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HAPPY 82nd BIRTHDAY TO CHRIS SIMPSON – JULY 13, 2024

On this page you can read comments from Magna Carta fans on Chris’s 82nd birthday.

We asked the diehard Magna Carta fans to answer these questions:

A When and where did you first see MC in concert

B What is your favorite MC song

C Your message to Chris on his 82nd Birthday

D And if you have one, please send us a photo of yourself with Chris, and perhaps other MC musicians, so that we can include them with your message.

NOTE: We didn’t edit or alter any of these messages, except when the senders asked us to do so. So any typos are as they were sent to us.


Chris at 70 - portrait by Hans Veen

Portrait (‘Chris at 70’) by the late Dutch painter and sometimes driver and tour manager Hans ‘Turf’ Veen

Christopher John Simpson was born on July 13, 1942 in Harrogate in North Yorkshire, in The Yorkshire Dales.
The family then moved back to their roots in Nidderdale, also in The Yorkshire Dales.


JOHN BENNETT, Dereham, Norfolk:
A I believe it was 1969 when MC played at Camden Council’s staff social club ( I worked tlfor the council in the Health Dept). The next time I saw the band live wasn’t till 1970 in the crypt of a church in Richmond, Surrey. (Last time was Sherrington Village Hall in 2018 – when i came with my latest wife and our daughter)
B It’s got to be Seasons, with Falkland Green second. I’ve still got all the vinyls up to the mid 70s and a few from then into the 80s, but it’s the early stuff that I love.
C Have a great birthday, Chris. Just a small drop of wine and even if your vocal cords can’t hit all the octaves any more, get back to penning your wonderful lyrics tomorrow! God bless, young man! D (Never managed to get a photo, although I still have a couple of publicity shots from the late 60s which Chris allowed me to use in a trade union (Nalgo) magazine which I edited when I left Camden to work at Hillingdon Council.

First time I saw Chris was at a union exec committee (Camden Branch of Nalgo) when he was introduced prior to approval of the MC concert at the staff social club. His appearance was certainly a contrast to the typical “suits” on the committee – although, to be fair, there were a few younger trendier folk there too.


ALAN NICHOLSON:
A: early 1970 for the tour to promote Seasons LP. Newcastle upon Tyne. Group played side 1 right through.
B: Time for the leaving.
C: Many happy returns Chris & wishing you many more.

EXTRA: happy to provide funny story about me gatecrashing practise at Burnsall Village Hall concert ,June 2014:
Supported Magna Carta since 1970’s , over the years travelled length & breadth of UK to see them.
In June 2014, saw they were at Burnstall Village Hall. Like me you may ask where is Burnstall VH.
Set of with sat nav & eventually found it in heart of the Dale’s.
Well, we got there early, as you do, for a good seat , to find all locked up, other than a small door at the back of the hall.
I went in , through a red velvet curtain , to make an entrance on the stage , along with the group , who were doing sound checks , well before the concert.
Not sure who got biggest fright , them or me . Chris particularly was bemused.
To this day, still awaiting an invite to join the group properly!!


ALAN ELGEY:
A: My name is Alan Elgey. I live in Cassiobury, Watford, north west of London, but originally I am from Harrogate, and went to Harrogate Grammar School, as did Chris a few years earlier.
I first saw MC play at the Harrogate Theatre in c1971/2 and also at the Royal Albert Hall in London which show is happily now a CD.  Both shows were while Davy Johnstone was playing with MC.  But I first heard them on disc at a music shop in Cheltenham Crescent in Harrogate (Chris might remember it). I went in there one day and the owner said: ‘Hey Alan, you like Paul Simon don’t you – I think you will like this’. And he put on an LP. I listened to it in the shop right the way through, both sides, and then bought it. I still have it and the CD version. It is ‘Seasons’ and I can play every note, and hear every musical inflection in my head even now. I lost contact with what they were doing after c1975, but not with the music which I have always played on my systems, and in my mind. But through the miracle of the internet I found them again, Chris now with Linda, and Matt Barnhoorn in the early 2000s, and I have seen them as a trio playing in Bedford, Nettlebed (several times), Grassington, and with others for the ‘Farewell’ concert at the Royal Dutch Theatre Carré in Amsterdam.  I hoped for several years to see them at venues on tour in the Netherlands but sadly never made it.

B: Favorite MC song
Well there are far too many to choose. And I have ‘The Complete Works of Magna Carta’ on my desk to remind me. Of course, that book is no longer complete; can we have an updated edition to buy please? But if I must: I will pick two (or three) from my earlier memories and also from ones I discovered from the internet in this millennium. The earlier ones are from ‘Seasons’
– the spine-tingling ‘Ring of Stones’ which I am playing on my computer as I write this, and
– the evocative ‘Time for the Leaving’ which meant so much to me as I left Harrogate in my young adult years (and which I am about to play as ‘Ring of Stones finishes); this one always brings on the tears.
The ‘later’ ones – later that is in my journey – are:
– ‘Pictures in my Pillow’ – which seems to evoke special memories, now that I have children and grandchildren, which are perhaps different from those intended in the song, but nevertheless important to me
– ‘Blues for a long road home’ and ‘Wind on the Water’ – with Linda’s beautiful vocals, and in the case of the former, and in my memory, Lee Abbot’s fretless bass
– ‘Fields of Eden’ – inevitably as it is my home as well as Chris’
–  and one you would not guess – ‘I don’t want to know’ /  ‘Song for John’ (explanation below in Memories)

C: Message to Chris:
Very best wishes for this birthday and many more happy ones to come. Thank you for the musical memories over so many years; I am listening to your music now just as I did at 20 when I first heard ‘Seasons’; it always makes me so happy.

Memory
I should explain about the ‘I don’t want to know’ / ‘Song for John’ reference above.
I had been to an MC concert at the Nettlebed folk club in Oxfordshire and had bought a CD from the merch desk called ‘That’s the way it goes’  by a young singer called Paul Stewart. That was an earlier ‘stage name’ of Chris before Magna Carta and the CD is mastered from an album in Chris’ private collection. Anyway I was driving home around midnight and had the CD on the player and was enjoying it. It came to track seven called ‘I don’t want to know’ and this line suddenly hit me like a punch in the stomach so that I had to stop the car. I hadn’t known any of the songs up to then but here was ‘.. I saw through your eyes that the snow it lay whiter, that the deeps they were deeper..’ and I knew the rest of the verse before it played ‘…. the rivers were oceans deep rolling in splendour, the trees they were giants that talked to the sky.’ Such a perfect evocation of childhood and that last line being one of my favourite lines in all of Chris’ poetry. I knew I had heard it but couldn’t place it – so annoying and I couldn’t get the song out of my head.
I got the chance to ask Chris about it at a later concert – Grassington I think. I described it and Chris knew it immediately, of course. The Paul Stewart track was an earlier version of ‘Song for John’ which is on the  ‘Prisoners on the Line’ album. Thanks Chris.


RICHARD TREE, Norfolk
I first saw MC as a duo at Ely Maltings ages ago
Fave song is SO hard to Choose! Lord of the Ages
Keep on being a great ( but highly underrated) songwriter Chris


MARC DETAIL, Luxembourg
Great! I wish all the best to Chris and many more years to come. He is a great musician, so is his team.
I met him with his band the first time in Beaufort/ Luxembourg. They had a super performance at the castle of Beaufort. We had some very good moments together after the concert, and the day after…
Once again, all the best to Chris, his wife and all the team members!

T

Chris, George Norris and Wendy Ross, performing on stage at the beautiful Beaufort Castle in Luxembourg

The late George Norris, Chris and Wendy Ross, outside the castle

the person on the left is Roland Nilles Manager of Kultopolis (event agency) and the one on the right is George Rischette,
president of the “Amis du Château”, the organizer of the concerts at Beaufort Castle


KAREN BOSMANS-BOVENS, Holland
We saw Magna Carta in Horst at Cambrinus it was a small gig and zo adorabal.
One of the best songs are AirPort song.
We had a Nice chat at Cambrinus with Jan , Henny, Chris, Linda and Mathijs.
It was the year that Linda and Chris broke the relation and there was Some tense But they played great 💖🍀.
All the best for Chris en hope hè Stay healty Greetings Karen Bosmans from Holland


LINDA SIMPSON, England
A  I met Chris at Pennine Radio, where, he very kindly, played guitar on a couple of tracks I had just recorded.
The first time I saw Magna Carta in concert I was on stage with them. The first proper gig was at Harrogate Theatre.
B Time for the Leaving
C Have a great birthday 🎈

 

Magna Moments

There are hundreds of Magna Carta stories, ranging from hilarious to tragic.
Chris has always been known for sharing many of those stories from the stage.
Other band members, and those who have worked closely with MC have stories too and, sadly, many of them remain untold.
To redress the balance, it would be nice if some of those people came forward and shared their own experiences of ‘Magna Moments’.

Here’s a little one to be going on with;
Chis wrote a song about the amazing Derrol Adams, a highly talented banjo player who was born in Portland Oregon on the 27th of November 1925. He led an amazing life and it’s worth reading his biography: https://derrolladams.org/en/biography.html

I believe, and forgive me if I’m wrong, that he and Chris met at a festival, probably in the 1980s

By that time Derroll was widely known as The Banjo Man, which became the title of the song Chris wrote about him. The hook line of the song, which came at the end of each verse, was “And they called him The Banjo Man”
We regularly played the song so Chris would talk about Derroll’s amazing charisma and talent before singing it.

One night, in a theatre somewhere in Holland, Chris told the story of Derroll and why he was called the Banjo Man, then launched into the song.
At the end of it, he started singing the line ‘And they called him “ … but then he stopped singing, looked out at the audience, and said
“What did they call him?”
The audience fell silent for a couple of seconds, then someone close to the stage offered the answer….
Benjamin

It was a fair answer when you consider the language difference, but I must admit that Chris was slightly taken aback, especially when the rest of the band exploded with the giggles.
Dutch audiences are quick to pick up on the English sense of humour and the whole theatre was soon ringing with laughter, making it a night to remember.
I’m hoping someone will tell me which theatre it was?
I would like to personally thank the brave soul who came up with the perfect answer, at the perfect time. He was an absolute star!

Derroll died on the 6th of February 2000. Here’s a you tube video of the Banjo Man in action.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-q-TQrp-NY

Happy Birthday Chris … Where did the years go??
Linda


AB BUDDING, Ede, The Netherlands
My name is Ab and I briefly worked at radio Ede in the Netherlands. In 2008 Chris, Linda and Matt Barnhoorn were our guests in the Studio.
What a beautiful musical but also a beautiful and warm meeting this was. We laughed a lot in the photo I sent because Chris was a bit tired.
Congratulations Chris and stay with us for a long time.
Greetings Ab

Chris in deep thoughts… or?

Linda performing at Radio Ede

Matt playing the mandolin

Tourmanager ‘Billy Bookcase’ enjoying his cup of soup


PHIL GARDNER, Eastbourne:
Our favourite MC song is a difficult choice but it still has to be Seasons and the memories it creates when we hear it.
Special memory
In January 2000 Frances and I decided that a holiday in the Yorkshire Dales would be a great idea. We had never been before and by all accounts it was a beautiful area, added to which it was the home of Magna Carta, so we found a nice cottage and duly booked two weeks in June.
Then in May, Hans Belde sent out an Email advising all friends that a concert might be happening in Yorkshire in June. An exchange of further Emails confirmed that by an amazing coincidence Chris and Linda were to appear at the Nidderdale Festival on Friday 23rd June, the last night of our holiday! Tickets were rapidly obtained from the Tourist Information Centre at Pateley Bridge. Our two weeks in the Dales were superb and gave us an insight into why Chris composes such fantastic songs. It is a beautiful area with superb scenery, wonderful valleys, woodland, villages and loads of character and characters!

But then came Friday 23rd June, that magical day. I was so paranoid that nothing could go wrong that I even rang Pateley Bridge to make sure the concert was still on!
We drove down to Grassington, wandered around the lovely village square and side-streets, sampled the delights of a local restaurant then on to Pateley Bridge.
We had plenty of time to kill so had a walk around to get our bearings including locating the Memorial Hall which was to be the concert venue. Can you imagine, there outside was a white van with it’s doors open to reveal boxes labelled Magna Carta! Within a minute or so a familiar face appeared and we walked across and introduced ourselves to Chris. This was a magical moment, as we met for the first time, someone whose music had been an integral part of our lives. We spoke briefly to Chris and Linda then left them to get on with setting up.
That night we were in heaven. The concert was brilliant, a mix of old favourites, such as Airport Song, Sea and Sand, Time For The Leaving, Putting It Back Together plus many newer numbers many of which we had never heard. Both Chris and Linda’s voices were superb, accompanied by their own brilliant guitar work and some excellent musicians.
All too soon the concert came to end but not before the audience brought the house down as they demanded an encore. We stayed behind to congratulate them on a wonderful evening that meant so much to us and we were able to celebrate 30 years of living with Magna Carta in the most memorable way.
After that we have managed to see MC in concert at various locations – Saul Canal festival in Gloucestershire, concerts in Suffolk, Lincolnshire, Essex, West Sussex and we managed to get to Amsterdam for the 40th anniversary concert at Le Carre Theatre. In April 2002 I organised a concert for them in Eastbourne and Chris and Linda stayed with us, Chris and I stayed up until the early hours talking about their music and life!!!!
Thanks again Chris for some amazing memories.

This is the programme for the 1970 Summer Ball for Royal Holloway College in Egham, Surrey. This was the first time that we saw Magna Carta in concert. They performed at 5.30 am on a beautiful summer’s morning. Among the songs that they sang was Seasons. We were mesmerised and at the end were in tears. We were hooked from that moment on and 54 years later their music is still part of our lives! By coincidence, the date of the Summer Ball, was exactly one year to the day, before we were married on 19th June 1971!
Happy 82nd Birthday Chris and thank you for creating such amazing music and giving us so many wonderful musical memories

Phil & Frances Gardner, Eastbourne


RORY STANBRIDGE, Knaresborough
A: pub in Boroughbridge, think it was The Crown, in late 1974.
B: Probably The Airport Song although I love all of the music on Seasons.
C: Have a great birthday Chris and thank you for all the wonderful music.
D: Sorry, no camera in those days.


ULRICH HOFFMANN, Cape Town, South Africa (currently living in Johannesburg)
A: Three Arts Theatre, Cape Town in 1970
B: The Bridge at Knaresborough Town
C: A Happy, Happy Birthhday Cacophonix me young lad, with very many Little Splashes and a Bloody Hell or two. Lotsa Luv. Uckers.
D Picture with Chris & Tom Hoy attached – Knysna 2009

 


PETER SMITH, Sunderland
A: 1971 Newcastle City Hall
B : the Elizabethan
C: have a great day my friend you deserve it
D: no photograph but the link below takes you to my blog entry on the last time I saw you live
https://myvintagerock.com/2014/06/15/magna-carta-burnsall-village-hall-14th-june-2014


RALPH HALE, Sydney, Australia
A When and where did you first see MC in concert
Summer Ball, Hugh Stewart Hall, University of Nottingham, UK – 1979
The next time I saw Magna Chris was nearly 30 years later at the Huntingdon Hall in Worcester in about 2007?? – We had a nice chat and he remembered his gig in Nottingham
B What is your favorite MC song So many – But it has to be Lord of the Ages
C Your message to Chris on his 82nd Birthday
Chris you are an awesome musician and a true poet and deep thinker, the world is a richer place with you in it
I wish I had seen more of you and MC throughout my life – however your music was always with me


JONATHAN WALTON – Westonbirt, Gloucestershire
A … Intercontinental Hotel, Abu Dhabi – mid 1980s.
B… I loved any blues played by Chris
C….Keep on rockin’ and never stop! You are an absolute inspiration (arthritic fingers and all) and let me know if you ever have a need for an occasional bit of blues harp on the side … 🥳
D… I don’t have one to hand, but will have a look and send on if I can find one …


FINI & GER VAN VELZEN
A De Leest in Waalwijk 1975 of 1976 (with Tommy Hoy en Nigel Smith)
B Uncertain Times
C Happy birthday Chris. You’re only half way down!!

I’ve known Chris for a long time, so I’ve been through a lot!
Of the many photos, this is one that I really like… good memories. Chris & little G.
The photo was taken during a ‘fanclub day’ in Utrecht.
Chris told me after the song ‘there is no Am in this song’ And I said laughing: ‘now there is’. That’s all I know about it. Greetings, Ger (aka little G)

Chris and Little G

MIKE BARNES
My late Wife Sue and I first saw MC at the original Stables theatre in Wavendon – not sure when, but probably 1972/3 or even 4. Stan Gordon was in the band – I think. A bit different there these days!
Favourite song – Time For The Leaving or Wild Geese (first recording) – as I am forced to choose, it’s the former I think. Wish It Was pushed them a bit.
Happy birthday Chris and thanks for all the songs. You were criminally overlooked by the music press over all these years and have been one of the UK’s best singer-songwriters, but sadly also our best-kept secret..

4 photos are attached – the Rhyl concert was I think in 1998 and only a dozen or so people turned up at the theatre.
So MC performed the whole set in the bar for us, rather than the theatre, and socialised with us afterwards, Two pics from then and two from Chris’s 60th ‘do’.

Chris receiving his 60th birthday present

Chris with Sue

Chris and Mike Barnes

Magna Carta in concert: Chris, Linda, John Shepard and the late Lee Abbott


ALGY KAZLAUCIUNAS
A: Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall in 1976 (or maybe 1977).
B: Song for John off the Prisoners on the Line album.
C: All the very best to you Chris on your 82nd year on this troubled planet, and thank you for the music!


PIET KOK (a.k.a. Pete Kox), Leeuwarden, NL
The first time I saw Magna Carta was in 1971 in De Harmonie in Leeuwarden.
My favorite song is Lord of the ages.
Dear Chris, I wish you a very happy 82nd birthday and I hope there are many more to come!

Memories of Magna Carta
The first time I saw Magna Carta in concert was in 1971 in De Harmonie in my hometown Leeuwarden. They were part of a show with Ramses Shaffy, Liesbeth List en The Louis van Dijk trio. I knew the band from their records. The lineup was: Chris Simpson, Glenn Stuart and Davey Johnstone. I remember high harmony voices by Chris and Glenn and virtuoso guitar playing by Chris and Davey. All this thru Orange equipment. It was a show with different styles of music: the songs of Shaffy and List in Dutch (a bit like the French Chansons), jazzlike music by Louis van Dijk and the folk oriented music by Magna Carta. At the end of of the progam Liesbeth sang songs written by Mikis Theodorakis, accompagnied by Magna Carta.

In 1977 I saw them again. In that year I made a record called “Rambling round” under the name of Pete Cox, that was released by Philips, the same company that sold Magna Carta albums. For promotion purposes I was asked  to do some shows as a support act for MC, mostly in the north of Holland. I was also a support act for groups like Camel and The Streetwalkers but then the audience would mostly yell and scream to get me and my guitar off the stage as quick as possible. But with Magna Carta it was very different: people were listening and  interested in what I did and so were the guys of MC. At that time the lineup of the band was: Chris, Tom Hoy and Nigel Portman-Smith.

One time, I think it was in Heerenveen, they asked me to come and play with them in two encores: When will I be loved and Goodnight Irene. Exciting!

The next time they came to Holland I also did some support shows. The lineup of MC had changed: Chris,Tom, on bass there was Lee Abbott and on drums Pick Withers (later to be in Dire Staits). I remember a show when I started playing the Buddy Holly song Peggy Sue and Pick jumped behind his drums to play with me. Later he said to me: “That’s one of my favorite songs!”.

The last time I played with them was in 1982 in Deinum. MC was a four piece: drums, bass and two guitars with a JJ Cale flavor. I was also with a band with the same lineup. In the years that followed I did not go to any of their shows but I had occasionaly contact with Chris by email.  I had the intention to see them on their final farewell tour but due to illness I could not come.
Piet Kok.


JULIA MIDDLETON
I met Chris and the Magna Carta Band at the Canterbury Folk Festival in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada.  They played there several times over the 20 years of its existence.
My favourite song is Fields of Eden.
Happy Birthday Chris.  I hope you have a fantastic day and a wonderful joy filled year.


HANS VAN KLINK
A I knew MC from about 1976, but I saw MC for the first time in a small, intimate concert in Austerlitz (the Netherlands) for about 8 or 10 years ago.
B Lord of the ages.
C Congratulations to you (and MC) For me the band who’s really playing with it’s heart.

In 2012 (I was 52 years old) we had an sort of crisis in marriage. I was depressed. And the MC music made me very emotional. Strange, normally I don’t do such things, but I send an email to Chris to tell him how impartant te MC music was in this period. And he wrote me back! I didn’t expect that, but it were very encouraging words. Thanks for that!


RAY RAWLINSON, Montgomery, Ohio USA originally from Stevenage, Herts. UK. 

A Cranfield College of Aeronautics, Cranfield Village near Bedford UK. circa November 1971.  Band consisted of Chris Simpson, Davey Johnstone and Glen Stuart.
B Seasons suite, or the Airport Song, I like so many it’s really hard to choose one.
C Happy birthday Chris, may you have many more to come. D If I can find a photo of the performance in Lancaster Hall Lounge at the College of Aeronautics I will forward.  Chris has actually shared some direct emails with me in the past which I find amazing that a celebrity would take the time to engage directly.

The photo was copied from the CD sleeve of the Royal Albert Hall performance.
This is my first and best memory of Magna Carta.
Regards, Ray

P.S.
I can now confirm with 100% confidence that the above photo was indeed taken at the Cranfield College of Aeronautics later named the Cranfield Institute of Technology. I attended the College from Sept 1971 to Summer of 1973 and this performance would have been around November 1971. The attached photo of the plaque on the wall clearly shows the Royal Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth II to the Cranfield Institute of Technology in December 1969. I used photoshop to enhance the photo and managed to read enough of the words to be 100% sure of where the performance was held. It was a very memorable evening and I became a Magna Carta fan from that day onwards. It was held in Lanchester Hall lounge in an intimate setting with around 200 college students who were about the same age as the band.


JAN & ADA BAKKER, Bedum, NL
The first time I visit a MC concert was in 1975 in huize Maas te Groningen (Glen Stuart was the singer)
Later I visit concerts in Groningen,2 times, Slochteren,2 times, Engelbert, Noordpolderzijl.
Once I visit a fan concert in Soesterberg. And I visit the concert in Carré, Amsterdam.

My favorite song is Lord of the Ages.

I wish Chris healthy and happy years till he is 100+ years old. His music lives forever.
I don’t have a photo of Chris and me. I have dearest memories of talking with Chris (and Linda) in te basement of the Fraeylamaborg te Slochteren.

Jan Bakker, Bedum.


PHIL COOPER
WELL, This will be fun for me!!

A) First M.C. gig I saw was circa (about) 1972 at Johnny Dankworths original Wavendon Theatre in Milton Kenes, Bucks, U.K. I lived in Watford about 30 miles away. I didn’t know what time it started so I got there at 7pm and it did not start till 10pm ish! So I discovered a few pubs and was “nicely out of tune: by the time the show started. (this should be in favourite memories not here cos there more to the story – sorry)
B) Fav. song: Tough one but Time for the leaving – ( it’s the song of my life !) and Father John come tops.
C) Message to Chris: Thanks for existing at the same time as me and filling a music void.
D) Sorry no pictures. ( I am no good with technology especially cameras!)
I am full of stories and memories but can ramble on, as Chris knows!!

Phil Cooper (but I am not the famous Devon folk singer with the same name)


GERT-JAN KAMER, Haarlem, The Netherlands
A September 1979. Chris&the other MC members stayed in Schiedam with a friend of mine, Thom Verlinde. Though he was a bricklayer, he acted as their hairdresser as well. While they were waiting for a haircut, the ones whose hair was not being cut, picked up their instruments, and gave me a private MC concert.
B Two old friends
C Chris, thanks a lot for the beautiful music&lyrics and wonderful concerts. I attended about 100 of them; lots of great memories. Stay healthy and relax🥳
D I don’t have a photo of me with Chris (I am tugged away in some snaps of his birthday parties in NL), but enclose 1 of a meet-and-great with my girlfriend and parents. These were taken in a small theatre in the Dutch windmill village, Zaanse Schans. We were having a drink in the bar after the gig when MC appeared for a chat.

October 2nd 2022 I attended the farewell concert in Apeldoorn again with my parents (then 85 and 84), but unfortunately no photo-session🙁

 


LINDA DIJKSTRA, Amerongen NL
Good idea to surprise Chris for his birthday!
A We met Chris and Linda in 1991 in a café in Weesp (Holland) They played there together. We ended talking with eachother and a very nice frienship began.
B Two old friends and Wild geese are my favorite songs.

C Dear Chrissieboy! We wish you a very Nice birthday with Cathy and loving people around you❣️
We hope you are doin’ fine, enjoying life in good health!
With Lots of Love, Hans and Linda

 

It might be nice to tell you that Chris and I once went swimming in the Henschotermeer, around an island, and that we were laughing because the water was nowhere higher than our knees… Chris and Linda often stayed with us.
One day Chris wanted to borrow my bike to go to the city (Amersfoort).
I asked if he had ever cycled lately. “Yes,” he said cheerfully. He swung and then fell into the hedge…

Greetings, Linda and Hans

 

This picture is made in The Proloog, in Ameronge, October 7th in 2022, on the Farewell tour.
Eric Bouwer, Linda Dijkstra, Hans Bouwer and Mum Joly.

 

 


LOUISE VAN UUM, Arnhem, The Netherlands
When I first met Chris on November 30, 2016 at the Eekhoornnest in Soest where they performed for friends, after the show he told me some beautiful words I’ll never forget. He said through your eyes I can see the window to your soul. I asked him a motto for life: he said always look at things from different sides. I’d like to thank you for that and for all the happy moments after that while watching the band together with Harry. Thanks to him, because he introduced me to the band many years ago. Love and happiest birthday Chris from Louise in Holland 😘
Favorite song: Lord of the Ages

Louise and Chris at ‘t Eekhoornnest, Soest November 30, 2016

From left: Will Stock, Doug Morter, Louise van Uum, Wendy Ross and Chris Simpson

Louise with Chris after the second Doesburg concert on November 8, 2022


MALCOLM PADGETT
From the moment of seeing Magna Carta in Leeds Town Hall (1970?), through University years listening to the Live Album, Songs from Wasties and Lord of the Ages, through to the late seventies, wondering what happened, to finding vinyl albums Live from Bergen, Prisoners on the Line etc in Tower Records London,  to discovering obscure cds from Spain in Fareham in the 1980s (amazingly) to attending the Farewell (!) Concert in Amsterdam, your music has brought me endless joy. It still does

Have a great birthday


CHRISTOPHER PULFORD
A Summer 1975 Cheltenham Town Hall.
B Father John. Thanks Chris for this profound song. I listened to it, went into the Anglican Church and left 10 years later. The song still resonates.
C Happy birthday and thanks for all the music. I bought a Martin D41 after seeing you play your D28.

Cheers, Chris


LES HOGG
A  Our first hearing of Chris was 1974 Tring folk club above the Rose and Crown. The concert was Lord of the Ages Royal Albert Hall.
B  Lord of the Ages live with the Royal Philharmonic.
C   Happy Birthday Chris from all in Tring

Knowing Chris from Tring we strangely knew the people he sold his house to and we are great friends with the people who live in the house in Oakley Lane now.
A very memorable evening was getting locked in the Royal Albert Hall a being late getting to the pub. (Ennismore Arms)
Les and Sue Hogg


MICHA LESGER, Hoensbroek, Netherlands
A My first concert was in Leiden in 1975/1976. Once I talked with Chris about this concert, because during the concert a very loud bang could be heard, it sounded like a gun shot. The audience was shocked for a moment, but the concert continued as normal.
B My favorite MC song is: Wish it was .This is a very difficult question to answer. I still like (almost) all the songs from MC and love hearing them.
C Chris, happy birthday. I hope you can enjoy every day, as you let me enjoy your music every day.
D: I have somewhere a picture, but cannot find it.


MIKE DIXON
A: I first saw Chris & Tom Hoy performing as a duo at the White Swan Folk Club, Yeadon (near Leeds) on 21st October 1975 but my first “official” Magna Carta gig was Glen Stuart’s last gig with them at Leeds Playhouse on 15th December 1975.
B: My favourite MC song is Lord Of The Ages.
C: Happy birthday Chris.  You have been in my musical life since 1975 and I have continued to buy and listen to your music ever since then.  Thank you for being there!  Hope you have a great day.
D: Here are some photos of the band that I took at Bingley College on 20th February 1977 (with Tom and Pick Withers on drums) and a page from my scrap book showing details of the first few times I saw Magna Carta. (not here: a couple of letters that Chris wrote to me in the 1970s)


JOHN HERBERT
A Farnham Redgrave theatre 1974
B Time for the leaving
C Happy birthday Chris. Thank you for everything.
Love and best wishes, John


NICK HALL
A I first saw Magna Carta in the early 90’s when my band The Hall Brothers supported them at Otley Civic Centre. They were amazing!
B My favourite Magna Carta song is probably Evergreen but Highway To Spain runs it a close second.
C My message to Chris on his birthday is ‘happy birthday mate! Hope we can catch up very soon! Thank you for bringing me along for the ride on some Magna shows and being a huge influence on my songwriting and guitar-playing.’


Memories
As a teenager, I had heard of Magna Carta because someone came up to my brother and me after one of our gigs and said that one of our songs reminded them of MC.
We (The Hall Brothers) were invited to play at a charity concert in the much-missed Otley Civic Centre supporting Chris and Linda and met them for the first time. I remember chuckling as Chris had found his way into the council chamber and was sitting on a huge throne! It was very funny. Both Chris and Linda were very kind and generous to us young lads and we were blown away by their set. It blew our little minds that someone could play lead guitar on an acoustic like that – it was very inspirational to both of us.

As we were packing up at the end of the night, Chris mentioned that MC would be playing up at Long Ashes near Grassington the next night (they were doing a residency up there) and asked if we’d be up for going up and doing a mid-spot between their sets. We very happily said yes – it was so kind of him and Linda to ask us.
We went up and had a great time and really got into Chris’s songs even more. We started to quite regularly pop along to play with MC at Long Ashes and later supported them at Grassington Town Hall.
Our friend and fiddle player John Carey had spent some time in MC so, for a time, it felt like there was a real connection between both bands. Through Chris and John we got to know and work with the brilliant and much-missed Lee Abbott too.

Through all this, Chris was very generous with his time, his advice and his support. There were always good laughs along the way too.
Later on, I ended up going round for lovely dinners at a couple of Chris’s houses and supporting MC again solo in Grassington.
One day I got the call to play guitar and sing backing vocals for Chris when he did a solo show in Knaresborough and had a great time learning the material and rehearsing with Chris. This then turned into another show with the two of us playing together at Otley Courthouse.
Little did I know that these shows were the lead up to me playing with Magna Carta themselves…. But that’s another story…!


JOSEF MÖLLERS, Paderborn in Germany
I’m Josef Möllers, I come from Paderborn in Germany but I have spent a few years in Enschede (The Netherlands) to study first Electrical Engineering and the Computer Science.
A It must have been sometime between 1975 and 1979 in a pub in Enschede.
B There are quite a few that I like so much that they qualify for being “favorite” (aamof I have a collection of “JosefsFavorites” which includes all my MC CDs 😉 ) but “Airport Song” maybe sticks out a few chords.
C Over the years, no music has been with me like yours! I was sad when I had read a few years ago that you wouldn’t perform again but was overjoyed when you then did the very last final farewell tour through The Netherlands and I was glad to be able to attend the performance in “Gigant” in Apeldoorn!


TOM HOY, Knaresborough
A I first saw Magna Carta, Wednesday 23rd of June 1971, at The Royal Albert Hall performing ‘Seasons – The Meeting of Two Worlds’ with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. I had heard them previously performing the entire ‘Seasons’  album on the radio with Chris, Glen and Lyell.  I commented to my mother, “this is a similar direction I would like to take my band, Natural Acoustic Band.” Who would have known that I and fellow NAB member, Robin Thyne, would end up being members of Magna Carta ourselves!

B My favourite Magna song (apart from the ones I wrote!)  is ‘Mixed Up Sensation’, one of Chris’s finest in my opinion.

C Chris dear boy- have an amazing 82nd Birthday and may I remind you – It’s your round!

D My memories of Chris and Magna’s are so many over the years – some I can share, and some I can’t!

Love as always

Tom


GIANFRANCO ROSATI, Florence, Italy
A I never saw MC in concert.
B Seven o’clock hymn/Midwinter medley (from the 1971 ‘Live in Concert’ album)
C Dear Chris, I wish you all the best. You are my hero and you know why. Endless love to you and Cathy!

Oct 04, 2022
I had booked a flight to Holland, and front row tickets to see two concerts of the MC’s farewell tour with my wife Cinzia.
A week earlier I had started treatment for cholesterol, and on Tuesday 4 October I felt a slight but persistent discomfort in my right shoulder.
My doctor told me not to worry, the mild pain was definitely caused by the cholesterol pills.
I told him that I would be flying to Holland the next day and that I wasn’t comfortable with this annoyance.
He then advised me to get me checked out at the nearest hospital so I could leave safely.
I went to the hospital where they immediately discovered that I had a heart attack in progress, after two hours they put four stents in my coronary arteries.
The news reached Chris, and at the Oct 06 Doesburg concert he made not one but two dedications to me! (first before ‘Two old friends’, and again before the final encore ‘Holes in my shoes’). Harry Pater sent me the video and I’ll be forever grateful to him too.
I know that if I hadn’t decided to go to Holland to see MC, I wouldn’t have called my doctor that Tuesday and I certainly would never have gone to the hospital.
I would therefore have had cardiac arrest and probably died.
So I can safely say that Chris saved my life!

Gianfranco

I attach a photo of me (bottom left) with Chris standing behind me, my wife Cinzia
and our late friend Paolo Giorgi who co-wrote and recorded ‘Listen’ with Chris.
This photo was taken in January 2018 when I hosted Chris and Cathy in my hometown Florence.


 

IAN RAYMANT
A – 1996 at Freshfields near Grassington, North Yorkshire.
B- Only Road Home (Linda Simpson’s favourite version)
C – Happy birthday Chris, enjoy your big day.

 

Linda giving a rather silly acting performance with their then next door neighbour

Sorry I can’t remember the ladies name in the photo but it’s me with the beard


MATTHIJS BARNHOORN, Borculo NL
A: November 2001 at De Hanzehof, Zutphen (NL). Life has never been the same since…
B: There are so many to choose from. To play, our version of ‘Paradise Row’ springs to mind immediately
C: Ey up! D: Please find the two latest photos attached (photo 2015 by Walter Goyen, photo 2022 by Ina Barnhoorn).


ROB, Delft, NL
Hello, my name is Rob and i live in Holland, in the city Delft.
A I first saw MC in the seventies at a small venue in Delft. I do not know the exact year.
B I like many songs from MC and if I pick one it will be Lord of the Ages.
C i wish Chris all the best in good health.
Regards, Rob


STEVE HAMBLETON 
A Free Trades Hall, Manchester, 1969 or 1970
B Wild Geese
C Happy Birthday Chris, Hope you get bread sauce with your birthday meal.

D I can’t find a photo of myself with Chris but I do have photos of Chris and other Magna Carta musicians.

I have many memories of Chris and Magna Carta since I became friends with Chris and the band back in 1987.
I have many memories of Chris, especially from when I accompanied Magna Carta on their tour of Iraq in May 1989.
The one that really stands out is when Magna Carta (then Chris and Linda) were invited by the British Council to tour Iraq in May 1989, shortly after Iraq’s war with Iran had finished in late 1988 and before he moved into Kuwait in early 1990. Chris asked me to accompany them to Iraq as “Tour Manager” and Soundman so I took extended leave from work to do so.
We had a great time and after being initially based in Baghdad we were scheduled to fly to Basra. Chris had previously read the book “Marsh Arabs” by Sir Wilfred Patrick Thesiger and was fascinated by their way of life so he asked if we could be driven to Basra so we could experience the Marsh Arabs (sadly their culture was destroyed when Sadam Hussein drained the marshes but hopefully they are starting to recover). This was duly arranged and when we stopped to see the Marsh Arabs Chris was talking to a child who pinched Chris’ sunglasses and ran away. Chris was not amused but we laughed at the time and many times since.
Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures from Iraq as whilst my films were in X-Ray safe pouches for the flight when I got home and had the films processed they were all blank – very sad and presumably because of them being wiped by Iraq security.

Regards, Steve Hambleton


JAN VAN FRAEIJENHOVE, Barneveld, NL
Dear Chris,
My memories started without knowing anything about Mr. Simson. In the early seventies I must have heard Magna Carta on Radio Veronica (I am Dutch, born in 1957) and at parties. And I also traded music on tape with my friend Henk. The first Magna Carta album I bought was Songs from Wasties Orchard. That must have been in the time I had around 10 LP’s. My sister bought In Concert (introduction Liesbeth List). I borrowed it and I think she never got it back. In the next few years I purchased all the albums, Took a Long Time even in the week it was released, hungry for new music. Martin’s Cafe was the last LP I bought.

I studied in Enschede, and with some friends we went to Almelo for a Magna Carta Concert (around 1977). We heard that the concert the night before went on until far after midnight, and the band was drinking a lot of beer. Our evening was just like that, but we had to leave at 12 o’clock to get our train. I think we missed a lot. In 1978 MC played on Dutch Radio, I taped it and it is still as MP3 on my computer.

In the late 80’s, or early 90’s the LP’s were replaced by CD’s, and to my surprise Magna Cart still existed. Friend Henk invited me for a concert in Rotterdam. For as far I remember the concert was not sold out, but the sound was perfect. The way home took a long time, lots of snow. That was the time I heard the band had one permanent member, Chris Simpson.

And maybe more than 10 years later we went to Velp for a concert. Small theatre, but sold out. Very gezellig. I think it was in the time Linda took a picture of the audience. And there was nanana during the Airport Song. Everything the band did was published at the website. I think I checked it very often.

In that time I missed a concert that must have been wonderful. My parents lived in Emmeloord and there was a concert from MC in a bar called The Bottom of The Sea. It was warm that day, and I decided to go somewhere else. Later I heard they played outside, that must have been a wonderful concert.

Then the goodbye concert in Carré. That was magic, Lord of the Ages was fabulous, with thanks to Andrew Jackson. I hope one day we can hear that music on an album. By that time I bought my first digital camera, and took some pictures.

The CD’s were replaced by MP3, and in recent years everything is on Spotify. Except Seasons in the Royal Albert Hall, not available in our country. I still wonder how it sounds. And The Green Fields of Eden is always a pleasure to listen to, one of the greatest MC songs, in my opinion.

That is my story. But: Again another Farewell Tour. So we went to Austerlitz for one of the very last concerts. That was awesome. My favorite MC song? Two old Friends. Thanks for playing this song at that concert. Without a guitar in your hands you had the opportunity to make every word in the song significant, by putting your finger in the air. Thank you for that performance.

In Velp you told a story about your (Spanish?, you even imitated him) manager, who betrayed you. You said something like: “With tears in his eyes he spoke to me as the man who wrote The Lord of the Ages”. Yes, that is you. You made unforgettable music. While I write this letter I listen to the concert on the radio in 1978, I haven’t heard it for a long time, but I still recognize the conversations.

Oh, just one more thing. If ever….. There would be some guitar players, a drummer, and some other musicians, looking for a singer. Would you do it, and share it with us? I hope so.
Mr Simpson, Dear Chris. Thank you for your contribution to music, I have been a fan for more than a half century. Have a fantastic 82nd birthday.

Jan van Fraeijenhove, Barneveld.

 


FIONA GILBERT
My name is Fiona Gilbert and my husband, Simon and I first met Chris when I looked out of our kitchen window when we lived in Harrogate in the mid 1980s and saw a complete stranger on our next door neighbour’s driveway, sat on a stool, playing an acoustic guitar and wearing a very bright Hawaiian shirt, shorts and sandals. I was somewhat taken aback because our neighbour was Mary Simpson who was in her 80s at the time and she had never mentioned having a son. My vivid imagination made me think that this stranger had kidnapped Mary and had taken over her house and had her tied up in the house somewhere! Before I called the police, I thought I had better go out onto our driveway and ask who he was and where Mary was. All was revealed when he explained he was Mary’s son and was back from touring in the Middle East. Mary was fit and well and having a cup of tea in her lounge! Simon, Chris and I became good friends and many an evening was spent with Chris round at our house, putting the world to rights and imbibing of quite a lot of alcohol! We went to most of their local gigs and then went to bigger gigs at Ripley, Hampsthwaite, Grassington and Skipton over the decades. We have enjoyed many parties and BBQs in each other’s company in different locations and for various celebrations.

A The first time we went to a gig was at The Stonehouse Inn at Thruscross, near Blubberhouses in North Yorkshire. It would have been shortly after we met Chris, so maybe around 1985.

B Airport Song closely followed by Bridge at Knaresborough Town.

C Lots of love on your birthday Chris from Big G, Little, G, Micro and Mini G, AKA Simon, Fiona, Daniel and Rory xxx

D I can only find a few photographs that were taken in June 1987 when Chris kindly organized a pot-holing expedition for Harrogate Junior Chamber at Calf-Holes in the Yorkshire Dales near Ribblehead. There are four photos attached with Chris in his pot holing gear, myself in the blue helmet and Jacqui plus a couple of the Junior Chamber members who were brave enough to go down the pot!

An amusing incident in our hot tub involving Chris!
It doesn’t seem quite as funny now as I originally remembered it and it involved Chris and, at the time, Linda, my husband and I plus a few other friends.
It was a lovely summer’s evening, probably nearly 20 years ago and we invited friends and neighbours round for a BBQ and suggested that they brought swimwear if they wanted to go in the hot tub. At one point there were eight of us in the tub, which was a slight squeeze but fun! Gradually people started to get out of the tub to have more food and drinks and eventually Chris and Stephen, a neighbour and farmer friend, realised that, being the only two left in the tub, realised that they had been playing footsy with each other rather than the ladies, who had been in the tub a short while earlier. They were both a little red faced and that wasn’t just because the water in the tub was hot!!

Probably a bit tame these days and you may decide not to include this in your stuff you are putting together for Chris’ birthday. We did have some brilliant times with Chris over the years, and have especially fond memories of the Stonehouse days and also being in the Blue Strike Studio when Chris was recording with Will Jackson. Happy times.


Caving with CJ and HJC June 1987

Chris and Fiona mid 1980s


PHIL HAMPTON, Middlesbrough 
A Sadly I have never seen Magna Carta in concert except on DVD.

B My favorite song is either @Mixed Up Sensations or Took A Long Time.

C Happy birthday Chris. You have brought so much pleasure to so many people over the years, thank you for giving the world so many great songs. I once saw you described, I think by Alan Dell as the English Paul Simon. Well, I prefer to think of Paul Simon as the American Chris Simpson. Have a great day and many more to come.


TONY COX
A I first heard them perform at The Coal Hole, Cambridge, England. I can’t remember the date but it was late 60’s I think. They were brilliant.
B There are so many songs I love but if I had to choose one to listen to it would be “Seasons”. A masterpiece!!
C My message is:- Have a Great day, look back at the wonderful Music and people that have been in your life. Also, importantly, consider the enjoyment and emotions you have given others. You are a great source of peace, wonderful emotions and solace for me and many others. So I take this opportunity to say thankyou Chris .Have a Good One.

Tony Cox, Steeple Claydon

Story:
Although it’s not a story as such our paths have coincided quite a lot.
I first saw them at the Coal Hole in Cambridge in the late 60’s.
Then My Wife and I lived opposite Chris when he was at St Leonards, Bucks.
We used to go to the White Lion Pub in St Leonards for the odd beer!!  I was working as a Millitary Medic at the nearby RAF Hospital.
Prior to this I had worked in Oman and the Gulf, as Chris did at one time.
I then saw them twice at Grassington doing their Live gigs.
The next meeting was at Bingley, I think Tom Hoy was there too. (Or it may have been Grassington?)
We next met at The Boggery, Solihull.  Here we had a longer Chat after the Gig with Chris and Linda.
The last time we met was at The Stables, Wavendon. I think George Norris was there too.
I was a member of “The Friends” till it ceased and have regularly kept in tough with Chris.
I have most of their recordings, a Guitar collection including a Martin D42 I call Chris!!

So well done Chris, you have been a huge comfort to me, always around, always brilliant.
It’s a great pity we havn’t had the chance to talk more, share some stories and oggle guitars.


ANNIE ELLIS
A I first saw Magna Carta when they were a guest band with Labbi Siffre concert at the Wyvern Theatre, Swindon. in the 70’s.
When I first met them was when they were appearing as a guest band to Hudson Ford at the Birmingham Town Hall a few years later.

B Favourite song is Airport Song

C Hope that you have a splendid birthday Chris with lots of fun and laughter.

Yes I do have a memory to share.

Regards, Annie Ellis of Cheltenham


WOLFGANG / ERICH ESSER
Happy Birthday.
I be proud to meet you since 1983 in Steinheim, Ostwesfalen Lippe / Germany.
I was there with friends, Silke (‘naughy German girl’ You said to her because she was loud in Front of the show), Achim, a very good friend of mine and Klaus, a friend.
When I come in I said I was a reporter and so I got an Interview with you and the band.
After the show you invited me and my friends to spend time with you and the band. It has been a very special and cool time.
At last you wrote me down the text from “Lord of the ages”
Many thanks for this special experience.

My favorite song is “Mixed up sensations”

Many thanks to know you and for your music, dear Chris,
At last, I hope I can give greeting for your 90th birthday and later
your Wolfgang
Greetings too from Silke

PS: to meet you in England wil be a very good reason to travel for me


JACK FROM CALIFORNIA
A Unfortunately, I have never seen MC live (I live in the U.S.). I am sure that seeing them live would be a wonderful experience!
B Consequently, I do not have any photos relating to Magna Carta
C If I had to choose one song, I would likely choose SCARECROW, but my choice is not written in stone
D Memorable moment (my own question to myself) — Hearing GOIN’ MY WAY while walking near a forest in Ogunquit, Maine (in the SUMMER, I believe)

Dear Chris,
Happy Birthday, my long-distance pal! May our Lord and Savior bless you with health and happiness. The world is a better place with you and your music in it.
Remember, Jesus loves you. Walk with Him, my friend.

Blessings, Jack (from California)


CHRISTINE MARTIN
Goeie Dag!  Van Suid Afrika.
My name is Christine (Chris) Simpson Martin.  I am 75.  I live in PietermaritZburg in South Africa.
As you may guess,  I am related to Chris Simpson.  Our Fathers were cousins.  His Dad was Frank and my dad was Randolph Simpson.
Our family emigrated to  South Africa in 1949  (after the war)

A. First time we saw Magna Carta was about 40 odd years ago when they came to  Johannesburg for a concert.   We took my Mum, Aunt Edith, to see the show and we all  went backstage to introduce ourselves to Chris.  He was very gracious and chatted to us.

B. My favourite MC song is  “The Gypsy” –  I’ll tell you why.  M C came to our town of Pietermaritzburg and did a concert at the Botanical Gardens in the open air.  This time I took my Older Sister Anita and her Husband and My Husband.  I managed to pin Chris down for a few minutes to re introduce myself and show him a photo of my dad (who looks uncannily similar to Chris).
He then a bit later sang the song “The Gypsy” and dedicated it to me.

C. My Message to Chris on his birthday: Dear Chris,  As you celebrate another Milestone birthday I congratulate you for the many years you have given so much pleasure to so many people.  May you be spared for many years to come and may you continue to write and perform your wonderful songs.

With love and best wishes from Christine Simpson Martin
D. I have a photo from the concert in Johannesburg with the band and my Mum but I am afraid I have no idea where to begin to look for it.
Thank  you for this opportunity to wish Chris Happy Birthday!


JORGE PATO, Lisbon, Portugal
A – My first live concert of Magna Carta was in Bilbao ( Spain), on 26th March 2017.
B- It is very difficult to choose a favorite Magna Carta song, but if I must do it, I have to select “Two Old Friends”, not only for its beauty and harmony, but mainly because of the way it shows the importance of having Friends.
C- My message to Chris, on his 82th birthday: ” I have grown listening to your music and lyrics, and they are a very important part of my life, as well as are the moments we shared, talking and laughing, when we met each other. More than another Happy Birthday, I will pick the words of Neil Young, wishing you: “Long May You Run, Chris! Love from Jorge & Fátima, your faithful Portuguese couple”.
D – I will send a nice photo with Chris, in a separate email, later.

Memory
I have a memory to share, one that means much to myself, and which I will never forget. Here it is:

When I was in Bilbao attending the MC concert, after changing some mails with Chris, telling him that I would go to a MC live concert and meet him in person, I could never imagine what would happen. After a couple of songs during the set, Chris just said to the audience (where amongst 300 hundred local people there was a Portuguese couple: Jorge and Fatima) : “I am glad to have in this hall, today, a Portuguese friend of mine, who came from Lisbon, purposely to see this Magna Carta concert; Jorge, where are you?!” And then I obviously stood up, blushing, but feeling very happy and grateful for his gesture.


 CHRIS LAPALME 
Chris LaPalme (aka The Pooh) from Rapid City, South Dakota, USA

A   I first saw MC at the Stonehouse Pub near RAF Menwith Hill, N. Yorkshire in 1988.
B   Greenfields (with John Carey playing the fiddle)
C   Happy Birthday, CJ, you oldie but goodie!


NELSON VIEIRA DA SILVA, Oporto, Portugal
A Madrid, December, 17th 1995 at Hotel Convention
B That’s a hard one, but I would go with The Lord of the Ages
C It’s always an honour to have you and your music close to me all these years! Happy birthday Chris!

MEMORIES
I have a lot of good memories with Chris and other members of Magna Carta, including concerts in Portugal, Spain, UK and Netherlands, but also a good friendship that we developed since we first met. One of the most impressive memories that I am proud to have was the possibility of visiting Yorkshire with Chris. All the landscape and every location we went to was something magical, because it seems to be an illustration of his music. That kind of energy is something that I will never forget. Thanks Chris!

May 2018, at Gouveia Art Rock Festival in Gouveia (Portugal), It was the last time I was with Chris.


DAVID EDWARDS
A Burntwood Baths, Staffordshire c1970
B Seasons in total.
C A Very Happy Birthday and thanks for the music 🎵.


KEVIN McLAUGHLIN
A very happy birthday to Chris.
I never had the pleasure of seeing Merida Carta in person, but my favorite album is Songs From Wasties Orchard, and my favorite song is Time For The Leaving.
Happy birthday, and thank you so much for the music.

Kevin McLaughlin, Chapel Hill, NC USA


HELEN ROWE
I first bumped into Chris on a boat to Zakynthos in glorious sunshine.
We thoroughly enjoyed seeing him for the first time in Bedford, oh so many years ago and lastly at Ripley.
The song I play the most is Seasons.
I hope this finds Chris well and enjoying the Yorkshire countryside.
Helen


MARTIN ALBRONDA, Didam NL
A I saw MC first at Carré at Amsterdam, I do not recollect what date it was.
B My favoriete song is Lord of the ages
C I wish you all the best, good spirit and health and remember you positively from the shows I attended in Holland
D Unfortunately I do not have any photos from me with you, however I wish you good luck and pleasure with which others send you
No, I have no memory to share.


MARK BUNCE, Porton, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK
A Leeds Playhouse in the mid 1970’s. As a 1960 born child, I would have been a mid-teenager and had been buying MC on vinyl (Lord of the Ages) which I still have. They announced they were breaking up as a member was leaving but it’s a little of a misty memory now. at the concert.
B Obviously, Lord of the Ages as they performed it at that first concert I saw them. Father John is also a favorite one with its poignant lyrics and haunting melody. Isle of Sky always painted a picture and transported me. Sponge just makes me want to dance 😊.
C As I think I said in my direct email chats with you a few years back, as a Halifax lad, I was pleased to be back in contact and to then give you my appreciation and how I felt that you must feel the love and affection of all the fans. How it must be a wonderful feeling to have been such a positive part of so many people’s lives, to have created so many lasting, haunting, lively, and beautiful creations. I’d hoped to pop and see you in the boat but never managed to arrange it. I’ve listened to MC when I’ve travelled the world for work, when sat up the Dales watching the clouds over Fleet Moss towards Gale and Hawes, and down here in the south walking the Hampshire and Wiltshire fields and tracks. It’s been a long journey with your musical gift, and I deeply appreciate how much it has enhanced so many special times in my life.


TOM ARVIDSSON, Belgviken, Sweden
Magna Carta changed my life. I was in my early teens, listening to rock-music at the highest possible volume… There’s no reason to be ashamed of what I listened to: Stones, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, Byrds and a few others. Suddenly Kjell Alinge played “Time For The Leaving” with Magna Carta on the Swedish radio… After that nothing was the same. Acoustic music invaded my life and hit new depths in my body and it still does today. Magna Carta with Chris Simpson’s touching melodies and meaningful lyrics was the gateway to a wonderful new world of music.  Magna Carta have been there through all the years, i’ve never seen them in concert, but i believe i have nearly all the records.
My favorite MC song “Song for John”, but if you asked my tomorrow it could be many others.
My message to Chris on his 82nd Birthday: Your words and melodies have meant so much to me, it is impossible to put it into words.
Some of the most beautiful lyrics ever:


WALTER CRAANEN
A I saw Magna Carta for the first time in concert in The Hague in discotheek ‘De Marathon’. It must be in the year 1975 … somewhere around that.
B My favorite song is ‘Two old Friends’
C Happy Birthday and know you made musical impact on many people and certainly on me!
D I had one, I am sure but I can’t find it anymore ☹


PATSY KRUGER, South Africa
A – I met Chris in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in 2009 when he toured with Nick Hall
B- I can honestly say I love all the songs but my favourite song would be Wish it was
C- Dear Chris, I never Imagined I would ever get to meet Magna Carta in person,  it was a memorable evening for me and the chat afterwards was something I treasure. When I close my eyes and listen to your songs, my spirit rises and floats to happy places on the beautiful melodies you’ve created.
D- Sadly I have no photo,  but I listen to your music often, and that will just have to do.

Kind Regards
Patsy Kruger
Sunny South Africa


HARRY PATER, Doetinchem, The Netherlands
A My first MC concert was at the sold out Theater De Muzeval in Emmen, Drenthe on September 22, 1976. It was the first concert by an international well-known band I attended. In 1978 they played the same venue, on January 16, also sold out. In 1977 me and some friends went to see the band in De Kienstobbe in Tweede Exloërmond on April 8th. This venue was the hall from a village café where usually wedding parties were held plus the annual local amateur theater performances. The band played in front of the backdrop/scenery from the latest performance. In the Muzeval concert in 1976 the line-up consisted of Chris Simpson, Tom(my) Hoy and Nigel Portman Smith. In 1978 Chris and Tom were joined by Robin Thyne, Lee Abbott. At De Kienstobbe they were joined by drummer Pick Withers (later in Dire Straits), if my memory is right…
B My favourite MC songs are: the full Seasons album, Lord of the Ages, Bridge at Knaresborough Town, The Fields of Eden (I still remember the goose bumps when I heard it for the very first time!) and so many others.
C Happy 82nd birthday to you, my dear friend. It’s always been a pleasure to see and hear you play and to meet you. I have many memories, some I might share on this website some time.
D I do literally have (made) thousands of photos, especially during the several Dutch tours since 2000. Below one of the photos I made during the pauze (break) of the second Doesburg concert on 8 October 2022, where I finally could do a short photoshoot with the then current line-up.

Doug, Wendy, Chris and Eddie


FRED STARK, Landgraaf NL
A My first Magna Carta concert was somewhere in 1975 or 1976 in the Theater of Heerlen. The support act for a gig by the group Man was Chicken Shack, but was cancelled. Magna Carta stood in for them. In my opinion, it’s the best performance I’ve ever seen from them. The main act managed to clear the house within a few songs.
B My favourite Magna Carta John is still Father John, followed by Seasons In The Tide
C Dear Chris. Sorry I had to miss your last performance in Heerlen. The performance had been postponed so many times that it finally took place during my vacation. I had tickets, but unfortunately they have expired. I wish you and Cathy many more years together in love, happiness and good health.


ANDRE LEFEBVRE, Canada
A I live in Canada and never been to a Magna Carta concert.
B Lord of the Ages, and that whole album!
C Dear Chris, your music is timeless, your words are speaking of the deepest longing of humanity, which is peace in our lifetime. That hope never seems to die, despite the passing of empires into oblivion. Thank you for keeping the message alive in your heart, and in your songs and writings. ♥


DAVE HILL, North Staffordshire
Dave Hill (no, not that one, a different one), I live in North Staffordshire.
A I first saw Magna Carta in the early eighties at Bridge Street Art Centre in Newcastle Under Lyme.
The man that ran it asked if he could borrow some MC records from me to play on local radio to advertise the gig.
Which he did. …I never saw the records again but they were easily replaced.
B My favourite song is probably Father John. But on other days it could be Wild Geese or since the death of my father, Song For John.
C My message for Chris would be simply to thank him for the music that has been a soundtrack to my life for over fifty years. But in addition to the music there has been the constant shared belief that there are things in the modern world that would strongly suggest that we lose more than we gain from chasing progress and forgetting the old ways.
Throughout all the years Chris has remained accessible to his fans. Always prepared to spend the extra few minutes to listen and respond.

In recent years my wife and I saw Chris in Yorkshire one night  (for the fabulous live version of “The Visitor”) and a few days after we were in Norfolk to see the band again. I asked Chris if he would play “Midwinter” and sure enough they not only played it but dedicated it to my us. Chris asked us to stand up and get a round of applause. He said,  “If there were more people like these we could flatten the earth and take over the BBC” It was like shaking the hand of Bob Dylan !

Chris… I’m glad that you never became a priest, because you have touched more people and done more good in the world through your songs than you would have ever managed shackled to the church. Now get that book written.
Happy birthday, Dave and Denise


HENNY BARNHOORN, Borculo, NL
In 2000 we got to know Chris and Linda in a very special way:
During a concert of Fairport Convention and Magna Carta in Theater Hanzehof in Zutphen, our son, Matthijs (better known to MC fans as ‘Matt’) plays with Fairport Convention as a guest violinist.

Chris is apparently impressed and asks Matthijs if he would like to play with him and LInda. Matthijs asks who they are and it took some effort to ‘explain’ this.
We tried to convince him that it was probably just a casual comment, but what was our surprise when a few weeks later Chris called and asked if Matthijs wanted to play with them in Deventer.
Well, that evening there is a ‘click’ between the three and the rest is history.

During many concerts that we, in the Netherlands, also attended, a bond of friendship was formed. Chris and Linda stayed with us and we stayed with them in Hebden. We had a nice time together, talking, walking, laughing, eating. A nice anecdote is, for example, the walk we took in 2007 in the Hebden area. Chris taught us all the ins and outs of the area and even went hunting with us once, together with the sweet Harvey Sprout.

And what fun we had about the surprise that was organized for Chris’s 65th birthday:
MC was supposed to have a gig somewhere near Hebden. The bus was pulled up, everything was packed and Chris lay, as usual, on his mattress at the back of the bus. What he didn’t know was that the bus was driving to Liverpool, followed by a bus with fellow villagers, family and friends. In Liverpool Chris was surprised on a Beatles tour (with all his friends). Afterwards a special concert was played: in The Cavern Club!!!! (indeed: where the Beatles once started!) The concert was also followed by his friends and family.

And… as a special ending to this concert, Magna Carta received their own ‘Brick in the wall’. This can still be found on Matthew Street.
Then we all went back to Hebden, where Linda had organized a party.

We enjoyed following MC (and therefore also Chris). Of course our interest was colored by the fact that Matthijs played with the band. After obtaining his teaching diploma, he was a permanent member of MC for years and has played many concerts and tours. During these concerts in the Netherlands and their stay at Eekhoornnest Bungalowpark in Soest, Chris regularly teased me about my instrument preference: the bagpipes. He would present me during a concert as ‘the most famous bagpipe player of The Netherlands’ and jokes like that. I once made him pay for this by walking into their concert while playing the bagpipes. Chris was completely flabbergasted and was silent for the first time! We laughed a lot about it together.

In 2009, due to circumstances, MC came to an end. And a farewell concert was organized in Theater Carré in Amsterdam. As a token of appreciation (apparently) Chris asked me to play the bagpipes at their farewell concert as well. The concert was impressive and beautiful. And special for me because I was allowed to open the part after the break with the pipes. A world experience and probably the first piper ever in Carré.

Afterwards a farewell concert was played for the loyal MC fans in Canada and then it became quiet for us.

Matthijs returned home and took different musical paths: played with Sue the Night (indipop), did studio recordings with various artists and is currently a music teacher at primary schools and tour manager of Benny Sings, where he can use his experiences gained from, among others, M.C. He now lives near us with his wife Anne and his sons Arthur and Tobias.

Chris and Linda went their separate ways and actually disappeared from our view.
Last year we met Chris and Cathy again at a concert by MC ‘for us the after our time MC’ and it was old-fashioned fun again.
Now that ‘Geri’ (I always called him that as an abbreviation of ‘geriatric guitar player’) is already turning 82!!!!

Dear Geri, Happy Birthday, I whish you all the best for the oncoming years (decades).
Your ‘Fatty’ (which yes, he always had his answer ready)
And all the love from Ina and me!!

Henny Barnhoorn (aka ‘Fatty’)

 


ANTHONY CUMMINGS, Exeter
I have been unable to track down my photos of/with Magna Carta, sadly (too many albums to go through).
But, to answer your questions: My name is Anthony Cummings and I now live in Exeter but all my MC experiences were gained while living in Leidschendam in The Netherlands.
A – November 1993, in Utrecht.
B – leaving aside the obvious Seasons or Lord of the Ages, I have to go with Falkland Green. I have occasionally done a semi-a Capella version in folk music gigs, singarounds, etc.
C – Thanks for all the great albums, gigs and coming out to chat with us afterwards.


DAVID VOYDE
Hi Chris, Remember me, David Voyde, your recording engineer on your first album produced at Philips Studios at Marble Arch. I remember well those sessions with You, Glenn, and Lyall. Was it Dick Leahey producing? Unfortunately I never got to see you  and the guys perform live. I left the UK in 1977 gets get,s for Australia moving to NZ in1980 working in Radio. I well remember watching The First Moon Landing on TV at my home in Chilworth in Surrey with the guys and your Sister. My favourite song of your,s is still The Airport Song from the first album which still get,s played. Well Chris have a very happy birthday, I am not far behind you.  Dave.


REINHARDT, Germany
I am Reinhard, Magna Carta fan from Germany.
A: 16.11.2001 Zutphen
B: Time for the leaving
C: All the best to you, of course. And thank you for your music, especially for taking the trouble to play even in (very) small venues.


CHARLES MILLS, Bedford
A Key Theatre Peterborough 1977ish
B Country Jam
C You lured me in with Seasons and kept me ever since.  Thank you for all the wonderful songs.


ANNEKE REINKE & ED FISSCHER
Hallo Our names are: Anneke Reinke and Ed Fisscher, we have heard Magna Carta for the first time on dutch radio in the early seventies. At that time there was a famous radio host called “Willem Duys” and he introduced Magna Carta to the Dutch audience and from that moment we were fan.
It took some tome before we saw the band life performing but during the years we saw them in the Netherlands in several places like Amen, Apeldoorn, Doesburg, Dwingelo, Ekehaar etc.
And When the final goodbye concert was held in the famous Amsterdam Theatre “Carré” we were there and also at the afterparty in that theatre.
Fortunatley it appeared to be not the final final concert so after that we could see them on several other places.

A memory
Magna Carta has played several times in a very nice little theatre in the tiny village “Amen”  called “The Amer” with only 120 seats. At that time it was usual for that place that the artists played three short sets, so the theatre was able to gain some money from selling food and drinks. Chris was not very happy with that scheme and it ended up that he did not play in that theatre anymore. we knew there was another little theatre close bye and we arranged a concert in that theatre for them. I sent the announcement of this concert to all regular visitors from that other venue and most of ther visitors were from the guestlist of that other venue. it became a very wonderfull concert and it was Chris revenge of not programming him. After a few years the theatre that banned him had a change of managers and we (and Chris) were very happy that he could play his final final yes realy concert in the Amer again.

Our Favourite song was always “Elizabethan” BUT We went to the Final concert in Ripley. We took a plane, hired a car, booked a hotel and visited this unique concert. After the concert Chris invited us to come to his hotel and he drove us together with Cathy trough the beautifull Yorkshire dales. We also visited the place were the photo of The Fields of Eden was taken and since thean that number means even more than it did before.

Our wish 
Of course we wish you many years to come but especialy a good health. I hope you will be able to make some music maybe just for yourself but maybe something to share with us all. We understand that performing for a life audience will not happen anymore but a studiorecording could be very beautifull as well.

We have lots of photo’s from the band and from our trip through the yorkshire dales.


HANS BELDE
A joke that was exceptionally appreciated by Chris. A concert in the early 2000s.
After the concert. Jan Wijkmans and I are standing together when Chris walks up and says to Jan: “why is it that, whenever I see you, there are so many beautiful women around you?”
My response: “coincidence”. Chris’ response: loud laughter for quite some time.


DAG BJöRNBERG, Bergen, Norway
I’m Dag Audun living outside Bergen – Norway.
A When Magna Carta came to Bergen in 1978 – they had a consert at our school Garnes secondary school. Later i was at the consert in Greieghallen.
B Fragments
C Happy Birthday! When you were in Bergen – and stayed in Ziggies house, the car got trouble. I helped, and later i got an album for that. This  was “my music”. I went to the concert at school (where Ziggie was teacher) and in Grieghallen. Since then, I have played and listening to Lord of the ages, Fragments, Airport song …  and I’m now 63 years old and are still listening to your music. Magna Carta have been the most important band in my life.   Thank you – from a Norwegian fan !


CHRIS ABRAMS
Chris and Cathy decided it would be a nice thing to do to spend a week with us on the Norfolk Broads in May 2019. This coincided with the 50th anniversary of Magna Carta‘s first gig and it was celebrated with champagne and a cake! During the course of this visit Chris was reunited with a Norfolk Wherry called Albion which he had travelled on in his youth. It was a happy reunion!

This is Chris on our boat on The Norfolk Broads on 10th May 2019 celebrating 50 years to the day of MC’s very first concert! 😀

Me with Chris at Dad’s Army museum in March 2023 , Thetford, Norfolk.

Cathy Chris and Annie

Chris Cathy and my wife, Annie with Chris and Cathy and Seasons in 2019.


MARIAN SCHOTHUIS, Hengelo NL
A Oldenzaal at the Kerryfestival, in Hotel Ter Stege, one the biggest concert halls and stages from Oldenzaal and that festival at that time (and year in Oldenzaal) witch year it was sorry I don’t know anymore at this moment. (2years before Jan W. may started his fanclub, I believe). And I met Jan Wijkmans there, he was already lobbying to get his Dutch Fanclub started, but Chris did hold him back, he did not want it already, but Jan was holding on and the rest you all know… Official I was member 6, but my payment had a delay, so I became an other membernumber, witch one I don’t know anymore!? And I met Jaap Heeren also there, he was born in Oldenzaal, but lived and worked in Rotterdam at that time, he was already a MC Fan and Friend and we did become a friendly relationship for a while ❤️
B The whole CD Seasons it s a favorite , specially the beginning number of that CD, when he talks and they sings Seasons and also Elizabethan and Airport Song and Lord of the Ages and many more songs… Two Old Friends …
C Hope you enjoy a great day with family and friends surround you and that you might get older and older and in as good health as possible ❤️  And I do hope you will be stay the same man with all your wild things (wild hair) till the end of your live on this Earth ❤️

Magna Carta – my Marian Schothuis memories meeting and hearing them ❤️
Unfortunately I have the former MC Trio: the first line-up; never saw them perform, even though they performed in my region in Almelo at the Folk Club of Almelo in 1973 or 1974. I was 16 or 17 years old at the time and wanted to go there on a moped with my girlfriend, but the girlfriend did not want to go there and was not allowed to go there because there was a notorious bar nearby in the street where there were often arguments and at the time I did not dare to go out alone in the evening. to the big city, I still lived in my native village Geesteren Gem Tubbergen, so Almelo was the big city. Unfortunately and unfortunately, I would have liked to hear the 3 men from the first hour of founding MC during their performance there!

Years later I finally saw and heard them for the first time, at the famous Kerry festival in Oldenzaal, which was organized every year on the first Friday evening in September by a club of male music lovers. Magna Carta then performed in the duo line-up Chris and Linda together, the three men, the MC trio of the first hour, no longer played together at that time.

And that performance; my first time hearing MC must have been on the first Friday of September 1991, Chris and Linda were playing and singing on the big stage of Hotel ter Stege and there in the audience I met Jan Wijkmans, among others, he was a Super fan of MC and really wanted to set up the NL Magna Carta Fan Club, but Chris did not allow that yet, because Magna Carta already had many fans in the Netherlands and so Chris thought that was completely unnecessary. Yes, there were also a number of MC fans present there that evening, including Jaap Heeren, born in Oldenzaal; but Jaap had already been living and working in Rotterdam for years; he had another evening out in Oldenzaal together with his old school friend, and still good friend, who still lived in Oldenzaal. Jaap and I kept in touch with each other for a while after that evening and from then on I also had contact with Jan Wijkmans and Marion (supporters) about everything related to Magna Carta.

A year later, 1992, I went and came more often to a performance of Magna Carta in NL, this time in Zwolle and before the performance started I met Jan Wijkmans again in person and Jan said: I can start the Magna Carta Fan Club! ! TOP! Wow, I said, I will become a member right away and officially I was member number 6, but thanks to a slightly late payment, I received another fan club membership number, I don’t remember which one, but it was ok 😉

For years I enjoyed everything that was written and published about and by Magna Carta, Chris especially loved writing and I could read the Fan Club magazine.
Not to mention the beautiful Cartoons by Ruben van Aëfst on the front page.
I certainly also really enjoyed the Fan Club meetings in Soest, always very nice when you arrived there and usually Hans Belde, showed you the P-spot, unfortunately no more contact with Hans Belde (and his pipe) after the fan club stopped and the meetings were over.

Yes, unfortunately I no longer know the names of many fans and I no longer have contact with them, except with Jan Wijkmans, on Facebook (Smoelenboek the Belgians call it 😉) and since the Last Farewell Tour meeting in Apeldoorn also with Harry Pater 😉

And certainly not to forget: I have been in contact with Linda Simpson occasionally on Facebook for a long time now 😉 What I especially remember was that Fan Club day with that beautiful desired gift: a Dog, a black Labrador, the dog with from then on perhaps the longest name in the world: Harvey and…? And what a sweetheart ❤️ cutie ❤️

IDEA: Reunion of vml Friends of Magna Carta Fan Club Members! Maybe it would be nice to organize another Reunion and if that “Nest” in Soest still exists, that campsite, with or without the same owners, to keep it there, maybe pass on my idea to Jan Wijkmans and or brainstorm about it together!?

While I lived in Hengelo and often went to performances here in one of my favorite music cafés, Theatercafé De Kleine Kunst, I once asked the owner Jan Tibben if he would also like to see a performance of Magna Carta in his Theatercafé, because here in the East from NL, as far as I knew there were also many Magna Carta Music fans!
And it worked: Chris and Linda came to perform for a well-filled Theater Café, Chris unfortunately had some difficulty playing at the time, he had fallen in the bathroom in the Arab part of the World a few months earlier and that had caused a muscle tear in his right hand, upper arm, since Chris knew that I had Reiki, he asked me during the break to try to give him some extra energy in his upper arm, and it helped, he said, Great!

Furthermore, I have many fond memories of the big show for the 25th anniversary of Magna Carta in Vredenburg Utrecht, so I can no longer remember who all were on stage at the time, or whether there were any recordings of it. That show will be, I don’t know either, unfortunately Chris often did not want a show to be recorded, while it was certainly memorable that as a band and founder you have existed with your band, even in a slimmed down form as a duo, for 25 years, right? !!

And years later I really enjoyed Magna Carta again when they performed again as a trio with Matt Barnhoorn, Matt was a super nice addition and person and I think they also played an evening performance in this trio formation again at Theatercafé De Kleine Kunst in Hengelo .

Their big show on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Magna Carta in Carré Amsterdam was absolutely fantastic, with many musical friends and former band members on stage. I hope to be able to watch the really good recordings of that again, Harry told me that there is a video recording of it from the security platform.

Yes, that was a really fantastic show, especially with Matt’s father there who was even allowed to perform twice, he was allowed to do the speaking part and it was also very surprising to come onto the stage from the audience in full regalia playing his bagpipes in Scottish costume.

And the afterparty, the meeting afterwards was also nice, even though I had forgotten my tickets, I was able to convince the security guard by an excuse from good friend Thierry, who was with us at the time, that our tickets were in the cloakroom in the jacket. I got in there and so I was able to hand Chris and Linda my homemade Text Stone, the stone for Matt took a while, because Matt was suddenly gone, he had to take his girlfriend away, namely … Yes he would come back, but that took and took and in the end he did. We succeeded and even the Roadie received an extra stone from me… I had not made a stone that evening for all the other musicians playing along and they have not received them so far.

Yes, that 40-year show was a highlight and that Magna Carta would officially stop after that show, I only heard later, very unfortunate and years later nice, that Chris had put together a band again and was performing with them again.

And finally, after Corona, which was an unpleasant time for many and certainly also for Chris, who himself was affected by Corona and later also developed pneumonia, the announcement of their postponed final Farewell Tour in NL.

The Last Farewell Tour with 8 concerts in NL, which sold out in no time and of which I visited 1 in Apeldoorn and spoke to Chris and Harry Pater afterwards and bought the 3CD box and Chris signed it. Unfortunately, his signature was written across his eyes, something I didn’t want, yes Chris and his wild pranks 😉

But The Last Farewell Tour, the performance was okay, even though I might have expected other songs, it was okay, Chris and the band members were allowed to decide together what they wanted to show us on that Last Farewell Tour… A small It’s a bit of a shame that they no longer perform overseas, but it is understandable if you are 80+ like Chris!!

And yes, goodbye and maybe see you again, but then I may have to travel by sea to England myself and then also buy a passport because of Brexit… “What is not can still be “dreamed”… (( instead of What cannot come, is a statement by a good friend, the Consolation Poet of Deventer – Boudewijn Betzema, he is the instigator of the Round of Softness, a short walk with supporters, who also believe that the World could use more Gentleness and on every last Friday of the month we walk in various places in the Netherlands and Belgium and we spread the Softness ❤️ ))

Kind regards ❤️ greetings to all ❤️ from me Marian Schothuis ❤️ Hengelo NL

BTW, Chris, according to yoga masters, Pneumonia is actually a positive disease ❤️ because if you think about it, it marks the end of a certain period in your life, so Chris, think about it 😉 whether that can be true!?

Magna Carta at Theater Gigant in Apeldoorn, October 2, 20222


 

MARTIN HOOGENBOOM
I learned about Magna Carta somwhere in the early 70’s of the previous century maybe even ’69. Visited one concert in the City Hall in Leiden (Netherlands) I guess it was 1971 but i’m not sure. I was around 19 back then. In those days I loved long storytelling music like “Lord of the Ages’, which is along with ‘Seasons’ still (or again) one of my MC favorites. Around 1980 my interest in music (including MC) dropped in favor of marriage, housebuilding, raise up children, carreerswitch and such trivialities.
In the years before i have introduced MC to many (girl-) friends, some of which i know still keep up. Which was proven by the fact that one of them reintruduced MC to me at a pre-millenium meeting in 1999.
Since about 2002, we moved to a quieter part of the Netherlands, kids got more independent, career stabilized, i got more time to pick up my guitar and listen to musical favorites. Visited a few concerts in the Northern regions of the Netherlands. In one of these I had the honor of shaking hands with Chris and Linda.

Chris, I have always admired you for your guitarplay and originality in songs. I still do.

So you turn 82. To me you are Magna Carta. And that legacy will last, at least till you’re 120.

With that in mind 82 is worth celebrating, but there is at least 38 years to go. Many congratulations.


CEES (CORNELIS) KLOPPENBURG, The Netherlands

Dear Chris,

Since i first saw you playing so long ago, in De Toverbal” Maassluis Netherlands i became fan and tried to visit your concerts when ever you were in Holland.One of the last concerts with Linda still in the band, you all signed a cd, and while you were busy with other things Linda took the cd out of my hands and  came back with your autograph on it. Chris i hope that for a long time more you will be with us, your music will be played for ages more. Hope to send another birthday greeting on 83.

Most Kind regards,

Cornelis Kloppenburg, The Netherlands


LEE & JULIE JOHNSON, Bolton Lancashire
So glad to get the regular updates about Magna Carta, I first saw Chris and the earlier line up in my home town of Bolton (Lancs) on 29th April 1973 at Bolton Heaton Village Club. I had bought ‘Seasons’ with its superb art work LP cover whilst a student teacher in York in 1971.

My favourite song is Two old Friends, followed closely by ‘Father John’.

I still have the single record Sting of the Gin which Chris sent me and a nice letter from him along with this complimentary gift in 1982.

Have a happy birthday Chris. Many thanks for all the pleasure which you music has given me over the past 5 decade Every blessing for good health,
Lee Johnson


DOROTHEA VAN DER VELDEN, Zevenaar, NL 
A We saw MC for the first time in 1992, at The Lantaern in Zevenaar, our hometown.
B Our favorite MC song is ’Two old friends’
C Our message to Chris on his 82nd Birthday: Keep calm, and lie about your age (and hope to see you soon)
D And the included photo with Chris and Cathy was taken at the last concert in Doesburg, Octobre 8, 2022. Very special for us to be able to be there, as my husband had had a kidneytransplant just 3 weeks before.

Memories:
* The midnight suppers at our place after gigs at the Lantaern, my husband being the ‘mad chef’ (and the hangover breakfast the next morning….)
* December 3, 2005 with Chris, Linda, Matthijs and Darrell
* October 23, 2011, with Chris, Cathy, George Norris and his wife, Hans Veen, Laurens Joensen
* Dinner with Yorkshire pudding and dancing in Hebden, with Chris, Linda en Matthijs Barnhoorn (July 20, 2007)
* The concert in Oudenaarde, Belgium (June 27, 2009), and all the wine and beer afterwards, with Hans Veen, and meeting Cathy for the first time.
* Barefoot dancing after a Friends concert at the Eekhoornnest (Octobre 25, 2008)
* The wonderful concert at the Stevenskerk in Nijmegen, where I heard the best Paradise Row ever (and invited Chris and the band for the first midnight supper).
* Visiting Chris and Cathy last year on their narrow boat.

Yours sincerely,
Dorothea van der Velden & Bart Kagei

 

 

 


HERWIG DE NOYETTE, Oudenaarde, Belgium
My name is Herwig De Noyette. I live in Oudenaarde (Belgium). I run a music store there. Chris knows me very well…and I think we are friends!  Between 2000 and 2009,  I (together with my team) organised three Magna Carta and one Chris Simpson solo-concert in my hometown. The last Magna Carta concert in Belgium (see poster) was in our club ‘De Boerderij’ (in English The Farm) (March 29th 2009). A few weeks later Chris invited me for the last official Magna Carta concert in The Carré in Amsterdam. I was responsible for the merchandise. In summer of that same year Chris was headliner at our festival. That was for sure the last time he was in Belgium as a musician.

A The first time I met Chris & Linda was in the beginning of the year 2000. Backstage at the N9 venue in Eeklo (Belgium). Chris and Linda invited us for dinner with them.
They were so friendly! So kind! I will never forget that!! I saw them the same evening live for the first time! I thought : “Yes, one of these months, they will play in our venue : De Boerderij”. And they did it several times!

Since the early seventies, I became a fan. I have all their albums. And of course… My wife Annie and me were also at the final, final, final (you’ll never know) concert in Gorinchem (see pictures).

B It’s not easy to choose one favorite song, but I have to : ‘Two Old Friends’
C Dear Chris, dear old young friend. 83 and forever young ! I wish you live to be 100 years old. Don’t forget to invite me to your 100th birthday party. We will be there !!

 


MARCEL DE WIT, Hilversum NL
Dear Sir Chris and Cathy,
First of all congratulations to both of you for Chris’ birthday, just 82, what a special day.
I have good memories of the days attending the concerts, always a pleasure, with gifted musicians joining you.
A special memory is the listen-in at the Eekhoornsnest at Soest for the presentation of the latest Magna Carta album ‘Fields of Eden’.
You telling about the songs and seeing how the album was received. I never had another experience like this.

Each of the last ‘not yet farewell’ tours and the last one I visited 2 venues, mostly Beauforthuis Zeist and Het Pand Gorinchem, and on earlier times De Boerderij Huizen.
Afterwards you both were always available for a conversation. You both then recognized me from earlier visits.

I remember we talked about the Fields of Eden song and that Patrick Stewart (a neighbor of yours you told me) his voice was originally meant to be on the song, but Andrew Jackson did the spoken word on the album, a phenomenal achievement. At concerts his voice was played from tape at your mark. The last time, after Jackson’s passing you took over, with emotion. My video recording of that was unfortunately damaged, bad luck.

We also talked about the Beatles’ middle 8 (you explained to me), on which they were superb. I sadly don’t remember the songs that, in your opinion, they were at their best.
I have many favourite songs, but ‘Airport Song’ has, for me, a once in a lifetime special intro and ‘Took a Long Time’ to me is second best, a memory of my younger days.

I wish for both of you to keep good health, and stay vivid. Enjoy your well deserved spare time, without worries.

My best regards,

Marcel de Wit, Hilversum, Holland (near Soest)


MICHAEL MARTIN, Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada
I met Chris and Magna Carta in July 2009 on their 1st visit to the Canterbury Folk Festival at Ingersoll, Ontario. Chris and Magna Carta returned to the Canterbury Festival in 2015 and 2019, the final year of the festival.

My favourite Margna Carta song is Walk Away From Heaven. Chris (guitar, harmonica & vocals), Wendy Ross(violin), Doug Morter(guitar), Will Stock(bass) & John Shepard(drums) combined to make magical music performing Walk Away from Heaven.

Chris have a happy 82nd birthday. I am a few years behind so please keep lighting the way for many more years.
Take good care of yourself
Michael


FRED HEINIGER, Langenthal, Switzerland
My name is Fred Heiniger, 4900 Langenthal Switzerland
I have many memories of Chris and Magna Carta since I became friends with Chris and the band back in 1987.
My 1st Concert with MC: 29.10. 2005 in Langenthal, Switzerland
My very best wishes to your Birthday Chris!
I never forget you, Magna Carta and your music!
All my best wishes!

Fred H.


HENK BOUWMAN, Schoonoord, NL
A: 1977 in 2e Exloërmond, Netherlands. Visited this concert with Harry Pater who already visited more MC concerts before and enthusiastically proposed to see them play. I believe with musicians as Tom Hoy, Nigel Portman Smith and Pick Withers

B: Time for the leaving (Album, Songs from wasties orchard) As we grow older this song also fits the time we are now living, remembering how things were, seems as yesterday but includes decades.

C: thanks Chris for your timeless songs, you really succeeded in describing situations, people, your endless love for the Yorkshire Dales in so well written poetically lyrics

After concert 2011 in Ekehaar, Netherlands, meet and greet and brought a nice bottle of red wine for Chris, the one he always much appreciated (Mouton Cadet)


PAUL BURGESS, former Magna Carta (now 10cc) drummer 
Hi CJ,

Do you remember that time in Germany when I introduced George Norris to the joys of ‘roofing’, where you find a tall building and go to the top floor, then look for that extra flight of stairs which leads to the roof? The views can be amazing, especially at night with all the city lights below, enhanced enormously by copious amounts of alcohol. Our hotel that night was quite tall, and George was curious. Of course you remember George’s spectacles were like the bottoms of glass bottles, so such sights would probably be somewhat ill-defined for him, but that didn’t stop his sense of adventure as he occasionally staggered towards the edge in his drunken state. All was well though, and he thoroughly enjoyed the experience, oblivious to any possible danger.

Before going to bed we couldn’t resist a bit of frivolous misbehaviour by throwing papier mâché ‘bombs’ at your door, then disappearing into our respective rooms before you opened it to try and catch the culprits. We emerged in the morning to find an angry hotel manager berating YOU for the now-hardened blobs completely covering your door.😏😂😂

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! . . you old bugger. 😊

PB (aka Mole). x

x


WALTER GOYEN, Amersfoort, The Netherlands 
A “You bloody bastard!!!!” I will never forget Chris’s words and his shocked, wide-eyed face. One of my most precious Magna Carta memories, haha. We were having dinner at our home in Amersfoort (NL). At some moment I started a self-made CD with some very old vinyl singles from Chris, from the time before he started Magna Carta. He did not know that I had found these recordings, and he did not notice it immediately, since we were busy chatting. It took a minute or two before Chris realized that this music on the background was the very young, “pre Magna Carta” Chris. He had not heard those songs for decades. Fortunately after the first shock he could laugh about it, even happy and proud to hear these lost treasures. So happy, that later he borrowed me a unique, really “one-off” viny album from that same period, which I digitized, and which turned into an obscure Paul Stewart CD, “That’s the way it goes”.

This anecdote happened some decades after I saw Magna Carta for the very first time. I had discovered the famous MC albums Seasons and Lord of the Ages in the 70’s, when I started playing guitar. The first time I saw MC live, was when I studied in Eindhoven. It was a concert in the AOR student bar, but I’m not sure: was it 1980 of 1981? I guess the Lord of the Ages has had his effect on my memory. Anyway, more than 40 years ago. It was probably crowdy, because they were already popular in the Netherlands and they had visited the same venue several years before I started studying. I don’t remember the details of my very first Magna Carta concert, just that afterwards I went to their dressing room to get their signatures, which they kindly did.

Press clippings for the MC concerts in Eindhoven in 1976, 1977 and 1979, alle before I became s student

So that was the very first time I actually met Chris, although briefly. In 1982 I saw Magna Carta again in Dynamo, Eindhoven (the venue, not the festival), just after their release of “Midnight Blue”. A lovely concert with George Norris, Adrian Sheppard, Doug Morter and Lee Abbott.

But somehow it took several decades before Chris and I really got into much closer contact. Thanks to Jos and Pernilla, a Magna Carta concert in Austerlitz in 2004 was followed by a personal meeting with Chris and Linda, including a bit of guitar jamming. This was at their Dutch ‘second home’, the lovely Eekhoornnest park, run by Piers and Ineke. For me this was the start of seeing many MC concerts and really getting to meet and know each other frequently.

It was also the start of collecting Magna Carta albums. I bought albums in every version ever released. I’m pretty certain that I now have the most complete Magna Carta collection on this planet, with pressings from all over the world, including Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Australia, Brazil, South Africa et cetera, including some extremely rare albums and singles.

When we became more close, Chris (and Linda) visited our home several times, even staying over after enjoying dinner with a few glasses – bottles? – of white wine. Wonderful memories. Chris is such a poet and an entertaining story teller, having seen so much of the world touring with Magna Carta.

It was a huge honour that at some point I could do the graphic design for some Magna Carta album sleeves, like “In Tomorrow”, “Backroads” and “When all is said and done”. I also made the booklet for their Amsterdam Carré farewell concert. It was fun working together on this, at my home or via mail. At some point Chris gave me one of his original paintings, which is the cover of the “Rings around the Moon” album. An amazing gift, that now has a nice spot in our living room (see the photo with Chris holding our two doggies).

There have been many “last Magna Carta tours”, but unfortunately for practical reasons I was not able to visit their REAL last tour. Somehow I hope there will be another chance to see Chris live, or have a jam at a more private occasion. Chris, you are a fantastic composer and poet, and you can be extremely proud about your amazing Magna Carta legacy!

B
My favourite Magna Carta song? That is actually an impossible choice. Chris wrote so many fantastic songs. If I really have to pick just one, “Mixed Up Sensation” is the first song to pop up. A sentimental song, with some very subtle chord progressions and lovely harmonies. A really beautiful, poetic text. For me, this is Chris at his very best, both lyrically and musically. But as I said: it is impossible to choose. Some other candidates, except for the obvious ones, would be “Two Old Friends”, “Forever” and “Nothing So Bad (It Can’t Get better)”. And I could mention many more …

C
Chris, I hope you have a wonderful birthday. I thank you so much for all the beautiful music and memories. You have been a great inspiration for me, with your amazing songs, lovely guitar playing, amazing concerts and personal meetings. I thank you for your friendship. And I hope we will meet again in the Netherlands.

Walter – Chris – Kaori – First concert in Austerlitz 2004

Chris with our doggies

Walter and Chris – first meeting at ‘t Eekhoornnest 2004


JAN WIJKMANS, ‘s-Hertogenbosch,The Netherlands

Happy Belated Birthday Wishes to Christopher J. Simpson

A. I saw MC first in Hilversum in a cafe…as usual the gig did not start at the planned time and caus i was on my way from work (Amsterdam Stock Exchange) to my home in Rosmalen in those day i missed a lot of that gig but there were some gigs in my region in that period as well (f.i. Wilhelmina in Eindhoven) and a gig in a cafe in ‘s-Hertogenbosch
B. My favorite MC song is not one, not two but three songs : Spinning Wheels Of Time , Evergreen and the naked version (acoustic) of Seasons In The Tide that Chris had on tape before recording it complete…i had a listen to the naked version in Chris’car when he was in Soest
C. I wish Chris all the best… Health, Love and Happiness
D. I must have some pictures from the time we spend together at gigs but since my divorce and nervous breakdown about 14 years ago i do not remember where they are…but i still have copies of Friends Of Magna Carta – magazine…started an amateurish fanclub magazine in 1992 that became better with the help of my friend Hans Belde

Memories …a lot…

In high school I already collected LPs of Magna Carta… Seasons and Lord Of The Ages for starters… then after 1976 there was a gap in the experience of Magna Carta music… During a holiday in Yorkshire I was looking for new material from The Moody Blues, another favourite band and saw a CD of Magna Carta in the record store… One To One… with the image of 5 people including a woman who turned out to be Linda… I didn’t have a CD player in my car at the time so had to wait to  listen to the CD until we got home … I had trouble with the first song of the CD… but when listening to track 2 ‘Evergreen’ I knew this was a real Chris’ song… on the back of the CD Tembo Records was mentioned as the record label and I wrote a letter to Tembo for more information… Unfortunately, it turned out to have been a one-off collaboration so I was at a dead end again… (to be continued)

 


Gill Toosey, Argyll, Scotland

A message for Chris Simpson.
Happy belated birthday wishes Chris from Argyll in Scotland. Can’t believe you’re 82!
Last time I saw you, we were in sunny Abu Dhabi at the Intercontinental hotel on music contract : me on piano and vocals in the sunken lounge bar, and you with Linda and the band in the nightclub . I remember every time I walked into the club after my piano set had finished for the night, to relax in the nightclub and listen to you guys, you would impersonate me on a windsurfer with bum silhouette! I learned to windsurf at the hotel beach and I took up sailing in my late 50’s. I’m now 67, divorced twice, and living by the sea in Argyll. Wonderful you’re still performing live . Music is life. I teach voice and piano at home in my retirement. Wrote my first book ‘In Mysterious Ways’ (Amazon) after having an affair with a Scottish minister and left my husband.
I think you all called me Gillyfish?!
We had a ball there as hotel resident musicians didn’t we? Lobster salad every day, swimming pool……..
Anyway, great to see your music is on Spotify. Brought back memories .
I wonder where that Polish pianist is now who played with your band? He didn’t speak any English but a great player.

Gill Toosey