Time, quiet and typical for Sandy Denny. Richard Thompson's famous virtuoso guitar-licks immediately attract attention. The track contains synthesiser-like effects by (sneeky) Peter Kleinow on pedal-steel. For Nobody to Hear is one of those massive tracks due to the supporting (fortunately not prevailing) copper arrangements by Allen Toussaint and the tight guitar work of Richard Thompson, which is kept to a minimum. A track in a style untypical for Sandy, but a style which at the same time disproves the tell-tale that Sandy Denny should only be interested in very sensitive, almost fragile arrangements.

The only Dylan song, indeed almost a mandatory item for former Fairport members, is -in this arrangement- very much preferable above other arrangements known to us. “Full of atmosphere” is a term applicable to Quiet Joys of Brotherhood because of the subtle harmonies with Linda Peters. The track ends with a gradually fading repetition of the melody, played by Dave Swarbrick, violinist, who also plays in the current (just newly formed) Fairport Convention. This song concludes the first side of the record.

Side two opens with Listen, Listen, Listen', with double-tracked mandolin arrangements, a majestic and theatrical track with orchestra arrangements by Harry Robinson. Tracks full of atmosphere are also The Lady with piano arrangement and measured orchestra work in the background and the mildy swinging Bushes And Briars. Well recommended.

Sandy -- Sandy Denny (Island ILPS 9207)

> Sandy Denny > Obituaries, Interviews and Articles > A Quality Concert Without Overcrowding

A Quality Concert Without Overcrowding

Sandy Denny - Sports Complex, Vlissingen

What should have been a worthy pop festival, friday night at the Vlissingen sports complex, which should have been massively attented by a pop-loving public, was no more than a remarkable quality festival, where you wouldn't get in each other's way. A financial disaster for the organising students of the Rijks Pedagogische Acamedie of Middelburg. The quality that evening came from the English singer Alexandra Denny and her band, who had been rightly announced as the highlight of the event.

The festival started at five and everyone was wondering where everyone else was. The festival phenomenon Peter Mense -announced as the Lochum fakir- enjoyed a small circle of interested people. He performed weird acts and his behaviour contributed to the breaking down of the organ of the fine band 'Solution' from Groningen, so that the performance of the northeners was delayed by repair work.

When Sandy Denny -who became famous with Fairport Convention and Fotheringay- installed herself on the stage for her one hour 'set' with Richard Thompson (guitar), Patrick Donaldson (bas) and Timy Donald (drums), the public quietly sat down in their neighbourhood. After all, they had come to our country especially for this occasion and they mustn't be disappointed. Sandy and her band immediately proved that there was no cause at all for disappointment. The well balanced minstrel-like music played by the British formation strongly reminded of the atmosphere created by the (also ex-Fairport member) Ian Matthews, who recently played in Goes and who is soon to perform in Oostburg.

No wonder, because both former Fairport members hadn't found what they were looking for in this band (Fairport). They had they own ideas about making music; most of all they wanted to perform their own compositions. Matthews succeeded and Sandy Denny - as became clear- succeeded as well. The Fairport Convention-Fotheringay-The Bunch syndicate is beginning to approach the size of the Byrds-Buffalo Springfield-Flying Burritos myth. A small group of accomplished musicians, who -after quitting their jobs with their original bands- developed into influential people in the area of contemporary music. The same goes of course for the outstanding Richard Thompson who -before he started working with Sandy again- mainly performed session work in the studio. Thompson's first solo album, Henry the Human Fly, was released last Friday.

Apart from songs off her first album The North Star Grassman and the Ravens, Sandy Denny performed songs off her second album, which was recently recorded and is due to be released in September. Sandy Denny performed songs like The Music Weaver, Bushes And Briars, Thistles And Thorns and Little Matty Groves with Dave Mattacks-like drumming and beautiful articulated guitar work by Richard Thompson. Afterwards, Thompson was so pleased with the attentive audience that he wouldn't have objected if the concert would have continued until the Hobo String Band -delayed by a car breakdown- had arrived. After receiving a generous applause, the band played an encore and the foursome left for England, feeling very satisfied. Thompson: “I've been to Holland before and I've read a lot about it but what happened here was just amazing.” The dark side of the story is the financial disaster, less of a worry for the music lovers than for the organising aspiring educationalists. Those who couldn't be there have missed out on something beautiful.

> Sandy Denny > Obituaries, Interviews and Articles > Nine for the Fairport

Nine for the Fairport

“Schubert didn't quite make it, but Fairport Convention have just finished their Ninth. A Classic” This is the eye-catcher from the Island advertisement for Nine, the new Fairport album. Those who know something about the internal atmosphere in the more than five year old Convention, will not be surprised to learn that there are now already nine (official) albums available of this English folkrock band. The continuity of this troupe is guaranteed because of the large number of musicians which can be called upon in case of emergency.

One example. A few weeks ago, New Merlin's Cave in the very English Margery Street in London. A folk club which seats only 100 people. It is chock-full. It is the opening night and Sandy Denny is performing. The ex-Fairport Convention singer accompanies herself (piano and guitar) and sings her most beautiful melodies. A few things from her Fairport period, a few songs off her two solo albums and a representative preview of her latest album Like an Old Fashioned Waltz. She amiably comments her work with spicy jokes in a -for an outsider- unfathomable accent. The public responds with cheerful vulgar countermoves. There is uncontrolled laughter. The club proprietor merrily supplies concontions to customers, which don't fail their purpose.

In Sandy's closing number - I think John the Gun - she is assisted by Richard Thompson, Dave Pegg and Simon Nicol (guitar) and Barry Dransfield (fiddle), who can all be associated with the ‘Fairport family’ in one way or another. They wanted to help their friend and the club owner to make it a night never to forget. (Shortly before, in the cafe part of the club, they had already shown that they -being the folk-incrowd- well harmonized with each other. Linda Peters, Dave Mattacks and Trevor Lucas also joined in.) When you see and hear the Fairport family this way, you will not be surprised if the tenth Fairport album will be announced soon.

In the Merlin's Cave, Fairport bassplayer Dave Pegg (called “the best bassplayer in the country”by stablemate Jerry Donahue) proves to be a loyal customer of somewhat too gigantic pints of Guinness. Holding a full pint in each hand, he voluntarily explains about Nine: “I think we now have the most stable Fairport lineup for years. Our previous album, Rosie, was thrown together in a chaos. People had left, others were brought in at a moment's notice. We already had a studio reservation and what have you. The circumstances were the opposite of those under which Nine was recorded.”

“Jerry Donahue (guitar) and Trevor Lucas (guitar) have stimulated us to choose for folk. With Babbacombe Lee, and Rosie we were just straying away from folk. I think Nine is the best album we've made. This record tells exactly what Fairport is all about.” After listening to Nine, we can support that opinion. The record shows exactly what can be expected of Fairport ‘live’. The playful Dave Swarbrick (violin, viola, mandolin and vocals) is noticably a phase ahead with his typical violin playing.

Folk-like, but unorthodox violin sounds (he often uses the violin for accents and experimentally sounding echo-effects) through which Fairport discerns itself from other traditional folk bands. Jerry Donahue (former Poet and the One Man Band -now Head, Hands and Feet- and Fotheringay) who -similar to Richard Thompson- very refinedly plays the Fender solo guitar and who -by pushing up the strings and using a volume pedal- brings about beautiful steel guitar effects (Pleasure and Pain, in which - incidentally - ‘reds’ aren't referring to drugs).

Dave Mattacks (drums, percussion, piano, organ en bass guitar) who plays tight drum rhythms and who is famous in the British folk circuit for his inventively played ‘breaks’. Dave Pegg (bass guitar, mandolin, vocals) who can play fast, unusual runs and who forms an appropiate match with Mattacks (Polly on the Shore). And there's Trevor Lucas (acoustic guitar and vocals) who effectively plays rhythm guitar, but who even more excels with his fine voice and his writing qualities.

Nine contains nine fine folkrock tracks which have been carefully produced. All in all this is the most beautiful album released by Fairport so far. Nine marks out often.

Nine - Fairport Convention (Island ILPS 9246)