A Tumpustous Night in Coventry.

And so, finally, the whirlwind Warwickshire September 2013 Tour draws towards its breathless close.   Only Monks Kirby to go this Sunday, with The Sly Old Dogs and Friends. It has taken a heavy toll on our metabolism and memories, as anyone who has caught us  at Warwick, Atherstone, Bedworth or The Tump in Coventry  can testify. Last night it was the turn of  Tumpists to suffer. Just to keep our audiences on our toes, it was the three-piece format there last night, and also at last we got to try out a few new songs we've been working on. So a different line-up to the night before.

 

   I have been doing "Peggy Gordon," for a while solo now, but we have also been rehearsing up a band version. This has  not been as easy as we thought-but last night it got a first public airing, which went o.k. A debut too, for "Houses In Between," a Gus Elen song made most famous by Cosmotheka, whom we were privileged to support a couple of times in the distant past. There was a little bit of accordion-squeak to begin with, but it got well into a jolly pace with more good chorus singing.

     The evening was in a sing-around configuration, with artistes performing by turns. Being the only band there, we were experiencing a little difficulty in hearing each other until we swapped chairs and music stands around. We followed up with "Its All Over Now" a Rolling Stones cover which had a first public outing at Warwick Folk Club eleven days ago. I won a bottle of wine at the raffle that night, and Arnold took a bottle of red away from the Tump raffle last night. We hope to open an Off Licence soon. 

 

    With the new stuff duly exercised, (should that read exorcised?) we then performed "Albert Balls," with the choruses being returned really well. Nick Jones is on BBC 4 tonight, so to celebrate that, we added "Courting is a Pleasure," a "Penguin Eggs" track which we have been featuring even before Our Hero made his welcome comeback.

    Finally, we declined a request from Club host Karen Orgill  to do "Vacuum Cleaner," and opted instead for a reprise of "Bedduth Bank," as she had also requested "something rude," from us as a finale. (Coming from someone who had been putting two fingers up to us all night, that was ironic).  The BPS Big Band were out of action, so Arnold very gallantly offered to co-opt Karen in by inviting her to play the shaker.

     Sounds rude also, but this is really a pepper mill which Arnold flutters effetely around in a revised intro to "Dirty Gertie." (Another song awaiting a re-exposure to the general public). I'm not sure that this can count as Karen's induction to The Collective, as rather than shake it, she stood it on the table most of the time and seemed to be expecting the sand in it to drain from the top to the bottom. I've had two requests now to write additional verses for Beduff Bank.  Coleshill and Corley Moor. We shall see. I've got to fit the Leamington one in somewhere, too.

      And what of the rest of the Company? Well, "Sty Folk Impressario " Rob Oakey, (his description not mine) literally wet himself with excitement when we arrived. More the result of an over-filled glass of coke than being starstruck, sadly. I felt so sorry for him that I had an involuntary spasm myself and shed several ice cubes over the floor and my trousers.  Rob claimed his accident was due to being  quite cross with us. He added that he was not talking to us, as we'd been unable to attend  a recent invitation to a concert at The Sty. Typically of Rob, we couldn't stop him talking to us, thereafter.  Even whilst each of us were playing. He played a mix of finger-picking tunes, and a nice version of "City of New Orleans."

 

     Nigel Ward we usually see with a fiddle, but he  produced some very nice guitar sounds from a smart black guitar last night. All his own material, I think. Young Cheryl continues to improve each time I see her. She sang  " Fire and Rain" and later delivered an impressive instrumental, which everyone present applauded warmly. Cathy Shore was herself-unique. Using a selection of props which included a rubber vampire bat, mobile phones and a Sandeman's Port Figurine, she entertained us with a trio of original songs. Halfway through the evening she recognised us. "Where's that other bloke, Edwin?"  she demanded. Cathy's the star attraction next week at The Tump.  If Kate Bush was still doing the Folk Circuit now and smoking a selection of root vegetables, this is how I see things panning out. Just divine.

 

     Des Patalong, shorn of his Bits, Un-razored,  and solo, warbled some strident Shanties and also sang a truly lovely song I'd not heard before, about the Slave Trade. Christina read some poems including Flanders and Swann's "The Gasman." Ah! The memories!      Aussie/Pom Ian Bland had already been excused, but turned up late. Having climbed out of the bedroom window and down a drainpipe, he did a couple of songs, one a very thought-provoking one about folk being down on their luck. Atherstone Folk Club host Phil Benson came expecting to do one number and ended up singing three,most competently. Concealed lights behind  bushels. Karen can be very firm, at times.

 

  And  finally, Arol, a Tump regular whom we have known from the first Parrot flutterings in the 1970's, was invited by Karen to address The Company. If you didn't know that Arol once ate fire for a living, and is no stranger to the unicycle, it might have been a slightly disturbing moment.  He regaled us  with a mysterious and erudite anecdote about pole climbing. It  put all kinds of images into one's head. Not all of which were savoury. I enjoyed it immensely.

Fun Funding Fund Raiser

Pictured below (and courtesy of Phil Benson),  we have the Black Parrot Seaside Urban Collective, featuring  Dave Parr and Malc Gurnham,  wading uneasily through a selection of tunes.  Possibly one of the more coherent  moments by the look of it, for I am not swearing at anyone in the band, nor abusing the audience, nor pacing up and down like a Prima Donna and  demanding a recognisable sound cue. They don't tag me the Katherine Jenkins of the Folk World for nothing.

       You  could hardly move for cameras at this  Bedworth Folk Club Session at The Rugby Club venue last night.  There were so many lenses snapping ( "do lenses snap?"-Ed.) that last night was like performing in the front window of Jessups or Dixons. (Ah! Great High Street names from the past!). They must have known we were coming. ( Actually, a few people did, as local Radio  had already given some airplay earlier in the day to, "Midlands Lullaby." Part of an interview with Malc Gurnham, promoting the Festival. Someone in the club last night told me that the presenter had declared on air that my singing was better than Cilla Black's version. .I'm still thinking about that.
 

     The place looks empty in this shot, which proves how the camera can lie sometimes. The evening was intended as a Festival Fund Raiser, and things went pretty well on that front. It was actually a good turnout.  We are (sensibly) sited at the far end of the room, next to the Fire Exit just in case things turn nasty. ( It is Beduff, remember). The audience are all (sensibly) clustered round the bar, or gathered at the opposite end of the room near the main exit. Must bring some WD 40 with me next time I play this club, for that damn door. Nothing as off-putting, during a lovely haunting ballad, as a loud farting noise when someone tries to sneak out to the toilets. Spoils the moment completely.
 

     There  were some real Collector's Items at last night. First half, they included  Atherstone Folk Club host Phil Benson  doing a solo spot: the inimitable Joe Roberts  proving that his heckling is every bit as loud and unfathomable as his singing and Dave Fry-still in shorts. Also we saw and heard temporary Pom Ian Bland doing a couple of songs-one light..one ooh...just a little dark!

     We had Nigel singing his first number impeccably, then corpsing his way through a Nic Jones song about Napoleon.  And Maria Barham, local Folk Diva, separated from  Siamese twin Carole Palmer, and looking tanned and relaxed. Except when searching for plectrums and spotting (half way through a number) that the capo had been clipped to the guitar neck perhaps a little too casually. Maria's stuff was as always impeccably delivered. So much so that we had a few more tunes from her second half.  

 

     We had  Dave Parr (second from right on the photo), grumbling about the onset of Winter and then doing a second half solo recitation of The Rawntenstall Fair.   We had Malc and Gil taking us through their repertoire of songs.  And a surprise guest spot from the nationally known Tony Portlock, who is due to appear at the club again shortly. 

     We all have excruciating moments, and one of mine last night was greeting Tony  effusively, and reminding him that I compered a show featuring him and several other notables at a Fol Festival last Autumn.  He did not greet me effusively back. He glared down at me suspiciously (He's a Big Unit is Tony), and you could see him thinking, " who the **** is this dickhead?" Obviously, I'd  had a big affect on him.

 

    We were on late in the second half. Warming up for Malc and Gill to finish the evening. We commenced with "Lakes of Ponchartrain."  To follow, after several baffling false starts, we finally got "Need Your Love So Bad" under way. "Bad" being the operative word. We then concluded with old BPS standards "On Bedduth Bank" and " What a Folking Liberty." Onwards and upwards. (Get back into bed, Mr. Crockett).

 

Atherstone Folk Club-First Night

The Venue

     I'm all too familiar with the circuitous drive  from the A5 valley floor, up into the Nuneaton Alps. Through leafy winding lanes more like Cornwall  than Warwickshire. To Church End  Brewery Tap at Ridge Lane. Winter, Summer, I've spent many happy family occasions there indoors, or outside seated at the picnic tables. Blissfully sampling their glorious produce. As it travels, just the few metres, from the brewing vats to my glass.  Birthdays, Father's Days, promotion celebrations. All marked with "a Church Outing." (Think about it). I'd never ever arrived there before to find the car park completely full. Read on to see why it was so busy.

   Since the opening day at CEBT we've always marvelled at the echoing high-ceilinged room known as "The Vestry" and sighed over what a great music room it would make. What an honour and a privilege then, to finally face an audience there, wearing my Church End t-shirt. With my beloved Nuneaton Boro' two pints clear at the top of the whole Non-League Football system. And introducing a song from our last CD, about the diversity of the lovely Towns of my home county of Warwickshire.

The Product

Why only last Friday night I was sampling Church End Brewery  provenance . At their other outlet, The George and Dragon over the A5 at Stoke Golding.  Mysteriously I somehow ended up playing dominoes, after a heavy day at Hinckley Beer Festival. Last night I was drinking (appropriately) their Boston Fat Boy Bitter. Each time the nice lady served me, we both had a laugh when she said, setting the glass down on the counter: "There you are...your Fat Boy."  How right she was.

 

The Club 

 

We know from our own experience that launching a new Folk Club is like getting a heavy, steam-hauled freight train moving. Easing cautiously out of the long siding where it had been planned and assembled. Onto the Main Line, to compete with other traffic.  There are always teething troubles, not all of which will be resolved on the first night. Anxieties over which of those performers who had previously pledged attendance would actually turn up. Anxieties about the size of the potential audience. Anxieties about sound levels. Running times. Appropriate material.

 

    There can be no doubt that much of the impetus behind the success of this new project has been Phil Benson. He had played a canny hand so far, in securing such a good venue-one made nationally famous by an award-winning product. He'd secured promises from an impressive collection of musicians. (And us!). He had then produced two Aces by having Carole Palmer and Maria Barham as his opening headline  feature. And just for good measure, he'd recruited not one but two local Morris groups-Ansley and Anker, to literally kick events off outside.

 

The Artists

   I've never seen so many instruments. The stage area  beforehand looked like the inside of Cash Converters.  Finger in The Jar (clever wordplay that-it could have been Whisky in The Ear?) performed the opening ceremonies. They featured PB himself, sitting astride a Beatbox and glancing nervously across at a Mixing desk with which he was soon going to get very intimately equated. 

 

     Dave Parker, Cyder Annie with Dave Parr, Ian Bourne,  and then Matt Beeson produced some very pleasant sounds vocally and instrumentally. Future Guests Malc and Gil followed.  Thrupp'nny Bits left us to pat their delightful and immaculately behaved dog whilst  they sang. Steve Bentley and Andrew Wrigglesworth from Green Man Rising  followed. Then it was us. The Parrots of Seaside Darkness. A five-piece this time, supplemented by Malc Gurnham on bass and Dave Parr on guitar. We did a bit and then Cazz and Madge picked up from their first half appearance to add another set and close the evening.

 

Cazz and Madge

      Just so damn good, they make you sick, sometimes. These two are the epitome of  "presence." Their voices harmonise  and combine so well. They are both fine musicians. They have an evident rapport on stage. Their vocal range is amazing. Carole's waspish, complex lyrics make you think,  and then thank the Lord she hasn't (yet!) written a song about you! It is all, as I've already mentioned, enviable.

   Like Dave Parr and Cyder Annie, they'd played support to us at RailAilFest 2013 in July. In a Goods Shed, if you please.! Here, fully indoors, and without barbecue smoke drifting across them, they were just simply imperious. The usual mix of their own stuff and beautifully-crafted covers of classics like "Geordie" "Caledonia" and the Leadbelly/Bristol Rovers anthem, "Goodnight Irene."  As an honorary Gashead, I can tell you that hearing 2,000 Gas sing it at Fulham can be quite emotional. This wasn't a bad way to finish the evening, though.  I've been practising this song for ages. I went home and tore it up.  Irene....Goodnight.

 

Conclusions

  This club should flourish.  It suits the interests of many for it to do so. Wednesdays at Church can be a bit quiet sometimes. Not last night. The bar takings must have been stupendous. The location is a little isolated-especially for those delicate souls I was talking to at Warwick on Monday, who viewed the trek over to North Warwickshire, from their part of the world,  as on a par with Arctic exploration. Use your Satnavs!

 

     First night nerves were an understandable problem for a few. It should get better from now on. If you ever go on stage without being nervous-there's something seriously wrong, in my opinion. It is taming them that is the key to good performance. If the crowds continue, the furniture arrangements will need some reconsideration. What a nice problem for any emergent Folk Club to have-congestion management!

Top of The Charts

In The Top Twenty

(At last!). -Actually, BPS did once release a single,and on vinyl, too!  Jim Pryal and Arun Bhandari would love me to add that they joined the personnel for this (and other) recordings. It came out the same week as the first ever single by Squeeze and Kate Bush. (So no pressure,then). They had everso slightly bigger record companies than us doing the promotional work. Even so, our reviews in the Record Mirror ("a classic") and in the New Musical express ("best whistling on record since the Rolling Stones")  were very favourable. However, only John Peel of the Radio One jocks liked it enough to play it . Without half a dozen Payola Boys riding round London on Vespas and using "incentives" to persuade media companies to add it to their playlists-it sank slowly back below the horizon. Except in Norway. But it was good, last night,  to revisit what might have been.

Warwick Folk Club

We often include two affectionate swipes at the Folk and Acoustic scene in our sets. "At The Septic Monkey" is a cruel and grossly exaggerated amalgamation of all that is odd about that great British Institution the Folk  Club.  Whereas "What a Folking Liberty" celebrates tongue in cheek the bedsit singer-songwriter angst of "the toughest game in the world." No, not boxing, or the life of a North Sea trawler hand. The art of taking a collection of songs out and about to inflict on a patient and understanding audience.  The songwriting source for these songs is several decades of observation-but it is by no means autobiographical. For there are still many pleasant and friendly music venues in the Midlands.   Warwick Folk Club is one of them.

Norman Wheatley

Warwick Folk Club  is a tribute to the organisational commitment of  host and compere Norman Wheatley. His excellent presentation skills, honed in a background of radio broadcasting, and primed with an encyclopaedic knowledge of popular music, help his famed "themed" evenings go with particular style.  Norman understands what constitutes a good "show." The knowledgeable audiences at Warwick appreciate diverse performance skills and accept a broad spectrum of eclectic material with enthusiasm and good humour. The setting in the Warwick Arms is very posh. One of the most luxurious venues I know of which is prepared to allow Folkies through its doors. It all makes for a very comfortable experience.

 

What we did

     "It's all over now," the Bobby Womack inspired hit for the Rolling Stones. Slowed down a little, and with Mandola-playing from Mick Harris substituted for Brian Jones. And with the addition of a bass line from guest Parrot Michael Moyse.  The audience positively belted out the chorus lines, and (thankfully) a lot of the verses. It was the only Stones song done last night. And no Beatles.

   With the same personnel, Peter Green's classic cover of a Little Willie John song  "Need Your Love So Bad" followed. For my wife and I that tune was the first dance at our wedding.

      Finally, and again with Michael still noodling courageously  away to our right,  the Sam Cooke hit "Bring It On Home To Me" concluded our guest spot. Not the legendary YouTube version, where I sing along with Chele Willow and Borderline Crossing. You know. The one with me sounding like Doctor John on Helium because I started a verse in the wrong key. This version had an improved vocal from me, supplemented by inspirational call-and-answer hollering of "Yeahs!" from a responsive audience.

 

What others did

                 Norman got us all singing "Pretty Flamingo," but refused point blank to perform any song containing his name. Elsewhere on the programme we enjoyed some pop, some 1980's material and a few contemporary arrangements. Not much traditional Folk at all. In fairness,  not many bands have crossed the genre divide to chart with folk-based traditional material. The Spinners, The Springfields, The Dubliners and The Pogues are amongst those that have. The Highwaymen, Mike Preston and Allan Smethurst (!!) arguably traversed the same divide occasionally.

    Bill Bates sang two fairly breathless numbers, one a version of Cat Steven's "Father and Son" which rendered him red faced with the effort of reaching certain high notes. Keith Donnelly showed off a startling range of guitar harmonics whilst reviving "Overkill" a Men at Work  follow up to their hit single "Down Under." He also did a version of "Send in The Clowns."

   Ours was not the only Collective, as  Norman and friends did a brave  second half version of "Nights In White Satin" featuring a lovely flute solo. Norman did not wear his white satin suit for this which was disappointing. Later we all learned how Buddy Holly might have handled "Heartbeat" on Banjo., and we warbled tremulously along with Charles Aznavour thinly disguised as Peter Wimpenny.  
     We had cover versions of tunes from The Hollies, Boo Hewerdine , Crowded House (2), David Gray, Abba, Marc Cohen, Al Stewart  and Danny Wilson (the group not the singer)  The Skeptics did interesting acapella arrangements of an Elvis song-O Sole Mio (I know different words to that) and "Children of the Revolution"...which I found mildly disturbing.

   

    Alkevan completed the evening with a very bold adaptation of "Hotel California." By this point, a well-fuelled audience sang not only the choruses but most of the verses, much of it by rote.. "Alkevan" incidentally, might sound like a Middle Earth warrior, but   is actually an amalgamation of the first names of the band. Which could make us "Arneffick"  or "Miffnold". With the company concluding in mellow mood, Norman brought us all back down to earth by pointing out that there is no such word as "colitas." He added that a spelling prompt would edit the line to "warm smell of colitis, rising up through the air." Not a good image to take out into a chilly Warwickshire evening.

 

Conclusion.

Butcombe Bitter, a bottle of Chenin Blanc won from a  raffle which always puts the mock parody of one in "Septic Monkey" to shame. Challenging arrangements. Good musicianship. Robust singing. Responsive audience. Scrupulously compered and well organised. What's not to like?

 

What we'd do next time (if invited back)

 

  A choice from: Bohemian Rhapsody: Safety Dance (Men Without Hats): Pretty Vacant. or There Goes My Baby. (The Drifters). Anything by Kings of Leon.

  

Postcard From September

I've been busy tidying up the rejuvenated Black Parrot Seaside website since my last Blog post. Hence the gap. But that doesn't mean that the band has been lazy. Oh dear me, no. We've had a few rehearsals since our last public outing. Principally, we've been working up some new(-ish)  numbers for our appearances at Warwick Folk Club (next Monday),and Atherstone Folk Club  (the same week-Wednesday).  A (greatly re-arranged) version of  The Bobby Womack song "It's All Over Now" made into a hit by the Rolling Stones looks set to make its full debut at Warwick as part of their Top Twenty night. That famous Brian Jones lick on a Mandola  sounds really cool, actually! And hopefully we will finally unveil " If It Wasn't For the Houses in Between" at Atherstone.

 Another song we've had a go at recently is "Jollity Farm." We make no secret of the fact that one of our biggest influences  has always been The Bonzos. But we've never covered one of their songs. This will be the one! A snatch of it features in a McDonald's Ad currently. It's a song just made for the kind of audience participation a BPS gig epitomises!  I've been singing "Peggy Gordon " solo for a while now-but the band too are finally now satisfied with it, so we feel it's time to introduce that one to our set list,too I've also been trying out solo, Luke Kelly's wonderful "On Raglan Road." A very difficult song to cover-but I'm getting there-and I will air it one day soon in public! Now some news (below)  of old friends.

Pennyroyal

Were a Coventry three piece made up of Fiona Coulson, Linda Dickson and Sue Dixon. Linda, alas, remains  very poorly,and the band folded after she became ill.  Her wonderful voice will be familiar to many audiences on the local folk scene. I worked with her for several years, and she really was a fine colleague. 

The band issued an album in 2009. It features a song ," The Call," which Linda co-wrote with my sister, Diane Lindsay. The album also features my niece-Fiona. It was Diane's **££%+!!** birthday party last Saturday, and (at her request) Fiona and I got together  to sing some songs. Including "Go Lassie Go," "Black Velvet Band," (of course!), and  "The Oul Triangle ," .  We then had to field requests which meant two BPS songs-"Wag of Shop 14 " and "The Bold Pirate"-our homage to Risk Assessment and Health & Safety Inspectors. Fiona says she's desperate to guest with the Parrot. Will this soon be another name to add to The BPS Big Band?

Wandering John

It's been good to make contact again (via the wonders of Facebook) with old Parrot mates from the past like John Gravenor. He  used to be in the excellent Coventry Blues Band Wandering John. He still is, actually, and they can be seen on YouTube with Selector's Neol Davies joining them for the band's 40th birthday bash in 2010. Try here to hear a clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wYNlT1FiyU


Cyder Annie

    Cyder Annie and Dave Parr kicked off our afternoon session at Market Bosworth Railfest in July. And a very good job they made too, of warming up the audience so that Carole Palmer and Maria Barham (more friends!) and ourselves could keep the pot boiling until Doctor Busker took over. I'm delighted to say that Annie has taken up the challenge of putting some of my lyrics to music. I've offered her the gauntlet of a taking on couple of songs which the band don't do. She's picked it up. Can't wait to hear the end result!

 

Norman Wheatley produced our last album. He's resurrected his excellent Folk Programme "Gentlefolk"  from BBC radio days.But this time as "Gentlefolk 2"  a podcast/internet show. The first edition is very good.  Hopefully this link  http://www.gentlefolk2.co.uk/index.html   should lead you to it. A fine archive version of "Barbara Allen" was amongst the highlights.