SOUTH EAST SIDE STORY

VARIOUS ARTISTS Folk Upstairs: Folk Singers & Groups From SE Essex (Nicro Records K220971, 1971) £80

Nothing whets the appetite of collectors more than a rare album, especially a private pressing folk LP. Folk Upstairs is one such beast, an incredibly rare selection of acoustic folk ballads recorded in 1971.

The album was the brainchild of Nick Kirby. Born in 1944, he first found fame as a DJ on the shortlived pirate radio station Radio Sutch (“Britain’s first teenage radio station”), owned by Screaming Lord Sutch. Later he founded the record label Nicrosound and put out jazz albums on tape. But he started with folk material on vinyl on his earlier Nicro label, namely the albums Together (1978) by The Witness Gospel Band and Supernatural Girl (1974) by Ferris Wheel (not to be confused with The Ferris Wheel, the rock/r&b group of the late 60s and early 70s). Supernatural Girl is a rare stoner-folk discovery that was reissued on CD in 2002, creating a whole set of new fans. Earlier in the decade, however, there was the Folk Upstairs album, referring, it is believed, to a first-floor folk club in, or near, Leigh-on-sea (Kirby’s hometown and the base of Nicro Records). It features two or three tracks apiece by six different artists from South East Essex.

The stripped-back budget sleeve bears a text list of artists and titles alongside a graphic representation of steps. There are no artist photos and very little is known about most of them. The recordings were made between February and October 1971, and the album’s catalogue number is probably the original proposed date of its release (22/09/1971) though it was seemingly released a little later.

There is no original material here but a series of fine versions of classic folk ballads. Band Of Hope were formed by Jack Forbes, Doug Miles and John Desmond. Later they changed their name to Hobbin and played in the South East Essex area with a regular slot at The Queens Hotel in Southend every Monday night, plus Thursday nights at the Castle Point Folk Club at The Anchor Inn in South Benfleet. Their flyers invited punters to “hobnob with Hobbin” and a good time was guaranteed for all where you could enjoy a pint and listen to some traditional folk sounds.

As Band Of Hope they perform a strong version of folk standard, Jack Tar On Shore, about a sailor’s foolishness and exploitation by landsmen, written by the great Harry Cox. The Morning Looks Charming, also known as The

Hare Hunting Song, originates from Cheshire and was made famous by The Watersons. In contrast, they play the Australian folk favourite Botany Bay.

Next up is solo vocalist Kitty Theobald. She performs a nice take of The

Irish Girl, a favourite of Shirley Collins’ and many others, plus the 17th-century Scots ballad Cold And Raw. Then female trio Jack, Jill and Linda play The Mermaid and Sweet Nightingale, the latter a beautiful Cornish ballad also known as The Valley Below.

Highlights are two beautifully haunting numbers by soloist Steve Harry: Bruton Town, made famous by AL Lloyd, Louis Killen and Pentangle, plus Golden Vanity, a haunting sea shanty also called The Sweet Trinity. The allwomen folk group Free Kind, with lead singer Sandy Martin, perform Step

It Out Mary, an Irish standard recorded by The Dubliners and others, plus Waggoner’s Lad, a ballad better known from recordings by Bert Jansch,

Joan Baez and Roger Mcguinn. Also included is their gentle take of the Irish standard Roddy Mccauley, made famous by The Clancy Brothers.

Last up is Clive Hammond who performs Double Double Do I Love You, a clever take of the Jessie Fuller classic, and The Dark Haired Sailor, a traditional ballad recorded by Steeleye Span among others.

Though it’s not a live recording, there is no audience present, and it was recorded over several months, this would have made a great night’s entertainment if you’d been at the mysterious Folk Upstairs club back in 1971. All in all, it’s a fine set of songs and a rare album worthy of any folk music collector. If you can find one. It is thought to be rarer than the Ferris Wheel album of which only a handful of copies have come to light. Maybe some bright spark will reissue it on CD and Folk Upstairs will be open to all once more. Dickie Fleming