The Guv'nor: Volume 1 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ethnic Shuffle Orchestra

All of these (and the Blue Reeds) are groups led by Ashley Hutchings in the early/mid sixties, and are described as 'short-lived' in the sleeve notes accompanying the CD. This particular recording seems to be a skiffle band, with Ashley playing 'acoustic upright string bass', Bryan King playing washboard and a kazoo player identified only as Willy.

Answer: Sandy Danny

This is an early Fairport recording of this song. It was later recorded by Fairport on the album 'Heyday', this time with Sandy Denny singing vocals. Of the other options, Richard Thompson has become well known in the folk-rock world with a successful solo career. Judy Dyble briefly sang with a fore-runner of King Crimson and then joined with Jackie McAuley to form Trader Horne. Ian Matthews subsequently was lead singer for Plainsong and Matthews Southern Comfort.

Answer: Etchingham Steam Band

The Etchingham Steam Band was named after the village in Sussex where Ashley and Shirley Collins, (his wife at the time) were living, and had a varying line up (including Shirley Collins as vocalist on this track). From this the Albion Dance Band evolved, as well as the related Albion Country Band and the Albion Band, all of which had interchangeable and varying line ups.

The Sawdust Band was another of Ashley's bands in the seventies. The Incredible String Band is yet another folk-rock group of the sixties, who also recorded with Judy Dyble as a guest singer. Blue Murder is another folk group of more recent vintage with a variable line up - but it has no direct connection with Ashley Hutchings that I can see.

Answer: Chesterfield

"He rambled off to Chesterfield, frightened off the choir. Climbed as high as he could go and bent that wooden spire."
Chesterfield is known, famed even, for the twisted wooden spire of St Mary's and All Saints Parish Church. Another verse added by Ashley mentions Saltergate, the home ground of Chesterfield Football Club.

Answer: Hate

The elements here are forces or nature, not the ones in the periodic table. "Weep you heavens weep, scatter your tears upon the field. Hate has murdered sleep. So many wounds cannot be healed".

One website adds the snippet that this was "written for Key to the North, a film about Newark's involvement in the English Civil War." Further investigation shows that Newark (the one in Nottinghamshire, England, not the one in New Jersey, USA) in medieval times was a walled town of great strategic importance.

"Known as 'the Key to the North', it commanded the only crossing for many miles over the River Trent (and the nearest one to the distant estuary), Britain's third longest river. Not only that, two ancient long distance main roads cross here, the Roman Fosse Way from Bath to Lincoln, which stays on the south side of the river, and the Great North Road from London to York and Edinburgh, which crosses the river right beside Newark Castle." (from the web page of one Jim Fisher who references other sources.)

This is a recording by the Albion Band, including Cathy Lesurf on the vocals, Phil Beer on mandolin and Dave Mattocks on drums. Cathy was previously part of Fiddlers Dram (who recorded 'Day Trip to Bangor') and the Oyster Band (another folk rock group), Phil Beer became half of folk-rock duo Show of Hands and Dave Mattocks was the drummer for Fairport Convention for most of the time between 1969-75 and 1985-97.

Answer: Ancient fellow with an ancient past

All of these phrases and more are used introducing the six members of this 1982 line-up. "A touch of humour and a touch too much, with the nimblest hands and the nimblest feet" refers to the drummer John Maxwell. Cathy Lesurf is described as being the dancing mistress who can "wobble a note and charm a bird". Then there is the Frenchman, Jean-Pierre Rasle, whose "piece-de-resistance is his bag of wind". Looking at this and other recordings he has made with the Albion Band, medieval woodwind instruments would seem to be his speciality.

Not mentioned in the options are the descriptions of Dave Whetstone (described as the bard of Stratford) and Simon Nichol (described as the tavern's bride). But the "ancient fellow with an ancient past, Machiavellian, so they say, holds a pistol to our heads in a charming way" is Ashley Hutchings.

Answer: Curtal

John Southcott plays vielle on the Albion Dance Band recording of two tunes, simply entitled 'Lament/ Riotta'. Phil Pickett plays a shawm on The Albion Band's track 'One More Day' while Jean-Pierre Rasle plays crumhorn on 'The Albion Band is Here Again' by The Albion Band. Phil Pickett also played a curtal for the Albion Band, but not on any of the tracks on this album.

The Albion Band, the Albion Country Band and the Albion Dance Band were all based around the same group of musicians, whose names changed back and forth with the line ups depending on the focus at the time. One website lists forty-two different people who have recorded music as part of the Albion Band.

These strange instruments are all from medieval period. Crumhorns, curtals and shawms are woodwind instruments whilst a vielle is related to the violin.

Answer: Grog

"Merrily, merrily / So merry sail we, no mortal on earth like a sailor at sea / Heave away, haul away, the ship rolls along / Give a sailor his grog and there's nothing goes wrong." As these are all part of one track, it would seem that the chorus from "A Sailor's Alphabet" is just used to bridge the gap.

Answer: Angelina

Another collection of people known for playing in other bands. This line up includes both Pete and Bill Zorn of The Arizona Smoke Review, Dave Mattocks (Fairport Convention again) and Clive Gregson, who like Pete Zorn has toured with the Richard Thompson Band.

It is also notable for being the only track on the album where a bass guitar appears but Ashley Hutchings is not playing it. Of the other 18 tracks, 17 of them have him playing bass guitar, acoustic bass guitar or acoustic upright bass. The eighteenth has five vocalists and no instruments. All the options listed are on the album but only 'Angelina' and 'Dear Landlord' are written by Dylan. 'We Lie' is written by Hutchings and Chris White (of the Albion Band) whilst 'Six Days on the Road' was written by Americans Carl Montgomery and Earl Green.

Answer: Shepherd's Hey

"Shepherd's Hey" is a traditional Morris tune, a recording of which can be found on Ashley Hutchings' album 'Great Grandson of Morris On'. Percy Grainer collected and arranged this tune as well. "College Grove" is a reel, on this album played by Steeleye Span. "St Anne's Reel" is played here by the Albion Country Band. Both of these tunes are traditional in origin. "Lost in Space" is a tune written by Phil Beer and recorded on this CD by the Albion Band.