Just like the man said: It all came round again. Fairport’s multitude of followers get another chance to share their Fairport memories in Cropredy Capers – Richard Houghton’s sequel to 2022’s Gonna See All My Friends.

It seems that, when Simon Nicol and Dave Pegg, respectively Fairport Convention’s guitarist/vocalist and their bass player, read Gonna See All My Friends, Richard Houghton’s 2022 ‘people’s history’ of Fairport Convention, they liked it so much, they immediately ordered a second volume. Perhaps ‘ordered’ is the wrong word, because Fairport don’t operate like that, but they must have sensed when they read the plethora of Fairport-related yarns and recollections that fans from, literally, all over the world had submitted to populate the 384 pages of that first tome, that there were surely more stories where the first lot came from. and so Simon and Peggy ‘politely suggested’ that Richard might want to issue another invitation to the fanbase, to see what materialised. That all took place back in early 2023 and now, after months of cajoling and compiling on the part of Richard, and hours of head-scratching, pen-chewing and scribbling on the part of the fans, here it is – Another People’s History of Fairport Convention, Cropredy Capers.

if it ain’t broken….

It’s more of the same, that’s for sure but, if – like me – you’re never likely to tire of reading the adventures of your favourite band, told by the people that experienced, observed and participated in those adventures, then you’ll find Cropredy Capers to be as equally an enduring and entertaining read as its precursor. It’s another beautiful product, a book to savour, to treasure and to treat with loving care. It’s a similar – but not identical – format to Gonna See All My Friends; contributors’ stories are presented in chronological order, dating from the very earliest days of Fairport’s formation and concluding with stories from the 2024 Wintour, calling at stations in between. There are hundreds of fans’ photographs to enjoy – band pictures, scenes around Cropredy and memorabilia galore – all meticulously catalogued and, as you’ll expect, there are hoards of amazing, engaging stories and recollections.

It’s the Fairport ‘lifers’ that get the ball rolling with their eyewitness accounts of key events in the history of Fairport. Ann Tulacz was there when the Convention convened and she recalls the story in fascinating detail; Chris Drinkwater, a cousin of Fairport’s first ‘proper’ drummer, the late Martin Lamble, tells the story of Martin’s recruitment and photographer Eric Hayes relives that historic day when the young musicians gathered at the Wimbledon home of Sandy Denny’s parents for the photo session that produced the front and rear pictures that adorn the Unhalfbricking sleeve. Elsewhere, there are lurid accounts of the band’s squalid days at The Angel, the ‘deconsecrated’ pub (definition courtesy of Dave Pegg) in Little Hadham, Hertfordshire, that was home to the band from early 1970 to February 1971, when it was part-demolished by a runaway lorry.

Association with Fairport Convention is often mentioned in the same breath as Hotel California, as in: “You can join in anytime you like, but you can never leave” and nowhere is that sentiment more clearly demonstrated than by the stories of those stout fellows who were at numerous landmark gigs of the band’s early days and are still in thrall to the cause. Chris Drinkwater (him again) was at the band’s legendary debut show in May 1967 at St. Michael’s Church in Golders Green; Rose Prentice was at The Barn Barbeque Concert and Barn Dance in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, when Sandy made her first Fairport appearance and Mick Monk shares his extensive recollections of the day (or, rather, the dawn) when Fairport appeared at the 1968 Isle of Wight Festival, on a bill that also included Jefferson Airplane, Tyrannosaurus Rex and The Move.

Maybe best of all, Richard Lewis recounts the evening at Middle Earth when he wrote out the lyrics to Dylan’s If You Gotta Go, Go Now for the band, just before they asked a handy student to translate those lyrics into French… The live debut of Liege and Lief at The Royal Festival Hall, the vast 1970 Bath Festival and the notorious Krumlin Festival: you name it and there are contributors to Cropredy Capers who lived to tell the tale.

back to the village

Of course the story of Fairport Convention has, since 4th August 1979, been inexorably entangled with a certain village in North Oxfordshire and Richard Houghton’s choice of title for this book is a choice wisely made. The Cropredy yarns are legion, with a common theme: Once you’ve been to Cropredy, you’ll be back – again and again and again. Andy Macleod and Graham Warren were both at the 1977 and 1978 ‘village fete’ events in the garden of Prescote Manor and neither have missed a festival since. And, as the years advance, so do the number of people who have been sucked into the Cropredy whirlpool, never to emerge. Everyone, it seems, has their favourite year, with the 2008 (the tribute to Sandy), 2018 (Brian Wilson, another Sandy tribute and Maart’s final appearance) and 2022 (the delayed Full House 50th anniversary performance) events seemingly getting the most special mentions.

not just the music

Cropredy isn’t remembered just for the music, either; there are multiple references to RT’s fabled status as a rain god, and the peaceful, friendly, helpful vibe that pervades the Cropredy atmosphere from the moment that people arrive in the village is clearly cherished very deeply by all who attend. And I lost count of the number of contributors who make comments along the lines of: “I’d never heard of Cropredy or Fairport, but I thought I’d go along and see. I’ve been to every festival since.”

the memories

Some of the Cropredy stories are hilarious – Keren Norbury’s ‘blue hands’ anecdote and Brenda Brown’s double-header of her mudslide and her offer to share a few tokes with a local PC (sorry – you’ll have to read the book) are wonderful – and others are deeply touching. Ginny White shares her recollections of the idyllic years she and her husband, Jerry, shared at Cropredy before he passed away in 2013; Jerry’s memory is celebrated, along with the memories of many other departed friends at Jonah’s Oak, and David Tares’ story of how he was assisted, in his wheelchair, from the stage-front after the 1991 concert epitomises everything that Cropredy Festival represents.

I could go on, and on. Cropredy Capers is packed with stories that will resonate with any fan of Fairport and anyone who has attended the Cropredy Festival even just once but, instead, I’ll offer a few observations (in no particular order) that occurred to me as I read the book:

Many of the fans’ recollections included here instilled a feeling in me that I thought I’d never have – a feeling of nostalgia for the 1980s. Many of the stories reminded me of what I was up to during that much-derided decade – enjoying top quality, folk-inclined music whilst many of my contemporaries were busy watching curiously-coiffured pretty boys pushing buttons on electronic machines.

I extend my thanks to Darian Nelson for the idea of leaving a letter that stipulates the music he wishes to be played at his funeral, and for preparing lyric sheets so that the mourners can all join in. But, then again, those that I leave behind already know what I want, and, although they don’t know where the time goes, they know that the way is up, along the road – and they know the words, too.

The accessibility, helpfulness and affability of Fairport and their associates – even at times when the chips are down and the pressure is on – is hugely, hugely appreciated by so many of the band’s followers. Thanks, chaps.

I clearly wasn’t the only frustrated Cropredyite who had the idea of staging a mini ‘surrogate’ festival in my back garden on the nights that we should have been in THAT field during the plague years of 2020 and 2021.

Without Cropredy Festival, my record racks and wardrobe would be barren places, indeed. That’s a realisation that many like-minded people apparently share and, finally:

The message that resonates throughout Cropredy Capers is: Fairport and Cropredy are too well-loved and too highly valued by so many people to be allowed to fade and die. The answer is in our hands – keep attending the gigs, keep buying the records and, above all, keep going to Cropredy. And tell all your friends – they’ll thank you, once they’ve been along.

Cropredy Capers is another excellent book and will be a welcome addition to the bookshelf of anyone with a fondness for Fairport Convention or anyone who can’t imagine spending the second weekend of August anywhere other that at Home Farm, Cropredy. It’s published by Spenwood Books, it costs just £30 and it’s available here.

Meet on the Ledge, everyone!

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Richard Houghton Online: Website/ Facebook

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