BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023

Subject: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 03:35 PM

See this News Story from the BBC.

Time for some accordion jokes, perhaps? *grin*

Ed

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: Sorcha
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 03:46 PM

Too funny!

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: Micca
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 03:46 PM

Was Liz the Squeak in the audience?????

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: GUEST,Ballyholme
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 04:06 PM

Love it!

I'm sorry but the description of "Members of the 300-strong audience fled the marquee where the gig was taking place" makes me wonder how many were genuinely frightened by the blaze and how many used it as an excuse to leave the concert early?

(Time to take cover before the Rolf fans start throwing the wobble-boards).

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: GUEST,Skipjack K8
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 06:11 PM

The most cutting headline was that a music lover had set fire to the poor dear thing. The rehabilitation of the lowly squeeze box has just been put back another decade.

I did like his Stairway to Heaven, though.......

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: Firecat
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 06:14 PM

Which song did he end up performing? Maybe a parody of "Sun Arise" entitled "Flames Arise"!!

Bang goes my street cred! Honest, I only know Rolf Harris songs from the parents! I know him as the Animal Hospital presenter!!

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: GUEST,Paul
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 06:22 PM

Well, at least we've now got some scientific evidence for the veracity of those jokes that end with "the accordion burns quicker" ;-)

Paul

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: GUEST,Skipjack
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 06:26 PM

Another headline was 'Burn me accordion brown, sport'. So cruel.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: Micca
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 06:51 PM

" Flames arise,
out of my accordion
Flames arise
from my accordion
spreading all the fire all around"

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 09:26 PM

That's funny as hell, but let's put tis in sme perspective. The guy is 72 years old and STILL WORKING!!! Way to go, Rolf!

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: alison
Date: 05 Aug 02 - 10:12 PM

absolutely brilliant........ lol


slainte

alison

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: Allan Dennehy
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 05:25 AM

And it makes me wonder...............and it really does sport!

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 05:49 AM

If LTS had been there producing "Girly Poots" after eating her veggieburgers, there might have been the risk of a gas explosion too !

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: jets
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 09:21 AM

Hey Rich: I am 78 years old, play the accordion and I am also working. No big deal.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: open mike
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 12:53 PM

does anyone know all the verses to Tie me kangaroo down? i'll check the data base... I remember there was a great sound effect in it-- like a big pice of time being bent like they do thunder in the theatre---

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: janey
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 12:58 PM

good old rolf. i started learning accordian three weeks ago; since then all I see is accordian news stories...Alex learns accordian on Big Brother...Rolf Harris's accordican blows up...Alan Partridge Ah Ha features a french accordian player...I could go on...but i'm too busy learning "Merrily We Roll Along..."

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: open mike
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 01:10 PM

here are the lyrics-- (how to do a BLICKIE?) http://www.mudcat.org/!!-supersearch99.cfm?MaxHits=1&Command=search&NumLines=4&file=fall99&request=%5BTIE+ME+KANGAROO+DOWN%5D

just wait til you get to Lady Of Spain!!

I hear there is an accordian festival where hundreds of squeeze box players perform this tune as the grend finale (or is it the opening number??!!)

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 01:17 PM

There is also an annual free reed squeeze in here in the Northeast. I have played hot jazz on the concertina but this is a bit much! LOL

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: Genie
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 01:19 PM

Now, if it had spontaneously combusted while he was playing, that would have been some really hot music! (Especially if he was playing a piece by "De Falla." Or maybe "Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight.")

Genie

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: HuwG
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 02:01 PM

open mike and anyone else interested:

Not too sure of some of the spellings in the page pointed to by the blue clicky, so here's a bowdlerised version:

Spoken Introduction: There's an old Australian stockman, lying, dying. He gets himself up on one elbow, turns to his mates, who are gathered round him, and he says:

Watch me wallaby's feet, mate,
Watch me wallaby's feet.
They're a dangerous breed, mate,
So watch me wallaby's feet.

Chorus:
All together now!
Tie me kangaroo down, sport,
Tie me kangaroo down.
Tie me kangaroo down, sport,
Tie me kangaroo down.

Keep me cockatoo cool, Carl,
Keep me cockatoo cool.
Don't go acting the fool, Carl,
Keep me cockatoo cool.

(Chorus)

Take me koala back, Jack,
Take me koala back.
He lives somewhere out on the track, Mac,
So take me koala back.

(Chorus)

Mind me platypus duck, Bill,
Mind me platypus duck.
Don't let him go running amuck, Bill,
Just mind me platypus duck.

(Chorus) [Politically highly incorrect verse, but on the original record]

Let me aboes go loose, Lou,
Let me aboes go loose.
They're of no further use, Lou
So let me aboes go loose.

(Chorus)

Play your didgeridoo, Blue,
Play your didgeridoo.
Uh, like, keep playing 'til I shoot through, Blue,
Play your didgeridoo.

(Chorus)

Tan me hide when I'm dead, Fred,
Tan me hide when I'm dead.
(Pause)
So we tanned his hide when he died, Clyde,
And that's it hanging on the shed.

(Chorus)

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: GUEST,Skipjack
Date: 06 Aug 02 - 02:16 PM

Janey, congratulations on choosing the accordion! It's the best instrument you could've chosen, and you have many friends here, both in the UK and in the States, and Australia. Stick with it, and go on the accordion course at Folkworks Darlington in October, and the rest of your life will be perfect. Promise!

Skipjack K8 (who married a non-accordion playing Janey)

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: janey
Date: 07 Aug 02 - 11:01 AM

Ahhh thank ya skipjack. It's nice to get words of encouragement; many have told me it is too hard an instrument to learn/too loud for sessions blah blah. I am enjoying it so far which is half the battle and seem to be making good progress (I'm sure the neighbours agree). What is the format for the Folkworks thingy? Is it a weekend or what? I am keen to do something like that. This time next year the accordian will be blazing! (I hope...)

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 07 Aug 02 - 11:53 AM

Sent you a PM, janey, to spare the community my waxing about the wonders of the stomach Steinway.

Skipjack

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 07 Aug 02 - 02:02 PM

A blazing accordion would make a great logo for some group.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: GUEST,Smelly in Sidmouth
Date: 07 Aug 02 - 05:01 PM

I didn't see LTS there, but the Mirror newspaper headlined it with 'Fry me accordion brown, Sport!'.

S

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: vectis
Date: 07 Aug 02 - 05:45 PM

I took up the accordion at 46. I can play a few tunes but still have to really think hard before calling OUT or CHANGE in a session.
Keep practising:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: Tam the bam fraeSaltcoatsScotland
Date: 08 Aug 02 - 08:25 AM

After they put the fire out did Rolf say "can you tell what it is yet?"

Subject: song lyrics help please!!!
From: GUEST,thea-team
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 01:13 PM

Please does anyone have the words for "Down the Drain?"

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: GUEST,Campo
Date: 07 Dec 02 - 01:51 PM

While his accordian burning what was didgerie doing?

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris's accordion catches fire!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 May 23 - 11:15 AM

It seems that Mr. Harris has left the building. An unnamed guest started an obit thread but it accidentally got fried in the moving it around process (and was just a link to this story).

This is is being added to an existing thread already below the line where guests won't be remarking on it - there were some pretty messy battles over Mr Harris in years past (one of the reasons Ms. Cornish is no longer posting here).

Although the Australian-born entertainer died on 10 May, his ostracism from the industry and isolation from wider society meant he did not have an agent who could confirm rumours of his demise and that led to reporters and photographers standing outside the Harris family house in recent weeks. Windsor and Maidenhead council confirmed that his death was officially registered on Tuesday morning, with the certificate suggesting he would be cremated.

He is survived by his daughter, Bindi Harris, and his wife, Alwen Hughes, who has had Alzheimer’s for many years.

A household name from the 1960s onwards, Harris’s reputation as an entertainer and artist was shattered when he was arrested as part of Operation Yewtree, launched in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 May 23 - 11:26 AM

Let's not talk about him.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 May 23 - 12:15 PM

I caught up with some of the older threads after seeing that there was a new 2 part documentary about him on TV. They were pretty messy. I have not seen the documentary yet but I saw the one on Savile some time back. I think it will only confirm what peopl ealready knew.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 May 23 - 05:55 PM

Definitely another Savile :-(

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 24 May 23 - 05:58 AM

Its a very weird aberrant form of behaviour. I think maybe it needs discussing. One of my best friends at school committed suicide rather than face charges. I'm sorry I wasn't in contact with him at the time. I stll think of him as my good friend that I wasn't there to help.

I've nevr wanted to murder people or hurt them or abuse children. So I don't really know how it comes about. We seem to be producing a lot of these oddball people. We seem to be producing a lot of people who accuse their parents and teachers of abuse, despite the fact that earlier generations were not supervised as much and had carte blanche to abuse at will. As my cousin said of his catholic education - you knew at that age - it came from their need to punish rather than your misdeeds.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 May 23 - 11:36 AM

A discussion, however brief, is needed.
As a survivor of sexual abuse in childhood, I have sought professional help from a whole list of professionals. They agree on one point, which can be summed up in two words:
learned behavio[u]r.
Simply, offenders are not so much born with it as that they learn after they are born, and very early in life. Many of them were victims before they were offenders, although there are exceptions.
Certainly, in the case of my family, I can say two things:
Alcoholism was a factor;
the offenders whom I personally knew had learned in early childhood what they perpetrated as adults.

It all points to some very deep-rooted problems. It is not easy for human society to take a hard look at itself and try to do better.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 May 23 - 11:44 AM

Donald Trump summed it up in a nutshell in the Access Hollywood video - if you're famous, they let you do it. Or, to turn that on its side, if you're famous, people are less likely to believe your accusers, at least until relatively recently. #MeToo has cast a light on some of this.

I have a distinct and disturbing memory of a girl about my age who I think was probably molested - her suggestions seemed crazy at the time, now I realize they were a cry for help. But I was 9 or 10 and didn't understand and didn't say anything to my parents. I went home and never even walked past her house again if I could help it.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 24 May 23 - 04:03 PM

I'm just watching part 2 of the documentary. Very uncomfortable viewing but a real eye opener.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: Helen
Date: 24 May 23 - 04:21 PM

Personally, having grown up with a lot of Rolf Harris' TV shows, music, art and entertainment, I feel a deep sense of betrayal just thinking about him. His entertainment seemed joyful and fun at the time, but now, thinking about him, it feels tainted and dirty.

During news broadcasts ABC (Oz) TV news has been showing the running line at the bottom of the screen with "Disgraced Rolf Harris...".

I think that will be his eternal legacy, his new name forever. One of the news articles stated that he never apologised for his behaviour and actions.

With Donald Trump, you would expect sleazy behaviour. With a fun, entertaining, multi-talented, joyful-seeming person, it seems like a deep betrayal.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 May 23 - 06:11 PM

Yep. My kids loved Jim'll Fix It and we delighted in it, while, all the while, he was fondling women and children, often in the studio. Rolf Harris with his light-hearted Aussie songs and his clever painting was a Big Thing when we were young. For about ten years we played music with a man who had lied to us about his past: his loving wife had sadly died and he had relocated to Cornwall to start all over again, even shacking up with a lady who was the widow of one of our beloved friends who had died young. He died of leukaemia and we played music and sang Nancy Spain at his funeral. Shortly after, we found out that the whole thing was a lie: his wife hadn't died, and he'd fled after being found out for sexually abusing his own daughter. His web of lies about his life, which involved far more than just those facts, was something to behold, once he'd gone. So that feeling of betrayal is incredibly sharp. The fact that people like him make you feel like a gullible fool is only the least part of it. I actually find it quite hard to hate, but I can come pretty close when it involves people who have lied and cheated in these ways.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 25 May 23 - 02:16 AM

I liked him when I was a kid. He used to do a cartoon called Willoughby that I liked when I was about five.

He was actually the main reason that I became an alleged folksinger. I was a fugitive from Saturday night television. I detested his dance routines with The Younger Generation and all his other 'talents'. So I started hanging round folk clubs.

Re- child abuse though. Theres a good series just started on Prime about the late Ian Brady. One expert said, "where does the abuser learn his behaviours? Answer: from other people. Brady was probably abused asa child himself.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: Howard Jones
Date: 25 May 23 - 04:48 AM

It's rather sad. Rolf Harris was a fixture on TV when I was growing up. He was a very talented performer and a versatile musician. It came as a shock to discover he was also a vile human being, not only for the acts themselves but his lack of contrition.

A lot of people always felt there was something creepy about Savile, and when the stories emerged people were shocked but not entirely surprised, it was entirely believable that he might do it. It was different with Harris, and more of a shock when it was revealed.

What seldom gets mentioned is the groupie culture that was around then. It was the Swinging Sixties, the start of the sexual revolution and groupies were a perk of being a celebrity, who were envied for it. The women were mostly enthusiastic participants, and if some were under-age no one much cared. It's hardly surprising that some celebrities began to feel a sense of entitlement and that they could grope women without any comeback. Trump's famous statement, unpleasant though it is, probably has a a ring of truth - some women are attracted to that sort of man, and for others it is difficult to call out people with money and power, so they get away with it. But not always, as Harris's case and the recent civil case against Trump have demonstrated.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 25 May 23 - 05:58 AM

Does it make him a vile human being? you know Jesus said, 'judge not , lest ye be judged'.
In our own community of folk singers there have been a number of cases of this sickness. I don't know - I was devastated when Noel Murphy's crime was revealed.

If its a sickness, surely there is a cure. Just to deliver the analysis - we are in the presence of evil. Isn't this sort of lazy in an era when none but demi savages believe in heaven and hell and all that malarkey.

As a species we're so lazy. Surely the deserts can be turned into fields an forests.If we put the same effort into improving the world as wedo into empty rituals (just think of the wigs , and scrolls, portentous language and farting about in English courtrooms). We might just improve the world.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: Howard Jones
Date: 25 May 23 - 06:58 AM

I agree "evil" is too simplistic, and sets a pretty high bar. The age of consent, and indeed the concept of consent itself, is determined by the norms of a particular society at a particular time, and the law is then set according to those norms. Harris's behaviour deeply offended our society's ideas of what is acceptable, but in some places and at some times it might have seemed unremarkable. His behaviour was compounded by his apparent lack of contrition or concern for his victims. Perhaps "vile" is too strong a word, but I'm struggling to think of an alternative.

Is it a sickness to be cured, or a moral failure to be corrected? I don't know, but in either case the person has to show willingness, which Harris doesn't appear to have done. He died with his well-earned good reputation in tatters, and a trail of people who must have been damaged by his actions.

Subject: RE: BS: Rolf Harris accordion catches fire! /OBIT 2023
From: rich-joy
Date: 19 Jul 23 - 02:26 AM

To be fair, don't s'pose anyone has read :

"Rolf Harris: The Defence Team’s Special Investigator reveals the Truth behind the Trials" by William Merritt (Author, Paperback – 5 May 2022)???   
bcoz there are definitely researchers who believe that Rolf (though not totally blameless), was more a Higher-Ups' Scapegoat rather than a complete swine .....

Just a thought.
R-J (Down Under)