A last squawk from The Perch

Final perspective on  2014

Well 2014 was a mixed year to say the least. In Spring, a few health problems put me out of action (and onto crutches in one incidence) for several weeks. I attended two funerals of good friends who had influenced me musically. One was Rod Felton, whose delivery, song writing and guitar playing I admired. And we said farewell also to a second ex-Parrot.  Graham Caldicott, who sang with us, and co-wrote "Vacuum Cleaner", and old Parrot favourites like "Ordinary."  

 

     Creatively and musically, I felt that as a band we had made real progress, with some of the best live performances ever done collectively. Particularly effective as a five piece and bolstered by the talents of Malc Gurnham and Dave Parr, we made our debut at Banbury Folk Festival, there was talk of a new C.D. and Nuneaton Folk Club exceeded all expectations as it launched in October. Then at the end of the year, the whole House of Cards inexplicably collapsed. The band folded, and we lost the two gigs I was most looking forward to: Bedworth Folk Festival and The Church End/ Atherstone Folk Club  Christmas Party. This was not the first second or third time that the band had imploded. But because of the pain caused, it has to be the last.

2015

So there is now no Black Parrot Seaside, and there won't be again. Some of the songs will live on however, both the covers and originals. I will not stop performing, and I intend to go out Solo as Mac Awe on Tour in the New Year.   I hope to continue working as part of “Nunc” and   I already have some solo spots lined up for 2015. Probably concentrating more on Comedy and Novelty songs, but if people want me to continue doing Blues and Folk-then I will. It looks highly likely that I will be returning to theatre again, as I have written something that a couple of local institutions are very interested in. Watch this space for news of at least one public production project in the coming 12 months.

  Since the dust has settled,  a few kind souls have  indicated an interest in working with me on collaborations. If you were one of them-be it song-writing or performance or both-then I will be contacting you shortly, (with no strings attached), to see if you are still interested in working on something-anything-together. Or if you prefer, don't be shy, get in touch. P.M. me via email or Facebook and say what you'd like to try, creatively. And if you or your band is ever short of a singer-don't be afraid to ask. I'd leap at that kind of opportunity!

Smells Like Christmas

What’s that smear on Grandad’s shirt?

What’s that stain on Grandma’s skirt?

What’s that steaming in the dirt?
RUDOLF! Smells like Christmas!

Lots of cheerful festive booze,

fighting in the shopping queues

Just disasters on the news
Yes it smells like Christmas
Pine trees oozing pungent sap,
Polar bears and penguin crap
Fido drinking from the tap
Yes it smells like Christmas
Cinammon and Tangerines, 
Brussel sprouts and Christmas greens
Vampires on the Multiscreens
Yes It smells like Christmas
Where’s it come from? That’s the question
Flatulence and Indigestion
Christmas Trees and Christmas Bells
Lots of awful Christmas smells
Hey! It smells like Christmas

Same old rubbish on t.v. 
Ants inside the Christmas tree
Santa? Is that.... Reindeer wee?
Yes!- it smells like Christmas!
Pounding pavements, stinking feet,
socks that whiff of rotting meat
Wheelie bins are full for weeks
Hey! They smell like Christmas

Bird Flu ,Plague and flies abound 

 Slush lies melting on the ground

Unwanted dogs and cats are drowned
Just because it's Christmas
Santa Claus has foetid breath
The news is full of war and death
My neighbour's Brewing Crystal Meth
And it stinks of Christmas.
The motorways and railways jam
My mailbox fills with dirty spam
Everyone hates Uncle Sam
It's definitely Christmas
Flu transmitted by the birds,
Carols full of empty words
Pavements cluttered up with turds
-Really smells like Christmas. 
Easter Eggs and Winter Sales,
Got a waistband like a whale
Body Odour- armpits stale:
Yes - they smell like Christmas.
Insurgents play with guns and swords 
Norovirus shuts the wards
Malls are full of sweating hordes
It must be Boxing Day.



  

Crowning Glories

  After the euphoria of last month's  Nuneaton Folk Club  night, an absolutely torrid and turbulent three weeks. followed  I had personal upsets, health niggles and family worries. Compounded with the fact that Black Parrot Seaside folded once more, this time terminally.

 

    What followed could have gone either way.  I had some very low moments in between then and last night, but then I had the best birthday present I could wish for.  That is, friends old and new, absent, there in spirit and present, all pulling together for the common good to get a third successive NFC show on the road.  Three Days of Freedom Peace and Love (and Flu'!) up the A444 at Bedduth Folk Festival) had taken a heavy toll on booked performers, some of whom were just too poorly to be there. But even so,  absent friends worked hard behind the scenes on Tuesday and yesterday, loaning us some sound gear to help make sure that all went smoothly.  Last night was a triumph for teamwork and co-operative working: where individual egos, creative differences  and personal interests were all set aside for the common good.

    I'm not being a luvvie here, when I say that each act yesterday was of outstanding quality. Providing a night which oozed quality.  Nunc- a new acapella collaboration, making their debut, kicked off with a Christmassy rendition of "Gaudete " and  "FairyTale in New York". That got the sizeable audience singing and Saucy Suzy Sanders continued the Festive Theme with some fiddled Carols,Yuletide songs and tunes. John Neal, another talented Nuneaton musician, made his NFC debut with three songs including a Ralph McTell one (no not Streets) and his own compositions. Hilary Wilson made it three out of four newcomers, with a mesmerising performance.

   Bob Brooker, free of The Sly Old Dogs, then brought the house down with "Stockton Quays" and "Willie McBride. He sold some CD's too-and one Raffle winner chose his "Songs From The Sea" in preference to a cheeky bottle of Zinfandel! We will NEVER hear the last of that!  Daisybell- Folk Spice-and their delightful harmonies then entertained the audience before Kristy Gallacher, a fourth newcomer to the NFC stage,  closed the first half by giving us a preview of next months Featured Guest. She sang  three songs including a very clever arrangement of Woody Guthrie's "Do Re Mi".

  The raffle draw was completed thanks to Flossie and Sue Sanders selling, Julian's generous donations, and to Brian for the Christmas Cake. ( I explained to him you don't have to bring one to gain admission, but he insisted!). Thanks also to Pete Matanza and his missus for diligent ripping, tearing and folding during the interval. (They also dealt with some raffle tickets).  Carole and Maria seemed delighted with their prizes. One Direction and Ollie Murs Annuals.

Nunc then returned to tell us " All The GoodTimes are Past and Gone."  But clearly they weren't. Some brilliant chorus singing from the audience followed before. John Kearney got the audience laughing and singing again with "The Jolly Boys," and a unique Reggae-Irish composition eulogising a dodgy booser out Brum way. Then it was time for Maria Barham and Carole Palmer to finish the evening. As always, great value for money, fantastic songs, lovely arrangements, stunning harmonies. The encores fused with the finale as Julian himself demanded more.

Tom Veasey kept it in the family by doing an excellent job on sound. He too had been very busy at Bedworth Folk Festival, but after a heavy working day he drove the whole set-up masterfully expertly and with minimum fuss. Many MANY thanks, Tom.