
Bizarre thing how our generation, the Fairport part of it, chose to look hippy in England but there you go. Meanwhile, their powers of observation were commendable … that shot of those two from that generation before … so accurate, so respectably casual – her, so dressed down – him, with the slacks and jumper, no tie on business shirt.
Could have been my parents … it’s the parents who do my head in. I look back at ourselves then and think … well yes, all very nice and didn’t we have fun, eh? Sitting here with a cuppa and custard creams … we’re the oldies now. Just how long ago was their youth? War years? Just after?
My parents’ first tele … we knew a television repair man down the road. Mate and I, must have been holiday time, parents out, we called that TV man’s daughter … did she want to come and visit my place? Yes, on her way. Never got there … dad had heard the conversation … so we went and explored a new building site, with our string walkie-talkies.
Oh my goodness … getting senile here? Maybe but it was not my past of interest … it was theirs, our parents … that was where the real history had been made.
I believe the couple on the cover were Sandy Denny’s parents.
……
JH: They were, yes, Woodsy. “Sandy Denny’s parents, Edna and Neil Denny … The photo would end up as the cover shot of Fairport Convention’s third album, Unhalfbricking, …”