Fresh Maggots are a folk duo from Nuneaton, Warwickshire in England, consisting of Mick Burgoyne and Leigh Dolphin, who played a variety of instruments including guitars, glockenspiel, tin whistles
and strings. They released two albums in 1971 and 2020, but sustained interest in the 1971 album saw it re-released several times. This duo from Warwickshire that had a meteoric career, but their sole album is ultra-sought after especially so that both vinyl pressings had major fabrication flaws. They developed an acid-folk-prog that was particularly personal but their style was wide-ranging including fuzz guitars.
Taking their name from a newspaper advert for a sports shop that proclaimed "fresh maggots always
available", the pair were spotted by Mike Berry of the Sparta Florida Music Company in September 1970 while playing only their second concert at Wolvey village hall, and signed a publishing deal with the company. They were signed by RCA Records, who released their only album in 1971. Recorded in 1971 when they were just 19 years old and fresh to the studio, Fresh Maggots is one of the best distillations of folk and psychedelia ever recorded.
Even before their debut album, this multi-instrumental duo was hyped by the music press, but there was
an unusual delay (including an artwork change) between the recording and the release of the album, and when it did finally arrive on the market, all interest had waned. Which is a real shame, because the duo had much talent and they were switching from guitars to violin to glockenspiel to guitars again. Sadly they became one of the many casualty from the era's overcrowded scene.
The reissued album received a three and a half stars review from Allmusic, and an 8 out of 10 score from PopMatters, with Whitney Strub describing it as "a remarkably assured debut—and finale". Kevin
Hainey, reviewing it for Exclaim!, stated the group's "concise and fast-paced songwriting tendencies certainly make this stuff transcend its own age in a strange and wonderful way". John M. James, in the River Cities' Reader described it as a "five-star masterpiece of hypnotic vocals, electric fuzz guitar, trippy tin whistle, and shimmering six- and 12-string guitars". A great folk album! Fresh Maggots alternates between electric and acoustic folk, holding the listener's attention throughout.
After being contacted by a German music magazine for an interview in 2017 they started writing songs again. Their album 'Waiting For The Sun' was released in October 2020 exactly 49 years after the release of their first album. Both filled with pastoral hippy acoustic tunes bordering on the traditional folk, a few psych twists (like a fuzzed out electric guitar in FM) with some added orchestrations, but nothing overpowering that what would ruin the essence of the music.
LINE - UP
Mick Burgoyne / guitar, vocals, percussions, violin
Leigh Dolphin / acoustic guitar, vocals
Written-By – Leigh Dolphin, Mick Burgoyne
Fresh Maggots – Fresh Maggots... Hatched
Label: Sunbeam Records – SBRCD5002
Format: CD, Album, Reissue, Remastered Mar 2006
Country: UK
Released: 1971
Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk Rock, Psychedelic Folk
TRACKS
01. Dole Song 3:28
02. Rosemary Hill 3:34
03. Quickie 1:21
04. Everyone's Gone To War 3:55
05. And When She Laughs 2:49
06. Spring 3:22
07. Balloon Song 3:56
08. Guzz Up 1:37
09. Who's To Die? 3:55
10. Elizabeth R 2:53
11. Frustration 5:59
BONUS TRACKS
12. Car Song (Non-Album A-Side) 4:05
13. What Would You Do? (Non-Album B-side) 2:47
14. Frustration (Live) 5:54
15. Rosemary Hill (Live) 3:49
16. Quickie (Live) 1:29
17. And When She Laughs (Live) 3:06
18. Spring (Live) 3:06
NOTES
Recorded in Radio Luxembourg Studios, London, in 1970-71.
Originally released RCA Victor SF 8025 in 1971.
Transfer by Dave Blackman at Hilton Grove Studios, London, March 2006
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