Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: curmudgeon
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 01:03 PM

Stan does post to Mudcat from time to time. With a bit of luck, he might check in and give the rest of the story.

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Sep 05 - 12:43 PM

Brien-

Thanks for the plug for my UNCOMMON SAILOR SONGS CD.

Barry-

I was re-reading the introduction to NEW ENGLISH BROADSIDES and that's where I got the impression that Stan Kelly's real name was Stan Bootle:

"Kelly (real name Bootle) is one of the most remarkable characters on any scene, British folk or otherwise. He leads a double life (double whiskys, double gins and so on) as one of Britain's highest paid computer geniuses and as a wildly humorous, warm and entertaining member of the folk fraternity."

Nathan Joseph & Eric Winter, London, November, 1966

I don't know if this is true but that's what it looks like from my reading. Maybe we're both right!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Brían
Date: 19 Sep 05 - 01:30 PM

Charley,

I must make a plug for your cottage industry folk prodution. On first scan, the intimate quality your voice is ballanced well against your spare arrangement of concertina and banjo. West Indies Blues is a drop-dead keeper.

I must go. I feel a song about my Old Sod Experience steeping in the pot.

B

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Barry Finn
Date: 19 Sep 05 - 01:08 PM

Close Charley, Stan Kelly comes from Bootle, I believe an area within Liverpool on the Merseyside(corrections, please if I'm in ears). I also believe Stan Kelly & Leon Rosselson are both responsible for "I Wish I Were Back In Liverpool". A friend on mine from Dublin whose got to be a Bostonian by now, Shay Walker, IMHO none can can hold a candle to him when it comes to singing this song.

"You can talk about Bootle Girls & round the corner (or as Tom I believes sings it "up in the corner Sallies") sallies". See "Haul Away For Rosie-0"

Barry

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 19 Sep 05 - 09:40 AM

Linn-

Thanks for the correction on "I Wish I was Back in Liverpool." I see now from my old copy of NEW ENGLISH BROADSIDES that the tune for the song was composed by Leon Rosselson and that A. L. Lloyd described it as containing "...the largest dose of that indefinable ingredient that makes for long life, if not immortality, in a song." Kelly's real name by the way is Bootle, according to the Introduction.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: SINSULL
Date: 19 Sep 05 - 09:36 AM

Oh dear, the Captain hasn't been exposing himself again????? Put your innocence away, kendall and behave yourself. And go wash your hands.

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: kendall
Date: 19 Sep 05 - 08:09 AM

For once, someone sees my innocence.

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 19 Sep 05 - 07:37 AM

Kendall is innocent. The harpoon is OURS.

Oh, and Charlie, Dave Halliwell's song wasn't "Liverpool Lullaby" (which, actually, I sing) but "I Wish I Was Back In Liverpool" . Stan Kelly wrote that song and was co-author of "Liverpool Lullaby".

Linn

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 08:55 PM

Charlie can keep his harpoon. I have no use for it. But how am I going to regale the Getaway crowd with my Salvation Army anti-booze songs if I don't have atambourine? And being from Maine. it can't be any tambourine...

And you still haven't told me about how to handle kleptomaniac guests.

Kendall - were you in on this too? Et tu, Brute!?!

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 08:04 PM

Linn-

Thanks for the clarification, I think. Sometimes it's better not to post!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 07:56 PM

It wasn't Charlie's harpoon, sir! It were ours! (Former student of Tom's fecit.)

Oh yeah, Jacqui, sorry, you ARE the voice of sanity (oh yeah) in this group. Or maybe Kendall is. Kendall, if the whale is, indeed, recovered, would you take it into protective custody? Mary has NOT been a good guardian . . .

Linn (for whom 2 margaritas in the bathtub haven't even SLIGHTLY relaxed; how the HELL am I going to get to sleep and be refreshed enough to get the damned magazine to the printer tomorrow?!?)

No, I'm not worrying about that gawd-forsaken whale . . .

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: kendall
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 07:41 PM

And just what do you know about Charlie's harpoon?

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: jacqui.c
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 04:59 PM

Sane? Me? That's just a nasty rumour. Please don't spread it around, I'll lose all me street cred!

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Brían
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 04:45 PM

An efficient employee at a light house musem in New England, had the great misfortune to lose a very valuable but obnoxious rather irritating pecussion instument in the shape of a whale. She posted appeals repeatedly on www.mudcat.org, but without luck, and finally she gave up hope. But one of a group of Connecticut tourists who had recently spent a relaxing weekend on Portsmouth, New Hampshire saw her postings, was touched by the woman's devotion to the unlovable yet blameless instrument, and took great trouble to seek out a whale that matched the decription in the postings(i.e.: Didn't move much and it had a harpoon in its side -- in between the clangy thingies) and which he could bring over to the wastes of Southern Maine on his next business trip. He presented himself in due course at the owner's modest abode, where he was received in the householder's absence by an even more impressive cat(i.e., Alice the slut), who glanced at the whale, bowed, winced almost imperceptibly and exclaimed, in a horror-stricken voice, "But not so noisy as that, sir!"

B

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Jeri
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 03:51 PM

It wasn't the Patons, Mary. I don't think I've ever seen this couple before. All I remember about them is that the man asked Tom for a song he didn't know (or SAID he didn't know) and they were drinking Bud. I didn't think anybody drank Bud on purpose anymore. I wonder if maybe it's a Connecticut thing. (I didn't say one word to them about their choice of beverage.)

I still feel bad even though I had nothing to do with the original kidnapping. Charley's harpoon was really cute though.

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 03:48 PM

Must have been aliens -- not from Maine, at least.

I dunno, Sins, it might swim back first chance it gets. Maybe it was tomcattin' around -- followed a Connecticut fish home. Maybe if it swims back, it should be neutered . . .

It was AT the Press Room, got the pictures to prove it. Seen by witnesses. Etcet. Didn't move much and it had a harpoon in its side -- in between the clangy thingies. I think it was dead. (But not neutered.)

I'm shocked, SHOCKED, that you might think this is a shaggy whale story.

Where's Sanity when you need her? (Oh, England, but she'll be back soon -- bearing Vocalzones.)

Linn

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: SINSULL
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 01:38 PM

Wait a minute!!! Where's my whale????

A pathetic pair of Swedish tourists showed up at 4:25 wanting to tour the museum. I close at 4:30 and the docent never showed up. I was alone.

So they toured and toured and toured. Then they examined every f**kin' item in the gift shop and...bought nothing. So I close out the register, closed up the shop and saw it was 5:35.

Now you tell me that they cost me my whale as well. I am not buying the Connecticutt tourist story. Unless they were the Patons. WHo has my whale????

SINS

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 11:37 AM

Nice post, Brien! Between you and Bat Goddess, the humours of the shanty session at and around the Press Room are well described.

I've really missed getting together with the "regulars" at the Press Room, not to mention the "irregulars" and other random elements that collect there like so much flotsam and jetsam along a tideline. One never know when the "extras" will suddenly activate as when David Coffin materialized and led "Roll the Old Chariot," or when our nephew Jon delivered a poetic rant.

I was very pleased to have Jeri accompany "The Old Fiddle" but she needs to learn, or unlearn, how to make her fiddle creak and squeak more. I was also pleased with trying out my new arrangement of "Lee Fore Brace"; it's a very powerful and moving song and I was uncertain if I could deliver it. I think it works.

It certainly was great to sing along with DaveH on "Liverpool Lullaby," so many nice harmonies.

And I'm looking forward to gathering together next weekend at the Maritime festival for more good singing.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Brían
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 11:03 AM

I sense I would prefer earrings or possibly even enduring cauterization for a gold ring in my nose to allowing my hypos to get the upper hand in the sense Melville describes.

It appears that the humours were out of synch with poor Ishmael. Thank you for applying your medical expertise to the lexical aspects of Melville.

B

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Jeri
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 10:54 AM

Hypo is the Latin prefix meaning low and hyper means high (although that's simplistic). Hypo or hypertension is blood pressure that's too low or too high.

Basically, what you said was when all your lowers get the upper hand which was quite witty. And of course, I misspelled 'is' as 'has'.

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: jacqui.c
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 10:08 AM

Earrings would be lovely!

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Brían
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 10:04 AM

I have no idea what is meant by hypos, but I find it very quoteworthy as well.

B

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Jeri
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 09:58 AM

Linn can have the odd one, since she asked first. I shall reimburse you. Would you prefer money or earrings?

Brian, "whenever my hypos get such an upper hand" has very quoteworthy!

Mudge and Batty on WUNH in about 5 minutes. Will see if I can find the URL for their webcast.

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: jacqui.c
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 09:23 AM

I've just picked up another six packets of Vocalzone so have nine altogether. Linn and Jeri - you can fight over who gets what!

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Brían
Date: 18 Sep 05 - 08:55 AM

Call me Folksinger. Some hours ago -- never mind how long precisely -- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on the internet, I thought I would bum a ride with Charley Noble to see the smoky part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly September in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before whale effigies, and bringing rear of every used book store I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately reaching over the table, and methodically ringing the cymbals of thus spake denizen of the deep -- then, I account it high time to get to Molly Malones and ingest vast quantities of carbohydrates as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the minivan. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the obnoxious backdrop of drum tracks with me.

Brien Melville

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Jeri
Date: 17 Sep 05 - 11:33 PM

I lost a tuner once, but never a whale. SINS this really is a shame. At least I got to see it. I know BG feels really bad about it. Well, not THAT bad, but I don't believe she ever expected your poor little whale to go out with the tide of tourists. Hope to see you next weekend - hugs until then.

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 17 Sep 05 - 09:45 PM

Well, Sinsull, did you get lost? (Yeah, I know you volunteer at the lighthouse so you were going to be late.)

I HAD the whale (obnoxious bloody thing) with me, too. As a matter of fact, it was the centerpiece on the table. (I have pictures to prove it.) Picture this: the whale tambourine lying on its side amidst pints of Guinness and concertinas, with a beautifully crafted miniature harpoon in its side. (The harpoon was made by a former student of Tom's.)

It generated a lot of comment (which I have on tape).

It was a really nice session -- let's see, Tom, Charlie, Brien, John (Charlie's nephew who turns out to be my young neighbor Druinn's teacher at the Arts charter school), Jeri and I. Dave Halliwell showed up for a few songs -- Alison Freeman stopped by for a few minutes (and one song) in between gigs in Massachusetts and Augusta, Maine, and David Coffin, singer from Gloucester, Massachusetts, was in Portsmouth for about an hour or so because his wife wanted to do some shopping. He sang a couple, with his charming daughter joining in the choruses.

Anyway, back to the whale. It's still on the table with a harpoon stuck between the noisy things. It's on it's side, probably dead. (And at least not clanking if it's not moving.) Nobody spilled Guinness on it, either. It was just lying there, peacefully.

Then came the usual confusion following the last song, and the waitress swooping in with tabs and people telling us how great we sounded (really) and did we do this often and me telling them about the monthly sessions and about the Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival next weekend and how all the events are free and the exchange of business cards, etcet etcet and me trying to tell Jeri about the cool footstools I snagged at a yardsale this morning (three of 'em -- cast resin so they can prolly live on the deck in the summer -- in the shape of a lobster, a crab and an octopus -- why doesn't anyone make yard squid?!?) as I was packing up the tape recorder, tapes, camera, words to Charlie's song, the small insulated carrier we left at Charlie's party last weekend, Tom was passing out PMFF posters and flyers to be put up in various places this week.

Anywho, next thing I knew, Tom had disappeared out the door and I gathered stuff up (thank goodness they mostly had carrying straps except for the bag of stuff from Paradizo around the corner which is going out of business and having a 50% off sale -- did I tell you about that? -- absolutely THE best place for greeting cards ever and she's decided she's tired of running the shop after 13 years) and ran (well, walked forcefully, weaving through the later Saturday crowd standing in clumps) out the door after him. Caught up with him at the car (I don't think he would have left me . . .), got everything stuffed into the space around my feet and managed to escape the parking place with someone who wanted the spot running interference.

We set off in quest of the map to scan for the PMFF program which I have to get together before Monday night. (Peter's handling the permission to use it again.)

We were almost out of the city when I realized I'd left the whale on the table (or that's where I thought it was since I hadn't put it back in my purse). Turned a u-ie out around Newick's and headed back to town. Swung back down Daniel Street. Tom circled the block while I ran into the Press Room. The place was mobbed and the tables were, of course, put back into pre-session formation. The whale was nowhere in sight -- not on a table, not on the piano. Caught the eye of the waitress as she was coming from the kitchen. She hadn't seen it, but a bunch of tourists from Connecticut had been sitting in the vicinity.

So I think the whale was abducted by aliens -- non-New Hampshirites from Connecticut.

At least I got the harpoon back. It was on the floor next to the piano.

I TRIED to return the whale, but you didn't show up! (You never call, you never write . . .)

Linn (sorry)

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: jacqui.c
Date: 17 Sep 05 - 02:44 PM

I've got three packs of Vocalzone but will try and pick up a couple more.

If I can't I'm pretty certain that my lovely daughter will get hold of some and send an aid package!

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Brían
Date: 17 Sep 05 - 11:48 AM

Jeeze, Naem'

Will ya get me up to speed? Are you back for a visit or have you moved back to this neck of the woods?

Brien

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Naemanson
Date: 17 Sep 05 - 11:10 AM

Sorry gang but I won't make it this weekend. I will be there next weekend though.

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 17 Sep 05 - 10:29 AM

Looks like we've picked up another rider, Brien Hoye who just got back from his foray to Ireland. I hope there is still room.

See you later!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Sep 05 - 08:21 AM

Wee Willie the whale
With the curly tail
For all the world to see.
Every girl and boy
JUMPS with joy
How happy they will be

Of course there is the verse:
We're going to eat a special treat
We're going to catch a whale.
We'll fry him nice
Once or twice
And Bar-B-Que his tail.

From my childhood. And you would take him away from me. What is one to do with kleptomanic houseguests?

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 15 Sep 05 - 08:05 AM

Gotta find the little harpoon . . .

Linn

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: GUEST,Charley Noble
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 10:58 PM

Oh, dear, Sinsull's lost her tambourine!

Looks as if JudyB and I are the only ones coming from Maine. Other folks in Roll & Go are doing the family chores they postponed doing last weekend, and which they wouldn't have time to do next weekend.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 07:22 PM

I was going to give the whale to Kendall . . . for, uh, "safekeeping".

Linn

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: SINSULL
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 04:30 PM

Will someone return my tambourine this week? I miss my whale.

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 03:10 PM

Jeri-

Your Dremel is still probably sticking in the ribs of some Golden Vanity.

Dm it is, along with all them other lovely minors. I've never had so many in one tune before. I did run across a two-stringed fiddle in Fan Tan Alley in Victoria but it was a contemporary one, and too pricey for show and tell. Is that what an "erhu" is?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Jeri
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 10:49 AM

Charley, I don't have an erhu and it's probably too late to buy one or make one. I might try though...

And Dmin is cool. You change the key, and I'm still playing in Dmin

Now...must find a gourd. Maybe a pumpkin? And where's my Dremel?

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: SINSULL
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 10:16 AM

I am working at the museum Saturday so I will be late getting there. See you then.
Mary

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 09:59 AM

Jeri-

Please bring your fiddle. Maybe you could work up an accompaniment to "The Old Fiddle" which you can preview on my website as a MP3 sample file: The Old Fiddle

It should be an old squeaky arrangement as if from the Twilight Zone, with a two-stringed Chinese fiddle break. Piece of cake, no?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Jeri
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 08:19 AM

I get to try to parallel park an SUV - whoopee.

Jacqui, if you should find room in your purse for a couple more packages of Vocal Zones, I'd like some please. If you're afraid the Customs people will think there must be something funny going on, don't worry about it.

Now I just need to find where I set down my repertoire. I'm sure I had it just a while ago...

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 14 Sep 05 - 07:38 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 13 Sep 05 - 08:13 AM

Two is find -- if a couple more packets turn up in front of you, that will be fine, too.

Thank you! Cuz I can't seem to order through their website and emails (to the address on the website) bounce. Frustrating.

I'll prolly go through the Vocalzones I've got left (from when Jeff Warner picked them up for me ) on the weekend of the Maritime Festival.

Linn

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: jacqui.c
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 01:09 PM

Can't make it this time - a little bit of water in the way.

Linn - I got to find Vocalzone - how many packs do you want? I've got two at the moment. Let me know before the weekend if you want any more.

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 10:22 AM

Barry-

It will be great to see you. Will Chris be coming with you? I'd love to meet him.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Barry Finn
Date: 12 Sep 05 - 10:00 AM

No voice but I'll be seeing ya there.

Barry

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: Charley Noble
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 08:34 PM

I'm planning on coming and will be looking for riders to have pay for gas. I'll see if I can round up some of the usual suspects from Roll & Go. I'd really like to get Jeff Logan to attend but for some reason he likes to spend some time with his family.

Alison Freeman was thinking about dropping in for a song or two, in between gigs.

I've got one new song I'd like to try, which I was afraid I'd mess up last evening.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: SINSULL
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 07:51 PM

Chicken soup is all I can manage. Curses! The Laphroaig sits quietly in the corner.

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: curmudgeon
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 07:08 PM

So that's why we didn't see you yesterday. Avoid them like the plague - drink more Laphroaig - Tom

Subject: RE: Sept.Shanty Session at the Press Room(NH
From: SINSULL
Date: 11 Sep 05 - 07:05 PM

If I can avoid all future viruses (or virii), I will be there.
SINS