The English Country Blues Band - Unruly (2007)

Interest has grown in the search for an English identity, and also in older pre-corporate forms of American roots musics. At the beginning of the 1980s, well ahead of their time, The English Country Blues Band combined both these themes. The ECBB brought together well-known musicians from opposite corners of the English folk scene in what was then considered an innovative, barrier-demolishing blend, naturally Anglicising blues and old-time country and finding new ways of looking at British traditional songs and tunes.

These tracks from their two albums and one single, recorded between 1981 and 1983, feature the core trio of Maggie Holland, Rod Stradling and Ian Anderson, regular members Chris Coe, Sue Harris and John Maxwell, and guests including Nic Jones, John Kirkpatrick, Dave Peabody and Danny Stradling. Completely remastered, this re-issue includes an extra track with veteran English folk icon Bob Copper, closing the circle begun two decades before it was recorded.

The English Country Blues Band were:
Maggie Holland (vocals, bass guitar, banjo, guitar), Ian Anderson (vocals, guitar, slide guitar), Rod Stradling (melodeons, vocals) throughout.

On tracks 1-10 from the album No Rules (Dingles Records, 1982) the ECBB also included Sue Harris (hammered dulcimer, oboe) throughout, plus guests John Kirkpatrick (concertina), Nic Jones (fiddle), Chris Coe (vocals), Dave Peabody (harmonica), Danny Stradling (percussion).

On 11 (Rogue Records single, 1983) the band was Holland, Anderson, Stradling, Harris and John Maxwell (drums).

On 12-20 from the album Home & Deranged (Rogue Records, 1983), the ECBB was Holland, Anderson, Stradling, Maxwell and Chris Coe (hammered dulcimer, vocals).

21, previously unissued, features Bob Copper (vocal), Ian Anderson (guitar), Ben Mandelson (mandolin).

Tracklist:
1.01 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Baby What Do You Want Me to Do? (3:27)
1.02 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Travellers in Heaven (3:00)
1.03 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - The Panic Is on (2:16)
1.04 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Oregon / Portland Town (5:38)
1.05 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Under the Waterbed / Under the Army Blanket (3:56)
1.06 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Weary Blues (3:25)
1.07 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Handsome Johnny (2:59)
1.08 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Strong Man (3:17)
1.09 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Rambling Boys of Pleasure (4:59)
1.10 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - The Nutting Girl (3:43)
1.11 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Put Your Money in Your Shoes (3:11)
1.12 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - The Wreck of the Northfleet (4:35)
1.13 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - England's Power and Glory (3:44)
1.14 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Beware, Oh Take Care (3:17)
1.15 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - California Blues (2:50)
1.16 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - The English Country Blues (2:53)
1.17 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Tom Traubert's Blues (4:21)
1.18 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - The Italian Job / Lodge Road (3:26)
1.19 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Lovin' Henry (4:05)
1.20 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Fair and Tender Ladies (4:43)
1.21 - The English Country Blues Band, John Kirkpatrick, Nic Jones, Danny Stradling, Dave Peabody - Diving Duck (3:25)