The Good Old Days

 

 

Tuesday evening and just back from The Spice Merchants in Osborne Road where Bill Edwards, driver/roadie etc (far right) organised a get-together to welcome guitarist Denny Barnes (third left) back on a visit from Australia. Full line-up (l-r) yours truly, Don Ruttle, DB, Bernie Fox, Dave Arthur, BE. Between us we played together in various bands including Blues Convention, Whiskey River and Gilbey Twiss (hello Mick Dillon!). We took the ladies too but they’re lurking in the background – and Bob Pearce, the south’s King of the Blues was there earlier, having sung with Blues Convention. For pics of us all in our younger days, consult the book (we’re older than that now).

PS: photos, take your pic. The best my ‘phone could do, with and without flash. This new technology!

PPS: Some of you will be pleased to note I’m wearing my brand new Levis 501s – which I did not buy in Gunwharf!

More Ginger

Malc sent this

I think you can find the whole thing on Youtube too but I ain’t posting that – he’ll probably kill me. I’m not sure if this is what ‘Oscar’ watched (and didn’t enjoy) or whether that was a different interview

 

Paul Jones

Phil is working with 10cc this Saturday alongside the Blues Band and others and asked me whether I have a message for him. Well I’ve mentioned previously that the Grammar School asked me to write a monograph about him which I made good progress with initially but it seems now to have ground to an inconclusive halt. One reason (ask him this Phil) is that he is unresponsive to any approaches to help out.

Ray Manzarek

Alan Williams from down under now, informs me that the Doors’ keyboard man has died – RIP ray.

The Doors always seemed to me one of those 60s bands that younger musicians cited as influential – along with the Beatles, the Velvet Underground, the Small Faces and ????

By contrast some bands just seem of their time and nothing more. I don’t mean the Applejacks or Honeycombs – in terms of some of my favourites I’d cite most of the San Francisco bands of the late 60s like Jefferson Airplane or Country Joe & the Fish. The Doors were from LA and like the Byrds and Love their music resonated longer

PUP!

I hope to keep everyone informed about this on a regular basis. This first alert from Mr Greedy (thanks)

Play Up Pompey Music aims to Rock the Summer in aid of PFC.

Musicians and venues across Portsmouth are getting together to raise funds for the Pompey Supporters Trust. Play Up Pompey Music will take place for two weeks in July.

A series of gigs and events will take place all over the city to raise funds, which will be converted into community shares in the name of the Pompey music scene. A number of pubs and venues have already signed up to the campaign, including The Festing, The Wedgewood Rooms, Little Johnny Russell’s and Drift; and the diary is already filling up with events.

But PUPM want more venues to come forward – particularly those who are not on the ‘usual’ gig circuit.

A spokesman said: ‘Local pubs are the mainstay of a community, and are recognised for their massive creativity, enthusiasm for fundraising and demonstrating their support of that community and local charities. ‘We are creating one of Portsmouth’s most unique community fundraising projects where we will bring Sport and Music together across the whole city.

PUPM has been asked to organise the main stage at a Fans Day planned for July at Fratton Park.

Pubs and venues who opt to take part can raise money in any way they like and it is hoped they will take this chance to increase revenues and support PFC, as well as claiming a stake in the new community-owned club.

Ceremonials

A day of ceremonies and rituals in Pompey today. Nigel has been down the seafront for a last pic of Ark Royal as she sails away

 

While MRA and I:

 

put on our posh frocks and went to the Guildhall for the election of the Mayor

This may seem less my thing than the odd burst of ‘harp’ at the Cellars and indeed it is but I worked with the new Mayor, Lynne Stagg, teaching at St Luke’s. What’s more (and especially more Pompey Pop) she has chosen as her Lady Mayoress Anne Talbut who also taught there – but I’ve known Anne since the early 60s as she was originally Anne Gurd and her ‘little’ brother Pete was the man I started my musical career with – we played the Folk Clubs together, then we were in Harlem Speakeasy together and I’ve told before how Anne was a girlfriend of J Isherwood – which was handy for us because he was very encouraging. We also played an amplified blues gig (a first for me) at Anne’s 21st in the mid 60s – a party that was attended among others by the Pompey Beatnik fraternity. Seems a long way from Lady Mayoress but she’s delightful and I’m sure they will do a good job.

News soon about PFC

Old and in the Way (On the Buses)

I’ve been asked to circulate this and it occurs to me that it may be relevant to many bloggers, so:

The NPC has launched a new on-line petition – calling for the continuation of universal pensioner benefits such as concessionary bus travel, the winter fuel allowance and free prescriptions. The petition is being backed by the Daily Express and articles will be appearing over the next few weeks aimed at putting forward our campaign. It is vital that we reach the 100,000 ASAP – and I would therefore be grateful if you could circulate this link below amongst your members and contacts.

Neil Duncan-Jordan, National Officer, NPC

HANDS OFF UNIVERSAL PENSIONER BENEFITS’ PETITION: SIGN HERE - http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/49599