Nic Jones - Ballads & Songs - From The Devil To A Stranger - The Noah's Ark Trap - lossless!

Nic Jones released five LPs as leader and appeared on countless others as a sideman.  Following his career-ending car accident in 1982, his first four albums disappeared from record shops.  Only the fifth LP, Penguin Eggs remains available.

To describe Penguin Eggs as a likeable LP is an understatement.  Indeed, just as Miles Davis’ LP Kind Of Blue stands as the most alluring gateway into modern jazz, Penguin Eggs is the ideal introduction to folk and roots music.  His percussive guitar and dulcet yet smiling vocals remain irresistible and addictive to both casual and dedicated listeners.   The popularity and appeal of Penguin Eggs has effectively made Nic’s first four albums both sought-after and expensive as second-hand vinyl LPs. 

Strange, then, that Nic’s first four LPs have remained unavailable for over thirty years.  Musician and label owner Dave Bulmer acquired the rights to Nic’s first four albums and for reasons best known to himself, discontinued the records and steadfastly refused to re-release them.  

Although a much-admired musician, Bulmer was considered by some to be a slippery businessman with a penchant for snapping up and hoarding the original tapes of many recordings, in doing so making many albums permanently unavailable.  Some say that Bulmer’s collection of tapes was vast and uncatalogued, with many tapes poorly stored and in no state to ever be reissued.   

For whatever reason, Bulmer’s intransigence effectively denied Nic Jones of some much-needed income in the years following his dreadful accident.  Which, from any perspective, is unforgivable. 

Vinyl rips of the LPs Nic Jones, Ballads and Songs, The Noah’s Ark Trap and From The Devil To A Stranger are practically impossible to find on the internet, even as BitTorrent downloads.  It seems that Dave Bulmer was keen to legally pursue and close any blog or webpage that allowed listeners to download and hear the records.  

Here, then, are lossless rips of the first four LPs by Nic Jones.   This music deserves to be heard and loved.  Unless Nic or his wife Julia Jones ask that I take these albums down, I shall endeavour to keep them on line.  Meanwhile, Dave Bulmer died on Aug 2, 2013, aged 62 years.  Perhaps his surviving business partners continue to search and destroy any possible route to hearing these records?  Should any of Bulmer’s surviving associates get legal and close us down, rest assured that there shall be another blog up and running the same day with the same download links.  Fancy a game of game of cat & mouse? 

If you feel that you owe Nic Jones something for hearing this music, please send monies to: -

Nic & Julia Jones

c/o Mollie Music

Quarry Gate

Old Quarry Road

Buckland Monachorum

Devon

PL20 7NB

United Kingdom

Download here

Track listings

Ballads and Songs

Trailer LER 2014 (1970)

1.       Sir Patrick Spens      

2.       The Butcher And The Tailor's Wife   

3.       The Duke Of Marlborough   

4.       Annan Water            

5.       The Noble Lord Hawkins       

6.       Don't You Be Foolish, Pray   

7.       The Outlandish Knight           

8.       Reynard The Fox      

9.       Little Musgrave

Nic Jones

Trailer LER 2027 (1971)

1.       The Lass Of London City        

2.       Napoleon's Lamentation      

3.       The Bonny Bunch Of Roses  

4.       Edward        

5.       The Outlandish Knight           

6.       William And Nancy's Parting               

7.       Lord Bateman           

8.       Dance To Your Daddy            

9.       The Two Brothers    

10.   The Banks Of Green Willows

The Noah’s Ark Trap

Trailer LER 2091 (1977)

1.       The Wanton Seed   

2.       Jackie Tarr  

3.       Ten Thousand Miles               

4.       The Golden Glove   

5.       The Indian Lass         

6.       Miles Weatherhill*

7.       Isle Of France            

8.       Crockery Ware         

9.       Annachie Gordon

*An old internet rip of this album included a previously uncatalogued track entitled Reel.  This was the result of the LP ripper splitting the song Miles Weatherhill into two halves.  On this occasion, the LP is presented as intended, with the full length (six minutes) Miles Weatherhill all present and correct.

From The Devil To A Stranger

Transatlantic LTRA 507 (1978)

1.       The Singer's Request             

2.       Some Say The Devil's Dead  

3.       Billy Don't You Weep For Me              

4.       William Glenn           

5.       The Blind Harper     

6.       The Singer's Request             

7.       The Little Heathy Hill             

8.       Far From Home        

9.       Master Kilby              

10.   The Lakes Of Shilin  

11.   Newport Street        

12.   The Green Mossy Banks Of The Lea

13.   The Singer's Request