Hummin' at The Humber

I really enjoyed our first visit to the newly relocated "Tump Folk Club " last night, and a very nostalgic one it was,for me personally. The club is now based more centrally than it was when in Brinklow Road. It is now at The Humber pub, in Humber Road Coventry. A familiar part of the world for me, as I grew up "over the railway" in Northfield Road, and I went to All Saints Primary School just a few minutes walk away. My dad and my Uncle Bill and many neighbours once worked in the massive car plant which used to be just down the road from The Humber. Indeed "Wag of Shop 14," one of our most requested songs, is largely based about reminiscences about that series of factories.

I also had my last pint as a single man in The Humber. In 1971, I was based at Gosford Green, working for Coventry Parks Department. My mates decided they would send me on my way to the wedding in London by finishing early and getting me sloshed at lunchtime. They then dropped me off home in the back of a three wheel Lister Truck which created traffic chaos as it chugged all the way down Binley Road. With me and a 56lb bag of grass seed in the back.

A further point of interest is that the band have played several venues in this area before. The Pitts Head in Gosford Street, the Gosford Park Hotel at the top of Northfield Road,and The Biggin Hall Hotel, on Binley Road. For example.

We joined an interesting collection of singers and musicians and took a diverse trip round the world with them. We listened to songs made famous by James Taylor, Woody Guthrie,Dobie Gray, Crowded House and Billie Holiday. Nearer to home, with a mix of traditional and self-penned material, we were entertained by visiting Dalgetty, Dublin and Scapa Flow and we went busking in London's West End.

As BPS remain in a "fluid" state in personnel terms, once again it was just Arnold and I who took to the floor. This fragmented Parrot seems to be the current genre. It has its benefits in that we get to play more Blues and we don't have to tote so many instruments around. On the down side,we lose a depth of tone with reduced instrumentation, and some of our regular repertoire cannot successfully be reproduced without drastic re-arrangement. However, for the third time in a fortnight, other musicians occasionally joined in. Notably Rob Oakey adding some mean blues harp on "If I Had Possession." And we were delighted to find that here as elsewhere, audiences enjoy singing the chorus to some of our own songs.

Besides "Possession" We also did "The Odeon" "Courting is a Pleasure" " Albert Balls" "Vigilante Man" and "Over The Hills and Far Away." Only one of those six songs was on our last CD. Proving that we are no one trick pony, and that we do keep updating material!

We were made to feel very welcome, as we always are at clubs hosted by Rob and Karen. Arnold won a bottle of red wine in the raffle and had folk queuing to admire the dobro. The Humber has had a decent makeover, has a big car park and the staff seem very friendly. We'll be back!

God Save(d) The Parrot

Despite not being the most devout of monarchists,we had an absolute blast last night, doing an open air gig in a marquee on Wolvey Playing Fields. Half of the current Black Parrot Seaside to be technically accurate,as two of our number were elsewhere, otherwise engaged.

It was our first outdoor gig since Newbold RFC a couple of summers ago. And being June in England,it was cold! Whilst the sun was still flooding across the fields,not too bad. But as it went down, and a big orange moon came up,it got progressively chillier.It turned out to be a momentous evening for yours truly, being the first time I'd sung with a full band behind me, since about 1976! Oh how the poignant memories flowed!!

Fortified by a few Becks and San Miguels,we did a half hour slot, following on from Colin Squire, whom we've met up with at The Bell (Monks Kirby) on Sunday nights sometimes.Colin performed an accomplished set, bravely trying to persuade a semi-frozen crowd to sing along with a succession of chorus songs. This included "Yarmouth Town," one of my favourites from his repertoire. I appeared to be the only person belting it out with him!

It seemed to take ages for us to set up. We'd not been able to access the performance area beforehand, and Off The Cuff, (who were later going to join us), also needed to re-check their tunings. Arn and I started with "Over The Hills and Far Away",which we've been reworking recently. Without being able to use the fiddle intro, and shorn of Eddie's bridges between chorus and verse, Arn now chops in a tasteful electric intro, using the Telecaster. Bramcote Barracks was bathed in a golden glow as the sun set behind us. It added a certain irony and relavence to this old song about soldiers doing their best for King and Country, a long way from home. It got a good reception. (Applause gets the circulation going!)

We followed up with "Some Day The Sun Won't Shine." This song was popularised on an early Jethro Tull album. The cold by now was playing havoc with strings, as Arn found to his horror during this number. Keeping the Old Boy on his toes, he then had to switch to 12 string for "Courting is a Pleasure." We hit a really good tempo on this, with a few people actually dancing! The bar had been open all day, and I guess folk were just trying to keep warm. Arn then got the dobro going,to finish our solo bit with "Vigilante Man." I would add that he lap-played it for this number, but it might sound a bit rude.

Off The Cuff then joined us for three more songs. Derek, Pete,Adrian and Jon all now inducted into the honorary Parrot Hall of Fame. With Arn hanging on to the Dobro, (but standing up this time!),we pumped out a spirited rendition of Robert Johnson's "If I Had Possession" -based loosely around Clapton's version. Anker Delta White Boy Blues. This is really how it's meant to be done! All amped up, Drums and base, bottleneck guitars, and a blues harp warbling away between verses. Brilliant. The audience liked it-(dancing again!) and I was ecstatic!

Sam Cook's "Bring It On Home To Me" then followed, a version more closely allied to the Animal's cover. Again featuring all six of us. And we finished our solo bit with "Need Your Love So Bad."

I just adore this song. It's a personal favourite of mine, but I have never previously had the privilege of performing it publicly. Peter Green famously transcribed it from the Blind Wille John original. It's a song with a very special meaning for me. It was our first dance as a married couple at our wedding reception in London, oh so many years ago. Thereafter it became "Our" song. We danced alone to it again at various family parties. To be able to sing it, whilst fronting up an ace band,and looking into the eyes of the Love of My Life right in front of me as I did so, was a truly magical and memorable experience. Dunno if the audience enjoyed it quite as much as I did, but they seemed happy enough!

Off The Cuff then got everyone dancing. They played one excellent set, stopped for the beacon to be lit, and then returned for another. I cannot praise these guys highly enough. Immense gratitude to them for working patiently with us at rehearsals,and backing us "live." I have played support to The Darts and East Of Eden. I've met John Lee Hooker. I've recorded in the studio where Dire Straits put down "Sultans of Swing." Our songs have been played on Radio One. But this goes right in there along with the great Parrot music moments. Singing The Blues in a six piece is really where it all took off with BPS in the 1970's.I'd almost forgotten how cool it can be. Unless I get a call from a band looking for a vocalist over the next few months-this may never happen again!

Parrot Out and about in Bedd'orth

Well it's been a while, and sincere apologies to both Blog readers for that. Quite a few domestic issues, the return of the Mighty Nuneaton Borough to the Conference Premier, and some health problems have skewed rehearsals and gig diaries. However, we are now delighted to confirm that the Blog is back, and that our set at next week's Festival Fund Raiser at Bedworth Rugby Club Wednesday 23rd May, is definitely ON. We implore all BPS followers to get there in numbers and sing their hearts out for the lads. And to put some pennies in the bucket to help raise money for next November's Festival. The set will include some traditional folk songs. For example, The Bonny Black Hare, Courting is a Pleasure, Over The Hills and Far Away and Requiem for Steam. "Requiem" is a Dave Goulder song about the decline of steam engines in the 1960's. Of our Youtube clips, this one is by far the most popular, with over 3,000 hits. It features on a few people's personal playlists,too. (No accounting for taste, is there?) We're really chuffed about that. We aim to have a good time that night, as it is the last gig at this venue before the Summer Break. So you'll be pleased to hear that some of our own self-penned comedy material will also feature. Pencilled in are: our 1978 hit single "The Whistler": a topical song about greedy politicians-"The Gravy Train" and a vicious blow at the Health and Safety Culture gone mad-"The Bold Pirate." The Folk Club from Hell "The Septic Monkey" complete with spoof raffle also features, as does our homage to Bedduff itself-"On Bedworth Bank." Not to be confused with any other song about the jewel of the North Warwickshire Riviera. There follows a fairly low key finish with singalong tunes "The Odeon " and " Albert Balls." climaxing what threatens to be a classic evening. If we have time, we may well air the late John Peel's favourite waxing " I am a Vacuum Cleaner with the Brain of a Bird." Admission is free. Alhough we cannot guarrantee that exit is without charge.

THE MACAW SINGS THE BLUES

With our reputation for being a bit daffy on stage at times, quite a few people seem intrigued (even impressed occasionally) that we still include a traditional Blues in our set. This is " Wee Midnight Hour Blues," a song recorded by Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell in the early 1930's. We also featured it on our 2008 CD "Roll It Up and Eat It."

WMHB however goes almost right back to our formation as a six piece rock band in the 1970's. We used to do it as part of a much "heavier" electric set, featuring Martin Smalldon on electric base ,Vance on drums, Mick on keyboards, Arnie on lead guitar and me handling vocals. I have a dog-rough Mono rehearsal recording to prove it, which only friends and family may access!!

I've always loved the song. I first heard it on my well worn vinyl copy of Paul Oliver's "Story of The Blues" anthology. Carr and Blackwell had teamed up and shifted North to Chicago at the time of writing and recording it. Some of the lyrics reflected an increasing sophistication, characterised in the opening lines:
"In The Wee Midnight Hour, Long 'fore the break of day/when the Blues creep up on you, carry your mind away."

The whole song is about worry, regret and lamentation. The mournful melody, the mellow instrumentation and the melancholy vocals compliment the overall mood: "My heart's in trouble...my mind is sinkin' deep".

Obviously, we could not replicate our 1970's version as a four-piece folk band. Instead, we re-arranged it to include the interesting combination of acoustic Guitar,mandolin and accordion. Oh, and (if I'm not too shy!) a tiny little bit of Blues harp from yours truly. This kind of takes the mood of it back down South, and away from Chicago. I'd like to think Leroy and Scrapper might have approved of that.

The first song we ever rehearsed and ever played in public was also a blues. John Lee Hooker's "Dimples" Rob Lockington on drums, Tez Tehergee and Arnold on guitar and me on vocals. Later we added Barry Ousby on base and felt confident enough to also try out Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home" in public.

In 1971 I had the privilege of meeting John Lee backstage at a London venue. Backed by The Groundhogs, he was headlining at my College. He was a quiet, shy and very pleasant man. His only "rider" was a strong cup of coffee! Later, John Lee would have a lot to say about what he once called "The Hurt." He wasn't one of those Black Bluesmen who looked down on White Boys trying to play his type of music. He maintained that delivering the Blues was less about technique or ethnicity and more about understanding (and experiencing) loneliness, pain, grief,sorrow,loss and tragedy. I got some of that.

Later on in the 1970's Martin and Vance replaced Barry and Rob on base and drums respectively. In this same format, we then also featured a 12 bar blues "Going down to Gasthorpe" and an extraordinary Bo Carter blues called "All Around Man." Bo wasn't a great believer in innuendo, and some of his stuff was absolutely filthy! I have a mono recording of us doing "All Around Man", and it really used to shift along. In fact we've talked (briefly) about resurrecting it, but I cannot honestly see any way we could play it publicly again without getting lynched!! Rory Gallagher later did a song of the same name with a similar chord progression, but drastically cleaned up from the Bo Carter original.

Anyway, that's five Blues-based songs from the BPS back catalogue. And there's more from the current one. When the four of us aren't all available to go out and perform together, Arnie and I have added "Sun Won't Shine For You"- Jethro Tull version, Robert Johnson's "If I had Possession" and "Vigilante Man " to a set we now do as a duo. The last two feature me singing and Arnie playing that magnificent Dobro of his. We're also currently sharpening up a version of Jimmy Reed's "Shame, Shame, Shame."

And finally..it's no secret that I occasionally do solo spots at local clubs. Unaccompanied I've aired "Vigilante Man" " Bring It On Home" and
" Jesus On The Mainline" in public, and not yet been booed off!! The Blues was my first love, and I'd like to do more. I've got a whole fist of other songs I'd like to cover. Anyone out there interested?

Maudslay date confirmed-25th March

Well we've been away for a bit-literally. Belgium, Spain and France to be specific. I could be a real poser here, and pretend that we've been on a European Tour together-but we haven't.

There is however, photographic evidence from last week of Arnie jamming on a borrowed telecaster, with a French Blues band. And I did manage to do a bit of networking in a most excellent music cellar Bar in central Bruges, where the owner's playlist was almost as good as mine. He's got a few BPS cards now,so he might even be reading this! Anyway, Listening to an Albert Collins solo pumped through a potent sound system certainly helped the Garre, De Ranke XX and Zot slip down at 2am in the morning!

All being well, the full four-piece B.P.S. combo will be allowed out to participate in a Cancer Research Fund Raiser at The Maudslay Hotel in Coventry on Sunday 25th March.

It's an evening gig in the Concert Room upstairs. These are usually very good sessions-even the ones where we turn up! We've done quite a few sessions there over the last few years. The acoustics in the room are excellent. There is usually a good mix of guests. Previously we've been joined by people like Sara Bennett, Kev Dempsey, Threepenny Bit, Katherine Fear and Jon Harrington, Rod Felton and Rob Armstrong, Sean Cannon and Maggie Coleman. To name but a few. Pete Grassby organises and so usually has a warble, too.

Being the crazy, globetrotting guys we are,April's looking a bit thin due to more overseas commitments, but our appearance at Bedworth Folk Club on May 23rd date is also now fully confirmed.

Gig updates

Regrettably, we've had to pull out of our next commitment, which was due to be at "The Cock", Rowington, next Wednesday-February 15th. A pity, as this would have been a new venue for us,and we were all looking forward to adding it to our collection. Better to make a decision well in advance, with the weather being as it is.

Hopefully,Pete Grassby will re-arrange an alternative date for us there. If he's still talking to us, we anticipate appearing in one of his Sunday Night extravaganzas, at The Maudslay Hotel, Coventry, on Sunday 25th March.

We will also be at Bedworth Folk Club on Wednesday 23rd May. This is a Festival fundraiser. A couple of other venues and/or organisers have been in touch, and we hope to finalise a few more dates locally over the next few months.


Looking further ahead it seems likely we'll be busy in November, with an appearance in Witherley, and later in the month, shifts at Bedworth Folk Festival 2012 already pencilled in.

Meanwhile, Arnold and I kept busy during January. I did a solo spot at The Black Bank on the 12th-giving me a rare opportunity to air that BPS classic "Bonio Romeo." And as "Simpering Wolf and Slim Hopkins," Arnie and I did a couple of spots as a duo. A chance for Slim to air the Dobro and me to exercise the tonsils. We were at Bedworth Rugby Club on the 25th and The Bell in Monks Kirby on the 29th. The latter appearance featured awesome audience singing of "Albert Balls." What a pity we didn't put that song on the last CD. It's become a real favourite! If we do another-we must make sure AB is on it-and a "Live" version! ( Offers, anyone?)

Parrot are Back On The Perch

Well, Happy Christmas, a Happy New Year and a Happy Everything Generally to BPS followers near and far, young and old, past and present. It's been a while since the last Blog, primarily because of Festive Stuff. Band members tend to use December as a bit of a Lardfest generally, reducing the performing opportunities to a minimum whilst maximising the social occasions.

Shortly after the most recent post above, for example, I went off to The Harz Mountains in Eastern Germany, for a birthday treat. I'm a bit of a railway fan, so hammering up through the snow-covered pine forests to a white-out at the summit of The Brocken was damn near an orgasmic experience for me. Beer,Sausages,Steam Trains-come on-it doesn't get much better than that.

At the same time, Arnold was in Kracow, I think. And Eddie's just come back from Madeira. So no time for much practical music making in between. I squoze in a couple of local solo spots before Santa came, but nevertheless, we also managed to fit in two seasonal BPS staff "do's." One before Christmas at Wood Farm Brewery Tap, and a New Year session last week in the wonderful Byatt's Kingdom of Whitefriars Alehouse, Coventry.

Today I'm delighted to say that we finally got back down to the serious business of music making. A full rehearsal of the four piece format. And a jolly good work out it was too. Interestingly, we selected all cover versions to work on today. They were: "The Poacher's Lament": "Man of Constant Sorrow": " The Bonny Black Hare": "Courting is a Pleasure": "Requiem for Steam" and "Over The Hills and Far Away". The last few are regulars: the first two are very close to being new additions to the current set. We've done the Poacher publicly before-but we're working on a longer version now, with four-part harmonies and "The Foxhunter" and "The Galway Hornpipe" as two instrumental pieces added at the end of the vocals. MOCS is the song made famous from O Brother Where Art Thou. A Good excuse for some good Ol' Country Music whilst slugging from a jug of Chicken Whisky. or something.

It looks like the first airing for the two new songs could be The Cock at Rowington in February-unless of course, someone out there has an earlier opportunity they'd like to float past us?