Gottle O'Geer
Encyclopedia
Gottle O'Geer is the eleventh studio album
by English folk rock
band Fairport Convention
. The album was released through Island Records
in May 1976.
The departure of Sandy Denny
, Trevor Lucas
and Jerry Donahue
following Rising for the Moon
in 1975 left Fairport Convention reduced to Dave Swarbrick
, Dave Pegg
, and Bruce Rowland, and contractually obliged to produce one more album for Island Records
. This album was the result, and Allmusic described it as "listless".
The venture was originally intended to be a solo album for Swarbrick, who later said of it: "Gottle O'Geer, I would like to say once and for all was not ever supposed to be a Fairport album. It was to be my solo album, and I wish, along with most other people, that it had remained that way. Chris Blackwell, who to my mind is the richest, clueless, most unscrupulous pillock it was ever my misfortune to meet, had other ideas." As such, the basic lineup of Swarbrick and rhythm section was augmented by numerous guest appearances.
Simon Nicol
was asked to assist in sorting out the project: "... there was plenty on tape but it was a bit of a ragbag really. Peggy and Swarb asked me if I'd come in to engineer it for them. It was huge fun to be involved in. Island just gave us the keys and said 'turn out the lights when you leave' so there were a lot of all-night sessions in the studio."
The album's title comes from the reputed inability of less skilled ventriloquists to pronounce "bottle of beer".
Backing musicians
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by English folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
band Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
. The album was released through Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
in May 1976.
The departure of Sandy Denny
Sandy Denny
Sandy Denny , born Alexandra Elene Maclean Denny, was an English singer and songwriter, perhaps best known as the lead singer for the folk rock band Fairport Convention...
, Trevor Lucas
Trevor Lucas
Trevor George Lucas was an influential folk artist, a member of Fairport Convention and one of the founders of Fotheringay...
and Jerry Donahue
Jerry Donahue
Jerry Donahue is an American guitarist and producer primarily known for his work in the British folk rock scene as a member of Fotheringay and Fairport Convention as well as being a member of the rock guitar trio The Hellecasters.-Biography:Donahue was born in New York, the son of big band...
following Rising for the Moon
Rising for the Moon
Rising for the Moon is a Fairport Convention album. It reached number 52 in the UK albums charts. This was the last Fairport album to feature Sandy Denny....
in 1975 left Fairport Convention reduced to Dave Swarbrick
Dave Swarbrick
Dave Swarbrick is an English folk musician and singer-songwriter. He has been described by Ashley Hutchings as 'the most influential [British] fiddle player bar none' and his style has been copied or developed by almost every British, and many World folk violin players that have followed him...
, Dave Pegg
Dave Pegg
Dave Pegg is an English multi-instrumentalist and record producer, arguably most visible as a bass guitarist. He is the longest-serving member of the pre-eminent electric folk band Fairport Convention and has been bassist with a number of important folk and rock groups including The Ian Campbell...
, and Bruce Rowland, and contractually obliged to produce one more album for Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
. This album was the result, and Allmusic described it as "listless".
The venture was originally intended to be a solo album for Swarbrick, who later said of it: "Gottle O'Geer, I would like to say once and for all was not ever supposed to be a Fairport album. It was to be my solo album, and I wish, along with most other people, that it had remained that way. Chris Blackwell, who to my mind is the richest, clueless, most unscrupulous pillock it was ever my misfortune to meet, had other ideas." As such, the basic lineup of Swarbrick and rhythm section was augmented by numerous guest appearances.
Simon Nicol
Simon Nicol
Simon John Breckenridge Nicol is a guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He was a founder member of British folk rock, or electric folk group Fairport Convention and is the only founding member still in the band...
was asked to assist in sorting out the project: "... there was plenty on tape but it was a bit of a ragbag really. Peggy and Swarb asked me if I'd come in to engineer it for them. It was huge fun to be involved in. Island just gave us the keys and said 'turn out the lights when you leave' so there were a lot of all-night sessions in the studio."
The album's title comes from the reputed inability of less skilled ventriloquists to pronounce "bottle of beer".
Side one
- "When First Into This Country" (Trad.Traditional musicTraditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
) - 2:30 - "Our Band" (Dave SwarbrickDave SwarbrickDave Swarbrick is an English folk musician and singer-songwriter. He has been described by Ashley Hutchings as 'the most influential [British] fiddle player bar none' and his style has been copied or developed by almost every British, and many World folk violin players that have followed him...
) - 2:04 - "Lay Me Down Easy" - (Rowland, Swarbrick) - 5:15
- "Cropredy Capers" (Pegg, Rowland, Swarbrick) - 3:09
- "The Frog Up the Pump" (Jig Medley) (Trad.) - 3:16
Side two
- "Don't Be Late" (Rowland, Swarbrick) - 3:24
- "Sandy's Song" (Sandy DennySandy DennySandy Denny , born Alexandra Elene Maclean Denny, was an English singer and songwriter, perhaps best known as the lead singer for the folk rock band Fairport Convention...
) - 3:37 - "Friendship Song" (Gallagher, Lyle) - 3:01
- "Limey's Lament" (Rowland, Swarbrick) - 4:35
Personnel
- Dave SwarbrickDave SwarbrickDave Swarbrick is an English folk musician and singer-songwriter. He has been described by Ashley Hutchings as 'the most influential [British] fiddle player bar none' and his style has been copied or developed by almost every British, and many World folk violin players that have followed him...
: vocals, fiddle, viola, mandolin, mandocelloMandocelloThe mandocello is a plucked string instrument of the mandolin family. It has eight strings in four paired courses, tuned in 5ths like a mandolin, but is larger, and tuned CC-GG-dd-aa . It is to the mandolin what the cello is to the violin.-Construction:Mandocello construction is similar to the...
, acoustic guitar, autoharpAutoharpThe autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers, which, when depressed, mute all of the strings other than those that form the desired chord. Despite its name, the autoharp is not a harp at all, but a chorded zither. -History:There is debate over the...
, electric dulcimer; - Dave PeggDave PeggDave Pegg is an English multi-instrumentalist and record producer, arguably most visible as a bass guitarist. He is the longest-serving member of the pre-eminent electric folk band Fairport Convention and has been bassist with a number of important folk and rock groups including The Ian Campbell...
: bass guitar, mandolin, backing vocals; - Bruce RowlandBruce Rowland (drummer)Bruce Rowland is an English rock drummer best known for his memberships of The Grease Band and folk rock band Fairport Convention. He is also a prolific session musician.-Early career:...
: drums, percussion, piano, organ, backing vocals
Backing musicians
- Eric Johns : electric guitar
- Nick Judd : piano
- Martin CarthyMartin CarthyMartin Carthy MBE is an English folk singer and guitarist who has remained one of the most influential figures in British traditional music, inspiring contemporaries such as Bob Dylan and Paul Simon and later artists such as Richard Thompson since he emerged as a young musician in the early days...
: acoustic guitar - Ian Wilson : electric guitar
- Jimmy Jewel : saxophone
- Henry Lowther : trumpet, flugel horn
- Robert Palmer : harmonica, backing vocals
- Bob Brady : backing vocals
- Roger Burridge : backing vocals
- Benny Gallagher : accordion, backing vocals
- Graham Lyle : dobroDobroDobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar...
, backing vocals - Simon NicolSimon NicolSimon John Breckenridge Nicol is a guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He was a founder member of British folk rock, or electric folk group Fairport Convention and is the only founding member still in the band...
: electric guitar
- Engineering: Simon Nicol (assisted by Dick Cuthell at Island and Tony Cox at Sawmill)
Release history
- 1976, May : UK LPLP albumThe LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
Island ILPS 9389 - 1999 : UK CD Island IMCD 262
- 2007, February : UK CD Island 984 587-6