Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: GUEST,Susie
Date: 06 Feb 12 - 04:25 AM

I was invited to join the Village Quire in March 2009; a phoenix 12 strong acapella group singing 4 part harmony. The previous incarnation, the Cwmbach Quire, had been West gallery. Since I've been with them, there's a lot more folk in the repertoire! We are REALLY good - no false modesty yer. If you put VILLAGE QUIRE into Google, itll bring our website straight up. Would LOVE to do gigs in the N W. PLEASE contact us!
Have Christmas CD available - ask the webmaster [Mark, one of the basses]; recording another on 25th, if I am out of hospital in time [total knee replacement on 21st]. They may have to break me out...
Lovely to hear from old friends...
xx
Susie

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: GUEST,Mark Ryan
Date: 03 Feb 12 - 12:02 PM

Susie, do tell us about the Village Quire...

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 02 Feb 12 - 06:30 PM

Hi Pat, I know that Geoff and his wife sold up and opened a restaurant in Bude. I had a long telephone call from him some months later but I've never heard from him since. He would now be in his mid 70s so I assume he will have moved on/retired.
Ray

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: GUEST,Pat Ryan
Date: 02 Feb 12 - 03:08 PM

Last time I saw Geoff Walt he was runnng a hotel in Cornwall. Several years ago now. Had a very nice lunch & a catch up.

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: Irene M
Date: 02 Feb 12 - 02:59 PM

Edinburgh Folk Festival, about 1982/3?
I slept under Nick Keir's kitchen table, I seem to recall.
Susie, Nick and I were all involved in PERFORM and there must have been a meeting at the festival. I remember sitting round in the Festival Club with Bill Hill and I think, Maggie Cruikshank and pissing Bill off by talking across him about Archie Fisher.

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: Mick Tems
Date: 02 Feb 12 - 06:20 AM

Ah! Sunny memories!

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: Flash Company
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 10:38 AM

Remember the night the Landlord's dog at the Malt nearly got Eric Bogle?
This actually runs into about three different stories, are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.
It was, I think , the first time we saw Eric, he'd been on at Westhoughton the night before and a lot of the people from there had tagged along, full house at the Malt Shovels! When I arrived there were two seats left, I had one and Mike Harding had the other. One of your helpers made the immortal comment to me 'Oh God, I hope Mike doesn't want to sing!'
He asked out of courtesy and Mike said, 'Lend me your guitar, I'll just do one!' So in the interval floor spot, good as his word, he did one five minute song. (He also did a twenty minute introduction!) The song he sang was 'He was a ladies man.' which leads to a later memory of the evening, when I arrived home S had just heard that the wife of one of our local Market Gardeners had thrown him out because he had been visiting his mistress when she thought he was working in the greenhouse in the evening, life copies art!
Enough, back to Eric and the dog. You probably remember that dog, it was one that the phrase 'Junk Yard Dog' was invented for and it used to patrol the flat roof just outside our venue. It was a hot night, it was a crowded room and part way through his second set Eric said, 'I'ts hot in here' and started to open the window. With everyone yelling 'Don't open the window' he got it up about six inches and the dog's head came through. As I recall his next exclamation began with 'F' and he closed the window rather speedily.
Lovely guy, Eric, I stole a few songs from him.

Brian

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 30 Jan 12 - 03:56 PM

Hi Susie
Whatever happened to Geoff Walt?
Ray

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: GUEST,Susie
Date: 30 Jan 12 - 12:23 PM

Brian! I certainly DO remember you.
I'd be very grateful for ANYTHING you can remember.

One person I would very much like to find was Alan Sanders; his lovely wife died some years ago, leaving him bereft, and I know he moved down south to be nearer his kids but I don't know where. His recordings are amazing... and on cassette. I hope they're still intact...

Cheers
Susie
Thanks, JJ....

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: Flash Company
Date: 30 Jan 12 - 09:18 AM

Hi Johnnie, probably be there tomorrow!

FC

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: John J
Date: 30 Jan 12 - 08:05 AM

Hello Brian

Hope you're well, see you at Alty Market again sometime!

JJ

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: Flash Company
Date: 30 Jan 12 - 07:34 AM

Hi Sue, remember me? The Mighty Quinn?
I am still around Altrincham, S & I still live in the same house in Timperley, though my singing days are long gone. My musical interest now is the Jazz Club at the old Bowbon Assembly Rooms.
My memory for lyrics has not deserted me, I still remember the words of songs I would rather forget.
Good Luck with the new knee, I'll drop in a few past memories in due course when I have had a think!

FC (aka Brian Quinn, From Malt Shovel days)

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: GUEST,Susie
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 05:06 PM

Did I have a white Datsun?... see what I mean?!!

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: John J
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 03:14 PM

I'll forward a link to this thread to folks Susie may well have known - hopefully someone will come up with something.

I remember Susie flying around Cheshire in her white Datsun around 1980, around the time she was running the Malt Shovels Folk Club in Altrincham.

Happy days!

JJ

Subject: RE: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: Mick Tems
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 08:38 AM

Sorry - Folkwales On-line Magazine

Subject: Susie Stockton-Link biog. thread
From: Mick Tems
Date: 29 Jan 12 - 08:32 AM

I interviewed Susie Stockton-Link and Dave Newall of the wonderfully stunning Village Quire, based in Glasbury-on-Wye, for Folkwales On-line Magazine (www.folwales.org.uk). Susie, a native of Cheshire, has emigrated to Builth Wells in Powys, and has led a very full folk life. She has decided to write a book-biog, but has forgotten all the good bits!

Can you help Susie refresh her memory? Here (with her permission) is her email:

"As I am about to have some enforced leisure time - a new knee within the month - now might be an ideal time to begin trying to put together my autobiography. I've been thinking about this for a while - it could take a long time.

"My kids ask me what I did - and now and again, some folk friend says "Do you remember when...?" and I don't! There are whole chunks that I don't recall, or that I can only remember snippets of. I need the gaps filling in. And this could be at festivals and clubs from Inverness to Cornwall, from the west coat of Eire to Norfolk - and the N.E. U.S.A as well. My ruddy memory is weird. I don't forget faces and I NEVER forget a tune - but lyrics, names and WHEN... hopeless. Maybe it's because I did so much in that period. There are HUGE chunks missing.

"If Mudcatters and their friends could help me out, I'd be really grateful. Anything - and put a date - a year! - on any recollections, I can put them in some sort of chronological order and try to make a narrative of them. But I'll have to do it now.
I've lost so many good friends, close friends who would have remembered so much more in the last 15 years and it is - inevitably -escalating.

"And pull no punches - if I was a pratt, say so!

"I was Susie Stockton till 1987. From then on, add " -Link" - it's too much hassle to change it back.

"I've also got LOADS of photos in the attic - I know what year and even what festival, on occasion, because of the way I filed them, but who the hell half of them are... I recognise the faces instantly, but not their bloody names!

"I need someone who was on the scene at the same time to sit down with me and go through them - and this time, write their names on the back. If there's anyone out there with a couple of days to spare...

"1968 I started going to folk clubs in Cheshire - the Unicorn in Altrincham, the Durham Ox in Congleton, the Wellgreen in Hale, the Bulls Head in Hale Barns, the Malt Shovels in Altrincham...Sang with Whistlers Mother and the Jovial Crew... Went about the area's clubs; a lot to do with the Union Folk; and then ran the club at the Malt when they packed in. And on from there, all over the place - clubs, festivals, agent, Cheshire Cat Flyer, PERFORM etc.

"1990ish I ceased doing backstage for Fairport - James was a toddler. Life intervened - a breadwinner, with small boys and a very full time job...

Some recollections might possibly cause some distant marital discord [though it was donkey's years ago]. I can be contacted direct on email or messaged through Facebook and wouldn't dream of divulging state secrets.

"I NEVER 'kissed and told' and I'm not about to start now!

Do help!