Chelmsford Folk Festival 1972
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Library source record: Chelmsford Folk Festival 1972. The page preserves the supplied source transcription and recollections without attempting to reconcile differing memories.
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Original Library source: Chelmsford Folk Festival 1972(1).pdf
25/05/2021 Chelmsford Folk Festival 1972
Chelmsford Folk Festival 1972
The Strawbs Chelmsford 1972, photo c/o Steve Schechter
Just came across your site while trying to find a list of who played at the
Chelmsford Folk Festival in 1972. I was there.
I was 18, first trip to UK from NYC, stayed for 3 weeks, saw as many bands as
possible in those 3 weeks.
We took the train up to Chelmsford on a Friday. That night all of the artists
who had arrived early jammed all night in the tent, playing mostly 50s rock and
roll songs. Everyone sang along.
Mostly I remember Sandy Denny, Steeleye Span, Al Stewart, the Strawbs,
Stefan Grossman, cannot recall who else was there - I do not recall Roy Harper
being there? Sandy Denny offered to give me and my friend a lift back to
London. But it didn't happen because she had 2 large Great Danes and my
friend was scared of her dogs - I wanted to kill him.
We hitchhiked back to London. We stood on the side of the road with a
cardboard sign that said "London" and no one stopped for us. I changed the
sign to read "New York City (or London)" and we got a ride right away. I've still
got some photos of the Strawbs, maybe Sandy Denny ... it was a great
weekend!
Steve Schechter
The Strawbs Chelmsford 1972, photo c/o Steve Schechter
A few more names for the 1972 Chelmsford Folk Festival at the Chelmsford
showground. I was 15 at the time but still remember it well because it had a
great line-up of performers as well as a great mix of jug bands and lesser
known bands on the smaller stage in the marquee. On the main stage I
remember dancing the evening away to great sets by Steeleye Span and the
Strawbs but more laid back folk was supplied by Sandy Denny, Al Steward
playing his amazing Nostradamus and Roy Harper sang I Hate The White Man.
Topping the bill was going to be Joni Mitchell but she never appeared. word
around the field was that she refused to play because too few people attended
the festival. It was poorly attended but that gave it a particularly friendly and
intimate atmosphere. Great memories.
Mark Johnson.
The Strawbs Chelmsford 1972, photo c/o Steve Schechter
late Summer 1972 - Strawbs - Chelmsford Folk Festival (copyright
www.strawsweb.co.uk )
Personnel were:
Dave Cousins (gtrs, vcls), Tony Hooper (gtrs, vcls), Richard Hudson (dms,
vcls), John Ford (bs, vcls), Blue Weaver (kybds, accordian), Guest: Dave
Lambert (gtrs, vcls), Encores:
Going Home, Sheep
Dave Lambert jammed with the band on a few UK gigs after they returned from
their first U.S. tour in 1972. Dave Lambert was a long-time friend of Cousins,
having persuaded Dave to buy his first electric guitar. Cousins and Lambert
had taken to the folk clubs as a duo in the course of Summer 1971. Cousins
had been engaged as producer for the King-Earl Boogie Band (of which
Lambert had joined after a period in the clubs) to make their album "Trouble At
T'Mill" - he also played banjo on a traditional track, "Goin' To German". In
return, Lambert had helped out on Cousins' solo album "Two Weeks Last
Summer" Cousins recalled:
"I said 'Do you want to come on and play the encore - we'll do "Going Home"
.... on he came like the Wild Man, hair down to his knees and pranced around
like a lunatic and the crowd went bananas. We thought right: we've now got to
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25/05/2021 Chelmsford Folk Festival 1972
have a rock guitarist. And it came to the last show that we did [with Tony
Hooper], which was at Chelmsford Folk Festival .... he came on stage and did
the same thing again, the crowd went bananas again and we thought well that
really definitely is it - we really do need an electric guitar in the group. That
really was the end of our folk days. We then became an electric group."
At that momentous gig too, Tony Hooper realised that he no longer wanted to
stay with the band he had helped to form. A few days later, the announcement
came that Lambert had left King-Earl and had joined the Strawbs permanently;
the Watford gig followed a couple of weeks later.
This review c/o http://www.strawbsweb.co.uk
Sandy Denny 1970s, photo c/o Steve Schechter
travelled from Middlesbro to the Chelmsford Folk Fest way back in 1972. I
remember the Strawbs 'cos they were the main reason we went..but there was
also a guy called Harvey Andrews (he's still doing the rounds) who was
obviouly memorable! <p>Nice site! Keep up the good (hard) work! David
Sandy Denny 1970s, photo c/o Steve Schechter
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