Dead Dave Swarbrick (And Fairport Convention)

[Death Watch Beatle 41]

Always a good sign that your time is nearly up is winning a 'Lifetime Achievement Award'. Dave Swarbrick, former violinist with Fairport Convention, received one this week at the BBC Folk Awards. Unfortunately Dave was too ill to receive his award in person! Swarb, rather surprisingly, has already passed the famousness test, by having an obituary written in the Daily Telegraph a couple of years ago. (Oops). His poor health (mainly self-inflicted it has to be said) has included 2 tracheotomies in the last few years, and he is now confined to a wheelchair with oxygen mask (see also Marlon Brando). Keep an eye on him.

DWB

[Stayin Alive 26]

Hey Beatle

 

What happened? The torygraph published an obituary when he wasn't even dead?

 

Maybe him and Marlon could have tea together, they have lots in common right now. It could be a breath of fresh air for them both.

 

How can you have 2 tracheotomies? I thought only one was practical.

 

Ah ha ha ha...

[Death Watch Beatle 41]

Reaper

 

Something else to make your mind boggle, after the Spector and Hawkings conundrums. Swarbrick still manages to do some singing after his 2 tracheotomies!

 

DWB

[Stayin Alive 26]

Hey Beats, I'm a death watch beegee, ah ha ha ha, Stayin Alive... I'm no reaper

 

Wow! Singing you say. Most impressive. Where can one purchase such audial delights?

 

So did the torygraph publish an obituary when he wasn't even dead?

[Death Watch Beatle 41]

Sorry about the confusion there. Two trains of thought going at once. The boggling comment is for Reaper, 'cause he seemed to be doing a lot of that the last couple of weeks, what with Phil Spector's gun and Stephen Hawking's tone of voice. In answer to your question BeeGee Boy, the Torygraph did indeed print poor old Dave's obituary before he was dead. It was a couple of years ago now, and he was playing a gig in the Midlands, and his reply to hearing the news he was dead was "it's not the first time I've died in Coventry", or words to that effect. So, is Swarb the first and only person to have passed the obituary test without having to go the extra mile and die? We should be told!

 

DWB

[Death Watch Beatle 41]

I would just like to add that I haven't a clue what Fairport Convention sound like, my interest is purely morbid.

 

DWB

[Stayin Alive 26]

Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother you're telling lies... I bet you have the entire back catalouge. Morbid Interest - bah!

 

Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive

[Grim Reaper 186]

Two tracheotomies must be a tough break for any violinist...however I think Nigel Kennedy should also consider giving it a try.

 

I'd volunteer to make the incisions myself!

 

Swarbuck does sound like a reasonable prospect though. He appears to be amazingly famous for a dodgy old fiddler.

[Teddy 21]

DWB asks

 

So, is Swarb the first and only person to have passed the obituary test without having to go the extra mile and die? We should be told!

 

If memory serves, Alfred Noble was the most famous. His obit credited him with inventing dynamite, and painted such a bleak picture of his invention, with the destruction it could cause, that Alfred was moved to take his money and set up the Nobel Institute in order to leave a more pleasant lasting memory.

 

I also read that Australian TV once announced that the Queen Mother had died, leading to a swift denial from the Palace. She probably had, but they just didn't want a Republican-minded country announcing it. Like the old Soviet leaders, I understand she was put in deep freeze and wheeled out in time for the Queen's jubilee. All the sympathy and 'remember the war' imagery ensured a good turnout at the Mall for the celebrations.

[Stayin Alive 26]

Greetz and welcome Teddy

 

I too heard the bit about Noble on the radio, sounds like the same programme.

 

Reading your post about the QM reminded me of this...

 

A good few years back I overheard an O.B. talkback link for her loveliness, the QM. It was as if she really had eaten her final fruit des ocean pie. It lasted for hours and you could hear the big name presenters (both dimblebys if I remember correctly) in the main studios. I believe it's quite a standard thing for the media to dry run big name deaths like this, so that everything is "by the numbers" when the reaper comes calling.

[Mr Stats 9]

The original mistaken obituary was for Mark Twain who then commented "Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated"

[The Yeti 14]

Nah, it's gotta be Jesus. Had a whole book written about him dying and then not ...

 

Or Lazarus ...

[Mr Stats 9]

I wasn't including fictional characters

[Teddy 21]

Following on from Stayin Alive's story re preparing for the Queen Mum's death, the link shows how even internet news providers can get into the act. If you thought finding your name on the death list was bad news, imagine popping your name into Google and finding your obituary!

 

Smokin Gun

[Guest shoodBworkin]

Fairport Convention used to sound awesome. Olde English ballads with rock arrangements. Richard Thompson played lead guitar with them when he was a teenager. I saw 'em when Sandy Denny was singing for them. Really nice stuff . . .

 

I found this forum by googling

 

ill david swarbrick health

 

after my buddy informed me that he saw Richard Thompson tuesday night and Richard mentioned that Swarbrick is in ill health and maybe you should google for his website and send best wishes . . . I googled his name and turned up a bunch of sites. I don't know which one would deliver his message . . .

 

Nice place y'all have here

 

 

pax

j/f/t

[The Four Horsemen 26]

They have a concert every year for Dave Swarbrick called Swarbaid if anyone's interested. I'm more of a Steeleye Span man myself.........

[Guest shoodBworkin]

Yeah, me too. I discovered Steeleye Span in 1974 I think. I was at a party and came upon the Parcel Of Rogues album. Damn I was hooked. By 1976 I'd formed a band called Tavern Dog that played SS exclusively. It was great fun learning multi-part harmony that DIDN'T sound like CSNY. Like those seconds and minor thirds instead of just perfect fifths, I guess . . . I got tired of 'em around 'Rocket Cottage' but I still occasionally hear Maddy and June Tabor dueting on the local folk radio show . . . Recently I was looking thru some old memorabilia and came upon the words to 'Cam Ye O'er Frae France' along with a little dictionary that tells what all those strange words mean lol . . . . Kittel Hoosey indeed

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

I'm going to see Dave Swarbrick preform next Friday night, so I'll check to see how close to death he looks these days.

 

Anyway, he's posted some news on his website about his close friend and former bandmate Diz Disley, who is very ill with heart problems and dementia:

 

http://www.folkicons.co.uk/swarbmenu.htm

[themaninblack 2,112]

I'm going to see Dave Swarbrick preform next Friday night, so I'll check to see how close to death he looks these days.

 

Anyway, he's posted some news on his website about his close friend and former bandmate Diz Disley, who is very ill with heart problems and dementia:

 

http://www.folkicons.co.uk/swarbmenu.htm

 

The man who had an obituary in the Telegraph in 1999!

 

Just getting into Fairport Convention. Bought their 1969 album Liege & Lief on vinyl last month. Superb...

[maryportfuncity 10,657]

“Hello folks. Diz Disley is in a London hospital, and is in a very bad way. Amongst a number of complaints, he has dementia and his weakened heart is working at only 30 percent capacity. Diz has no relatives and the concern is that, because he is destitute, there are no funds for a fitting send off, whenever that should be. If you feel you would like to make a contribution, please make your cheque payable to DIZAID and send it to me at 5 Dronfield Road, Stoke, Coventry, CV2 4BZ. Very many thanks, Swarb x”

 

For those who can't be bothered to navigate Swarb's site. On that evidence Diz has weeks, maybe a couple of months if they can do something with his heart. A real tragedy in this case being his dual Canadian/UK citizenship and the fact he almost certainly won't make the start line if there's another CPDP.

[harrymcnallysblueandwhitearmy 1,689]

In case anyone's been on tenterhooks for the past eight months, Disley survived for another couple of weeks and got a Guardian obituary three weeks later.

 

All right you lot, get back to work.

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

Dave Swarbrick was hospitalised last week in Cork due to a stomach ailment which was hard to treat, due to most remedies having an adverse affect on the anti-rejection drugs he has relied on since his lung transplant. He is now back home recovering. Here's a very recent photo....

[Deathray 2,941]

Arguably the greatest folk band to exist, and an awful lot of members over the years to go with it (the official website listing a total of 25 members and given this includes Paul Warren a roadie who only played drums a dozen or so gigs on the European leg of their 1975 tour it should be fairly comprehensive). And the vast majority are well into retirement age... With the death of Bruce Rowland last year at just 73 it's clear there's some good potential in this lot. The dates don't include guest appearances at Cropredy. If anyone can find more info on the guys with missing birthdays it'd be appreciated. By the looks of it this band could still be here in another fifty years if not another hundred with new faces of course - so this thread has legs.

 

4 dead, 21 living

• Ashley Hutchings (member 1967-69) (born 26th Jan 1945)
• Bob Brady (member 1976) (can't find date of birth)
• Bruce Rowland (member 1975-79 (born 22nd May 1942 - 29th June 2015 died aged 73) [cancer]
• Chris Leslie (member 1996-Present) (born 15th December 1956)
• Dan Ar Bras (member 1976) (born 15th January 1949)
• Dave Mattacks (member 1969-1972, 1974, 1985-1997) (born 18th March 1948)
• Dave Pegg (member since 1969) (born 2nd November 1947)
• Dave Swarbrick (member 1969-79) (born 5th April 1941)
• David Rea (1972) (born 26th October 1946 - 27th October 2011 died aged 66) [cause of death not released]
• Gerry Conway (1998-Present) (born 11th September 1947)
• Ian Matthews (1967-69) (born 16th June 1946)
• Jerry Donahue (1972-75) (born 24th September 1946)
• Judy Dyble (1967-68) (born 13th February 1949)
• Maartin Allcock (1985-1996) (born 5th January 1957)
• Martin Lamble (1967-69) (born 28th August 1949 - 12th May 1969 died aged 19) [van crash]
• Paul Warren (1975) (can't find date of birth)
• Ric Sanders (1985-Present) (born 8th December 1952)
• Richard Thompson (1967-71) (born 3rd April 1949)
• Roger Burridge (1976) (can't find date of birth)
• Roger Hill (1971-72) (born 1944/45 - November 2011 died aged 66) [cardiac arrest]
• Sandy Denny (1968-69,1974-75) (born 6 January 1947 - 21st April 1978 died aged 31) [traumatic mid-brain haemorrhage]
• Shaun Frater (1967) (cannot find date of birth)
• Simon Nicol (1967-71, 1976-79, 1986-Present) (born 13th October 1950)
• Tom Farnell (1972) (can't find date of birth)
• Trevor Lucas (1972-1975) (born 25th December 1943 - 4th February 1989 aged 45) [heart attack]

[Deathray 2,941]

Can a mod change the tagline to Who Knows Where the Time Goes?

[Handrejka 1,904]

I'm a big Fairport fan too, seen them live a couple of times (and been flirted with by Simon and Peggy) but not made it to Cropredy yet. I'm hoping to get there next year for my 40th.

 

Swarb has to be a potential with his past health problems though he seems to be doing ok now. I like the fact he took his premature obituary in good humour.