Richard and Linda Thompson
Band members Related acts
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line-up 1: (1973-82) - Linda Thompson (aka Linda Peters) -- vocals - Richard Thompson -- vocals, guitar, mandolin, dulcimer, guitar synthesizer
backing musicians: (1978) - Dave Brady -- backing vocals - Heather Brady -- backing vocals - Dave Burland -- backing vocals - Bill Caddick -- backing vocals - Philippa Clare -- backing vocals - Julie Covington -- backing vocals - Andy Fairweather Low -- backing vocals - Chris Karen -- percussion - Dolores Keane -- whistle - John Kirkpatrick -- accordion - Neil Larsen -- keyboards - Trevor Lucas -- backing vocals - Dave Mattacks -- percussion - Iain Matthews -- backing vocals - Andy Newmark -- drums, percussion - Simon Nichol -- guitar, dulcimer - Maddy Prior -- backing vocals - Peta Webb -- backing vocals - Willie Weeks -- bass guitar
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- The Bunch (Richard and Linda Thompson) - Linda Thompson (solo efforts
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Genre: folk-rock Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight Company: Carthage Catalog: CGP-4407 Country/State: UK Year: 1974 Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+ Comments: 1983 reissue Available: 1 GEMM Catalog ID: 5252 Price: $8.00
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Richard Thompson, Richard Thompson, Richard Thompson ... For years
I was convinced he was destined for international stardom. Blessed with one of those instantly recognizable voices, Thompson was also a gifted writer and an amazing guitarist. In spite of years of critical acclaim (from both English and American writers), it never happened ...
1.) When I Get To the Border (Richard Thompson) - (side 2) 1.) We Sing Hallelujah
(Richard Thompson) -
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Genre: folk-rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Hokey Pokey Company: Carthage Catalog: CGP-4408 Country/State: UK Year: 1974 Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+ Comments: original UK pressing; gatefold sleeve Available: 1 GEMM Catalog ID: 5253 Price: $20.00
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1974 saw Richard
and Linda Thompson and former Fairport Convention buddy Simon Nichol
tour as Hokey Pokey, followed by more dates billed as Sour Grapes. Coincidently,
the Thompsons elected to title their second studio album "Hokey Pokey".
Co-produced by John Wood and Richard, musically the set was a little more diverse than the debut. Tracks such as
'I'll Regret It All In the Morning', 'Old Man Inside a Young Man' and 'The Sun Never Shines On the
Poor' offered up Richard's trademark tales of woe and despair. Elsewhere,
'Smiffy's Glass Eye' and the title track recalled Fairport's folk-rock catalog, while
'Never Again' and 'A Heart Needs a Home' served as showcases for Linda's haunting voice. Weirdest song - the atypically upbeat
'Mole In a Hole'. Admittedly not as immediately impressive as the debut, the collection
rewarded you with repeated
playings. Also like the debut, the set didn't see an American release until the
mid-1980s.
1.) Hokey Pokey (Richard Thompson) - (side 1) 1.) George On a Spree
(Richard Thompson) -
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Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: Pour Down Like Silver Company: Carthage Catalog: CGP-4404 Year: 1975 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: one original for sale and one 1983 reissue Available: 2 Price: $8.00
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Having converted to the Sufi brand of Islam (hence the mufti headgear displayed on the album cover), 1975's
"Pour Down Like Silver" found the couple hunkering down to administer a dose of reality on the listening public. Curiously, it was also their first American release. Always known as earnest performers, material such as "Streets of
Paradise", "For Shame of Doing Wrong" and "The Poor Boy Is Taken Away" did little to alter that reputation. Propelled by Linda's clear and piercing voice ("Dimming of the Day") and Richard's churning guitar ("Night Comes In") the collection stands as the couple's most challenging, and in some respects, starkest effort. That's not to say the set suffered from overt
religious overtone. Credit the Thompsons for keeping their religious sentiments to themselves. Besides, there were a couple of exceptions to the general downbeat mood. Propelled by Thompson's unique guitar, "For Shame of Doing Wrong" and "Hard Luck Stories" were nice rockers, while "Jet Plane In a Rocking Chair" offered up a slice of quirky humor. Although difficult listening, if you give it a chance the set slowly captivates you with it's earnest charm ... "Pour Down Like Silver" track listing: 1.) Streets of Paradise (Richard Thompson) - 2.) For Shame of Doing Wrong (Richard Thompson) - 3.) The Poor Boy Is Taken Away (Richard Thompson) - 4.) Night Comes In (Richard Thompson) - 5.) Jet Plane In a Rocking Chair (Richard Thompson) - 6.) Beat the Retreat (Richard Thompson) - 7.) Hard Luck Stories (Richard Thompson) - 8.) Dimming of the Day (Richard Thompson) - 9.) Dargai (instrumental) (Richard Thompson) - |
Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Richard Thompson Live! (More or Less) Company: Island Catalog: ILPS-9421 Year: 1977 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: UK import Available: SOLD Price: $20.00
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In spite of the title, this was a Richard and
Linda Thompson release. With the Thompsons having dropped out of the music scene (just as they were beginning to attract increasing media attention), Island released a compilation set. For the English market, they issued
"Guitar, Vocal", while American fans saw the release of
"Live! (More or Less)". The latter was a double album set, pulling together the pair's previously unavailable1974 debut "I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight", with the second album consisting of a mix of Fairport Convention, Richard solo and Richard and Linda outtakes and live tracks. Highlights included Linda's cover of the Chips Moman and Dan Penn's classic "The Dark End of the Street" and Richard's extended workout on "Calvary Cross". (The album was originally released with a gatefold sleeve.) "Live! (More or Less)" track listing: 1.) When I Get To the Border (Richard Thompson) - 2.) The Cavalry Cross (Richard Thompson) - 3.) Withered and Died (Richard Thompson) - 4.) I Want To See the Bright Lights Tonight (Richard Thompson) - 5.) Down Where the Drunkards Roll (Richard Thompson) - 6.) We Sing Hallelujah (Richard Thompson) - 7.) Has He Got a Friend For Me (Richard Thompson) - 8.) The Little Beggar Girl (Richard Thompson) - 9.) The End of the Rainbow (Richard Thompson) - 10.) The Great Valerio (Richard Thompson) - 11.) The Ballad of Easy Rider - 12.) Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman (Swarbrick - Richard Thompson) - 13.) A Heart Needs a Home ( Richard Thompson) - 14) The Dark End of the Street (Chips Moman - Dan Penn) - 15.) The Pitfall/The Excursion (Richard Thompson) - 16.) Flee as a Bird (traditional) - 17.) Night Comes In (Richard Thompson) - 18.) Calvary Cross (Richard Thompson) - |
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Genre: folk-rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: First Light Company: Chrysalis Catalog: CHR-1177 Year: 1978 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $25.00
Genre: folk-rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: First Light Company: Carthage Catalog: CGLP 4412 Year: 1983 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: reissue Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $15.00
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A couple of years ago at a local community yard sale I found a pile of Richard and Linda Thompson and Richard solo album reissues. I think most of them were mid-'80s vinyl on the Carthage label. I ended up grabbing five or six of them and remember listening to them over a couple of weeks. About half of them including "First Light" didn't make a major impact on me and I quickly sold most of them. Forward a decade and I found an original copy of "First Light." To be honest I couldn't remember a great deal about the collection, other than many hardcore Thompson fans consider it to be a lesser release. Time changes are views of things so for $6.00, what wasn't there to like.
Following the
release of 1975's "Flow Down Like Silver"the
Thoimpsons spent the next three years living in
Sufi religious communities in London and
Norfolk. They unexpectedly returned to
secular music with the release of 19
Their first album
for Chrysalis, musically the set was somewhat erratic; though
certainly more commercial than earlier offerings. While the extended
layoff didn't seem to have hurt their voices, tracks such as 'Restless
Highway' and 'Sweet Surrender' left the impression the pair (particularly Richard),
(side
1) Sporting
kind of a country hoedown flavor, I have to admit the ballad 'Restless
Highway' didn't initially do much for me. With Richard handling lead
vocals, it sounded like something off a Richard solo album. After a couple of spins I
started to warm up to Richard's gruff delivery, his melodic dulcimer and
mandolin and the allstar cast on backing vocals. That collection of
participants included Julie Covington and various members of the extended
Fairport Convention family. The
ballad 'Sweet Surrender' had one thing going for it - Linda's heartbreaking
beautiful vocals. 'Don't Let a Thief Steal Your Heart' was the first song where the American sessions players made their presence felt - particularly Willie Weeks' slap bass ... Powered by Linda's voice the track may have been another nod to their Sufi beliefs, but the feel was almost funky, sounding like it had been recorded live in the studio. Actually, Linda's vocals sounded like they'd been recorded while she was under a heavy blanket. The track was fascinating as an example of Richard's ability to play true rock and roll guitar. One of the album's highlights and the track was tapped as a single in the UK and Germany. In a bizarre twist The Pointer Sisters enjoyed a hit with their cover of the tune.
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1978's 'Don't Let a
Thief Steal Your Heart' b/w 'First Light' (Chrysalis catalog number CHS
2278) Lots
of Thompson fans love the instrumental 'The Choice Wife.' To me it
sounds like a traditional Irish reel. The playing is great, but it
just reminds me of hanging out at a local Irish pub on a cold Saturday
night. Sporting some typically dark Thompson lyrics (oh, the price of unrequited love), 'Died for Love' boasted the album's most commercial melody and another stunning Linda vocal. I'm certainly no musical scholar but the track seemed to encompass Irish and Arabic musical elements (John Kirkpatrick on accordion, Dolores Keane on penny whistle, Richard on dulcimer).
(side
2) The
stunning ballad 'Strange Affair' was one of the songs apparently based on
Richard's Sufi beliefs. The inspirational source was supposedly a poem
written by the Sufi mystic Sidi Fudul Rahim Allah. Robert KIrby's
orchestration was unexpected, but once again Linda's heartfelt vocals kicked
the song to another level. YouTube has a clip of the Thompsons
performing the song for a 1980 German RockPalast television show. It's
interesting for the addition of a third verse not heard on the studio
version of the track and basically trashes the inferior studio
version: Richard
Thompson - Strange Affair - Germany 1980 (youtube.com) Funny
how my expectations are frequently wrong. Given the song title I
expect 'Layla' (they sang it as Lie-La) to be another Sufi-inspired
heartbreak ballad. Instead, with Richard handling lead vocals, it was
a surprisingly enjoyable rocker. Another tune showcasing the American
sessions players, the tune's always reminded me of something The Band might
have recorded. The album's lone Richard and Linda collaboration, 'Pavanne' is one of those tunes I've always wondered about. What inspired the Thompsons to craft a song seemingly about a cold-hearted female assassin? (Richard's actually described the song as being about a female terrorist.) Perhaps Linda's growing unhappiness with her life with Richard? Pretty tune, but the lyrics are like a best-seller crime novel. YouTube has another clip of the Thompsons performing the song for RockPalast: Richard & Linda Thompson - Pavanne (youtube.com) 4.) House of Cards (Richard Thompson) - 3:24 rating: *** stars Supported
by an extensive cast of backing singers 'House of Cards' offered up an off
mash-up of folk and '80s tech. I liked John
Kirkpatrick's accordion, but was less thrilled by Richard's
guitar synthesizer. Another pretty, country-tinged ballad that was somewhat atypical in that it found the Thompsons sharing lead vocals. Great refrain.
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Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: Sunnyvista Company: Carthage Catalog: CGP-4403 Year: 1979 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: 1983 reissue Available: 1 Price: $8.00
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Hard as it may be to believe this, but if there's such a thing as an upbeat Richard and Linda Thompson LP, its 1979's
"Sunnyvista". Complete with goofy cover concept, the collection found the Thompsons exhibiting a surprisingly upbeat and experimental mood. While Richard turned in a couple of his patented tales of personal misery ("Why Do You Turn Your Back?" and "Lonely Hearts"), the overall results were far more relaxed than previous efforts.
"Civilisation", "You're Going To Need Somebody" and "Borrowed Time" were among the hardest rocking things they ever recorded, while "Lonely Hearts" (with backing from Anna and Kate
McGarrigile) and "Why Do You Turn Your Back?" stood as some of their prettiest and most commercial compositions. Other highlights included Linda's duet with Anne McGarrigle on "Sisters" and Richard's playful, country-flavored "Saturday Rolling Around". Once again, the set didn't see an American release until 1983. "Sunnyvista" track listing: 1.) Civilisation (Richard Thompson) - 2.) Borrowed Time (Richard Thompson) - 3.) Saturday Rolling Around (Richard Thompson) - 4.) You're Going To Need Somebody (Richard Thompson) - 5.) Why Do You Turn Your Back? (Richard Thompson) - 6.) Sunnyvista (Richard Thompson) - 7.) Lonely Hearts (Richard Thompson) - 8.) Sisters (Richard Thompson) - 9.) Justice In the Streets (Richard Thompson) - 10.) Traces of My Love (Richard Thompson) - |
Rating: ***** (5 stars) Title: Shoot Out the Lights Company: Hannibal Catalog: HNB-1303 Year: 1982 Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: Available: 2 Price: $12.00
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Having begun recording an album with Gerry Rafferty producing (Rafferty had guested on their previous album), the sessions were shelved. Instead, Richard turned his attention to recording the instrumental set
"Strict Tempo!". A year later the Rafferty tracks were resurrected for what was to become the basis of 1982's
"Shoot Out the Lights". Just one look at the cover (Richard sitting in the corner of a dark room with a picture of Linda on the wall), told you this was going to be a challenging work. Recorded in the middle of a nasty divorce, the album stands as tersest and most consistent release. Ever wonder what emotional wreckage would sound like? Here you go. You didn't have to be a counselor or psychiatrist to see that tracks such as "Man In Need" and "Wall of Death" served as a mirror for the pair's ongoing domestic situation. While everyone of the eight tracks was worth hearing, it was interesting to see how the two approached their pain from different perspectives. Showcasing Richard's vocal "Don't Renege On Our Love" and a
non-to-subtle lyric, "Did She Jump or Was She Pushed" were almost frightening in their intensity. In contrast, Linda's vocals on "Walking On a Wire" and "Just the Motion" reflect a sense of reserved sorrow. Elsewhere, if you want to hear one truly scary song, listen to Richard's take-no-prisoner guitar on the title track. Benefiting from unanimous critical praise, the album proved their most successful American release, peaking at #202, leading Richard to tour the States for the first time in a decade. Unfortunately, it also marked the couple's final collaboration; they filed for divorce the same year. "Shoot Out the Lights" track listing: 1.) Don't Renege On Our Love (Richard Thompson) - 4:15 2.) Walking On a Wire (Richard Thompson) - 5:24 3.) Man In Need (Richard Thompson) - 3:32 4.) Just the Motion (Richard Thompson) - 6:16 5.) Shoot Out the Lights (Richard Thompson) - 5:20 6.) Back Street Slide (Richard Thompson) - 4:29 7.) Did She Jump or Was She Pushed (Richard Thompson) - 4:45 8.) Wall of Death (Richard Thompson) - 3:42 Richard resumed his solo career, achieving widespread critical recognition, though he's yet to achieve anything akin to large scale popular success. Linda recorded one critically acclaimed solo album (see separate entry) and then largely dropped out of music. Last we heard, Linda was writing material (enjoying some recognition) and running an antique jewelry store in London. |
78's
"First Light."
The Thompsons apparently weren't planning on releasing a new album, rather
the collection was an outgrowth of Richard's sessions work in support of
Julie Covington's self-titled 1978 album (which included a cover of his '(I
Want To See) The Bright Lights.' Producer Joe Boyd had asked
Thompson if he'd be interested in working on the album. Working
alongside the likes of John Cale, Fairport Convention alumnus Iain Matthews
and Steve Winwood, during the
resulting sessions Thompson struck up a friendship with American studio
musicians Neil Larsen, Andy Newmark and Willie Weeks. The trio had
recently finished recording with George Harrison and were impressed by
Thompson's contributions to the Covington album, expressing an interest in
recording with Thompson to Boyd. For his part Boyd knew Thompson
had been writing new material and somehow convinced the Thompsons to go into
the studio with their new friends and a host of their folkie friends to
record that material. 
were a bit rusty in terms of creativity. Musically the album was certainly
eclectic. Material such as the title track and 'Strange Affair' were a clear reflection of their ongoing
commitment to Sufism.
Luckily I've always found their messaging to be subtle and understated rather
than in-your-face-obnoxious. In contrast, the rockers 'Don't Let a Thief Steal Your
Heart', 'Layla' and the heartbreaking ballad 'Died for Love' were among the most commercial things they'd ever done.
Inspired by a female terrorist, 'Pavanne' was just plain odd. And in
case you were concerned, 'Layla' wasn't a cover of the Derek and the Dominos
hit. Besides they sang the title as "Li-La". For
me the highlights came in the form of Linda's amazing voice. Virtually
everything she touched was worth hearing. Separate from the album,
check out her live performances of 'Strange Affair' and 'Pavanne.'
Like most of the critics I'll readily admit this one's far from my favorite
Linda and Richard Thompson release, but it isn't nearly as bad as some folks
would have you believe. The production may sound a bit dated, but the
American musicians influences were far and few between and there were only a
couple of true clunkers here. Well worth hearing.
