Classic 5 Hand Reel

Shaking Out the Sheets: Dirty Linen Classics by Steve Winick tric folk. The band combined Irish and song, by the U.S.-based group the In this strange new world, Five Hand Scottish elements with punchy rhythms New St. George. Reel was arguably the top folk-rock that Fairport Convention and Steeleye The 1977 followup, For A’ That, was band recording in Britain, and, in Span had been working with in recorded less than a year later in the RCA, it certainly had the biggest label England. In that sense, it was an inter- same studio, with the same producer of any such group. RCA provided a national Anglo-Celtic electric folk band. and engineer and with the same lineup heftier budget for recording and Five Hand Reel’s eponymous first of musicians. Not surprisingly, it promotion of its third album, in the album won the coveted Folk Album of sounds like an extension of the original hopes of making the band into the new the Year designation from Melody album and could have been recorded at Steeleye Span.Fairport’s Simon Nicol Maker, the runner-up being June the same sessions. Themes and genres was enlisted as producer, and the band Tabor’s debut disc. It marries solid are revisited; Irish emigration is treated went into the studio and produced Earl O’Moray, an album quite different in musicianship, impassioned vocals, and in “Carrickfergus,” the Irish love lyric sound and tone from the first two. The imaginative arrangements. It opens in “P Stands for Paddy.” Two more album is heavy on anthems, from Five Hand Reel with a medley of Scottish songs sung sets of jigs and reels get the blood Burns’ effusive “My Love is Like by Gaughan, interspersed with Irish flowing. Scottish history is covered in 5 Hand Reel/For A’ That/ a Red, Red Rose” to Hamish fiddle tunes led by Hickland. It “The Haughs of Cromdale,” and old Earl O’ Moray Henderson’s “Freedom Come-All- continues with a mix of Irish and Scot- Scottish ballads are represented by the Beat Goes On BGOCD712, reissue Ye.” It’s also heavy on “big ballads,” tish material: the old Scottish ballad hardest-hitting track on the album, In the early 1980s in New York City, including the title track, mourning the “The Knight and the Shepherd’s Gaughan’s magnificent version of those of us interested in Celtic music murder of the Earl, which occurred in Daughter,” the Irish love song “The “The Cruel Brother.” heard about Five Hand Reel, a great Maid of Listowel” (both in jolly, enjoy- 1592. Arrangements venture into Two new elements make this album Scottish folk-rock band that had able folk-rock arrangements), the sad complex musical territory. On “The even more interesting, however. First existed for only the latter half of the Irish emigration ballad “Sliave Gallion Trooper and the Maid,” a song usually of all, the opening track, “Bratach 70s. Similar to Fairport Convention, Braes,” and several lively sets of tunes. performed as a straightforward ditty, Bana,” was arguably the first rock but featuring the vocals and guitar of 5 Hand Reel ventures into serious Eaglesham and Gaughan alternate arrangement of any song in Scottish the already legendary Dick Gaughan, historical songs, as well, including an verses, each singing a completely the band was rumored to be fantastic. original song by Eaglesham on the Gaelic, and thus certainly the first different traditional melody. Each Sadly, its records were already out of death of the Earl of Argyll, still reviled folk-rock recording in the language, fiddle break introduces yet another print and impossible to find, and it by many Scots for bearing witness predating even Runrig’s more rudi- tune, and as always, the rhythm never toured in the United States. I against the popular Marquis of mentary attempt on 1978’s Play section handles it all deftly. In general, had pretty much given up on ever Montrose, leading to Montrose’s Gaelic. (To make the story even better, however, the arrangements are a little hearing the band when, in about 1987, execution for treason in 1650; Argyll the song came to Gaughan through more staid and stately than before, and I stumbled upon its third album, Earl suffered the same fate in 1661. In the family tradition, from his mother, who a little more predictable, too. The O’Moray, in the landmark Manhattan song, Eaglesham decries Argyll as a was a native Gaelic speaker.) On this group uses fewer instruments, and the shop, Colony Records. A couple of traitor, creating a stirring, bitter lyric track, Five Hand Reel’s exemplary lineup is nearly always the same: years later, word reached me that the that could be mistaken for a traditional rhythm section takes the naturally double guitar, bass, drums, and fiddle. two earlier LPs, 5 Hand Reel and For song. (Historical note: Argyll did not mesmerizing pulse of the Scottish It would be nice to see the band A’That, had been reissued in England. “hang” or “swing” as in the song; like waulking song and turns it into a satis- making more use of the whistle, Taking advantage of the fact that my Montrose, he was beheaded.) The fying groove, while the guitars, keyboards, mandolins, and other dear friend Philip Hemming had a trip genuinely traditional song “Wee Wee fiddles, and especially the rich voices, instruments that graced its first two to Old Blighty scheduled, I sent him German Lairdie,” sung here by make a mighty sound. The second new LPs. For my money, then, For A’That off with a shopping list and soon had Gaughan, pokes fun in very round element was the band’s discovery of is the best album of the three, but both those two LPs, as well. terms at George I, the first Hanoverian Scotland’s national poet, Robert 5 Hand Reel and Earl O’Moray have more than a few brilliant moments. Flash forward to 2006. I hadn’t heard king of England, who was never Burns. The title track, “A Man’s a Man from Philip in years. I hadn’t listened accepted in Scotland due to the popu- For A’ That,” is one of Burns’ most BGO has done a fine job with this to my Five Hand Reel LPs in even larity of the pretender James Stuart. timeless political songs, and is deliv- reissue. The sound is crisp. The liner ered with punchy, polemical fervor. longer. In the same week, two things Two other highlights on the first notes are very complete, including full “Ae Fond Kiss,” on the other hand, is happened: Philip sent me an email out album: On the set “Frankie’s Dog,” details on each track, full lyrics to one of Burns’most tender love songs. every song, a 10-page historical essay of the blue, and Dirty Linen sent me the band introduced on record one of Here it is sung beautifully by Eagle- by John O’Regan giving all the necessary this reissue to review, encompassing the best tricks of its live show. As it sham and given a particularly rich and background, and even a glossary of the three LPs on a two CD set. Funny happened, three members of the mature arrangement, with Lyons’ Scots words! With such supporting old world, eh? group, Eaglesham, Tulloch, and bass, Hickland’s fiddle, and material, the music of Five Hand Reel There was some inaccuracy in the Lyons, played the side drums and Gaughan’s guitar all playing separate, becomes even more attractive. To buzz we had all heard in the 80s; this tenor drums featured in Scottish pipe complete the story of the band, was not strictly a Scottish band. Three bands. This allowed the three to form dovetailing melodic lines while Gaughan left the group in late 1978; it of the band’s members were Scottish, a rousing, hard- hitting, and iconi- Tulloch’s drums and cymbals provide recorded one more album in 1979 and including Gaughan on vocals, guitars cally Scottish percussion section, gentle emphasis. These three tracks broke up in 1980. Although there have and whistles, Bobby Eaglesham on which they use to great effect here. take For A’ That beyond the level of been periodic rumors of a Five Hand vocals, guitars, mandolins, and Also, the band’s sensitive arrange- the band’s debut album and make it Reel reunion, Gaughan has consis- dulcimers, and Dave Tulloch on drums ment of the Irish song “When a Man’s truly outstanding. tently said he isn’t interested, and and percussion. However, the group in Love,” relying on Hickland’s shim- By 1978, it seemed like electric folk Eaglesham passed away in 2004. This also included Belfast fiddler, mering keyboard and Lyons’ fluid was going out of style. Only two years excellent package will thus probably keyboardist, and singer Tom Hickland bass playing under Gaughan’s voice after its top five hit, “All Around My remain your only chance to hear this and English bass player Barry Lyons. and guitar, was not only beautiful, Hat,” Steeleye Span broke up. The pioneering electric folk band, making The latter was a former member of both but also influential. Almost 20 years Vertigo label put the brakes on Fair- this reissue a must-have for Trees and Mr. Fox, and therefore one later, it inspired another keyboard- port Convention, buying them out and any fan of British folk-rock. of the top musicians in English elec- driven folk-rock arrangement of the leaving them with no record contract. 98 June/July ’07 #130.

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