Fotheringay emerged from Fairport Convention in the late 60’s. “Nothing More” is from their one and only album, and is Sandy Denny’s attempt to reach out to her former bandmate Richard Thompson, quietly grief-stricken in the wake of the crash that killed his girlfriend Jeannie Franklin and Fairport drummer Martin Lamble. “My friend I know you’ve suffered, although you are still young,“ she sings. “Why was it you would not take help from anyone?”
However, while Fairport Convention toiled on the road and in the studio, trying to better their legendary “Liege and Lief”, Fotheringay idled. While the band Sandy Denny left gigged relentlessly, the group she put together with her boisterous Australian boyfriend Trevor Lucas swanned around in a vintage limousine. They retreated to a Sussex farmhouse to ‘get it together’ but rehearsed only once and spent most of their time messing about and getting drunk.
Drummer Gerry Conway remembers when Sandy Denny came in and announced she was going solo; in floods of tears. “ After that we had a short meeting with the rest of us to decide whether we were going to carry on and get somebody else, but without Sandy it wasn’t a goer. The band only really survived for a year.”
I was already a huge fan of Fairport when I first heard Fotheringay on – I think - one of those early 70’s sampler compilation albums that were doing the rounds, mainly through the Island label. Anyone else remember “Bumpers” or “Fill Your Head With Rock”?? Whatever, the greatest shame of all has to be Sandy’s descent into drink and drugs that eventually left her dead tragically young and therefore unfulfilled as the complete songwriter. "Nothing More" was penned by her.
You can learn more about Fotheringay here:
About the Curator: Richard Parsons
I grew up listening to music from the late 60’s onwards. Pirate pop radio; swapping LP’s with friends; exploring genres; daydreaming over the latest woofer and tweeter.
In reality I spent thirty years imparting imperfect knowledge of English literature and drama to young minds in school. Regrets? No. I loved teaching; loved the interaction with the pupils, and made lifelong friends as a result. And what better way to keep up to date with music? I always played stuff in my lessons, and as a result, I’d be bombarded with suggestions from my flock! “Sir! Have you heard…?”
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