Page 78 - January Phonebox Magazine 2012

Don’t Stop Singing
A review by Steve Clark
“Don’t Stop Singing” is the title track of a remarkable new album released on 7th November 2011 on the Island record label. What makes this album so different is that it is effectively a collaboration between Thea Gilmore, who wrote the music, and the late Sandy Denny, who wrote the lyrics. Sandy Denny is probably best remembered for the time that she fronted the group Fairport Convention in 1968-69. Sandy rejoined Fairport for a brief spell after marrying Australian band member Trevor Lucas in September 1973. During her ten year career Sandy received numerous accolades and one of her best-known songs “Who Knows Where the Time Goes” has been covered by numerous other artists and was voted as the “Favourite Folk Track of all Time” in the BBC2 Folk Awards on 2007.
Tragedy never seems to be too far away from the Fairport Convention family. Drummer Martin Lamble played on the band's first three albums, but shortly after recording “Unhalfbricking” Fairport's van crashed on the M1 motorway on 12th May 1969 on the way home from a gig in Birmingham. Martin Lamble was killed outright in this accident at the incredibly young age of 19. The accident also resulted in the death of Jeannie Franklyn, girlfriend of guitarist Richard Thompson. The rest of the band suffered injuries of varying severity. Some years later, in March 1978, Sandy Denny was injured falling down a staircase and hitting her head on concrete. She was on holiday in Cornwall and was prescribed painkillers by a doctor who was unaware of her increasing dependence on alcohol. On 17th April that year, Sandy Denny collapsed and went into a coma whilst at a friend’s house. She died in hospital in Wimbledon four days later aged just 31. Shortly after Sandy’s death, Trevor Lucas moved back to Australia with their baby daughter Georgia. He returned to England to work on a tribute album to Sandy in 1985. In 1989 Trevor died of a heart attack in his sleep in Sydney, Australia. He was just 45. His children were left in the care of Elizabeth, his third wife.
In 2007 the BBC decided to produce a commemorative box set of many of the sessions that Sandy Denny had recorded for the corporation. They commissioned Phil Lloyd-Smee, a music journalist and designer, to produce the artwork for the box set. Phil was given access to Sandy’s notebooks and journals, which had been shipped over to Australia following her death. Phil discovered sets of hand- written notes and lyrics to a number of unrecorded songs. In late 2010 Thea Gilmore was commissioned by Sandy’s estate, in conjunction with Island Records, to write melodies for the unfinished lyrics to finally bring some of Sandy’s last works to the world. The result was an album of 10 new songs, with Thea’s interpretations bringing Sandy’s spirit into the 21st century.
Thea Gilmore was born on 25th November 1979 in Oxford, eighteen months after Sandy’s untimely demise. She began her career working in a recording studio, where she was mentored by producer and songwriter Nigel Stonier. Thea and Nigel went on to marry in October 2005. In Thea’s words: -
“Who knows how she would have developed these fragments, poems, words without tunes, had she lived longer? I was pleased to be asked, by those who survived her and those who continue to curate her work, to develop them, pleased when the words began to carry me somewhere and to suggest places where they and I could go together and pleased when musicians who knew her and worked with her gave me encouragement, urged me to make this record. Would Sandy have liked to see these songs being finished by me and
Olney Archaeological Society
released to the world? I hope so, but I will never know and neither will you.”
As a long-time devotee of
Sandy’s work, I ordered
the album not knowing
quite what to expect. I was
aware of Thea’s other
material, and convinced
that she would make a
remarkable job of this
album. Still, I waited to
hear it with some
trepidation. Whilst writing
this article I am listening to
the album yet again. I have
played it through fully several times already today. I have to say that it is remarkable, amazing and quite simply one of the most beautiful albums I have ever bought.
The final words come from a BBC review: -
“From the lyrics alone, you sense isolation, pain, distress: but also apparent is vulnerability, and that of course, was one of the reasons Sandy was such a great songwriter. Sandy’s love of the sea ran through her music, and “Sailor” is one of the outstanding tracks here. “London” rocks along, while “Glistening Bay” is effortlessly a great song by a great singer. But it is the immeasurably poignant “Georgia” which brings the album to a close, a lullaby to a daughter from a mother she would never know.”
“THE LADY”
ALEXANDRA ELENE MACLEAN LUCAS 6.1.47 – 21.4.78
Contact Steve Clark at stephen.clark89@yahoo.co.uk or on Facebook: facebook.com/Tiliacus
Thea Gilmore’s website is theagilmore.net
Official Sandy website: sandydenny.org.uk
NEWPORT PAGNELL WOMEN’S INSTITUTE
Our December meeting was as very lively affair, with ‘Songs from the Shows’ by Rosemary Leonard, ably accompanied on the keyboard by her friend Graham. Rosemary has been singing since she joined the school choir at a very young age, and later had her voice trained. After retirement she decided upon a new ‘career’ and now spends much of her time entertaining groups such as ours.
The programme began with well-known songs from some of the older musical shows and films which most of the ladies recognised. We were then asked to join in with various Christmas songs, including a humorous version of Jingle Bells. It was a delight to listen to Rosemary’s clear voice, and everyone enjoyed the performance.
As this was our pre-Christmas meeting we then had mince pies, Stollen and Christmas cake with our tea (or wine!), followed by our annual Present Swap so everyone went home with a beautifully wrapped mystery gift. The competition (letter A) was won by Dorrit Webb with some angelica, 2nd Celia Boyer with an angel, 3rd Angela Hancox with a piece of amber. The raffle was won by Marion Stapleton, 2nd Dorrit Webb. Newport Pagnell Women’s Institute meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm in the Royal British Legion Club, and is always delighted to welcome new members. In January Sally White from Threads & Patches will be coming to talk to us. For further information please call Evelyn Mison on 01908 615630.
10th January
Santiago de Compostela – by John & Molly Reardon
The speakers’ personal account of the 1000 km pilgrimage trail from France and Germany to the cathedral of St James in north west Spain.
24th January
The Milton Keynes find of roman coins – by Brett Thorn
The talk describes the finding of a hoard of coins in Milton
Keynes in 2006. The speaker who is also a television contributor will explain how the inscriptions on the coins were deciphered and the political message they carry.
Time: 10am to 12 midday
Place: Olney Centre
Cost: Visitors welcome £3 (includes coffee/tea, biscuits) Members 10 lectures to June £10
For more information please contact the Secretary. Tel 01234 711627, email joanhnorman@hotmail.co.uk
78 Phonebox Magazine