Monday 16 July 2012

Another Try at The Sty

Trying to up my (previously woeful!) performance rate locally,to avoid rustiness and to keep the voice oiled, yesterday I drove across Warwickshire and into Cov. to The Sty Folk Club for a warble at their Singer's Night.

I managed to air "Vigilante Man"(Happy 100th,Woody!),"Peggy Gordon" and two BPS originals,"Bonio Romeo" and "If I were a Goat." The latter is one of the few Beyonce covers on the Folk Circuit today. Both BPS songs are packed with puns-to the point of inducing audience groaning.

As well as performing, Katherine Fear was showcasing her guitar group, and the sound of a whole collection of acoustic guitars playing melodically together and filling a big room,was a very nostalgic moment for me personally. Having introduced such occasions well over 30 times, I know exactly the work that goes into tutoring such groups, and the work (and angst) that goes into perfoming such well-arranged pieces. Well done Katherine.

There were some French people present so I introduced the Goat by explaining " Nous avons des visiteurs Francais ici ce soir. Bienvenue! Maintenant mes amis, c'est le temps pour un chanson au sujet des chevres!" This prompted some polite but heartfelt sounds of protest. My pidgin-French had panicked them into insisting that they stood up and gave us a song about horned quadrupeds. (Perhaps I'll keep that in the act?) Having sorted out that misunderstanding,it was good to give Billy and Nanny an outing again, and to hear an audience bleating (as opposed to singing) a chorus.

I was also roped in at short notice to sing along with Jon Harrington on Jimmy Reed's "Bright Lights Big City" . Jon has jammed along with us on blues numbers in several venues previously, making him an honorary Parrot. So I was honoured,flattered and a just a little bit frightened by his invitation. I like Mr. Reed's langorous,drawling style of blues, and his squeaky, piping harp playing. I have a couple of his albums, and I especially like "Shame Shame Shame," which I've got rehearsed almost to performance standard. I like " Honest I do " also and "It's a Sin.". But I've never worked on "Bright Lights" before,so it was very unfamiliar territory and quite a challenge. However with other musicians joining in about the room, I think I got away with the vocals. Other than singing straight through Mick's initial attempt at a guitar solo, which I very kindly led him into next time round!

A very carefully walking Chris Tobin was present, but he did not actually perform. Chris has hurt his back. I was empathising with him about that previously over the weekend-but them mine seized too. Painful. Most of the other singers I had seen and heard previously. I hadn't met Cliff Hands before though. I liked his delivery, his songs and his guitar playing, and would like to hear more.

Friday 13 July 2012

New Horizons

For the moment, and possibly permanently, Black Parrot Seaside have ceased to squawk. Not for the first time, it has to be said. That doesn't mean an end to some of our music still being aired publicly. A couple  of us wish to continue to working the Folk Circuit.

Already that has ocurred at several Midlands venues. Three of Beduff's folk clubs for example. And Next Wednesday, The Bold Parrot will honour a previous obligation, and play Rowington Folk Club (along with Chris Tobin), in place of the advertised band. Mr. Mac Orr has already been added to the Guest List of Bedworth Folk Festival in November 2012. Folk Club organisers can look forward to an increasingly high profile, some new material ( a mix of trad/blues/original) and generally a lot of red and blue feathers floating around, in the immediate future. PLEASE get in touch if you run a club or are responsible for a festival, and would be prepared to give us  little more flying time.

Several musicians have already begun to explore joint projects  using new and existing material. (If anyone else is similarly interested, please do get in touch). Many more individuals have sent me uplifting messages of support and practical offers of help. We are very grateful to everyone involved, for that and look forward to working with existing Folkies, and a whole new set of people. This is a whole new dimension  with new horizons. For me personally it's been kind of intimidating not fronting a band any more and going it alone, without instrumentation. But it's also liberating. No more arguments about set lists, venues, transport, P.A.s,material, introductions, appropriate pitching, chords and keys,spoken links between songs, solos,harmonies,lyrics or style. No more face-pulling when new cover versions are suggested. 
The Blog title has changed to something more appropriate to reflect all this, although the address stays the same. The "official" web site has been dead in the grit tray for a while now to be honest. I have no powers to close it, due to "technical issues." It will not provide any useful information other than historic background however. Still pondering what to do with the BPS Facebook Page.

Hope to broaden the contents of the Blog now to a wider discussion of music matters generally,and to occasionally just have a bloody good rant about something.

Thanks for reading. Don't be a stranger.

Friday 6 July 2012

MARGOTH’S OATH

They will never defeat me:
Never.
I will never stay down.
Each time They knock me over, then will I get back up,
And return to Them, with my open hand outstretched.
Even as They knock me down, I will wipe the dirt from my eyes,
And I will get back up.
When They push me away: I will protest.

There will never be enough of Them to hold me down.
Whatever Their questions I will have an answer.
And whatever their answers, I will have one more question.
I will wait outside Their doors:
I will listen at Their tables.
And my eyes will burn into Their souls.
Aye, and far beyond.

Whatever They destroy, I can rebuild.
Whatever They attack, I can defend.
Even when They have a thousand alternatives,
I shall suggest one more.
When They have aired a thousand reasons
I will seek one more.

And When They believe that finally
They have me buried,
I will arise.
Then there will be no more excuses
And justice will prevail.


Once only shall They be put to the sword.
Once, and once only will They fall.
And They
Will not
Get back up.

Monday 2 July 2012

" This Is The End....

...Beautiful friend, The End"-  a certain Mr. James Morrison 

Odd, isn't it, how things can change if you go abroad for a week? When I left the U.K. for Crete on the 21st June 2012, I was in a band. One I'd been in, on and off, since 1975. Now,on return home, I'm not. Once again, Black Parrot Seaside have disbanded. By default. In my absence. Nice. Et Tu Brute,eh?

We had such fun (remember that?) on reforming (by request) for a one-off fund raiser at Brinklow in 2006, that we stayed back together for six years , recording an album in 2008. We had plans for all kinds of other initiatives. We almost opened a club ourselves in 2010, in what would have been a really good venue at Coventry and North Warwicks Sports Club. But increasingly, certain members of the band became more and more selective about  where they would and could not play. Whilst also  expanding their own performance repertoire by playing other  venues, with other ensembles.

BPS thus earned themselves a bit of a reputation for being awkward. At one time we were  in the envious position of having six (yes SIX!) gigs lined up. All of which  for one reason or another we had declined to accept. So, I suppose, yet another split was realistically, inevitable. You cannot make a reluctance to rehearse, selectivity over material,and a rider or  qualification on almost every venue requesting our appearances, the basis for a successful band.

In some circles, this announcement will be greeted with enormous pleasure. We were a Marmite band. You either got us or you didn't. Comedy Folk is not an easy genre. We did it well. Some other comedy performers didn't. This fuelled jealousy. Some of our competitors (as they see it)  mightl sleep a little easier tonight, knowing that we are no longer out there on the circuit, and believing that finally, we have flapped off. We shall see.