The Albion Country Bands

ah and shovel

This volatile traditional folk ensemble was founded in April 1972 by defecting Steeleye Span bassist Ashley Hutchings (b. 26 January 1945, Southgate, Middlesex, England). Royston Wood (b. 1935; vocals), Sue Draheim (b. August 1949, Oakland, California, USA; fiddle) and Steve Ashley (b. 9 March 1946, London, England; guitar) completed the new venture alongside Simon Nicol (b. 13 October 1950, Muswell Hill, London, England; guitar) and Dave Mattacks (b. 13 March 1948, Edgware, Middlesex, England; drums), two of Hutchings' former colleagues from Fairport Convention. The Albion moniker had already been used by Hutchings to back an album by his wife, Shirley Collins, in 1971. The early line-up disintegrated six months after its inception and a caretaker unit, which included Richard Thompson, fulfilled all outstanding obligations. Hutchings, Nicol and new drummer Roger Swallow then pieced together a second Country Band with folk acolytes Martin Carthy (b. 21 May 1940, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England), Sue Harris (b. 17 May 1949, Coventry, Warwickshire, England) and John Kirkpatrick (b. 8 August 1947, Chiswick, London, England), but this innovative sextet was also doomed to a premature demise. Their lone album, Battle Of The Field, recorded in 1973, was withheld until 1976, and was only issued following public demand

The Combined Forces of both line-ups

Steve Ashley : guitar
Sue Draheim : fiddle
Ashley Hutchings : bass
Simon Nicol : guitar, vocals
Royston Wood : vocals
Shirley Collins : vocals, banjo
Roger Swallow : drums
Linda Thompson : vocals
Richard Thompson guitar, vocals
Martin Carthy : guitar, vocals
Sue Harris : vocals, oboe, dulcimer
John Kirkpatrick : accordion, vocals, piano
Martin Nicholls, John Iveson, Colin Sheen, Paul Beer : sackbuts on "Gallant Poacher"
Dave Mattacks : percussion on "Reaphook and Sickle".

the Albion Country Band. Mk. 1[click for larger]

Steve Ashley, Simon Nicol, Royston Wood, Sue Draheim, Dave Mattacks, Ashley Hutchings

Albion Country Band Mk.1 1972

(Ashley Hutchings, Royston Wood,

Steve Ashley, Simon Nicol,

Sue Draheim & Dave Mattacks) on

Lord Bateman;

the Albion Country Band Mk. 2

the never-to-be-duplicated

Albion Country Band line-up of

Simon Nicol

Martin Carthy, Roger Swallow,

Sue Harris and John Kirkpatrick.

Ashley Hutchings missing in action.

The Battle of the Field

our complete website on this,

one of the finest albums ever

recorded