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  • What’s She Like – new paperback edition

    What’s She Like – new paperback edition

    I loved catching up with the final chapters of Helen’s newly released paperback edition, despite real life catch ups and chats, these insights into working with the likes of the Bluebells (Helen also not only met Clare Grogan TWICE, the second time she got a hug, I was so jealous I’m almost cross 😉😆😆), Tanita, and my favourite of all working with Tim Burgess and the Royal Northern College of Music, are all worth the cost of the book alone.

    I couldn’t just reread the final chapters, I had to go back to that inspirational reacquaintance with the violin from the back of the cupboard and begin again from there. Of particular interest were the chapters describing English folk music traditions dating back to the 17thC (something I’d fully intended to explore but have not quite got around to yet, not shocked face), they’re brilliant, informative but never dull. A living breathing tradition. There’s a whole world out there of music and tradition that I’ve entirely missed out on**.

    All of it enthused with joy, positivity and determination. The Commonwealth Games chapter is also another favourite. The most beautiful of all though is the short chapter to Kai, Helen’s Grandson.

    If you’ve only read the hardback you’re missing out.

    ** It’s happening every day and here is me thinking “I’m not overly fond of folk music” but this all sounds fascinating – plus I hypocritically love Welsh folk music from the likes of Cerys Hafana – so I’m intrigued to know of an English folk tradition out there that perhaps isn’t just singer guitarists.

  • Eraserhead

    Eraserhead

    Eraserhead is fear, it’s dread, darkness and a glimpse of a place and a time that never was.

    I remember the first time I ever watched, it was on a tourbus and it’s no exaggeration to say it didn’t go down well at all with the captive audience. I never forgot those mini-chickens though 😄

    So glad I returned to watch again, a little older and maybe you know…

    https://youtu.be/awVNCIjQq1A

  • Webshite

    One day I’m going to fix this site but for now it’s a bit shite, a webshite with an off the shelf theme just to get it back up and running.

    One day…

    It’s funny you know because I’m forever torn on the concept of blogging because it’s a bit “me, me, me” but then again, if you don’t have confidence in your writing then why write, but I love that bit.

    Remember when Twitter appeared as the new “microblogging” platform, whatever happened to that then?!

  • The Famous Dixons (origin story)

    The Famous Dixons (origin story)

    Perhaps it’s not “really” the origin story but anyway. We had some uncharacteristic downtime while recording, either finishing early or waiting on someone, I can’t recall the studio but Paul has told me it was when we were at Genetic Sounds, so probably while recording The Celtic Soul Brothers. Seb and I were in the studio kitchen, Seb probably squirrelling away the best of the biscuits and me making my 50th tea of the day, proper tea not like the stewed brew preferred by the London contingent of Kevin and Spearsey. In pops the rest of the band, Brian singing “We are the famous Dixons and we’re here to entertain you”, “we’re doing it, are you coming?”

    Seb and I sat it out but everyone else was so up for it, it was a sight to behold. Absolutely hilarious, every one of them camping it up to the max.

    Imagine a tune similar to the theme tune from “It Ain’t Half Hot Mum”, but with the words below:

    We are the famous Dixons and we’re here to entertain you
    Here to entertain you
    And you, and you and you

    We are the famous Dixons and we’re here to entertain you
    And this is what we’re going to do

    We’re so glad to be here and welcome you here,
    With plenty of laughter and plenty of cheer…

    …
    …on repeat like that for a bit
    …for ages actually…
    …then
    So we’re here for you, and what’ll we do,
    So let’s get on with, let’s get on with the, let’s get on with the show, oh oh!

    Kevin wanted to do a verse in French too, so Spearsey being the most qualified – with a French O-level pass to his name – sat down and did a literal translation of a verse. Kevin had a go at it but decided that it didn’t sound French enough and did an entire verse in mock French filled with Gallic sounds instead of actual French words. A nasal “Ho hee Ho”, zut alors, it was brilliant. The icing on the cake though was Brian’s tap dancing intermission that he played on a mic’d up piece of wood or glass on the studio floor with drum sticks.

    The plan was for the “Famous Dixons” to go on stage before our live set, dressed in shorts and t-shirts to perform it like a cheesy song and dance number. Apart from me and Seb who took ourselves far too seriously to get involved in this particular caper, it was pure Brian, Micky B, Spearsey, Jimmy and Kevin R theatre, like I mentioned earlier, as camp as a row of tents and hilariously surreal.

    Just imagine the audience reaction when the curtain pulled back to the sight and sound of “The Famous Dixons”, alas tragically never performed, but not forgotten. Not by me anyway.

    A while back I met up with Paul “Spearsey” and I had to ask, “you know The Famous Dixons, that DID actually happen didn’t it?”, he laughed himself silly, “yes, yes it did, I’d forgotten about that.”

    Someone out there must have a cassette hidden away, a lost classic…