The Flys Talking – Taking off February 1978

The Flys Talking – Taking off February 1978

by Pete Clemons

The Flys. Group of Coventry origin: Neil O'Connor guitar and vocals; David Freeman lead guitar; Joe Hughes bass; Pete King drums.

Flying Start: 'Me and David and Joe have been playing together for three or four years. The front room situation!' - Neil

'Neil started us off. We began writing songs together and recording them on beat up cassettes' - David

'We were originally called Midnight Circus. You see I was really into the Pretty Things and that came from a song of theirs. That was the first working situation, but it was not easy or right to remember' - Neil

'We all made lists of names for the band and The Flys on two people's lists. So that was it' - David

'F-l-i-e-s may be correct, but looks terrible. Flys is visually more acceptable. We were not thinking of insects, zips or anything like that. Though when zips became trendy friends accused us of that implication' - Neil

'Coventry died in the disco thing. The only live music is from club bands. We had difficulty in finding a drummer, because most to work in a £5 job in the clubs, rather than do something new' - David

'Its only recently that people have tried to get something together. There are four or five new wave bands in the area and one club has a new wave night. It may only be 18 months late but in Coventry.........' - Neil

'One club used to book us when other bands cancelled. People must have got fed up with seeing us'. 'One night Peter almost refused to play there. That night we got an encore' - David

'Four or five night supporting Buzzcocks helped us. They paid for us out of their own money'. 'Yeah, they're really decent blokes' - Neil

'EMI saw us at a gig with them. It also brought us to London' - David

'Even before EMI came along we decided our own record out. We wanted to put out value for money so put out value for money so we made a five track EP for 90p' - Neil

'We recorded 13 tracks in two days at Pathway Studios. 2350 printed and it made number ten in the Lightning new wave chart. We were going to put out 7000 then EMI showed interest' - David

'We were surprised when EMI said they wanted to put out 'Love and a Molotov Cocktail' on the single. It was on our own record label too and has been in the set for months and we were getting a bit tired of it. Now we can't put it on the rest pile' - Neil

'Big interest from EMI came after Buzzcocks Marquee gig. There were so many bands in London that it had been difficult for us yo get gigs here because we were not a London band. We've still only played here a handful of times' - David

'Coming from Coventry we felt a bit like country bumpkins. Sometimes it seems a bit strange with us in Coventry and the company in London but I wouldn't want to live here full time. I wouldn't mind somewhere we could stay when we're down here though. Whether we can afford it is another matter though' - Neil

A Fly in the ointment: 'You're the most rubbishy band we've ever seen. And I'm going to tell all the other people I know not to book you. Here's a fiver' - manager of a London club

Flying squad: 'A year ago we did a gig up Redcar way and it was so heavy we were scared stiff. There was a long line of bouncers armed with wooden clubs forming a line in front of the stage. People were shouting: 'come on be a punk. Do something outrageous'. The manager of the place told us we'd be alright the next time as the next gig was at an elite place. But it turned out to be near a skinhead stronghold and they were chucking bottles at the stage and pouring beer down the neck of the roadie sitting at the mixing desk. The manager had to take me through the crowd to get to the toilet and told me very reassuringly - 'your going to get fucking battered tonight lads'. Our van was showered with missiles. We had to have a police escort. Can you imagine the police protecting a new wave band?' - David

Fly blown: 'We supported the Rich Kids at the 100 club and had no room to play at all. Their roadies set their stuff up on stage and we weren't allowed to move it, so we ended up cramped up trying to get our gear and ourselves on the stage as well as their gear. Consequently we were pretty crappy' - David

'We've vowed that that sort of thing wont happen when we're at the stage of having someone support us. Support bands should get the chance to have a soundcheck, use of a good PA and other equipment if necessary. Groups can't forget what they had to go through can they? Some of them obviously don't remember the days when they used to be supporting better known acts and what they had to put up with' - Neil

'It's not always the bands fault. Some of the roadies get a bit bossy' - Neil

Fly paper: 'Some of our mates were dead jealous when we told them we were being interviewed by Sounds magazine, it's the first time we have been interviewed' - David

'When we released our EP that for us was fulfilling our fantasy. Then when we signed with EMI that was a further step into the dream world' - Neil

'Now our fantasy is to be on television. Your standards and hopes rise all the time as things develop. It was incredible to hear our record on the radio, even though John Peel didn't sound overkeen on it after he played it. After five years of learning guitar it is quite good to walk in a disco and hear a DJ say; 'this record is by The Flys.....' That is enough to get the heart going very fast' - David

'We're straining at the leash to get into the studio's to start work on the album. We have plenty of material to work on. We have already had six of our songs out on record, which isn't bad going (five of their own on the 'Bunch of Five' EP, with two re-done cuts on the EMI three track single now in the shops)' - Neil

Unidentified flying object: 'People tell us our songs are very melodic. That's just the way they come out. This fresh pop craze is nothing new, just another fashion. It's like at the end of the year all those one-two-three-four punk stuff just neatly disappears for the next craze' - David

'I'm glad we came out at the end of '77 instead of the beginning. We could easily have been swamped in the mass movement. By the end of '77 it was obvious you had to come out with something different if you're going to break through' - Neil

FLY-OVER

Lanchester PolyTech Festival - February 1973

 

Lanchester Polytech Festival - February 1973

by Pete Clemons

Lanchester Polytechnic festivals of the past have been celebrated affairs. Here is an account of one that maybe has kind of flown under the radar as time has advanced over the years.

Friday: Charisma at Lanch

Friday night at the Lanchester Arts Festival was Charisma night, featuring Howard Werth (will he join The Doors? Even he doesn't know). Peter Hammill and Genesis.

Genesis were experimenting with a new stage set up, due to be completed before their new tour officially starts, and when it works it should be dramatic.

The set was good, if unspectacular - a standard performance of recorded works, but nonetheless popular and well received. So many of the audience knew and sang the words that it was hard to tell, in the quiet sections, if the echo effect was their singing or the terrible acoustics. 'Suppers Ready' was the longest and possibly the best piece they played, with more depth and content than their lighter fairytale songs, but all went down equally well.

Saturday: Jazz at the Lanch

The following night was billed as a jazz night - a title that may have put off many rock fans from an excellent new band that calls itself Q, it should really be called X, with a complete set of musicians previously in more famous bands.

There's Paul Jones vocals, ex Manfred Mann, Mike Giles drums and Graham Preskitt on violin and piano, both ex King Crimson, and Dave Wintour bass, Terry Smith guitar and Dave Quincey saxophones, all ex - If.

The first piece was an If song, 'The Light Still Shines', and it looks as if that's the way they are going to go - a full band sound, and Terry Smith sending out surging waves of guitar notes. But there's too much diversity in the band for that, and they go through such a range of styles from free-form improvisation to vaudeville and poetry reading - not a collection easily labelled.

Paul, Mr. TV, Jones, appears for one song 'Wrestling Man', dressed or rather under dressed for the part, in wrestling boots and trunks only - but the musical quality is not compromised - a superb solo piece with just a harmonica. That's really the essence of this band. All superb musicians taking turns to express their own musical ideas. What direction they may move in its impossible to predict.

Sunday: Coventry Theatre

The finale of the festival turned out to be a fiasco. Sunday night at the Coventry Theatre with a host of stars billed to play together. The list was extensive and grew during the whole week as further names were tentatively added. Carl Palmer, Albert Lee, Chris Farlowe, Poli Palmer and Keith Tippett were to have been the central core with Keith Moon, Rick Wakeman, Ric Lee, Tony Iommi and so on as possibles.

However something went wrong, and after the two support bands, Necromandus and the really excellent Average White Band had suitably whetted our appetites, we were greeted with sad news. Viv Stanshall and sundry limbs belonging to Keith Moon appeared through the curtain, expressed considerable dissatisfaction that they and Gaspar Lawal were the only ones there and would perform, and assisted by various members of Necromandus, they played a wholly chaotic couple of pieces interrupted loudly by an angry audience.

People who left in disgust before an announcement was finally made, are recommended to write to the organisers who have promised to do their best concerning refunds. It was a sad end to a festival which makes commendable efforts to put on a wide range of activities, and it is, unfortunately, their reputation which will suffer most.

Bruce Soord – Ghosts in the Park

 

Bruce Soord – Ghosts in the Park

by Pete Clemons

Making music from adversity is a powerful process of transforming trauma into triumph.

I will never let this happen to you while I'm alive, Not while I'm alive. You made a promise, You would look after me - Is it now a lie?, Take heart we are all here – these are just a few of the lyrics contained within the new Bruce Soord album 'Ghosts in the Park'.

And the contrivance of this involves challenges, pain and loss as fuel for its creative expression. All of which is deeply personal.

'Nothing extraordinary' though Bruce alludes to in the sleeve notes. To my mind – and the way I have read it anyway - Bruce is acknowledging that, in the grand scheme of things, he is not alone. We could all face similar challenges at some point in our lives.

But, (and I'm trying to remember Bruce's words from a recent gig), he wanted these new songs to remember the times from when he was young and not necessarily reflect back on all the difficult days.

But, of course, when you are confronted by these issues, it is one of the most extraordinary personal challenges you will confront. It can all be so frustrating, deeply upsetting and incredibly difficult to come back from.

Music serves as a lifeline and sanctuary for expressing emotions that are difficult to otherwise articulate. This is a cathartic exercise of providing some relief through the open expression of intense emotions.

On this album you find a set of songs that can soothe, even melt a stoic mindset such as mine. It has certainly had me in reflective mood lately.

The songs emphasise themes of resilience, acceptance of fate, emotional control, and finding inner peace amidst chaos.

This new set of songs, together, is quite simply a wondrous album. Just absorb and file under engaging, exquisite and elegant.

Yet while adversity can be challenging, it can clearly be a profound source of inspiration for music that offers hope, redemption, and connection to others. I think 'Ghosts in the Park' does just that.

This album hasn't been written in a pitiful way. You are not fully entering Bruce's world, you are I think, looking into a slightly open window. This isn't how life should be but, sadly, it can.

Hilda Woodward - The Homing Pigeon 1972 interview

 

Hilda Woodward - The Homing Pigeon 1972 interview.

by Pete Clemons

 At short notice and being more or less set in her ways, Hilda hadn't even dressed up for the grand occasion, though of course she looked her best. Hilda does take a pride in her appearance. That favourite old black and white turban hat and that nice green dress with fur trimmed collar, that would do nicely. It's best to feel comfortable when you're in strange surroundings.

It wasn't so much the hat, nor the dress, nor for that matter her insistence on shaking everybody's hand that gave the impression that it was all a bit new to her. It was the cup of tea and the plate of sandwiches that Hilda was clinging to as she made her way with some trepidation through the music business reception throng of beautiful people breakfasting on chilled champers, deep fried drum sticks and calling each other 'dwarling' that first gave me the impression that this might just a shade different from those coffee mornings back home in Coventry.

Still, this sort of thing happens when suddenly you're top of the nation's singles chart.

You've never heard of Hilda Woodward?. Well she's not the kind who seeks publicity. She prefers to remain one of the two piano players in Lieutenant Pigeon - the cuddly grandma in dark shades who pounds out 'Mouldy Old Dough' on Top of the Pops.

What does stardom feel like?.

'It's absolutely incredible and this is a lovely cup of tea'. Hilda admits in the same breath, in a voice that reveals an accent as distinctive as the motor car engine that originate from her part of the world.

'To tell you the truth, I haven't come down yet' she adds.

Hilda's husband George couldn't attend this reception laid on in her honour by Decca Records.

'You see, he's an engineer and at the moment he's on nights'.

But Hilda doesn't think he has missed much because 'George is a quiet sort of person'.

Up until now Hilda Woodward has enjoyed a small measure of fame as an accompanist round the Coventry cabaret and working person's club circuit. She also organises a choir of disabled people at the Enterprise Club, who do charity appearances.

Though the offers are starting to pour in, Hilda and the other Pigeons aren't planning live appearances. 'I'm 52 and it's a bit hard to start doing one night stands at my time of life'.

I expect the rest of the lads in the band, who also appear under the name of Stavely Makepiece, must have told Hilda about the perils of living on a diet of M1 transport caff grub.

'Anyway' she continues 'I just haven't got the time. I've got the house to run and my club work to think of'. What an amazing lady !.

What will Hilda do when the Mouldy Old Dough comes rolling in via royalty cheques?. 'Well one thing's certain, I'm not going on a spending spree......I'm not that kind of person'.

She ponders on something to splash out on. 'I've always fancied a fur coat, so I might buy myself one, and I'd love to buy a television for the Enterprise Club'.

By Christmas world sales for 'Mouldy Old Dough' could mean that Santa will be delivering a gold disc to Hilda's home. This could prove to be a bit of a problem too. Say's Hilda 'We'd have to get the house done up first and then think of a special place to put it......I'm glad you mentioned that'.

Hilda's particularly pleased for her two grand-daughters, Barbara, seven and Susie, six. 'They're over the moon' she says in a voice that only proud grandmothers possess, but ponders the predicament, 'but I'm afraid that they've now got a rock 'n' roll grandma'.

Well, when you come to think of it, there are worse things in life.

Lieutenant Pigeon - Oct 72 Article

 Lieutenant Pigeon - Oct 72 Article

By Pete Clemons

Mrs Mills is alive and well and living in - well, almost living in the personage of a Mrs Hilda Woodward. Hilda is just one of the surprising aspects of a band named Lieutenant Pigeon, currently at number 2 in the charts. Every year you expect a few freak hits, and if you thought we'de got through '72 on the strength of 'Amazing Grace' and 'Popcorn' you didn't bargain for the freakiest of them all - 'Mouldy Old Dough'.

Lieutenant Pigeon have never played any gigs together. They don't intend to either. Three of them - drummer Nigel Fletcher, bassist Steve Johnson and pianist Rob Woodward form the nucleus of another band, Stavely Makepiece.

Lieutenant Pigeon is a send up. Drummer Fletcher informed me: 'It's not meant to be taken seriously - the whole thing is tongue in cheek. It's the first time we've made a record under that name - and probably the last. Stavely Makepiece is the main concern'.

Neither Abbey Road or Trident Studios, nor for that matter any studio, had the honour of Lieutenant Pigeon hiring out time. The record, like the best jam, was home made. Hilda's front room in her semi in Coventry was the scene of the crime.

'We didn't use the best equipment - it was recorded on a domestic machine. We find we get a better sound using the front room'. And obviously they cut corners on recording costs.

While most people are under the impression that 'Mouldy Old Dough' has rocketed up the charts in a matter of weeks, Fletcher is quick to point out it really is a mouldie oldie.

'It was released in February this year and didn't do a thing. Then it was picked up in Belgium where it went to number one. And it's now about number six in Holland'.

Fortunately he's under no illusions that his voice is reminiscent of Presley or Mario Lanza. He says 'I can't sing for nuts - that's why they put me on it'.

A mickey take at the expense of the public, it may seem? - 'No, we're not taking the mickey - we just want to enjoy ourselves, we're not out to take anyone'.

For the immediate future, Fletcher says they are going to 'sit down and sort something out - I'm not sure what. We've had a lot of agents phoning up to find out if we're working or not. We're working on an album too - there are about five tracks done so far. Yes, made in Hilda's room'.

And Hilda? She's still adjusting to life as an artiste (it's uncool to say star ya know) and planking away on the old joanna.

Fletcher says he is particularly pleased for her because she's put in a lot of hard slog over the years playing for charity, and it's good that she should at last get some kind of recognition.

Dando Shaft pick up the pieces.....

 Dando Shaft pick up the pieces.....

by Pete Clemons

June 1972 saw the release of Lantaloon, Dando Shaft's third album. It would be their last - (until the brief reunion in 1977). One review mentioned 'The groups sheer unpredictability is a joy'.

Despite its adulation, soon after Lantaloon's release, the band broke up. This wasn't quite the end however. By October mk 2 Dando Shaft was under way seemingly led by Martin Jenkins.........

There was no great fuss when Dando Shaft broke up recently. In any case many people weren't aware of the fact that and only their faithful followers mourned the passing. 'Lantaloon', the third fine album of their work, had scarcely found the opportunity to make an impression when the decision was made.

But in the past month lead Instrumentalist Martin Jenkins has succeeded in picking up the pieces and has put together a new Dando Shaft with a fresh approach to the music. After an intense period of rehearsal they are all ready to go out on the road once again.

Only conga and tabla player Ted Kay survives from the original band, and the new Dando's will feature Coventry songwriter Roger Williamson on guitar, and the old bands roadie Bill Borthwick on bass.

'The old group had steadily built up a following although we'd never been a huge draw' Martin reflected. 'There were lots more things we could have done - like we had plans to go electric with the old band but never quite got around to it and economically it was difficult.

'The first person to leave was Polly (Bolton) because she didn't really dig the travelling too much. Then later Dave (Cooper) just decided he didn't want to do it anymore and Rog (Bullen) and Kev (Dempsey) decided they didn't want to do it anymore either - they just didn't want to go on playing professionally'.

Martin's first reaction was to join another band but in the meantime he started to jam with Ted Kay, the old group percussionist, and Bill Borthwick. 'That's what made us decide to have a bash at getting another Dando Shaft together' Martin went on. And this was the cue for him to use his fiddle, mandolin and cello in an electric context for the first time.

'We figured on asking Rog Williamson, an old friend from Coventry to join up with us, and at the moment our material consists about half and half of his songs and mine. We're also doing a few of the old group numbers like 'Coming Home', 'Road Song', 'It Was Good' and 'Now's the Time For Changing', but the basic difference is that this band is a lot funkier - Rog's stuff is pretty funky' Martin added.

'We decided to keep the same name because the feel of the music is generally the same, it's just a bit heavier. In any case during the early days of Dando Shaft we used to listen to a lot of Roger's stuff back in Coventry, and Ted and I did a couple of things with Roger on record'.

Had Dando Shaft evolved in the way Martin had intended during their two and a half years together ?. 'It didn't really, because I wanted to use electric gear on 'Lantaloon' but in the end we just didn't have time to get into the instruments properly - in fact, we were a bit rushed in doing the 'Lantaloon' record'.

So where had the first band slipped up - mismanagement perhaps? 'Well there's no way of knowing whether or not we were mismanaged', Martin decided. 'I'm just pleased that it took a long time for us to build up a following: I think that if the old band on and gone electric it would have turned out pretty well as we are now'.

The band now hope to get their stage act worked out with a series of live performances. They have a good deal of work ahead of them as bookings have continued to come in for the old band. Maybe after a few months they will decide to start work on an album for they have no doubts about the material.

Roger and Martin will largely be sharing the vocals, and although initially Roger will be playing mostly a rhythm behind Martin's lead work, eventually they hope to get the same counterpoint playing going as Martin had succeeded in doing with Kev Dempsey.

'Kev's a genius and it's sad we lost him' Martin went on. 'But Rog and I hope to be doing similar things as we'd achieved in the old band'.

Martin already has designs of augmenting the band as soon as finances allow. A full drum kit, various other instruments such as flute which he Hope's to incorporate himself, and a likelihood of at least one addition to the band.

'I just hope that all the people who saw the old Dando Shaft will enjoy the new Dando Shaft as well' was his parting remark.

As it happened, Mk 2 Dando Shaft failed to fly. That said, dates were undertaken. Amongst them in places like Cheltenham, Hull, Exeter and the College of Education in Leicester but sadly the album failed to materialise.

Beverley Martyn

 

Beverley Martyn

by Pete Clemons

Beverley Martyn

We can say with some surity that Beverley Martyn's life has been extensively covered in many places but here I am hoping to cover her more recent activities.

As recently as 2023 Beverly Martyn began to resurface once again. Releasing past interviews stories and anecdotes from her turbulent past. It felt like more music was possibly on the way too. But, sadly, it was not to be.

The comeback, after so many years, began with an album called 'No Frills' in 1998. With help from Art Garfunkel and fellow Dylan obsessive Wilko Johnson, Beverley began to write new songs and record some demos in the '90s, finally releasing an unaccompanied acoustic album after a very long silence.

The songs on 'No Frills' are intense. Beverley's voice was still expressive, the accompaniment sparse but competent. 'No Frills' was aptly titled.

Reviews for the album generally highlight its raw emotional honesty while occasionally noting its minimalist production. It was an album that Beverley was particularly proud of and called it a 'phoenix moment'.

A quite graphic book, Sweet Honesty' was released during January 2011. For years Beverley had kept quiet about the abusive relationship. But here, in those pages, she tells her story in her own words, taking us from her childhood in post-war Coventry through the making of classic albums 'Stormbringer!' and 'Road to Ruin' to the books release, where she survives as a woman beaten but not bowed.

Another head above water moment came during 2014. Aged 67, Beverley returned with an album titled 'The Phoenix and the Turtle' . This was only her second since 'Stormbringer!' and 'The Road to Ruin', the pair of classic folk-rock records she made in 1970 with her ex-husband, the late John Martyn.

'The Phoenix and the Turtle', recorded with former members of Los Lobos and Counting Crows, is an affirming testament to her survival instinct. 'It's been the best thing for a long time' she says. 'It's good to work, it's a great way of escaping your everyday troubles. I'm enjoying this time of my life. I just turned 67, I'm still here, and I think I know who I am now. This is what I do'.

Described by Beverley as a very personal album, 'The Phoenix and the Turtle', features songs written throughout her entire career, from her very first song, 'Sweet Joy', to the previously unrecorded Nick Drake & Beverley Martyn song 'Reckless Jane' which began life in 1974.

Several live performances followed. This included a gig in her native city of Coventry where she was accompanied by producer of 'The Phoenix and the Turtle' and guitarist Mark Pavey. Support for that evening was Cliff Hands.

A collection of live and home recordings, often featuring collaborations with John Renbourn titled 'The Attic Tapes' was released during 2015.

Finally, 'Where the Good Times Are' was released during 2018. This is a compilation and was released for Record Store Day in vinyl format. The album features early recordings from the 1960s, including her solo singles and previously unreleased tracks from her time with the Deram label.

50 years or so after their recording original tapes were unearthed and restored to create a representation of what could possibly have been Beverley's debut album. It is a remarkable record.