Lindisfarne

Wombat

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SnootyFox likes 'Meet Me On the Corner', which was always on the pub juke box back in mid-70's
Personally I liked their 'Lady Eleanor' as a harder / melodic sound, similar to what Led Zeppelin was doing at the time
As some on here will know, I provide cleaning & sanitation programs for the processed food & brewery industry, and I was visiting one of my craft brewery customers in Toronto 7-8 years ago. The owner wanted to introduce me to their new Head Brewer, who was an English guy maybe 10 years older than myself. I asked the new brewer if he had gone to Herriot Watt brewing school in Edinburgh before leaving UK, and he told me he was a musician by trade, but loved beer, took some courses and now he was looking to make a second career as a Brewmaster
As a fan of British music from 60's & 70's, I asked if he played in any band I may have head of and he told me he was the lead guitarist from Lindisfarne!
He and I developed a great relationship personally & professionally over the next 5-6 years and over a few beers would tell me some great stories about being on Top of the pops, going on tour, the festivals in mid-70's and the other bands / rock stars they met and worked with.
His name was Simon Cowe and unfortunately he died a few years ago from complications after a nasty fall, but I loved hearing about the British music scene from someone who was there participating in all the excesses
 
Great story Wombat. I'm a Geordie by birth and have lived in Newcastle or surrounds on three different occasions. I must have seen Lindisfarne at least half a dozen times. Their shows before Christmas at the City Hall were legendary. Alan Hull, Ray Jackson and Ray Laidlaw were the real "leaders" of the band, but Simon was always there - a short, stocky bloke with a beard, as I recall. I had no idea he had moved to North America, and I'm saddened to learn of his passing.
 
Yes FF.... your memory is good & physical description, accurate.
One footnote you may like, is Simon told that me playing 'lead guitar' in a band like Lindisfarne (who played mainly folk and melodic music with no guitar riffs or heavy chords), was a big frustration....."I never had anything to do" he complained :)
He agreed with me that 'Lady Elanor' was also one of his favourite songs, because he could use his guitar skills to full effect with some nice runs!
He also recalled the photo shoot for the famous Lindisfarne beach scene album cover., with the band freezing their balls off against the North Sea winds.
To your point on Newcastle Christmas shows, he said the band were a bunch of mates, 'having a laff' and happy to play in the back room of a smokey pub or an outdoor festival with 50,000 people there.
Simon was a quiet and unassuming man, so a late career as a 'gentleman brewer' made him happy, and I had to drag the tales of drunken debauchery while on tour in UK & America, out of him. I think for most top bands of the time like Free, Humble Pie, Traffic, etc, it was all part of the game.
 
I remember those long runs of Christmas shows at the City Hall every year! About a dozen nights usually, wasn't it? Went to see them at the de Mont in about '86 – some good songs (y)
 
Yeah, the Christmas Concert runs just kept getting longer and longer. They were brilliant, you could tell they were having as much fun as the audience was. They would play “Lady Eleanor” of course, but it is the reaction and participation in “Meet me on the Corner” and “Clear White Light” that I’ll always remember.

I just found a live version of Light on YouTube at the City Hall and it reduced me to tears. Silly old bugger.
 
Yeah, the Christmas Concert runs just kept getting longer and longer. They were brilliant, you could tell they were having as much fun as the audience was. They would play “Lady Eleanor” of course, but it is the reaction and participation in “Meet me on the Corner” and “Clear White Light” that I’ll always remember.

I just found a live version of Light on YouTube at the City Hall and it reduced me to tears. Silly old bugger.
Linky please?
 
Another little tale concerns Ray Jackson, back in 1971 he played all the mandolin parts on Rod Stewarts album "Every picture tells a storey" most notably the " Maggie May" track , Stewart couldn't remember who had played the Mandolin so Ray Jackson was not credited. On the Album Sleeve it just said...Mandolin- the chap from Lindisfarne ( words to that effect anyway).
 
Yeah, the Christmas Concert runs just kept getting longer and longer. They were brilliant, you could tell they were having as much fun as the audience was. They would play “Lady Eleanor” of course, but it is the reaction and participation in “Meet me on the Corner” and “Clear White Light” that I’ll always remember.

I just found a live version of Light on YouTube at the City Hall and it reduced me to tears. Silly old bugger.
Yes mate, I've shed a few tears when a song or concert experience transports us instantly back decades to happier & more care-free times
 
Another little tale concerns Ray Jackson, back in 1971 he played all the mandolin parts on Rod Stewarts album "Every picture tells a storey" most notably the " Maggie May" track , Stewart couldn't remember who had played the Mandolin so Ray Jackson was not credited. On the Album Sleeve it just said...Mandolin- the chap from Lindisfarne ( words to that effect anyway).
It was like an 'old boys club' back then, with Rod Stewart in the middle of some fine collaborations with his peers of the day.
Early Rod Stewart in one of my favourite artists, as he combined soul and rock & roll, and definitive Britsh pop-culture (hair & clothes) of the very early 70's
 
Afraid to say Jakka got screwed by Rod Stewart, who gave him only a 15 quid session fee for the mandolin part on Maggie May. Criminal.
 
It was
an 'old boys club' back then, with Rod Stewart in the middle of some fine collaborations with his peers of the day.
Early Rod Stewart in one of my favourite artists, as he combined soul and rock & roll, and definitive Britsh pop-culture (hair & clothes) of the very
The work he did with Jeff Beck, The Faces and his solo stuff up to and including "Smiler" is up there with the best after that he lost touch and to me it was sad to see him descend into his own tribute act and finally into cabaret, thank the stars we still have Paul Rodgers .
 
Bet it was the minimum union rate.....was known for being tight !
He told his bandmates & roadies, they were going to have all the beer they could drink one night, and they wouldn't have to put their hand in their pocket once....
Rod's crew were surprised and amazed by Rod's sudden bout of generosity..... then found out he had arranged a tour of the local brewery, Charles Wells in Bedford.
I know.... I was at the brewery the next day for a meeting and heard first hand from the young brewers who had been given the task of hosting this celebrity visit...... they were trying to explain the brewing & fermenting process and show them the different type of tanks, but Rod's crew just wanted to get back to the Hospitality Lounge as quick as possible for the free beer, cheese & crackers!!
These young lads were certainly the wort for wear, after a night on the piss with Rod Stewart, but thy will have that story to last them a lifetime
 
I’ve seen Tommy Duffy, who was the bassist in the early 70’s, playing a few gigs in bars around where I live in Spain. Brilliant voice as well as great guitarist.
 
Absolutely not, thats the Rod Stewart I want to listen to. Can't believe the same guy corrupted our ears with "Do ya think i'm sexy"
My 2 fave singers ever Rod Stewart and Paul Rodgers, one has let me down and one hasn't.
Malc, i am driving to work last night and DJ said "Rod Stewart coming up" and I was hoping for "I know I'm Losing You" but got "Young Hearts Run Free Tonight" which was from Rod's disco phase
Good nostalgia as i hadn't heard for about 20 years, cheesy / pop vocal, but although we didn't appreciate it when it came out, track has Mark Knopfler (who was hot at the time) playing amazing background guitar.
Like I said earlier - Rod collaborated with his mates in the business (Knopfler, Jeff Beck) and I think personal chemistry often translated into musical inspiration
 
Malc, i am driving to work last night and DJ said "Rod Stewart coming up" and I was hoping for "I know I'm Losing You" but got "Young Hearts Run Free Tonight" which was from Rod's disco phase
Good nostalgia as i hadn't heard for about 20 years, cheesy / pop vocal, but although we didn't appreciate it when it came out, track has Mark Knopfler (who was hot at the time) playing amazing background guitar.
Like I said earlier - Rod collaborated with his mates in the business (Knopfler, Jeff Beck) and I think personal chemistry often translated into musical inspiration
To be honest Wombat, I would have changed station or switched off !. If I wanted to listen to Disco music I would look elsewhere, and not listen to a great rock,blues,Soul and Folk singer who clearly had a music taste bypass. Agreed, he did on his albums surround himself with mates and good musicians, that doesn't mean a great end product though.
Fair dues to him, he's lasted for a long while and made himself and his record company a lot of dosh.

Check out "Muddy Waters Blues" by Paul Rodgers a good example of using mates and great musicians and ending up with a great product.
 
I saw Genesis playing support to Lindisfarne at DeMont. Thankfully that was in the early 70s, so we didn’t have Eggs in the front row calling out for ‘Sussudio’ after every song.
 
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