The 11th studio album by The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican (Mk.III line-up). 
 
As all Doonicans studio albums are loosely themed around their perfect pastiches of classic album covers, Rugh & Ryf (pronounced ‘rock & reef’ and Middle English for ‘Rough & Ready’) takes its inspiration from Fairport Convention’s 1969 classic 'Liege & Lief' (Middle English for ‘Loyal & Ready’). Did the original band mind that Barnsley's favourite Tykes were taking-off their most celebrated work in the most tongue-in-cheek way? On the contrary, the surviving members of the original Liege & Lief line-up all approved, with former Fairport virtuoso Richard Thompson emailing them to say, “it’s nice to be asked…as they say, imitation is the sincerest whatsit”. This is cemented by guest appearances from Fairport’s Dave Pegg on bass, and a former FC drummer (who asked to be credited as ‘Arthur Beetlaite’ or ‘AB’ to his friends), whose presence make the opening track, a parody of Fairport's perennial 'Matty Groves' all the more groove laden and authentic.
 
Although produced by the band in their respective home studios over lockdown and beyond, both mixing and mastering is handled deftly for a seventh consecutive studio release by “the 5th Doonican”, Joel Howe.
 
This album comes with an expanded download code for the whole album, plus Scott's original demos for the album.