Influences: " Where do you get your ideas from?"

(Believe it or not!) I quite often get asked that question-usually by people shaking their head in disbelief.  As a songwriter, that's an interesting question. The soon-to-be-re-launched Black Parrot Seaside Web Site will list an astonishing back catalogue of our own original songs. A few, like "Ordinary" " Sleep Town" and " Vacuum Cleaner" were co-written with other band members. My own output I guess reflects a journey through Rock and into acoustic/folk/blues.

 

        We have performed songs of protest, angry songs, parody, and quite a few that are downright silly. I've written a few serious ones, like "Brutus" and "Lovely Lady" which I'm actually rather proud of, but after the six piece electric band fell apart, they kind of got lost.

  So-in no particular order, a brief list of writers and performers who have influenced me as a writer and performer. I wouldn't pretend to be original or unique-a lot of my stuff is derivative-but hopefully it's not too plagiaristic. And that's quite enough long words for an early morning post. Except to add that my first (of several) Uni dissertations was  12,000 words about teaching poetry through popular song lyrics. Fashionable now-but raised a lot of academic eyebrows when I delivered it. Never got it back, either!

The Goons.  Peter Sellers, Michael Bentine  and Spike Milligan in particular. We did "The Ying Tong Song" at Warwick Folk Club last year.

Kenneth Horne  and his magnificent radio series Round The Horne. Still makes me laugh.

George Formby  I love the innuendo and clever rhymes of his songs. I loved his films as a kid,too.

Bob Newhart  painted early and surreal radio pictures for me.
 

Charlie Drake  Hugely underestimated. We still cover "Naughty," and have played it at Warwick, The Tump and Bedworth Folk Clubs within living memory.
 

Spike Jones.  No, not that one. The Band leader. "Cocktails For Two" is my favourite reworking by Spike's band.
 

Monty Python  Obviously! So clever. The Lumberjack Song. And the Cheese Shop Sketch. for me. "Well I'm sorry...but I'm going to have to shoot you."

 Bonzo Dog Band    Never saw them live, but  once caught Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band, which was an offshoot. No-one could deliver lines like dear, mad Vivian Stanshall. So many great Bonzo's songs, but amongst my favourites are "My Pink Half of The Drainpipe" "Jollity Farm" and "Mr. Slater's Parrot." Neil Innes was (and still is) a great, whimsical lyricist.
 

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band  With their theatrics,their make-up and Alex's faintly sinister deadpan delivery, they had a huge influence on me as a singer and a writer. Favourites: " Next" and "Faith Healer." Alex's live version of the cover of "Framed " where he invites the audience to boo his band, is a remarkable exercise in audience manipulation.
 

Roy Harper  I felt that Roy often saw things the way I did. I adore every track on his Ghenghis Smith Album-but "Circle" is just epic. Literally.
 

Jethro Tull  Yes they could be a bit up their own at times, but you won't find nicer composite material  than "Going Up The 'Pool," " Nursie,"  "Life's a Long Song," and "Wonderin' Again." Or cleverer social comment than "Aqualung"
 

The Edgar Broughton Band  Warwickshire lads, just like us! I just had so much respect for this crew. Saw them several times live. The first time was as Mothers in Brum-a key Rock venue. They were mesmeric. When Eric slung his guitar behind his back and strode across the table tops inviting people to sing along with "Out Demons Out!"-you did so. Regardless of one's opinion of whatever song they were performing. I was massively impressed by the imagery and narrative of "The Dawn Crept Away" and the dark humour of "Psychopath."   Clever, clever lyricists "Aphrodite in your see through nightie, I see through you." Still gigging, I understand
 

Incredible String Band  A Marmite band.I just dug them.  I loved their instrumentation, their quirky vocals and their superb lyrics. Personal favourites: "Witches Hat" and " A very cellular song."

The Doors    Morrison, the ultimate performer-when not high or lying down on stage.  A useful poet, too, whom I quoted frequently in that dissertation! "People are strange",crooned Jim, eerily. How right he was. Still is.  I visited his graveside in Pere Lachaise a few years ago. I confess-I was moved.

The New Modern Idiot Grunt Band  Coventry lads Roddie Felton and Rob Armstrong. (Look what eclectic company you keep,chaps!) I was still at school when I first saw them. Genius! We've been honoured to share a stage with them many times since. "It's Number One in Iran and Iran and Iran." 
 

Heavy Metal Kidz.  Only saw them once, but wrote "Small maladjusted and Mean" afterwards. Liked their stage presence.

Punk  Us being signed to a punk label was strange. I disliked much of Punk, but I really liked X Ray Spex and (guilty pleasure!) Sham 69.

Cosmotheka  We were privileged to play a couple of times on the same bill as Al and Dave Sealey. Excellent vocals and great comedy timing accompanied their wonderfully evocative re-workings of original music hall songs. "The Odeon" is our homage to their style.

John Cooper Clarke.  "Twat!" Just says it all for me. Brilliant wordplay and a waspish, tortured delivery. The perfect love song.  "You've got a split personality. I hate both of those."

I love a good protest song, and I hope that "Salt of The Earth" and " The Gravy Train" reflect that genre. I like a lot of the work by Dylan, Donovan ("Universal Soldier"),Dick Gaughan, Joan Baez  and Billy Bragg. That's who I listen to when I'm really angry about something.

Honourable mentions too for Blossom Toes,Tomorrow, The Artwoods, Caravan, and  The Kinks. All of whom inspired me to write and perform.

RailAle Fest Set List-as promised

1.    Black Jack David
2.   Dirty Gertie
3.   Being Not Well
4.   The Bonny Black Hare
5.   The Odeon
6.    D.I.Y.
7.    The Whistler
8.    Black Velvet Band
9.   The Gravy Train
10.  Vigilante Man
11.  Requiem For Steam
12.  The Railway Magazine
13.   Lakes of Ponchartrain
14.   If I had Possession
15.   Albert Balls
16.   I am a Vacuum Cleaner.

Food for thought for any who would seek to  stereotype us.  Five traditional folk and two blues. Nine of our own compositions. Instrumentation: acoustic guitar, dobro: mandolin: banjo: accordion: fiddle: percussion: harmonica : three part  harmony.  Covers of songs by Robert Johnson, The Incredible String Band, Woody Guthrie, Paul Brady and Dave Goulder.

Getting Steamed up at Market Bosworth

 The first time I visited what is now "The Battlefield Line," a delightful Heritage Railway in Leicestershire, it had just a few yards of track restored at a semi-derelict station in Shackerstone. We had a brief, jangling ride in an open 12 ton wagon, along a bay platform, tugged by a tiny tank engine. Our ice creams were covered in soot. Both our late Mums enjoyed visiting the line as it evolved. My kids grew up looking forward to our visits there.

 

  Ever since, I've been back regularly, watching it grow. Nowadays it runs passenger trains between Shackerstone and Shenton, with the lovely little town of Market Bosworth as a midway point. When Black Parrot Seaside reformed in 2006, it seemed a natural place to do a promotional photo shoot.

An unexpected by product of that day was a super piece of film featuring us spontaneously performing  Dave Goulder's evocative Railway song, "Requiem for Steam." It remains our most popular youtube clip.   Eddie Jones, our fiddle player at the time, worked as a volunteer driver and fireman. (Still does). Hence his mucky dungarees in the picture above, taken on the signal box steps

 

    So I deemed it an honour to be invited to warm up the afternoon crowds at Market Bosworth Rail Ale Festival yesterday. Indeed, we all did.  My second love after steam engines (well since adulthood!) has been Real Ale. I knew CAMRA were putting the beer list together-and I was not disappointed. Steam, beer, good music, what's not to adore? The cavernous interior of the restored Goods Shed at Market Bosworth Station complex instantly became one of my favourite settings. We've played in Marquees and in the Open Air. We've played pubs, clubs, theatres, universities and colleges, festivals, Village Halls and School halls. But never in an ex-LMS brick building, with the sights, sounds (and smells)  of  steam engines just  beyond the doorway. Awesome.

 

  We'd put together a little music package for the Organisers. As an opener, the percussive guitar playing of Dave Parr provided the ideal background for Cyder Annie's distinctive vocals. Their rendition of "Copperhead Road " was particularly fiery. Our good friends Carole Palmer and Maria Barham took to the stage next and provided an absorbing hour of acoustic music. They did two of my requests-Dougie McClean's "Caledonia" and their own song," Lost and Found."  And I finally got to meet Oscar, as he wagged his tail in time to the set.

       Having sampled the Jaipur and Salopian Oracle, it was time for The Parrot to get back on their perch. We ran through an hour's worth of songs old and new-(complete set list to follow). By this time a large-ish audience was well warmed up, well fed and generally enjoying the day.  Our ex-fiddle player Eddie Jones joined us on stage for "The Whistler, "The Railway  Magazine"  "Black Velvet Band" and a few other songs. And we all stayed dry!    We made lots of new friends and renewed acquaintances with some old ones.

 

   Thanks to our fellow artistes, and to Dave and Danny Parr for doing the sound. And also  to Doctor Busker, for having put up a huge banner behind us saying "I love The Seaside". It made us feel really at home. All our whistles, tooters and blowers were snaffled by the audience, and to see hands in the air clapping in rhythm to the acapella  part of Vacuum Cleaner at the end-emotional, as Vinnie Jones once said.

Happy 10th Tump Day

Thursday 18th July saw The Tump Folk Club in Coventry hosting its 10th Birthday party. The club was originally based in Brinklow (where "The Tump"  is now all that remains of an ancient Motte and Bailey Castle. Later it moved to Coombe Social Club on the outskirts of Coventry, and currently, it resides at The Humber Hotel-also in Coventry. Karen Orgill is the driving force behind it, ably assisted by Rob Oakey, who strums a few tunes each week and comperes the evenings there in a 100% unique way.

I joined other celebrants  last night to commemorate this auspicious occasion. The Tump has been good to Black Parrot Seaside since we got back together in 2006. We've played all their venues several times, and have also put in a good few floor spots.

Last night my contribution was to sing solo, two BPS songs. I sang our most recent composition-" What a Folking Liberty", and one of our  oldest songs, "On Bedd'orth Bank," which dates back to our own days in Brinklow, where we hosted the Bulls Head Folk Club, (The Tump's Grandad?)  in the 1970's.  A packed show included songs from Dave Fry, Pete Willow, Justin Archer (and Claire)  Chris Tobin, Ian Bland, Rob Oakey, Sue Phipps, Gerry Bailey and Nigel Ward, Terry and Jan ,Cheryl, and various collaborations of the same.

   Justin kindly provided and drove  the P.A. and some twinkly lights. A buffet was laid on and we all sang "Happy Birthday Dear Tump." Not a dry eye remained.  Here's to the next 10.

Come and Get Steamy with us at Bosworth!

Market Bosworth Rail Ale Festival is this month. A three day festival of Love, Peace, Real Ale, Good Music and Heritage Railways. We've had a hand in planning the Saturday afternoon, as our ex-fiddle player Eddie Jones, drives engines for The Battlefield Line. He's on the right in this picture.

On Saturday 27th July we're hosting a few hours of folk music in The Goods Shed, Market Bosworth Station.  Black Parrot Seaside will be doing two sets. We've also invited along Dave Parr, Cyder Annie, and our good friends Carole Palmer and Maria Barham.  Entry to the Festival is £3. The bar in the Goods Shed opens at 11am and we reckon we'll  start about 3pm.

We've done Beer Festivals before-so we're bringing our own P.A. along!

Folk Apartheid?

At this time of year, those artistes talented enough (and privileged enough) to be invited to perform at certain Summer Folk Festivals begin to get rather excitable.  They seem to find some kind of perverse pleasure in crowing about how many Festivals they are invited to. And about how popular they are: about the pressures of endless public performance and about always being in constant  demand.  Which is all rather lovely for them, but is a little insensitive for the rest of us being kept permanently at arms length from such jollification.

Warwick Folk Festival, for example, starts next week. It promotes itself modestly as " A Folk festival of the very best in traditional and contemporary folk." Having viewed this year's  Guest List, I couldn't possibly comment. It is noticeable however, that only a few "locals" are involved each year. The rest of us  are annually excluded.

        Black Parrot Seaside won't be appearing at Warwick Folk Festival next week. It's been going for 34 years now, and it's a measure of interest in it that their Facebook page currently has 796 members. We weren't there last year, or in any of the years since we last reformed in 2006. We weren't there between 1978 and 1982 during which time we recorded our first album, ran Brinklow Folk Club and played support to bands like East of Eden, The Darts, Cosmotheka and Mad Jocks and Englishmen. In fact, we haven't appeared in any of the  Warwick Folk Festivals so far. We will be appearing (once again) at Bedworth Folk Festival this November. Also in Warwickshire. Also a three day event ,spread over several venues..

 

   We're not boycotting Warwick-far from it. We've just never been invited. It seems the odds are stacked against us ever doing it. However thick-skinned we may be, we've got the message.  Our contacts previously have been ignored and  we know  now, not to trouble the organisers annually by pestering them. We won't be appearing at any Warwick (or Alcester) Folk Festivals in the foreseeable future. Or apparently until Hell Freezes Over, as the Eagles once put it. If invited-we'd be delighted to accept. But we never are. We haven't a clue why, so if you need answers, you'll need to ask the organisers.

We can only hypothesise-conjecture is all we have, in an information vacuum. Maybe it is  one (or several)  of the following reasons:

1. not good enough. 
2. Not local enough
3. Not popular enough
4. Not experienced enough
5.  Not  talented enough
6. Unsuitable material
7.  Too old.

   1. Well, taste is an individual thing, and so we have to accept that selection committees and Festival organisers have the right to exercise their own judgement on grounds  1 and 5.  Some presumably can't stand us. Not a view shared by the majority of our audiences.
 

    2.  Would be nonsense. All three of us were born and educated in Warwickshire. (I can trace my roots there back to 1650!). We all still live there-we have done so virtually all our lives. We feel we have an affinity with the place. This is reflected in our own songs, such as "On Bedworth Bank" " Coventry Lullaby" and " The Wag of Shop 14."  But what WFF definitely isn't, (even though it's one of several Warwickshire-based festivals), is any kind of  showcase for the considerable local talent regularly to be viewed performing within a 20 mile radius of the area.  We know this, because we mix with many of them regularly. We play alongside them, and we watch and enjoy their acts. Only a few we know will  be at Warwick.

 

3. We always get a good round of applause. We get asked back to  venues.  We get to do encores. People bought our first and second albums. We've been on local radio, on foreign radio and on BBC Radio One. John Peel liked us. He said so,when playing our single on his programmes.  New Musical Express liked us. We can't complain about Press coverage and reviews of our last album. All very positive.

 

4. Just plain Stupid. 35 years with the same basic format. Two albums. Radio interviews and Airplay of our songs.  Folk Clubs, (OTHER) Folk Festivals, Pubs, Theatres, Universities, Colleges, Beer Festivals, Open Air Gigs, Charity Balls, Working Mens Clubs, Galas,Carnivals, Miner's Welfares, CND Benefits,Charity Concerts,  the Club Circuit and Arts Festivals? Come on! 

 

6.  We do Blues, Traditional Folk, Contemporary Folk and some Comedy. Around 40% of our current set list is self-penned. Our instrumentation includes acoustic,steel and electric guitars, banjo, mandolin, mandola, harmonica  and accordion. We also do some close harmony singing and some acapella. (That's actually quite versatile, isn't it? )

 

7. Besides being illegal to discriminate against people on the grounds of age-we are not the oldest band on the circuit. Though we've been together longer than many. (We suspect that this is what really grinds a few gears!).

 

  

 

 

Paco Bell's Cannon

    Albeit belatedly, a mention of the monthly gathering of Sly Old Dogs and friends last Sunday. Even though it's four days ago now, I like to record these events because they are different. And yet...they contain some similarities. A comforting combination of new and old.

    It had been an exciting day for me. Walked to and from Bramcote, bathed in warm sunshine,  for the excellent Barracks Open Day there. Traction Engines, Gurkha Costumes, every kind of food you can imagine available from Nepalese to a Hog Roast: a Dakota fly-past: a Tunnel Brewery Beer Tent-what more could one want? Well, as a Nuneaton Boro' season ticket holder--to win a replica shirt on their Tombola stall. Did that, too. Unfortunately it was XXXS-would just about fit a large teddy bear. Oh well. Most excitingly of all (we're easily pleased-we don't get out much) we had a helicopter flight over our village.

  How can you build on such a cracking day? How can you keep that kind of adrenalin buzz going? Well by nipping four miles  over the Wolds, from Wolvey to Monks Kirby and joining Sly Old Dogs and friends for their monthly bash in The Bell.

  Slightly more "friends" there than usual-with a bigger audience than last month, too. The SODs-Pete Willow, Richard Rider ,Paul Kenny and Bob Brooker were in good form. Amongst the friends assembled were Colin Squire, Martin Bushnell, Tony Super, "Banjo Dave" Evans, Sue Sanders, myself, Jaqui Lockwood, Lesley Tragear, Liz Rider-Grant and Mine host Landlord Paco, once again guesting on Spoons.

  As always- an eclectic mix of material from the gathered company. Traditional, Celtic, Instrumental. World music, contemporary, moody, jolly:unrequited love: awful tragedies at sea. Pathos, humour, local colour, allegory, parody and protest. Well that's Bob's contribution covered. On to the rest.

   Actually, Bob did seem uncharacteristically pensive. His first number was one of the 8,000 or so featured on his CD's-and it was a request. (I can corroborate this-I saw the transaction!). It was the atmospheric "Bridlington Quays." This featured a haunting whistle solo. Bob manfully played on, as something to his left appeared to topple noisily over during the quietest bit. Later on, we had another whistling incident, when a similarly poignant solo briefly went awol. Richard appeared to have something trapped in his. (oo-er missus!).  I reckon he'd got a peanut stuck in it.

   Bob shared with the audience his puzzlement over the "funny ads" appearing and scrolling on the right hand side of his Facebook Page. Well Bob, these are usually triggered by other sites which you have previously visited. Google et al snoop on us all and then pluck out of the cyber ether, (and post on your timeline), similar themes they feel might be of um, interest. Their logic is, well..odd at times. I haven't yet shared with Bob that I am an RSPB member and a Rail Enthusiast. (I'd never get home).  Perhaps he'd been looking at tits earlier on? Anyway, it was dating sites that were bothering him, and he was sick of it, he told us.

   Sue Sanders continues to bloom, with some lovely fiddle-playing.  She played a couple of solo instrumentals, and generally helped adding to the overall body of sound. With Martin Bushnell tickling the rosin right across the other side of the room, we had the luxury of two fiddles and two banjos (n stereo) at times.

  Pete trialled a new song with a rousing chorus about being bloody fed up. (I'm paraphrasing here). Combined with Pete's percussive guitar playing, it certainly got the message across. Then we were treated to not one, but  three different female singers.  Jacqui trialled a new guitar which looked like an Ovation, but I couldn't see the name. She has a strident but tuneful voice, and an amazing laugh. I would pay her to sit in a Black Parrot Seaside audience with a laugh like that. The ladies' women chicks  damsels girls (they might like that one?) treated us to several songs including Dylan's Baby Blue. Complete with that fabulous line containing the simile "Crying like a fire in the sun". What an image.  For me, the pick of their combined performances  was "Crazy Man Michael." A Fairport tune, and one of my favourite tracks from one of my favourite bands on possibly their best album. A brave and true attempt at a much loved Sandy Denny song. Ah...the memories.  

    Other gems continued. The whole room singing (and barking!) along with Paul's unique version of The Irish Rover. A typically frenetic medley including "I'll Tell  me Ma," with key changes coming so thick and fast, to make a musician's fingers ache. Colin Squire kept them on their toes further by announcing a few songs in what must have been fairly challenging keys. "F!" he shouted. " But it's Sunday Night!" One of the original Sly Old Dogs exclaimed,  plaintively. Just kidding. They could get a pure note out of a dinner plate on a stick. Tony Super warbled a couple- "Lizzie Lindsay" holding a significance for me he could not possibly know.

   Me? Oh, I went blatantly for safety. "Lakes of Ponchartrain," to start with. "Black Velvet Band," to follow. And a Black Parrot Seaside song to finish. Bob had earlier sung another sad song-"Beddorth Gold." This reflects on the mining and industrial heritage of this fine old town, and laments its struggles to replace old industries with new. (There's quite a few songs about Beduff!"

 

     It seemed apt then, to lighten the sadness of Bob's song with the extended mix of "On Bed'orth Bank." It's not strictly just about Bedworth-it maligns other Warwickshire towns as well! Here was another reason why I like going to The Bell. Singing unaccompanied, "Bed'orth"  is difficult. There is a musical bridge between verse and chorus. If I'm appearing solo I'll get a good singing audience to bridge it with me, using diddley diddly dum tablature. To my delight, as I was explaining this to them, Sue (a Beduff Folk Club regular) sitting behind me, picked out the "bridge" perfectly on her fiddle. So I had the enjoyable performance of  the audience laughing at all the jokes, whilst singing the chorus expertly, and the whole musical company fiddling, strumming and plucking away melodiously behind me. If we ever re-record it- we'll do a "live " version at Monks Kirby!

 

   Wow! What a day! I hurried home to catch the Final of The Conferations Cup. Brazil v. Spain at The Maracana. I managed up until the last ten minues, by which time Brazil's Total football had put them into an unassailable lead 3-0 against the hitherto unbeaten Spaniards. At this point however, the long walk, the helicopter, the singing, the adrenalin-all fused into  wavy line. When I woke up-the game was over. But only in a football sense.

Received Wisdom?

A postscript first today, to last Thursday's gig at The Tump. Afterwards, I was chatting to that well respected and charming guitarist Terry Wisdom. Who alas, had been without his companion Jan that evening. He'd still managed to do two lovely songs borrowing one of our guitars. Terry's been around on the Folk Scene even longer than us. For that longevity and especially for the standard of performance he still keeps up, he deserves respect.

   He looked at me rather suspiciously however, as I stammered rather nervously, " I've got a poster with your name on it on my toilet wall." It was potentially an Alan Partridge moment. (You know-that moment when Sir Alan accepts an invitation to his (only?) fan's house only  to find that he has been entrapped by a stalker who has converted one room of his bungalow to a Partridge Shrine).

   I sensed I was digging a hole here, but continued, gamely. Terry seemed particularly keen to deny it. In that polite but assertive voice, Terry eyeballed me and patiently insisted            

"  No, you are wrong. I was never there."

 

    I explained that it was a poster promoting "BRINKLOW 06." This was the event where Dave Sampson successfully re-united Black Parrot Seaside for a "one-off" charridee fund-raising event. After our (amicable) rest period, away from public performance for over nearly 30 years.  Totally appropriately, the poster marking such a momentous event had us Headlining, with several far more worthy acts (seriously!) featured beneath.
     " No," repeated Terry emphatically and conclusively. "That was not me."  I nodded, and politely agreed. I expect he still checked the locks when he got home?

   Far be it from me to contradict an icon. But in this case, Terry  is mistaken. The poster  was to promote a three day Folk festival in September 2006. And here it is:

   Trying to explain myself a little further, it is actually on the wall in a downstairs cloakroom where this memento is framed and hung. Other BPS posters, promo photos and press cuttings adorn the walls. It has a bookshelf, a wash basin, a carpet and some tasteful potted plants. A restful and ideal spot for some light reading and contemplation. It does admittedly also contain a toilet.  Given our brand of humour, it seems an appropriate location for BPS memorabilia somehow.
 

    It's an interesting artefact, isn't it? A fascinating list, with some sweet memories of people we have since lost, and some still performing. (As we are,too-though not in the format now that we played in on that Saturday). Here's some further proof. Recognise those beermats? That upholstery?

   In fairness, I remember a lot of those acts,but  Terry and Janet may have been on the original poster, and  then were unable to play?  Jane Llyod did not appear but that's a typing error? Jane Lloyd probably did. I remember Mick Stuart's set-who wouldn't?

   Anyway if anyone seeing this has access to Terry-show him the blog and tell him he owes me a pint. if he doesn't pay up, I'll be waiting in his back garden behind that privet bush.