Dave Pegg - 1983 - The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone

(39:12; Talking Elephant [2025 Edition] )

On 4th August 1979, Fairport Convention played what was supposed to be their final gig, after which Dave Pegg was invited to stand in for John Glascock on Jethro Tull’s ‘Stormwatch’ tour, joining the band after Glascock died. He was an integral part of Tull for the next fifteen years, but he also managed to put aside some time to record his first solo album, which was released in 1983. I first saw Peggy when he played with Tull on the ‘Under Wraps’ tour before catching him in the reformed Fairport on their ‘Gladys’ Leap’ soiree, which is where I first purchased this (and still have o this day). Of course, this was back in the day of cassettes, so I put ‘Gladys’ Leap’ on one side, and this on the other, and consequently was an album I played a great deal.

Mostly instrumental, with Peggy showing off his wonderful mandolin playing, it does also feature vocals, most notably on “Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow”. This was originally recorded by Tull during the ‘Broadsword and the Beast’ sessions but not released until many years later, and Ian gave Peggy permission to record his own version. Consequently, given I knew this version long before I heard Tull’s, even though that one was recorded first, I have always preferred this. I think (but could be wrong, I often am) that this was the first time an unreleased Ian Anderson song was recorded and released by another artist, and there have not been (m)any since.

Peggy has had a very long career in music, still going to this day (as I write this Fairport are on yet another tour of the UK), and he is easily the musician I have seen most given how many times I have seen Fairport Convention, Fairport Acoustic Convention, and Jethro Tull, yet he is still incredibly down to earth. I was fortunate enough to interview him at his home many years ago, and a signed photo of Fairport is still on the wall in my study, and all that makes it very difficult to objectively say what I think about this album as it has been a friend of mine for 40 years. All I can say is that if you enjoy Fairport-style folk rock then this is a delight, with Peggy’s distinctive light vocals, bass melodies from one of the finest musicians ever to play four strings (his session work is like a who’s who of British music from Swarb to Sandy Denny, Alan Simon, Richard Thompson, John Martyn – I mean, he even played on Nick Drake’s “Bryter Later”), wonderful mandolin, all combined with great songs which also includes material from Steve Ashley and Ralph McTell, although most of the songs are either by Peggy or Trad arr. Pegg.

Fairport fans will recognise “Level Pegging”, a workout which often featured in their sets, while the opening title cut includes Peggy asking for a Brown & Mild, which is about as British and Midlands as you can get, which he downs with the phrase, “Chug a Lug”. This is an album which makes me smile, an old friend coming home, and is a delight from beginning to end. Well done to Malcolm Holmes and Talking Elephant for making it available again. 

Kev Rowland, November 2025

Links:
https://www.davepegg.co.uk/
https://www.talkingelephant.co.uk/