Sandy Denny - London 1972

Reloaded 13/May/2015 - I am delighted to be able to share this rare recording of Sandy Denny again, this is a treasure for all Sandy Denny fans. 

This is a recording of Sandy Denny live at the Eltham Well Hall Open Theatre, London, back on May 5th, 1972. This was apparently an open air gig with folding chairs provided for the audience.

The recording was made on a Radio Shack $20 cassette recorder with a built in condenser mic, and considering this, the sound quality is surprisingly listenable with clear vocals and instruments and very little 'noise or hiss'. The recording made it on to DAT and kept the quality as close to the original standard as possible. For fans of Sandy this really is a must have. Richard Thompson was also in the band. 

Sandy Denny's second solo album, Sandy (with a cover photograph by David Bailey) was released in 1972 and for many remains her most cohesive musical statement as a singer and songwriter.

Source: Audience recording.

Sound Quality: Mono very listenable mp3@160kbps.

Genre: Folk, electric folk.

Set: Full set.

Set List:

01 For Nobody To Hear
02 Bushes & Briars
03 Love's Made A Fool Of You
04 The Music Weaver
05 Crazy Lady Blues
06 Reynard The Fox
07 Sweet Rosemary
08 Matty Groves
09 It'll Take A Long Time
10 The Lady
11 John The Gun
12 Down In The Flood
13 When Will I Be Loved
14 Rigs Of Time

Website: Official HERE.

Reloaded 13/May/2015 - download link in comments below.

Sandy Denny and The Happy Blunderers - Lincoln 1971.

This is Sandy Denny and The Happy Blunderers live at the Lincoln Folk Festival (England) back on the 24th July 1971. She's backed by the self named Happy Blunderers, consisting of Fairport members Richard Thompson, Dave Pegg and Jerry Conway. Richard plays guitar throughout and sings backing vocals on the third song (Crash On The Levee - a Dylan song).

The first solo album by Sandy Denny 'The North Star Grassman and the Ravens' was also released in 1971 and is distinguished by its elusive lyrics and unexpected harmonies. Highlights included Late November, inspired by a dream and the death of Fairport band member Martin Lamble, and Next Time Around a cryptogram about Jackson C. Frank, one of her many portraits in song. Both songs were included in this short set.

Also on the bill at the festival were The Byrds, Dion, Tim Hardin, the Incredible String Band, Ralph McTell, Pentangle, Tom Paxton, Steeleye Span, Dave Swarbrick & Martin Carthy, James Taylor, and Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee. 

Source: Audience.

Sound Quality: Listenable (a bit like AM radio at night),  mp3@265kbps.

Genre: Folk, folk rock.

Set: Full Set.

Set List:

01 Late November
02 The North Star Grassman And The Ravens
03 Crash On The Levee (Down In The Flood)
04 Blackwaterside
05 The Optimist
06 Next Time Around
07 Crazy Lady Blues
08 John The Gun

Line Up:

Sandy Denny: Vocals, Guitar
Richard Thompson: Guitar
Dave Pegg: Bass
Gerry Conway: Drums

Links: Official Sandy Denny HERE.

New file link in comments below - Re-uploaded 2012 (Stealth project).

Fotheringay - Plumpton Festival 1970

Hopefully Beehive Candy will be back to normal from now on, following a series of broadband problems, and illness in recent weeks. One individual left a comment that we are shameless promoters and because of the existence of torrents and so forth we are hardly doing anything special here! Well we are happy to support new artists we like, and share old boots, regardless of the odd (very odd) persons snide remarks, perhaps they are a bit sad & lonely..

This is a must for fans of Sandy Denny or Fotheringay, and whilst the audio quality is only average, it is quite listenable and a wonderful piece of history from the short lived band.

Fotheringay was formed in 1970 by singer Sandy Denny upon her departure from Fairport Convention. The band drew its name from Fotheringhay Castle, where Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned in England. The castle was also the inspiration for the song "Fotheringay", which Fairport Convention had included on their 1969 album, 'What We Did on Our Holidays', before Sandy Denny's departure from that group.

This then is Fotheringay performing at the Tenth National Jazz and Blues Festival, held at Plumpton Race Track, Streat, East Sussex, (England) sometime between the 6th-9th Aug 1970.

Source: Audience

Sound Quality: Average mp3@192kbps.

Genre: Folk, folk rock.

Set: Part Set

Set List:

01 - Eppy Moray
02 - The Sea
03 - Ballad Of Ned Kelly
04 - Two Weeks Last Summer
05 - The Way I Feel
06 - John The Gun

Line Up:

Sandy Denny - guitar, piano
Trevor Lucas - guitar
Jerry Donahue - guitar
Pat Donaldson - bass
Gerry Conway - drums

Links: Plumpton Festival History HERE. MySpace HERE.

Comments:

From Wikipedia: Two former members of Eclection, Trevor Lucas and Gerry Conway, and two former members of Poet and the One Man Band, Jerry Donahue and Pat Donaldson (bass), completed the line-up responsible for what was long assumed to be the quintet's only album. This folk-based set included several Sandy Denny originals, notably "Nothing More", "The Sea" and "The Pond and The Stream", as well as meticulous readings of Gordon Lightfoot's "The Way I Feel" and Bob Dylan's "Too Much of Nothing". During the year of its original release, the album failed to match commercial expectations, and pressures on Denny to undertake a solo career, she was voted Britain's number 1 singer (two years consecutively) in Melody Maker's readers poll increased.

Fotheringay disbanded in January 1971 during sessions for a projected second album. Some of its songs surfaced on Sandy Denny's 1971 debut album, The North Star Grassman and the Ravens. Lucas, Conway and Donahue resurfaced in Fairport Convention in 1972 to record the Rosie album (on which some Fotheringay material was also used). However, Conway played on three tracks only and began session work afterwards. Both Conway and Donaldson have worked with Richard Thompson, among many others. Lucas and Donahue stayed with Fairport (the Nine album came out in 1973) for another couple of years, with Denny rejoining in 1974. This line-up recorded two additional albums: Fairport Live Convention (re-titled A Movable Feast in the U.S.) and Rising for the Moon. Denny, along with Donahue and Lucas, left the band in December 1975. Conway eventually joined a reformed Fairport in 1997.

In 2007 the BBC announced that Donahue would be attempting to complete the abandoned project (which he accomplished using previously unheard takes from the original archived tapes). Permission had finally been granted and the work was completed by summer of the following year. The resulting album, titled Fotheringay 2, was released by Fledg'ling Records on 29 September 2008.

Download link is in comments below or click on the picture.

Sandy Denny - Newcastle Guildhall 1972

This is the second in our new occasional series under the banner 'Rarities and Collectors Items' where the audio might not be first class but the interest factor is likely quite high.

It's over thirty years since Sandy Denny passed away, and yet her influence as a folk singer and artist has remained down the years, her ability to interpret anything from traditional folk too folk rock setting the benchmark for those that have followed.

This is a beautiful set recorded by a member of the audience who edited out the gaps and some applause however retained her conversation with the audience along with the songs. Being a small venue and with a respectful audience the intimate nature of the concert can be felt and heard.

Performing on October 12th 1972 at the Guildhall, Newcastle, England this is the much missed Sandy Denny.

Source: Audience recording

Sound Quality: Very good for audience recording and era mp3@320kbps.

Genre: Folk, Electric Folk.

Set: Majority of set.

Set List:

01. Itll Take A Long Time
02. Bushes And Briars
03. Sweet Rosemary
04. It Suits Me Well
05. Late November
06. Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood
07. The Sea Captain
08. The Sea
09. The Lady
10. John The Gun
11. Late November

Comments:

From wikipedia:

Sandy Denny (6 January 1947 – 21 April 1978), born Alexandra Elene Maclean Denny, was an English singer and songwriter who has been described by Allmusic's Richie Unterberger as "the pre-eminent British folk rock singer". She emerged in the mid 1960s while still a teenager, performing on the folk revival scene where she displayed her mastery of traditional singing and interpretation. Her song, "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?", written during these early years, has been covered by numerous artists and is regarded as a classic of its type.

Sandy Denny's renown grew after her death, and her songs have been covered by many other artists. She is considered a founder of the British folk rock movement and perhaps its most important female singer and personality. It has been suggested that her effortless and smooth vocal delivery still sets the standard for many of today's female folk-based singers.

Over a ten year career Sandy Denny left an extensive legacy and remains influential. She is remembered for the crystal-clear purity but also the strength of her voice as well as her pivotal involvement with the British folk rock movement, where, as a member of Fairport Convention, she moved the band away from west coast American cover versions and into performing traditional material and original compositions. She is also noted for her duet with Robert Plant on Led Zeppelin's fourth album in 1971, on the song "The Battle of Evermore", and to date she remains the only guest vocalist on a Led Zeppelin album.

Download link in comments below or click on the picture.

Buy: Mp3's at Amazon.co.uk - Sandy Denny