Nutters in Folk Clubs

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,Steamin' Willie
Date: 16 Feb 10 - 12:52 PM

I suppose there is a difference between performing an off the wall act and actually being... errr.. off the wall, ceiling, planet etc.

The North & Midlands festivals in the late '70s and early '80s had a young lad wandering around going by the name of Aardvark. Those who remember him may chuckle. Those who don't.. well, it takes more than I am capable of typing to explain him.

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Brian Peters
Date: 16 Feb 10 - 06:24 AM

Paul Connor was certainly an eccentric, with his unkempt appearance and unexpectedly cultured accent, but his performances of his own poems ranged from bonkers to truly spine-tingling.

Do you remember the one he did comparing the colours of the Autumn leaves to those of the tramcars belonging to different companies, that used to run in Manchester and Salford? Lovely. Or the one about 'The Better Part of Eccles'?

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 07:14 PM

The late Paul Connor who frequented clubs in the Manchester was NOT a nutter as I'm sure Brian and others on here who knew him will testify but some of the stuff he wrote and the way he performed it was sheer top drawer nutter stuff. I wish I had a few more recordings of him than the couple I have.
My favourite piece that he did and that I can remember and recite on occasion is his version on Skewball:

Oh Skewball was a racehorse
I thought he was fine
He wouldn't drink water
He only drank wine

I backed him with silver
I backed him with gold
And the rest of my story
Is easily told

For now I'm a pauper
And you'll follow suit
If you back a racehorse
That's pissed as a newt

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Anne Lister
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 05:48 PM

Does anyone remember Johnny London? Used to come to various London clubs in the mid eighties with a guitar plastered in magazine pics and sing all sorts of eccentric songs? He wrote a tribute to Anonyma, I remember, which had the memorable line of "I'd rather listen to Anonyma than Madonna any day".
And if you remember him, do you know what happened to him?

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Acorn4
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 09:06 AM

...sorry "singing" should have read "sinking" in first line - must proofread better!

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Acorn4
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 09:04 AM

Way back, I remember a weird experience which happened at a local club just after the singing of the ferry, "Herald of Free Enterprise" at Zeebrugge.

This bloke obviously wanted to be the first to pen a song on the subject of the disaster. He stood up in yellow wellies, sou'wester and lifeboatman's hat. He started his song:-

"Oh, the Herald of Free Enterprise she sail-ed on the sea...."

Which continued for the obligatory forty two verses detailing the tragedy.

He collared us in the entrance at the beer break and asked "Did you like my song?"

We muttered something complementary as I recall.

He then went on to tell us that there was a young girl, who was thought to have been drowned, but later proved to have survived being washed up alive further down the coast.

"Do you know", he said, "It ruined my song. I had to re-write four verses."

He didn't quite say "They should have thrown her back in!" but this certainly semed to have been implied.

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: G-Force
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 08:46 AM

I remember (better not name names) a professorial type who used to read self-penned poetry. It all started well but after a few weeks we realised the content was becoming extremely dubious. Eventually it descended into downright porn and we had to ban him, but it made for a more exciting evening than usual!

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 08:31 AM

Wot about Muppet, now there's a nutter (in a nice way).

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Brian Peters
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 07:50 AM

Dr Sunshine was the funniest act I ever saw in a folk venue. Laughed till it hurt.

I was once in mid-performance at a folk club in Stoke when in walked an elderly-ish couple in full Wild West gear: stetsons, fringed keks, six-guns, the lot. They listened to about twenty seconds of whatever I was singing (probably 'Lord Randal' or something) before giving each other a 'Boy, have we come to the wrong gig!' kind of look, and fleeing.

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Paul Reade
Date: 15 Feb 10 - 07:43 AM

Anyone remember Dave Mandel who performed around the Manchester area in the late sixties / early seventies and ran a club in Sale for a time?

He played the ukelele, and his songs included:-

"Standing on my Head" which extolled the therapeutic virtues of this position, which he of course took up at the end of the song.

"Nuclear Power Station" which had a tinkling ukelele accompaniment to mimic the geiger counter "ping" in nuclear establishments - the chorus finished with him shouting "..nuclear bomb ..."

He once told us, in all seriousness, that he was over 800 years old (yes 800 - it's not a typo) and had killed Kenneth Horne of BBC "Round the Horne" fame by "putting the fluence" on him following a dispute over a song!

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: RTim
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 03:47 PM

I haven't seen Nick Collis-Bird for over 20 years!!!
Well, I do now live in the USA, a long way from Swanage!

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 03:31 PM

Plenty of nutters at Northwick Park, I married one!

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 02:46 PM

Apparently Nick Collis-Bird now lives in Swanage...he and Derek used to work together (before Derek discovered folk music) and while Nick was married to Frances... Nick used to come to parties at View Close when various members of Puddleduck lived there in the mid 1970s.

Gaffer Ferris used to come to Herga, in his clown trousers, when he was working in the gynacology Department at Northwick Park Hospital!

Kitty

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Tim Leaning
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 12:55 PM

Anyone who has the cat wrangling ability to run a folk or music venue of any kind has to qualify somewhere on this thread.
How are you doing Mr V.

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Acorn4
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 06:00 AM

Ron Geesin, ex member of the Bonzos was completely off the wall. Only saw him once but very funny.

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,Silas
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 05:50 AM

Major Mustard was also on the verge...

And as for Pete White, well...

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 05:43 AM

Anyone remember 'The New Modern Idiot Grunt Band'? & do they count?
Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: glueman
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 05:16 AM

There used to be a chap in Nottingham in the seventies who dressed in full English civil war regalia - I forget which side if I ever knew - including Friday and Saturday night round the pubs.
One evening on the bus home the local lads went too far with the piss taking and he shot one! The pistol was loaded with powder not lead but he ended up in court and the comedian got powder burns.
I also recall at least one air whistle player. My favourite was a well-dressed city type who caught the bus on Southampton Row, London, similar period and read a comic with matching facial expressions, shouts and cheers to the adventures in the Beano, living out every jape and pratfall.

The world is too small for such people. Since back into the community initiatives I notice no let up in the nutter supply. Given reality, can you blame them?

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Mr Happy
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 04:55 AM

Never to be forgotten,indeed!!

The spectacle of Dave with Professor Wingnut doing fire-eating, with the fire stuck to Vic's lips!!

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Silas
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 04:28 AM

Never to be forgotten Dr Sunshines Pavement show with Dave Hunt and the late and much lamented Vic Baker - they don't get much nuttier that that, also Taffy Thomas' Salami Brothers... nuf said!

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Terry McDonald
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 03:50 AM

Nick! Hooray..........you live. I'll google you.

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,NICK COLLIS BIRD
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 03:43 AM

I've only just found this site Terry, The seventies were great times.
I am now a pensioner, still playing the melodeon and still a nutter (I hope)
I have website, just type collis bird into google

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Sep 07 - 02:17 PM

Good god Dave, I remember Jonathan Wyse, he used to frequent the Arab Boy in Putney in years gone by, and I too went to the Greyhound a time or two. Jonathan had a brother as I remember, I do remember sitting in the sweaty dungeon behind the stage at the Troubador, with Jonathan, and the Watersons. Oh happy days.
Giok

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Folkiedave
Date: 01 Sep 07 - 01:57 PM

Great Western Morris - especially Mike Boston and Dave Brassington.

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Anne Lister
Date: 01 Sep 07 - 01:05 PM

What's happened to Johnny London? He was around the London folk clubs in the mid 80s ... hard to describe if you didn't ever hear him, but William McGonagall lyrics with a Sid Vicious melody might get close.

Anne

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Slag
Date: 31 Aug 07 - 03:33 PM

Well, thank God ( or your Higher Power [or lack thereof]) that WE ain't nuts! "Is our hope in walnut shells...? (Who Will Answer?)". "The cracked shells and washed-out horns blow into my face with scorn..." (with apologies to Mr. Dylan). "See that squirrel up in the tree, his mate there on the ground... (Johnny Horton). You know, there really aren't a whole lot of songs about nuts. Some of you song-writin' genouses aought to give it a try!!!

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,Roger Moss
Date: 31 Aug 07 - 03:23 PM

Yes, the Free Express was started by Andy Bond (later of Bond Guitars) and, I believe run for awhile by Les Wild; correct me if I'm mistaken here. I remember seeing Decameron, Mike Silver, Paul Downes and Phil Beer and many others. Residents included Fiona Gibson, John St Field and myself. I also played there as part of a trio called TIME with my wife Jill and our late, great friend Rick Keeling. After leaving Bournemouth for Cornwall I returned a couple of times, to play the club with singer-songwriters Tony Hazzard and Randy Vanwarmer.

A little bit more history...

Oh, and I have a feeling that Alan White (a.k.a. Beaupré Troubadour) was involved with a club held at the Starlight Club, near Christchurch.

Any recollections about the Wheatsheaf, in New Milton?

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,Terry McDonald
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 07:16 AM

Andy - the other Bournemouth club was the Wessex Traditional Folk Club, Fridays at the Pembroke Arms. The pub became a sort of folk centre after we started there on fridays in late 1964. The room was originally a boxing gym, complete with ring. Eventually Morris and rapper teams used it to practice in, and the Free Express took on the Sunday night for the 'contemporary' stuff.

Oh, and we had our nutters as well - anyone remember Nick Collis-Bird? Nice bloke but could always be relied upon to go over the top.

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,English Jon
Date: 11 Feb 07 - 07:05 AM

I have to say, having spent the last year or so being >actually< nuts, it's nice to get out and do a few clubs now that I'm starting to recover. Mental illness is pretty crappy, but you quickly find out who your friends are. Folk clubs contain some of the most welcoming, understanding people I've ever had the priviledge of meeting. Yes they do all have at least one nutter, but thankfully, quite often it's me.

And yes, I do play the spoons.

Cheers,
Jon

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Rasener
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 12:24 PM

Dave
You are right.

I mistyped.

It should have been - He did not I did.

You did a music hall thing at Dickysquash one night.

Cheers
Les Worrall

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,Tobyjug
Date: 10 Feb 07 - 12:01 PM

For the information of Villain, and anyone else interested, I am still alive, living with my family in the suburbs of Amsterdam, playing concertina for the Utrecht Morrismen, and occasionally performing a Music Hall show called 'An Amusening' with my wife on piano for people who talk us into it by offering money.

I don't remember ever performing a "concert hall show", although I did once sing some shanties and whaling songs for the opening of a whaling exhibition at Tyler's museum in Harlem, and again for the literati at a Moby Dick evening in Amsterdam celbrating something to do with Herman Melville, the writer of said novel.

I do remember another eccentric, called Johnathan Wyse I think, who claimed to be a witch and used to perform dubiously at a folk club I helped run at the Greyhound Pub in the Fulham Road in London, before it was sold and turned into a disco.

Good luck to all eccentrics everywhere, they are what made Britain and the folk scene great.

Dave Calderhead

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Girl Friday
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 09:24 PM

Keith Donolly played my club. He wrote a song in the car before I arrived and went on as a floor spot to sing it.

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,Chris Murray
Date: 08 Feb 07 - 07:26 AM

Keith Donnelly - he's a nutter! I'm sure he'd hate to be missed off the list.

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,banjoman
Date: 07 Feb 07 - 11:48 AM

Some years ago in Liverpool (1970 ish) there was a guy called Ken Adams who appeared at most folk clubs looking for a floor spot. He played "Air Guitar" and sang mainly early Beatles songs.
He actually persuaded some unfortunate guy to act as his manager at one time and got quite upset when he was refused a spot at one club I was involved in. He had the most hideous voice imaginable but his guitar imitations were great.
They dont make em like that anymore

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Muttley
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 09:43 PM

Hi Bubblyrat - nope - don't know what it is / was. First time I've heard the expression.

Enlighten please??!

I'll PM cause you might miss this one - if you're like me i get bored with long-running threads

Muttley

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Ref
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 06:20 PM

...Anyone who accompanies a performer on "spoons", whether invited to or not!

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Alan Day
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 05:54 PM

My old mate Jim The Poet is a nutter as many in Sussex with agree,he is also Betty for Broadwood Morris Men.I used to do a stage act with him doing Musical Monologues and he is a nightmare to be on stage with ,as you really do not know what he will do next.
Great fun though.
Al

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 05:11 PM

Oh dear, my past life is passing before me....

Herga got linked to Bournemouth because members of Herga Morris were recruited by Alan White as Sidmouth campsite stewards, and because Alan Simpson was the caller for Puddleduck. And we met Pull and Push who were all nutters, I think (though I would reconsider if anyone referred this to a laywer).

Kitty

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,Jim Knowledge
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 12:59 PM

I took some people to a folk club down in Sussex somewhere and since I was takin` em `ome again they said "Why don`t you stay for the evening?" So I did. I got talkin` to some geezer and `e said there was in the audience "The Strangler" and "Burglar Bill". That`s a fact. My life.
What am I like?

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: dj bass
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 12:48 PM

bubblyrat wrote:

Yes !! It"s all a question of definition. As I said on another thread,quite a few performers are "eccentric" rather than "nutters ". Examples ,for me, would be the delightfully potty "Hard Core Fluff,"the refreshingly bizarre "Apicella" from Portsmouth,and my friend from Godalming,in Surrey, Kevin,musician & painter,who makes bagpipes out of plumbing fittings & stuffed cats !

I used to play with Apicella and came up with the name - no imagination there though: it's Sue's surname. They are now known as Jellyrollers, playing mainly blues I believe, and Little Peet the Jew's Harp player has joined them. Now he is odd!

dj

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,Wayne
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 11:10 AM

Sam is a nutter, but what a nutter! His sheer enthusiasm for all things traditional has led him to conceive and edit a superb magazine (Folk Leads to Song & Custom) and his joy of folk song in general means that his long held antipathy to all things (gulp)contemorary (in Sam's case that means anything written before about 1394)is slowly abating and it's been weeks since he's heckled any guitarrists!. Recently he's welcomed a whole bunch of excellent young country blues performers to the Grove, with the result that Friday nights are flourishing. Singers' nights 1st & 3rd of the month, guests in between.

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,Randy Cokehead
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 09:06 PM

I go to a folk club and I am a nutter.

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,Teddy
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 09:02 PM

I am a Teddy Bear and I go to folk clubs!

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Alan Day
Date: 02 Feb 07 - 06:08 PM

John Watcham now lives in Brighton,plays for the Brighton Morris Team,has done a fantastic set of Morris tunes for Anglo International
I remember their act well,very camp, but very funny.
Al

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Feb 07 - 05:53 PM

Ah such a shame... I was a frequenter of west Dorset clubs... those you mention are all east Dorset or Hampshire.

Furthest east I ever got was Wareham Folk Harvest, 1st weekend in September.

LTS

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 02 Feb 07 - 03:24 PM

Mr Gladstone's Bag.... great stuff. Occasionally accompanied by Simon Nichol in drag, impersonating Lucy Gilchrist. I think Michael died, actually. Haven't heard or seen John Watcham for a long time.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,Yorkie
Date: 02 Feb 07 - 03:05 PM

Agree "Sam" in Leeds   "Utter nutter"

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: bubblyrat
Date: 02 Feb 07 - 11:45 AM

Andy, I lived in Christchurch until 2 years ago----the "Festival" in recent years involved a few artists performing in a marquee on the quay ( The Quomps ) for one day, and not much else,apart from a session in the George Hotel . A shadow of its former self,everyone told me. The pub where the New Express was held is now the Goat and Tricycle, I believe. At the time that I left, it was all happening at the Portman (Boscombe), The Blue Boar (Poole),the Mount( Corfe Mullen),or the Coventry Arms(Corfe Mullen).With the odd (Very Odd !) session at the Square & Compass at Worth Matravers. The wonderful landlord,Charlie, is SPLENDIDLY eccentric !!! The Pub With No Bar ! (literally)

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: GUEST,Greycap
Date: 02 Feb 07 - 11:09 AM

Arthur Jackson in Harrogate & Pately Bridge

Subject: RE: Nutters in Folk Clubs
From: Andy Jackson
Date: 02 Feb 07 - 06:41 AM

So was Christchurch come to that! Now that WAS a festival, Filmed by the Beeb in about 72 and in the EFDSS archives I believe.

Andy