The Witches of Eagle Crag - Deluxe Gatefold LP with hand sewn booklet (pre-order)

Please note: This record is a 2 month pre-order, the pre-order is £4 less than the eventual £32 pricing upon its official February 2025 release .

All pre-orders will recieve a download of the record plus bonus narration track by mid-winter (21st December) 2024.

Artists: Bridgwood-Hall | Hayden | Janini | McLoughlin | Chatton Barker
Title: The Witches of Eagle Crag
Label: West Yorkshire Folklore Tapes
Format: Deluxe Gatefold LP edition with 12x page sewn booklet & d/l
Cat no: WYFT01
Release date: 13.2.2025

Folklore Tapes open up the West Yorkshire vinyl series with a stunning musical adaptation of the tale of ‘The Witches of Eagle Crag’, performed by FT artists Bridget Hayden, Dan-Bridgwood-Hall, Ramsey Janini, Sam McLoughlin and David Chatton Barker.

Eagle Crag is a well known rocky outcrop in the shape of an eagle’s head, located in Calder Valley just outside of Todmorden in Lydgate. The Witches of Eagle Crag was originally discovered in the book ‘Traditions of Lancashire’ by John Robey. The tale is one of magic, greed and tragedy. It follows the story of a young witch named Lady Sybil, who makes a deal with a demon for supernatural powers greater than any other witch. She is pursued by the greedy Lord Townley, who desires Sybil’s hand in marriage only to get to her rumoured fortune. Townley enlisted the help of the old witch Mother Helston, who reveals a cunning spell to catch Sybil when she is in the form of a deer…

Early in 2024 McLoughlin and Chatton Barker set out to develop the tale into an immersive live spectacle, incorporating shadow puppetry, scrolling narration, automated scenery and dazzling light projection. The visual side of the show was created and performed by the duo, under the long running name 'Echo of Light' (McLoughlin also created an eerie backing track of atmospheric SFX). The live show was performed only twice in one day to sell out audience’s in Todfellows Space in Todmorden late March 2024.

The live soundtrack was performed and largely improvised by Dan-Bridgwood-Hall (fiddle, bouzouki), Bridget Hayden (electric guitar), Ramsey Janini (flute).

The live show was recorded and has been mastered and included as the B-side to this special vinyl release, offering a live theatrical odyssey complete with the clicks of analogue projectors and torches, rustling of puppets and occasional coughs and whisperings from the captivated audience.

Two weeks after the live shows the artists ventured into the studio to expand upon the themes that emerged from the live show improvisations. Overseen by McLoughlin and Barker (with the two providing light accompaniments on percussion and harmonium) the main trio of musicians; Bridgwood-Hall, Hayden and Janini explored a classical chamber ensemble approach, evoking the valley landscape and key themes from this West Yorkshire tale.

This vinyl record comes presented in a deluxe gatefold sleeve with 12x page vinyl sized sewn booklet (now a classic FT format) including the full tale, stills from the live show and photographs of Eagle Crag.

Musicians:

Dan Bridgwood-Hall
Bridget Hayden
Ramsey Janini
Sam McLoughlin
David Chatton Barker

Artwork by David Chatton Barker
Recorded by Sam McLoughlin
Mastered by Nico Marcel

Tracklist

A Side

1. Opening Theme
2. Deal with a Demon
3. Sybil as Deer
4. Mother Helston
5. The Hunt
6. Entrapment
8. Closing Theme

B Side

1. The Witches of Eagle Crag (Live Show)