Rock folk next (I think) is what you would call this group....don't know much about them so I will leave this one wide open for information and comments !!!
Thank you for this album. Ian Matthews has had a long career in music and released many albums. He was, albeit briefly, in the original Airport Convention line-up in 1967, but had left (been ousted out?) by early 69 and went on to form his own band Matthew's Southern Comfort - achieving a huge hit in the UK with a cover of the Joni Mitchell staple "Woodstock". Airport Convention (with Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson, Simon Nicol, Dave Swarbrick and Dave Mattacks) went on to legendary status as the founders of English Folk Rock, and their catalogue is well worth exploration - particularly the three albums starting "What We Did On Our Holidays", "Unhalfbricking" and "Liege and Lief", that last one being considered by many as the finest examples of Folk Rock. That album was debuted in The Royal Festival Hall on September 24th, 1969 (some months after a motorway crash on the M1 near Birmingham which took the lives of Martin Lamble and Jeannie The Tailor). I was present at that performance, and it is still vivid in my memory. Supporting were Nick Drake and John & Beverley Martyn - so it was indeed a noteworthy occasion. Thanks for all your great work on this site, and long may it continue. If music be the food of love . . . etc, etc.
Saw him (Ian Matthews) live on stage here in Hamburg/Germany, unforgettable concert as he played all the songs the audience wanted to hear. So thanks for this gem, very much appreciated!
More info about this band ( from Tapestry of delights)
Matthews Southern Comfort Go to Top
Personnel: CARL BARNWELL gtr A RAY DUFFY drms A MARK GRIFFITHS gtr A GORDON HUNTLEY pedal steel gtr A IAN MATTHEWS vcls A
ALBUMS: 1(A) MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT (Uni UNLS 108) 1970 - 2(A) SECOND SPRING (Uni UNLS 112) 1970 52 3(A) LATER THAT SAME YEAR (MCA MKPS 2015) 1970 -
NB: (1) issued by Decca in the US. There was also a Best Of Matthews Southern Comfort (MCA MCF 2574) 1975, which was reissued in 1982. Also of interest is Meets Southern Comfort (See For Miles SEE 85) 1987. Scion (Band Of Joy BOJCD 7) 1994 compiles outtakes from (3) and some 1970 BBC sessions.
45s: 1 Colorado Springs Eternal/The Struggle (Uni UN 513) 1969 - 2 Ballad Of Obray Ramsay/Parting (Uni UN 521) 1970 - 3 Woodstock/Scion (Uni UN 526) 1970 1
Best remembered for their classic cover version of Woodstock, the song commemorating the seminal sixties rock festival, this band was formed by Ian Matthews after he left Fairport Convention at the start of 1969. The material for their first album was written and produced by songwriters Howard and Blaikley. Characterised by Matthews' distinctive, crystal clear, high-pitched vocals and Huntley's fine pedal-style guitar work, their debut album was a fine amalgam of folk and country styles, which met with much critical acclaim. Second Spring sold better, getting into the UK Charts but it was their country-style cover of Joni Mitchell's Woodstock, which briefly made them a household name after bursting to No 1.
Sadly, the chemistry that made the band such a successful formula wasn't destined to remain and after one further album, Matthews left to go solo. The remaining members continued as Southern Comfort, but without Matthews' distinctive vocals were never able to attain the same heights and eventually fizzled out. This is emphatically demonstrated on Meets Southern Comfort, the 1987 See For Miles compilation, which featured material by Matthews Southern Comfort on side one and contained songs by Southern Comfort on side two. The Southern Comfort tracks are pleasant enough but without Ian Matthews' distinctive vocals sound very ordinary.
Enjoy !
ReplyDeleteThank you for this album. Ian Matthews has had a long career in music and released many albums. He was, albeit briefly, in the original Airport Convention line-up in 1967, but had left (been ousted out?) by early 69 and went on to form his own band Matthew's Southern Comfort - achieving a huge hit in the UK with a cover of the Joni Mitchell staple "Woodstock". Airport Convention (with Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson, Simon Nicol, Dave Swarbrick and Dave Mattacks) went on to legendary status as the founders of English Folk Rock, and their catalogue is well worth exploration - particularly the three albums starting "What We Did On Our Holidays", "Unhalfbricking" and "Liege and Lief", that last one being considered by many as the finest examples of Folk Rock. That album was debuted in The Royal Festival Hall on September 24th, 1969 (some months after a motorway crash on the M1 near Birmingham which took the lives of Martin Lamble and Jeannie The Tailor). I was present at that performance, and it is still vivid in my memory. Supporting were Nick Drake and John & Beverley Martyn - so it was indeed a noteworthy occasion. Thanks for all your great work on this site, and long may it continue. If music be the food of love . . . etc, etc.
ReplyDeleteSaw him (Ian Matthews) live on stage here in Hamburg/Germany, unforgettable concert as he played all the songs the audience wanted to hear. So thanks for this gem, very much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteMore info about this band ( from Tapestry of delights)
ReplyDeleteMatthews Southern Comfort Go to Top
Personnel:
CARL BARNWELL gtr A
RAY DUFFY drms A
MARK GRIFFITHS gtr A
GORDON HUNTLEY pedal steel gtr A
IAN MATTHEWS vcls A
ALBUMS:
1(A) MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT (Uni UNLS 108) 1970 -
2(A) SECOND SPRING (Uni UNLS 112) 1970 52
3(A) LATER THAT SAME YEAR (MCA MKPS 2015) 1970 -
NB: (1) issued by Decca in the US. There was also a Best Of Matthews Southern Comfort (MCA MCF 2574) 1975, which was reissued in 1982. Also of interest is Meets Southern Comfort (See For Miles SEE 85) 1987. Scion (Band Of Joy BOJCD 7) 1994 compiles outtakes from (3) and some 1970 BBC sessions.
45s:
1 Colorado Springs Eternal/The Struggle (Uni UN 513) 1969 -
2 Ballad Of Obray Ramsay/Parting (Uni UN 521) 1970 -
3 Woodstock/Scion (Uni UN 526) 1970 1
Best remembered for their classic cover version of Woodstock, the song commemorating the seminal sixties rock festival, this band was formed by Ian Matthews after he left Fairport Convention at the start of 1969. The material for their first album was written and produced by songwriters Howard and Blaikley. Characterised by Matthews' distinctive, crystal clear, high-pitched vocals and Huntley's fine pedal-style guitar work, their debut album was a fine amalgam of folk and country styles, which met with much critical acclaim. Second Spring sold better, getting into the UK Charts but it was their country-style cover of Joni Mitchell's Woodstock, which briefly made them a household name after bursting to No 1.
Sadly, the chemistry that made the band such a successful formula wasn't destined to remain and after one further album, Matthews left to go solo. The remaining members continued as Southern Comfort, but without Matthews' distinctive vocals were never able to attain the same heights and eventually fizzled out. This is emphatically demonstrated on Meets Southern Comfort, the 1987 See For Miles compilation, which featured material by Matthews Southern Comfort on side one and contained songs by Southern Comfort on side two. The Southern Comfort tracks are pleasant enough but without Ian Matthews' distinctive vocals sound very ordinary.
Gentle reminder to Terry Peck - the group was Fairport COnvention - not AIrport.
ReplyDeleteBye Bye :)
Thanks!
ReplyDelete