Jack the Lad were a folk rock/electric folk group from North East England formed in 1973 by three former members of Lindisfarne, the most successful band of the period from the region. They moved from the progressive folk rock of Lindisfarne into much more traditional territory and were in the mid-1970s something of a northern counterpart to bands like Fairport Convention. They have also been seen as part of an important roots movement, rediscovering traditional Northumbrian music.
After two highly successful albums, Lindisfarne's third album Dingly Dell (1972) was a commercial and critical failure and the band split with main songwriter Alan Hull going off to perform solo projects and eventually reforming Lindisfarne with a new line-up later that year. The remaining members: Rod Clements (bass, violin, guitar, vocals), Simon Cowe (guitar, mandolin, banjo, vocals), and Ray Laidlaw (drums) formed Jack the Lad with former Lindisfarne member Billy Mitchell (guitar, banjo, vocals). (Read more at Wikipedia).
Links to Peel[]
John Peel's Jack The Lad - Gentlemen Soldier
Peel introducing "Gentleman Soldier"
Jack The Lad are less well-remembered than Lindisfarne, who were far more commercially successful. Yet they did eight sessions for Peel's shows between 1973 and 1976, while Lindisfarne only appeared in session six times. This may have been because Jack The Lad were responsible for one of Peel's favourite tracks of the mid-1970s - their version of the traditional song "Gentleman Soldier" (previously recorded by Martin Carthy on his 1967 LP with Dave Swarbrick, "Byker Hill"), which he reviewed enthusiastically in his Singles Reviews column in Sounds, remarking that "Jack The Lad are a vastly entertaining band, better in my view than the Lindisfarne from which they sprang"[1] . He also chose "Gentleman Soldier" as his third favourite single of 1975 and described as "one of the most joyous records I've ever heard in me life".
Peel later observed that many of the bands who appeared in session on Top Gear in the first half of the 1970s were made up of members of previous bands, and Jack The Lad were an example. They also had one member, drummer Ray Laidlaw, whose sons Jack and Jed did Peel sessions in 2002 and 2003 as members of the band Mos Eisley.
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- None
Sessions[]
Eight sessions, none commercially released.
1. Recorded: 1973-05-14. First broadcast: 29 May 1973. Repeated: 31 July 1973
- Boilermaker Blues / One More Dance / Rosa Lee / Draught Genius
2. Recorded: 1973-09-17. First broadcast: 09 October 1973. Repeated: 18 December 1973
- Where The Action Is / Fast Lane Driver / Back On The Road Again
3. Recorded: 1974-01-17. First broadcast: 24 January 1974. Repeated: 07 March 1974
- Plain Dealing / Lying In The Water / Rosalee / Turning Into Winter
4. Recorded: 1974-05-02. First broadcast: 21 May 1974. Repeated: 25 June 1974
- Nancy / Oakey Strike Evictions / Peggy (Overseas With A Soldier) / (& Weary Whaling Grounds, TX on repeat)
5. Recorded: 1974-09-17. First broadcast: 01 October 1974. Repeated: 26 November 1974
- Big Ocean Liner / The Ballad Of Tonto McGuire / The Old Straight Track / The Third Millenium
6. Recorded: 1975-03-13. First broadcast: 20 March 1975. Repeated: 29 May 1975
- The Gentleman Soldier / Captain Grant / My Friend The Drunk / Kojoke / Walters' Drop
7. Recorded: 1975-09-04. First broadcast: 11 September 1975. Repeated: 14 November 1975
- Winston O'Flaherty / One For The Boy / Baby Let Me Take You Home / Rocking Chair
8. Recorded: 1976-09-28. First broadcast: 21 October 1976. Repeated: 21 December 1976
- Trinidad / 8 Ton Crazy / We'll Give You The Roll / Take Some Time
Other Shows Played[]
(The list below is compiled only from the database of this site and is certainly incomplete. Please add more information if known.)
- 1973
- 15 May 1973: One More Dance (single) Charisma
- 22 May 1973: One More Dance (single) Charisma
- 1975
- J P D28: Home Sweet Home (7") Charisma
- 29 September 1975: The Ballad Of Winston O'Flaherty (LP - Rough Diamonds) Charisma
- 02 October 1975: Gardener Of Eden (LP - Rough Diamonds) Charisma
- 19 December 1975: Gentleman Soldier (7")' (Charisma CB 253) (JP: 'One of the most joyous records I've ever heard in me life.') (JP top 15 singles of 1975)
- 1976
- 03 September 1976: 8 Ton Crazy (7") United Artists
- 2003
- 16 April 2003: Why Can't I Be Satisfied? (LP- Jack The Lad) Morr
- 17 April 2003 (Radio Eins): Jack the Lad: Why Can't I Be Satisfied? (album - It's Jack The Lad)
See Also[]
- Record Collection: J
- Mos Eisley
- Singles Reviews
- Peel's Big 45
- 1975 Top Thirty Singles
- Gigography 1973
- Gigography 1974
- Gigography 1975
- Sounds