Steve Tilston

The Life and Music of Steve Tilston Release Date: July 2007 ~ Free Reed Records FRQCD 70 A 5-CD Celebration of the music of Steve Tilston Available from the ONLINE STORE A 5-CD celebration of the music of Steve Tilston featuring classic, rare and previously-unreleased & new recordings from his entire career This deluxe Box-set comprises five full-length themed CDs, over 85 Tracks…….  with previously-unreleased rarities and new recordings from Steve, his friends and musical collaborators - plus: a 100-page full-colour book with detailed discography, image archive, and career overview. The wealth of Tilston’s finest songs in this much-overdue showcase and celebration will delight his many fans, and introduce his fine work to an even wider audience:  As respected world music authority Andy Kershaw said of Steve recently: “The songwriters’ songwriter…. one of the most consistently outstanding songwriters of his generation”
	CD1: Who Made up the Rules?” A first CD that takes us from Steve’s debut album, through his ground-breaking stays in London and Bristol, to his move north – and the album that made him world-famous. It includes tracks from every album he released in that period, as well as some new recordings made especially for this set.  Among the guests playing with Steve are John Renbourn, Lea Nicholson, Chris Parkinson, Dave Pegg, Rick Kemp, Gary Boyle, Rupert Hine, Maartin Allcock, Pete Zorn & Maggie Boyle
CD2: “He Took Most Delight” -  Decades of contrasts… keynote collaborations… classic compositions…definitive solo work – This was the era that established Steve as an international force. Climaxing in tracks from an acclaimed solo album, this CD takes in his two groundbreaking albums with Maggie Boyle, participation in WAZ and the all-star Fairport Supporters band.
	CD3: “Staring at the Time” – New routes and old roots. The songs poured out so fast that many were left unreleased – and the pick of those overlooked gems join the established Tilston Classics in this set, which brings the story up to date. Guests include Dave Pegg, Chris Parkinson, Brooks Williams, “The Bedroom Choir”, Pete Zorn, Maartin Allcock, annA rydeR, Maggie Boyle, Andy Shepherd.
CD4:  “Do What You Please” – This unique collection is “The album Steve never made”. Though he often includes cover versions in his live set, they do not normally make it on to recordings, so here, in songs “from other hands”, is a musical autobiography of the wide and wonderful Tilston influences and inspirations.
Bonus CD5:  “Bringing in the Steves” – a unique collection of cover versions of Steve’s songs, many recorded especially for this release, by the many artists and performers around the world who have admired and performed his music:  friends and guests’ tracks by – Ralph McTell, Jez Lowe, Pete Morton, Bob Fox, Fairport Convention, John Kirkpatrick, Chris Parkinson, Martha Tilston, Robin Williamson, Chris Smither – and many more! This box-set includes… Five full-length themed CDs, a 100-page book and discography, ….and a 10/- note ….over 5 hours of Music….

Tracks

CD 1: Who Made Up the Rules? (FRCD 71)

1. Introduction: Lifescape with Guitar (3.50) 
   new recording, 2006
2. And So It Goes… (4.10) 
   new recording, 2006; originally released on And So It Goes…, 1996
3. Time Has Shown Me Your Face (3.46)
4. Simplicity (3.43)
5. Normandy Day (3.08) 
   all three from An Acoustic Confusion, 1971
6. All In a Dream (4.16) 
   from Collection, 1972
7. I’m Reaching Out (4.02) 
   new recording, 2006; originally released on Collection, 1972
8. Rock Salmon Suite (2.40) 
   from Guitar Workshop Vol. 1, 1972
9. Impressions (3.50)
10. Face of a Friend (3.54) 
    both from Songs from the Dress Rehearsal, 1977
11. Time It Took Us By Surprise (4.02) 
    from Fully Chromatic, 1998
12. Show a Little Kindness (4.11) 
    from lost album, 1978; released as bonus track on the CD reissue of An Acoustic Confusion, 1971
13. B Movie (5.20)
14. Red Sky (4.00) 
    both from In for a Penny, In for a Pound, 1983
15. Tsetse Fly Shuffle (2.52)
16. Some Times in This Life (4.46) 
    both from Life by Misadventure, 1987
17. The Verdant Braes of Skreen (Roud 419) (4.56) 
    from Ship of Fools, 1988
18. These Sea Dreams (4.09) 
    from Of Moor and Mesa, 1992
19. Life By Misadventure (3.14) 
    from Life by Misadventure, 1987

CD 2: He Took Most Delight… (FRCD 72)

1. The Naked Highwayman (4.05) 
   from Of Moor and Mesa, 1992
2. The Slip Jigs and Reels (5.27) 
   new recording, 2006; originally released on Of Moor and Mesa, 1992
3. Here Comes the Night (4.21) 
   new recording, 2006; originally released on Life by Misadventure, 1987
4. Coronado and the Turk (9.22) 
   from Of Moor and Mesa, 1992
5. Enter the Tooth Fairy (3.43)
6. Goodbye to the Snow (5.14)
7. Soon Comes the Rain (3.32) 
   all three from And So It Goes…, 1996
8. Here’s to Tom Paine (4.16) 
   live recording from the “Fairport Supporters“ tour, 2002; originally from All Under the Sun, 1995
9. Let Your Banjo Ring (3.57) 
   unreleased studio version, 2001; originally from All Under the Sun, 1995
10. Man Gone Down (Fred’s Song) (3.26) 
    from Live Hemistry, 2001
11. Foolish Me (3.17)
12. Dust From My Heels (3.40)
13. Salty Dog (5.06) 
    all three from Fully Chromatic, 1998
14. Turning of the Tides (4.34)
15. The Turncoat (11.24) 
    both from Solorubato, 1998

CD 3: Staring at Time (FRCD 73)

1. The Dewy Ones (4.11) 
   from Fully Chromatic, 1998
2. Blue Heron’s Eye (3.37)
3. Living With the Blues (4.58) 
   both from Solorubato, 1998
4. Anthony Believes (4.37) 
   previously unreleased version, 2001; originally from Live Hemistry, 2001
5. The Night Owl Homeward Turns (4.07) 
   from Live Hemistry, 2001
6. To Bits and Back (Black Dog) (3.56) 
   unreleased demo
7. Old New World (4.21) 
   unreleased demo, 2000
8. Mirror Dance (6.40) 
   from Such & Such, 2003
9. Rare Thing (4.10) 
   new recording, 2002; originally from Such & Such, 2003
10. Old Cairo (5.50) 
    new recording, 2006; originally from Live Hemistry, 2001
11. Rolling Down This Roman Road (5.05) 
    previously unreleased radio broadcast, 2005; originally from Such & Such, 2003
12. I Need a Cup of Coffee (4.15) 
    live recording with Brooks Williams, 2005; originally from Such & Such, 2003
13. Totterdown (4.56) 
    from Such & Such, 2003
14. Willow Creek (3.44) 
    from Of Many Hands, 2005
15. Archipelago (3.28) 
    new recording, 2006
16. Over the Next Hill (3.54) 
    demo recording, with Dave Pegg, 2004
17. Polonaise (5.23) 
    from Life by Misadventure, 1987

CD 4: Do What You Please (FRCD 74)

1. Leaving of Liverpool (5.39) 
   from Of Many Hands, 2005
2. Blue Skies (2.20)
3. Crying Waiting Hoping (2.14)
4. Big Bill’s Been Here and Gone (3.04)
5. Trying to Get to You (2.10)
6. Blues Run the Game (3.08)
7. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (3.47)
8. Summer Girls (4.15) 
   all seven new recordings
9. Constant Lovers (4.34) 
   from Such & Such, 2003
10. The Still and Silent Ocean (5.00) 
    from The Transports Silver Edition, 2004
11. War Horse Town (3.21) 
    from The Mrs Ackroyd Band: The Wings of Butterflies, 1999
12. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall (7.11) 
    new recording, 2007
13. Dipsticks and Seals (5.24) 
    from The Mrs Ackroyd Band: Yelp, 2003
14. Rhapsody (23.01) 
    from Swans at Coole, 1990

Bonus CD 5: Bringing in the Steves: Cover Versions (FRCD 75)

1. Wizz Jones: Do What You Please (5.24)
2. Ralph McTell, Maart Allcock: Is This the Same Boy? (4.08)
3. Steve Gillett, Cindy Mageson: Waterhole (3.56)
4. Greg Anderson, Sarah Milonovich: Goodbye to the Snow (3.36)
5. Hamish Stuart, Matt Irving: Living with the Blues (4.39)
6. Jez Lowe: All in a Dream (4.00)
7. Bob Fox: Life Is Not Kind (3.59)
8. Pete Morton, Laura Hockenhull: These Days (5.03)
9. Chris Smither: Can’t Shake These Blues (3.47)
10. John Kirkpatrick, Chris Parkinson: Willow Creek (3.25)
11. Fairport Convention: The Naked Highwayman (4.59)
12. Tom McConville: Rocky Road (3.06)
13. Darryl Purpose: Sonnet (3.52)
14. Brooks Williams: Here Comes the Night (3.09)
15. Lunaseeds featuring Oddur: Do What You Please (4.04)
16. Martha Tilston with Steve Tilston: I Really Wanted You (3.58)
17. Grace Notes: Down Falls the Day (5.38) 
    from Down Falls the Day, 2003
18. Dolores Keane: The Night Owl (3.41)
19. Robin and Bina Williamson: The Proud Man (5.07)