R.I.P. Sue Horne: February 1949-January 2014

    Any personal enjoyment of last night's Sly Old Dogs and Friends session at The Bell in Monks Kirby was tempered when I got home by hearing some very sad news. I learned that whilst I had been out, a family friend and ex-colleague had finally passed away, peacefully. Sue Horne had been ill for a long time, and was fully aware that her illness was terminal. She was a true Black Parrot Seaside fan-she had enjoyed our gigs way back in the Rock era, and had also seen us in our latest guise at The Sty Folk Club Coventry, not so long ago. She always got every one of our jokes, understood every nuance, each naughty innuendo and all the barbed satire. A true Parroteer who will be sadly missed.

      But Sue would definitely have wanted the fun and the enjoyment of good local music to go ahead last night, and she would certainly have shaken her head and snorted at my outrageous rendition of “If I Were a Goat.” A lady at a previous session had heard me mention that as well as covering Bryan and Michael and St Winifred's Choir “hits”, we also did a Beyonce song. “ I'd like to hear that!” this lady had imprudent commented. I don't need a second chance. Requests for me, (other than “Go Home” or “ Sit Down!”) are so rare-how could I not comply? Goat has a nice easy chorus-The Audience only has to bleat along with me. Which they did. Fair play to them.

     As it happened, I had started with a sad song- “On Raglan Road”-thereby depriving another performer apparently who had come along intending to air it. I felt a bit guilty about that, as she set me up royally, with a lovely link by singing a song about Dublin City. But it was that sort of night. Richard Ryder did one of my regular numbers- “Peggy Gordon” and Bob Brooker also chose to do “Black Velvet Band,” which is on our 2008 CD “Aint It Grand.” It only needed “The Old Triangle,” and my Dubliners back catalogue would have been exhausted. However I had prepared for such a probability, and I later gave them “Chicken On A Raft” a venerable Cyril Tawney Song which makes an audience work very hard.

    The Dogs were a little depleted. Paul Kelly had apparently done himself some damage with a bookcase. It was Burns Night the night before. He should definitely stop climbing onto them. Nigel Ward was missing, but there was no fiddle shortage as Sue Sanders and Martyn Bushnell both provided excellent string accompaniment and a few solo numbers. One of Sue's instrumentals was “The Morpeth Rant ”which I'd always assumed was someone raving about having missed the last train to Blyth. And it was good to see Old Sneak Ted McIntosh plucking a rather more sexy looking bass than I'd last seen him playing. He pumped out a good sound through a small amp too. One which could be literally felt resounding through the flagstones in other rooms beyond. John's always been able to pump out a great sound.

    The Guvn'or of The Bell, Paco, was especially keen to air his dexterity on the Spoons during “Gypsy Laddie-O”. This was because he had his brother “live” far away on Mainland Europe. The whole song was filmed and relayed direct to him. We waved and shouted “Hola!” to him. Eurovision Song Contest for The SODs? They would probably get more points than Engelbert.

   Amongst the “And Friends” present was Phil Benson, but as he was doing a fair impression of a Crimean Consumptives Ward, crouping away alongside me, he wisely chose not to punish the tonsils. The Benson Notepad stayed shut, except when he was taking pictures. So there was no insight on The Undeserving Poor from Phil. It was the first time I'd sung in public since Hinckley Act and at Atherstones Larder Cafe early in January. I'd had a sore throat too,  ever since, and wasn't sure how well the pipes would stand up to a bit of a thrashing. However, although I was speaking in a lower octave than usual, I got through all three songs without too much discomfort. Hopefully the larynx is on the mend.

     Bob mentioned his CD's for sale a few times and threw his plectrum on the floor. He gave us a song about Grimsby Town, which was about Fishing Boats rather than The Mariners languishing in Non League Football. With The Burns thing still current, we had “Lizzie Lindsay” from Richard, “Come By The Hills” from Colin Squire and “Marie's Wedding” from Sue. We finished with “Go Lassie Go,” with the whole Company singing magnificently.

I got talking afterwards to a family from Whitestone. Like me they'd travelled to MK over the Warwickshire Alps, and they began reminiscing about Bedworth Folk Club. This was pre-Malc Gurnham, and pre-Corner House. Max Wright was a musician himself, and had played there. He also recalled The City Arms-which was where I first saw Rod Felton. Small world, eh?

 

 

The Bulls Head Folk Club, Brinklow.

“The Tump “ is one of Central Warwickshire's longest running Folk Clubs. Currently based in Coventry's Humber Hotel, it has previously operated in Coombe Social Club, Binley, and in Brinklow,whence it gained its name. “The Tump “ is actually the remains of a Motte and Bailey fortification overlooking the village. The mound is visible from several miles away, but is particularly prominent when approaching Brinklow from Bretford along the long, straight stretch of the Fosse way.  I can tell you (because I've climbed it), that the view from the top of The Tump, across Warwickshire, is spectacular.

    Another popular Brinklow Folk Venue was “The Wurzel Bush,” which was largely the baby of Dave Sampson. But people forget, when reminiscing about live music in the past in Brinklow, the part that Black Parrot Seaside has played in that tradition. For during the late 1970's we ran, “The Bulls Head Folk Club” at the Brinklow pub of the same name. Some famous Folk faces passed through there whilst we were in charge.

     As a Rock Band, we'd experienced some moderate success and had gained a lot of notoriety. We'd played as Support to East of Eden and The Darts, been in BBC and Melody Maker competitions. We had played Birmingham, Nottingham and Warwick Universities and several polythechnics including The Lanch (now Coventry University). We had a modest but genuinely crazy following in live music pubs, especially where metal bands or Punk often featured. We were more a mental band than a metal one, with influences ranging from Jethro Tull to HMK: from Edgar Broughton to Alex Harvey. We were loud, aggressive and sllightly edgy. Our audiences were (disturbingly) mostly younger than we were!

There was a style of parody and theatricality emerging in the electric Black Parrot Seaside which continues through to this present day. But one of our vocalists was missing,and we'd finally run out of drummers and bassists. Augmented by fiddle player and accordionist Eddie Jones, in 1977 we sold the P.A. , tower speakers, valve amps and all, and returned to Folk.

It was where several of us had begun. What little public performance I'd done pre-Parrot was busking, occasional appearances in a London Jugband, Amateur Dramatics, and running a Folk and Poetry Club beneath the Old Cathedral in Coventry,circa 1967.

In the Rock format,during the mid 1970's we'd included several acoustic numbers in our set, and a few blues covers. “Dirty Gertie” and “Vacuum Cleaner,” we still play today in 2014. “Blueland Boy” and “Beside The Seaside” may one day return. So a Folk Club seemed a natural progression for us. Less travel, less instrumentation, less physical hard work and our destiny in our own hands.

We did a few floor spots and then started the Bulls Head Folk Club. The pub itself is still there but functions more as an eatery now. There were five pubs and a Servicemen's Club in the Village and the BHFC ran on Friday Nights, so competition was intense. It was held in a side room, adjacent to (but separate from) the Bar. Access was from a side alleyway and a corridor. It was an old, atmospheric pub, and rumoured to be haunted. Our clientele was mostly Folkies, with a few bemused locals straying in, attracted by the music and the draught beer on hand-pulls.

We were “The Residents” and so we just kicked off each half with a few songs. Often we had a featured guest, but some nights we just worked our way through Floor Singers who had turned up. There was an interval, with a raffle, and we charged a nominal entrance fee which we shared out with performers. “Playing For The door” it was called. All very similar to many clubs still operating today. The room was small and on a good night it could get very “cosy.” Artistes were squashed into the Bay window looking out over the main road. No P.A. All acoustic. Unplugged.

     Apologies to anyone left out here, or anyone included who we booked, but didn't actually get to play there, and to anyone whose names I've forgotten or got wrong. But it was nearly forty years ago! Besides ourselves, other bands who played there included Tattered Jack, Salmon Tails and the New Modern Idiot Grunt Band. Jam sessions with impromptu bands made up on the spot, were also a  common feature.

    We had a young and talented duo there called Waterfall. This was Keith Donnelly (with hair!) and Gilly Darby. Feature spots included Jane Smith and Pete Smale, Andy Caven, Shep Wooley, Kevin Dempsey with Polly Bolton, and Martin Jenkins. Regulars included Mick Stuart, Sean Cannon, Pete Styche, Dave Bennett, Linda Dixon, Pete and Sheila Rigg, Pete Willow, Malc Gurnham, Rod Felton and Rob Armstrong. The late Bernard Overton lived opposite and would sometimes toddle over to play an assortment of instruments. I can remember vividly too, a guy called Maurice, who smoked a pipe and both played and sang.

    As the audience and guest list grew, so we also continued to develop or revise our own material. Much of the electric set just would not transpose. It was the end for big BPS productions like “Small Maladjusted and Mean,” “ Sleep Town,” Brutus,” and “Ordinary. ” A few songs did still work: our own compositions, "Failure,"  “Vacuum Cleaner,” “Blueland Boy” “Failure” and “Dirty Gertie,” for example. We still play “ The Whistler,” "Vacuum Cleaner" and “Gertie” occasionally today. The Old Girl had several airings in 2013. 

     As for the Blues, the (very rude) Bo Carter original “ All Round Man” went, but Scrapper Blackwell's “In The Wee Midnight Hour “ survived-and was finally recorded in the 4 piece Folk format in 2008.

   We kept writing those trademark parodies and protest songs, however. In came classics such as “ P.C. Jumbo, “ “Norman the **** ******* Fieldmouse,” “Muck In The Cut” (a swipe at “Mull of Kintyre”) and “ Crossroads” (Not a Clapton cover, but an homage to The great ATV. Soap of the same name, and its wobbling sets). We continued to dress up “live”-as in ripped shirts and chains for the snarling satire on Punk “Boring!” We still managed to do some (relatively) serious covers-Ewan McColl's “30 Foot Trailer “ and “Shoals of Herring.” Bob Dylan's “ Knocking on Heaven's Door” and Fairport's “Sloth.”

    Somebody must have liked something we did, for we found that a record company boss was trailing us. Specifically, (but not exclusively) at The Bulls Head. We'd also spotted him at Coventry's  Dog and Trumpet, and The Lanch. We thought he'd been looking at someone else, but not so. Chris King, then of Zama Records, it was. He had just secured a big EMI deal with for Zama Coventry band The Flys. They featured Hazel's brother Neil O'Connor, and Davey Freeman who much later would have a hand in co-writing No More I Love You's. Later our ex-drummer Vance would join them, too.

Chris offered us a publishing,recording and management deal. We were very sceptical about this, but it soon became obvious that he was not only serious, he actually “got” much of our material. After having had all the paperwork checked by lawyers-we signed. A year or so later-it was back to normal. We'd been reluctant to give up our jobs, and so our commitment to touring must have been very disappointing for him. It should be pointed out that even though we did record and release our own stuff on vinyl, we made not a penny out of the venture. We had a well reviewed single with Vacuum Cleaner and The Whistler as a double A side. (Both would be re-recorded and added to a CD album in 2008). John Peel played the original Vacuum Cleaner on Radio One.

Chris and BPS eventually parted company amicably. He left us, a wiser and poorer man, and we went back to Folk Clubs. The Bull, meantime, had (with our blessing) been taken over by someone else. On reflection, Chris I think had got us pencilled in as some kind of Punk Wurzels. If only he'd have let us record “Boring” and “Ordinary”-I still think we'd have been spat at more, and got on Top Of The Pops.

 

    The Brinklow tradition continues. We left music entirely for about 30 years-but were persuaded  finally to reform and do a "one-off"  Air Ambulance Fund raiser in 2006. The venue? Back in Brinklow. In one way or another, we've been back on the circuit ever since!

Two out of Three ain't bad

     Today, shorn temporarily of my two staunchest BPS stalwarts, (one of whom is sunning himself somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere), I had decided to launch 2014 musically with an ambitious plan. This was to fulfil prior simultaneous invitations to three different venues by turning up at each and doing a solo spot. Arrangements were made weeks ago, and being the sweet innocent old thing I am, I felt a curious twitch of loyalty to attend each one. Having appeared at all of them previously.    As things turned out, although the day began well, and continued well, lack of stamina, lack of food  and depression  got the better of me during the third and final stage. At which point, match abandoned. 

 

    Following a particularly painful early morning blood test, my good lady and I set out for The Larder, a rather splendid World War Two-themed Café in Long Street, Atherstone. Having joined in an afternoon session there before, I was keen to return.  We arrived early so as to better sample the cuisine. We had a pot of tea. I chose Lamb minted sausages with Bubble & Squeak for my wartime main meal, with my partner opting for Asparagus and Chicken Pie. Both were served in enamel plates and the cutlery was from Sheffield.  Each of us had a rather naughty pudding with custard, also.

 

    Thus fortified, I was ready to entertain the troops, or at least a handful of bedraggled shoppers who were gathering to sample the entertainment on offer. By this time, also there were Finger in The Jar ft. Phil Benson, Malc Gurnham with Gill Gilsenan and John and Elaine Meechan. This meant there were several guitars I could kick over in the confined spaces and a few bellows-operated instruments I could stand upon.   We sang in rounds, some slightly more and longer than others. I did "Over The Hills and Far Away", (military theme) "Chicken on A Raft " (military and food theme) and I finished with Ry Cooders "Jesus on The Mainline." The latter featuring a verse dedicated to Waitresses, which got a thumbs up from the proprietors.

 

      Return traffic was heavy, it quickly got dark  and it began to rain. This, and diversions due to impending roadworks  slowed us down. So I had time only for a quick turn around at home before tootling off back up the A5 to join in with Hinckley Act's January Club Night. This was a Performer's night, where I'd pre-booked a floor spot. I'd also arranged to pick up a recording of our featured spot there last month. It turned out to be of the highest quality, and I am indebted to Pam Allardyce and engineer for the night Dennis for offering this super facility.

 

     Although a few people belittle this venue, as "not a folk club" in my experience it is a well run professional venue, with no evidence of cliquishness. The people who run it show artistes a lot of individual respect and attention. They know how to run what is a quality sound system effectively. It is very democratically run, efficiently  organised and everyone involved with Hinckley Act is courteous, friendly and attentive. Performers can pick their chosen slots on arrival, and pre-booked performers are allotted a pre-agreed time which they can fill with what they want. This minimises time-wasting chit chat and tuning up disguised as singing. It maximises the quantity and quality of performed items.

 

     I arranged for an early first half spot, so that I could drive cross-country to make the second half at Bedworth Folk Club. The special guests at Hinckley were Neville Cooper and Harry Heppinstall. They opened up with some very classy guitar and percussion arrangements. I  followed the excellent Mark John, a performer who improves his guitar technique and pleasant singing style each time I see him.

     I sang "Bonio Romeo " and " If I were a Goat," two self-written comedy numbers. They got plenty of chuckles from an audience who appreciated the puns and imagery.  I  stayed on to listen to Steve Adams and Dave Fry.   Steve delivered three waspish original songs with that classic style he has made his own. Dave was still a little flu'ed up, so in a pensive kinda mood. But his guitar playing and his comedy were spot on. " I apologise in advance for leaving early," he explained, "  but the wife has got a nasty bout of laryngitis and I don't  want to miss a minute of it. "

 

      As the first half drew to a close I made my apologies and left Watling Close. I drove 16 miles to The Black Bank through torrential rain and hail and across rapidly flooding roads. This took in a detour to Bedworth Rugby Club, having got the two venues mixed up. That increased the overall mileage, and gave me a migraine. The pub car park was full when I got there so after about ten minutes shunting round I had to park in a street opposite.

 

   All this did not improve my temper. Nor did hearing how great all the other acts had been, when I at last got in  there, and how, because of that, I'd get only one quick song, if I was lucky.  I don't blame anyone for that. That's how it is sometimes.  I looked at all the other assembled performers already there. It was evident that I was just not worthy.  

 

     A rancid glass of Old Golden Hen did little to appease the Vapours. If that really was Golden Hen, then I'm Ralph McTell. It  must have stepped in something on its way out of the coop. I decided that in this instance, discretion definitely was the better part of valour. For the sake of everybody's health, I made my apologies and left, as surreptitiously as I could.  Without singing. As the old song goes, "Two out of three ain't bad. "   I cut my losses, and went home to take some Paracetamol and grab a bite to eat.  During the second half of the day, I'd travelled 48 miles, sung six numbers, and got soaked four times. I'd experienced all  the highs and lows of self esteem inside eight hours. I'd  had some good food and a few laughs. And I'd collected that CD. It really does make us sound good. Even the singing on it is half decent.

    

The Annual Review

      With the newly emerged 2014 now peeping out shyly from between its pudgy fat fingers, as is customary on all leading Current Affairs channels, The Bold Parrot today briefly reflects back  on 2013. A Round Macaw, if you will.

       Statistics show it was one of the best BPS years, and certainly, as far as performance goes it was the best since we reformed in 2006. In a busy final flourish, we finished the year with a triumphal Christmas show at Church End Brewery Tap, and in a six-piece format.  That was kind of significant, for in an earlier BPS phase, as a six-piece, fully amped-up Rock band, we had some heady moments too.

 

     In 2013 we played several new venues as the featured guests, and at several others as part of the overall programme. We did a new Festival, in a wonderfully atmospheric setting. We introduced many new songs and resurrected some old favourites. Of the covers, "All Over Now" became an instant audience-pleaser, and "Folking Liberty" replaced the ubiquitous "Vacuum Cleaner" as the anthem.

     Dave Parr and Malcolm Gurnham earned their gold badges and featured in much of what we did. At our final 2013 gig we welcomed the venerable and ancient John Meacham on concertina. During the year many other local musicians also jammed along with us. All of whom get an honourable mention on the website.

 

     Ah! The website! We finally wrestled back custody of that, and got it back up on the Internet. Bigger, better and definitely more up to date. The old one is still whirling about somewhere in cyberspace too, like some renegade runaway asteroid, but we can as yet do nothing to halt or prevent its progress. Ignore it. It might go away. 

   For 2014? For us, certainly continuing the expanded instrumentation. Definitely including to perform "live" the mix of Traditional Folk, Delta Blues and Comedy/Parody. "Light and Shade" as we like to call it.  "Bloody rubbish" as one or two other covetous Folk Luminaries prefer to label it. Hopefully, thinking about recording-another album perhaps? We have enough material to fill several, and most of our current set is not included on the last one.  

 

    And who knows-our 34th? 35th? attempt for Inclusion at a certain local Festival. O.k. Maybe a bridge too far that one. Hell has yet to freeze over.  January 2014 will be quieter for us than usual due to some other commitments, although you can expect to see some individual band members doing solo spots in the usual places.  Some "live" Radio work is promised round about March, some Club dates are yet to be confirmed and we hope to have access to new sound clips of BPS in the current format, and (excitingly) we met someone who claims to have recorded that earlier Rock format when we supported East Of Eden in the 1970's.

 

   Big Love to those many people who continue to encourage, support and follow us. A loud raspberry to the tiny minority who promise us so much but deliver nothing. Rien. Nix. You know who you are. Onwards and Upwards.  (Get back into bed, Mr. Crockett).