Liverpool Folk Club 1970

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Alastair Seagroatt
Date: 08 Apr 10 - 01:29 PM

I started off at the Coach House run by Jacqui and Bridie. Remember the annoyance (rage?) of folk at us youngsters singing Dylan songs - changed days eh? Saw some amazing performers there - Doc Watson, The Troubadours (who had a young guitarist called Nic Jones). Also played at other clubs already mentioned, The Green Moose, The Spinners club & others. A great initiation to playing & later composing music.

The Electronic Cottage

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: LesB
Date: 19 Feb 10 - 09:36 AM

What???????????????

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,banjoman
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 07:51 AM

Great to see this thread up and running again - can we make it to 400.
I can start the ball rolling with a distant memory of seeing a group in a church hall somewhere of Edge Lane which consisted of who I now know to have been Brian Jaques (and brother) Liz who later was teamed up with Brian and a weird looking banjo player called Bernie Davies (sorry Bernie if you read this) who did one song on his own.
There was a very young girl who got up and sang (yes sang) Midnight in Moscow and brought the house down - figuratively speaking- but I cant recall her name.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jan 10 - 11:54 AM

Hi Great Uncle Keith!

Wow, you're looking very famous! :)
Thanks for coming to see us last night.

Love Sam x
[And the family.]

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: scouse
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 09:53 AM

Somewhere I've got a tape (very bad quality) of a charity afternoon "do." that I was at in the Magazine Hotel in New Brighton sometime in the eighties.
   I went with Gron and his then lovely wife Joyce. I seem to remember Frank McCall being there and also some Gal with a beautiful voice who sang "Home is where the Heart is." could I be wrong in thinking it may have been Christine Collister.Was anyone else there?? Oh, Also someone called Rosie!!
As Aye,

Phil.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Clive Pownceby
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 07:59 AM

Sundry follow-up points; - I did indeed use a drum kit with Jack Ketch and still have it. I now play acoustic rockaboogie with the Lunchtime Legends. Sue Webster, our singer (featured on "The Gypsy's Wedding Day" mentioned a post or two back) used to say my Zyn rivet cymbal sounded like 'someone frying bacon.' I stopped using it - deeply wounded! Every now and again a JKB reunion is mooted but unless we can find Ken Dunlop..........
Tony Rosney is still with us - last saw him at a wake for Frank McCall. Dave Hockley sadly left us last year. More a poet than a singer.
I used to keep Martin Dunn's prized flute in our safe custody vault free of charge when I worked for Midland Bank. Fine musician and a gentle character - sometimes seen at Whitby Festivals.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: banjoman
Date: 21 Nov 09 - 05:57 AM

We went to the Pineapple a few times and I recall seeing Gary & Vera Aspey there once. Saw tham many years later at Broadstairs Festival but they had become a sort of Cabaret Act. Vera was a great singer and released several records.
The Council workers who ran the club at the Knowle Brow in Skem were Dave & Monica who both worked for the SDC (Skem. Development Corporation) I think they had a remit to bring some sort of "Culture" to us unfortunates who had moved out of that big city a few miles to the west. I recall Monica singing "Keep your hand on your halfpenny" and Dave asking Maggie & I to be the support act for Tony Rose. We did one song as we all wanted to hear Tony and he did a couple of great sets including a request for his version of The Sheath and Knife.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Pat Ryan
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 01:59 PM

I went to the Black Horse to see the Hooters. Artie Shaw sang with Tom Topping. Remember seeing Barbara Dickson, Harvey Andrews & The MacCalmans amongst others but we had to leave before the end to get the last train back to Liverpool as we were in digs in Aigburth. I also ran Notradame Folk Club at the Pineapple in Dingle for a year 1973/74. We had some great nights including Mike Harding, Nic Jones & Martin Carter. Great times.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 07:27 AM

I think the Dave Hockley (who I believe is no longer with us) co-hosted a folk music club in Skem at some point. Does that ring a bell with anyone.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: banjoman
Date: 20 Nov 09 - 06:10 AM

I think Tony Rosney is still about somewhere.
Well we made 379 entries on this thread which shows that a lot of people have a lot of memories. How about going for the 400.
Did anyone go to the Knowle Brow in Skelmersdale? - the only folk club so far as I know which was run and paid for by the local council. Some great guests there.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Patrick Hutchinson
Date: 18 Nov 09 - 12:52 PM

You won't remember me as a performer--Frank McCall once described my singing as "a guitar solo with a slight buzz above it"--though I did sing with Helen Anderson and Dick Hebden for a bit doing 3-part stuff.
But all these names bring back memories, and I hesitate to ask, is so-and-so still with us.

Gron Humphreys dragged me over to Oily Joe's. He used to show up at Bob Buckle's club in Wallasey, and after the innumerable 12-year old girls singing The Boxer ("there were times I was so lonesome I took some comfort there"!), and Phil Guy singing John Denver, Gron would get up, looking like an archetypal dirty old man from Monty Python, and sing "Sheath and Knife" or some such, unaccompanied, then whip out his tin whistle and play a tune. Blew my mind.

And so to Oily Joe's I went, and frequented it for a few years. Barbara Bennion singing like an angel. Bernie Davis playing the 4-Poster Bed on his accordion, and doing the bow bounce bits with the air valve open and whacking the four corners of the box. Pete Rowley imitating Martin Carthy. Christy McHale singing the Death of Cathal Brugha (and then Christy McHale getting me stoned and introducing me to Willie Clancy and John Coltrane on the same night). Mary Black taking her turn like anyone else. Shay singing Lord Gregory. Frank McCall singing Saucy Sailor and I Wish There Were No Prison. Les Trenery singing Searching for Lambs. Davy Brennan singing When A Man's in Love (and auditioning for the Chieftains). Bruce Scott singing The Herring Song. Alan MacMahon singing the Haughs of Cromdale.

At Gregson's Well I remember the first time Clive showed up with a trap set instead of a bodhran with Jack Ketch, backing Queen of the Gypsies (?). Worse reaction than Dylan going electric as I recall.

The session at Ye Cracke was wonderful. Chris Ormston was at college in Liverpool, so he would show up and play (I asked him a year or two back if he remembered playing Rusty Gully with a long-haired fingerpicking guitarist in the Cracke in 1978 or so. "I don't remember the Seventies" he said). Mick Coyne of course, the first piper I saw up close. I remember him at one session, I think at Shay's, sitting on the bed fiddling with his reeds while the music roared. "Why doesn't he just play?" I thought. After 25 years playing the uilleann pipes I now know the answer!

Someone mentioned Martin Dunne. Anyone remember when Tony Rosney (is he still with us?) organized a set of non-Irish music for Gregson's Well? I played Lochaber No More on guitar with Martin on flute. Lovely man.

News of any of the above welcome. All the best.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Guest John Hartford
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 02:54 PM

Hi John

Yea I remember the Black Horse well and saw many of the people you mention.

And I especially remember Therapy with Dave Shannon and Fiona Simpson.
Dave is a brilliant musician and as you said Fiona is simply stunning - what a voice.

I believe Dave is still writing music and directing.

Fiona last I heard had formed her own band who sing contemporary christian style music.

cheers

John

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 12:35 PM

I think TTB will be at The Hungry Horse, Rake Hall, Ellesmere Port soon

L in C

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,John Bisson
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 11:51 AM

I used to frequent the Green Moose in Brook's Alley circa 1967/68 sometimes with my school pal Arthur Reeve. The Kirkby Town Three fronted by Willie Russell were the resident group. If you Google the name, there is an entry for them. I recall such songs as ' The Derby Ram','Greenland Whale Fisheries', a song which began with 'Oh don't we live all in curious times...', 'I Played in My Back Yard Yesterday', a cheerful little ditty (not!) called 'Bottle of Gin'-- a real song to make you want to slit your wrists, if there was ever one.
In fact as I type, I am only 30 yards from the old Central Cafe were the Moose club was held. (I work in an office on Church St which fronts Brooks Alley. The building still has Central Cafe on it, but it is derelict & boarded over--it adjoins the Old Post Office pub which was the start of the evening, usually.)

I also used to go to the 'Black Horse Folk Music Hall' in the B.H pub in West Kirby fronted by The Hooters, comprising Tom Topping & his mate whose name I forget. I saw Mike Harding, Jake Thackray & sundry other people there in the early 1970s (Fourpenny Bridge from Yorkshire? Stan? (Ambrose?--made an LP called 'A Lady's Man' I think) (Not Hugill-saw him with the Spinners at the Phil), Brownsville Jug Band -an absolute riot! Therapy with a stunning girl singer, again I think there's a Google entry.

Tom Topping became the Tom Topping Band--they did a gig at my children's primary school in the mid 80's appx. & his son's band appears locally, I think. They have been on the Pacific Road theatre in Birkenhead recently, I think.

Went to the Clubship Landfall, saw the Crofters, I think, als0 the Mitre on Dale St-can't remember who we saw there.

Happy days!

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 06:31 AM

Great to see Bernie Davies and lots of others at The Pennyfarthing Reunion, Saturday night at The National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, separated from The Mersey by The Shropshire Union Canal.

L in C

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: banjoman
Date: 16 Nov 09 - 05:58 AM

Thanks - we'll try & make it.
Dont let this thread die as I am sure there are thousands more memories of Liverpool in the 60's & 70's which are well worth a read.
Anyone remember a girl called Ann Corish who did gigs around that time. We last saw her at Maghull (St Georges). That was the night that someone knocked Maggie's trble recorder off a table & broke it.
Keith - she still has that huge wooden recorder which you gave her as a replacement and she still uses it in the band (with a bug attatched)
Not much mention here of Kings Shilling who were around then and continued for many years. We still have regular contact with John Cornette and his family. John used to make instruments and I recall Tony Rosne playing a fiddleomadodleon ( a bowed mandolin) which john still has hanging on his wall in Ainsdale.

Such memories as dreams are made of -- now who said that

Pete

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: LesB
Date: 11 Nov 09 - 07:27 AM

Bothy, 14th Feb 2010, you can find guest dates up to 18th July 2010, on the website Bothy Folk Club.
Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: banjoman
Date: 11 Nov 09 - 06:04 AM

`Give us the dates for next year as if we are in the area we would love to meet up with Sara again - last time we met she was selling jewellery made by Native Americans and I think Maggie still has some of them

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: LesB
Date: 10 Nov 09 - 12:28 PM

Bothy Folk Club
Talking of golden oldies, Dave Burland on Sun.
Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Clive Pownceby
Date: 10 Nov 09 - 05:34 AM

Sara and son, Kieron are playing the Bothy in February next year. (shameless plug!) www.bothyfolkclub.co.uk
Caught On The Hop have a couple of recordings on Harbourtown Records.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: banjoman
Date: 10 Nov 09 - 05:22 AM

Thanks Clive - I thought that Sara still lived in USA - she came to Broadstairs with her son and we had a great time when she sat in for a short while playing banjo with The Old Trout Band.
It was Caught on the Hop that came to Whitchurch in what I can only describe as the most unroadworthy van I have ever seen. We spent most of the weekend trying to get it going so they could get home. They were a good band though and I think they enjoyed themselves.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Clive Pownceby
Date: 09 Nov 09 - 12:41 PM

Sara = married to Dave McLurg, whom she met when billeted with him at a Liverpool Fest. in the '80s. Both good friends of ours, they live in Perth, Scotland.
Bernie Forkin's band would have been Caught On The Hop, He's still around and managing/mentoring Tiny Tin Lady when I last saw him, though that was some years back now.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: banjoman
Date: 09 Nov 09 - 10:49 AM

Its all great stuff - here is another question if anyone can enlighten me. Some years ago We took over the running of the Whitchurch Folk Festival which ran in Hampshire till about 1993. During that time we made a lot of friends among whom was Sarah Grey who we still have occasional contact with. I was surprised to learn that she lived in Ormskirk at the time and seemed to know a lot of the old names we knew. I think her husband was Dave. Last saw her at Broadstairs a couple of years ago at which time she was living on Oregon (Which she said she hated as there was nobody there)

Another group we booked was a band run by a Bernie Faukin? who hailed from St helens or thereabouts. Is he still about.
Pete

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Windmill folk John Mackenzie
Date: 08 Nov 09 - 05:15 PM

Just happened on this thread and saw a question about Windmill Folk playing in a Liverpool folk club. We, the Windmill folk used to play in the sportsman bar that was on the lower level of St Johns precinct by the pet stores. The windmill folk started as a group of Scouts who used to play in the Windmill pub in Parbold. I asked them if I could join them and we played some small gigs around Merseyside. One night I went to the sportsman who had various bands on through the week and asked the manager, ( Jim Shinner) if he would like to have a folk group on. He said yes, Give it a try. We played there every week also with guest artists appearing. The original line up was John Fenner, John Phipps, AN other, name I forget and me, John MacKenzie, A few months after our time there one of the group left and David Jones joined us. Dave was already well known on the folk scene. He used to be on the door at Gregsons Well where the Spinners played and seemed to know everyone . The group went on from strength to strength in the 70's guesting all around Merseyside, Cheshire north Wales and Staffordshire. We finally left the Sportsman and moved to "The Ship" in Haskayne .
We also ran another folk club in Formby at the football club. New valued members of the group at that time were Dave Bresnan and Dave Gould. They were great days I could write a book !. Dave Jones and I still sing together from time to time. Dave is involved in Folk and is chairman of the Folk North West Magazine as well as being a compere at many of the country's Folk festivals.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Geoff Speed
Date: 07 Nov 09 - 03:35 AM

Thank you Clive for mentioning it.I still have that pale yellow membership card with my name and No 1 written on it,somewhere in my papers. Little did we realise,on that very first evening that the Bothy was to survive and prosper for so long.Even then you had and still have such a fine roster of singers/musicians (and guests.
Long may you continue.
Geoff.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Keith Price
Date: 06 Nov 09 - 09:09 AM

Spot on Clivey, we had 796 members and we only ran for a year and a bit. The last one to sign in was Dave Rowles he played in a group called Penny Black? and later with the short lived(thank goodness) Liverpool Draught Syndicate, Brian Jaques Liz Crompton Bernie Davies and Old Rope, I hope I haven't missed anyone. We beat Everton Reserves 2-0


Who's created a monster Clive?

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: banjoman
Date: 06 Nov 09 - 05:55 AM

Maggie always referred to Godfrey as "Janus" who I believe was the Greek God of the Door. We were fortunate to meet him again a few years ago when he came south to a party in Reading organised by Faith & Keith Myers. Pleased to know that he is still keeping station

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Clive Pownceby
Date: 06 Nov 09 - 03:46 AM

Can I just say that,no I can't beat that Keith. Except to drop in that Geoff Speed of Widnes/Paul Simon-slept-in-my-house-and-wrote-songs-on-station-platform and Radio Merseyside fame was Southport Bothy member no.1 - a fact he's still proud of, I think! I only managed no.776 in Nov. 1966, which was my 1st visit. That speaks volumes about the times doesn't it? Clubs that had upwards of 700 members in any one year, not to mention the number of casual visitors.

PS; - Joyce, door-person Godfrey is still strict! You don't get past him in a hurry, even though his sight is not what it was. We wouldn't want him any other way, as the song goes - or would we!?

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Keith Price
Date: 05 Nov 09 - 01:15 PM

Just so Peter, the Richmond was in between in fact that's the address given in the one and only Mersey and Deeside folk directory 1972.Give my best wishes to Les when you see him.
Yes Joyce bringing your homework to the club was a bit of a give away.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Joyce Jennings nee brazen Bennion
Date: 05 Nov 09 - 11:34 AM

That would make me 16 years old when I joined the Pinehurst/Alehouse folk club although I was already a member of The Spinners club and The Mitre.
I remember the day at the Keele Folk Festival.It was a great coach trip. I also remember Les the male nurse.He was strict but not as strict as Godfrey.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: banjoman
Date: 05 Nov 09 - 05:37 AM

Keith - the Les Jones you refer to as the doorman at the Pinehurst was in fact my mate (and best man at our wedding) He was a Nurse and rose to the heights of Nursing Tutor at Clatterbridge Hospital before retiring a couple of years ago. In fact Maggie and I are going to New Brighton later this month to help celebrate a major wedding anniversary for him and his wife Sue.
You also forgot to mention that the Pinehurst in fact moved to The Richmond Pub in Breck Road before going to the Cattle Market. Les and I shared doorman duties there.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 04 Nov 09 - 01:59 PM

I am Les Jones AKA L in C. I did go to Keele that year but hitched from Leeds to get there. so it looks like another Les Jones - such a popular name.
Cheers

Les Jones in Chorlton
Off to The Beech for a Singaround

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Keith Price
Date: 04 Nov 09 - 01:57 PM

That's me above, I think!!

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Nov 09 - 01:54 PM

Found the books for the Pinehurst/Alehouse folk club.Peter Patrick Finucane(banjoman) attened the opening night on the 16.9.71 and became member No 8,Miss Maggie Bowers(Mrs banjoman) late of Flat 5 44 Onslow Rd arrived on the 30.9.71 and the brazen Bennions Barbara and Joyce signed in on the 20.1.72.
We organized a coach trip to the Keele folk festival 17th of June 72, at the back of the members book is a list of those who went, one of which was Les Jones could that be you L in C ? if not then it has to be Les Jones our brilliant doorman second only to the great Godfrey.I remember seeing some poor sod with his legs eyes and fingers crossed biting hard on a beer mat, Les would not let him out till the singer had finished. Btw Barbara, Les was a male nurse
      We moved to the Cattlemarket on the 2.3.72 and the club closed on the 7.12.72, 15 months! beat that Clive Pownceby.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: banjoman
Date: 04 Nov 09 - 09:40 AM

The song you refer to Barbera that John sang was The Chinese Bum Boat Song which I pinched from him and still sing occasionally. John Fellows left Liverpool to start a business selling Fertilizer as I recall and on the occasional visit used to deswcribe it a load os SH***.
Keith you never were much use except when playing or singing. How are the family??
Lance used to do a fine rendition of the Trimden Grange Disaster and I recall he was very much into restoring a very old sports car.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Keith Price
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 05:24 PM

Barbara,I think that might be Lance Osborne a friend of Geoff Thomas both committee members of the Pinehurst and Alehouse folk clubs. Not a clue what happend to either of them, no bloody use am I!

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 05:08 PM

I met Ken last week at The MacColl Memorial in Salford. We had a short chat about The Bag End Folk Club where Ken, Barry and I were residents 72 -3 and he mentioned going to Barry's 60th birthday party!

Les Jones

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: danensis
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 03:51 PM

Oh Carol Lewis - we used to see her all over the place when we lived in Hebden Bridge. They lived somewhere near Keighley I seem to recall. I can remember talking to her on the record stall at Burnley Folk Festival when we'd come out because the band was too loud. My son was still in his pushchair, so that must be about 16 years ago.

John

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Barbara Snape
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 03:37 PM

Hi, I've just been catching up with all this stuff.
I remember the Liverpool Folk Festival we had in the Adelphi, I have a photo of a singaround in the ladies loo with Frank MaColl, Flat County String Band and the group I was with Bright Phoebus ( it was a big loo).
Then I had a flash back to John Fellows singing ( now lets see) "itchy com tichy com yah yah yah sailor man no liky me", "tell me the story of Wing Chang Loo, too much of the barbari-ee ee yah".
The Barry Walmsley I remember moved back to the Worcester area and got married. His really good friend Ken Wood lived near Hebden Bridge for years with his first wife. Then married Carol Lewis and they publish Tykes News.
I remmember the Liverpool Trad Clubs Christmas do. with Jack Ketch Band and the Ketch-a-lettes ( I have a photo of that too).
Do you remember Lance who used to live near my mum on the Wirral and came to the Pinehurst with us, what ever happened to him?
Cor, the memories just keep coming.
X

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: banjoman
Date: 02 Nov 09 - 07:13 AM

Maggie has just had a read of this thread and reminds me that in the 1970's we could go to a different folk club every night (and often did)There were great sales of PRO Plus in the local chemists as we both had to get to work and sometimes went direct from all night after club gigs (Usually at John Fellowes House or in the upper room at the Pinehurst) Couldn't hack it nowadays
Pete (& Maggie)

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Clive Pownceby
Date: 31 Oct 09 - 04:58 AM

Chris Ormston and Cathy O'Dea - later Cathie Ormston, (but no longer, I feel) were the equal of artists with far higher profiles. Chris is a leading light in the piping world as his website attests and has lived in the North-East for many years now. I'd love to see him again. They were instrumental (ta,dah) in Folk On Merseyside which was a loose grouping of musicians and activists which staged a few Festivals in the city in the early '80s. The Adelphi, and the Poly were venues and I've still got some files relating to those events, as being a banker (hiss, boo!) I was Treasurer.
Abiding memories are seeing Pyewacket on an Adelphi ballroom Saturday morning, launch into 'Spirits In The Material World' - superb reading of The Police song. Plus Swarb and Nicol asking me where they could erm, 'skin up' in peace before their set!
We lost a packet on the final Festival which is why it was the final one and spent the next 12 months doing gigs with a roadshow to pay off the shortfall. Actually, those were fun too and we did clear the debt in the end!
Don't suppose the 'Helen' could be Hebden? Maybe not.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 30 Oct 09 - 02:32 PM

Thanks Keith: Yes, Chris was the piper I was thinking of. Here's a link to his website.

Chris Ormston website

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Keith Price
Date: 30 Oct 09 - 01:33 PM

I wonder Tunesmith if your thinking of Chris Ormston and Kathy (can't remember her surname). Chris plays Northumbrian small pipes exceptionally well, if it's the same man.While I am in guessing mode Pete could the Helen you refer to possibly be Helen Brady? if so she formed a group called Hidden Stream

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 Oct 09 - 12:29 PM

It's true Banjoman, I missed out lots not least The Spinners & Jaqui & Bridie but the memory fades

L in C
A born again banjoist

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 30 Oct 09 - 09:47 AM

I was trying to think of the name of a young couple who I used to catch around the Liverpool folk scene around 1980(?). He played the Irish pipes and she sang. They've probably already been mentioned on this thread, but I don't think that I'd recognise their names. I remember being in a Liverpool folk club back then and I was sitting next to the pipe player when he played a beautiful slow air, and I was so moved that, at that moment, I was dead set on going straight home, selling by guitar and using is a down payment on a set of pipes. I never did, of course!

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: banjoman
Date: 30 Oct 09 - 08:36 AM

Les - you missed a lot from your list - do you remember a lady called helen (I think she was a Physciatric Nurse) who had a marvellous voice. How about John Fellows and his song about driving (Sounding the horn enables the car to pass thro' small gaps - Alchohol taken before driving enables the car to pass thro' even smaller gaps) Not forgetting Maggie (my other half) who had, and still has, a great voice which has just got better and better with time. Since I taught her to play the banjo she has widened her repetoire considerably. She is also one of the finest Recorder and Whistle players ever (not just my opinion). There were lots of fine singers and players about then and probably still are. Has anyone thought about trying to organise a reunion of some sort. We would be willing to travel up from Hampshire.

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 Oct 09 - 06:23 AM

Wow. Seems strange that we all got so much from old songs and tunes then stopped doing it. I stopped singing, no great loss their, for about 20 years, and picked it up again after learning tunes on the mandola.

I always felt that my time in Liverpool Clubs (67 - 74) was a kind of apprenticeship. Meeting and hearing people like Tony Wilson, Bernie Davis, John Howson, Frank MacColl, Tom Brown, John Kelly and of course yourselves in Old Rope. Something about the songs & tunes being more important than the performers.

Cheers

Les

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Keith Price
Date: 30 Oct 09 - 05:18 AM

No Les not played music with Ken for 25 years and we seldom see each other just by chance. I don't think he's played in sometime

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 Oct 09 - 04:58 AM

Keith, do you and Ken get together for demon fiddling at all?

Les Jones
The Bag End Folk Club 1923

Subject: RE: Liverpool Folk Club 1970
From: GUEST,Keith Price
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 04:11 PM

Pete I was sorry to hear about Michael, we occassionly met at the Everyman it's a sad loss.You were right it was St Georges folk club Maghull, Ken and I left to form Jack Ketch with Sue Webster and Sean Murphy, later to become the Jack Ketch Band with the lovely Clive Pownceby and Mick Rimmer.Ted kept the club running for awhile with Dave Day (sadly they have both passed on) I remember Dave organising Emma Vickers 80th birthday party great crack. How remiss of I forgot to mention Paul Wright was a resident as well