Rubbing IanInterview by Peter Ashton
ONE of the highlights of this year’s Gosport and Fareham Easter Folk Festival next month will be the appearance of a man who spent a good deal of the 1970s standing on one leg singing and playing the flute. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull fame will we staging a novel “Rubbing Elbows” show at Fareham’s Ferneham Hall on Good Friday, April 18. It will be no ordinary concert as Ian explains: “Imagine a slightly saucy talk show with too much music: or a music concert with a tendency to wander off into obscure spoken topics and with the comings and goings of some odd bods, waifs, and strays from the world of radio, local media, and musicians. Somewhere between lies the format of "Rubbing Elbows with Ian Anderson." Ian completed a trial run of the show at eleven venues in Eastern USA last autumn. The Ferneham Hall show is the only 2003 UK gig. Ian sums up the appeal of the show: “It’s one of the most fun things I have done in music since I started thirty-five years ago. Someone described the show as having the hallmarks of traditional music hall entertainment. Local musical guests are duly flattered to have their song learned (more or less) by me and the band and have a sympathetic audience remember their names the next day. A local celebrity makes an appearance to talk briefly on any topic and we gently question each other on matters of intimate personal revelation. Anecdotes and diatribes punctuate the musical performances of loads of Jethro Tull gems from albums like "Aqualung," "Stand Up", and "Thick as a Brick”, plus some of my solo stuff.” Amongst a host of other folk stars playing between April 17 - 21 are Eddi Reader, Jackie Leven, Show Of Hands, Lindisfarne and The Saw Doctors. Tickets for Ian Anderson’s concert on Good Friday are £20 standing and £25 seated through 01329 231942. (©Peter Ashton 2003)
Town riot Report by Peter Ashton
NOT many bands would boast about spending Christmas in jail, but Maroon Town had that experience back in 1999 when they played a concert in Brixton Prison. A near riot ensued when they entertained prisoners in the chapel, with inmates jumping on chairs and ripping their shirts off. It should be a little more restrained but no less enjoyable when the nine-piece band who fuse breakbeat, ska, reggae and rap play at the Talking Heads venue in Southampton on Saturday May 3. The high-energy multi-racial band take their name from a remote upland community in Jamaica, formed by runaway slaves. They formed in Brixton twelve years ago, sticking to a fiercely independent ethos, but still managing to record and release four critically acclaimed albums and achieve bookings at venues and festivals all over the world. Maroon Town have travelled to Scandanavia, Spain, Japan, Canada, Venezuela, Barbados, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Indonesia and Central Asia. Some of their foreign concerts and music workshops have been sponsored by the British Council. Towards the end of last year the band achieved another unique milestone, performing nine concerts in India sponsored by shoe manufacturers, Doc Martens. Nearer to home the band were also a bit hit at the Larmer Tree Festival last summer. Later this year Maroon Town tour Brazil; tours of South America, Eastern Europe, the Ukraine, Germany, Italy and Spain are already being arranged for next year. It should be a real party night when the band crowd the stage with their guitars, keyboards, trumpet, sax, drums and several vocalists at Talking Heads at around 10pm on May 3. There is a small admission charge on the door. For more details ring 02380 678446. (©Peter Ashton 2003)
Black is back Report by Peter Ashton
A NATIVE American Indian will kick off Winchester’s Tower Arts Centre summer season on Saturday May 3. Cheyenne-tribe member Jimmy Carl Black, former drummer and vocalist with the late Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, will be interviewed by centre administrator John Tellett on before playing Zappa music and more with his band The Muffin Men. As usual, music is a major ingredient of the new season, but there is also poetry, humour and drama in a diverse programme. Singer John Otway, now a two-hit wonder after his “Bunsen Burner” chart success is an early guest on May 8. A day later “An Evening With The Hamiltons” allows those cringe-making “celebs” Neil and Christine Hamilton an intimate opportunity to bare their souls to Tower-goers. Poet Laureate Andrew Motion raises the tone of the season when he appears on Tuesday May 20 - he will be talking about his life and reading from his work. The rest of May is decidedly musical with folk, blues, jazz and rock from the versatile American Geoff Muldaur, traditional English folk with The Ridgeriders, and some highly original songs from ex-Mission troubadour, the maverick Wayne Hussey. June has a decidedly humourous flavour with a comedy production “Pesame Mucho, The Milk Prophecy” promising clowning and slapstick, folk character Sid Kipper reminiscing and singing, and Richard Digance entertaining over two nights with his unique mix of nostalgia, wit and music. More music too at the end of the month when Limehouse Lizzy reprise the hits of Thin Lizzy. More reasons to be cheerful in July with an evening in the company of comedy scriptwriter Barry Cryer, and a night of sketches with “The Hollow Men.” Rock fans can look forward to a gig with The Pete Brown Band; Pete is the man who wrote “I Feel Free”, “Sunshine of Your Love” and many more songs for Cream. The cream of local talent also get a look in on the last day of the season on July 31 with a special “Local Talent Makes Good 2” night. More details are available via 01962 867986. (©Peter Ashton 2003)
Burnt Reader Preview by Peter Ashton
ROOTSY Scottish singer Eddi Reader who appears at Gosport & Fareham Easter Festival has recently renewed acquaintanceship with the work of 18th century Scottish poet Robert Burns. She is just putting the finishing touches to an album of his songs recorded with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. “I’m really proud of the project,” enthused Eddi, “it’s my blessing to his soul and it’s dedicated to the sublime and the mundane, the glorious and the ordinary. Burns wrote for the working class and I wanted to give the songs my earthy approach which I thought might reach ears that didn’t particularly “get” him before.” “I’ve been singing Burns songs like”Ae Fond Kiss” for years,” continued the former Fairground Attraction vocalist, “ then last year I was asked to join Michael Marra on a televised celebration of Burns music. With Michael I learned a new version of “My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose”; I adored singing it so much that I learned to play it on my guitar using this new tuning that I had found.” It was at a Burns Festival at Culzean Castle in Alloway last May that Eddi first teamed up with the Scottish National Orchestra. “In boiling hot sunshine with the beautiful island of Arran on the horizon I sung “Green Grow The Rashes-O” and “Auld Lang Syne”, to a couple of thousand people in the grounds of Culzean Castle,” recalls Eddi. Unfortunately the album won’t be ready for the concert at Ferneham Hall in Fareham on Thursday April 17 when Eddi follows another poetic Scottish performer, Jackie Leven. “The album probably won’t be ready til May or June,” says Eddi, “but I’ll be giving the Fareham audience a taste of it. I hope to have Colin Reid, Boo Hewerdine and Christine Hanson with me, and I’m looking forward to playing there again - I enjoyed it when I played there two years ago.” Tickets are £15 via 01329 231942. (©Peter Ashton 2003)
Youngblues Preview by Peter Ashton
FANS of blues singers Eric Bibb and Kelly Joe Phelps will love Alvin Youngblood Hart who plays at The Brook on Wednesday April 23rd. He’s very much in the same vein of acoustic blues, but can also rock with the best of them. Born forty years ago in Oakland, California, Alvin draws inspiration from his ancestral home in Carrollton, Mississippi. The run-down shacks pictured on the cover of his first album “Big Mama's Door” were actually the homes of his grandmother and great-grandfather. Although played in high school rock bands for a while, Alvin was naturally drawn to the blues. He tried to break into the local scene in Los Angeles, but became disillusioned with the commercialization of the genre.He decided to switch to acoustic blues in the mid-80s after a spell out of the business. When he returned he quickly established himself as a distinctive and passionate acoustic blues player. A key date was February 1995 when a USA support slot for Taj Mahal exposed Alvin to a wider audience. Alvin followed up his successful debut album with two more CDs, including the very upbeat “Start With The Soul” which moved into Jimi Hendrix territory. His third album “Down In The Alley”, a much more typical Hart offering, was released last autumn. Despite his busy touring schedule, Alvin still lives in Mississippi where he runs a guitar workshop with his wife. Advance tickets for The Brook gig on Wednesday April 23 are ?12.50 through 02380 555366. (©Peter Ashton 2003)
Hunt is on Interview by Peter Ashton
WHEN Southampton songwriter Richard Hunt answered his mobile phone as he was setting up for a gig the other day, the last person he expected to be talking to was singer Ian Anderson of 70s band Jethro Tull. “I had sent Ian a rough CD of some of my songs as I knew he was looking for local songwriters to be involved with his “Rubbing Shoulders” show which is part of Gosport and Fareham Easter Festival,” said Richard. “But I was astonished when he phoned me and said: “Girl With a Dog on a Piece of String”- what a great song - would you like to do it with me on stage at Ferneham Hall on Good Friday?” “You can imagine my reaction,” continued Richard, “first disbelief, and then real pleasure and a great sense of fulfilment to think that I had been lucky enough to have my song recognised by someone as prestigious as Ian Anderson when there are so many other talented songwriters in the Southampton area.” Richard has been writing songs for the last seven years, after his daughter started learning to play the guitar at school. Picking up the guitar and playing around with it, Richard discovered a latent talent, and started teaching himself to play. Before long he was writing his own songs and singing them at Candle Club open mic cabaret evenings at Southampton’ s Talking Heads music venue. There he teamed up with keyboard player Ritchie Swann, a move which eventually led to him forming his own band, Skimmer, which has been playing the Southampton pub scene over the last eighteen months. Ian Anderson’s interest has had a stimulating effect on Richard. “This news has encouraged me to get on and complete a proper demo CD,” said Richard, “one that could help Skimmer get a big festival gig this summer - that would be the icing on the cake.”Meanwhile Richard can look forward to singing his song on stage with Ian and some professional musicians including Dave Pegg of Fairport Convention who will be playing bass. Tickets for the Ian Anderson “Rubbing Shoulders” show which also includes songs from Ian and chats with local celebrities and members of the audience are £20 standing £25 seated through 01329 231942. (©Peter Ashton 2003)
Zombie returnInterview by Peter Ashton
IT’S all happening for one of the country’s most distinctive vocalists, Colin Blunstone. He and fellow former Zombie Rod Argent and their band have just completed a short tour of Belgium and Holland, continued work on their new album and put together their 16-date UK tour which kicks off at Salisbury City Hall on Friday, April 4. “I’ve also just moved house,” Colin told me, “ in fact you can probably hear the plumbers working away in the background! It’s been an exciting period since Rod and I got a band together again with Jim Rodford and his son Steve. I really do think we’ve made progress over the last year or so - audiences are growing all the time, and it’s really exciting to build up a career all over again.” Colin and Rod enjoyed huge success in the 1960s with The Zombies, producing two classic hits, “She’s Not There” and “Time Of The Season.” Ironically the latter hit the No 1 spot in America after the band had split up. “Rod and I took the band over to America last September for a short tour,” said Colin, “there’s still huge interest in our histories. They particularly like Zombies songs, but they were also enthusiastic about songs from my solo career and Rod’s band Argent. We are going back to the USA in August for a longer tour including a big festival in Idaho.” Colin is also enthusiastic about the new album. “It probably won’t be finished until after the tour is over,” admitted Colin, “ but there’s no point in rushing it. It’s all new material written by Rod, plus a brand new version of one of my solo hits, “I Don’t Believe in Miracles,” which is one that audiences seem to love.” He is equally excited about the forthcoming tour: “I love being on the road,” said Colin, “we’ve all been working together for so long now that there is a lot of camaraderie and fun and a real sense of purpose each day.” Tickets for the Salisbury City Hall gig are available through 01722 327676. (©Peter Ashton 2003)
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ONE of the highlights of
this year’s Gosport and Fareham Easter Folk Festival next month will be the
appearance of a man who spent a good deal of the 1970s standing on one leg
singing and playing the flute. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull fame will we staging
a novel “Rubbing Elbows” show at Fareham’s Ferneham Hall on Good Friday, April
18.
NOT many bands would
boast about spending Christmas in jail, but Maroon Town had that experience back
in 1999 when they played a concert in Brixton Prison. A near riot ensued when
they entertained prisoners in the chapel, with inmates jumping on chairs and
ripping their shirts off.
A
NATIVE American Indian will kick off Winchester’s Tower Arts Centre summer
season on Saturday May 3. Cheyenne-tribe member Jimmy Carl Black, former drummer
and vocalist with the late Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, will be
interviewed by centre administrator John Tellett on before playing Zappa
music and more with his band The Muffin Men.
ROOTSY Scottish singer
Eddi Reader who appears at Gosport & Fareham Easter Festival has recently
renewed acquaintanceship with the work of 18th century Scottish poet Robert
Burns. She is just putting the finishing touches to an album of his songs
recorded with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. “I’m really proud of the
project,” enthused Eddi, “it’s my blessing to his soul and it’s dedicated to the
sublime and the mundane, the glorious and the ordinary. Burns wrote for the
working class and I wanted to give the songs my earthy approach which I thought
might reach ears that didn’t particularly “get” him before.” “I’ve been singing
Burns songs like”Ae Fond Kiss” for years,” continued the former Fairground
Attraction vocalist, “ then last year I was asked to join Michael Marra on a
televised celebration of Burns music. With Michael I learned a new version of
“My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose”; I adored singing it so much that I learned to
play it on my guitar using this new tuning that I had found.”
FANS of blues singers Eric Bibb and Kelly Joe Phelps will love Alvin
Youngblood Hart who plays at The Brook on Wednesday April 23rd. He’s very much
in the same vein of acoustic blues, but can also rock with the best of them.
WHEN
Southampton songwriter Richard Hunt answered his mobile phone as he was setting
up for a gig the other day, the last person he expected to be talking to was
singer Ian Anderson of 70s band Jethro Tull.
IT’S all happening for
one of the country’s most distinctive vocalists, Colin Blunstone. He and fellow
former Zombie Rod Argent and their band have just completed a short tour of
Belgium and Holland, continued work on their new album and put together their
16-date UK tour which kicks off at Salisbury City Hall on Friday, April 4.
