Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Jim Martin
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 04:44 AM

I don't suppose by any chance, John Spiers of Spiers & Boden fame would be related to the John Spiers of "Spring Chickens", would he?

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: BB
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 02:38 PM

Don't think so, but I may be wrong.

Barbara

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: The Sandman
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 04:12 PM

DaveEast ,has a contact number in Folk London.,the london folk mag.
john spires is not john spiers.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 06:27 PM

There is contact info for Dave East in the Folk London venue information that was put up on Court Sessions here by Gerry Milne before he went into hospital. But there is no longer any info about Court Sessions in the printed copies of Folk London.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Surreysinger
Date: 18 Aug 09 - 01:38 AM

I would imagine that the lack of info for Court Sessions is occasioned by the fact that at the moment they don't have any permanent home, Kitty.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Jim Martin
Date: 18 Aug 09 - 06:10 AM

Whoops, sorry! Looks like I got my spelling mixed up (Spires/Spiers).

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,John Spires
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 02:51 PM

Hello, never expected to find a site like this... How wonderful to be remembered. I'm living in East London. Not giging any more, but came first in a karaoke heat in Yorkshire last weekend.

Hi Anne and all who remember me. I think of the old times and have happy memories of all of the people I met and sang with in workshops singarounds and at gigs.

Anne do you remember our first gig at the Chestnuts in Walthamstow.. We were called 'Unruly Sun' then we changed to Dead Sea Surfers.. Happy days....

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: popyasmurf
Date: 05 Oct 09 - 10:45 AM

Hi Can anybody get a vinyl copy of "Wearing Thin" exported to MP3
Thanks
Gordon

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Anne Darby
Date: 24 Oct 09 - 02:52 PM

Hallo John - yes I do (I had to say something about no chest and no nuts between us). I also remember a fab gig somewhere when Max sent some toy mouse that was suspended from a rafter flying during the moves of ?one of the doowaps... Sorry you're not gigging. I am somewhat sporadically until middle of next year when I'm having a career change and will turn into a pandemic!
I won 4hrs in a recording studio in a raffle not very long ago - great prize huh? I'm also still running and playing hockey...

Subject: Threadbare Consort Wearing Thin
From: popyasmurf
Date: 11 Dec 09 - 10:02 AM

Hi has anybody a vinyl copy of "Wearing Thin" on vinyl I have a USB to MP3 turntable and could then copy it for myself and any others

Thanks
Gordon

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,is there anybody out there ?
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 09:57 AM

Hi has anybody a vinyl copy of "Wearing Thin" Threadbare Consort on vinyl I have a USB to MP3 turntable and could then copy it for myself and any others interested

Thanks
Gordon

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: rich-joy
Date: 05 Mar 10 - 02:43 AM

No, sorry Gordon, I don't have a copy - but I'd sure like one!!!
:~)


Cheers, R-J
Down Under

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Max Johnson
Date: 07 Jul 10 - 12:56 PM

Hello everyone. As John Spiers (hugs) says, how nice to be remembered.
And, like Anne (hugs) I soooo miss it!
Bumped into Eric a short while ago, and went down to Ipswich for a very pleasant visit (he's back from Switzerland). Great to see him and we just picked up the conversation where it left off.
What a time we had. And to sing and work with with Eric, Marshall Cligman, Dave Mitchell, John, Anne, Dave East, Celia O'Niell... What a privilege! Thanks guys.
If anyone reads this, and has any questions about anything - just post here and I'll try and answer.

Love to all.

Max.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Ralphie
Date: 08 Jul 10 - 06:25 AM

Hi Max.
Nice to hear from you! Lots of people still ask about "Wearin Thin" Did the master tapes survive?
I know you weren't happy with it. Was it the performance or the fact that it was an off-centre pressing?
It would be a joy to have it on CD without all the surface noise that repeated playings of the vinyl has caused!!
Hope your having a happy life, and thanks for the fun all those years ago
Ralphie Jordan (CROWS)

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Max Johnson
Date: 08 Jul 10 - 08:50 AM

Hiya Ralphie!!! How're ya doin???
I'm living in Heysham on the North West coast, and everything is good, thanks. I keep saying that I'm going to get back down to London for a few days and catch up with anyone who still remembers me, but never seem to get around to doing it.

The master tapes didn't survive. True story of Wearing Thingate is:
The album was released at Bracknell festival (year?). Someone from South Hill Park records listened to it, realised that the pressing was off-centre and immediately insisted that it was withdrawn from sale. The recording guys' plan was to get it re-pressed asap. But by the time they got around to doing anything, Consort were (very sadly)splitting up and it never happened. Bummer. Consort still had about a year of gigs left in the diary, including a highly lucrative month in Germany and as that was my only source of income I didn't want to waste them. So I approached Dave East and we set up Threadbare with Celia O'Neill and Norman Western with the sole purpose of working to clear those gigs. In the meantime, I asked SHP, which (again, very sadly) was under new management, if they'd lat us have the masters if they weren't going to use them. They would only do that if we played Bracknell Festival again for free. We agreed, although we weren't really ready and actually did a crap gig (unbelieveable, I know), Then the shysters told us that they'd already been destroyed, and not being able to take them to court we let it go. As far as I know we were all reasonably happy with the recording - a couple of niggles perhaps, but basically I was - but not many got out. I have a vinyl copy somewhere and am happy to lend it to you. How can I give you my e-mail address? Sheila Miller has it, if you have hers?

Best.

Max.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Ralphie
Date: 08 Jul 10 - 06:37 PM

Hi Max
I thought that the Masters would have shuffled off this mortal coil by now! Fret not. I purchased a copy on the day of release. And it's sitting safe on my hard drive now...scratches and wowing 'n all!
[e-mail] will reach me.
Just about to release a solo CD (hint!)
If you ever make it south, you'd be welcome to stay (Watford)
But we will converse E Mail stylee rather than in public!
Toodle-Pip
Ralphie

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Ralphie
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 01:35 AM

Oh. and out of interest (possibly only to you!) I got around the off-centre problem by re-drilling the hole in the middle of the LP! Now you can't do that with a CD can you!

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 11:46 AM

Ralph, yes, you can't. I'll e-mail you mate.
Anne, Most of the shirts were auctioned for charriddy at one of our many last ever final appearances. We still had a few left for the reunion tour though, didn't we? Woohoo, what a blast!

Probably something else of interest only to me is that my favourite track on 'Wearing Thin' is 'Your Feet's Too Big', accompanied by the wonderful Roaring Jelly. Which was another privilege!

Max.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Surreysinger
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 06:13 PM

Interesting to see this thread resurrected lately. Did anybody ever hear anything from poor old Gordon who wanted a copy of the Threadbare Consort LP ? Sadly I never got to hear Threadbare Consort live :-( (Another one of those things that I missed along the way).

Apart from that I have fond recollections of seeing the Dead Sea Surfers in action on the reunion tour at Towersey and at the Ram Club (then in Claygate) - although I don't remember T-shirts (I'm sure they were rather lairy and colourful Hawaian shirts - or am I wrong on that?). Having been out of clubs and festival stuff for about 20 years those were the first and only times that I got to see you in action ... and I'm glad that I did. My copy of "Don't Say Aloha" was played quite a bit afterwards (taped after one recording), and is sitting quietly upstairs waiting for me to get a turntable in action at some point!

Am I right in thinking that for a while John was teamed up with Dave Benton (or am I muddling him with someone else) ... and what happened to Dave ? I can recall he worked for Hobgoblin and certainly bumped into him a few times at Sidmouth on their stand ... but haven't heard anything of him for a while. (Sorry - thread drift there).

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 07:17 PM

Hi Max - Nice to see you here.

All the best, Bonnie

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Richard Hardaker
Date: 11 Jul 10 - 07:15 AM

Hello Max- some of us are old enough to remember pre Threadbare Consort days when Max 'n Eric were singing around the Harrogate-Knaresborough folk club scene, late 60's - early 70's. I'm glad to acknowledge the influence you both had on my singing career. I was involved in Knaresborough F.C. (& Knaresborough Mummers) 1974-75 with John Burrell, before moving to Cumbria. I'm still singing, now immersing myself in the arcane delights of Child balladry

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Gordon
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 07:52 AM

Hi Ralphie
I sent an email to your ntworld address asking about a copy of Wearing Thin
Thanks
Gordon

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 10:37 AM

Hi Gordon.
Just seen your E Mail.
Will reply shortly!
Ralph

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Stephen Croall
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 04:35 PM

The Swedish edition of the Dead Sea Surfers lasted into the 1990s. We called ourselves Dödahavssurfarna. We ripped off not only the name and the songs but the arrangements and the jokes as well. I'd taped a brilliant performance of theirs at Sidmouth in the 1980s sometime, that year when Eric Bibb and Daily Planet were playing. The 50s stuff - In the Still of the Night, Duke of Earl, Sherry, we did them all. Shameless plagiarism. We only played around here - the Småland region of southern Sweden - but had something of a cult following until we died at a blues club where no-one was drunk (early evening show). Ah well. Lost the tape, too.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 06:06 PM

Just thought I'd add: By the 1990s of course the name didn't work any more, either in English or Swedish - people were windsurfing and for that you don't need waves.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Max Johnson
Date: 02 Oct 10 - 02:14 PM

Hiya Bonnie!!! Just seen your post.

Huge hugs!!! Remember my requests for 'The Battle Pavane'? I'll request it again next time we meet!

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 02 Oct 10 - 02:50 PM

Yup, sure do! Hugs right back at ya. I'm living on the south coast of Ireland these days... still crazy after all these years...

B xxx

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Celia O'Neill
Date: 27 Oct 10 - 08:35 PM

Speaking of spelling Norman's name right, how about mine! I am indeed in Vancouver, teaching singing, and have a quartet called "Pastime With Good Company" I still sing Lazarus and " Red Cross Store", but our main focus is on folk music in other languages, (about 35 at the moment) and Madrigals. Reading this stuff reminds me that I miss you all, it's been a long time. Max, Dave M. Dave E. Anne, Norman (where the hec are you?) WESTERN, Marsh, Ralphie et al. Take care Celia

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Max
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 07:10 AM

'Struth, It's Times Square here!!!!
Not that I've ever actually been to Times Square, but you hear stuff.

Celia - my e-mail is maxATnonesuch.force9.co.uk Do you remember when Eleanor was born, Norm was threatening to call her Spaghetti?

Shem - 'Aloha' pre-dates CDs. In the unlikely event that you find one, it was ripped.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 08:02 AM

Norman Western, is alive and well and living in Lancaster, ,his name is indeed Western, I played with him as part of a duo, before he joined up with Max and co., apologies Celia if i spelled your name incorrectly
I have Normans contact number E MAIL ADRESS phone number ETC. Dick Miles.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 08:03 AM

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Good Soldier Schweik - PM
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 08:36 AM

not cathy o neill ,but celia o neill.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Celia
Date: 01 Nov 10 - 03:07 AM

Hi Dick

You can find me on facebook-I tried an e-mail given to me for Norman but it didn't work, so if you can connect with me that way - I would like to send him a message-Thanks

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: The Sandman
Date: 01 Nov 10 - 09:07 AM

ok i am on my space, i will contact you shortly, i was in a car accident this morning,but will try and contact you later ,when i am feeling better.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 07:01 AM

Celia, i have been trying to ring him for 2 days...no answer, i have emailed him ...no answer. I have his postal adress too, but its possible he has moved, his mother was living in lancaster , its possible he may have moved there.
cant find you under celia oneill on my space?

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Nov 10 - 07:47 AM

Celia, i spoke to norman last night on the dog and bone, his only access to a computer is at the library. if you e mail me at www.dickmiles.com, i can give you his adress e mail adress and phone number.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Norman Western
Date: 04 Nov 10 - 09:08 AM

Celia: Indeed am alive and well and living in Lancaster.
Have opened a new e-mail address with Yahoo as the buggers wouldn't let me back into the old one.
Try [e-mail].
(Sorry didn't answer Dick's phone calls earlier, as they came up as "We do not have the callers number"; so I assumed they were from some irritating salesman in Pakistan".
(Thank you Dick for your persistance!!).
Not played anything in earnest for many years; but have just splashed out on a second-hand Fylde so something better happen soon.
Do still whistle Irish tunes at work (much to the annoyance of the early morning Staff ~ When asked to shut up I tend to sing lustily instead).

Last serious singing I did was with my daughter in a Lancaster- based West Gallery Chior called Gladly Solemn Sound. (Everybody check them out as they are still going strong and have unearthed masses of local material - CDs available too).
Had to switch to Bass as my voice had dropped too much to handle Tenor any more.

Message to Max: The Bracknell gig wasn't that bad - we were just all bloody terrified!! Didn't do bad knocking up a viable set in less than a month either. Quote from Curling Onion was "A bit dour and humourless"; but we sure as hell got our own back on him.

Lots of love everyone,
Norman

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: rich-joy
Date: 06 Nov 10 - 10:01 PM

BTW, I just bought one of two vinyl copies up for sale of the Surfers' "Don't Sing Aloha ...." on EBay!

Cheers, R-J

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Anne Darby (Wiseman)
Date: 30 Dec 10 - 12:56 PM

Hi Max... John... Bonnie... everyone - Happy Christmas, New Year and all that...
Celia - I sing red x store too now - and Max, I also do Rocks of Ban and very occasionally your old sea song favourite from the Isle of Dogs. Meanwhile, where's that Mitchell bloke as he's the only one of us not to have surfaced yet!
Anne

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Max Johnson
Date: 06 Feb 11 - 08:30 AM

Hi Anne. Lovely to hear from you. Great that you're stull singing! I hope your rendition of the Isle of Dogs sea song is a scaaaary as ever? I remember people walking out in fear, anyway.

My e-mail is [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 06 Feb 11 - 09:41 AM

There's a 'Don't Sing Aloha' on ebay right now if you're quick.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 04:48 AM

Hello,

I've just interviewed Max for an article about Threadbare Consort and Dead Sea Surfers for my webzine, Lost Folk Tapes. Before I post it, I'd love to hear from other people from the band - as Max points out to me, I only have his version of events at the moment! So if any of you are still checking this thread, would you mind getting in touch either via PM at Mudcat or via the contact page at the website? If anyone else reading is in touch with any of the people who were in either band, please could you point them my way?

Many thanks,

Nigel

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST
Date: 26 May 11 - 05:47 AM

Hi y'all!
I just LOVE retirement - it's fab!
Meanwhile, I've started doing some stuff with Steve Gill (concertina/melodian/whistle and harmonica). We're called Cloud Cover - yeah I know, it's a bit safe. I suggested the Gilby Sisters but he wouldn't run with it... I guess it's a man thing!
Anyone coming to the Teignmouth folk Festival in June?
Anne Darby (Wiseman)

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Max Johnson
Date: 26 May 11 - 06:48 AM

Hi Anne. Would you e-mail me, or join and PM me? There's something I'd like to run past the ballpark.
Address is 6th Feb 8.30am, above.

Max. xx.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Jul 11 - 07:59 PM

The Dead Sea Surfers had a YouTube Channel (click) - interesting music.

-Joe, who dove into the Dead Sea, but didn't surf-

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST, topsie
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 02:52 AM

Joe, that's a different - VERY different - Dead Sea Surfers!

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 03:04 AM

I think the real Dead Sea Surfers should sue! As topsie said...Nothing like them!

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Max Johnson
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 08:36 AM

I understand that there's a South African punk band who borrowed our name.

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Jul 11 - 06:36 PM

Max, sorry I got confused. Where can we find examples of your music?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 02:48 AM

Hi Joe...It;s a long old story.. First there was Threadbare Consort (4 part accapella band 1 LP withdrawn on the day of release due to faulty pressing!)..This duly morphed into Deaf Sea Surfers with three members in common..! 1 LP "Aloha" with lots of hawaiian references on it plus trad stuff. Again long deleted, but copies do pop up on E Bay from time to time. The good newsis that I'm working with the band on a new project, the first fruits of which will be out-takes/reheasal stuff being uploaded to Nigel (SpleenCringe) "Lost Tapes " site...You'll be able to find it easily ...God knows he's forever plugging it! THE DSS "Aloha" LP, is being considered, but, would anyone remember them? They weren't around for that long. There other breakaway bands too..."Mrs Spinks", and a different line up of the original juast called "Threadbare" (Hope you're taking notes!) In London around that time 70's 80's, London was pretty thriving musically, and band members moved about a lot! Hope this helps...

Subject: RE: Dead Sea Surfers - what happened to??
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Jul 11 - 03:07 AM

Well, I sure hope that some fine day, I'll hear the music of the real Dead Sea Surfers.

-Joe-