Vinyl180's first release from the Topic Records archives sees Penguin Eggs pressed on 180g vinyl with a newly designed inner bag. Initial 500 copies pressed on WHITE vinyl.
Rarely do records have such an impact as much as Penguin Eggs did on its initial release. Accolades are far too often handed out undeserved, terms such as; a classic, the greatest, the best ever… numerous but never truly warranted, but in the case of Penguin Eggs its more than justified.
Heralded as one of the finest folk musicians and singers England has ever produced. Nics lyrical style of singing and his percussive and fingerstyle rhythmic guitar and fiddle playing have been widely imitated throughout the years but never equalled. Nic has also appeared as a guest musician on albums by the leading lights of English Folk, June Tabor, Shirley Collins, Richard Thompson and Barbara Dickson.
Penguin Eggs is a wonderful album, originally released in 1980, and named Folk Album Of The Year by both Melody Maker and Folk Roots and voted in 2001 by BBC Folk Show Mike Harding listeners as the 2nd 'Best Folk Album Of All Time'.
Kate Rusby says this is her favourite album of all time and his influence abounds on many subsequent albums, most notably on Bob Dylans 1992 album 'Good As I Been To You', where Dylans version of Penguin Eggs opening track "Canadee-I-O is th subject of much controversy as to the similarity with Nic arrangements of the song.
Sadly Nics recording and performing career was tragically cut short when, returning home after a gig a Glossop Folk Festival in February 1982 he was involved in a serious traffic accident that left Nic in intensive care and hospitalised for some eight months. His injuries were to such an extent that Nic only now performs for his own pleasure. A truly tragic loss to the whole Folk World.
The rarity of Nics recordings only adds to their status as truly remarkable. A cornerstone in the history of English Folk.
September 2017
