A ( FURTHER) CHANCE TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE?

Folk purists, and those few folkies who have had a sense of humour transplant hoped that a Summer of comparative silence from Warwickshire Folk Band Black Parrot Seaside might have signalled the fact that they’d finally gone away. But this particular Parrot is not yet pushing up the daisies, nor has it been pining for the Fjords. Having spent much of the Summer and early Autumn recording, the band were back on the road this Autumn. They are performing on what is virtually home turf at the Blue Pig Wolvey, Warwickshire on Saturday 27th September. They have also lined up appearances at Banbury Folk Club, The Tuns, Coventry, The Maudslay Hotel (Coventry) and three appearances at November's Bedworth Folk Festival.
They have been busy recording their second album, "Ain't It Grand! Produced and engineered by Norman Wheatley, 15 tracks showcase some of their own unique material and also include a few folk cover versions.
Reproducing their “lively” visual act in a recording has been a challenge. They have compensated by adding sound effects as diverse as steam trains, parrots sneezing, vacuum cleaners, sailing galleons riding at anchor, whistlers being shot and a hilarious telephone conversation with a Safety Inspector from “Health and Safety, ( Folk Club Branch). “
Three new arrangements of previous songs recorded on vinyl make the new cut. Amongst them is a new unplugged version of " I am a Vacuum Cleaner " -which John Peel gave BBC Radio One airplay to. Newer material from their 2008 Set List includes their homage to every seriously Bad Folk Club on Earth, the sensitively titled “At The Septic Monkey.” Chas and Dave get a name check in “Cockney Power,” whilst Keresley Colliery and Professor Carl Chinn are unlikely bedmates in “ Salt of The Earth,” -a belated riposte to The Strawbs’ song “Part of The Union.”
Local interest is served by “proper cinemas” being fondly recalled in “The Odeon” -a catchy number which reveals a warmer and fluffier Parrot. And “Beduff Bank “ is an old crowd pleaser, describing landmarks from Bedworth Coventry and Nuneaton.
To restore some sanity and to keep Listeners’ feet tapping, trademark jigs and reels are added after three songs. Restfully reverent covers of “Wee Midnight Hour Blues”, the very traditional “Black Velvet Band” and a Dave Goulder song about steam locomotives have also been recorded.

“There’s something for everyone except Metallica Fans ,” explains a spokesperson.
“ And on our next album we will revive the “Poor Little Rhino Song”, investigate who killed Nuneaton Borough Football Club, do some Country and Western and have a gentle pop at Nizlopi, Brian and Michael and Beyonce.”

*More info at:

www.blackparrotseaside.co.uk