Now We Are Six

"Now We Are Six" is an album by the electric folk band Steeleye Span. Its title (borrowed from Winnie-the-Pooh author A.A. Milne's collection of poems for children) refers to both its sequence among their albums, and the band's size, in light of the addition of drummer Nigel Pegrum. It reached number 13 in the UK albums chart. Although two session drummers were used on the debut album, there was a conscious decision to add a full-time drummer to further bolster the band's rock-oriented sound. It has been suggested that the sound of the band on this album is that of a rock band turning towards folk, and not the other way around. Pegrum also contributed flute and oboe parts. The album received mixed reviews from critics. It was hailed as a finely crafted set of traditional songs given clever arrangements, and the track "Thomas the Rhymer", which was released as a single, was seen by many as the quintessential Steeleye track. For Steeleye's Spring 2011 tour, the first half set consisted of them playing the album in its entirety, some 37 years after it was first released.