British Folk-Rock Legend Iain Matthews Celebrates 80 with Return to Tupper Street

British folk-rock legend Iain Matthews turned 80 on June 16, 2026.

In 1967, Ashley Hutchings recruited him to Fairport Convention. However, while the band was recording its third album, *Unhalfbricking*, Matthews left the group in 1969 due to personal and musical differences and subsequently formed Matthews Southern Comfort. In October 1970, MSC released a cover version of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock,” which went on to sell millions worldwide. Despite the band’s popularity, Matthews parted ways with them in November of that same year by abruptly walking off stage during a performance.

In 1972, he formed the band Plainsong with his friend Andy Roberts. Their debut album “In Search of Amelia Earhart” is still considered a milestone in British folk rock. But even this band was only a brief stopover in the long career of the restless Brit.

Iain Matthews moved to America, where (ex-Monkees member) Michael Nesmith produced his two solo albums, “Valley Hi” and “Some Days You Eat the Bear, Some Days the Bear Eats You,” for the U.S. label Elektra in California in 1973 and 1974. Over the years, “Valley Hi” became Iain Matthews’ most successful solo album, yet he himself had already struggled with the production while in the studio. To him, it was all too “country-heavy”; he felt misunderstood by his producer.

Fifty-two years after its release, Matthews fulfilled a long-held wish: He went into the studio and re-recorded the album—exactly as he had envisioned the songs back then but was unable to realize. The result is titled “Return To Upper Street: Valley Hi Reimagined.” He was accompanied on this project by the band The Wild Verband.

Short Facts: • A re-recording of what the artist considers his most successful solo album, Iain Matthews’ *Valley Hi* (1973), 52 (!) years later • Over the course of his decades-long career, Matthews made music history with bands such as Fairport Convention, Matthews Southern Comfort, Plainsong, and Hi-Fi (together with David Surkamp of Pavlov’s Dog), as well as through his solo projects • The Matthews Southern Comfort single “Woodstock” sold over 2 million copies in 1970 alone • Iain Matthews continues to tour regularly in Europe and the U.S. • http://iainmatthews.nl/

track list: 1. Keep on sailing 06:33 2. Old Man at the Mill 03:53 3. Shady Lies 04:39 4. These Days 04:54 5. Leaving alone 03:25 6. 7 Bridges Road 05:58 7. Save your Sorrows 02:48 8. What are you waiting for 03:42 9. Propinquity 03:48 10. Blue blue day 03:59 total: 43:39 min.

From Iain.....I’ve never been shy about my ambivalence towards the original “Valley Hi” album from 1973. Not that it was a bad recording, on the contrary. How could it be with such a stellar cast. Producer Michael Nesmith and his outstanding clique of players. Not a bad selection of songs either. Randy Newman, Steve Young, Jackson Browne, Don Gibson, even Michael himself. It was a very good album. Everybody thought so. The week it came out, it sat in the Billboard Top FM Airplay charts with the likes of Van Morrison, The Allman Brothers, Stevie Wonder and David Bowie. It was the FM radio's “sleeper of the week”. It was the style of playing that didn’t sit right with me and I realized it on that very first day at Tupper Street ranch studio. I should have known better. I should have been more hands on. But for whatever reason, I wasn’t and the last thing I wanted at that particular period in my career was a country influenced album and because I didn’t want to rock the boat, I kept my mouth shut tight and that’s what I got, a country sounding album. So, sure, this is a vanity project, but one I’ve thought about nonstop since those heady California days. I simply had to make this recording before I ran out of time. Now, I am not saying it’s better than the original, but for my money it’s just as good and most definitely different. It’s a reflection of who I am musically in the 21st century. A unique insight into what drives me on 52 years later. Ok, this recording may not be to everyone’s taste and I am not asking you to love it, just that you give it a chance. Let it seep into your musical subconsciousness and float around a while. Who knows, you may end up liking it. I do. I really, really do. Iain Matthews - October 2025