County Down Outlook - Features - ‘Stars of the County Down

Features

‘Stars of the County Down

Wednesday, 24 February 2010

‘Stars of the County Down thumbnail Iain Matthews formly of Fairport Convention singing to an attentive Hilltown audience in the Downshire Arms Hotel, last weekend.

By Anne O'Hare

He describes himself as a musical mercenary, but that's not strictly true for when you hear him sing, he's as talented as some of his early influences, Buckley,Dylan and Cohen. As insightful a songwriter as any of his gifted contemporaries, more a progressive singer songwriter.
I'd like to begin by saying, he's one of our own, hailing from the rural hills of Backaderry, brought up on a diet of blue eyed rhythm and soul, but that wouldn't be strictly true either. The truth is, this week's Star of the County Down has universal appeal, and I've still a column to write.
Iain Matthews is a Scunthorpe veteran of rock n'roll, and our only link to him is our innate appreciation of great talent and hard work, so this week we've made Matthews, an honorary County Down man.
When you listen to his numerous albums, or you saw him play live at either the Downshire Hotel, in Hilltown or the Bronte in Banbridge last weekend, then you will also agree. Matthews's talent rises above even that of fellow ballad singer Don McClean, whom he shares uncanny vocal similarities with.
And sure, wouldn't it be contempible on our part if we couldn't adopt, however temporary, a legend who crafted his trade during the explosion of Rock N Roll and mellowed with the anti-war movement that ensued throughout America and the rest of the world with the approach of the 1970's, and continued on for what's now nearly forty years.
From his home town in the North of England, he moved to London, as he puts it in a song, "In the Rains of 62" at 16 years of age, determined to make it big. Within a short period of time, recognition had come his way through the popularity of 'Pyramid', who were signed to Deram, a label who built a reputation discovering raw talent, such as Cat Stevens.
After releasing a single called "Summer of Last Year", Iain recalls the days vividly: "When Pyramid folded, another band Fairport Convention were looking for a singer and again it was another lucky break." Iain gained further acclaim with this band, sharing stages with acts such as 'Pink Floyd'. And after a few years, folk music was experiencing a resurgence, and his band wanted to capitalise upon the trend. As Iain recalls: "They turned left and I wanted to turn right."
“So around 1969, I left and started up my own band 'Matthew's Southern Comfort". They had subsequent success with a 1970 number one hit with a cover of Joni Mitchell's. He added: "Again I grew uneasy with the commercial scene at the time. I wanted to be part of what was happening in the west coast of America around 1973, along the likes of what Tom Waite was doing. Although too, I just wanted to become the best songwriter I could be."
Iain's record company made the move possible, and he settled in Los Angeles." Over the next few years Iain recorded several solo albums, including 1973's 'Valley Hi' named after San Fernando Valley, where he lived at the time. Iain continued: "I hung out with Don Henley and co, I suppose during what I would recall as being my halcyon days."
The album contained a different arrangement of a song called 'Seven Bridges Road.' The Eagles, of which Don was a member, certainly seemed to like it as they copied Mathews arrangement on their 1980 live album. Iain said: "They copied my version lock, stock and barrel. It was unashamedly the same but they pretended they learned the song from Steve Young.
What is certain however, Iain who now lives in the South of Holland with his wife and two children, has just last week discovered a new attentive audience, his County Down contingent. He describes his audiences here as warm and very receptive to his genre of soul infused ballads. He opens his gigs with a few offerings from his latest jazz album 'Joy Mining' and has been delighted with the way they have been received. And his sincerity to returning to these shores again in the near future will be no small 'Northern Comfort' to his latest fan base.