TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

In 1968 traditional folk singers Tim Hart & Maddy Prior released the first of two volumes of "Folk Songs Of Old England" for the independent Teepee label, while at the same time Fairport Convention, never a steady ship at the best of times, seemed to be heading in a similar musical direction. After a tragic road accident in 1969 the band decamped to Hampshire and assembled what would become Leige and Lief, and the result of their search would define the band for the rest of its life. Despite the album's traditional English folk leanings Ashley Hutchings decided to leave to pursue his own sense of what English traditional folk music was and after meeting up with Hart and Prior in a London club, the band that would become Steeleye Span found its roots.

Signing to RCA the band made their UK TV debut on BBC2's Disco 2 on 11th July 1970, promoting their debut album Hark! The Village Wait, followed by a Sunday lunch appearance on ATV's Music Room playing a live set on 18th October 1970. On TV identity is everything, and the number of TV appearances the band made (more than the Fairports at the time) was probably due to the fact they kept their lead singer, Maddy Prior, while the Fairport's singers were coming and going, with bookers never knowing who you were getting from one appearance to another.

Next up was Granada's Out Front, sharing the stage with Fairport Convention and broadcast 13th July 1971. Things then go quiet until 1973. Despite making their debut album for Chrysalis, Below The Salt in 1972 their only TV shot this year seems to have been a repeat of Out Front. BBC2's Full House appearance on 13th January 1973 was greeted by a mention in the Radio Times "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." Two months' later on 3rd March 1973 they pop up on Russell Harty Plus, while on 12th April 1973 they get their own thirty minute In Concert on BBC2. George Hamilton and Other Folk would be their next stop on 7th November 1973, and the jackpot was hit 13th December 1973 with their debut on Top Of The Pops performing their surprise Christmas hit Gaudette. For this (now lost) appearance Maddy Prior goes walkabout in the audience with a candle.

Chart success means attention, and they got it from Bary Bevins, producer at BBC TV in Manchester who had the idea of taking the band on the road, but not to typical concert halls, but instead on location to the UK's stately homes. The first Electric Folk was broadcast Wednesday 20th March 1974 from 7.35 - 8.10 pm, giving them prime time exposure, if you wished to turn over from Coronation Street. From the Radio Times "STEELEYE SPAN have taken medieval music into the charts and now armour and amplifiers stand side by side when they sing in the Great Hall at Thoresby." The venue mentioned was Thoresby Hall, Nottinghamshire, on the border of Sherwood Forest, but hardly Medieval as it was designed in 1864, and is now a Warner hotel and spa. "The Span" then trotted along to Great Hall of Warwick Castle for the second show, broadcast 27th March 1974. The venue this time dates from the 14th century, although the current hall was rebuilt in 1871 after a devastating fire. Since it has a Minstrel Gallery it is assumed that's where they played. Down to Kent for the final show of the first series, broadcast 3rd April 1974, and this time Baron’s Hall, Penshurst Place in Tonbridge, originally built for the Lord Mayor of London in 1341 and now a popular venue for wedding receptions.

In Monty Pyhton parlance things turn "very silly" on Thursday 24th July 1975 as they make their second Top Of The Pops appearance. Mike Batt's production skills were requested for their next Chrysalis album, and as strange as that sounds it worked, not just in terms of chart success, but musically. He got them. However, there was a slight problem. His recording alter-ego, The Wombles were just about to release their next single, Super Womble. The call came from CBS Records that they was needed to appear on this week's Top Of The Pops, but as was the case in those days he would need to re-record the track using Musicians Union people. So he asked Steeleye Span a favour. Could they quickly record the backing track for him here and now? They agreed and did the job in full view of the Musicians Union rep, who then insisted on taking the names of all the musicians present as they would have to be the same ones that performed on stage at the BBC the following day. Surprised by this Mike Batt then had to ask for another favour, one to which the guys in the band were only too happy to agree to. The following day Pete Knight, Bob Johnson, Nigel Pegrum, and Rick Kemp took to The Pops stage dressed up as Wombles and no-one at the time knew, although a backstage photo exists to prove it.

For the second series Electric Folk was moved from an early evening to late night broadcast. The first show on Wednesday 17th September 1975 saw them play the medieval gallery at the The New Inn, Gloucester which is now a restaurant and real ale pub. For show two on 24th September 1975 they popped up at Rivington Hall Barn, Lancashire which looks today like a renovated Saxon barn used for weddings and receptions. We then skip a week due to the Labour Party Conference and back on 8th October 1975, this time at Raby Castle, Durham, an actual medieval castle with a moat and everything! They also now have a yurt cafe.

And that was it, two lots of three shows. The show skips another week due to a theatrical production, followed by repeats of 20th March 1974 on Wednesday 22nd October 1975, and the 3rd April 1974 show re-broadcast on the 29th October 1975.

The fruit of their collaboration with Mike Batt resulted in the All Around My Hat album, and its title song took them back to Television Centre, Thursday 13th November 1975 for another Top Of The Pops.

Crackerjack would eventually come calling, it always does.

ELECTRIC FOLK

BBC2

20th March 1974 - 8th October 1975