Coventry Music Archives's blog

Kristy Gallacher playing the Musician in Leicester Tues 29th June 2010

 Visit Kristy Gallacher's website - http://www.kristygallacher.com/

Kristy Gallacher

Kristy is a top Coventry singer / songwriter with a growing reputation and a promoter running her own venues encouraging local talent. Recently she has supported Eric Clapton, Stevie Winwood and John Mayer at Birmingham LG Arena and Scott Mathews, Glen Tilbrook,  and many others. 

Live at the Adam and Eve

Kristy Gallagher (Godiva Fringe Fest)- photo Peter Clemons

Kristy Gallacher - Godiva Fringe Fest - Photo Peter Clemons

 http://coventryfolkclubs.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/kristy-gallacher-coventry-singer.html

Read more here about Kristy Gallacher and listen to some more recent youtube on the Hobo - Coventry Folkscene Blog - here 

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'

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

 

Kristy Gallacher - Live at the Adam and Eve

Excellent performance of two songs by this rising Coventry Singer Songwriter

Live at the Adam and Eve

 Visit Kristy's website http://www.kristygallacher.com/index.html

And read more here on Hobo - Coventry Folkscene Blogspot (with more recent youtube footage) http://coventryfolkclubs.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/kristy-gallacher-coventry-singer.html

Kristy Gallacher should be "top of a record company’s ‘must-sign’ "- Nuneaton Tribune

Kristy Gallacher Warwick Arts Centre - Photo Jackie Donovan

Somewhere below is our own review of Coventry singer songwriter Kristy Gallacher, written by Wayne Spencer but this one in the Nuneaton Tribune is worth taking a look at. Tribune reviewer Emma Ray says - 

"Gallacher really is the real deal, and in the intimate setting of Warwick Arts Centre’s studio theatre, she holds the audience in the

Kristy at More Than Two Tones - photo Chris Johnson

 palm of her hand."

"Key to her ability to wow her audience is three-fold – she’s got one hell of a voice, her songs are top drawer, and she knows how to connect."

Emma Concludes that Kristy deserves to be top of a record company's must sign.

Praise indeed for the upcoming 23 year old Coventry singer.

Read all about it here - 

Nuneaton Tribune Review of Kristy Gallacher

Wayne Spencer's Review of Kristy at Warwick Arts Centre

This link has now been updated. Wayne did the review for this site in 2009.

Below - an earlier performance from one of her many pub gigs.

 

Kristy Gallacher - Do It

Visit Kristy's website here http://www.kristygallacher.com/index.html

More info and more recent youtube on the Hobo- Coventry Folkscene blogspot - here http://coventryfolkclubs.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/kristy-gallacher-coventry-singer.html

 

It's All About Coventry - head over there for info and Interviews

It's All About Coventry

Run by Ben Glass "It’s All About Coventry gives a great band and gig guide. 

and features a guide to gigs happening throughout the city. 
It also includes exclusive video interviews with Coventry bands and more."

http://www.itsallaboutcoventry.co.uk/bands_main.shtml

Coventry ragtime guitarist Dave Bennett is featured here on the Hobo site and Ben Glass interviewed his daughter Sarah Bennett on video. Her guitar work is amazing as you'd expect if you've heard Dave play. I got to see Sarah play at Justine's Acoustic Escape last year.

 

Kristy Gallacher - at Warwick Arts Centre 13 Nov 09

 

Kristy Gallacher Warwick Arts Centre - Photo Jackie Donovan

Kristy Gallacher is a name to look out for on the current Coventry music scene. 

This popular young singer songwriter has developed quite a musical career for herself before and after gaining a degree in Musical Composition at Coventry University. Kristy is not only developing her own career but as a promoter is helping new talent in Coventry. 

Fresh from the Troubadour gig in London Kristy performed at Warwick Arts Centre, and Poet, Script writer and music lover Wayne Spencer (pictured here with his back towards us talking to Special - Horace

Wayne Spencer (in blue) and Horace Panter (The Specials)

 Panter) has written a review of Kristy's performance alongside Birmingham singer songwriter Ben Calvert 

KRISTY GALLACHER AND BEN CALVERT - WARWICK ARTS CENTRE, STUDIO THEATRE - 13 NOV 2009 by Wayne Spencer

Photos of Kristy's gig by kind permission of Jacki Donovan http://www.flickr.com/photos/sadieshatterly/

Well it was Friday the 13th so I should have guessed something would happen on this day. The journey from Leicester to the Warwick Arts Centre is usually a simple one, but on this occasion we were treated to a delightful meal of torrential rain and strong winds blowing us all over the M69 as we made our way to the concert. Just when we thought the end was in sight we were given a side helping of a massive traffic jam. But thankfully we just made it in time.

The Warwick Arts Centre is a very impressive building, boasting the recently redeveloped Butterworth Hall, a cinema, a theatre and the Studio theatre. Seasick Steve was playing in the Butterworth and the Centre was full of life, with everyone glad to reach the dry and warm, and audiences looking forward to their chosen concert.

I've been to events at the Centre before, but never in the Studio theatre. I found it to be very impressive. Intimate and with a great atmosphere. Six tiered rows of padded blue seats, each row about twenty seats across, and a side row of seats along each wall, raised on a platform/balcony. The ticket sales for the show had been very good with only a tiny handful left. 

The concert was part of the Under the Radar season, a platform for the best independent and emerging musicians from in and around the Midlands.

Ben Calvert

Birmingham singer songwriter Ben Calvert began the show with an excellent set of songs that he describes as ‘Lo-Fi Post-Folk musings’. His first song was Rollin' City, from his The State of Travel EP. Ben built up a good rapport with the audience, with short witty comments in-between songs. A few concert goers were still arriving during his set, no doubt delayed by the swirling elements outside on this Winter's night. Ben joked that "latecomers will get detention".

Meet Me 'Mongst The Leaves, the third song of Ben's set, was a real favourite with the audience. Songs from his album The Leafy Underground were very well received, as was the song Flee from his album The Broken Family Daysaver.

A new song that was featured was inspired by the Katie Price-Peter Andre saga, and managed to include the tabloid tales of eating Hob Nobs alone. It had a headline inspired title that Morrissey would be proud of - Pop Star Sits Alone At Home Crying Eating Hob Nobs.

Other new songs included Everybody Loves Lucy and the very appropriate Winter. Ben has just recently recorded both of those in demo form as he works on his next album. Ben was accompanied on some songs by Jamie Parkes with excellent violin playing. Between them they created a very friendly atmosphere that everyone seemed to enjoy.

An interval followed Ben's performance, and CDs of Ben and Kristy were available to buy in the foyer.

Kristy Gallacher at More Than Two Tones

As we resumed our seats for the second half of the concert, the lights dimmed and on came Coventry singer songwriter Kristy Gallacher and her band. I had first seen Kristy perform live at the Herbert Museum in Coventry on 2 October as part of the launch night for the More Than Two Tones Exhibition. 

On that night she performed solo, acoustically, and had impressed many people including myself. I had been blown away by her performance and had wanted to see her in concert again, to see a longer set. The Warwick show was a special one as she doesn't do too many with the band, and they certainly didn't disappoint.

Right from the first song, Don't Look Down, they had the audience enthralled. The band consisted of Clive Layton on bass, Lisa Nowak on violin and Karen Milne on drums. Kristy has worked with Clive for a long time, he produced Kristy's first album Emotional Gun, and they are currently working on the second album. 

The set included four songs from the Emotional Gun album - the title track, I'm Gonna, This is War, Don't Look Down -

Kristy Gallacher Warwick 4

 and two songs that were part of the six track Live @ The Troubadour release - Cold and Empty and Shame Shame.

New songs on the night included Hunting for the Thief, and a very powerful performance of Take which was a real highlight amongst many great moments.

The format of the show was that some songs were with the band (with and without Lisa on violin), and some songs solo. Some electric, some acoustic. At one point Kristy joked that she should have put the guitars closer to her as she tip-toed through the mass of wires scattered across the performance space to change over from one guitar to the other. This was the first time I'd seen Kristy perform with an electric guitar and she was just as impressive as she is acoustically. The mix of acoustic and electric made for a very powerful combination. 

Kristy is such a talented and confident artist, and her songs of emotions and life have a deep effect on an audience. She manages to convey great friendliness as a person, with an intense telling of life stories, and that makes for a great performance every time. A brilliant merging of emotional lyrics, wonderful voice and powerful sound.

It's also very good to see musicians genuinely enjoying themselves onstage, and it was obvious to all that Kristy, Clive, Lisa and Karen were having a great time, and so were we.

Kristy Gallacher Warwick 1

At the end of the show the audience definitely wanted more. The encore of This Party Is Over was the perfect ending to the night, and Kristy and the band left with smiles on their faces and on ours, and with loud applause ringing around the Studio space.

As the audience wrapped itself up again and braced ourselves for the increasing storms outside, we knew we'd witnessed something special. And as we headed out into the dark and windswept night we did so with great memories from a truly memorable show.

It may have been a Winter's night, but both Ben and Kristy had made the rain and wind from outside disappear for a couple of hours, and replaced it with a night of wonderful music. 

Ben's set list was;

Rollin' City

Counting Carriages

Meet Me 'Mongst The Leaves 

Hours Fall

Everybody Loves Lucy

Pop Star Sits Alone At Home Crying Eating Hob Nobs

Flee

Winter

Black Boys On Mopeds

Resolution

No Sound 

No Lullaby

Kristy's set list was;

Don't Look Down

Cold and Empty

I'm Gonna

Safe and Sound

Jealousy Seeds

Picking up the Pieces

Halo High Street

Take

Shame, Shame

This is War

Hunting for the Thief

Emotional Gun

Too Close to Home

This Party Is Over

Ben's upcoming gigs are listed on his myspace page at

http://www.myspace.com/bencalvertmusic

http://www.bencalvert.com/

Kristy's releases and upcoming gigs are on her official site at

http://www.kristygallacher.com

Read more about Kristy and hear some more recent youtube here on Hobo - Coventry Folkscene Blkogspot http://coventryfolkclubs.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/kristy-gallacher-coventry-singer.html

 

MORE THAN TWO TONES - Review of the Launch

MORE THAN TWO TONES - Launch Review

Two Tone Gold Discs at the Exhibition

Having been on the steering group for the Coventry Music History Exhibition - More Than Two Tones over the past

8722_147477422912_602877912_2630983_6232629_n

 two years, (along with Pete Chambers, Richard Elms, Trev Teasdel (me), Huw Jones, John Dawkins, Roger Lomas, Neol Davies, Dave Fisher, Pete Walters and Herbert Museum team) I was invited to the launch at the 

Herbert Museum and Art Gallery  last Friday (2nd October). 

This is a temporary exhibition lasting until January 3rd.

Down in Coventry

Living now on the edge of both Teesside and the North York Moors, I travelled down to the Two-Tone Motor City by National Express down long stretches of arterial lanes and souless motorways passing through the wonderwell of York and the urban guerrilla of Birmingham where I was picked up and ushered to Cov by my young nephew in his smart new car, albeit with a heavy accent on the accelerator!

Coventry seemed surprised to see me after all these years and spread the rumour loft to loft 'Trev is back' but the cars and buses and lorries bustled on regardless. After spending the afternoon with my mother and sister in Chapelfields, I was driven by my nephew down to Priory Street where things were already happening. 

Striding down the new Cathedral steps, trying to avoid eye contact with devil on the side wall, I saw a crowd entering

Lauch of the 8th Two Tone Plaque

 the Lanch Poly (now Coventry University) Student Union building. Priory Street has become the iconic street in Coventry having had three Cathedrals, one of which was bombed and it is near where the Lennons laid acorns for peace in 1969 and where the Lanch Poly SU held its arts festivals and put on some of the top undergraound in the 70's and early 80's from Soft Machine, Jack Bruce, Colosseum, Clash, Selecter, UB40 to name just a few. Priory Street is now where Pete Chambers does his BBC Coventry Pop into the Past programme with his Walk of Fame outside in Priory Place - with it's tributes to the Specials, Hazel O Connor and Pete Waterman etc. At the other end - the Herbert Museum and Art Gallery but more of that soon.

THE 8th TWO TONE PLAQUE

The gathering at the Student Union was to launch the 8th Coventry Two Tone plaque.This being the place where Roddy Radiation wrote Rat Race in the Student Union. Horace Panter, Pauline Black and Jerry Dammers all did their degrees there.

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The fact that the plaque had already been up a year (I know because Pete Chambers photographed me below it a year ago) didn't matter - it was a good way to start the launch and attract a crowd and a flashing of journalists! Pete Chambers and Horace of the Specials addressed the crowd and answered questions. Afterwards it was camera and notebook madness with Pete and Horace most likely 'Braggin' and Trying not to lie!' as they say in the song!

Stories of Indian Summer

The crowd then moved up past the old Cathedral to the new Herbert Museum and Art Gallery for the launch. There was

Indian summer Cover photo

 quite a crowd of invited guests,many seemingly of the Two Tone generation but quite a mixture of ages really.  I was hard put though to find anyone from the early 70's music scene.  Bob Jackson, the former Indian Summer front man who over the years has played with John Entwhistle, Pete Brown, Badfinger and the Fortunes came up and spoke. He too had expected to see more familiar faces. Neol Davies of Selecter came up and shook our hands but wasn't able to stay as he was guesting at a Ska gig in Birmingham. 

Neol had originally wanted to reform The Selecter for 30th Celebration and I suggested they might play at the Exhibition launch. Neol however was unable to get Selecter back together again but there was talk of a Two Tone jam or a solo performance from Neol,  but Neol was off to Brum instead. Roger Lomas (Ex Sorrows and producer of the Selecter and also on the steering group, was touring the contient with The Ripps. Bob Jackson told me a story about how they had to push his Hammond Organ all the way from Grafton Street near Gosford Green to the Lanch poly for a gig owing to a lack of transport and also corrected a story I'd heard that when

Hobo3 Cover

the Nice played the Lanch poly. Rumour in the 70's had it that Keith Emerson borrowed Bob's Hammond  albeit that Emerson was notorious for throwing knives into his Hammond as part of the act but that Emerson bought him a brand new one to replace it! Bob revealed that the story had gotten a little far fetched and Bob confirmed he turned Emerson down! Bob's Hammond was precious and there was no mention of any replacement - not that Bob - in his own addmission - was opposed to throwing knives in his own Hammond as part of the act at one stage but no way would he let anyone else do that -even Emerson! 

I agreed to interview Bob for Hobo on the Indian Summer days and beyond. Bob was always good for some interesting news update stories in the 70's when I ran Hobo magazine I was amazed tofind Bob looks more or less the same as he did in the 70's - he still has the long hair and the colouring and so was easily recognisable!

Pete Chambers and Horace Panter

The Launch

After much socialising and free drinks and Liquorace Allsorts - Pete and Horace opened the launch with a speech. Unfortunatley little of it was audiable in the new cathedral-like reception hall except for the words 'Two Tone' which seemed to resound in the rafters like a sacrad word! I commented to Martin Richards of the museum that Pete would probably love that - the rest of the words were presumably fillers and acknowlegements anyway and the crowd were anxious to see the Exhibition..

Without giving too much away (you really will have to go and see for yourself) the exhibition was rather smart with a mix of Gold discs, costumes, guitars, posters, recording desks and outline histories. Sure it's not going to please all of the Coventry musos - much that was mentioned in the planning wasn't evident but given the size of the gallery and the time scale and pressures, I think the team did a great job and although it focuses on the big names mainly, it presents a convincing picture of Coventry as an important musical centre. It will be what the fans from across the world will want to see. Sure there were names missing - I didn't see Dando Shaft for instance and it didn't portray the underground music scene out of which Two Tone emerged, but it was probably better for being simple; being a temporary exhibition and the first of its kind in Coventry. The Hobo Vox site (here) gives a lot of that background anyway although I didn't notice the urls to the Coventry music sites that I thought were going tobe displayed!

But it gets the thumbs up for all the hard work the team did to make it happen at all and hopefully this is just the start of documenting the rich musical history of the city.

The Concert

Meanwhile downstairs in the restaurant the stage was being prepared for the musical aspects of the night. Early  plans for the launch had included The Selecter or a Two Tone Jam with Neol Davies at least, The Vampires - a Cov band from the 50's.

Kristy Gallacher live

Once more Pete Chambers took to the stage but this time we could hear him loud and clear through the PA. We knew the Primitives were headlining but who was on first? I was delighted when Pete introduced a young Coventry singer songwriter called Kristy Gallacher. I'd communicated with her and had a copy of her CD but never got to see her live, living a long way from Cov. Kristy did a short but highly effective set. The sound system and lighting was superb and Kristy looked great in her stageoutfit. Kristy is a great example of the new talent coming out of the city, proving that the cities musical achievement is not all in the past - far from it - there's a thriving acoustic scene and although mixed, has a good representation of female singer songwriters (in the seventies - with a few exceptions like Beverly Martyn) music scene was largely male dominated (ok maybe some bands had the cursory 'chick singer') but the lads ruled!

Now some like Kristy and Janine are not only talented muscians and writers but run some of the top venues in the city

Wac13nov

 - a measure of how far women have come. Kristy led us through some of her best songs with confidence and skill and such good guitar accompaniment with touches of  jazz funk, finger style and rock in the chording.  Her songs tell an evocative and heartfelt story with great wit, ingenuity and rhythm. Speaking to her afterwards I realised what a lovely person she is and, in the best of the Cov Scene spirit, selfless enough to give much of her time to promoting other up coming artists (she runs at least two acoustic venues herself). Kristy ended the short set with an uptempo number and had the audience not been so close to the stage, I would have been both dancing and listening (but as those who have been to the Writers Cafe in Stockton know - I need space for my kind of dancing!).Kristy's Home page is http://www.kristygallacher.com/

Kristy Gallacher at More Than Two Tones

Next on were the Primitives. I was excited to see the Primitives as they emerged after I left Cov.Produced by Paul Sampson -who used to play for us at the Hobo Workshop - Holyhead Youth Centre in the mid 70's with his jazz rock band - Trigon. Paul went on to be a leading member of the Two Tone band Reluctant Sterotypes with Paul King who later topped the charts 

with his own band King. For those not in the know - the Primitives were a kind of Blondie style groups who had hits in the mid 80's - like Crash. Sadly it wasn't the original line up with the passing of Steve Dulla. Their performance is on You Tube for those interested. Very much a pop style band with plenty of dancable tunes and it was a treat to see them live despite the abscence of one of it's leading members.The Primitives underpin the diversity of music that has come out of Coventry over the decades, from rock n roll, progressive pop, metal, folk rock, ska and punk and much more. Here are some photos of the concert by Chris Johnson http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisjohnsonphotographics/sets/72157622380970547/

Inspire

Inspire

On the advice of Kristy, I headed to Inspire for a glass of Vino before heading back to my sisters. Although I didn't recognise anyone I knew, it is apparently one of the places Coventry musos now go. Maybe the equivalent of the Dive bar in the 70's. Inspire is interesting for those not from Coventry. So called because Coventry's smallest spire of the three famous ones is just that  - the church got blown away by the Luffwaffe. The pub is literally in the base of the spire with an outside lounge area and a powerful landlord who keeps order by thunderbolts!!! It often has live music or a DJ.

The flying visit was over - next morning bright and early back on the coach heading towards Leeds through blustery headwind and then out in to Middlesbrough and home!

Pete Chambers - Photo by Chris Johnson

http://www.2tonecentral.co.uk/ Vist the Two Tone Central Museum in Coventry - which followed on from this, thanks to Pete Chambers.

Dando Shaft and Indian Summer on You Tube

Dando Shaft (1971) Quality UK Progressive Folk Music. 3 tracks.

INDIAN SUMMER - God is the dog

Indian Summer - Glimpse

Dando Shaft "Sometimes"

Tribute to Ted Kay It takes good luck to catch hares with a

INDIAN SUMMER - More on them here on Hobo - A to Z of Coventry bands https://sites.google.com/site/bandsfromcoventry/coventry-bands-a-to-z/coventry-bands-i/indian-summer

DANDO SHAFT - https://sites.google.com/site/bandsfromcoventry/coventry-bands-a-to-z/coventry-bands-d/dando-shaft

Interview with Mojo (Tony) Morgan - Coventry Blues / Ska Man

TO BE CONTINUED SOON

Mojo (Tony) Morgan's musical career has spanned nearly 40 years and he's still playing and developing. He

Mojo Morgan - photo by Missy Rose

 began as a bass player in a range of blues bands in 70's; fronted a Coventry ska band in the early 80's and made a single, played in a band with Roddy Radiation (after the Specials), took the blues on the road with Travelling Riverside blues band in the 80's and ran a couple of venues and in more recent years moved to Wales where he is a blues singer with his own Outfit - The Hoochie Coochie Blues Band.

.

Trev Teasdel Interview with Mojo Morgan March 2009

1. How and when did you get started on all this music lark and what were your early influences?

When I was about 10 years old, my parent's record collection was a very large collection of artist's like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Lenor Horne, Billie

 

Robert Johnson- Crossroad

Holliday, and a few Robert Johnson records which I fell in love with, and lots of blues and jazz albums. In the 60s I fell in love with the sound of the likes of John Mayall, Alexis Corner, Rolling Stones. Animals. and lots of other R&B

 

Alexis Korner with Rolling Stones members

bands. I was just mad for all that kind of stuff.
 
2. Your main instrument used to be bass What other instruments do you play.

I played Rhythm guitar and sang in my first band, and then I switched over to bass guitar, and stuck with it for the next 30 years.
 
3. The first band I saw you in was The Mick Green Blues Band - what led you to a love of the blues?

The feelings I had from listening to the blues. ( IT JUST SHOUTED OUT AT ME ).
 
4. Were there bands before Mick Green Blues band?

Yea! I just left school, and put a 3 piece band together called (Orange )  I was playing rhythm guitar and vocals, and Steve Harrison on drums, and Graham Dewis on Bass. we used to do lots of cover versions from The Doors, Cream, Stones, and that sort of thing! Graham Dewis's parents had a farm near Stoneliegh Island, not far from the N.E.C (Birmingham National Exhibition Centre). We used to practice there all the time. In the summer, we would practice out side to all the passers by on the motorway. The cows and the sheep liked us! We were young and just didn't care, and had a great time!

 

 
5. How did you meet Mick Green and Steve Harrison

I met Steve Harrison (Drummer) through a friend Alan Jones in Willenhall, Coventry. Steve lived up the road from me, and we became best friends. The last time I heard about Steve, he was living in France. It would be great to find where he is now, and to get back in touch.I met Mick Green through a guy called Tony who lived in the Stoke area in Coventry, and Mick became a good friend! We played together in Mick Greens Blues Band, and a few other bits and bobs, but nothing came to fruit! Steve Harrison, Mick Green and myself moved to Ealing, London, and formed a band with John Laverick and started jamming together, after a couple of weeks, we were giging around London, We were young and foolish! and it was crazy times
 
 
6. You seemed to be in a cluster of bands in the early 70's around some of the same musicians - ie Mick Green and Steve Harrison and few others such as Concert with Martin Barter on organ and one - I think with Johnny Adams (later with Squad). Apart from Mick Green band, there was Railroad in 71, Eli and Rein Chantre c 73 / 74 that I remember. What can you tell us about your early bands.

Some of the bands that i have played in!
 
ORANGE.
 
Mojo Morgan, ryth'm guitar and vocals.
Steven harrison, drums.
Graham Dewis, bass guitar.
 
MICK GREENS BLUES BAND. (1970)

Mick Green - Lead / Rhythm Guit / Vocals

Mojo Morgan - Bass / vocals

Steve Harrison - Drums

(at various times..Johnny Adams - Vocals / Guitar and Paul Samson? Guitar)
 
 
RAILROAD (1971)

Mojo Morgan / Mick Green / Steve Harrison (Trev Teasdel vocals / lyrics) although that didn't work out and this version of the band didn't get as far as gigging.

CONCERT 1971

New-1.aconcertjpg

Mojo Morgan bass / Vocals

Martin Barter - Organ

Steve Harrison - Drums

Jim Allen - Sax

 

(Other similar bands with Mick Green / Simon Lovegrove (Drums) Johnny Adams (Guitar) were - Eli - Raine Chantre?) 
 
 
JOURNEY OF A LIFE TIME.....Changed name of band to MORNING FREEDOM.
 
Tony King, vocals.
Ray .............Rhythm Guitar.
Trevor..............guitar
......................drums.
Mojo Morgan, bass
 
KRYSTAL....Lots of bookings with this band....working 3 to 4

nights a week.....Club Band.
 
 
BLEEDIN' HEARTS....Walsgrave based. All bands material!
 
 
ZENITH.
 
Jim Allen, sax and vocals.

Zenith2

Mojo Morgan, bass.
Steve Harrison, drums.
Mark Burton, guitar.
 

AntiBellumEMF

EMF (The Coventry EMF!)

E.M.F. (Ska with Blues bass) 1979 - 1982

(Link above to their My Space)
 
Donna Elkington, vocals.
Sharron Elkington.vocals.
Jim Allen, sax and vocals.

EMF

Mojo Morgan, bass.
Fitzroy Wilson, ryth'em
Leroy Wright, drums.
Dave Gordon, lead guitar.

SAMMY EARTHQUAKE AND THE VOLCANOES.
 
Dickie Slick, guitar and vocals.
Roddy Byers,AKA Roddy Radiation -  guitar and vocals.
Mojo Morgan, bass and vocals.
Red............, drums.

Mojo says - "Roddy Byers after the specials had is own band Roddy Radiation and The Tearjerkers and when he was'nt playing he would come with us and play with Sammy Earthquake and the Volcanoes"
 
TRAVELLING RIVERSIDE BLUES BAND.
 (Hear their tracks on My Space above)

John Alderson, guitar and slide.
Mojo Morgan, bass and vocals.
George Stevens, drums.
Trevor.............vocals.
 
THE HOOCHIE COOCHIE BAND. (In South Wales) - Still going.
 
Mojo Morgan, vocals.
Mr Chilli, bass and vocals.
Vince. guitar and slide and vocals.
AJ, drums and vocals
 
7. What was your take on the early Coventry music scene in the early 70's?

I just did my own thing, and didn't take much notice of what other bands were doing really!
 
8. How did the advent of punk affect your musical career after 1977?

I wasn't really into punk at the time!  But some stuff now, I do like. (21 Days I do like a lot ).  Two members from Sham 69 and two member from Towers of London.
 
9. By 1979 in the wake of Two Tone you formed your own ska band EMF - how did that come about and what was the idea behind the band. Was there still a blues buzz there?

The blues buzz never leaves me Trev.

With EMF. I just wanted to do something different!  I had just met Amos Anderson who new Fitzroy Wilson - rhythm guitarist and Fitzroy knew Leroy Wright - drums, and put an add in the paper for a singer and Sharon and Donna answered the the call and came for an audition and were recruited. Then all we had to find was the lead guitarist and sax player. I knew Jim Allen who played sax, so i recruited him. I think Dave Gordon - lead guitarist heard what we were doing and just turned up. The first practice we had all together was in Hillfields in one of the flats! and it just came together like that. It just jelled straight away!

Trev - (Yes I remember going to your flat in Hillfields in 1979 - you talked to me about doing some lyrics and you explained to me then that the concept was to form a Ska band but using blues basslines and Sax licks - I don't think it was recognised you were trying to do something slightly different with the Ska sound that fitted in with your love of the blues.

10 I went to a lot of EMF gigs at the Dog and Trumpet and Tile Hill in 1980 before I left Cov. How did the band fare after that - gigs, recordings etc.

We got under Oak Agency from Birmingham, and then the gigs started rollin in, playing all over the country in collages and then we started supporting all the Two Tone acts which was a great buzz!

Trev - I used to go to the regular gigs in Tile Hill and dance to try and get others up on the dance floor! It was very danceable music.
 
 
12 = 13. The band came second in Battle of the Bands and made a single for RCA - tell us the story and What happened to EMF - how come you split up?

 I can't remember how we got into Battle of the Bands but we had to go to The Odeon in Birmingham for the first heat

Battle of the Bands 1981 - EMF

 with all the Area bands, and we came first. RCA put us up in London to go in the studio to do a single which went on to a compelation album for the best of Battle of the bands, and was given a trophy of Battle of the bands. There was a lot of bickering in the band by then, and you don't need that in a band, so then i put an advert in the shop to start another band, Yea! A blues band! I left my own band and started The Travelling Riverside Blues Band with John Alderson. EMF got hold of another bass player and done the final battle of the bands.

14 Tell us about the Coventry bands you were in afterwards  There was a band with John Alderson and a band with Ex Special Roddy Radiation I believe - tell us about them. 

Mojo & John Alderson Little Red Rooster

Artist

When I put an ad in the Clay Lane music shop to put a blues band together. The day after John Alderson phoned me, and I remembered him from Wandering John ( A top Coventry band from around 1970).  He knew George the drummer, and Trev vocalist followed! I became best mates with John and we still get together on the phone and still comes down to see us down in Wales. He a great friend and great musician, he taught me a lot. 

15  Your ran a blues / Folk club at the Freemason's Arms in the 80's - can you tell us a bit about that..

I ran The Coventry Blues Club in the 80's at The Freemasons Tavern on a Thursday nights which we had some great Blues Artist from all over the UK. On Tuesday nights was a folk night with the main band Dando Shaft. Lots of different artists far and wide like Don Fardon, Mick Stuart, Dave Pegg. Martin Jenkins, Rod Felton and many more. 

16. How come you moved to Wales and when? 

DownInTheGutterxxx

HCB

My parents are from Wales, and I came down for holiday most of my life, I always wanted to live near the sea, and

Hoochie_Coochie_Radio

Artist

 wales just seemed right!   
 
To be continued To Come MOJO on the Hoochie Coochie Band