Steeleye Span - The Lark in Morning - The Early Years (2003)

"Steeleye Span is like a bus. It goes along and people get on and off it. Sometimes the bus goes along the route you want to go, and sometimes it turns off, so you get off." -- Maddy Prior

As one of the two most important bands to blend traditional British folk musics and rock - the other being the legendary Fairport Convention - STEELEYE SPAN represented both the revival of this music in Britain and its ventures into contemporary times. Completely authentic but with a modern spark their peers never quite matched, the ensemble's development was one of the most evolving in popular music.

By 1969, an electrically charged Folk scene had fully emerged in England. That year after a road accident in which their drummer was killed, singer Sandy DENNY and FAIRPORT CONVENTION recorded 'Liege and Lief', a project led by bassist Ashley HUTCHINGS and Richard THOMPSON's startling electric guitar. The album would influence an entire movement though the group was divided about this direction and split, FC proceeding without HUTCHINGS or DENNY. Ashley HUTCHINGS carried on and after a good first rehearsal with established Folk duo Maddy PRIOR & Tim HART and husband and wife team Terry & Gay WOODS, a first incarnation recorded STEELEYE SPAN's [the group's name is taken from a character in Lincolnshire ballad 'Horkstow Grange'] debut in 1970, 'Hark! The Village Wait'. Comprised of trad. Folk with the added dimension of HUTCHINGS's bass and guest drummers Gerry CONWAY and Dave MATTACKS, the album is also noted for the dual female vocals of PRIOR and WOODS. Terry and Gay WOODS were replaced that year by veteran guitarist/singer Martin CARTHY and violinist Peter KNIGHT. This line-up recorded 'Please to See the King' (1971) and 'Ten Man Mop, or Mr. Reservoir Butler Rides Again' (1972), LPs unique in their use of hard rock colors.

By late 1972, CARTHY and founder HUTCHINGS left to pursue more purist Folk avenues. Guitarist Bob JOHNSON and bassist Rick KEMP were brought in and provided an expanded hard-blues sound to Steeleye, and the group secured a new contract with Chrysalis which released their fourth, 'Below the Salt' in late '72. Further cultivating electric blues but always showcasing traditional Celtic and folk, some numbers dating back over a hundred years, 1973's 'Parcel of Rogues' was released and later that year the band drafted rock drummer Nigel PEGRUM [GNIDROLOG,URIAH HEEP,SMALL FACES]. Having supported fellow Chrysalis act JETHRO TULL several times, it was fitting that Ian ANDERSON helped produce Span's sixth LP 'Now We Are Six' (1974) which included an appearance by David BOWIE on saxophone.

After 1975's 'Commoner's Crown' (featuring Peter SELLARS on ukulele for one cut), STEELEYE SPAN's next record 'All Around My Hat' would yield their biggest chart success with the title song reaching #5 in the U.K. Their eighth studio effort 'Rocket Cottage' was released in 1976 and by '77 Bob JOHNSON and Peter KNIGHT had left. For 'Storm Force Ten' earlier member Martin CARTHY rejoined on guitar and after this period, members tended toward other projects, solo outings or different ventures entirely.

Since their glory years the band has reformed several times; 2002 saw the classic line-up gather to release 'Present', a 2-disc set of new re-recordings, and 'They Called Her Babylon' was released in 2004 which featured a return of Maddy PRIOR. In 2008 there was a UK tour and a new album is expected in 2009 to commemorate STEELEYE SPAN's forty years making music.

One of the most authentic and assuredly progressive ensembles to have emerged during the classic Prog Era, STEELEYE SPAN's strictly folk/pop image does not do them justice and any appreciators of the infusion of British Traditional music with rock must acquaint themselves with this group's great catalog.