Folk music does seem to get a raw deal in the CV area. It has been all but forgotten about by most of the local media outlets. Despite several attempts to get coverage revived, they simply just don’t seem to want to know. It does all smack of being a bit un-cultural like, in my opinion.

So rather than sit around and dwell about it, and in true tradition of the genre, it has taken things into its own hands and began to fight back. A group of big hitters within the scene have set up an organisation called CVFolk with the aim of ‘Promoting Folk Music and Dance in Coventry, the 2021 UK City of Culture’.

Taken from their website ‘CVFolk is a campaign to provide resources and co-ordinated events for folk music and dance in and around the CV postcode area. It encompasses two strands: Legacy and vision’.

And those aims were fully realised at CVFolk’s inaugural live event set in the foyer of the Albany Theatre on Sunday 14th October.

The message I took away from this particular session was that the format will combine the traditional folk scene with the more modern singer songwriters. Enforcing that point, the line-up for the event was The Willow and Tool Band, Poachers Pocket, Kristy Gallacher and Rob Halligan. Shoehorned in between the first and second halves we were even treated to a few minutes of clog dancing.

Rob Halligan and Kristy Gallacher are no strangers. They once recorded a song together for the 2004 Tsunami disaster in Asia that cracked the top 20 indie charts which raised in excess of 13k for the fund. For this evenings session they shared the top billing by alternating with each other. Each tune they played was accompanied by some background information about how the song was arrived at. Kristy’s set included the heartfelt Spinning Plates, Plan B and Fending off the Frost while Rob powerfully performed Hold You Tonight and Wild Horses.

‘Music has the power to tell stories in a way that connects with people’ says Rob on his website. And that is so very true. Rob, for example, mentioned the fact he is originally from Worthing. And a couple of the songs he played were based on his experiences of his time there.

One of those songs was called Dancing with Seagulls. And the lyrics were so vivid. They recalled how, as a youngster, he would visit the beach and terrorise the flocks of snoozing seagulls by running straight through them scattering them into the air. This immediately took me back a few weeks to the balmy summer and when we took our grandson to the seaside. I was like a Cheshire cat as I recalled how he had found it great fun doing the very same thing. Not so sure the seagulls appreciated it though. Similarly, when Kristy sang the incredibly touching and sensitive Beautiful Bouquet, this also found resonance with me. I actually found myself misting up as it transported me back to a whole different time and place. Trust me, not only are these songs so very very good, they are also very powerful.

Despite one or two technical issues with guitar leads, the whole event flowed fairly seamlessly. And given that the event was staged in the in the Albany’s new Studio Theatre, and not the main theatre, the sound inside the venue was surprisingly impressive too. 

In a closing statement, patron of this campaign Pauline Black, summed things up perfectly when she reminded us of her own humble roots as a folk singer at the Dyers Arms, some 100 yards from this venue, and how that played an important and vital role in the development of her craft. 


Click to read about Pauline Black’s background with Coventry folk clubs. https://coventryfolkclubs.blogspot.com/2013/04/pauline-black-on-coventry-folk-scene.html

Further installments of this venture will take place once a month, with the next live event scheduled for November 11th when Rosie Hood will headline. More details can be found on the link below……….. 


NB Apologies to Loz of the Albany, Pete originally said the event was in the Foyer but was actually in the Albany’s new Studio Theatre, mistake corrected now in the text. Trev (Admin).

Visit CVfolk’s website
http://www.cvfolk.com/

Coventry Singer Songwriter Rob Halligan

CV Folk Patron Pauline Black

Pete Willow and Pete Tool

Joe O’donnell’s Shkayla 

Lady Baby Gypsy Queen – Rod Felton from Rod Felton – Singer Songwriter on Vimeo.

The recent loss of bass player, and founder member of Coventry band The Sorrows, Phil Packham, has had me delving into the bands fascinating past. Phil himself was incredibly proud of his achievements. And rightly so as The Sorrows hold the distinction of having had the first LP release by a Coventry band. The album, titled ‘Take a Heart’, contained the hit single of the same name along with earlier singles along with other original tunes and was released toward the end of 1965. Make no mistake, this was seen as a big deal at that time.

It had been a complete turnaround in fortunes for The Sorrows. Weeks before the album’s release it looked all over for the band due to legal rifts being dragged out. Their debut 45 ‘I Don’t Wanna be Free’ had been reported as lacking originality. It really was touch and go for the band. ‘We were fed up and began to doubt if we would ever make it’ said the bands lead singer Don Maughn (later Fardon) at the time.

But then, after the low key release of the single ‘Baby’, ‘Take a Heart’ was released. In the UK, advance sales of 15,000 copies made it a chart certainty. And so it happened as the record almost cracked the top 20.

The follow up to the ‘Take a Heart’ 45, ‘You’ve Got What I Want’, totaled 10,000 plus in advanced sales. This was sufficient for it to get a top 50 placing. The Sorrows were convinced that it would be more successful than ‘Take a Heart’ which was, later on in 1965, released in the U.S. and thirteen other countries.

During the week of the L.P. release lead singer, Don Maughan, gave a frank an honest interview about each track on the record, giving some surprising and forthright comments. As a point of interest, that same week the ‘Take a Heart’ LP was released the single of the same name reached number 2 in Japan and number 4 in Poland.

Here are some of the comments from Don’s interview:

Baby: Don said ‘I still like this one a lot. People say to me that Baby is better than Take a Heart. You see what the right plugs can do. Baby was equally ambitious but the plugs weren’t there and it failed to get off the ground’.

No No No No: Don said ‘Pip Whitcher our lead guitarist and I wrote this one. We’ve now got our own music publishing firm you know. It’s called PipDon’.

Take A Heart: Don groaned ‘Take it off, this bores me now. But don’t get me wrong. This has enabled us to put down the deposits on nice houses of our own. I’m bored of it now, but very grateful’.

She’s Got the Action: Don laughs ‘Miki Dallon, who wrote our hits, penned this one. But it’s known as a filler, just thrown in to fill the L.P. up. Honestly, it is really shocking. Sounds as if we made it up as we went along’.

How Love Used to Be: ‘This is an unusual quieter side to The Sorrows’ says Don. ‘It’s different to our usual belters. Restrained, even gentle. At first I had my doubts but now I feel very pleased with this. That odd guitar sound is Pip and Wes (Price) playing in very close combination. At first I wanted to have strings and things behind us on this but John Schroeder, our recording boss, said no’.

Teenage Letter: Strangely there were no comments against this.

Side two begins with I Don’t Wanna be Free – The Sorrows first disc: ‘This sounds dated now and lacks originality. Too like The Kinks’ says Don. At first I liked it but now I don’t blame people for not buying it’.

Don’t Sing Me No Sad Songs: ‘This is very unusual for The Sorrows, the most surprising track on the album. It is on the controversial Bob Dylan kick with folksy half sung, half spoken vocalising’.

Caralin: ‘This drum dominated track is the cover of an American hit by The Strangeloves. I am pleased with this one too. Nice recording quality on the drums. Without being big headed I think it is as good, if not better, than the American original’.

We Should Get Along Fine: ‘Pip and I wrote this. Okay at first, it drags now’.

Come With Me: ‘Another we wrote ourselves. That imitation of Donald Duck is by bass player Phil Packham. It is the best part of the track. It was the ‘B’ side of our first single and really sounds like a ‘B’ side too’.

Let Me In: ‘There is a row over this one’ says Don. ‘It is the best number on the L.P. but we all reckon John Schroeder has wrecked it by over recording. It sounds like a hundred guitars all playing at once. We were going to make this a single until we heard the recording quality. A great pity because the number itself is very strong’.

Don and Phil both left The Sorrows during 1966 and a whole new chapter began for the band that in itself was fruitful. Thanks for the memories guys.

More articles on The Sorrows by Pete Clemons on this blog – 

‘Writing is in full swing for the new The Pineapple Thief record here at Soord Studios. Today I’m using this lovely (and pretty rare!) baritone Telecaster. And no I didn’t buy it. Thank you Godsticks for letting me steal it.’

‘I’m back from my 6 months of self-imposed exile while writing and recording the new The Pineapple Thief album. It’s been an absolute mammoth undertaking for all of us and I for one can’t wait for you all to hear it. In the meantime, I’ve just a few teeny tiny tweaks to make before handing over the concoction to Steve (Kitch) for mastering.’

These were just some of the messages that were appearing on social media, earlier this year, from the writing and recording process for what became The Pineapple Thief’s latest album ‘Dissolution’.

When he began to surface I took the opportunity of asking Bruce how recording was going and if there had been any major changes in approach from the last album. He replied: ‘no nothing different to ‘Your Wilderness’. Although this time we were sharing ideas and developing songs. So Gavin would try things on drums, then I would take what he did and try things in my studio. And we’d all keep sharing ideas and chatting online as the album progressed. It got quite intense at times, but in a good way!’

‘The band recorded Dissolution across the UK, sharing ideas via instant messaging’ was another message I picked up on via the web site belonging to The Pineapple Thief’s record label ‘K.Scope’.

And here is where the irony begins as guitarist and primary songwriter, Bruce Soord, freely admits. The album was created with modern technology and the heavy use of social media yet the overriding theme of ‘Dissolution’ stands as a warning as to how we use it.

On early listens ‘Dissolution’, I think, comes across as not as ‘edgy’ an album than more recent releases by The Pineapple Thief have been. However after multiple plays of it you discover that the beauty and the edginess is in its detail. ‘Dissolution’ is very subtle and far more dynamic than anything I have heard from The Pineapple Thief before. The music may not be as incisive but the messages contained within it are, for me, incredibly powerful and thought provoking. Gavin Harrison is very evident on the record. He is credited as having contributed on almost every song. One of the rare times when, I think I am correct in saying, where Bruce Soord has not been referenced as the sole writer.

The Pineapple Thief’s music is a journey of evolution as they continue to explore new territory. And they have certainly traveled some distance from their early records. As mentioned, the subject matter this time around is the internet, social media and our use of it. I have shamelessly cut and pasted the following paragraph from an interview Bruce Soord gave recently. It gives great insight as to what motivated him to write the album and where the ideas came from……….

Thematically, Pineapple Thief albums have been quite similar in that I’m always writing about the human psyche in the context of this society that I’ve grown up in, and in the changing society that I’m growing up in. And it’s really, really changed so much over the last five years, maybe even the last two years, the sort of technological revolution that we’ve lived through. And I think that when history looks back on this time and reassesses what we were doing, what we’re doing right and what we were doing wrong, I think that they will admit that a lot has gone wrong. It’s a bit like an addiction, you know, it’s a bit like a drug, like alcohol, or heroin or cocaine. Nobody really knows when it’s a problem because it’s so new. And it’s only now that big tech companies are talking about addiction, smartphone addictions and the mental health problems that children are growing up with. I mean, it certainly affected my mental health…I’m not saying that I’ve gone crazy or anything, but being connected to so many people, to so many things, to having access to so much information, so many opinions is just unnatural and exhausting. And as a musician, it goes one step further, because you are connected to all of your listeners. You get an insight into what they think about you, and some of these things are just horrible as well. Some of the lyrics on the record, the very first track, ‘Not Naming any Names’ is specifically about those people, the people that just want to weaponise social media and these connections and cause people harm. So as a musician growing up in these times, you’ve got to have a thick skin and if people want to do what we do and get your music out there, you’ve got to be prepared to take it. To understand that it’s a battleground out there in many ways. But yes, that’s what it is, that’s the theme that connects the entire record.

The band has just returned home after a successful tour of Europe. A few UK dates are to follow along with a return to Europe in 2019. I have also read America as being a possible destination. It has taken 20 years to get to this point, and, right now, and in among them all a little man is standing so very very tall.

The reason for putting together these few words was to recognise and remember a couple of Coventry bands from the mid to late 1960s. In fact October 2nd marks 50 years from when one of them recorded. Information on these bands is understandably difficult come across given the passage of time. But there is one cutting from the archives of Colin Williams featuring ‘From the Sun’ and which I have faithfully reproduced.

‘After exiling itself for the past year a Coventry group – restyled with a new sound – is bouncing back into the city scene.

The five man group ‘From the Sun’ was formed toward the end of 1966 with a ‘soul’ base to its material. But Coventry has seen little of the group, which found itself a ready market for its talents in clubs and pubs all over the North.

About the nearest the five got to their Coventry homes was a fortnightly spot, since last Easter, at Chesford Grange. But that stay away plan is changing. On Saturday night the group appeared at the Walsgrave Inn, where the five are booked to appear again, with the Ray King Soul Band next Thursday.

Present line-up is singer Mick O’Rourke: organ Tony Warner: drums Rick Sparke: bass guitar Reg Sparke and lead guitar Colin Williams. And the three pictured above – at the Walsgrave – are Reg, Mick and Colin.

The group, which writes some of its own material, is switching to a new sound. Colin, who handles music arrangement, said: ‘We used to be a soul group. But now we’re trying out new material with a very free-form basis. It’s a sort of cross between blues and American west coast’.

Bitter Suite was a short lived Coventry band.

As lead guitarist Colin Williams recalls ‘I think we probably got together during the summer of ’68, but never, as far as I can remember, did any gigs’.

But here is some information on “Bitter Suite” that I have managed to gather and put together.

The band recorded four tracks at Hollick & Taylor studios in Birmingham on 2nd October 1968. These were titled:

Wild Waters

The Cat

Evergreen Wood

Bride Of The Winds

Personnel on these recordings were:

Alan Payne on keyboards

Mick Keel on Bass Guitar

Kevin Connolly Drums

Colin Williams Guitar

————–? Vocals

Afraid that the singers name remains a mystery. Nobody seems to remember his name only that he was from Birmingham, and sang with another lad previously, as a duo.

As for the other member of Bitter Suite, Mick Keel played bass in a number of Coventry bands, The Soul Express being one of them. Kevin Connoly played drums for The Chicanes and Alan Payne played for The Flamingoes. Colin Williams would go on to pay for Indian Summer.

Psychedelic group or rather blues and free form.

Line up: Mick O’Rourke (vocals), Colin Williams (guitar), Tony Warner (organ), Reg Sparke (bass), Rick Sparke (drums). (The original singer Pete ? was replaced by Mick O’Rourke from The Gazelles.)

Formed towards the end of 1966 as a soul band, but quickly switched to their own material. Colin Williams, who was the arranger described the group as ‘..trying out new material with a very free-form basis. It’s a sort of cross between blues and American West-Coast’.

Mick O’Rourke was also in The Gazelles and The Image.

Colin Williams later in Indian Summer.

From Pete Clemons http://coventrygigs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/colin-williams-indian-summer.html

“Began following on from Soul sect with R & B and soul, playing in clubs and pubs all over the North East of England. British blues was in its infancy but Colin became more influenced by Eric Clapton and John Mayall (with Peter Green) and Ainsley Dunbar. From the Sun restyled themselves with new vocalist Mick O’Rourke (after original vocalist Pete, had moved on). They went on to forge a new sound. They played local venues like the General Wolf, Walsgrave and Plough with the sound of blues and a more free-form sound. They began playing some of the things that Colin had written and were also influenced by some of the things coming from the west coast of America. They gained a reputation for being one of the hottest and most creative bands in the city.

This photo of Tony Warner is from his daughter Haley Warner.

Photos from Sharron Flanagan

Regardless of whether you enjoyed it or not, schools tend to hold many memories. They are the places where many of your childhood secrets happened. You may have met a best friend at school, got into that first scrape or you may even have had your first crush there. Then there are the pranks you played and the silly stories and jokes.

These are lifelong memories. And as we grow older, perhaps in those quieter moments, we often look back on them with wonder. Something may spark an ‘I wonder whatever happened to so and so’ moment. What are they doing now? A song or a situation may trigger a memory, or someone may say something that has you thinking back many decades to a funny situation, and you suddenly get a daft grin on your face which you have to explain away. I am sure we have all done it.

Well Crokodile Tears, namely Alf Hardy, Jerry Richards and Christopher Sidwell, are back with an album called ‘Old Skool’ that explores this very subject. Even the sleeve show primary song writer, Christopher Sidwell, looking back and reminiscing on a previous life over the landscape where Binley Park School once stood.

Right from the albums opening tune ‘Kids‘, you really do find yourself in a reflective mood. Admittedly it is childlike at times but this album is not all about childhood whimsy. Christopher has attempted to inject some seriousness throughout it all. Tunes like ‘End of an Error’ attempts to remind us of the values we once held. Even the homage paid to one of England’s greatest footballers – Bobby Charlton – contains a strong message. We once smiled about it but if you ever feel the need for a comb over, then you have one. It’s absolutely your right to. And as with all ‘Croks’ songs, humour is not far away either.

There is a great mix of songs on here too. Some of the songs start with the chorus, so effectively back to front, as far as traditional song writing goes. ‘Kosmic Popadom’ was born out of a spontaneous jam. Jerry Richards contributes with an instrumental called ‘Doctor Dee’ and the listener is also treated to a Beatles cover. The one common denominator being that all the songs are deliberately kept on the short side. Most of the tunes are running in at between 2-3 minutes each.

Many of our local luminaires are credited for the albums creation including Keith Fabrique for pre-production and engineering and Paul Sampson, who oversaw the production of the project. In fact this that Paul and the ‘Croks’ have worked together since the band’s debut album around 35 years ago. And the team work certainly pays dividends in producing a consistency of sound across the entire album.

Overall this album is a delight. It’s all a joy and, above all, it is pure escapism. And it is guaranteed to have you recalling long forgotten memories. Also, stick with the album to the very end, and you will even find an additional hidden bonus track.

Old Skool – Crokodile Tears on Deezer

https://www.deezer.com/us/album/71088282

As I was growing up, like many, I was often derided for the kind of music that I listened to. You were often viewed as a bit of an oddball if you diversified away from what the normal media offered. It sounds bizarre now but even within the company of your own peers you could have been viewed as a bit strange for exploring other avenues from what they were listening to.

One band who, for me at least, certainly fitted into the latter category, were The Soft Machine. Yet for as long as I remember I have always enjoyed listening to them. For me, The Soft Machine’s music is timeless and this year see’s the current version of the band celebrating 50 years since the release of the debut Soft Machine album.

From their formation in 1966 the amount of personnel changes within the Soft Machine numbers, I am guessing, in the thirties. And a line-up that includes John Etheridge on guitar, Roy Babbington on bass, John Marshall drums and Theo Travis flute are about to take to the road to undertake an extensive U.S. and European tour.

In addition the band have dropped the ‘Legacy’ tag that they have used for at least the last ten years and recorded a new album, ‘Hidden Details’.

Soft Machine evolved from Kent based band The Wilde Flowers during 1966. Their initial line up consisted of Mike Ratledge keyboards, Robert Wyatt drums, Kevin Ayres bass and Daevid Allen guitar although Daevid left the band quite early on. From the start they were a band with no restrictions. Music began as rock based although later recordings drifted increasingly towards jazz.

As described by Robert Wyatt ‘we were musical misfits from Canterbury. At the time the band was formed I was the only drummer around and Mike Ratledge was the only keyboard player around. And there was nobody else around like Kevin Ayres – a unique guy. Had we have come from a big city then things might have been different as there may have been an abundance of musicians to pick from’. They had been ejected from local pubs due to the length of their hair.

They were all very experimental sorts of people and the idea was that they had to get themselves into a zone. Dig into a groove, if you like. With a receptive audience before them, ‘The Softs’ would take them all to another place. Robert Wyatt jokes that the idea was not to stop in case they got boo’d for what they were doing.

The band was influence by John Coltrane and his workouts. They shared this love for a mix of jazz and improvised rock which was not on predictable lines. Wyatt has since mentioned that the name ‘Soft Machine’ came courtesy of Mike. Although it seems that it was Kevin Ayres who got ‘the Softs’ their first deal with Chas Chandler.

And it was through this association that ‘The Softs’ toured the US with Jimi Hendrix during 1968. In fact it became two particularly difficult tours. Even the band’s debut album was recorded during their time in the US. The second tour even saw Andy Summers, later of the Police, briefly joining the trio. Such was the stress that toward the end of 1968 ‘The Softs’ had disbanded with Kevin Ayres skipping off to Spain.

However a month or so later, during December 1968, Robert and Mike reassembled the band with the addition of bass player Hugh Hopper who also doubled up on sax. Together they recorded the Soft Machine’s second album over February and March 1969. This record would be released in the September of the same year.

But the introduction of Hugh Hopper into the band would also be the beginning of ‘The Softs’ moving away from the song based music they had so far created. By April of 1969 Brian Hopper, the elder brother of Hugh, was appearing regularly on stage with Soft Machine playing sax.

At this point I would greatly recommend the heavily bootlegged ‘Live at Paradiso’ album. Recorded March 1969, for me it captures Soft Machine perfectly, right in between their past and what would become their immediate future.

Toward the end of 1969 alto sax and saxello player Elton Dean, who had been a member of the Keith Tippet band, was also appearing with the band as Brian Hopper moved away from the live performances.

During a 1997 interview Mike Ratledge gave an insight into this period: ‘Hugh, myself and Elton were pursuing a vaguely jazz-related direction. Robert was violently opposed to this, which is strange looking back on it because he was passionate about jazz. But he had defined ideas of what pop music was and what jazz was.’

Robert Wyatt has since said ‘To me, fusion jazz was the worst of both worlds. It was rock rhythms, played in a rather effete way, with noodling, very complicated solos on top.’

Regardless of what the private thoughts of this new direction were but Robert stayed long enough with the band to create what many consider their finest hours, this being the albums, ‘Third’ and ‘Fourth’. Robert Wyatt would ultimately leave Soft Machine during the middle of 1971.

Then began a period where a plethora of musicians passed through the ranks of Soft Machine. These would include Marshall and Babbington, from the current line-up along with composer Karl Jenkins who is more well-known nowadays for his classical work.

Yet despite these changes, whoever has been involved with Soft Machine, has consistently provided the listener with a challenge by their unusual jazz structures and free form improvisation. A form of music that simply sounded like no other did. As such I, for one, am really looking forward to hearing the new album. 

Firstly, thanks to all those involved in creating this wonderful spectacle. One of the on stage announcements that resonated with me was how hard the stage crew had been working. Well beyond midnight each evening and they were back on it at 7:30am every morning. We in Coventry are blessed to have this event on our doorsteps.

The Friday evening was, I thought, very flat in terms of attendance. Despite being a glorious evening weather wise, audience numbers were noticeably down on previous years. But as the weekend progressed, the weather picked up, and in came the revellers, with Saturday and Sunday getting a sizeable crowd.

Jimmy Kemp: The opening act for the whole event on Friday evening. Such was the sparseness of audience initially that, at one point, Jimmy mentioned that he had played to more people in the city centre. Which was a pity as, for me, Jimmy was one of the highlights of the entire festival. His set included some own gems such as ‘Perfect Day’ and ‘If I Could Live My Life Again’. Then, instead of plugging more of his own music, he gave us a rendition of ‘Hey Jude’ as he thought we would enjoy it more.

Duck Thieves: From the sublime, we were then treated to a novelty band in the form of Duck Thieves. It has to be said that they were full of up lifting messages and with tunes such as ‘Why Should I Look Like Everyone Else’, ‘Make Babies or Get High’, ‘Dance Like a Duck Thief’ and ‘You Will Never Make it on your Own’ they certainly proved that they could keep hold of your attention. Not only that but they gave you a smile a second.

Matt Cattell: I only really know Matt through social media but he certainly wears his heart on his sleeve. And this enthusiasm has transcended into his song writing. His set was a mix of originals and covers that included several well-known tunes from the 90s such as ‘Lucky Man’ and ‘Wonderwall’. To say his audience shared Matt’s motivation would be an under-statement also.

Ollie Bond: I had never heard of him before but what a great account of himself he gave us. With songs like ‘Postcard from Paris’ and ‘Give it All’ he is certainly a singer songwriter that needs serious investigation.

Tony Christie: A lunch time like I never experienced before. I don’t mind admitting that when I first saw him announced I cringed. How wrong I was. This figure in the white suit was pure class. ‘Walk Like a Panther’, Avenues and Alleyways’, ‘Las Vegas’, ‘Reno’, ‘Daddy Don’t You Walk so Fast’, ‘Mario’ and ‘Amarillo’. They were all there and delivered immaculately. Maybe the sun was getting to me but I thoroughly enjoyed him.

The Ellipses: The opening act for the whole Godiva festival two years ago on the main stage. This time an acoustic set on the BBC CWR stage. ‘Voice of the Potential Me’, ‘Easy Going’ and ‘Cold Cactus’ displayed their strong effectiveness for song writing. But then they stick in a medley, which I get why, but I personally would prefer to hear more of their own original material.

Gospability: There is something about a gospel group that is just so uplifting. Even to a heathen like myself. They finished on their take of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Say a Little Prayer’ which had me unashamedly dabbing my eyes afterwards. My sunglasses, saving me, from further embarrassment.

Hazel O’Connor: Not her first time on the main stage. With an audience visibly swelling Hazel and her backing band, The Subterraneans, delivered an incredibly powerful, composed and polished performance. Her set included the classics ‘Eighth Day’ and ‘Will You’.

Neville Staple Band: An extraordinarily brave performance in what must have been the most difficult of circumstances. The atmosphere from the stage permeated within the audience. It was charged in there. ‘A Message to You Rudi’ was given a whole new poignancy. Amongst others, ‘Ghost Town’, ‘Monkey Man’ and other tunes followed. Not quite sure how Neville and the band pulled that performance off. It must have been emotionally shattering.

The thing about the majority of the bands and artists I have mentioned is that, in the main, music is not their full time career. What makes it all the more remarkable to me is that music is a passion that they fulfil in their spare time. And the music they are creating is their own. It is what burns inside them. Many weekends and weekdays they can be found playing the pubs and clubs in the region. So please continue to give them your invaluable support.

The Godiva festival is without doubt the jewel in the crown of Coventry City’s council. It acts as a showcase for much of the city’s amazing talent. And it is quite possibly the biggest stage they will ever appear on. And this, in turn, may even lead to greater things for them. Long may ‘the Godiva’ continue to be an important date on the city’s calendar.

Yes I married into an Irish family (or they married into me) and I have visited the south on many occasions. Additionally, I worked north of the border for a considerable amount of time. But I have never lived in Ireland permanently. And, as such, I have never experienced any of the day to day challenges. So this is written with no real knowledge of life as it actually was in Ireland.

Ireland, as we know, has this invisible border which separates the north from the republic. Yet one aspect that really does unite this wonderful country is its music. Particular, and in more recent years, it’s rock music. And cites such as Belfast, Dublin, Limerick and Cork each produced pioneers of this scene that has played its part in changing Ireland.

Van Morrison was born in East Belfast. Van’s father had been a ship builder and, like many ship workers of the 1950s, had access to imported goods from America. These goods included records and he amassed a large collection of jazz and blues recordings. Encouraged by his father, Van absorbed this music.

At this time but further south, Dublin still had its own music scene made up of traditional and folk. But as this American music filtered through the country the youth wanted to hear it and play it. However, the church began to actively preach against jazz and rock ‘n’ roll.

As such, during the 50s and 60s, the Showbands emerged. The Showbands played the length and breadth of Ireland. And these Showbands proved to be very good as a learning curve for the musicians to develop their craft. But the dances were overseen by the clergy and no alcohol was provided.

The downside to being in a Showband was that the musicians involved had to play other people’s music and there was not the scope for original material. And this led to Van Morrison, who had by now toured Ireland and Europe with a Showband, forming Them in 1964.

Them quickly gained a name for themselves and secured a residency at Belfast’s Maritime Club. In no time at all the Belfast blues club was born. It was a very underground scene and Them produced some excellent original songs. Its all documented in a track called ‘The Story of Them’.

But still Van Morrison felt constrained. This time, with the ‘pop music’ he saw that Them were making. So, during 1967, Van left the band and went to America to launch a solo career with Them continuing as a band.

By now though the spread of pop music had filtered out to cities like Limerick where, during 1965, The Intentions, later Granny’s Intentions, had formed. The Intentions have a long history of their own but the one constant was vocalist Johnny Duhan. Ger Tuohy, Cha Haran, Guido di Vito were just some of the other musicians important within the story of The Intentions. Coventry resident and renowned violinist, Joe O’Donnell, was also once a member of this band.

Back in Belfast and the void that had been created by Van Morrison leaving was filled by a musician who was born 250 miles south of Belfast, in the city of Cork. And that was Rory Gallagher who took his band Taste to Belfast. Incidentally, Rory Gallagher was apparently the first musician to own a Fender Stratocaster in Ireland. Taste took over the Maritime Club and began uniting people.

The reputation of Taste, who had also been born out of the Showband scene, spread rapidly. So much so that they were invited to play at the Isle of Wight festival in 1969. Taste was outstanding. Their performance was one of the highlights of the entire festival. So much so that Rory was becoming known in his own right and soon after the Isle of Wight success, the band split and Rory formed his own band.

Meanwhile in Dublin and Phil Lynott was causing a stir. Phil was born in Birmingham to an Irish mother and a Caribbean father and was raised in Ireland after his mother returned to her family in Dublin.

Guitarist Eric Bell, had also been born in East Belfast, had been visiting Dublin with thoughts on forming a band when he came across Phil and Brian Downey at the Countdown Club where both were playing in a band called Orphanage. Brian was a really good drummer while Phil had a great voice and was developing his stage presence.

Brian Downey had also been a part of the Belfast Blues scene and knew Eric well. And when these two forces hooked up together and Thin Lizzy were born. Writing a mix of original songs, that included a hint of the Belfast Blues, Thin Lizzy soon found themselves been signed to Decca Records in London.

Ironically though, it was the reworking of an old Irish folk song that gave Thin Lizzy their first major hit with ‘Whiskey in the Jar’. Of course, Phil Lynott would become more prominent within the band.

Van Morrison was, by now, in New York forging a series of albums like Astral Weeks that were chock full of songs with Irish themes. Despite of his ambitions Van never really lost sight of his roots.

Despite this rise of the rock scene the Showbands still continued to play on both sides of the border. But July 1975 saw Irish music hit a terrible low as 3 members of the Miami Showband lost their lives in a dreadful assault.

The result of this incident being that the Belfast scene dried up and the city ceased to be a music hub. All apart from Rory Gallagher who kept the flame alive by continuing to play the city as often as possible and whenever he could. Dublin also suffered. It had plenty of rock bands but no real scene as such.

That was, however, until Bob Geldof and his acquaintances began to emerge during 1976. On the UK mainland, 1976/77 was the period of punk rock and swept along with this Bob along with Garry Roberts, Pete Briquette, Johnnie Fingers, Gerry Cott and Simon Crowe formed the Boomtown Rats.

Belfast also found itself being sucked into the punk rock tide after effectively becoming a ghost town as far as music went and one man, Terri Hooley, had made the brave move of opening the Good Vibrations record shop in the city centre. Terri believed that music therapy was the answer. Good Vibrations first became a meeting place for the like-minded music listeners and then a record label. An enthusiastic punk scene followed.

A ‘battle of the bands’ held at the Queens Hall during June 1978 saw the The Undertones, from Derry, steal the show from a Belfast band called Still Little Fingers. Stiff Little Fingers, I am guessing, would have been the favourites to win as they had already been picked up by John Peel. There was no doubt though that The Undertones lead singer Feargal Sharkey had a unique voice. Of course, a band as good as SLF, was always going to break through at some point. And they did with their songs that characterised Belfast at that time. There also grew a bit of tension between the two bands. 

Good Vibrations first single release was that by a local band with the name of Rudi and a song titled ‘Big Time’. But it didn’t stop there as the label came to greater attention when they signed up The Undertones who scored big with their debut single ‘Teenage Kicks’. Famously, spurred on by SLF getting airplay, The Undertones contacted the John Peel show direct and he fell for the song big time. Such was its popularity that ‘Teenage Kicks’ was reissued by the bigger Sire label that was a part of the Warner Bros. Music Group. A new energy had now returned to Northern Ireland.

Simultaneously, in Dublin, a band from the Clontarf area of the city, U2, namely Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen were also creating a stir as their songs exposed the wounds of Irelands past. As their music spread it connected with the people of America which of course is a country built on a good deal of Irish immigration. The rise of U2 is the stuff of legend. As was, of course, what Bob Geldof achieved during the 1980’s with the concert he organised where it seemed that, when the call came, no one could it down.

Looking back now, it’s incredible to think that the musically minded people of Ireland could write some of the music while entrenched in the culture that they found themselves. But in the main, the music they did write and perform refused to be defined by the sectarianism that existed. And depending on your tastes, Ireland went from strength to strength, with regards to its place in music. Thankfully, as a whole, Ireland had at last found itself and the rest, as they say, is history…………….

Footnote: During one visit to Dublin around 1978, I was invited to watch a band rehearse. They just happened to be playing downstairs in the bar I was having a drink in. The lad I was with, who was also working in the bar, was enthused about them but, after watching the rehearsal I was less than impressed. Soon after returning home, the band I had watched rehearse, U2, were touring the UK, playing the General Wolfe and the 77 club in Nuneaton. 

Article by Pete Chambers

Wandering John back on to stage for Dave
EVERYONE seems to be reforming nowadays – giving music lovers the chance to see a band that they may have missed.

Well, one band I never thought I would ever get to see is the fabled 70s band Wandering John.

As luck would have it, these guys too have caught the come-back trend and on September 4 (doors open at 6.30pm); they reform for a one-off gig at The Sphinx Club in Stoke.

The gig is organised by Julie Sullivan in aid of Macmillan Cancer Care. Her husband Dave was the band’s manager, and his funeral was the spark that reunited the legendary Coventry band.

Julie said: “It was at the funeral of my husband, Dave Sullivan, last September. Ade Taylor, the bass player suggested to friends that the band should get together again in Dave’s memory.

“The gig will be for the Macmillan charity who helped us when Dave was ill with mouth cancer. Dave also wrote a poem that Wandering John developed and played regularly – Image of Ezra.”

The band held court in the area from the late 60s to the early 70s, as many local bands went through the motions these guys took it for real, playing blues infused rock.

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Canned Heat are a rock band that came out of Los Angeles and who specialise in good time boogie music. They are famed for their arrangements of old blues recordings as well as creating some original classics. The nucleus of the original band was made up of Bob Hite, Al Wilson with guitarist Henry Vestine joining as the initial jug band began to evolve into a full group.

That was back in 1966 when they performed songs like ‘Dust My Broom’ and ‘Rolling and Tumbling’. In addition to his distinctive guitar and harmonica playing, Al Wilson also had an unusual yet effective singing voice. And it is his that you hear on the bands biggest selling hit singles.

Famously, Canned Heat appeared at the now legendary Woodstock festival in 1969 where one of their hits ‘Going up the Country’ was even described as the festivals anthem. The bands 52 year history is an epic story in itself with a succession of musicians passing through the ranks, including those mentioned above who are, sadly, no longer being with us.

Yet still Canned Heat continues to thrill and delight audiences. And recently, in Leamington Spa, that’s exactly what happened as the Heat belted out a tremendous gig. It had everything from the obvious hits, extended work outs, improvisation and soloing. The set dipped into and pulled out songs from all the classic albums. And the sound, once it settled, was simply throbbing.

Locally, it has been a few years visited our area. I remember seeing a ‘Naughty Rhythms’ tour involving Canned Heat, Dr Feelgood and others at the Spa Centre during 2001but before that it had been the 1970s when Canned Heat last visited us.

Nowadays, Canned Heat feature two, almost, original band members, in Adolfo ‘Fito’ de la Parra on drums and Larry ‘The Mole’ Taylor on bass and guitar who have each been associated with the band for 51 of those 52 years. Completing the band are relative newcomers John Paulus on guitar and bass and Dale Spaulding on guitar and harmonica. And between them they managed to work up, what was initially a seated audience, to one that was up on their feet dancing.

The concert opened with the amazing groove that is ‘On the Road Again’, a song adapted by Al Wilson. John Paulus, bravely took on the vocal part with Derek Spaulding accompanying him on harmonica. This was followed by an Al Wilson original ‘Time Was’.

Off the top of my head, and in no particular order, the Canned Heat set included ‘Don’t Know Where She Went’, ‘Going up the Country’, ‘Future Blues’, ‘So Sad the World’s in a Tangle’, ‘Rolling and Tumbling’ and of course ‘Let’s Work together’ where Larry Taylor switched from bass to slide guitar. They even had time to include a wonderful Harvey Mandel composition ‘Cristo Redentor’.

The night was wound down with one of the bands more epic explorations. A Larry Taylor composition called ‘Fried Hockey Boogie’, where, each of the individual band members get an opportunity to stretch out and express themselves individually. The gig was finally wrapped up with their version of ‘Crying Won’t Help You’.

If I had a slight reservation it would have been that I would have preferred to hear ‘On the road Again’ after the sound had settled down. That small gripe aside, the whole thing had been very engaging.

Boogie music has a pretty sound, it might even turn your head around, sang Bob Hite in 1968. It certainly did just that in Leamington.