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=_wYNlT1FiyUCyder 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.
