Mike West

Subject: Mike West
From: Fran
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 05:34 PM

I saw Mike West on Friday in Ashbourne, Derbyshire and he was brilliant, Mike West He is only in England for a few weeks and he is worth going to see.

Subject: RE: Mike West
From: open mike
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 07:05 PM

who knew? on his web page you can find instructions for raising a baby orphan squirrel. It seems as if he may be from new orleans Louisians area? at least he calls his music style new orleans...banjo alert!

Subject: RE: Mike West
From: el ted
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 09:56 AM

EH UP! HE'S COMING TO HULL! He's at The Springhead in Willerby on the 5th of August. Any hullites fancy it? I think I will pop along to see him

Subject: RE: Mike West
From: Sttaw Legend
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 11:24 AM

El Ted I'm seeing red, I think my eye sight has gone west

Subject: RE: Mike West
From: burntstump
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 12:22 PM

Also at Ashbourne to see Mike West, he played for 21/2 hours non stop! Can be put in the slightly weird catagory but thats folk.
Would recommend going to see him and have a great night out.

Subject: RE: Mike West
From: Dead Horse
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 06:20 PM

I saw him last night in Gillingham, will see him Thursday in Rochester, and again in August at Broadstairs FF.
He appeared at Broadstairs 2 yrs ago, we liked his stuff, so when we went to Louisiana, we popped into New Orleans to catch his act there - brilliant.
Usually plays guitar, banjo & mandolin (one at a time) & does his own stuff mostly, all good, and a very entertaining performer.
I believe I read somewhere that he was born in Australia, came to England as a child, then went "walkabout", settling in New Orleans.
Do yourself a favour and go see him.

Subject: RE: Mike West
From: s6k
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 07:00 PM

ted i might come will let you know

Subject: RE: Mike West
From: open mike
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 08:12 PM

it seems cajum music is quite popular in england...
is that what mike plays?
i recently rec'd a recording which has a cajun-sounding
tune sung in Swedish. It sounded like the Mcgarrigle sisters
KATE & ANNA MCGARRIGLE

Subject: RE: Mike West
From: PoppaGator
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 11:05 PM

Although Mike West has lived in New Orleans for quite a while, and writes many of his lyrics about his neighborhood, the Ninth Ward (a legendary hotbed of blue-collar local culture), his musical style is *not* especially influenced by any of the many local musical genres. In other words, it is not Cajun-style, not trad-jazz, not Fats-Domino-style '50s R&B, etc. He describes his style, I believe, as "urban hillbilly" -- contemporary city-boy lyrics set to mountain-style American folk music. Pretty much the type of sound I'd expect from a banjo/mandolin player.

He's a true original who sounds nothing at all like anyone else in New Orleans. I knew he was from Australia; don't know for sure whether he has also lived in the UK, or if so for how long.

He used to perform with his ex-wife Myshkin (of Myshkin and the Ruby Warblers, who someone recently praised in one of these threads). Both of them worked solo as well as together. Within the last year or so, he remarried and his new wife also performs with him sometimes; incidentally, they were expecting a child last time I saw them. (Maybe the baby's been born by now -- I don't know). I wonder if they're traveling together; for such a quick tour, maybe not.

If you get to one of his gigs, put in a request for his song about visiting the Jimmie Rodgers Museum in Mississippi. It's hilarious to see and hear him sing the refrain, "Jimmie Rodgers was a very skinny man," because Mike West is about the skinniest individual you'll ever see.

I see his bumper sticker on cars all over town: "Squirrel -- it's not just for breakfast anymore."

Subject: RE: Mike West
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 04:09 AM

I will go, [if i'm not doing nowt].

Subject: RE: Mike West
From: burntstump
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 09:49 AM

any other gigs in the Midlands?