Sunday, September 24, 2006

The Druids "Burnt Offering" (UK Folk 1970)

The Druids were a superb acoustic folk quintet who started a little too late to achieve major popularity, amid the presence of outfits like Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention. Formed as a trio in 1969 by ex-pop musician John Adams (vocals, mandolin, bass), and folk singers Keith Hendrick (vocals, guitar, banjo) and Mick Hennessy (vocals, bass), the group played its first gig at the Manchester Sports Guild in November of that year. A few months later, itinerant fiddler Dave Broughton joined them, and in 1970, while appearing in a documentary film about English folk musicians, they met fifth member Judi Longden, who added her voice to the proceedings.

With their reliance on acoustic instruments, the Druids were far more tradition-based than either Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span. Their repertory consisted of traditional English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish songs arranged for four voices, and their music had a pleasingly archaic feel, not resembling folk-rock at all. If anything, they sounded more like the kind of outfit that A.L. Lloyd or Ralph Vaughan Williams (editors of the definitive collection of English folk songs) would have approved of, without a trace of uncalled for elegance or pretentiousness.

The group broke up in the early 1970s, and Adams later turned up as a member of the group Muckram Wakes and the New Victory Band. They left behind a small but pleasing recorded legacy, contemporary with the best years of Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span but radically conservative in its approach to the music. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Sample pic: Click

Download (re-post)

Important: This album is missing Irish ballad "The Castle of Dramore(Dromore)". Track.6 is actualy "Hunting the hare/Exile's jig".
Please help us if you have!

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this! i've been looking for both records for ages after finding a smattering online. is there any chance of posting the second album some time in the future? this is a fantastic blog - keep up the good work!

chris

24 September, 2006 18:37  
Blogger Lizardson said...

sure, please wait my post for 2nd album.
thank you.

24 September, 2006 19:42  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Excellent acoustic folk album - with an early appearance by the great John Tams. Listeners will recognise "The Trooper and his horse" as the same song as "The Trooper's Nag" on the Spriguns of Tolgus album.

(I think there's a track missing, according to the sleeve notes. The one listed and tagged as track 6 "The Castle of Dramore" is in fact "Hunting the hare/Exile's jig" and the actual song "The Castle of Dramore" is missing).

Thanks for a chance to hear this one.

Newelectricmuse

24 September, 2006 20:27  
Blogger Lizardson said...

Newelectricmuse

you're right, this album seem to missing Irish ballad "Castle of Dramore(Dromore)".

We need somebodys help again...

thank you

24 September, 2006 22:10  
Blogger ramson said...

Hi folks!!

Great blog!!! ..congratulations!!!!

By the way , track "Castle of Dromore" by The Clancy Brothers is delete , please , can you upload again? ..greetings!!!

07 November, 2006 13:06  
Blogger Unknown said...

CANANYONE HELP I am trying to get this to listen and the download is down'
HELLP

22 April, 2014 23:12  
Blogger Unknown said...

Officially coming out at last on CD through Talking Elephant Records in Aug/Sept 2014.
www.talkingelephant.co.uk

24 July, 2014 18:46  

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