Brexit might mean Brexit, but The Kilsby Open Music Collective Music Night means everybody is happy.

 Shirley and I arrived at The George nice and early as usual and went looking for Tara to let her know that we had arrived, only to find Paul behind the bar with no idea we were coming. The back room was cold, and he grumbled a bit about no one telling him about our Open Music Evening. Sorry Paul, my fault! Still, he was happy for us to rearrange the furniture, and he was complementary about what he heard over the evening. As we left he was a bit more enthusiastic, and asked if it was possible to have a poster for the new year. I'm on it Paul.


We got the sound and light equipment set up, and guitars tuned, in plenty of time. The Christmas tunes went on and we waited for the first arrivals. Although the room was a bit chilly, it was quite pleasant not to be bathed in sweat from the exertion of all the lifting and carrying.

While it has been an unsettled end to 2018, the quality of performances has continued to get better and better and Shirley has made her presence felt behind the sound desk, really making her mark on the evening. Throughout the year there have been a few new faces popping in to see us. Tonight, we were visited by Jon,

Proceedings were as usual and I ran a new song up the metaphorical flag pole to see how it went. It included some whistling, which is always a risky proposition. It doesn't have a title yet.


Ray was next up. Facebook tells me that Ray is quite busy at the moment, playing at lots of venues; and he's always well received. The practice is very apparent as his performances are always slickly delivered. His superbly cheerful seasonal ditty, by John Rudkin, 'I'm The Man Who Slits The Turkeys' Throats At Christmas', was so good he must have been practicing it since February. His second was a much more poignant number, and one he sang for us in November; 'Tommy'; the story of the unofficial Christmas Day truce during the First World War.  He carried on with his ridiculous to sublime in the second half with a medly of songs about holes. The first was in an elephants bottom, the second, in a Vietnam Veteran's arm.

 They say that first impressions last a lifetime, and if that's true, Jon has cemented his place at The George as an ace performer. His carefully crafted compositions were well delivered. In the first set he gave us 'The Girl In The Moon', followed by 'The Angels and The Astronaut'. In the second half a cynical seasonal evaluation, 'Christmas Is Coming' and then my favourite one, a very folky 'Keep A Look Out My Laddie'. I noticed that Mike Newhouse was trying to recruit him for FATO, so I look forward to hearing some more from him on Thursday at The Royal Oak, Crick. I bet he's got a love song or two tucked away somewhere for February.


Ian was in need of some teeth for Christmas, and so he sang about it. His second was a proper surprise and delight. 'Walking In The Air', yes that one, with a real swing. It is a shame we'll have to wait until next Christmas to hear it again. He was back on familiar ground with some Tom Waits in the second half, 'I hope that I don't Fall In Love With You' and 'Down Town Train' more familiar as a Rod Stewart cover.

Mike and John got very intimate, sharing the mic. There was no need, they could have had two each and there would have still been a spare. Their seasonal offering were 'Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer' and 'Christmas In Australia' and second half  'I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas' and 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas'.


Pete and Marion weren't quite so intimate, though Marion managed a very sultry 'Santa Baby', Pete sand Greg Lake's 'I Believe in Father Christmas'. There is something very satisfying in couples performing Fairytale of New York; perhaps it is in the natural invective. Pete and Marion delivered the appropriate amount of spleen venting and hand wringing that  the song deserved as their second half piece. They were ably supported by Mark on accordion for 'The Fairytale of new York'

Elastica, AKA Sandi and Tugrul, were next up. They were in festive form, begining with 'Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree', and then Eric Bogle's superb 'Santa Bloody Claws', with Tugrul playing guitar and kazoo to the tune of Jingle Bells. It was sung with feeling by Sandi. Their second half performance had enough Robins in it to make Batman blush, begining with a young Michael Jackson's 'Rockin' Robin' and 'When The Red Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin Along'.

It was great to welcome Mick Bisiker back. Sadly, he wasn't able to stop for the whole evening, and had left his guitar in the car expecting not to be able to play. No chance! We haven't seen him since he smashed the Night of Lurve, Love Song Competition at the begining of the year. Tonight he gave us Lindesfarne's 'Winter Song', and 'Lady Eleanor'. It was very reassuring to see that even performers as accomplished as Mick can sometimes find it difficult to start, even favourite songs. Once he was underway it was as good as we knew it was going to be.

Tracey was on her travels and Ross was eating curry, so tonight's lineup of MDF was Mark on accordion, Mike on rythmn guitar, John on banjo and me on bass and vocals, singing a Tracey song, Travelling Wilburys'  'Handle With Care', and Ross' song It's All Over Now, In the second half we did a rousing Wagon Wheel, and Mark's favourite (irony!) Fisherman's Blues.

The Christmas season continues in Nuneaton so it was great to welcome Dangerous Derrick, Tracy and The Mothership to The George again.  Another Cup Of Coffee, Mike And The Mechanics Dobie Gray's 'Drift Away' and something by George Ezra Aligator Hit The Road.

The Crap Raffle Prize, a second hand CD compilation of 100 Christmas songs; I think legends is overstating things a bit, was won, if that's the right word, by Pete Nash and the best Seasonal jumper was won by Ian.

2019 begins as always with our seasonal opening event, 'The Night of Lurve', love song competition.  Check back through the blog for the rules. It is a superb night for audience and participants alike, and takes place on the first Friday of February.

So as I wish you all a Christmas and New Year full of music and merriment, and look forward to singing and playing with you next year.

More bangers than you could shake a stick at.

It is hard to believe that this is our 5th Bangers And Mash Night, particularly as in the last three years we have had three different landlords, and the last two appeared shortly before a bangers and mash night. This time Tara included some plain pork sausage in the mix which pleased at least one regular. There was also a very delicious, spicy vegetable chilli and baked potato. 

My opening included, by request, 'In The Woods (Like Bear Grylls)'. I was hoping for a bit of percussive accompaniment from Ross, but his sausages arrived just as we finished 'Old Town Blues', and he was off like a scolded whippet. While I declared that I hoped he'd burned his mouth and given himself indigestion I didn't mean it. I couldn't blame him for his hurried exit, as Janet was present and his sausage might have been under threat. I only sang the one in the second half, 'Spade'.

The usual juggling act of performer selection ensued as I tried to avoid picking anyone with food in their mouths. Ian was second up. his performance this evening was memorable for a couple of reasons. His first song a a delightfully cheeky Jake Thackery number, 'The Bantam Cock', a rude and robust farmyard romp. Then, a first for The George, Ian produced a marimba, a thumb piano), and sang There was an Old Woman Who Swallowed A Fly. Ian, taking a cue from an earlier continental sausage related song entertained us with ‘Voulez-vous ma saussice?’ before returning to more familiar material and The Animals,  ‘Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’.

No Strings Attached were both plugged in, and for the first time in years they were heard as clearly at the back of the room as they were at the front. I missed the title of their first half medly of reels but in the second half they played 'News of The Victory' and 'The Three Captains’.

Ray was back in serious mood, well for some of the evening. His first song was moving account of participants in the First World War, 'The Game Keeper' by Show of Hands followed by a joyful,

self penned, inuendo packed celebration of 

sausage, ‘Herman the German’s Sausage Shop’ which related to his experience of just such an establishment. Another self penned, but more serious, Tommy, about the Christmas Truce. His final song of the night was quite possibly the best song of the night. A parody of John Denver’s Leaving on A Jet Plane, ‘It’s a Bugger When You Leave From Heathrow. Anyone who has flown package class has experience of the horrors of airline travel.

Dangerous Derrick Meyer returned to The George for some sausage as his regular Friday night Open Mic Night in Nuneaton had begun it’s Christmas Season. I know, it's only 2^nd of November! Though I have to confess that my first Christmas dinner was on Sunday the 19th, with all the trimmings, crackers and a secret Santa.

He was accompanied by Freddie, the cockerpoo, in his rendition of The Eagles. It might have been the Lion Eyes that upset him. His second song was Soul Asylum’s 'Run Away Train'. Derrick is famous for two things, the destruction of the stage set and leaving early for his beauty sleep. It is clearly working. So we had nothing from DD in the second half. If the Christmas season continues through December we can hope to see the mothership once more this year.

Sandi and Tugrul, AKA 'Elastika' treated us to a wonderful parody of Del Shannon's, 'Ain’t No Cure for The Summertime Blues' referencing accurately the events of the Brexit negotiations and the travesty of the current Tory Government; which while it didn't split the room, managed to split a few sides. This was followed by 'Rockin’ Robin'.

In their second half, a very moody performance of the timeless American folk classic, 'Poor Wayfaring Stranger' and then the much lighter 'It’s Illegal, It’s Immoral or it makes you Fat' by The Beverley Sisters.

Mike and John were two tone and John had ants in his pants The whole world’s sitting on a ticking bomb, Aloe Blacc with Ross (full of sausage and mash, providing cajon accompaniment just like a ticking clock. The Whole World is Sitting On A Ticking Bomb. This was followed by

'Hey There Delilah', by The Plain White Ts.

Mike has been thumbing through archives somewhere and dug up some belters lately. Another new one was from Roy Orbison ‘Penny Arcade’. It’s the first time we’ve heard this one at The George, and I thought we were getting The Crash Test Dummies while they sorted their pitch. Once they were underway though it was a beautifully performed song.

Steve Edgar Killing Me Softly, originally recorded in 1972 by Lori Lieberman, made famous by Roberta Flack in 1973. Steve didn't quite have the confidence to have his face gently strummed by a male singer, so he tweaked the lyrics. I think that he would have got away with it. It's a cracking song and Steve performed it superbly. Back to the war, Steve then gave us the song that everyone thinks they know until the verse, John McCormack’s 'It’s A Long Way To Tipperary'.

Regular audience member Pete commented on a recent song that Steve had performed , Pink Floyd’s Granchester Meadow’, saying that it reminded him of a lovely folk song written by John Connely and recorded by Tony Capstick ‘Punch and Judy Man'. His last of the evening was one we've heard him play before, but not as often as we'd like, Doctor Hook and The Medicine Show's 'Silvia’s Mother'

It fell once more on MDF to empty the room and we too advantage of being without Tracey to practice Ross's contribution to the bands set for the forthcoming MDF gig at Birdingbury. In the first half we made a fair fist of Lindisfarne's 'Meet Me On The Corner', and The Cure's, 'Friday, I’m In Love', We were a bit cheely closing the evening, sneaking in an extra one. MDF staples now, 'Wagon Wheel', 'Walk of Life', and for encore, The Valentino's, 'All Over Now'; and it was.


We are still on for December's Xmas Warm-Up, complete with shit raffle and the odd Christmas tune.
Come and help us end the year in style. That's Friday 7th December, starting at 8pm as usual.

Daisybell Pulls It Off

It seems years ago that Shirley and I went along to The Harvester at Long Itchington, to Willow and Tool’s Music Parlour, where we were introduced to Daisybell. After their performance we found ourselves sat at the next table, and a conversation ensued that summarised as “How do we get you to come to The George?” This resulted in an exchange of email addresses and a commitment to sort a date.

While you're here, why not nip across to their Facebook page and give it a like https://www.facebook.com/Daisybellfolk/

Daisybell were busy over the summer with festivals, and with the Collective’s special nights making a feature set unsuitable, we crossed off the various first Friday’s until we were left with just one. October!

Now, while September’s Birthday Bash was the best one yet, it had a fly in its metaphorical ointment. Once more the future of live music a The George, Kilsby seemed under threat as, sadly, Prasath told me that he would be out of The George by the end of September, with no clue as to who would be taking over, or if the pub would even be open, as decorating was scheduled. It seemed highly likely that the October night not even take place.

Shirley was working on the Sunday, the week before, so, at lunchtime, Narla and I drove over to Kilsby to see if we could find out what was happening, only to find the doors locked and no indication as to when they might open again. Phone calls were attempted and messages left, and on the last Thursday of September the phone was answered by Charlotte who cautiously expressing some interest, recommended that I phone the next day when they were opening. To be sure, I went straight from work and called in. And so we were still on!

With the extended set from Daisybell to take place at 9pm, we started cautiously with a song each and then would fill in the time left afterwards, making a Daisybell sandwich. And so the evening began with Jason, who had come over from Napton. We haven't seen him here for such a long time, so to teach him a lesson he was given the dubious honour of opening for us. This he did, with Paul Simon’s 'Me and Julio, Down By The School Yard'. The enormity of the task only became apparent after our star turn had performed. 'Follow that' never seemed such a tall order. Still, bravely he stepped up as first on after the awesome Daisybell. First he sang Del Amitri's, 'Nothing Ever Happens', and then the much mocked and maligned but far more talented than they were given credit for at the time, Chas and Dave’s 'Ain’t No Pleasing You'.

For the last couple of months Roland had turned up on his own but tonight Ken was back and the full strength No Strings Attached a medley of 'When The Saints Go Marching In' and 'D’Ye Ken John Peel'. Later in the evening they gave us 'News of The Victory' and 'Kerfunken Jig'. They seemed to have benefited from Ken's rest as they played out of their skins.

OMC regular Nigel Lewis presented his own compositions. He started in the first part of the evening with, ‘Gotta Be A Reason’, His last two were a seasonally topical 'Autumn Fall' and I’m Not Sure Any More’ to finish.

Mike and John were ‘Leaving On A Jet Plane’, and I'm not sure when they'll be back again. Post Daisybell they sang The Seekers' classic from 1964, 'I Know I’ll Never Find Another You' and  John Denver's 'Country Road'.

John has passed the point of being considered 'new' and Shirley has got the measure of his vocals and guitar now, so he sounded really good as he gave us Bob Dylan’s ‘Señor’. We know he's a Leonard Cohen fan and we've heard him do ‘A Heart With No Companion’ a couple of times now. the David Bowie’s 'Sorrow', first released in 1965 by The McCoys. Thank goodness for Wikipedia.

MDF were without their usual vocals and percussion so I was stand-in. Still being new to the bass it was considered wise to stick to our standards, and so we did. The first being ‘Baton Rouge’, and after that, that song about a train, finishing with a rousing rendition of Wagon Wheel.

The highlight of the evening was a one hour set by the increasingly popular Daisybell as they offered up  mix of light, funny, tragic and magic.

When they began, with 'Locks and Bolts' they captured the room; and they held it as they delivered songs from their album, Foxes, including the haunting 'Miner’s Winter', my favourite protest song, 'This Wheel is Broken', and beautifully delivered covers like Yazoo's 'Only You'. They ended  their set with the highly  acclaimed Abba medley from this year's Warwick Folk Festival and we managed to squeeze another encore with 'Wot Cher! Knocked 'em the Old Kent Road.

To say they went down well is such an understatement. I suspect people members of the collective will be talking about this for years.

Bangers and Mash will be on the menu for November's Open Music Night.

Bish! Bosh! Birthday Bash!

This September saw the best Birthday Bash at The George, Kilsby, so far. If you walked through the pub, 90 percent of the clientele were packed into the back room, to the extent that chairs found their way out into the passageway.

The full list of performers meant that there was something for everyone; as did a very delicious venison curry or vegetable chilli and some interesting black pudding canapes supplied by Prasath and the kitchen.

We opened the music closer to eight than usual because of the turnout. I started things off as per usual. Given it was a birthday bash, and the number of years has increased to 56 it seemed appropriate to start with Bob Dylan's 'Forever Young'. The second song was one of my better efforts, 'Under The Patio'.

In the second half I was privileged to be accompanied by Hedley on the violin and Ross on cajon. They really enhanced my 'Mouldy Brown Bread and Cheese' and 'Dance With Me Tonight'.

Allan, who arrived very early in anticipation of a shortage of seats, began with a song I don't think he's sung before at The George, about something "Sweet". His second was his well known Irish song, 'The Spinning Wheel' from the poem of John Francis Waller of Limerick.

Next up was Brian, who I just managed to catch in the camera before he decided to leave the stage area and perform unplugged. He began with 'The Louse House at Kilkenny 'and followed that with the well known 'Dance Around The Spinning Wheel'. There was a little time for a few more performances in the second half so we got one of my favourite of Brian's songs, 'Spancil Hill'.

Nigel was fourth up. His first song, with a title that sounded like 'East Coast Boy with The City Blues' and a melancholic 'Autumn Fall'. His second half contribution was a couple of songs that have really grown on me. 'I'm Not Sure Anymore' and 'There's Got To Be A Reason'.

Roland was on his own again tonight, so we had couple his less performed songs, including Blind Boy fuller's Piccolo Rag.

Pete provided a very interesting version of Steppenwolfe's 'Born to be Wild, on his banjo. It worked really well. Then Marian sang Mary Hopkins' Those were the days my friend. Then, Pete took his life in his hands playing 'There ain't no Pleasing You' . Sadly, Dave Hodges died on September 22nd.

Sandi and Tugrul henceforth referred to as Elastica started off with 'Home Grown Tomatoes' and then John Travis Rolling Home. It clearly wasn't the right song for Sandi, or she started in the wrong key, We've all had one of those moments. There are two options; abandon it part way through or plough on. Sandi, being a Super Trouper kept going, and the round of applause reflected her determination, perseverance and bloody mindedness. The question is, will we hear it again? I hope so.  

On of the delights of the evening was Paddy's birthday tribute. I have joined a distinguished list of subjects for Paddy's lyrical wizardry, though I hear that Donald Trump isn't too happy with his. "It's a bad song, a very bad song. A fake news bad song that's trying to make me look bad." Whereas I was very, very, pleased with mine. Thank you Paddy! 

Lew Bear made the mistake of asking me if there was anything I particularly wanted him to sing tonight. Having spent the previous few days listening to his CD, which by the way is fantastic, and I was particularly struck by his song 'Death' about, well, death. One line struck me as being particularly appropriate. Spare me for another year. His second was It won't get better any time soon, but all that really matters is me and you.  

Ray brought a distinct level of culture wit him this evening; combining Kipling and David Gates. 'If' and then the delightful 'Hole in The Elephant's Bottom'.

Mike and John were on good form with John Denver's 'Sunshine On My Shoulder' and Bob Dylan's 'Don't Think Twice'.  A few days earlier, TCB asked if we could add a new song to the MDF repertoire . 'Sloop John B.' by The Beach Boys. We got together on Thursday for a practice, well everyone except Brian. I think we got away with it. Much more familiar was Kirsty McColl's There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis'..

The night was ended with a bit of a jam as we wrestled our way through a couple of blues numbers with Ross. Whatever my 57th year brings, the end of the 56th one was spectacular. Thank you all who came along, whether to play or be part of the audience. 

Acoustic Anarchy in August

Last year, in May, Shirley and I sloped off for a family wedding and, very kindly, Ross stood in to be MC for the Open Music Night at The George, Kilsby. He only agreed on the proviso that it would be an acoustic punk themed night, and so it was. The feedback was great and I was sorry to miss it. It was such a good idea that it happened again and the August Acoustic Anarchy Night has entered the calendar.






My first song of the night was a bit of Iggy Pop, 'Passenger' featuring my favourite chords, Am F, C, G and E. The wig was hot and itchy, the gloves made playing quite difficult and the padlock and chain sat awkwardly with the guitar strap. In the second half my Canary song. I had originally planned on Sid Vicious' version of My Way, but I wasn't comfortable with the language. Sid Vicious My Way (Contains strong language) For next year I am going to have a couple of Sex Pistols songs ready.


We were delighted to welcome Ray back again, and he began with a rolling stone themed first half, starting off with Bob Dylan's 'Like a Rolling Stone' and then the Rolling Stones' 'Brown Sugar'. His second half was The Naked Rambler, sung to  tune of the Kinks' Dedicated Follower of Fashion. The descriptions of male genitalia had me in stitches. How do you follow that? Whatever he chose it would be it would be 'Norfolk 'N' Good'.


Lew Bear didn't read the email (again) but it was great to see him and listen to his delivery of Show of  Hands 'Arrogance, Ignorance and Greed'. Lew was promoting his CD, Love Light Dark and Death, the progress of which I've been following on Facebook, and from it came The Wanderer The Wanderer  follow the link for a reminder. It is a cracking album and well worth the £5. In the second half of the evening he sang 'The Tramp' by Joe Hill and much more familiar to us 'Devil You Know', the opening track of the album.

Nigel Lewis got a punk pin, not for his songs but for his t-shirt. His almost punk Tenpole Tudor's 'Swords of a Thousand Men' went down very well, as did his own composition 'Day Dreamers'. I'm not sure if he chose the order of his second half songs deliberately, but there was a logic to their order. The first was 'I'm Not Sure Any More' and that was followed by 'Gotta Be A Reason'. I hadn't clocked it on the night, but noticed when I heard him playing at The Royal Oak, Crick, at the monthly Folk At The Oak. I suppose either order would have done, and they are very lovely songs.

Sandi & Tugrul Began with a shanty we've heard from them before, 'The Bonnie Ship The Diamond Goes Fishing For A Whale' before providing what was the best anachy song of the night. To the tune of 'All I have to do is Dream', they sang 'All I Have to do is Scream, Shout, Curse, Spit. It was perfect and the angst was palpable. Apparently it only took them a few minutes to write; truly punk at its finest. In the second half they were much more restrained, singing 'Nothing But Blue Skies' and 'By The Banks of The Ohio'.

Mike Newhouse was without his regular partner John, so I provided guitar accompaniment. I tried to look suitably surprised at the right moments but no one does that quite like John. Mike played it safe with his selection for the night given our lack of practice, his first the well known parody on Bob Dylan, 'Knockin' On Evan's Door' and the very old classic that almost everybody knows, 'House of The Rising Sun'.

Pete and Marian got in to the new wave groove with Julian Cope's 'World Shut Your Mouth' and Pulp's Common People. Pete also reminded everyone of the September Fete at Clifton on Dunsmore on Saturday 15th, 12pm - 5pm.
South Road, Clifton upon Dunsmore. CV23 0EF.

John Hill was back again, He also failed to read the email, but that wasn't his fault, he didn't get the email from me. We were aiming for the 70's but John was strictly 50's
The Girl of My Best Friend and Half Way To Paradise

Allan Birkett was in good voice tonight offering Donovan's 'Universal Soldier' and to bodhran accompaniment, Steeleye Span's 'Black Leg Miner', In the second half he sang the old Irish folk song 'The Spinning Wheel' and finished with Rita MacNeil's 'It's A Working Man I Am'.

Paul Fox was playing with Jamm, the letters of their names, Jackie and Andy but the Ms are still a mystery. They started with the Clash anthem 'London's Burning', followed by a very gutsy Talking Heads' 'Psycho Killer'. As they were the top band of the night with the biggest sound, it was appropriate to let them finish which they did in style, The Sound of The Suburbs, The Jam That's Entertainment and a splendid Won't Get Fooled Again.

MDF went blonde, or should that be Blondie with 'One Way Or Another', It wasn't a bad effort for a first time out with little practice. It might just get added to the MDF repertoire. We were on more familiar territory with the rest of the evening following Debbie with The Traveling Wilburys' 'Handle Me With Care'. In the second  half there was another recent addition, 'Baby I Love Your Ways' and the well known Kirsty McColl classic 'There's a Guy Works Down The Chip Shop'.

We are back in September with George's Birthday Bash on Friday 7th September. We'll have the full PA and lights though the use of a smoke machine is purely speculatory.