Whatever happened to Meic Stevens & Spike Woods

Subject: Meic Stevens
From: MARINER
Date: 09 Nov 00 - 06:28 PM

I'm interested in finding out what became of some singers I used to listen to on a weekly basis nearly thirty years ago when I was a regular attender at a Folk Club inn Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.One was Meic Stevens who I believe is still gigging over there. The other was Spike Woods who featured on an album called "The new wave".And a man called Maxie Cole who I think was a postman "in real life".

Subject: RE: Meic Stevens
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 09 Nov 00 - 08:21 PM

Meic Stevens is still going so far as I know, specialising in the Welsh language nowadays.  Don't ever lend him a mandolin unless you're planning on replacing the strings anyway...

Malcolm

Subject: Meic Stevens
From: MARINER
Date: 17 Nov 00 - 08:50 PM

After I posted the original query about Meic Stevens and Spike Woods last week everything went haywire. The lines were knocked out by the wind and rain, so I never access to the net nor had any replies. So I'll ask again, does anyone know the whereabouts of Spike Woods? , is he still singing?. And where could I catch Meic Stevens in action?. I know that he's still gigging, but nowadays sings exclusively in Welsh, or so I'm told.At one time in the 60's he was one of the many singers said to be the new Bob Dylan, except in Meic,s case the title was deserved. He signed with a large international recording, but in the end left on a point of principle. (He wanted to record in Welsh, or so legend has it)

Subject: RE: Meic Stevens
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 07:34 AM

Your original thread is here:  Meic Stevens,  but I was the only one who replied, and I wasn't able to add anything useful, having not seen him for some years.  There is a discography of his recordings on Sain (most recent 1998)  here.

Malcolm

---

Threads combined. -Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Meic Stevens
From: MARINER
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 07:55 AM

Many thanks for the discography, Malcolm. Next time I'm in Wales I'll try to pick some of them up.Mike was a character, indeed.His brother(Irving?) also played, bass I think. There was a thriving scene in Haverfordwest back then. The club was in the cellar of the Mariners Hotel for a while. Another man from there who went on to the Rock scene was Kevin Westlake. He played drums with the British cult band "Blossom Toes" among others. Joffre Swales was another from that club who went on to do other things in the music business. I'm told they're still around.In fact I saw Westlake credited on an album sleeve recently, but can't remember the name of the album.

Subject: RE: Meic Stevens
From: Anglo
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 11:47 AM

I have absolutely no information at all. When I first got interested in all this I was doing some floor singing and occasional guesting around the Manchester area clubs, 1965 or so, and Meic was around there. Singing in English then. I particularly remember his version of the Battle of Otterburn. I'd love to see him again. We have Welsh societies over here - perhaps someone could do him a US tour. I can see I'll have to buy a couple of CDs.

Subject: RE: Meic Stevens
From: Margaret V
Date: 18 Nov 00 - 01:46 PM

Malcolm, I second the thanks to the Sain link. My old cassette of Nos Du Nos Da is completely garbled and really can't be played anymore, so it's good to know I can get a replacement. Margaret

Subject: where have all the singers gone
From: GUEST,mary
Date: 09 Aug 01 - 08:15 PM

Where have all your favorite singers gone,the ones that you used to look forward to seeing and know that you'll get a good evening from,and now yu don't hear them at all. what happened to Dave Burland annd Tery Free ..anyoe know???

Subject: RE: Help: where are they now
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 09 Aug 01 - 08:37 PM

http://www.daveburland.co.uk/

Subject: RE: Help: where are they now
From: kendall
Date: 09 Aug 01 - 09:08 PM

Ed Ames? Gogi Grant? Bonnie Guitar?

Subject: RE: Help: where are they now
From: Deckman
Date: 09 Aug 01 - 11:56 PM

Wow! Bonnie Guitar! Bonnie Tutmare, as I recall. Last I heard, perhaps ten years ago, she was running a small supper club in Eastern Washington, perhaps around the Wenatchee or Orriville area. I'll ask around. Great great lady. CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson

Subject: RE: Help: where are they now
From: DougR
Date: 10 Aug 01 - 12:16 AM

Ed Ames? Kendall, do you consider him a folk singer? If so, I find it interesting. I have always viewed him (and the Ames Brothers) as Pop musicians.

Doug

Subject: RE: Help: where are they now
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 10 Aug 01 - 12:39 AM

I don't remember much about Ed Ames's singing, but his tomahawk throw on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson is a classic!

How about Sam Hinton? Is he still performing? Great chilhood memories of seeing him lead a children's afternoon concert at the UC Berkeley Folk Festival.

-chanteyranger

Subject: RE: Help: where are they now
From: Jeri
Date: 10 Aug 01 - 07:56 AM

I don't know if Sam Hinton's still performing, but he occasionally visits various places on the web. I've seen his posts in the newsgroup rec.music.folk.

I'll have to admit I have an Ed Ames album somewhere - I think "The Impossible Dream." He played Daniel Boone's Indian sidekick on the American TV show - I think that's what may have prompted the hatchet throwing on the Tonight Show. He threw a lot of hatchets in Dan'l Boone.

Subject: RE: Help: where are they now
From: kendall
Date: 10 Aug 01 - 08:15 AM

Ed Ames was not a folk singer, but he sang "Try to remember" better than anyone I know.

Subject: RE: Help: where are they now
From: kenny
Date: 21 Sep 06 - 02:50 PM

what ever happened to Lynne Holloway. She played on Charles st. in Boston in the sixties, but not often

Subject: RE: Help: where are they now
From: Little Robyn
Date: 21 Sep 06 - 04:03 PM

Back in 2001 Guest Mary asked about Terry Free.
Mary has probably gone (or is she now a member?) but Terry is in New Zealand, or was last time I saw him. I think he lives in Auckland because he's usually at the Auckland folk festival each January.
Gurney would know.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Help: where are they now
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 22 Sep 06 - 09:00 AM

Last month Terry Free was at Witby Folk Week in England. He was posting here on the following thread BLICKY.

There he goes...

Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Help: where she is now
From: GUEST,Tossi Aaron
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 08:42 PM

Well, I'm alive and as well as can be expected as one who is older than Jean Ritchie! We were Lee and Tossi Aaron back then, and our house was poker night visit stop for Tom Paxton and others. Our two albums, then for Prestige International, are still floating around out there. Lots of stories and good memories to share. A few popped up at PhilaFolkSong Society's Gilded Cage Reunion, sparked by ever faithful Mike Miller. IN old hoot style we sang with Dick Weissman, Bill Vanaver and many voices we hadn't heard in too long.
Then there's the more recent adventure of talk and calls and a delicious home made CD the maker called "Tossi's Children" all the versions he could find of "I Know You Rider," including Jerry Garcia's conversion, lyric change to a man's song. ( It's a woman's non- blues, first cut on my 1st album, cut in 1961, released in 62)
Anyone wanting to swap tales would be welcome!

Subject: RE: Help: where are they now
From: GUEST,999
Date: 09 Dec 09 - 09:21 PM

Tossi, I expect you are aware that "I Know You Rider" was probably the most played song in basket houses in Greenwich Village during the mid 1960s. Dynamite song. One could hear it in virtually every club in the Village back then. Excellent song then and it has aged well. Great to see your post.

Subject: RE: Meic Stevens
From: GUEST,spike woods
Date: 19 Jun 10 - 07:21 PM

Meic's alive and well and living in Splott, Cardiff. I see him irregularly and keep in touch by phone. He wrote his autobiography a few years back, which is worth reading. He often goes back to his home village, Solva, near St. David's, and has a jam in the Farmer's Arms (or did - he may have been banned). He's your original wild child. Kevin Westlake and I used to play with Meic as a trio at the Trewern Arms, Nevern each week about 1963. Kevin was a brilliant percussionist and also played guitar and wrote some good songs. He took to substance abuse and died about 15 years ago. Such a shame. Somewhere there is a re release of an LP Meic made in London. The second album he did, all in English. He brought the acetate to play to me and I recorded it on reel to reel tape. I don't think the album was ever released. I happened to mention it to Meic, and he went ape.The few copies he had he'd given away or lost and I was the only one with the original recording. It had two of my songs on it. I cleaned up the tape and dubbed it onto minidisc. His record company said it was good enough to use! They remastered it and put it out on release! I can't remember which label it was, but it was one that specialized in vintage music. It's a good story, but true.

Subject: RE: Meic Stevens
From: GUEST,Max Cole
Date: 19 Jun 10 - 07:37 PM

Max is a good buddy of mine and I stay with him in Carew when I get back to Pembs. We still have a helluva time together hammering out the old songs in the Carew Inn, or the Flying Boat in the Dock, or at the Point House in Angle. Max comes from a long line of local singers and can sometimes be persuaded to sing some of his grandfather's songs, but often nowadays he sings old Irish songs and ballads, which he does beautifully. He's played with rock bands and folk bands in his time, but he still can hold an audience with his eclectic mix of styles. I've only known two singers in my life who can make up songs on the spot, and Max is one of them. He can have you in stitches with his parodies, too. He's in his mid-seventies now, so has wound down the gigging, but can be tempted out. I recorded a CD of his work the other year, for posterity. And yes, he used to be the postman in Saundersfoot!

Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Meic Stevens & Spike Wood
From: Splott Man
Date: 21 Jun 10 - 02:58 AM

Here's a discography courtesy of Wiki"

Outlander (1970, Warner Bros)
Gwymon (Wren, 1972)
Gog (1977, Sain 1065M)
Caneuon Cynnar (1979, Tic Toc TTL001)
Nos Du, Nos Da (1982, Sain 82)
Gitar yn y Twll dan Star (Sain, 1983)
Lapis Lazuli (Sain, 1985 Sain 1312M)
Bywyd Ac Angau/Life And Death (Fflach, 1989)
Ware'n Noeth - Bibopalwla'r Delyn Aur (1991, Sain SCD 4088)
Er Cof Am Blant Y Cwm (1993, Crai CD036)
Y Baledi - Dim Ond Cysgodion (1992, Sain SCD 2001)
Voodoo Blues (1993? Bluetit Records MS1)
Yn Fyw (1995, Sain)
Ghost Town (1997, Tenth Planet TP028)
Mihangel (1998, Crai CD059)
Ysbryd Solva (2002, Sain SCD 2364)
September 1965: The Tony Pike Session (2002, Tenth Planet TP056)
Disgwyl Rhywbeth Gwell I Ddod (2002 Sain SCD 2345)
Outlander (2003, Rhino Handmade RHM2 7839 re-release)
Meic a'r Gerddorfa (2005, Sain SCD 2499)
Rain In The Leaves: The EPs vol. 1 (2006, Sunbeam SBRCD5021)
Sackcloth & Ashes: The EPs vol. 2 (2007, Sunbeam SBRCD5033)
Icarws (2007, Sain 2516)
An Evening With Meic Stevens: Recorded Live In London (2007, Sunbeam SBRCD5039)
Gwymon (2008, Sunbeam SBRCD5046)

Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Meic Stevens & Spike Woods
From: GUEST,Mariner.
Date: 21 Jun 10 - 02:42 PM

Good to hear that Spike Woods is still around, Maxi Cole too , the original singing postman ! I had heard a rumour that they show up in Fishguard now and then.But I am sad to hear that Kevin Westlake passed away. He was a really nice guy.

Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Meic Stevens & Spike Woods
From: GUEST,Felix Atagong
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 07:24 AM

My Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit blog telles the story of how Meic Stevens met Syd Barrett from Pink Floyd fame.

When Syd went 'bananas' some friends of him took him to Meic, trying to revive Syd's interest in making music. They visited each other a couple of times, Syd once went to a recording session from Meic as well. One of Syd's visits to Meic was filmed by the BBC but the reels have been lost or are rotting somewhere in the huge archives of the BBC.

Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Meic Stevens & Spike Woods
From: GUEST,Jeannine Reininger
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 11:25 PM

Is this the same Spike Woods who lived in Toton in 1959?

Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Meic Stevens & Spike Woods
From: Splott Man
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 04:01 AM

I believe the recent re-release was a limited edition on Tenth Planet Records.

Frank Hennessy played some of Meic on last Saturday's Celtic Heartbeat on Radio Wales (still available on BBC i-Player) and gave a a short biographical update.

Splott Man

Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Meic Stevens & Spike Woods
From: Splott Man
Date: 23 Feb 11 - 03:50 AM

Latest news on Meic before he moves to Canada:

National Library of Wales
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 3BU

Friday 25 Feb- 7.30 p.m.

Meic Stevens

Meic Stevens' last gig before leaving Wales for Canada
Bar available

Tickets - £10.00
[phone]
www.llgc.org.uk/drwm

Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Meic Stevens & Spike Woods
From: sian, west wales
Date: 23 Feb 11 - 05:41 AM

I'm still trying to get my head around this. Meic in Brittany, I can get my head around. Meic in BC? Hmmm.

One of Meic's guitars is on display in the new gallery at the Welsh History Museum (St Fagan's). Gave me a shock as it's a Harmony Sovereign - the exact same make/model/year as my own. You don't expect to see 'your' guitar in a museum! It was given to him by Pete Townsend and Meic wrote y Brawd Houdini with it IIRC. Mine was a hand-me-down from my sister and I've written buggerol with it.

sian

Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Meic Stevens & Spike Woods
From: GUEST,Anne Robson
Date: 11 Aug 11 - 02:55 PM

Spike Woods was my art teacher at school but I also learnt how to play guitar from him, much more successfully! He used to perform each Saturday on Radio Bristol with his fellow musician Ed (can't remember his surname) on the weekly kids' programme. Yes he did come from Nottingham too.

I actually bought Spike's guitar from him in the 70s and owned it till about 6 or 7 years ago when I passed it to my nephew.

Spike is still going strong, loads of his stuff on YouTube and MySpace. He also makes wonderful wooden craft items and other amazing stuff, despite being over 70 yrs old now. I'm still in touch with him via Facebook and general email.

Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Meic Stevens & Spike Woods
From: Newport Boy
Date: 11 Aug 11 - 04:46 PM

Ed (of Spike 'n' Ed) was Ed Bloomfield, who was at London University with me in the late 50's.

I still use a guitar strap Spike made for me when we were running Thornbury Folk Club in the late 60's. He started with a sharp knife at one end of the leather strap and carved a complicated pattern until he came to the other end. Took no time at all.

I also have a matching leather belt (only used these days for my motorcycling jeans) which he made for a local teacher, but she went off to Italy before he could deliver it. I had a small waist in those days, so I got it.

Phil

Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Meic Stevens & Spike Woods
From: GUEST,spike woods
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 10:53 AM

I've uploaded about seventy songs onto a musician's site called reverbnation.com. They're a varied selection, country, bluegrass, folk, my own songs and even some avant-garde stuff. I recently got together with some of my old skiffle group, the Zephyrs. We played at an open mike night near Derby, Midnight special, Puttin' on the style and others.It was great to do the old stompin' stuff again. To Phil, Jeannine and Anne, thanks for the nice comments.

Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Meic Stevens & Spike Woods
From: GUEST,spike woods
Date: 15 Aug 21 - 04:02 PM

Sorry to tell you that Max Cole died a few months ago in Carew. He was a legend in his own right and a very good friend. Over the years we played together and had some riotous times. I already miss him. R.I.P.