TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Hello there - long term lurker, short time poster here, however in common with those who believe the function of the board is to log on, tell people they've written something on the internet and then go away again until the next time, I thought I'd tell you that I've written something on the internet. Obviously, when I say 'on' the internet, I mean it's available to read there, not that it is about the internet, per se. One thing that isn't included is an account of the exchange I was able to have regarding the merits of Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue thanks to the erudition of the TAW hive mind when I enquired as to whether it was worth a punt or not. Once again, thanks for the good steer, and may all but a paltry smattering of you have a happy, prosperous and a thoroughly hoopy 2012.

http://www.skirky.blogspot.com/2011/12/they-say-you-play-high-barn-twice-in.html

What Ho, Chums! I've been at the writing again - this blog is about doing some recording, and contains links to The Rocking Vicar's website, where I had a thing published at the weekend, and to a free copy of the song in question on Soundcloud.
http://www.skirky.blogspot.com/2012/01/in-company-of-strangers-while-ago-i.html

This one, like the last, is also about recording, and dwells briefly on how to persuade people to come and play on your stuff for free - or as near as you can schmooze them down to over the course of a few phone calls and some email correspondence. People can be surprisingly generous with their time and talent which is how I once found myself in a KFC on the A120 buying supper for a vegetarian, en route to gaining myself a Pegg number of two (or possibly three). But that's another story.

http://www.skirky.blogspot.com/2012/02/you-book-sarm-west-for-tuesday-and-get.html

There's a list of Pegg Numbers here - http://www.stocton.org/peggnumj.htm#dyblejudy

I have done another writing - http://www.skirky.blogspot.com/2012/02/this-song-was-number-one.html

One thing it doesn't mention is the incredible Jamie Lawson, who started his set in Kelvedon with a jaw-dropping version of Bacharach and David's I'll Never Fall In Love Again and included this heart-stopping little number mid way through a wonderful master class in singer-songwriterdom. I thoroughly commend his work to the house.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Rhw-1oS58  

Unbelievably, I am very rarely called upon to step in at the last minute, as they say. Nevertheless, my "Further On Up The Road" had them in floods that time at jam night...
http://skirky.blogspot.com/2012/02/perfectly-good-guitarist-i-am-not-now.html

The Ipswich Community Radio remit to broadcast has been renewed for another five years, which is both a tribute to the hard work put in by the sole full time employee - Nick - and a lasting testament to the vision of those who first came up with the idea of broadcasting from a caravan in the middle of Christchurch Park, during the 1989 Ipswich Music Day, as part of the Venue for Ipswich campaign. Who on that committee would have predicted that in 2012 I'd be having an email conversation with someone who broadcasts a similar show in New Zealand? "What's an email?" would, I think, have been their first response...  :)

http://www.skirky.blogspot.com/2012/03/spirit-of-radio-on-fortnightly-basis-i.html  

Met up and played with some old bandmates at the weekend and realised that it was exactly twenty two years since we officially broke up. I even remember the last song we played together, which was Richard Thompson's Shoot Out The Lights, beings as how the only two groups the four of us were agreed on were del Amitri and Husker Du, and Bob Mould had been playing a version of the RT showstopper live around that time. The drummer is now a barrister and I assured him that, should I ever decide to kill someone, I'd definitely be putting some work his way. "What I think you mean is" he replied, already earning his commission "...if you were to be accused of killing someone...".
Anyway, did I ever tell you about the time we were woken by an unusual sound emanating from outside our lodgings...?
http://www.skirky.blogspot.com/2012/03/it-was-twenty-two-years-ago-today-to.html    

Latest blog hasn't got a lot of content, to be honest, it was more an excuse to post this up - http://soundcloud.com/doyoudoanywings/theodore-time-spent-in-los The evening did give us the chance to relive some on-tour moments with As Is, not least the bass player recounting the missing words round from our tour of Denmark, viz the phrase "That's an expensive musical instrument - you can't use it as a *blank*!"
Two diiferent people have independently compared Theodore to Teenage Fanclub, incidentally. I'm not saying they're right, I'm not saying they're wrong - merely reporting the facts.  ::)

Teenage Fanclub eh?

I hear they're getting on a bit as well...  :)

More free music, and a tangential discourse which takes in how the titles of songs, as with films, are sometimes better than the finished items themselves. Trivia you may find helpful when scrolling through are that The Chelsea Hotel, where Bob Dylan stayed up all night writing Sad Eyed Lady of The Lowlands (there's another one) is on West 23rd Street in New York, and the punchline "...Oh, that'll be our Monica!".

http://www.skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/rolling-and-tumbling-ive-always-really.html  

I should add that the live tracks I've been putting up on my blog come courtesy of Pete Freshney, whose regular gig is recording Gardeners' Question Time.

Peat Freshney, then?

Indeed. He gets all his t-shirts from Fruit of the Loam.

Anyone looking for a good read for the Spring could do a lot worse than this little beauty - http://www.amazon.com/The-House-Beartown-Road-Forgetting/dp/0375507272 - which I enjoyed (if that's the right word) so much that I wrote a song about it. How and why is summarised within this latest blog - http://www.skirky.blogspot.com/2012/04/whats-difference-between-bafta-and.html wherein I also touch briefly on my ultimately disappointing flirtation with Hollywood.  

Skirky Goes To Hollywood?

You might have a chuckle at this - http://www.skirky.blogspot.com/2012/05/hi-is-that-kanye-wests-furriers-i-was.html
Incidentally, Emma Hartley, late of this parish, had a hand in marketing an App that pointed out the nearest late night drinking establishment to wherever you are in That There London. Does anyone know if there's a similar one identifying your nearest iconic album sleeve landmark?

Loved the Baker Street anecdote, but your friend wasn't far out with his guess.  I was there a couple of weeks ago and there is a large advertising poster along the lines of  'Will everyone please stop whistling that song?'.

I was helping out at The Maverick Festival at the weekend, and I think it's fair to say that I may have gazed over the horizon of my comfort zone. Not mentioned in this piece is the utterly adorable and vastly talented Amelia Curran, who performed like an angel, and helped me above and beyond the call of duty by serenely opening my stage two nights in a row in the face of circumstances which may have driven a lesser woman to throw a hissy fit. As is so often the case I find that the more talented the performer, the less diva-like thay are likely to be up close. I do urge you to explore her work if you get the opportunity.

http://www.ameliacurran.com/

http://www.skirky.blogspot.com/2012/07/right-ive-sawn-all-four-legs-off-piano.html

Nice blog,nice to say hello, albeit briefly given your duties,  thought the festival went rather well myself.  The usual few small gripes, plus the major one of the beer queue on Friday, and given the hurricane blowing when I arrived on Friday my tent is no more, but all in all, a good weekend.

The Word magazine closes, and with it goes my fingertip brush with stardom. Older readers may recall that a number of TAWers took a charabanc for the weekend out to The Cornbury Festival in 2006. I already had tickets, and so it was an unusual set of circumstances that meant that when The Waterboys couldn't make it, I was in a position to be asked to be on standby to replace them just in case. Ultimately our services were not required, but the thing is we had serviceable versions of Fisherman's Blues, Medecine Bow, This Is The Sea and On My Way To Heaven already in the bag and could probably have made it on to the stage and off again without too many people at the back of the crown noticing the join. Still, them's the breaks...  ::)
http://skirky.blogspot.com/2012/07/how-mark-ellen-made-me-rock-dad.html    

Advice for aspiring songwriters, or why the next Songs from The Blue House album is likely to be two songs shorter than it otherwise would have been.
http://skirky.blogspot.com/2012/07/no-one-wants-to-hear-about-your-kids.html

In response to yesterday's blog, The Management have very kindly made the songs referred to available for download, including the oft-referenced but rarely heard Judy Dyble collaboration Little No-One. I can recommend the two minute comfort blanket that is When Mama Sings, by the way. There's an honesty box by the door.  

http://songsfromthebluehouse.bandcamp.com/album/tree-out-takes

The lost art of the sleeve note. Once we moved on from LPs they seemed to fizzle out a bit since anything reproduced in a CD case is likely to require industrial-grade reading glasses to decipher. Happily, however, with the introduction of the iPad (other tablets are available) the halcyon days of reading the cover are back - one can examine the erudite etchings of the tortured artist at leisure, pop the cover back, and then use it to skin up on, just like in the old days!

http://skirky.blogspot.com/2012/08/so.html  

Another victim of the 0.005 font employed in CD booklets is that long list of obscure dedications that seemed to be compulsory, especially with late 70's/early 80's heavy rock/metal albums, you know like: "Jim would like to thank Roger "Where's The Effin' Beer" Watkins, John "Rolo Daquiri Man" Watts, Mike "The Dog Done It Again" Wilkes" etc etc

Beautiful Days vignette.
http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/and-he-is-very-far-away.html
I suspect I had a similar weekend to the old punker in the "I *heart* Chaos" t-shirt who I saw shepherding three under-tens along the path toward the main stage on Friday. "Charlie, put your hat on, the sun's out!"  ;D

This one's a bit meta, in that it is a blog about a radio show which in itself is partially about the blog...

http://skirky.blogspot.com/2012/08/why-long-face.html

If you're wondering about the aphorism featured in the picture, by the way, that's an ancient East Anglian curse, most usually levelled agin them who raids museums late at night.

In contrast to all this, I'll actually be on proper BBC Radio Suffolk this Sunday (September 2nd) reviewing the papers between 12 noon and 2. If anyone wants to help out by pointing out some of the more ridiculous stories that appear, do please flag them up here and I'll give out a grateful Cyril Fletcher-like dedication on air.      

Really? How smashing!

More self-agrrandising nonsense, wherein to celebrate the release of the new SftBH single "You're So Vain" (yes, that one) sung largely by the lovely, bubbly, disproportionately talented Canadian Cara Luft, I go on about the other track which comes bundled with it. We first played You're So Vain at our annual Helstock festival a couple of years ago when the theme was '1973', in that every band appearing had to play a cover version from that year. If we'd gone for Monster Mash, things could have turned out so very differently. The artwork that comes with the single download also helps provide compelling evidence that James SftBH of this parish would probably experience no little difficulty making it as a convincing transvestite.  
http://skirky.blogspot.com/2012/09/start-one-of-your-own.html
Cara's most recent album, Darlingford, features a version of Mike Scott's Bring 'Em All In, which may also be of interest to some viewers.
http://caraluft.com/darlingford/

The perils of having a gig cancelled from under you. Probably a familiar if unwelcome experience for many musicians on the board, I'd guess?
http://skirky.blogspot.com/2012/10/always-last-to-know.html

We have been into a studio to record some protest songs for radio broadcast.  

http://skirky.blogspot.com/2012/11/tub-thumping_4689.html

The session Songs from The Blue House did for the BBC a while ago was broadcast on the wireless last week, and JamesSftbh was invited in to talk about it. I was listening at home and thought it was a good interview. Fortunately someone has gathered together all the songs and the chat in one convenient place. Here I reflect on the experience - http://skirky.blogspot.com/2012/12/and-then-shane-went-away-and-wrote.html

One door closes...  :(

http://skirky.blogspot.com/2013/01/hope-you-like-our-new-direction.html

‎Hello Readers - I know how much we all enjoyed the publication of -and subsequent critical acclaim afforded - my musical memoirs 'Do You Do Any Wings?' and 'All These Little Pieces', but sometimes an actual physical book can be a hindrance - when traveling say, or relaxing in an airport, or even sound checking! With this in mind I have lovingly compiled* the most popular entries over the past couple of years into this snug and handy eBook, which you can furnish to your electronic devices at very, very little cost. Please come this way, and prepare to enjoy the highlights of the past couple of years' bloggery.

*cut & pasted

http://www.lulu.com/shop/shane-kirk/i-didnt-know-i-was-waiting-for-you/ebook/product-20638353.html

In response to some early customer feedback, we have re-formatted the anthology to make it easier to read on an iPhone (mind those Kindles though - I don't think you can load to them due to the ongoing intercenine e-reading technology turf wars. There were always going to be victims). At around 17 pages, it's the length of a hearty New Yorker article, or one of those old-school features in Rolling Stone, and costs 89p.
 
Among the celebrity cameos within are such luminaries as Gretchen Peters, Boo Hewerdine, Peter Buck, Neil Finn, Brooks Williams, Mark Ellen, Rose Cousins, Otis Gibbs and BBC Radio Suffolk's Dave Butcher. He's in it quite a bit.  

http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/i-didnt-know-i-was-waiting-for-you/13579681

I'll be honest, I'm not really expecting us to be picked up this year...
http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/following-in-sheerans-footsteps.html

A glimpse inside the songwriter's studio...

http://skirky.blogspot.com/2013/02/es-tan-evidente-como-la-nariz-en-la-cara.html

Amusing, as always.

A long time ago, in a land far, far away, before autotune, and when recordings took much longer to make as you spent an awful lot of time simply waiting for the tape to rewind before you could do another take. Where long nights were spent watching The Blues Brothers on VHS, the vocals got done last, so there was never enough time to redo them and if you couldn't afford fifty quid to buy the master tape, it got wiped a month later and used for another session. Just ask Iron Maiden...

http://skirky.blogspot.com/2013/04/amazing-adventures-in-time-and-spaceward.html

Our Kickstarter project - or how that guitar solo isn't going to cut & paste itself, you know!
http://skirky.blogspot.com/2013/04/spare-talent-for-old-ex-leper.html
Includes link to a short video wherein Jamessftbh and I recreate the magic of those halcyon Alas Smith and Jones years with a short head-to-head discussion on finance.

What a shame I don't live within 150 miles of you, nor do I have lots of money. But I will kick in some dosh. Good luck.

We could meet you in Reading.  :D

did he have any gold teeth, then ?
good luck with it  
you should have got young Olly involved, it would be paid for and out by now  8)

Nah, just some mercury and whatever that new stuff is...

mercury's worth a bob or two

More overt pleas and links to http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1807726723/songs-from-the-blue-house-live-album might help?

Well, y'know, if he's got any left over and that...

Tension mounts ahead of next month's Maverick Festival (where, incidentally, Tim Dowling of The Guardian will be taking time off from performing with Police Dog Hogan to interview Ian Dunlop out of Gram Parsons' International Submarine Band)...

http://skirky.blogspot.com/2013/06/blimey-at-glastonbury-we-just-get.html

Contains Spotify playlist.

http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/no-elvis-beatles-or-rolling-stones.html

Long-standing mystery solved at last. Obviously we could have Googled it, but where would be the fun in that?   ::)

http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2014/03/moby-dave.html

Blimey, has it really been eight years since we did The Cornbury Festival? Whatever happened to the wRants? And those Spiers & Boden chaps who played on the Sunday?

8 years?  no way!!!

My, how time flies!

Blog Bump - in which I accept an engagement at the seaside.... http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2014/06/let-me-ride-on-wall-of-death-one-more.html

Contemplation on trends in 'folk', Shev's song Champagne Taste on a Lemonade Pay and a reunion of sorts...
http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2014/06/and-lady-mondegreen.html

I think it was when Philip Henry and Hannah Martin kicked into a ten minute version of 'The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn' that I relaxed and threw myself into the spirit of the weekend... http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/the-boy-in-bubble.html

Shane as I get older I am getting more and more frustrated at gigs, mainly festivals that can't run to time. We played Cinderford festival a few weeks ago . Fest started at 1.30. We were on at 3.30 by which time they were running 50 mins behind. They'd had 2 acts on !! This meant 'orrible sound bleed with the other stage!!!
At the fests I have stage managed I am vaguely fascist about sticking to time.
At Cropredy etc I hate it when there isn't time for a band encore but when running a fest I've done it, Particularly if I know we have an 11.o clock 'curfew'. Notably I was apologising for a band not been able to play an encore cos we'd got to get the headliners,' Something Nasty in the Woodshed ' on  and I'd promised the village that we would be quiet by 11! A group of young gentlemen at the front of the stage, who had probably had a whole bag of winegums and had enjoyed the previous act, intimated that they would like a little more and suggested that my parents had not conceived me at a time of marital bliss. My wife tells me, in fact berated me at length, that I replied from the stage over our very efficient and loud p.a ,'sorry lads I don't speak pissed up pillock!' This is not like me at all but we were running 3 mins over!!!!! :o ::)
Loving the blogs.

Festivals which don't run to time annoy some punters too. I am one. Especially multi-stage ones where running late can mean you miss bands you wanted to see.
For those which do, I believe that bands have to allow for an encore, if there is sufficient demand, in their allocated time. True of Cropredy I believe.

Just a POI: it's called Under The Dome, based on a rather poor Stephen King short story.

Never read the short story, but I abandoned Under The Dome half way through the second episode.

I was fortunate to have a great stage crew and some marvellous artists to work with. The sublime Mary Gauthier was a case in point - she went for the "Give me a 'ten minutes' gesture" option and whenever she tuned, changed a capo or took on water she was also surreptitiously checking the time. Sure enough, with five minutes to go she announced that she was about to play her last song and so managed everyone's expectations accordingly (including Larkin Poe, who were getting a bit twitchy backstage). She was a dream to deal with and a great example of the exponential talent-to-graciousness ratio I was lucky enough to enjoy many times over the course of the weekend.

Thanks Andy, btw, noted and amended.    

Latest blog - my time among the hedonists.
http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2014/07/who-brings-dental-floss-to-festival.html
I only saw the Secret Garden Party in daylight, and even that was enough to convince me that it wasn't designed with me in mind.  :o

The last few blogs have mentioned my new employer, and he has been featured in the East Anglian Daily Times regarding his recent trip to Nashville to try out some of the songs we've been playing together. Some of his favourite musicians as mentioned in the article include Helen Mulley of this parish and, formerly of Songs from The Blue House, one 'Gibbon' on trombone, whom some of you may remember fondly from SftBH gigs past.
http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/how_a_thrilled_suffolk_songwriter_got_to_play_the_grand_old_opry_1_3712491  

Vintage studio footage emerges. I understand that the last person to use the studio before us was some kid named Jessie J. I wonder whatever happened to her..?
http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/part-brent-part-martin.html

Hey! Who doesn't love a list..?  ::)

http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2014/09/ten-albums-by-white-male-singer.html

My Acorn Fayre hell... http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2014/09/here-be-dragonnes.html  ;D

I know you had a dodgy guitar lead, but I got it sorted.
I wouldn't call it hell!
 ;)

Arf!  ;D

One song sung to the tune of another; http://skirky.blogspot.com/2014/11/shot-by-both-sides.html

My Google Stats update tells me that I have just received my thirty thousandth visitor! Even accounting for spammers and Googlebots, that's quite a few folk passing through - many, many of whom have arrived via the good auspices of Talkawhile. Thank you for your continued attention, and to Colin and Nick for maintaining such a splendid portal. I could have done it without you, but I would have been a good deal lonelier...  :-*  

Punk rockers - not all despicable, crusty degenerates only interested in snakebite & black and spitting at people... http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2015/01/thats-me-in-corner.html

Splendid. Nice to hear a bit of decent, old-fashioned music, rather than this modern folk stuff the children seem to listen to these days.

In the old days we'd have been huddled round the dansette with an A4 pad and a quill pen...
http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2015/01/i-keep-getting-nagging-feeling-ive.html

My night with Dennis Ellsworth. http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/one-of-you-should-have-worn-hat-thats.html

Judy Dyble - Her part in my downfall. http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2015/02/climb-every-mountain-ford-every-stream.html
 ;) [;-)

I'm somewhat embarrassed to say that, not only was I instrumental in the lack of credit to you on the Hancock Award (I had no idea, I just copied the nomination) , I actually get a credit in Jude's Anthology!  8)

Sorry!

Nick

And I do apologise for having missed your name off the credits for Little No-one. I have Im'd you... :-\

You utter, utter, utter... :-)

You should know that even being in such august company in the first place is more than I'd ever hoped for or expected. Although my people will be in touch with your people...  ::)

 Luckily I haven't got any people so ner.. ;D

My night among the hipsters... http://skirky.blogspot.com/2015/03/tenor-lady.html

A holding announcement - however, to sweeten the pill I've included a link to some free music and a picture of hbluehouse.  [;-)
http://skirky.blogspot.com/2015/04/were-making-list-and-were-checking-it.html

I've been out. In order to counterbalance the recent pictorial bias on the blog, this one is headed by a photograph of my friend Steve looking like Boo Hewerdine.
http://skirky.blogspot.com/2015/04/big-hands-i-know-youre-one.html

A return to traditional values... http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/yes-theres-always-been-progressive.html?m=1

My night with Vienna Ditto... http://skirky.blogspot.fr/2015/11/i-left-my-heart-in-papworth-general.html

Oh I say sir! "Scion", sir! Suits you, sir!

Well played!

Ithangyew!  [;-)

Fame and wealth...
http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2015/12/dont-you-know-who-i-used-to-be.html

👍

Tangentially, I was approached at Skegness recently and asked if I was Andy Leslie from that TalkAWhile. I replied affably in the affirmative as at least the gentleman concerned waited until I'd finished my wee, although I hadn't yet washed my hands. "That Strictly Fairport competition..." he began. "Not a competition, just a bit of fun" I replied, as I washed and dried my hands.

"It's ****. You're ****. All the Judges are ****".

But at least he knew who I was.

Ahahahahahaha!!!!  I hope he wasn't genuinely angry.  That would be a bit worrying.

Jules

.and what an erudite and perceptive chap he seems......... :) ;) ::) ::)

Crikey. That Digance gets *everywhere*...  ::)

Hmm. A 4-letter word to fit all of those blanks....

Boss?

Miss, miss!!!! I've got one miss.

No, Hendo, I don't think anyone would be calling Andy "Miss".

Jules

Although it could rhyme with it.....  :D

Oh, no, more like rhyming with "snit".

Oh well, if he only called you a twit then that's really not so bad.   ;D

Jules

Who was it? I need to, er, remonstrate with them....  >:(

"It's four star! You're four star! All the Judges are four star!"
Well, how kind of him to say!  [;-)

Sadly, it was marks out of 10.

Jules

My tuppence-ha'penny worth on Glenn Frey. http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2016/01/one-more-chorus-and-im-gonna-kick-your.html

Beautifully put.

On The Road Again - Blog.
http://skirky.blogspot.com/2016/03/when-they-were-up-they-were-up.html

Not really a blog update, but at the close of this week's songwritig session we found we had five minutes spare, so we propped up an iPad on a kitchen stool, channelled our best Chevy Chase vibes and mucked about for 4:02 of Tony Winn's song "What's a Rainbow". We really must do some proper recording. So, here we are - Helen and The Neighbourhood Dogs - also available for house concerts...  [;-)
https://www.facebook.com/helenandthedogs/videos/223441494688666/
Please note - it's on Facebook, but then so are we.  :)

That was fun, a band I'd go to see if only I didn't live 120 miles away from their haunts.

We'll come to you...  ;)

That would be good, but would anybody else  ???

Ah, there's the rub. New band seeks employment. "Where have you played?"
"Nowhere"
"Next!"
 :-\

Indeed. Harder as a band than a solo act too, not to mention schlepping up the motorway on a school night for 30 minutes and £50 followed by a two hour drive back.

On the other hand, some bands natural milieu is a an area no more than 50 miles from home. They're not professional, they're not semi-professional, they play for fun and love of the music. They might get the odd low key festival but other than that they play pubs and clubs, enjoy themselves and entertain the people who hear them. Which is fine. More power to their elbows.

There's a thing - are you 'professional' when you can make a living out of playing music, or when you decide that you're a musician and that's what you do? I know several 'musicians' for whom (say) bar work is beneath them, and some others who write/create/perform, but have a stand-by occupation which actually pays the bills.

Not perhaps the best choice of words by me.  I was thinking of "full-time" and "part-time".  I think the answer to your question is both but "making a living" as you say often actually means "making a living in conjunction with my other jobs/when combined with my partner who has a "proper" job"

Meanwhile, in a hamlet somewhere in Suffolk.. http://skirky.blogspot.com/2016/04/and-for-those-of-you-watching-in-black.html

Welcome to the British Summer, with a Helen and The Neighbourhood Dogs update.
http://skirky.blogspot.fr/2016/06/possibly-most-english-thing-ive-ever.html
Someone very kindly recorded the gig, and I've put a couple of things up on my Soundcloud site;
https://soundcloud.com/doyoudoanywings/antibike
You can also access them through our Facebook page;
https://www.facebook.com/helenandthedogs/
Message ends.  [;-)

My day out as The Quiet One; http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2016/07/after-deluge.html

Upon the "There's no money, but it's good exposure" dilemma, and how many guitars is the right number to take to an open mic spot.
http://skirky.blogspot.fr/2016/09/do-your-claude-monet-im-sorry-i-dont-do.html

On Song Writing. Contains links, footnotes, two uses of the F word, and a totally subjective opinion about Thin Lizzy;
http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2016/09/let-me-bore-you-with-this-story-how-my.html

WTFDTMFTLM?  ;D

"Two more from them later". Just a litle in-joke regarding anything that sounds like it might have been the name of a band featured in session on the John Peel show.  :) See also 'HJH' - referring to the 'Hey Jude Hitmakers'.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town... http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2016/11/thank-you-very-glad.html

Back in the 'Top 5 Most Read' list this week, according to Blogger's stats - My Night With Judy Dyble. http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2015/02/climb-every-mountain-ford-every-stream.html Goes on a bit.  

Ha!  I enjoyed that.  Actually, I even learnt something.  I'm not particularly proud to admit I never knew Jude (or, indeed, Richard) was on THBD.  Naughty.

*doffs peaked cap* All part of the service, guv.  :)

Why I'm heading for the ditch. http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2017/01/lets-make-some-quiet.html

Pegg, Nicol, Lennon and Me. A link-heavy blog about how much easier mixing would be if we all just got it right the first time... http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2017/02/back-to-future.html

Must be 'share your blog day'! Good one, I enjoyed that.

Yes, me too. It reminded me of trying, many years ago to copy a lick from one part of a song to another while recording a demo on an analogue Tascam 4 track 20 or more years ago. Suffice to say, things did not go well on the frustration front!

Helen and The Neighbourhood Dogs have been in front of a microphone again;
An account of the day itself http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/the-baptist-clown-of-judginess.html
And free listening to the music we made - https://bluehouserecords.bandcamp.com/album/helen-and-the-neighbourhood-dogs
Please share. We need the work.  ;)

Colin Harper - biographer of Bert Jansch and John McLaughlin among his many other projects - got round to reading one of my books recently, and wrote a completely unexpected review, which I'm very proud of.  [;-)
http://theafterword.co.uk/do-you-do-any-wings-a-skirky-writes/

"...and don't get me started on Pancake Day!"
My hellish Father's Day...  8)
http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2017/06/its-most-wonderful-time-of-year.html

New, free music (well, the first three times, anyway)!
http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2017/09/the-kindness-of-strangers.html
https://helenandtheneighbourhooddogs.bandcamp.com/album/nelson

In which a song appearing on random play in the car takes me back... http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2017/09/another-happy-day.html

Help a Blogger get past the 57,000 hits mark...  [;-)
http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/hello-bongo.html

Self-promotion. Literally. http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/and-tenner-on-mince-pies.html

The return of Picturehouse. If a hundred and thirty of you read this, that’s my sixty thousand hits clocked up. http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/the-loneliness-of-long-distance-drummer.html

The host with the most... http://skirky.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/go-compere.html

To be fair I had had a few beers by that time

In my most recent blog, on songwriting, I make a passing reference to our banjo/squeezebox/harmonica/guitar player Tony Winn’s habit of usually having something kicking about which is wonderful. Here’s a good example - we’ve fixed a couple of errant bass notes and tarted up the fiddle a bit, bit this is essentially Helen and The Neighbourhood Dogs rehearsing.
https://soundcloud.com/user-436348477/the-ruin-of-me-1

Potential ‘Recent Gigs’ crossover material. http://skirky.blogspot.com/2018/07/i-bet-you-say-that-to-all-bands.html

Maverick Festival. http://skirky.blogspot.com/2018/07/pay-no-attention-to-man-on-roof.html
As is always the case, the most humble and gifted musicians are those who are overly generous with their time and their talent. Lord save us from teens on their phones who get their Dad to compile a set list for a ten minute set when they should be tuning up and sound checking.

How remarkable to bump into that Chris Bates in the ‘hood last night...
http://skirky.blogspot.com/2018/10/how-to-make-small-fortune-in-music.html

Opens Facebook, sees a deluge of posts about how terrible everything is, decides to counter the tide by writing something nice for a change. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2018/11/in-praise-of-tt.html

Once again we find ourselves in the grey areas betwixt ‘showcase’, ‘ open spot’ and ‘audition’. A local MU rep was spotted at one point involved in a robust discussion with one of the organisers regarding appropriate remuneration for entertainers. “But they’re having fun” was a response. On the one hand, I’m sure the photographer, magicians and chef were also doing what they enjoy too, but I’ll bet they were being paid. On the other, we knew what we were signing up for and we went along anyway. While we were there one guy who runs a festival suggested that we’d go down really well, and he’d be in touch, and I had a delicious beef bourguignon. Helen had the crab cakes. Still, I think you can get ointment for that.
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2018/11/this-was-museum-in-1847-blimey-and-its.html

Home taping is skill in music. Blog: https://skirky.blogspot.com/2018/12/my-style-is-not-so-good-as-matter-of.html

The irresistable lure of percussion. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2019/02/really-explore-studio-space-this-time.html

Manners cost nothing. http://skirky.blogspot.com/2019/02/if-it-aint-broke-dont-break-it.html

Sleeve notes. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2019/03/this-just-inor-out-rather.html

A vibraphone? They still exist?

This one does, Fiddly made it. You should see sound engineer’s faces when we wheel that baby in.
Similarly, if he didn’t exist we’d have been forced to invent him.

My cousin played one of those in his Aussie Pop Group, the Cicadas, in the 1960s.

More adventures in the stage management trade. Only one band ignored the “One more number” hand signals and they were, predictably, four young men with pedal boards the size of Berkshire and ambitions to match. Attentively watched by a selection of gamine young friends, I expect they think it’ll always be like this.  ::)

https://skirky.blogspot.com/2019/05/may-day-may-day.html

Hoping for a future in the music industry? Careers advice here. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2019/09/ive-looked-at-crowds-from-both-sides-now.html

You’re all probably wondering what I’ve been up to for the past five years or so. Well, I’ve left a band, formed a band, re-formed one, done some stage managing, played in an art gallery...well, look, it’s probably easier if I write it all down. Part four of my memoirical trilogy will be out in physical form soon, but I’ve put the eBook up in advance on the grounds that since these are digital files, I can always act on any feedback or suggested revisions before releasing it to the wild. Tuck in. http://www.lulu.com/shop/shane-kirk/turn-em-all-on-then-turn-em-all-down/ebook/product-24440063.html

Will there be a printed version?  :)

I have literally just received my final proof copy and launched the paperback! http://www.lulu.com/shop/shane-kirk/turn-em-all-on-then-turn-em-all-down/paperback/product-24434262.html

On recording: https://skirky.blogspot.com/2020/03/hovellian.html
Contains reference to the Vic Firth 5A. For those unfamiliar, it’s a drum stick.

Got a few of those lying around the house...

 ;D ;D

It’s quiet. Too quiet... https://skirky.blogspot.com/2020/09/well-lets-start-at-that-end-and-see-how.html

Always interesting...

absolutely, and often amusing. Mr Kirk is many things. A multi faceted being so to speak.

Thank you, team. Thankfully I don’t make my living from music, but Mr. Shevlin does - or has. He’s got a good story about the one time he didn’t bother going down to the weekly jam he organised the night that Dave Gilmour turned up for a blow.

The Stephen Stills reference made me laugh. Great piece.

Further to the last piece about writing and recording, we decided to video it instead. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2020/10/i-thought-that-if-you-had-acoustic.html

I have been (briefly) podcasted https://skirky.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-word-bin.html

And where’s The Glamour Cave now, eh?  :) https://skirky.blogspot.com/2021/01/another-frowback-friday.html

New material! https://skirky.blogspot.com/2021/02/what-helstock.html

Kids today, eh..? New Blog -poor, poor, pitiful me...
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2021/03/hes-thrown-kettle-over-pub-what-have.html

Thank goodness you arent descending from your Dubai apartment say I. I wouldnt be reading your blogs if so   ;D

The Bank Holiday Throwback Long Read.
2008, and an early example of the ‘How We Made’-type features that they have in the supplements these days.
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2008/04/wed-like-to-do-song-thats-been-very.html

https://skirky.blogspot.com/2021/04/everyone-else-is-doing-it-so-why-cant-we.html

Thats a rather nice version Mr K. Keep up the good work.
 

Thank you, Mr. Pipe.

Midweek Throwback: 2012, and I reflect that nostalgia’s not what it used to be...https://skirky.blogspot.com/2012/05/journey-through-past-idea-concerns-fact.html

I saw this today in my FB ’memories’ and remembered that I didn’t post the actual blog at the time. It’s mostly about audience requests, and that time I resigned from Picturehouse. As Thompy says ” I left the band…and I’ve been playing with them ever since”. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2009/06/it-is-truth-universally-acknowledged.html

New content! Trigger warning: Contains banjo-inspired euphemisms. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2021/06/whoooahhh-your-secateurs-are-on-fiiirrre.html

New content for The Weekend! The return of Helen and The Neighbourhood Dogs https://skirky.blogspot.com/2021/07/you-can-dress-me-in-prada-and.html

Eton Mess cake? Sounds like a heart attack on a plate!

I had two for breakfast the next morning. So far, so good…  ;D

Time for my annual 2014 repost… https://skirky.blogspot.com/2014/08/in-praise-ofsimon-nicol.html

What with our Helen and The Neighbourhood Dogs rehearsal last night in advance of next week’s Maverick Festival (tickets still available, but move fast) it seems only right to post this week’s weekend blog throwback about my first visit, way back in 2008. That barn’s a restaurant and soft play area now, you know…
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2008/08/beating-chords-into-ploughshares.html

My Night with Rich Hall. A lengthy exposition on festivals, fanboydom, and the role of the Stage Manager. I did an interview from Maverick around Sunday lunchtime that in previous years would have involved a presenter in a pair of oversized headphones, a mic with one of those sound baffles you always put on the end of your nose so you look like a muppet, and an OB van. This year I dictated it into my phone and it was on air half an hour later.
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2021/09/schrodingers-acoustic-spot.html

 ;D

I have performed in a theatre. We don’t always get a dressing room at our gigs, let alone two!
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2021/09/and-leons-getting-larger.html

I think I will have a couple of copies of your Tomes as xmas pressies for my brothers....ex-gigging musicians both.

After last year’s book tour didn’t really take off I’ve still got a few around the house. No problem posting them from here rather than ordering off the internet if you need.

New Blog: Turns out there’s nothing new under the sun. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2021/10/the-heaped-plaise-of-frattery.html

I do hope the lovely Mrs Winn will be happy with Tonys snake.

Friday Frowback: 2006, and possibly the last time Picturehouse rehearsed. We’re in Stowmarket at The Pickerel on Saturday the 30th in case you want to see if we’ve got any better.
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2006/10/back-in-garage.html

Another repurposed blog. Recording in 2010. We still had CDs in the olden days… https://skirky.blogspot.com/2010/11/dedication-perspiration-eradication.html

This day in History. 2011. Length of read, extraordinarily short.
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2011/11/things-you-never-thought-youd-hear-pt.html

A rather lengthy Midweek Throwback - 2007 dawns bright, clear and brimming with hope. Spoiler alert: by this time in 2008, we were *not* millionaires…
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2007/01/here-we-go-here-we-go-here-we-go.html

https://skirky.blogspot.com/2022/03/look-out-mama_5.html

Nostalgia Sunday, and one of my best-performing blog entries - a TAW-heavy tale of Spinal Tapisms, Jobsworth security and Ukuleles. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2007/04/not-you-youre-one-of-five-per-cent.html

I dunno. Big Stu might be mistaken, there.

Stay classy, Andy.

At least I read it!

Really enjoyed that, like to see you live sometime!

Not sure how I missed this. Fabulous   :D

Weekend Blog Post - new content for 2022!
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2022/04/look-at-you-jumping.html

If it weren’t for TAW, we would never have had Swarb let us do this… https://songsfromthebluehouse.bandcamp.com/track/rosie

I’ve been out. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2022/10/libraries-gave-us-power.html

Not a Blog per se, but I have been mucking about at home on a Saturday. I used to play this song in a Heavy Big Pop band in the Nineties, but with a lot more guitars involved. https://on.soundcloud.com/YYQ2LYoeuWoJZiFf9

Any idea on the badges on your guitar strap in that pic, Shane?

Rory Gallagher, and Danger Mouse.  8)

Ha ha...excellent ;D

I’ve been out https://skirky.blogspot.com/2023/03/the-passenger.html

The return of the footnotes* https://skirky.blogspot.com/2023/04/pickerelilli.html

I’ve written the sleeve notes to go with the EP.
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2023/06/what-four-words.html

A month in my incredible rock n’ roll lifestyle. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2023/07/what-you-give-is-what-you-get.html

"There's no money, but it's good exposure..." https://skirky.blogspot.com/2023/08/you-get-what-you-play-for.

How we made Showtime… https://skirky.blogspot.com/2023/08/a-guest-blogger-writes.html

New gig, new blog. I hadn’t felt this rough prior to a show since I stayed up literally all night with a drummer who would have fitted in very well with the 1977 Fleetwood Mac.
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2023/10/here-today-i-drift-away-from-carnal.html

Weekend Blowback Blog. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2016/12/back-in-day-2009-as-it-turns-out-i-had.html

Americana - what is it and why should I care? Originally published in The Bury Free Press. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2024/01/a-to-m-to-r-to-icana.html

One of the best explanations of "Americana" and, indeed, "Roots" I've read. Thank you.

Aww, thanks Dan!

In the RnR mag Reviews section they don't have an Americana category but have a Roots one which often seems to be where bands and singers are put who don't fit in anywhere else. So Roots covers acoustic\folky\whatever. And then there's the singer\songwriter category with artists who can be folk or roots or Americana etc.  

When I started doing radio shows I found a promoter who represents a variety of different North American artists and I think he decided that my tastes were generally more Americana than anything else, though he would send me the occasional Bluegrass and Old Timey\Gospel release as well.

I have been out again. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2024/02/i-am-breathing-in-i-am-breathing-out.html

"South Australia" seems to have become endemic these days. Almost every gig I go to (except Fairport, so far) seems to feature it.

Not sure why, but at least it's relatively cheerful.

50 or so years ago, the go-to tune was (briefly) " My Brother, Jake", to be followed by "Lamorna" and so on, to the heat death of the Universe.

For those who do the Spotify, it’s this one. We funked* it up a bit with bass, percussion and keyboards. Tony was extraordinarily prescient in predicting a certain presidential look, as you can tell from the cover art…  ;D
https://open.spotify.com/track/47ltjj3vAsIrIBMT1gzr70?si=_wf1DHjJTzGyMu__WjE09Q

*Fill in your own jokes.

I’ve been out again. I met The Artist Formerly Known as Serious Keith in case anyone still here remembers the Farnishes. https://skirky.blogspot.com/2024/03/and-so-again-to-helstock-which-as.html

I absolutely do and coincidentally was speaking to Pastie boy at the weekend about missing my chats with him on here.Send him my love when you next in contact.

Yep, moved from the sunny climate of Essex to Scotland I believe, a few years ago now though! Do send regards.  ;)