RE: FOLK CLUBS.

The Black Bull in Barnet was good. I played there with the resident bluegrass band The James Boys (originally The Levisa River Boys, until Joe Meek told us that the name was too long). Dennis O'Brien ran the show but he fired us because we asked for a fee and also because when he said one time that he was going to sing a Finnish song I said "well hurry up and finish then" Shock-Horror! Well, I was young and it was a change from "The Lavender Cowboy" I still have the letter.

Nevertheless it was a good club. One day Derroll Adams came in and played a blinding set. Bert Jansch used to drop-in regularly. My memory of him was that he never had his own guitar and always borrowed one. People were almost falling over themselves to let him play theirs. Nomatter which guitar he took, and there were some rough ones, his playing was exquisite.

Val Berry, another regular, was the person who introduced me to "Wild Mountain Thyme". Her version was brilliant.

Then there was Bunjies where Amory (jak) Kane used to be the regular Friday feature.

And the Iron Bridge at Isleworth or was it Greenford? Anyway the resident there at that time was Don Partridge (One man band - "Rosie" - remember?)

The Herga was THE club at the time. Glad to say we played there too.

By the way, does anybody know the whereabouts of Roger Yardie (5-string banjo) or Ray Sharpe (mandolin, fiddle)?

Michael Batory. michael.batory@bcuc.ac.uk