PRE-ORDER: This item will be shipped with the aim to deliver on release day.
Release Date: 07 February 2025
Label: Talking Elephant
Packaging Type: Digipak
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 5028479050529
Genres: Folk Rock 'N' Roll
Description
Restoring the GPs
In 1991, there existed for what now seems a Brigadoon moment, what would, in any context but folk-rock, be called a supergroup - Richard Thompson, Ralph McTell, Dave Pegg, Dave Mattacks - collectively known as The GPs. They played four gigs, including that year's Fairport Reunion, held at Broughton Castle on the 14th and 15th of August, 1981.
That gig was recorded, essentially for archive purposes, and given limited release on Woodworm Records as a souvenir of the event, ten years later.
Wind the clock forward thirty-two years to 2023. Using modern technology to clean up excerpts from a couple of the tracks. As soon as they heard them, Ralph and Peggy were on the phone: "Where did you find those recordings of the GPs? They sound great." It was explained they were the old recordings that had been cleaned up and remixed digitally. "Could you do it with the rest of them?"
So began the process of restoring the original, pretty basic recordings. Then as word got out about the plan to reissue the tracks, we were told of another, unreleased recording of the Horsham gig. Not only did this provide a choice of versions and a surprise-guest fifth GP, it also provided half a dozen songs not on the original CD.
The songs included country classics, blues, rock'n'roll standards, songs by The Band plus original songs by both Richard and Ralph.
Using remastered versions from both these recordings, plus a bonus track from a brief one-off GPs reunion, a brand new album has been created, providing, at last, a fitting record of the greatest pub rock band that ever, however briefly, existed.
Tracklisting
THE GPS
AND DID THOSE FEET
Fire and Ice
The Albion Christmas Band
Dorie Jackson
Linda Moylan
The Home Service
Gryphon
