COURTESY OF CAPITOL RECORDS
Richard Thompson shares the songs he feels represents the pop music world when he performs tomorrow.
Guitarist delves Popular British guitarist Richard Thompson has put aside his voluminous three-decades-old repertoire in favor of performing songs dating back to the 13th century, touring with the well-received "A Thousand Years of Pop Music."
deep into history
By Gary C.W. Chun
gchun@starbulletin.comAnd we can thank Hugh Hefner for the idea.
"He was asking musicians to contribute to a list of songs of the millennium -- which I think is a pretentious idea to publish in Playboy," Thompson said in an interview on National Public Radio's "Fresh Air" arts program. "They probably thought there was nothing before Roxy Music! Anyway, it ended up that they didn't even print my choices."
COURTESY OF CAPITOL RECORDS
British guitarist Richard Thompson has signed with the independent Artist Direct label. His first album for that label, "The Old Kit Bag," should be out early next year.
Playboy's loss has been Thompson's audience's gain. While it's not certain how much of those thousand years will be included in this weekend's concert here in Honolulu, I'm sure he'd be willing to fit in a song or two.
Like "Summer is Icumen In," written in 1240 by a monk at Reading Abbey in Surrey, England, which Thompson says is the first canon written in English. His research turned up other songs like "Full Fathom Five" from William Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and "When I Am Laid in Earth," from the 17th century opera "Dido and Aeneas," with music by Henry Purcell.
"One of the joys of doing this show," he said, "is to find out what was considered popular music in those days, as songs would cross countries all over Europe." The known and obscure come together in Thompson's mind, as long as it's good music. They include material from Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta "The Mikado" and songs from Fats Waller (he does a particularly warm and light "(I'm Gonna) Sit Right Down and Write Myself A Letter"), Hoagy Carmichael, Hank Williams, Pete Townshend, Prince, and Lennon and McCartney.
Thompson's even a fan of Swedish pop and has included ABBA's "Money, Money, Money" and "Oops! I Did It Again," written by hitmeister Max Martin for Britney Spears. "It's a good song, very much in the Swedish pop tradition and quite witty in its own way."
FOR THE first time in his three visits to Hawaii, Thompson is not promoting any album because he's ended his longtime relationship with Capitol Records (although his final label compilation, the drolly titled "Action Packed," is a good overview of his tenure with the label). In addition to marketing his concert recordings on his own Web site, he's signed with the independent Artist Direct label. His first album for the label, "The Old Kit Bag," should be out early next year.
In a curious way, the English folk-rock tradition Thompson upholds is continuing in the work of his ex-wife. The couple made some of the grandest (and darkest) music during the mid-'70s to early '80s and, after a 17-year absence, his ex has released "Fashionably Late," which picks up the tenor and mood of the music they made years ago.
The two are on amicable terms, so much so that Thompson guested on the opening track, "Dear Mary," contributing some quiet electric guitar and backing vocals. When asked if it felt odd singing with Linda again, he admitted that he recorded his part separately, although, he added, "I was glad to do it and I'm glad to see her working again."
And there's a common link in their son Teddy, who played and toured in his father's most recent band, and wrote and played on his mother's album.
With opening guest Ledward Ka'apana Richard Thompson
Where: Doris Duke at the Academy, Honolulu Academy of Arts, 900 S. Beretania St.
When: 7:30 p.m. tomorrow
Tickets: $30
Call: 532-8700
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