by Guerney Slade Tue May 04, 2010 9:29 pm
I agree,without Terry Woods was as much a part of the Irish contemporary music scene of the 60s and 70s as any of those names you mentioned and more besides.Sweeneys Men were probably one step ahead of most Irish acts at the time,the Showband scene was still at its height when the first SWEENEYS MEN LP was released in 1968 and they,Sweeneys were far removed from that,who else was there?The Johnstones featuring Paul Brady?Good band but not a patch on Sweeneys Men,but not suprisingly they were more popular and sold more records[thats always the way]In someways,maybe Terry Woods was like a square pegg in a round hole,some band members think they know all the answers and next thing you know,cracks begin to appear,arguing leads to further arguments,even fists begin to fly and next thing you know, goodbye band,goodbye career.From what i read ,Terry was most likely held back by the likes of Andy Irvine and Johnny Moynihan,the other band members from Sweeneys Men and later on by the likes of Tim Hart in Steeleye Span though Terry really was only in that band for a short time ,not enough to make a lasting impression ,that first Steeleye album is wll worth checking out.It would have been interesting ,if Steeleye founder ASHLEY HUTCHINGS was able to merge his new band ,including Gay and Terry Woods,with his old band,Fairport Convention ,with whom he had just quit[end of 1969] into a ten piece band,under the Fairport banner.It never happened,probably much to Terrys relief,but at the end of the day,Mr.Woods did not quite make it as an icon in the Christy Moore mould but rest assured Terry Woods is an Irish music legend.
I agree,without Terry Woods was as much a part of the Irish contemporary music scene of the 60s and 70s as any of those names you mentioned and more besides.Sweeneys Men were probably one step ahead of most Irish acts at the time,the Showband scene was still at its height when the first SWEENEYS MEN LP was released in 1968 and they,Sweeneys were far removed from that,who else was there?The Johnstones featuring Paul Brady?Good band but not a patch on Sweeneys Men,but not suprisingly they were more popular and sold more records[thats always the way]In someways,maybe Terry Woods was like a square pegg in a round hole,some band members think they know all the answers and next thing you know,cracks begin to appear,arguing leads to further arguments,even fists begin to fly and next thing you know, goodbye band,goodbye career.From what i read ,Terry was most likely held back by the likes of Andy Irvine and Johnny Moynihan,the other band members from Sweeneys Men and later on by the likes of Tim Hart in Steeleye Span though Terry really was only in that band for a short time ,not enough to make a lasting impression ,that first Steeleye album is wll worth checking out.It would have been interesting ,if Steeleye founder ASHLEY HUTCHINGS was able to merge his new band ,including Gay and Terry Woods,with his old band,Fairport Convention ,with whom he had just quit[end of 1969] into a ten piece band,under the Fairport banner.It never happened,probably much to Terrys relief,but at the end of the day,Mr.Woods did not quite make it as an icon in the Christy Moore mould but rest assured Terry Woods is an Irish music legend.
