The live lp, what's it called? I don't wanna go downstairs to look, but it has a stellar rendition of "Calvary Cross" on it. Kick ass...

_(guitar, vocal)_ is some studio, some live

yes, the live "c.c." is outta sight

he is a fantastic entertainer. i've seen him play solo three times. i won't pay to watch _anyone_ play solo acoustic guitar three times. alas, i have never seen him with a band.

very very funny guy

recs--(guitar, vocal) is great but maybe not the place to start, unless you're a lead guitar freak, in which case you won't find better than his live things on there. otherwise:

fairport convention--_what we did on our holidays_, _unhalfbricking_, _full house_. if you have a problem with auld english folk singing that sandy denny does, well, go listen to a steeleye span record and you'll realize it's pretty restrained. _liege and lief_ is a little weak, but it has a crazy-ass version of "tam lin" on it.

w/linda t.--_i want to see the bright lights tonight_, _pour down like silver_, _shoot out the lights_. these records are great.

solo--_hand of kindness_, _across a crowded room_. _doom and gloom from the tomb_ is pretty great. he has written some of the most scabrous breakup songs ever. quite a lot of vicious, hateful, really good music. on a different, more disturbing front, "love in a faithless country" is about serial killers ian brady and myra hindley, i think, and it's really fucking creepy.

i have heard a lot of the newer stuff. every record has at least couple really good songs. i just haven't found myself listening to it and buying it. my loss!

Mark wrote:If you like Richard Thompson you should check out Davy Graham.

And John Martyn, too. Particularly the records Bless the Weather and Solid Air.

-Charles

Ah, yes. But Davey's the daddy.

Richard Thompson. so VERY not/crap.

I love John Martyn... check out "live at Leeds"

apparently Solid Air was written about Nick Drake. An homage of sorts.

-David

Wow! I just did a search for John Martyn out of curiosity, to see what he is up to these days... Besides a new BBC documentary and a new album (which is getting surprisingly good reviews), he had his lower leg amputated due to some minor injury gone septic due to his heavy drink...

Shit man! thank god it wasn't his hand!

-David

If yr in the Pacific NW and want to check out a truly brilliant, hypnotic solo acoustic gtrist, make sure you check out Jack Rose, who's on tour right now. He's more influenced by the great Americans (Fahey, Basho, etc.) than the great English guys on this thread, but he will slay you nonetheless.

6/22-Portland, the dunes w/TBA
6/24-Seattle, The Rendezvous w/Alan Bishop
6/25-Portland, The Artistrey w/TBA
6/27-San Francisco, The Hemlock w/Six Organs of Admittance and Tom Carter

If yr in the Pacific NW and want to check out a truly brilliant, hypnotic solo acoustic gtrist, make sure you check out Jack Rose, who's on tour right now. He's more influenced by the great Americans (Fahey, Basho, etc.) than the great English guys on this thread, but he will slay you nonetheless.

6/22-Portland, the dunes w/TBA
6/24-Seattle, The Rendezvous w/Alan Bishop
6/25-Portland, The Artistrey w/TBA
6/27-San Francisco, The Hemlock w/Six Organs of Admittance and Tom Carter

Lots of crap arrangments and lame production to get through, but a great musician with incredible wit (especially live).

Night Comes In and Calvery Cross off that live record are up there with some of the best guitar wanks ever.

And if you want to hear Thomspon go apeshit on his Stratocaster, there's a great live album available on his website called More Guitar that captures the guy getting all frantic on his electric. Actually, most of his web-only live albums are great stuff, if a pit pricey.

If there's a more consistently remarkable singer/songwriter guy than Thompson, I've never heard him, and he actually keeps getting better as a guitarist. Never pass up a chance to see him live, he always delivers the goods, regardless of the context.

As far away from crap as it is possible to get.