Steeley Span's sixth studio album, Now We Are Six, is to be reissued for its 50th anniversary on both CD and clear vinyl, through Chrysalis Records on July 12.
The new reissue has been completely remastered and also features four tracks from BBC sessions from 1974 which have not been heard since their original airing. And you can watch a brand new lyric video for Seven Hundred Elves below.
Now We Are Six, originally released in 1974, was produced by Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson and famously featured David Bowie playing saxophone on a cover of Phil Spector's To Know Him Is To Love Him. The album's title was derived from the Winnie The Pooh author A.A. Milne's collection of poems for young people, but also referred to the band themselves, who had been augmented by the arrival of drummer Nigel Pegrum.
After the band's 1970 debut album Hark! The Village Wait, which featured both Gerry Conway and Dave Matatcks on drums, Steeleye Span had only used percussion sparingly on their following albums. By 1972's Below The Salt, new bassist Rick Kemp also played drums, but following 1973's Parcel Of Rogues the band made the decision to add a full-time drummer to their ranks.
The new reissue features testimonials from original band members Maddy Prior, Peter Knight, Rick Kemp, Nigel Pegrum as well as producer Anderson.
A screening of an episode of Electric Folk along with a Q+A with Maddy Prior will take place at Walthamstow Trades Hall on July 8 in collaboration with the Offbeat folk film club.
Pre-orders for Now We Are Six will be open shortly.
Steeleye Span: Now We Are Six
1. Seven Hundred Elves
2. Drink Down The Moon
3. Now We Are Six
4. Thomas The Rhymer
5. The Mooncoin Jig
6. Edwin
7. Long-A-Growing
8. Two Magicians
9. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
10. To Know Him Is To Love Him
11.Thomas The Rhymer (UK Single Edit)
12. Two Magicians (Radio One Session, 20th February, 1974)
13. Edwin (Sounds of The Seventies Session, 20th February, 1974)
14. Long-A-Growing (Sounds of The Seventies Session, 20th February, 1974)
15. Thomas The Rhymer (Sounds of The Seventies Session, 20th February, 1974)
