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Strawbs/Dave Cousins Appreciation Thread!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Barbu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 20 2019 at 12:25
Released June 21, 2019: Deadlines 2CD/DVD Remastered & Expanded Boxset Edition

Very good news indeed!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kenethlevine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 20 2019 at 15:12
Yes it's got a DVD of the BBC show they did which appeared initially as a bootleg CD called "Live in London", later "Live in America".  The sound isn't great but performances like "Simple Visions and "Hero and Heroine" were excellent.  I am looking forward to seeing the actual footage.  Andy Richards is on keys
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kenethlevine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 10 2019 at 19:10
time for a bump to say that there is a remastered and expanded version of Dave Cousins first solo album, "Two Weeks Last Summer" from 1972, coming out in just a few weeks


While most of the bonus cuts have already appeared on the Taste of Strawbs boxset, "I've been my own worst friend" has not.  It was on Sandy and the Strawbs and also Old School Songs.  I'm curious what the 1972 Dave Cousins did with the song, since he had just begun to turn rock, and in fact "Two Weeks Last Summer", though not a Strawbs album, can be seen as the transitional album between the still largely folky if bombastic "Grave New World" and the surprisinly bold and even heavy "Bursting at The Seams".

It was interesting to read in Dave's autobiography how, while Grave New World sold over 90K copies in the UK and Bursting nearly 80K (along with two hit singles), "Two Weeks Last Summer" sold a paltry 5K!  While I don't think it's quite as strong as any of the aolbums between Grave New World and Ghosts, it's still excellent
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Snicolette Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 11 2019 at 07:52
Originally posted by kenethlevine kenethlevine wrote:

time for a bump to say that there is a remastered and expanded version of Dave Cousins first solo album, "Two Weeks Last Summer" from 1972, coming out in just a few weeks


While most of the bonus cuts have already appeared on the Taste of Strawbs boxset, "I've been my own worst friend" has not.  It was on Sandy and the Strawbs and also Old School Songs.  I'm curious what the 1972 Dave Cousins did with the song, since he had just begun to turn rock, and in fact "Two Weeks Last Summer", though not a Strawbs album, can be seen as the transitional album between the still largely folky if bombastic "Grave New World" and the surprisinly bold and even heavy "Bursting at The Seams".

It was interesting to read in Dave's autobiography how, while Grave New World sold over 90K copies in the UK and Bursting nearly 80K (along with two hit singles), "Two Weeks Last Summer" sold a paltry 5K!  While I don't think it's quite as strong as any of the aolbums between Grave New World and Ghosts, it's still excellent
  I do love Grave New World and Ghosts and certainly feel as though the first side of Two Weeks in particular, stands up to those.  I just really wish they hadn't closed the second side with "Going Home."  Perhaps inserting "I've Been My Own Worst Friend," before "We'll Meet Again Sometime," would have better kept the feeling of the LP,  in my opinion.  It still remains always in my Top 10 of all LP's and it is one I would never part with.



Edited by Snicolette - November 11 2019 at 07:52
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kenethlevine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 11 2019 at 12:42
yeah Going Home wrecks everything.  It's got a bit of a T-Rex/Bng a Gong thing going but it's not nearly as good and it also doesn't fit in at all.  One could sum it up by saying that Strawbs were never much good at straight rockers.  But "The Actor" is one of my fave Cousins' rockers.  After "That's the Way it ends" it also disturbs things a bit but on the vinyl it worked well.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Snicolette Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 11 2019 at 12:54
Pleased that someone agrees with me, I always wondered if it was just me.  And "That's The Way It Ends," was just so heartbreaking after that incredible, hopeful and just plain moving "Blue Angel," but the song does fit.  I have the feeling that the rockers were to appease the labels, as often musicians had to make those kinds of concessions in those days.  However, I'm with you, I also love "The Actor."  It would be interesting to find out if other rockers were forced and that was a natural piece that the band wrote, perhaps why it is more compelling?

Edited by Snicolette - November 11 2019 at 12:55
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote kenethlevine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 11 2019 at 14:29
I get the feeling Cousins did whatever he wanted on "Two Weeks".  But maybe "Going Home" was pushed in for commercial potential.  Without having heard the version of "I've been my own worst friend" that was recorded at the time, I tend to agree with you that it would have been a better choice, with the lovely "We'll Meet again sometime" coming right after to close things out.  That's still by far my favourite version of "We'll Meet".  So intimate, even if it sounds like Dave has a cold!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Snicolette Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 11 2019 at 14:37
Yes, it is lovely, with the outside feel, the birds in the background, etc.  Maybe it was hay fever.  :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SteveG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 12 2019 at 09:54
I always felt that Two Weeks Last Summer suffers from a lack of Mellotron. I just luv that 'tron.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cosmiclawnmower Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 20 2020 at 13:43
Just before Christmas, Dave Cousins and the acoustic Strawbs rolled into our nearest town as part of the 50th anniversary tour. The concert was held in our small local (criminally under-used) venue to play a fantastic intimate gig of classic tracks and stories between. Right at the start Dave Cousins stated it was a very special concert for him as he had lived nearby during much of the 70's (in a number of local villages) and the majority of the songs written during that period were written in Devon. So as the evening progressed he shared with us the stories, the anecdotes about village life, pubs, the landscape and his own personal life which had inspired the songs. All these places were well known to the majority of the audience that night and it made it a very special evening. I briefly spoke with Dave Cousins, Dave Lambert & Chas Cronk and got my copy of 'Hero & Heroine' signedSmileEmbarrassedBig smile and Dave said he had family members still living nearby and how pleased he was to be back playing his old stomping ground!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SteveG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 20 2020 at 13:52
^ Very cool. I've got few albums signed by Cousins, Willoughby and Lambert (who were the original Acoustics Strawbs before Willoughby left and Cronk came back in) but never had a chance to talk except for small chit chat. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 20 2020 at 13:59
I thought this was a new thread until I saw the date at the top and the page number. Smile
 
Maybe I should create a handy index of all of the Band Appreciation threads, just like I did with the Make Your Own Album threads. Smile
 
Just for the record, my favourite Strawbs album is Hero & Heroine, although I've only heard seven Strawbs albums so far. Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SteveG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 20 2020 at 14:03
Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

I thought this was a new thread until I saw the date at the top and the page number. Smile
 
Maybe I should create a handy index of all of the Band Appreciation threads, just like I did with the Make Your Own Album threads. Smile
 
Just for the record, my favourite Strawbs album is Hero & Heroine, although I've only heard seven Strawbs albums so far. Smile
Damn Paul, you gotta start writing some Strawbs reviews. Smile  And give that jazz/fusion stuff a break. Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 20 2020 at 14:14
Originally posted by SteveG SteveG wrote:

Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

I thought this was a new thread until I saw the date at the top and the page number. Smile
 
Maybe I should create a handy index of all of the Band Appreciation threads, just like I did with the Make Your Own Album threads. Smile
 
Just for the record, my favourite Strawbs album is Hero & Heroine, although I've only heard seven Strawbs albums so far. Smile
Damn Paul, you gotta start writing some Strawbs reviews. Smile  And give that jazz/fusion stuff a break. Wink
Out of the 108 album reviews I've written so far, only eight of the artists were classed as Jazz-Rock/Fusion on ProgArchives. I'll leave the Strawbs reviews in your capable hands Steve, whilst I concentrate on reviewing some of the more obscure and esoteric British albums. Smile
 
I'm looking forward to creating my own Strawbs album of eight favourite songs on the Make Your Own Strawbs Album thread, then I can add an extra album to the seven Strawbs albums I've already listened to. Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cstack3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 20 2020 at 14:24
My American friends and I always thought that Cousin's voice and singing style was reminiscent of the great American folk artist, Burl Ives, who was also a banjo player.  Very interesting vocalization for prog, which always seemed to depend upon high-range tenor/contra-tenor vocalists.  RIP Burl.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SteveG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 20 2020 at 14:50
Some high range (and a little nasal LOL) vocals from Dave.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Squonk19 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 20 2020 at 16:29
Played the 'Full Bloom' CD (2004) the other day. A gift sent to me from a fellow Strawbs/BBT fan last year when I saw Acoustic Strawbs near Newcastle. Great sound production and a quality selection as well.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote SteveG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 21 2020 at 05:57
Originally posted by Squonk19 Squonk19 wrote:

Played the 'Full Bloom' CD (2004) the other day. A gift sent to me from a fellow Strawbs/BBT fan last year when I saw Acoustic Strawbs near Newcastle. Great sound production and a quality selection as well.
You lucky SOB! That CD is their best acoustic set and went out of print a few weeks after it was released. Hard to find, it lists for about 150 pounds used on various seller sites.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Snicolette Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 21 2020 at 08:58
Originally posted by cstack3 cstack3 wrote:

My American friends and I always thought that Cousin's voice and singing style was reminiscent of the great American folk artist, Burl Ives, who was also a banjo player.  Very interesting vocalization for prog, which always seemed to depend upon high-range tenor/contra-tenor vocalists.  RIP Burl.
  

Loved the way he used banjo on "Witchwood."  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SteveG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February 21 2020 at 09:48
Originally posted by Snicolette Snicolette wrote:

Originally posted by cstack3 cstack3 wrote:

My American friends and I always thought that Cousin's voice and singing style was reminiscent of the great American folk artist, Burl Ives, who was also a banjo player.  Very interesting vocalization for prog, which always seemed to depend upon high-range tenor/contra-tenor vocalists.  RIP Burl.
  

Loved the way he used banjo on "Witchwood."  
The weird thing about Cousins was that he was a phenomenal banjo player that was often used for session work and could play circles around any bluegrass banjo picker. Strangely, he kept it on the down low his whole time in the Strawbs after Sandy Denny left the group and only played low key accompaniment on songs like Witchwood and Cold Steel.
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