Tonight's the Night...Live
Encyclopedia
Tonight's the Night...Live is the second live album by English electric folk
band Steeleye Span
.
During the 1980s, Steeleye went through a creative lull, releasing only 3 albums. However, by 1991, the band had begun to be creatively revitalized, thanks to the arrival of a new bassist, Tim Harries
, and new drummer, Liam Genockey
. Harries was significantly younger than the other members of the band and the arrival of both he and Genockey generally shook things up, their presence helping their bandmates find a renewed interest in what had become essentially an occasional side-activity. Steeleye found a fresh perspective on the material they had been performing for some time, and this is amply evident on 'Tonight', an album that balances the band's rock and folk perspectives. Genockey's drumming is generally enthusiastic and quite a change from Nigel Pegrum
's traditional rock-style drumming.
The album includes new versions of several pieces from earlier albums. "Fighting for Strangers", one of the classic tracks off Rocket Cottage
was given a new haunting percussion arrangement, and "White Man", from Back in Line
was given a more cheerful guitar line. The album also included versions of "Cam Ye O'er Frae France" and their signature piece, "All Around My Hat", that reflected the way the band had been performing those songs for some time. Padstow is a faithful rendition of the song from Tempted and Tried
. The cover of The Weaver and the Factory Maid is particularly effective. With a thrumming bass line, clicking percussion and repetitive violin and guitar lines, the song conveys the sense of a factory full of power looms.
The other half of the album is new pieces. The most experimental is "Tam Lin", Fairport Convention
's signature tune. To find a new approach to the well-known folk song, Knight drew off the fact that the Tam Lin story is known in Bulgarian folk-lore, and wove together three Bulgarian tunes to create a quiet, haunting sound quite unlike Fairport's version. More vigorous are "Tonight's the Night" and "The Gentleman Soldier". "Ten Long Years" was a nod to the band's frequent a capella pieces.
Electric folk
Electric folk is the name given to the form of folk rock pioneered in England from the late 1960s, and most significant in the 1970s, which then was taken up and developed in the surrounding Celtic cultures of Brittany, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man, to produce Celtic rock and its...
band Steeleye Span
Steeleye Span
Steeleye Span are an English folk-rock band, formed in 1969 and remaining active today. Along with Fairport Convention they are amongst the best known acts of the British folk revival, and were among the most commercially successful, thanks to their hit singles "Gaudete" and "All Around My Hat"....
.
During the 1980s, Steeleye went through a creative lull, releasing only 3 albums. However, by 1991, the band had begun to be creatively revitalized, thanks to the arrival of a new bassist, Tim Harries
Tim Harries
Tim Harries is a British bass player.Harries studied music at the University of York, graduating in 1981 before going on to study Double Bass with Tom Martin at the Guildhall School of Music...
, and new drummer, Liam Genockey
Liam Genockey
Liam Genockey is an Irish drummer.Liam Genockey was born in Dublin, Ireland. During the 1960s he lived in Plymouth, Devon, U.K, playing in local semi-pro groups, then in the early 70's playing with Torbay based rock band Adolphus Rebirth...
. Harries was significantly younger than the other members of the band and the arrival of both he and Genockey generally shook things up, their presence helping their bandmates find a renewed interest in what had become essentially an occasional side-activity. Steeleye found a fresh perspective on the material they had been performing for some time, and this is amply evident on 'Tonight', an album that balances the band's rock and folk perspectives. Genockey's drumming is generally enthusiastic and quite a change from Nigel Pegrum
Nigel Pegrum
Nigel Pegrum was a drummer with The Small Faces and Steeleye Span before becoming a producer.- Biography :Nigel Pegrum played drums with an early line-up of The Small Faces, then played drums with Lee Grant And The Capitols before joining Spice, who subsequently changed their name to Uriah Heep...
's traditional rock-style drumming.
The album includes new versions of several pieces from earlier albums. "Fighting for Strangers", one of the classic tracks off Rocket Cottage
Rocket Cottage
Rocket Cottage is an album by the electric folk band Steeleye Span.This was the band's 9th album, and the 2nd produced by Mike Batt. The album was poised to cement the band's success, building off their breakthrough into the UK Top 10 with their previous album, All Around My Hat . Unfortunately,...
was given a new haunting percussion arrangement, and "White Man", from Back in Line
Back in Line
Back in Line is an album by the electric folk band Steeleye Span.This album, the band's 12th, was released in 1986, after a hiatus of almost 6 years. It was their first album without founding member Tim Hart, who quit the music business entirely...
was given a more cheerful guitar line. The album also included versions of "Cam Ye O'er Frae France" and their signature piece, "All Around My Hat", that reflected the way the band had been performing those songs for some time. Padstow is a faithful rendition of the song from Tempted and Tried
Tempted and Tried
Tempted and Tried is the 13th studio album by the electric folk band Steeleye Span. The album was recorded after a three-year hiatus after the release of Back in Line. After releasing ten albums in fairly rapid succession during the 1970s, the band entered something of a creative dry spell, with...
. The cover of The Weaver and the Factory Maid is particularly effective. With a thrumming bass line, clicking percussion and repetitive violin and guitar lines, the song conveys the sense of a factory full of power looms.
The other half of the album is new pieces. The most experimental is "Tam Lin", 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...
's signature tune. To find a new approach to the well-known folk song, Knight drew off the fact that the Tam Lin story is known in Bulgarian folk-lore, and wove together three Bulgarian tunes to create a quiet, haunting sound quite unlike Fairport's version. More vigorous are "Tonight's the Night" and "The Gentleman Soldier". "Ten Long Years" was a nod to the band's frequent a capella pieces.
Track listing
- Tonight's the Night
- Ca the Ewes
- Gentleman Soldier
- Tam LinTam LinTam Lin is the hero of a legendary ballad originating from the Scottish Borders. The story revolves around the rescue of Tam Lin by his true love from the Queen of the Fairies...
- Padstow
- Fighting for Strangers
- White Man
- The Weaver
- Ten Long Years
- Dawn of the Day
- Cam Ye
- All Around My HatAll Around My Hat (song)The song "All Around my Hat" is of nineteenth century English origin. In an early version, dating from the 1820s, a Cockney costermonger vowed to be true to his fiancee, who had been sentenced to seven years' transportation to Australia for theft and to mourn his loss by wearing green willow...
Personnel
- Maddy PriorMaddy PriorMaddy Prior is an English folk singer, best known as the lead vocalist of Steeleye Span.-Early life:...
- vocals - Peter Knight - violin, vocals
- Bob JohnsonBob Johnson (musician)Robert "Bob" Johnson is a British guitarist formerly in the electric folk band Steeleye Span from 1972–77 and again from 1980-2001....
- guitar, vocals - Tim HarriesTim HarriesTim Harries is a British bass player.Harries studied music at the University of York, graduating in 1981 before going on to study Double Bass with Tom Martin at the Guildhall School of Music...
- bass, vocals - Liam GenockeyLiam GenockeyLiam Genockey is an Irish drummer.Liam Genockey was born in Dublin, Ireland. During the 1960s he lived in Plymouth, Devon, U.K, playing in local semi-pro groups, then in the early 70's playing with Torbay based rock band Adolphus Rebirth...
- drums