Coventry Music Archives's blog

AT LAST...the full Harry Nilsson 1978 interview!

At last Colin Richardson's full previously unpublished interview with Nilsson is on the For the Love of Harry site

http://fortheloveofharry.blogspot.com/2010/04/harry-nilsson-unpublished-interview.html

"For the love of Harry" website has now published the full transcript of my 1978 interview with Harry...after cleaning up the sound of the 32 year old tapes (with the help of my good friend Trevor Teasdel) and many more hours spent checking and editing the draft transcripts provided by Willard, the...

Colin Richardson's Blog is now on Typepad http://colinrichardsonjazz.typepad.com/blog/

Colin was the music business agent that booked many of the bands for the Lanchester Arts festival in Coventry in the early 70's. He was also the manager of Colosseum.

The Gordian Knot Interview with Horace Panter of The Specials

 

Horace_n_rodd

Charley Anderson formerly of The Selecter has kindly sent a copy of an interview with Horace Panter of The Specials from the Coventry 80's fanzine Gordian Knot.

Back in 1973 Horace sent a letter to Hobo Magazine with a 50p advert enclosed. He was seeking a 'happy band' in need of a bass player with 50 watt gear! Although we printed the advert, owing to lack of money for printing, Hobo came out too late for Horace as he'd managed find musicians at the Lanch poly. 

In 1974 he wrote another letter asking if we could advise on places for his band to play.I'd set up the Hobo workshop by then which in 1975 moved to upstairs at the Golden Cross. Horace played for us in a jazz rock outfit with two of my musician friends - Ricky and Andy Cairns. I knew them as Ricky's band. Neol Davis and some of the other later members of Two Tone bands were there although they weren't all playing together at that early stage. Later Horace was in a band called Breaker. The Hobo letters are below and a link to Horace's fuller history - Ska'd for Life. Meanwhile enjoy the Gordian Knot interview.

  

Magazine[1]

Magazine2[1]

Horace

Horace Panter's Letter to Hobo Magazine in the 70's

Ska'd for Life: A Personal Journey with The Specials

Horace Panter

 Visit TWO TONE CENTRAL MUSEUM http://www.2tonecentral.co.uk/

Mick Stuart - Coventry Acoustic Blues player.

Folk at the Pitts with Mick Stuart playing

There is now a full post about Mick Stuart on Hobo - Coventry Folk Scene Blog spot - here http://coventryfolkclubs.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/mick-stuart-coventry-acoustic-blues.html

I used to watch Mick Stuart play in Coventry folk clubs in the 70's. A recent enquiry by Andrew Clark which I fielded to to folk singer and Coventry Telegraph folk columnist - Pete Willow resulted is some further information and a link to some videos of Mick Stuart.

Pete Willow's update suggests that  - 

"Mick Stuart, who was very active on the Coventry
folk scene for many years played a mixture of classic blues songs (with impressive guitar arrangements), including 'Nobody Knows You When You're
Down and Out' and is own songs (including 'Sweet Young and Lovely' if I remember the title correctly).

Mick moved away from Coventry for a few years to live 

Mick Stuart

near family in Devon, then returned and ran his own club here for several years. He left again around three years ago although the club (Styvechale Folk Club) is still run
by former regulars. it's a shame he never made a bigger name for himself. But he did record a few cassettes with the help of local fans and home studios."

There are some videos of him on You Tube: very good indeed.

Mojo Morgan comments on Mick Stuart -

" Mick Stuart is another friend of mine from the Tuesday Coventry fok night at the Freemasons Tavern in Harnal Lane, where Jan Budd used to run it. It was a great night out there with the Marston Pedergre. Martin Jenkins played every week there with a band.... Roddy Felton was always there holding the bar up.

 

 

On a Thursday it was the Coventry Blues Club, which i ran for about three years.

I played with The Traverling Riverside Blues Band there lots of times, and we use to pack the place out, and so did The DT's plus a few blues solo artists like Mick Stuart.......... They were great times........Mojo. "

Here are a few of the videos of Mick.

 

Mick Stuart, just jammin' the blues.

 

Mick Stuart, fly me away.

Mick Stuart, Ghosts

Mick Stuart, by the sea.

Mick at home teaching me 'By The Sea'

Taxi - by The Mix

Note - as part of the redevelopment of this site - A new post for the Mix (The Rest) has been created on Hobo - A to z of Coventry bands - here  - https://sites.google.com/site/bandsfromcoventry/coventry-bands-a-to-z/coventry-bands-m/the-mix

Listen to TAXI by the Mix - via Dennis Burns

http://a1.typepad.com/6a0134878ea33d970c0134878eb141970c-pi

Live at the Hope & Anchor, Islington- 

More on Mix on the A to Z of Coventry bands https://sites.google.com/site/bandsfromcoventry/coventry-bands-a-to-z/coventry-bands-m/the-mix

Dennis Burns is on Typepad http://dennisburns.typepad.com/blog/

Dave Bennett - Tribute to this Coventry Ragtime Guitarist and Organiser.

It was with sadness I learnt of the passing of Dave Bennett on the 28th March 2010. Dave passed away (perhaps as he would wish it) in action, doing what he loved - having just finished playing Ragtime at one of his venues in Coventry. 

Note - owing to the redevelopment of this site there is now a new post about Dave Bennett on the Coventry Folk Club Scene blogspot here http://coventryfolkclubs.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/dave-bennett-coventry-ragtime-guitarist.html

In his own words - 

"Dave started playing years ago when he was living in Aberystwyth and, influenced by Dylan, Tom Paxton,Joan Baez, et al, he concentrated entirely on fingerstyle guitar and became part of a folk group called the Pennyfarthing! While completing his PhD in Insect Physiology at the University College of Wales. In 1970 moved to Coventry and continued playing in folk clubs and music sessions. Was Sean Cannon's guitarist for a short while and even appeared on TV with him and made a cassette tape based on the TV programme. Met the Furey Brothers at "The Old Dyer's Arms" and developed his love of Irish music. Throughout the 70's and the 80's and 90's he played many solo/combo gigs throughout the UK and Europe. Many Solo/Duo/ Rock Band /Irish Showband/Country Band gigs and played until minutes before his demise!! Played with his partner Brenda, an unaccompanied traditional singer.

Influences
John James; John Hurt; Rev Gary Davis; Libba Cotton; Ralph McTell; Renbourne/Jansch; Stefan Grossman; Joan Baez; Bob Dylan; Bach; Beethoven; Debussy; Delius; Rachmaninov:Martin Carthy; Nic Jones; The Fureys; Sean Cannon"

I met Dave at the Rude Bear Folk at the Three Tons in Coventry in 1972. The club, run by Rod Felton and

Rod Felton Ad HOBO

 Dave Coburn, soon moved to the Boatyard in Gosford St. and Dave was a regular. His accomplished Ragtime style influenced many a guitarist. It was a style hard to emulate easily but nonetheless caused many to work harder at their picking. Dave went on to establish his own club at the Old Dyers Arms and encouraged so many players including a young Pauline black who used to play under the name Pauline Vickers at the Old Dyers Arms. Pauline has acknowledged that Dave 'kickstarted' her entire career before  Selecter. I remember seeing her play there circa 1978, doing a Stones and Joan Armatrading song and going over to give her the thumbs up. I never imagined that that was the start of a disguised musical career that would span Two Tone, TV and Radio and much else. A year later I saw her again at the Lanch Poly with Selecter who were just starting off.- the rest is history!.

More recently Dave has given guitar lessons to many including the brilliant Kristy Gallacher, one of the new upcoming Coventry singer songwriters. I 

Rude Bear Folk

was lucky to see Dave one last time in 2009 when I went back to Coventry. He was supporting his daughter Sarah, also an impressive guitar player at Janine's Acoustic Escape session. Dave invited me to another one of his folk club initiatives (somewhere near the Belgrade) but unfortunately I had to return home before that.

To the end he was an influential personality and player on the Coventry music scene, running clubs, playing and encouraging a whole new generation of acoustic players. Practically every one remembers him as a nice ,friendly and encouraging bloke and an amazing guitar player. There are other posts on this site about Dave if you look in the index (see sidebar). 

Bulls Head Folk Club

Dave's place in these annals of the Coventry music scene are more than well earned / deserved. Above there are some samples of his amazing playing.

"you are the man who kick started my entire career at the 'old dyers arms' in coventry....those were the days" Pauline Black - The Selecter