Lindisfarne were a British
folk/
rock group from
Newcastle upon Tyne established in 1970 (originally called
Brethren) and fronted by singer/songwriter
Alan Hull. Their music combined a strong sense of yearning with an even stronger sense of fun. The original line-up comprised
Alan Hull (vocals, guitar, piano),
Ray Jackson (vocals,
mandolin,
harmonica), Simon Cowe (guitar, mandolin, banjo),
Rod Clements (bass guitar, violin) and Ray Laidlaw (drums).
They are best known for the albums
Nicely Out of Tune (1970),
Fog on the Tyne (1971) and
Back and Fourth (1978), also for the success of songs such as "Meet Me On The Corner", "
Lady Eleanor", "Run For Home" and "We Can Swing Together".
History
The group began as
The Downtown Faction, led by
Rod Clements, but soon changed their name to
Brethren. In 1968, they were joined by
Alan Hull and became Lindisfarne after the island of that name off the coast of
Northumberland. In 1970
Tony Stratton-Smith signed them to
Charisma Records and their debut album
Nicely Out of Tune was released in 1970. This album defined their mixture of bright harmony and up tempo folk rock. Both singles released from the album "Clear White Light" and "Lady Eleanor" failed to chart, as did the album itself at first, however the band obtained a strong following from its popular live concerts.
Their second...
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