LAST FAIR DEAL (<Click to view their website) 1969 to present
This acoustic country blues outfit began as an off shoot of that 'Spaceship of a band' - Wandering John (as Neil O'Connor called them in his song Alex Murphy) in 1969.
The orginal 1969 line up was -
John Alderson - Dobro / slide guitar (From Wandering John)
John Gravenor - Vocals (From Wandering John)
John Westacott - harmonica & violin (From Whistler - later Urge)
One of their most popular country blues songs at the time was Louisianna Blues with John Gravenor's great vocal treatment and John Alderson's acoustic slide and the harmonica it was a memorable performance and a great contrast to the electric material of most gigs at the time.
The lyrics had that great last verse about the river of whisky - here they are -
Well I'm goin' to Lousianna
Maybe behind the sun
Well I'm goin' to Louisianna
Maybe behind the sun
I just found out
My trouble just begun.
Well I'm goin' to New Orleans
Give me my mojo hand
Well I'm goin' to New Orleans
Give me my mojo hand
I'm gonna show all dem women
what they don't understand.
Well if the river was whisky
an' I was a divin' duck
Well If da river was whisky
an I was a divin' duck
I'd dive to the bottom
an drink my way back up.
I first saw this outfit at the Transandental Cauldron (Underground arts festival) in october 1969 at the Coventry Arts Umbrella and many times after and the usual gigs of the time. A total personal favourite of mine.
By 1970 John Gravenor had long moved in the Cov / Gnome exodus to Brighton and in 1974 John Alderson moved to Sandersfoot in Wales where he reformed Last Fair Deal and entered the NME competition.
More recently John Alderson, long back in Coventry sometimes teams up with ex Ra Ho Tep lead man - Tim James in which Tim plays harmonica and sings. Sometimes now Last Fair Deal becomes a full blown electric
outfit. I was lucky enough to see the new acoustic
version of Last Fair Deal at Pete Chamber's book launch at the Fletch. They both included Louisianna blues and Statesbro' Blues which Wandering John used to cover.
Comments