Richard Thompson
- Thread starter alindsay
- Start date
Sorry to be a bore, but all from Fairport Convention to now, take your pick, start from now and go back or from the beginning forward, he can do no wrong IMO
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Thompson_(musician)
http://www.richardthompson-music.com/disco4/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Thompson_(musician)
http://www.richardthompson-music.com/disco4/
Yank
Bulbous Also Tapered
This.
Or you could start in the middle with one of the peaks of his career, "Shoot Out The Lights".
GaryT
pfm Member
You could start where I did - the compilation CD of his Island records work:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00004VW14/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00004VW14/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
All of the above, and to get a feel for the his incredible attitude and musicianship have a listen to "1000 years of popular music"...
The story goes that Playboy (might be apocryphal) as the millennium approached asked him to identify the most important music of the millennium. He realised that they meant 100 years rather than 1000, but he did the 1000 years, they never took it any further so he set about touring/performing the stuff he'd identified with a 3-piece acoustic band....
The story goes that Playboy (might be apocryphal) as the millennium approached asked him to identify the most important music of the millennium. He realised that they meant 100 years rather than 1000, but he did the 1000 years, they never took it any further so he set about touring/performing the stuff he'd identified with a 3-piece acoustic band....
Sloop John B
And any old music will do…
I'd go for,
Rumour and Sigh
I want to see the bright lights tonight.
My favourites from the Island and Capitol years.
I wouldn't miss the chance to see him live either as I think his virtuosity on guitar only really comes out live, he doesn't show off on record. One of my top 5 is Richard, with Danny on double bass and Christine Collister. You wouldn't believe the sounds the 3 of them made.
SJB
Rumour and Sigh
I want to see the bright lights tonight.
My favourites from the Island and Capitol years.
I wouldn't miss the chance to see him live either as I think his virtuosity on guitar only really comes out live, he doesn't show off on record. One of my top 5 is Richard, with Danny on double bass and Christine Collister. You wouldn't believe the sounds the 3 of them made.
SJB
JTC
PFM Villager...
IWTSTBLT, SOTL for Linda & Richard era,
TOKB for post 2000,
then backfill the middle period, sprinkle some more recent work (Electric is very good apart from the woeful production (especially the drum sound).
Mock Tudor is a personal favourite.
Rumour & Sigh, maybe dip a toe in with a live album or two.
TOKB for post 2000,
then backfill the middle period, sprinkle some more recent work (Electric is very good apart from the woeful production (especially the drum sound).
Mock Tudor is a personal favourite.
Rumour & Sigh, maybe dip a toe in with a live album or two.
Suffolk Tony
Aim low, achieve your goals, avoid disappointment.
Yes, Rumour & Sigh's a good place to start, plus Mirror Blue, Mock Tudor...oh hell, it's all good.
His latest album, "Still", is absolutely superb. Get the Deluxe Edition.
His latest album, "Still", is absolutely superb. Get the Deluxe Edition.
Nickargenta
pfm Member
I think I started with the Watching The Dark compilation. It seems as good a place as any, though is now 20 years old. He's released a lot since then.
I discovered RT in 2005 while listening to Radio Paradise and I went straight out and bought his 'Action Packed - The Capitol Years' compilation which I thoroughly recommend as an excellent place to start.
As it was 2005 I then bought his current album at the time 'Front Parlour Ballads' which some people don't rate, but I think that's one of my favourites (although I get that with a lot of artists where the first proper album I buy stays as my favourite one).
As an artist I think he's been pretty consistently good and has put out far more good than bad stuff, but I'd personally recommend avoiding Sweet Talker which is a soundtrack album. Other than that I don't think you can go far wrong.
I tend to prefer his acoustic over his electric albums - The 'Acoustic Classics' compilation that came out last year has some excellent re-workings of many of his more well known songs. This is also a very good starting point and should be easy to get hold of.
The 1000 years of popular music album is fantastic as well and really shows him as a true great in the guitarists realms.
If you're a vinyl person, Diverse Records have pressed a few of his albums and are well worth seeking out.
The live albums are worth getting too, especially Small Town Romance which is one of my favourite live albums by anyone.
See him live if you can. I've seen him 4 times now and he's never anything less than thoroughly entertaining and comes across as an all round good egg in the chat between songs. The first time I saw him, I was blown away by the fact that what I'd always thought were two separate guitar parts on the recordings were being played by one man on one guitar live.
As it was 2005 I then bought his current album at the time 'Front Parlour Ballads' which some people don't rate, but I think that's one of my favourites (although I get that with a lot of artists where the first proper album I buy stays as my favourite one).
As an artist I think he's been pretty consistently good and has put out far more good than bad stuff, but I'd personally recommend avoiding Sweet Talker which is a soundtrack album. Other than that I don't think you can go far wrong.
I tend to prefer his acoustic over his electric albums - The 'Acoustic Classics' compilation that came out last year has some excellent re-workings of many of his more well known songs. This is also a very good starting point and should be easy to get hold of.
The 1000 years of popular music album is fantastic as well and really shows him as a true great in the guitarists realms.
If you're a vinyl person, Diverse Records have pressed a few of his albums and are well worth seeking out.
The live albums are worth getting too, especially Small Town Romance which is one of my favourite live albums by anyone.
See him live if you can. I've seen him 4 times now and he's never anything less than thoroughly entertaining and comes across as an all round good egg in the chat between songs. The first time I saw him, I was blown away by the fact that what I'd always thought were two separate guitar parts on the recordings were being played by one man on one guitar live.
Suffolk Tony
Aim low, achieve your goals, avoid disappointment.
I do agree, he's a superb live act, and belies the somewhat gloomy tone of his music. See him if you get the chance, he's one of the best guitarists you're ever likely to see.
Barry williams
Banned
Thats the brilliant thing about Richard.
He is always on tour.
I don't know where he finds the time to record new albums?
Glad he does though.
I had a dream a few nights ago .
He was playing live on stage with Neil Young and they were really rocking out with dirty guitars loud.
Stunsworth
pfm Member
There's an excellent bootleg of him recorded in Bremen in 2002 or so. It sounds like it was recorded from the radio or soundboard. Includes the rarely heard "My Daddy Is A Mummy".
Well worth tracking down if you want to get a feel of his solo acoustic style.
The Celtic Connection DVD/Blu-Ray is very good, as is this...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00081928C/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
Well worth tracking down if you want to get a feel of his solo acoustic style.
The Celtic Connection DVD/Blu-Ray is very good, as is this...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00081928C/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
ex brickie
pfm Member
I have to say I bought this album only because when I went to a certain Linn dealer in London they often used one track from the album for demos. Embarrassingly I haven't played the full album - I sense I should