On May 31, 1982, forty-five days after the release of their landmark album Shoot Out the Lights, Richard and Linda Thompson performed with their band at Parody Hall in Kansas City. A young numskull, I was incapable of fully grasping the emotional dynamic on display. The couple’s marriage didn’t survive the year. I’ve subsequently admired the individual output of both artists. Until now, however, I’ve never been infatuated with a recording by Linda Thompson. The unusual backstory of the wondrous Proxy Music necessitates a stylistic range accentuating Thompson’s skill as a songwriter. The eleven songs are funny, heart-wrenching and illuminating. "Those Damn Roches", the self-referential closing selection, further reveals the wry sense of humor exhibited on the all-time-great album cover.
Concert Review: Richard Thompson at the Folly Theater
Original image by There Stands the Glass.
I wasn’t feeling it, and I don’t think Richard Thompson was either. A concert by the notoriously bleak British troubadour at the Folly Theater on Sunday, November 21, was even drearier than anticipated. Renowned for his doom and gloom sensibility, Thompson’s attempts to connect with the audience of about 600 repeatedly failed.
Alternately icy and awkward, the 100-minute outing was adequate rather than transcendent. The set list wasn’t the problem. Most of Thompson’s new compositions were solid and hearing his classics from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s remains thrilling. I suppose I’ll never understand the astonishing popularity of the 1991 story song “1952 Vincent Black Lightning.”
Reading excerpts from his new autobiography was a good idea, but the execution was weirdly clumsy. Yet the off night for the musical giant was nonetheless rewarding. My seat in the third row allowed for careful scrutiny of Thompson’s seemingly magical guitar work. He doesn’t require accompanists. His guitar often simulated the sound of a full band.
Even so, I longed for a bit of noise. A ten-minute burst of instrumental electric guitar would have enlivened the show. Backing vocalist Zara Phillips was fine, but Thompson deserves- and last night truly needed- the presence of a similarly accomplished peer. A collaboration with a notable figure from the British folk scene such as June Tabor might have made the uncertain night unforgettable.
Book Review: Richard Thompson's Beeswing
Original image by There Stands the Glass.
I’ve met far more famous people, but a meet-and-greet with Joe Boyd is among my most meaningful music-related celebrity encounters. A significant swathe of the raconteur’s expansive discography impacted the way I experience music. Gaining insights about Boyd from the perspective of one of his most notable artists was among the reasons I picked up Richard Thompson’s Beeswing.
The cult artist spills a lot of beans in his new autobiography. An account of being heckled for having long hair by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos in the Detroit airport and an admission of hiring a prostitute in Hamburg are among the titillating anecdotes. I wasn’t surprised by Thompson’s detailed acknowledgement of his obsession with all forms of music. He raves about artists as disparate as Claude Debussy, Jimi Hendrix and Barney Kessel and offers firsthand portraits of associates including Sandy Denny, Nick Drake and Dave Pegg.
Lavish praise of Boyd verified my admiration of the renaissance man, but Thompson’s thorough exploration of his conversion to Sufism and subsequent pilgrimage to Mecca contains several unanticipated elements. In spite of his uncommon path, Thompson still considers himself a traditional folk artist of Britain. I’m looking forward to experiencing Thompson’s forthcoming concert at the Folly Theater through this newly acquired perspective.