Fledg’ling
“F
ledg’ling is a word I’ve always like the shape and

sound of,” says David Suff, amongst other achievements,

the founder, president and artwork director of the record

company that bears that name. “Especially the archaic

spelling with the apostrophe. The word fledg’ling seems to

include an image of learning to do something as well as it

could possibly be done.” Passion, believe it or not, is a fairly

easy thing to fake and gush about and a damnably difficult

thing to get right and keep natural. There is nothing forced or

phoney about the passion that drives Fledg’ling, however.

The names in the Fledg’ling catalogue constitute a Who’s Who

of talent of world renown, generally

Fotheringay
with a British background or a

connection with the Motherland.

They include the Albion Band,
Thinking of Fledg’ling without summoning names such as
Blue Blokes 3, the Brotherhood
Shirley Collins, Davey Graham and Chris McGregor is pretty
of Breath, Sandy Denny, the
much impossible. The label has become a custodian of their
Etchingham Steam Band, French,
recorded legacy. However, indicative of the finite implications
Frith, Kaiser, Thompson, the Home
of licensing, let’s cite Peter Bellamy’s now out-of-print Both
Service, Andy Roberts, Linda
Sides Then. Or the limited-edition glories nature of Sandy
Thompson and Robin Williamson.
Denny’s A Boxful of Treasures – a labour-of-love boxed set,
What David Suff has done down the
the production costs of which will prohibit further runs.
years is create a repository of music
“Although the label is a one-man operation,” says Suff, “the
of astonishing potency.
records released have to be presented with the very best
sound and packaging possible.” Things come and things go.
From its inception in 1995
That is the natural cycle as far as independent labels go.
(“although previously,” he clarifies,
“some titles appeared under the
Yet unlike many labels that specialise in licensing and re-
Hokey Pokey Records imprint”)
releasing lost works, Fledg’ling’s reputation as a straight
to the present, Fledg’ling has
dealer is borne out by its high re-licensing rate. “David Suff
assembled a body of work with
has more integrity than anyone I know in the music business”
Blue Blokes 3
few rivals in the fields of folk,
exclaims Shirley Collins. “He doesn’t qualify his integrity. He’s
folk-rock and beyond. This has
100 percent trustworthy and not only that, he produces the
involved repackaging lost gems when restoring them to the
most beautiful albums.”
marketplace. Conspicuously, this has included tracking down
Breaking into the
photo shoots, disquisition of all sorts and commissioning
treasure trove
contextual booklet notes. Worthy examples for your
and unearthing
attention might include the Home Service’s Alright Jack,
works that never
Dorris Henderson and John Renbourn’s Watch The Stars,
appeared is
Helen Watson’s Blue Slipper (with members of the Fairport
another Fledg’ling
Convention, Flying Burrito Brothers, Little Feat and Toto
hallmark. Anne
backing her) and, most recently, that blues boom curio, Ian
Briggs’s Sing A
Anderson’s Country Blues Band’s Stereo Death Breakdown.
Song For You
It has also involved creating new album artwork. After
and The Young
all, Suff is also a highly collectable painter. “He’s such a
Tradition and
fantastic artist, a really great painter,” reminds Shirley Collins,
Shirley and Dolly
somebody that needs no highfalutin words to introduce her
Collins’ The Holly
Fotheringay
name, “and has his own exhibitions. If you’ve been lucky
Bears The Crown
enough, as I’ve been, to have his work as a cover it’s just
– neither released by their respective record companies in
sheer heaven really.”
their day – add to a fuller understanding of those respective
Andy Roberts & John Kirkpatrick Fotheringay Chris McGregor Trio
The Great Stampede Make No Bones 2 Our Prayer
Click on any ALBUM COVER to buy now
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37