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1969 The year Steeleye formed.

The initial idea for a band that would explore the electrification of traditional music from the British Isles started after discussions at the '69 Keele folk festival in the Summer between Maddy Prior, Tim Hart (Who had worked as a duo since 1967) and Ashley Hutching's about their dissatisfaction of the isolationist nature of the British Folk scene. 

Later in the year, after leaving Fairport Convention, Ashley wanted to form a band with Sweeney's Men (Irvine, Moynihan and Woods) but ended up only with Terry Woods (plus Gay who had come from Ireland to join Terry) after various fall outs amongst Sweeney's Men.  He then called upon Maddy and Tim, recalling their discussions in the Summer. The band got together for rehearsals in the last few weeks of 1969. 

Ashley Hutchings; Terry Woods; Gay Woods; Tim Hart & Maddy Prior.


1970 

 The first active year of Steeleye Span.

January / February
With Ashley's success from Fairport Convention the band were able to get Sandy Roberston aboard quickly as their manager, and thanks to his connections they get a record contract with RCA. This gave them the funds and the equipment they needed to go and live together in the Country, practising in Berwick St James for 3 months 'getting it together’. Later described by Ashley as 'Two couples and a referee', it went about as well well as you can imagine....  

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March / April

 31st March : BBC Session (aired 11th April 1970).  The only appearance of original band while they were recording the first album, but it has never Surfaced. It was noted on 'The Journey' sleeve notes that the recording was lost. Full details are available on the 'BBC Sessions' page. The Band went into the studio in April and recorded an Album in one week.  

 Gay & Terry Woods leave. 

 The recording of the new album was fractious and with one song still to finish, Gay and Terry left. However, as far as they were concerned there was an agreement that if anyone left, the band split up and they didn't expect the remaining members to continue using the name "Steeleye Span".

April / May

 Martin Carthy (Guitar) Joins the band

 The band effectively split up with the Wood's leaving. Ashley went off to pursue a project with Bob and Carole Pegg. However, Tim Hart was keen to continue the project and called up Martin Carthy to see if he would be interested. This encouraged Ashley to try again. These 4 practised for 2 months at the Vicarage, St Albans (Tim's Parents) but soon realised they needed another multi-instrumentalist as they were too guitar heavy.

June

 FIRST ALBUM: Hark! The Village Wait (RCA Records) Released.

Click on cover for full details (wiki)

Released after the band split up and after Martin had joined, this debut album was from a line up that never played a live gig and broke up before the Album had even been completed. 
An album of all traditional material apart from the opener - 'A Calling-On Song' which was written by Ashley based on an old tune. 

The album had guest drummers Gerry Conway and Dave Mattacks, both of whom performed later with the band in the 90's. No outtakes have ever appeared from these sessions. A Wait is a Tudor village/town band. 

 Peter Knight (Fiddle) Joins the band. 

Peter Knight had been seen playing in the folk clubs with Bob Johnson so was known to Tim and Maddy. Peter was Classically trained which appealed to Martin and Tim as they had a good musical knowledge themselves and wanted to explore more complex arrangements. This then completed the first Steeleye Line up that went out and played live and produced two classic Electric Folk Albums.


Maddy Prior/Martin Carthy/Ashley Hutchings/Peter Knight/Tim Hart

 23rd June: BBC Radio John Peel Session (aired 27th June as a 'Top Gear' episode). 

This is the probable first performance of the new band, depending on the date of the ATV show below. Full details of this, and all the BBC sessions that are references in the timeline, are on the 'BBC Sessions' page which has track listings, availability and other information. The tracks are available on 2006 Re-issue of 'Please to see the King' and is often repeated by the BBC, most recently on 11th September 2018 on BBC 6Music:

July

Unsure on date: ATV Birmingham television programme 'The Music Room'.

From the description of the show, [and further information about the show from Simon Jones and Chris Haines], the performance on YouTube that is listed on there as being from a 1971 'Top Gear' session, is actually this Music Room appearance, although no one is certain of the date. This is a truly remarkable early performance of Steeleye, only their third appearance as a band (depending on when it was made), and it is great to be able to still see it. Hopefully the full show will be made available one day. The programme was actually about how to make your own Dulcimer, and Tim's was shown extensively, hence the keen interest the presenter has in watching Tim!

July (cont.)

 11th July: BBC 2 TV (Disco 2). 11.35pm with Alan Brown, Justine and Steeleye. 20 mins so probably only one or two songs. 

 16th July:  BBC Session (Sounds of the 70's,  Aired 23rd July) Some tracks on 2006 Re-issue of 'Please to see the King'. Full track and session details are on the 'BBC Sessions' page. 

 31st July – 2nd Aug   Cambridge Folk Festival. Live Debut.  'Club tent' included 'Rave On' but only played 2 tracks.

August

 13th: Appeared on Sounds of the 70's with Pete Drummond. No track details. Could be a repeat. 


September / October / November

 FIRST UK Tour -   Mainly British Universities

 30th Sept Saltford University .  1st Proper Concert

 2nd Oct Southampton uni

 3rd Colchester, Sussex Uni

 4th Epping Tech College

 8th Belsize Park Country Club

 9th London Cecil Sharp House

 10th London Central Poly

 11th Southall Farx Club

 15th Bristol Uni

 24th Manchester Uni. w. Trees

 1st Nov: Little Theatre, Newport Folk Club, Newport. [Thanks Stephen!]

 5th  Watford Town Hall

 6th Plymouth Van Dyke

 7th London Uni College

 8th Leeds Poly


October 

 17th: BBC Radio 'Folk On One' Session. (recorded 29th Sept). Most tracks appear on 'Please to See the King' Re-Issue CD and some on Ashley Hutchings 'The Guv'nor Vol 1'. Full Session details are on the 'BBC Sessions' page. 

 Oct: London Royal Court Theatre: Performance watched by Keith Dewhurst. Carthy was going to contribute the music to Pirates but was too busy. Tim and Maddy drove overnight to Sunderland to rehearse the production the next morning, impressing Dewhurst so much that he scripted an entire play around Steeleye (Corunna)    


November

 7th  London University College. (Fotheringay Support)

 28th  London Black Bull.

December

 6th Havestock Hill Country Club.

 13th: Play 'Pirates'. One night only at the Royal Court, a play by Keith Dewhurst. Songs arranged by Martin Carthy, Sung by Steeleye Span. 

 19th Signed to B&C. In the midst of recording Please to see the King (started in March)

 22nd Cheltenham Town Hall. 

 26th Sang Carol's at St Saviour's Church, St Albans. Per article the group were going to Manchester to record Carols for Granada TV.  

 31st Plymouth, Van Dyke.

 

1971 

(80+ appearances) 2 Albums and Band changes at the end of the year


January

 7th   Grimsby Town Hall

 10th Wawick Uni. Review say Steeleye are 'one of the brightest prospects for 1971..' and that after the performance 'the most hardened traditionalists cannot fail to be won over'. 

 13th Bounds Green Folk Club.  w.Peelers, Bonded Book & June Tabor

 15th Hampstead Country Club. w. Paladin

 16th Manchester UMIST

 25th Oxford Town Hall

 

February 

 2nd   Southampon Uniw.  w.Tir na Nog

 4th: BBC Radio 1: Sounds of the 70's. Recorded 21st Jan. Tracks Appear on 2006 re-issue of 'Please to the See the King'.  Full details on the 'BBC Sessions' page.
 

 18th: Mountford Hall, Liverpool. w. Dransfields &  Mr Fox

 25th: BBC Radio 1: Sounds of the 70's with Steeleye and Shirely Kent. No other details other than Radio Times listing.  


February/March

 Spring UK Tour (supporting Jethro Tull)

 26th London, Gaumont State Theatre

 27th London, LSE.  w.Principle Edwards, not a Tull Concert

 28th London, Gaumont State Theatre; False Knight on the Road; Lark in the Morning; The King; Reels; Cold Haily Windy Night; Bright Morning Star; Rave On; Female Drummer. 

 3rd   Brighton Dome

 5th   Bournemouth Winter gardens

 7th   Plymouth Guild Hall (2 shows)

 11TH Leeds Town Hall

 12th Stoke Victoria Guildhall

 13th Liverpool Mountfield Hall (2 shows)

 14th Blackpool Opera House

 19th Edinbugh Empire

 20th Sunderland Empire (2 Shows)


March

 1st: SECOND ALBUM 'Please to see the King' (B&C Records) 

Click on cover for full details (wiki)

With changes in the band a second album was quickly needed and the result was a very 'electric-folk' sounding album with no drums and was a sound that would define the bands early years before moving on in a 'folk-Rock' direction. It reached No.45 in the charts.

The cover to the original LP was in a lovely hessian material. All songs are traditional and a later castle CD reissue (2003) included a series of Off-air recordings of BBC sessions. Produced by Sandy Robertson and released on B&C records. The title is a reference to the 'Cutty Wren' ceremony where a Wren is paraded like a King on 26th Dec.

March 

 27th: BBC Radio 'Top Gear'. Recorded 16th March. Some tracks available on 2006 Re-issue of 'Please to see the King'. Full details are on the 'BBC Sessions' page

 19th Bradford University: Steeleye Span, John Martyn, Dr Strangely Strange.

 24th Charity Concert at Great Ormonds Street Hospital


April

 4th Inverness Town Hall Folk Festival; False Knight on the Road; Wee Weaver; General Taylor; Lark in the Morning; Female Drummer; Lovely on the Water; Rave On.  

 9th  London, Hampstead County Club

 10th (or 11th) Rocky Road Nightclub. Coventry. Advert in Coventry Evening Telegraph on the 10th.

 12th Birmingham Town Hall.   w.Tir Na Nog

 25th ReddCar jazz club

May

 6th Uni OF Essex, Colchester. Gower Wassail; General Taylor; Captain Coulston; Female Drummer; Skewball; Rave On; Jigs. 

 7th Nottignham Trent Polly

 8th London Uni College

 17th & 18th London Royal Court Theatre; Per article sang When I was on Horseback; 'Mountains of Spain' 'Johnny Trap's Lullaby'

 19th - 23rd First Performances of the play 'Corunna' at Royal Court Theatre (upstairs). There was plans to move the show to the 'Young Vic' but Ashley was not keen and fought against it.

 29th London QEH  w.Keith Christmas

June

 4th June: Tim Hart and Maddy Prior Album: Summer Solstice (B&C). 

With Tim and Maddy continuing to tour they took the opportunity to release a 3rd album, this time under B&C which gave them the opportunity to take more time to produce a more full sounding record with guest musicians and using multi track production techniques which they were unable to afford on their first two albums.   


Corunna British Tour. 

The tour included the play 'Corunna'.  It was written especially for Steeleye and told the story of soldiers and camp-followers travelling across Spain during the Napoleonic Wars. 

 1st    Cantebury, Kent Uni

 2nd  Hornsey Town Hall

 3rd  Croydon, Fairefield

 4th  Liverpool ST George

 5th Liverpool St George

 6th  Harrogate Opera HouseAshton Gardner & Dyke

 7th  Bedford Uni

 8th  Southampton UNi

 11th Manchester Uni

 ?  London Country Club 

July

 2nd - 4th Loughborough Folk Festival [Keele Folk Festival debate" regarding amplification of Folk]. When I was on Horseback; Lark in the Morning; Gower Wassail; General Taylor


 13th: ITV: 'Out Front'. Ainsdale Beach, Southport. Recorded on 30th June. 

With Fairport Convention. Was meant to be a small 'made for TV' concert advertised locally as a 'Free Beach Party' where people were encouraged to 'Do Your Thing'. But people heard there was a free 'Festival' so turned up in their hundreds. The crew had only expected a few locals so had to set up new speakers so everyone could hear it. Videos Below. The Lark in the Morning; Reels; The Female Drummer. 

July

 16th Lewisham Concert Hall.  w.Lindisfarne & Al Stewart

 17th London Festival Hall 'Folk In'"the greatest folk event ever". Review in NME. 20 minute set including Lark in the Morning & Female Drummer. 

 24th Tupholme Festival "Concert Of Contemporary  & Traditional Folk Music" w.Maddy Prior who sang 'the dying soldier'. One day festival with an estimated 60,000! Incredible String Band, Pentangle; Sandy Denny and The Byrds all attended. 

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 30th July - 1st Aug Cambridge Folk Festival

August

 6th   Plymouth, Van Dikes

 14th 'Feast of Folk Festival. Syon Park, Brentford "Folk song and dance festival"

 25th The Stables, Higham     w.Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra & The Songwainers

 26th The Sportsman's Club, Accrington

 31st  Pipers Tuesday Folk ConcertSt Johns hall Penzance.  

September

 Recorded Ten Man Mop and the following sessions at the same time. 

 15th (aired 26th) : BBC Radio 1 'John Peel's Sunday Concert'. The most extensive available BBC Radio Session. Appears almost in full on 2006 Re-issue of 'Ten Man Mop' but a much better quality recording exists as a Bootleg. Full details are available on the 'BBC Sessions' page.  

 

 22nd: BBC Radio: Sounds of the 70s with Pete Drummond. [aired 30th Sept]. Peter Knight was ill for this session which gave it a more unique set list and feel. Full details available on the 'BBC Sessions' Page. 


October

 1st: SINGLE: 'Rave-On' (B&C records). Maxi single with Female Drummer/Reels.

Long before the band started introducing the 'Rockers Encore' they recorded this single for a 'bit of fun' which their manager thought may do well as a novelty single. Apparently Tim and Maddy were singing it in the car and Ashley commented that it sounded quite good - which led to a release. The single got plenty of airplay but no real chart success. 

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 UK TOUR. First Proper Headlining British Tour. Support by Andy Roberts

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  Based on Manchester:  Four Nights Drunk, Jigs, Pace Egging Song, Gower Wassail, Lark In The Morning, Hornpipes (Pete & Maddy), Handsome Polly-O (Martin), I Live Not Where I Love (Tim & Maddy), Jigs, When I Was On Horseback, We Poor Labouring Men, Maddy's Poem 'The Hoop', Cold Haily Windy Night, Encore: Female Drummer, Rave On, Uncle Tom Cobbley

 3rd    Bristol Colston Hall  

 4th   Southampton Guildhall

 7th    Leeds Uni

 12th Free Trade Hall, Manchester

 13th Abersytwyth Uni

 14th Wawick Uni

 15th Liverpool ST George

 16th Leicester Uni

 17th Birmingham Town Hall

 18th Sheffield City Hall

 19th Birmingham Town Hall. Review mentions these songs: 'We poor Labouring Folk; 'Egg Pacing' & Sweep Chimney Sweep'. The latter of course Martin would bring back in '77. 

 20th Barnsley Civic Centre

 21st  Newcastle City Hall

 24th Croydon Greyhound

 26th Norwich St Andrews Hall

 27th Bournmouth Winter Garderns. 'Rag Folk' Festival


 28th BBC Radio Sounds of the 70s with Pete Drummond. Per Radio Times synopsis:  Radio 2's VHF channels join Radio 1 for two hours of progressive pop With Steeleye Span, Lindisfarme, Uriah Heep; Heads, Hands And Feet.  


November

THIRD ALBUM: 'Ten man Mop or Mr Resevoir Butler Rides Again'  (B&C Records)
Click on cover for details (wiki)

The second and final album from the Mk II line up and it was similar to the last one with traditional material in an 'Electric Folk' style. 'Easier to listen to....much neater' as Ashley put it, but for him not as interesting as 'Please to see the King' so he felt that he had done what he had set out to achieve - part of his reason for leaving the band.  The incredible luxury packaging of the original LP, coupled with a lack of chart success compared the last one meant the band did not make any money on the Album. For the record, a 'Mop' is a hiring fair and 'Reservoir Butler' was a traditional singer of one of the songs on the album. 'General Taylor' is an outtake from the recording sessions and appears on various collections.  

 5th  Salford Uni: Four Nights Drunk, Jigs, Pace Egging Song, We Poor Labouring Men, When I Was On Horseback, Bring Em Down/Haul On The Bowline, Jigs, Gower Wassail, Lark In The Morning, Hornpipes (Pete & Maddy), My Johnny Was A shoemaker (Martin), Female Drummer, Encore: Jigs

 6th  London L.S.E

 9th  Guilford Civic Hall; Cold Haily Windy Night (opener), Pace Egging Song (Ashley solo vocal with Pete and Martin on Banjo!), We Poor Labouring Men, Sweep Chimney Sweep, Handsome Polly O, Tim & Maddy - Medley of 3 unaccompanied short songs

 11th Cantebury, Kent Uni

 20th Cardiff Cory

 Sat ?  Leas Cliff Hall, Folkstone. A Saturday in November. Gig details thanks to Clive Pilcher. 

 26th Brighton College of Education; Per 'Sounds' this was Tyger's last gig

 27th Hull Uni; The Wren, Pace Egging Song, Jigs, Saucy Sailor, We Poor Labouring Men, False Knight On The Road, Sweep Chimney Sweep, Dancing At Whitsun (Pete & Tim), Jigs, Maddy's Poem 'Hydranger', Rab Noake's song, Female Drummer, Encore: Uncle Tom Cobbley

December

BAND CHANGES: Ashley Hutchings and Martin Carthy Leave the band. 

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The exact dates are not clear but it seems that Ashley Hutchings announced he is leaving the Band internally before or during the October Tour. Maddy and Tim said it was because he didn't want to continue with the play 'Corunna' (A tour had been lined up for the Autumn) and because he didn't want to fly to America. Carthy says it was because Ashley thought the music was to 'Irish'. Ashley himself has indicated since that he just felt he had finished what he set out to achieve and the band had run its course.  His announcement was almost certainly in November, probably just before 27th (RM Article). Rick Kemp was asked to replace Ashley by Sandy Robertson and agrees assuming that he would get the chance to play with Martin Carthy.  It is believed that this this line up did one experimental gig, which could possibly be the 4th of December show below. 

Subsequently however Martin Carthy also announces he is leaving, (5th Dec announced in NME that he is leaving at end of the year). Carthy made it clear it was amicable and suggested it was because for him the 'balance' of the band was not right after Hutchings left. Subsequently it was confirmed that it was mainly because he did not want a Bass player to replace Ashley, but rather wanted a Multi Instrumentalist to explore different sounds. Peter Knight then suggests Bob Johnson as a replacement for Martin, with whom he worked with as a duo. The public announcements of Carthy leaving and Rick and Bob joining were made at the same time. Not 100% if Rick then did some further dates in December after the 'experimental' one with Carthy, but a review in Birmingham Daily post suggests he did, although articles when Carthy left suggested Rick and Bob would join after rehearsals in January. It was also announced that Maddy and Tim would stop taking Folk Club bookings as a due to take a rest from being a duo a nd to focus on the new line up and not get stale.

 

 3rd Dec Stockport College of Technology

 4th Dec Birmingham Town Hall. Birmingham Daily post says the band are still 'numbed' by recent departure of Ashley, and the 'imminent departure of Martin' It also says "Rick Kemp, Ashley's replacement was 'introduced' so this, or the night before, could be the experimental' gig that this line up did with Rick and Martin. 

 16th London College of Printing . Included Sweep Chimney Sweep, Wee Weaver & Saucy Sailor.

 17th Little Theatre Middlesbrough. Almost certainly Martin Carthy's last gig with this line up. 


1972 

The start of the Classic Line Up, global tours and the move from Electric Folk to Folk-Rock

January

Rick Kemp and Bob Johnston officially join Band

 American Jo Lustig becomes the Band's manager and signs them up to Chrysalis Records. 

 

Band Practices in the 'Irish Club', Deaton Square, London

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 31st: BBC 'Top Gear' (John Peel Session): See 'BBC Sessions' for full details.  

Jan/Feb/Mch

 First Tour debuting the new line up.

 28th Bath  w.Dando Shaft

 29th Winter Gardens, Weston Super Mare.

 3rd Durham Uni (Dundee per MS)

 4th Edinburgh Caley

 5th  Stockport College of Tchnology

 10th Trowbridge Town Hall

 11th Lancaster UniMorgan/Keith Christmas

 18th Hornsey Town Hal. 

 The tour was in the midst of 3 hour Power cuts that were occurring at the time due to the Miner's Strike. This particular show was brought forward to try and finish before the 9pm cut. However, the cut came early, so under Emergency lighting the band stayed on stage, holding candles signing unaccompanies for the least few songs!  Thanks to Clive Pilcher for his fantastic memories of the concert.  

 19th Hatfield Poly

 23rd Manchester Uni

 24th Birmingham University Guild

 25th  Cardiff Uni

 26th Exeter UniDando Shaft

 3rd  Mch Southampton Uni

 4th   Reading Uni

 7th   Liverpool Uni. Additional date per NME

 9th   Oxford Poly

 10th London Queen Elizabeth Hall. Additional tour date per NME

 11th  Sheffield Uni.  Additional tour date per NME

 

 21st Feb: BBC Radio 1 'Friday Night is Boogie Night' (John Peel Session). See 'BBC sessions' for full details.  


March 

 17th  London Central Poly

 24th  Farnborough Technical CollegeSwastika & Ben

April  

 1st   Boston Starlight

 9th    Croydon Fairfield HallAmazing Blondell

 12th  Birmgham Town Hall Town Hall

May

 British Tour

 5th  Newcastle Mayfair

 6th  Norwich City College

 12th London Noth East Poly.  Clash of dates on Marmalade Skies

 12th London Livingstone House w. Patto. Clash of dates on Marmalade Skies

 13th St Albans City Hall

 19th Brighton Uni of Essex

 20th London City UniDando Shaft

 23rd Oxford Town Hall

 26th Lacock Folk Festival

 27th Northampton Square Bandstand, London

 May??Cecil Sharpe House

 31st  Port Madoc Criccieth Memorial Hall


June

 1st: BBC Radio Session: 'Sounds of the 70's' (recorded 17th May). See 'BBC Sessions' for full details.


 UK Tour or just one off dates?

 13th Cambridge St John's College.  w.Al Stewart

 17th Bradford Uni.

 18th Swindon Wyvern Theatre

 23rd Reading Town Hall. Jigs (opener), Spotted Cow, Rosebud In June, John Barleycorn, Black And White Rag, King Henry, False Knight On The Road, Gaudete, Singing The Travels(?), Ups And Downs, Royal Forester, Encore: Reels, General Taylor 

 26th Dublin National Theatre. Part of Tour? "first visit to Ireland" Rosebud In June, Spotted Cow, King Henry, Black & White Rag, Ups And Downs


July

 4th: BBC Radio 1 'Friday Night is Boogie Night' (John Peel Session). Full details on 'BBC Sessions' page.

Unknown Dates

  European Dates? Per 'Tim Hart's Complete Steeleye Span Story' there should be some. 


August

 3rd-17th Play: Edinburgh, Lyceum Theatre. 'Kidnapped', another Keith Dewhurst play. 

Ran for 2 weeks per NME. During the press photocall the band played Rag Doll. Included the songs: General Taylor, Rosebud In June, Cam Ye O'er Frae France, Parcel Of Rogues, Young Neil My Darling, Bonny Moorhen. Ended with Jacobite Rock ('an hilarious vocal from Kemp'), Jigs.

 18th London, Lyceum Theatre. A 'normal concert performance
 19th London, Lyceum Theatre. Final two Kidnapped performances.


 26th /27th Festival, Chelmsford Agricultural Showground


September

 15th FOURTH ALBUM: Below the Salt (1st for Chrysalis)

Click on cover for details (wiki)

A new record Company, new band members, a new Manager and a new direction. All the tracks are traditional but some have a more rock sound feel to them and in King Henry start Bob's record of introducing the 'Big Child Ballads' with very 70's Rock arrangements. If you ate 'below' the salt at the dinner table it meant you were poor. The album returned the band to the charts reaching No.43.

1/Spotted Cow 2/Rosebud in June 3/Jigs: The Bride's Favourite/Tansey's Fancy 4/Sheepcrook and Blackdog 5/Royal Forester 6/King Henry 7/Gaudete 8/John Barleycorn 9/Saucy Sailor


 21st SINGLE John Barleycorn  (date of NME review)

 

 23rd Sept. Grangemouth Festival, Scotland. With Jeff Beck Status Quo & Lindisfarne. 12k people at a damp 1 day festival. Steeleye were third last before Status Quo and Jeff Beck. Compare was John Peel. 

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September / October

 Autumn UK 'Below The Salt' Tour.   Support from Amazing Blondel

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 Set list combined Manchester, Bradford & one other, so not every song played each night:  Spotted Cow or The Ups and Down; Cam Ye O'er Frae France, Gaudete, Rogues In A Nation, Bride's Favourite/Tansey's Fancy,  (Or Bank O f Ireland) The Weaver, Sheep-crook & Black Dog, King Henry,  Gaudete, Wea Weaver, Truck Drivin' Man (also called  'Cup of Coffee' with Tim on Mandolin and  Peter playing Bluegrass fiddle) , Royal Forester, John Barleycorn, Encore: Rag Doll, Reels: Oak Tree/Pigeon

 30th  Royal Festival Hall, London

 1st   Uni of Wawick

 5th  Uni of Cardiff

 6th   Loughborough Uni

 12th  Town Hall Oxford

 13th  Free Trade Hall, Manchester

 14th  Leeds Uni

 17th   Birmingham Town Hall. Sang 'Weaver and the 'Tailor'; Parcel of Rogues, Gaudete. 

 18th  Univ of Aberystwith

 19th  Fairfield Hall, Croydon

 20th  Victoria Halls, Stoke upon Trent

 21st   Liverpool Stadium

 22nd St George's Hall Bradford

 23rd City Hall, Sheffield

 24th Town Hall, Middlesbrough

 26th City Hall, Newcastle

 27th Univ. of Strasthclyde

 28th Caird Hall, Dundee


 15th : BBC Radio 1 ' Sounds on Sunday'. (Recorded 19th Sept) Whole hour on Steeleye Span.  See 'BBC Sessions' for details. 


 24th Oct: John Peel Session.  (Recorded 2nd Oct)  See 'BBC Sessions' for full details.  


November/December

FIRST US Tour, Mostly Supporting Procul Harum (+ Tir Na Nog ) plus a series of solo dates

Based on Brown Uni and Washington, incomplete: King Henry, Black & White Rag, Three Drunken Maidens, Reels: Bank Of Ireland, Cam Ye, Gaudete, Ups & Downs, Royal Forester, Truck Driving Man, Spotted Cow; Reels: Mason's Apron, Rag Doll

 1st   Syracuse Loew's State Theatre  

 2nd New York Palace Theatre

 3rd  RI, Providence Brown Uni

 4th  Buffalo, NY Kleinhan's

 5th  Boston Aquarius Theatre.  Write up on Procol site: Steeleye 'played a lively set to generous applause"

 6th  New York Queens College.

 7th  Washington DC George Wash uni

 8th  New York Academy of music

 10th Denver Regis College

 12th LA Santa Monica Civic 

 15th  Detroit Ford Theatre

 17th  Cleveland John Carrol Uni   

 18th  Phili Temple Uni  

 19th  Baltimore Lyric theatre   

 20th Hartford Yale Uni 

 21st-25th (unsure exact dates) Ash Grove Theatre, Los Angeles. Not with Procol (Loudon Wainright III). Probable residency as shown as appearing on 25th in local newspaper. 

In a US newspaper article after the tour (written in Feb 1973) it said about this US Tour that Steeleye travelled 20,000 miles and gave 84 performances in 77 days, which suggests a few double performances and some additional dates to what is listed above. Which does suggest, as said below that the tour was extended for a series of solo/club dates (not with Procul) that extended into December.  The only confirmed UK date in December was 30th so this could have easily been the case. 


 24th November : SINGLE: Holly and the Ivy/Gaudete. Interesting release as it was the first, yet 'unsuccessful' attempt to release Gaudete. It was not until a re-release in 1973 that hit became a hit.

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 27th Nov: BBC Radio 'Sounds of the 70's' with Bob Harris. (recorded 11th Oct) Full details on the 'BBC Sessions' page. 

 

Per a cutting, the 'tour' (? The US one?) extended to December 13th with a series of 'club dates' with Loudon Wainwright. This makes sense given the newspaper article above. 

 8th Dec: Alumnae Hall, Brown Uni, Providence, RI, USA (mistaken for one above?) 

 30th Dec: Royal Festival Hall, London w.Amazing Blondell


1973 

(c100 appearances) The busiest year for the band in all their 50 years! Months in USA including supporting Jethro Tull creates Media interest. New Album, lots of tours & a Christmas Hit!

January

73NMESpan6thJanA3Coverjpg

13th 'Full House' BBCTV appearanc
e.
Synopsis: 10.45 Steeleye Span. Imagine a group of village singers in 18th-century England playing electric guitars and percussion instruments - that's the kind of music Steeleye Span make, traditional airs from all over the British Isles performed in the rock idiom. Steeleye Span are MADDY PRIOR, TIM HART , PETER KNIGHT , BOB JOHNSON , RICK KEMP.   They played Gaudete; Spotted Cow; One Misty Moisty Morning; Cam Ye O'er Frae France.  No Footage currently from this Sunday night Live Arts show is available but it does seem to exist, as the BFI found the tapes when researching a Ken Loach play that was on the same episode. 

15th Fanfare For Europe Concert (Last Concert in series of events)
Albert Hall, London  with Planksty & Derek Brimstone. The concert was part of the UK Governments 'celebrations' on the UK's ascension to the EU. A two-week festival of culture: a ‘Fanfare for Europe’, showcasing more than 300 different events.
The show included the 'Rockers Encore' that the band had started doing regularly which included dressing up and playing one or two 50's Rock 'n Roll covers. Prime Minister Edward Heath was at the concert and met the band afterwards.
Saucy Sailor, Misty Moisty Morning, Sheep Crook And Black Dog, Spotted Cow, Cam Ye O'er Frae France, Alison Gross, Three Drunken Maidens, Gaudete, Parcel Of Rogues, Robbery With Violins, Encores: All Dressed Up and Nowhere To Go, Hello Mary Lou.


 16th: John Peel Session. (aired 6th Feb) See 'BBC Sessions' for full details & Track listing.
 
 17th Frankfurt Jahrunderthalle. 'Sound of Britain' concert with Gentle Giant, Amazing Blondel & more.

 27th NME article: 'Group are to be featured in a film documentary which Anglo-EMI Productions are making about Radio 1'. There was a clip of Steeleye singing 'Hello Mary Lou'

 Potential US Tour. Maddy in an interview in Dec '72 said they were returning to the US in January. No evidence and not mentioned in NME so likely to have been cancelled/moved to March.

February / March

 12th Feb: John Peel 'Top Gear' Session. See 'BBC Sessions' for full details and track listing

 3rd March ITV: Russell Harty Plus (11.30pm) with Shirley Bassey and Joe Bugner.

 

 British Tour. Support: Planxty on some dates.

 2nd Feb Brighton Poly

 6th Leeds Uni

 15th Leicester De Montford Hall

 16th Portsmouth Poly

 17th London Kingston Poly

 24th Eastbourne Congress Theatre

 27th Bristol Colston Hall. Included en core of 'Rag Doll' and 'Truck Driving Man'

 2nd March St Andrews, Norwich

 3rd  City Hall, Newcastle. 60p with Pete Scott & Derek Brimstone.

 4th  Crucible, Sheffield

 9th  Royal Court, Liverpool

 10th Free Trade Hall, Manchester.  Turned away 1,000 people per SOUNDS article. Only mention of a song/tune called 'Four Poster Bed' in the encore, which I assume was a 'Rockers Encore' as it followed Rag Doll. Misty Moisty Morning, Three Drunken Maidens, Ups And Downs, Spotted Cow, Alison Gross, Bold Poachers, Saucy Sailor, Oak Tree/Jenny's Chickens, Cam Ye O'er Frae France, Bank Of Ireland, Royal Forester, Gaudete, Encore: Rag Doll, Four Poster Bed

 12th College, Worcester

 13th  Town Hall, Birmingham.  Included 'Truck Driving Man'

 14th  Guild Hall, Plymouth

 16th  Hull Uni

 19th  Usher Hall, Edinburgh

 20th City Hall, Glasgow

30th March: FIFTH ALBUM: Parcel Of Rogues (Chrysalis)

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Click on image for full details (wiki)

This second album for Chrysalis made the top 30 and further developed the heavier sound of the band. It also cemented the theme of most members of the band bringing more complete songs/ideas into rehearsals. Rick Kemp played drums on some tracks, although a mix of Alison Gross with drums got dropped. Bonny Moorhen was recorded during the sessions and released on 'Original Masters' - Apparently there were too many 'Scottish' songs on the album according to Chrysalis. Alison Gross originally had Tim singing it but was ill when recorded. Rogues in a Nation and Cam Ye O'er Frae France had been in the play 'Kidnapped' 

1/One Misty Moisty Morning 2/Alison Gross 3/The Bold Poachers 4/The Ups and Downs 5/Robbery with Violins 6/The Wee Wee Man 7/The Weaver and the Factory Maid 8/Rogues in a Nation 9/Cam Ye O'er Frae France 10/Hares on the Mountain 

April / May

 April  12th: BBC2 TV - "In Concert" .  

30 minutes of Steeleye in concert. Per Radio Times listing but no further performance details. Episode was wiped by the BBC


 US 'Parcel Of Rogues' Tour.  

Some dates are supporting Procol Harum. 'All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go' appeared as an encore, all part of the 'rockers encore' that the band frequently did at the time. According to NME they could command 4 times the fee of last year due to rising popularity.

 1st April:   ???  Per cutting 1st April is 'start of US tour'.

 5th   Hartford Uni, Conn. With Procol Harum. 

 8th  Ash Grove in Los Angeles California

 11th  Columbus, Ohio. With Procol Harum

 13th  Folk Festival , Penn State Recreational Hall, University Park, PA, USA

 15th Muhlenberg Memorial Hall,  Allentown, Pennsylvania. Supporting B.B. King. 

 16th  Columbus, Ohio. With Procol Harum.

 17th  Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA. Live Broadcast Ups & Downs, Oak Tree/Pigeon, Weaver, Spotted Cow, Saucy Sailor, Robbery With Violins, Cam Ye, Gaudete, Royal Forester, Truck Drivin Man, Reels

 18th  Main Point, Bryn Mawr, PA. (could also be the show that was broadcast)

 19th   The Dome, Greenvale, Long Island NY. With Procol Harum:  One Misty Moisty Morning; Oak Tree/Pigeon on the Gate;  Up's and Downs; Cam Ye O'er Frae France; Alison Gross; Robbery With Violins;  Spotted Cow; Gaudete; Royal Forester; All Dressed Up and Nowhere to go; The Masons Apron.

 20th  My Fathers Place, Roslyn, NY.  Some tracks on a famous Bootleg - 'Sunken Meadows', The rest on a separate Bootleg:  One Misty Moisty Morning; Up's and Downs; Oak Tree/Pigeon on the Gate; Sheep Crook & Blackdog; Spotted Cow; Jigs/Reel; Rouges in a Nation; Cam Ye O'er Frae France; Alison Gross; Robbery With Violins; Gaudete; Royal Forester; The Masons Apron. 

 26th  Supporting Beach Boys Regis College, Denver, CO 

 1st May Majestic Theatre Dallas Tx. (Gentle Giant Support)

 4th Armadillo World HQ, Austin Tx (Gentle Giant Support)

 6th: Santa Rosa Theatre, Houston.  (per Newspaper Archive). With Gentle Giant.

 8th Ash Grove Theatre Los Angeles 

 11th Ash Grove Theatre Los Angeles ('Weeks residency') 

 12th Ash Grove Theatre Los Angeles . It is assumed 'Rag Doll' was recorded while in LA at this time

 13th Ash Grove Theatre Los Angeles (Per NME the band return from US and spend next 4 weeks rehearsing) 

 23rd-27th: Ash Grove, LA. One Week Residency.  (newspaper). Further residency dates. This comes from a newspaper archive site so reputable. This residency fits in with further hints in articles about a further solo US Tour dates with Sha Na Na but no exact details found.  Later this tour was said to have been 7 weeks so these dates all do work out. 

One cutting has a review, seemingly from 20th April (but could be 13th) in Stamford California with ShaNaNa


June

 1st June BBC Radio - 'Speakeasy'. Very few details exist - see 'BBC Sessions' 


 Nigel Pegrum (Drums)  joins band  

Joins '2 weeks before US tour'. (NME)  The band, after touring the US , and with another upcoming US tour supporting Jethro Tull in big stadiums knew they had to beef up the sound of the live band. Per Record Collector he joined 'half way through US tour' but that doesn't stack up with NME.  

In a US newspaper article Peter said about adding a drummer: "It wasn't our image to have one, but the music needed one. The music was slightly stale, slightly stagnant, Nigel is a very tasteful drummer, out of all the ones we auditioned he was the best"


The 'Classic' Steeleye Line up  

Steeleye-Span now sixjpg

 British dates (incl ireland)

 15th June Nottingham Trent Uni.  Nigel's first gig per MS review as well as NME. 

 16th  Bristol Colston Hall. Lyke Wake Dirge (first time?) into Robbery With Violins/Jigs, Misty Moisty Morning, Weaver And Factory Maid, Sheepcrook And Black Dog, Alison Gross, Wee Wee Man, Cam Ye O'er Frae France, Gaudete, Royal Forester, Musical Priest, Long Tall Sally (Rick singing) (NME Article).

 19th Cork - Savoy

 20th Limerick - Savoy

 21st Dublin State Hall.  A TV show also recorded in Dublin per MS article

 22nd Dun Laoghaire Pavillion, Dublin

 23rd Oxford Uni x2 Uni Balls the same evening w.Spencer Davis Group


July

 US Tour (Supporting J Tull). Incl. 5 nights at the LA Forum. Left Uk on 1st July

Coming off the back of a '7 week tour' in the US Steeleye came back to support Tull as the 'offer was too good to refuse' and the 'great opportunity for such vast exposure'. (newspaper article). However, the fee they received was not enough 'to pay for the airfares and hotel bills' but as Rick said: ' There were bands that would pay money to be on this tour'. 

Audiences were shocked by Steeleye who came on dressed in Cassocks with tall hats and ribbons, singing 'Lyke Wake Dirge' which is a lamentation at a vigil of a deceased person before they are buried. The shows were very visual with dancing and a dramatic light show, which tied in well with the 'Passion Play' which Tull were touring with as well. As an English folk band playing to an American Rock audience, they made an impressive impact. The bands got on well and Ian Anderson worked on the next Steeleye album.

 ??'Onondaga War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse, NY  

 3rd Pershing Centre, Loncoln, NE. Crowd of 7,500

 4th Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, MO

 8th University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM. Crowd of 15,000 which gave Steeleye a standing ovation. 

 9th County Civic Centre, El Paso, Texas, 6,300 crowd.

 12th Tarrant County Convention Centre, Fort Wrth, Texas

 13th Convention Centre ArenaSan Antonio, Tx

 18th LA Forum

 19th Sports Arena, San Diego

 20th LA Forum

 21st  LA Forum

 22nd LA Forum

 23rd  Coliseum, Oakland, Ca,


28th July US TV: KCET PBS-TV. Ch. 28. Los Angeles.  

Aired 28th July and repeated 30th July as a half hour special. It was also shown on 2nd Sept (repeated 8th sept) because the original airing was postponed due to news coverage, but this may have only been in some regions. Repeated again on Ch7 14th Oct. Unknown where the performance was recorded but almost certainly on the Spring tour rather than supporting Tull. One preview says it was 'taped at KCET' and from available pictures (copywrited) then it is clearly in a studio. One track, 'Cam Ye.' was repeated on the 'Midnight Special' show on 30th Nov '73. The show was repeated a year later. A video recording has never turned up but decent audio bootlegs are easy to find.  One Misty Moisty Morning; The Oak Tree/Pigeon on the gate; Sheep Crook & Blackdog; Parcel of Rogues; Cam Ye O'er Frae France; Gaudete; Robbery with Violins; Tune collected by 'Sally Grodpile'.

 28th Cambridge Folk Fest, Headliners.  Straight after US Tour. They opened with Lyke Wake Dirge and did the 'Rockers Encore' 


August

 1st 'London Music Festival' Alexander Palace with Incredible String Band. Included the Rockers Encore (including the dressing up). They played Da Doo Ron Ron, Long Tall Sally and Sing Something Simple. 

 11th Harrogate Royal Hall - Harrogate Arts Festival. Headline with Bridget St John.

 31st Free Trade hall, Manchester


September

 1st   Blackburn ST Georges Hall

 3rd  Edinburgh Empire FestivalPlanxty

 16th White City, London

 18th BBC TV -Recorded a spot on 'Mostly Country'

 29th Festival Theatre Chichister

 30th Leicester De Montford Hall


October 

 8th Albert Hall, London. Included Rockers Encore 'as usual' at this time.

Lyke Wake Dirge, Misty Moisty Morning, Alison Gross, Sheep Crook And Black Dog, Cam Ye O'er Frae France, Thomas The Rhymer, Lark In The Morning (the song), Drink Down The Moon, Gaudete, To Know Him Is To Love Him, Doo Ron Ron, Long Tall Sally, and ended with a 'C&W number' (Truck Driving Man (?)) (NME Review).


  19th Oct: University of Houston. "Steeleye Span Fan Club" ..!

 Will be meeting at 1pm to run through plans to watch the repeat viewing of the 'One of a Kind' concert (KYW-TV repeat of the above KCET performance)  and a brief informal discussion of the lyrics to 'Cam Ye 'Oer Frae France'. They then met on teh 20th Nov to discuss plans for an excursion to Austin to meet with the LA branch. It finished with 'bring your own spoons'..!!

How very very cool, I had to include this! They seemed to keep meeting during 1974.


October / November / December

Recording sessions for Now We are Six in the run up to next tour, Ian Anderson helped with mixing and got David Bowie to play saxophone, although Maddy said later that Rick had asked Bowie via a friend. Anderson said he helped make Thomas the Rhymer sound more commercial. 

27 date British Tour 

Incomplete Set list, based on Hove and Manchester : Lyke Wake Dirge, The Weaver and the Factory Maid; Three Drunken Maidens; Drink Down The Moon, Two Magicians, Mooncoin Jig, Thomas The Rhymer, Gaudete, Alison Gross, To Know Him Is To Love Him, Doo Ron Ron, Long Tall Sally or  Truck Driving Man (costume change) Reels 

 26th Oct Lancaster Uni. Provisional first date after Albert Hall

 27th York Uni

 28th Newcastle City Hall

 30th Bradford Uni

 1st Nov Portsmouth South Parade

 2nd Southampton Uni

 3rd Leicester Uni

 6th  Hove Town Hall

 9th   Fairfield Halls, Croydon. w.Harvey Andrews

 10th Exeter Uni. w.Horslips

 11th Bristol Colston Hall.  w.Horslips

 12th Plymouth Guildhall.  w.Horslips

 15th Glasgow Apollo. w.Mike Maran. £1.20

 16th Aberdeen Music Hall

 17th Edingburgh Usher Hall. w.Mike Maran

 18th  Birmingham Town Hall. w.Alan Stivell

 19th Oxford New Theatre

 20th Swansea Brangwyn Hall. w.Harvey Andrews

 21st   Derby Kings Hall

 23rd  Sheffield Uni. w.Dave Burand

 24th  Liverpool Empire.   w.Alan Stivell

 25th  Manchester Opera House. w.Alan Stivell

 27th Preston Guildhall. w.Planxty

 28th  Newcastle City Hall. w.Planxty

 30th  Bradford Uni. w.Planxty

 1st Dec  Leeds Uni. w.Planxty

 2nd Norwich City Hall. w.Richard/Linda Thompson


November 

 Nov/Dec Filming of Electric Folk Series

 9th Nov SINGLE: Gaudete single/Holy & the Ivy

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  7th  BBC2 - George Hamilton IV show. Probably 1 track (Gaudete?) judging by length of programme and guests. 

 

10th:  In Concert on Capital Radio. 

No record of this found but was on Tour Advert above.

December

8th: Gaudete gets to Number 14 in charts 
Becomes a Christmas staple staying the Top 40 for 8 weeks.

 13th: TV: BBC1 Top of the Pops.
The Band perform Gaudete on the show. The show was wiped from the archive by the BBC. 


Unknown Date
Short Film (30m) "Radio Wonderful" (1973) 
Shown in cinemas during 1974 as a prelude to the the main film. A documentary about Radio 1. Included a clip of Steeleye playing 'Hello Mary Lou' from their BBC Session. 



1974 - 1979