Fund Raiser at Beduff

A grand night at Bedworth RFC clubhouse last night, as Blind Boy and myself made a late decision to attend Bedworth Folk Club's Fund Raiser.

It's good to see this venue so busy. BFC at the Con Club was never one of our favourite venues, and attendances were really dwindling last time we played it. (Not our fault, honestly). Last night it was rammed. Standing room only.

It was good to catch up on news and gossip, and touch base with old friends like Malc and Gilly, Brian and Marie and Pete and Chele Willow. Yes, BPS have still got plenty of friends in the Folk/Blues world!

Musically, there was a bit of everything on offer. Country, Blues, Trad folk, self-penned stuff, the inimitable Joe ("Up The Boro'!), Beatles and Buddy Holly covers. Well done to all.

Mick was away "golfing" (we reckon that's his euphemism for attending the Royal Wedding), so it was just Blind Boy and me. An opportunity for BPS to air their Blues repertoire again then, so we did " If I Had Possession" and "The Odeon."

"Possession" is a Robert Johnson original, also covered by some bloke called Clapton. It has several challenges for me as a vocalist. (No pressure then).

We don't do it that often so I had to brush up on the lyrics before I left home. It begins in an unusually high pitch for my range and if I don't hit that first note right it throws me and occasionally also temporarily fazes the Great Bluesman himself. I was born n' raised on this "Dust my Broom " riff,so I know versions by Elmore James (dozens!) Johnny Winter, PGFM, Taj Mahal, Spencer Davis Group, Cream, Bluesbreakers etc. All with various alter egos such as
" Rambling Pony" "Rolling and Tumbling" etc. All imprinted in my sad old head. I have to blank these versions out and concentrate on Arnie's magnificent Dobro intro to get that opening right.

Odeon went as it always did, although due to a surfeit of San Miguel I totally fluffed the lines about Ha'penny Chews and Sherbet Dips. Don't think anyone noticed though.


As a Blues Bonus we also joined in with Borderline Crossing's Finale, "Bring It On Home." I think I'm right in saying that BPS performed this glorious Sam Cooke song at the same venue last time we were there. Honoured to have Pete Willow describe my vocals in it as "like Dr. John." I am not worthy. Pete and The Parrot go back at least 30 years and we can prove it! He has championed our em, "distinctive" style and song catalogue throughout that time. In the Press, by booking us at venues,and by belting out our choruses at gigs. But rarely have we shared a stage together. He reckons the last time was at The Bulls Head Club we once ran in Brinklow. He could well be right. Let's not leave it so long next time, eh?

Parrot and Friends at The Sty Folk Club

Sunday May 8th 2011 sees the band doing a couple of feature spots each side of the interval at this venue in Coventry. It is a club we have visited before, and it marks a welcome return to our home town-our last appearances there being at The Maudslay "Reunion" in March 2011 and at the erstwhile Tin Angel last Autumn.

The full four piece format will perform the usual eclectic mix of traditional folk and blues numbers with some self-penned comedy songs and scathing satire. We guarantee to feature a few of our newer numbers not on the "Aint It Grand" album such as "Albert Balls," "Courting is a Pleasure" (Nic Jones) and "The Gravy Train" We also hope to air old favourites such as "The Bold Pirate" and " D.I.Y."

The friends we hope to bring along will include Malc Gurnham and Gil Gilsenan, and Phutnote.

For Nuneaton Town fanatic and singer Geoff, the evening will involve a cross-country rush back from a Conference play-off semi final somewhere in the U.K. Arriving breathless, and either demoralised or ecstatic depending on the final score. Hopefully not hoarse though, whatever the result.

Belated Match Report on The Maudslay

Another Interesting Sunday Evening March 27th at a Good Old pub in Good Old downtown Coventry. A venue we've played several times before.

Cancer Research Fund-raiser. Artistes appearing:

Pete Grassby:
Sarah Bennett and Friends:
A Finbarr who was billed as Furey but who turned out not to be:
Kev Dempsey:
Threepenny Bit:
Katherine Fear and Jon Harrington
Sean Cannon
Jan and that other blokey

and finishing the evening yours truly...Black Parrot Seaside.

Nice to be, um...headlining again..

We did:
The Gravy Train
Courting is a Pleasure:
Albert Balls
Midlands Lullaby

March 2011 Guest appearances

Hopefully continuing the gradual recuperation and convalescence of the four-piece format of Black Parrot Seaside, we hope to do a spot at Pete Grassby's night at The Three Horseshoes, Bubbenhall next Thursday (17th March)

Following on from that we also hope to be at The Maudslay, Coventry, on Sunday 27th March. A venue we always enjoy playing.

Back on The Perch Again

There followed another long and enforced break after the the post made below. It was due to a second bereavement involving my family. No point in going on about it. But the second death did prevent me from being available for the second attempt at getting to the Back Room Folk Club in Lichfield. Which we had to cancel in December 2010.

However, we finally managed to honour that commitment at the third time of asking, last week. Wednesday 16th February 2011 to be precise. Two funerals and several flu outbreaks later, Black Parrot Seaside were at last back on stage.It felt good.

Nice club. Nice people. High standard of musicianship. Good to see a familiar face there who remembered us (fondly!)from Brewood last summer.

Set List: (in order):

Courting is a Pleasure
The Odeon
Albert Balls
Midlands Lullaby
The Whistler
The Gravy Train
D.I.Y.

All four of us on form, and the full range of instruments were featured-mandola, mandolin, guitar, fiddle, banjo, accordion.

Thanks to all who listened and showed their support and appreciation.

Take the pins our of the little dolly now, PLEASE!

We've all had enough. We promise we'll try to be good.

Just six days after the optimism of the post below, my dear old Mum died, leaving me an orphan. Another blow, rendering the poor old Macaw a bloodied mass of feathers spinning in the road again.

But we get back up. We must always get back up. The day Mum died we were due to play at The Back Room club in Lichfield. Obviously, that was cancelled, but we are working on setting up a return visit asap.

Just a week after Mum's funeral, we're on the road again this Thursday. Off to Shirley, this time.The full foursome so lucky Shirley folkies -enjoy that it's a bit of a collector's item at present! Mum would have wanted me to carry on. She loved the Parrot stuff-she reckoned we were a but naughty sometimes, but we made her laugh.

WHAT'S ANOTHER YEAR?

The previous post here was made just over a year ago. I still find it challenging to read it. (It's in the 2009 archive now). I was so full of hope and expectation when I wrote it. Anyway, I would like to apologise to anyone who has logged on since I wrote that and who has found...nothing, for over a year.

I've picked up the Blog baton again a year on because I realise (to my surprise) and from talking to people recently,that there are still folk out there who care about us, and indeed, there are still folk who want to read about what we are doing. So after an explanation of why we disappeared (again!) I will update those of you who want to know, about what we are up to now. Before I contine however, I would like to thank a few local people who have given us encouragement during 2010 whilst we tried to pick up the pieces.

Step forward Malc and Gilly, and all the audiences and performers from Bedworth Folk Club. Probably our spiritual "home" they have championed us from Day One. We let you down badly over the Christmas Party and we hope you'll give us a chance to repay that debt one day. Likewise the Festival. Please think of us for 2011! We always know that we can air new and "interesting" material at Beduff. Quite a lot of our current set list got its first run out there! And wherever we go-if there are folk from BFC present-they'll belt out our slightly odd choruses.

Rob and Karen- of The Sty and Tump Folk Clubs respectively. Thanks for your continuing support and encouragement. We've got to know you you as people, and you've stuck with us-ta. The gorgeous Kristy Gallagher-patient,understanding and immensely talented. We enjoyed the Tin Angel ducks, and we hope you'll have the full complement back sometime. Kevin Dempsey, Chris Tobin and Pete Willow-thanks for the nice things you said when we all hooked up at the Sty last month. Genuine, and appreciated. (And reciprocated,naturally). And to our two "Honorary Parrots"-the two harp players who have jammed with our bluesier numbers at various venues during 2010-thank you so much. Get in touch when you want another session!

Anyway, in October 2010, the Old Macaw is (just about) still fluttering. After the events of October 2009 though, it very nearly wasn't. Indeed, just after posting the October 2009 entry the band folded. For a third time! So: an explanation is due then.

2009 was a ghastly, horrible year for the four of us. It started with a bereavement which shook us all. It ended with no band after a horrendous "Lunch of The Long Knives," at the delightful Watermans Arms, in Hatton.and me plunged into the worst depression I have ever experienced.

You can tell from reading the archive entry for October 2009, that the day before this meeting I was upbeat, positive and looking forward to expanding the BPS Empire. Indeed, we had got to the point of exploring our new venue, having had a sound check there, and we were beginning to compile a monthly guest list for 2010. The venue management were excited and enthusiastic-which those brave souls reading this who run folk clubs will know, is a rare asset! The venue had a huge, plush, adaptable concert room, ample parking our own bar and separate toilets. The management were champions of real ale, and were keen to provide food. It would have been an exceptional Club. Honestly, I still believe that.

Sadly, it was not to be. We met with a really good friend of ours,the day after that post. Someone we had grown to like, respect and trust. This was a person we had fully intended to go into partnership with, in running the new venture. We had met finally(we thought) to put the finishing touches. It is pointless now to attribute blame for what then ensued. It just happened.

Some kind of madness seemed to fill us on that day.I tried for months afterwards to pinpoint exactly why, but I'm afraid I cannot. There is no point in going over it too much now, except to say that it caused me personally immense hurt, destroyed my self-esteem and caused me a great deal of personal mental anguish. It was genuinely not my intention to destroy the band or the proposed club that day. I was mortified that both outcomes resulted from that meeting. I suspect it might have had a similar effect on the others present.

We had quite a portfolio of Autumn gigs lined up, and we had to cancel them all. It affected our wives and families too. By January 2010 I was emotionally in bits, on every front. This was compounded by the fact that I had a horrible Christmas, with an unseen family tragedy and my wife recovering from surgery. Whoever was sticking the pins in my particular little doll at that time caused maximum damage.

But somehow, as real friends do, eventually we rallied. We realised, that having been playing music (intermittently) together for over 35 years, whatever had happened and however much hurt was caused, there was too much to give up. We know we're not the most aesthetically or musically competent band around, but we've written some good tunes together, and we've put on shows that have made audiences laugh, think and reflect.

By about April, we had resolved most of our differences,and had begun rehearsing and gigging together again. All kinds of personal commitments limited what we were able to do, but we managed to start working the Parrot publicly in various formats-two of us, then three, sometimes even all four. I've also been doing a few solo spots. None of us are getting any younger, and a couple of us have health issues-but the will is still there to entertain.

In a newer Blog post I will detail the venues we've played, the venues we've worked in and those we would like to explore. We are a bit shaky and still scarred by what happened. But you move on. You have to, The alternatives are too terrifying to contemplate.