Irish Rock – The Briefest of Histories

Irish Rock – The Briefest of Histories

by Pete Clemons

Yes I married into an Irish family (or they married into me) and I have visited the south on many occasions. Additionally, I worked north of the border for a considerable amount of time. But I have never lived in Ireland permanently. And, as such, I have never experienced any of the day to day challenges. So this is written with no real knowledge of life as it actually was in Ireland.

Ireland, as we know, has this invisible border which separates the north from the republic. Yet one aspect that really does unite this wonderful country is its music. Particular, and in more recent years, it’s rock music. And cites such as Belfast, Dublin, Limerick and Cork each produced pioneers of this scene that has played its part in changing Ireland.

Van Morrison was born in East Belfast. Van’s father had been a ship builder and, like many ship workers of the 1950s, had access to imported goods from America. These goods included records and he amassed a large collection of jazz and blues recordings. Encouraged by his father, Van absorbed this music.

At this time but further south, Dublin still had its own music scene made up of traditional and folk. But as this American music filtered through the country the youth wanted to hear it and play it. However, the church began to actively preach against jazz and rock ‘n’ roll.

As such, during the 50s and 60s, the Showbands emerged. The Showbands played the length and breadth of Ireland. And these Showbands proved to be very good as a learning curve for the musicians to develop their craft. But the dances were overseen by the clergy and no alcohol was provided.

The downside to being in a Showband was that the musicians involved had to play other people’s music and there was not the scope for original material. And this led to Van Morrison, who had by now toured Ireland and Europe with a Showband, forming Them in 1964.

Them quickly gained a name for themselves and secured a residency at Belfast’s Maritime Club. In no time at all the Belfast blues club was born. It was a very underground scene and Them produced some excellent original songs. Its all documented in a track called ‘The Story of Them’.

But still Van Morrison felt constrained. This time, with the ‘pop music’ he saw that Them were making. So, during 1967, Van left the band and went to America to launch a solo career with Them continuing as a band.

By now though the spread of pop music had filtered out to cities like Limerick where, during 1965, The Intentions, later Granny’s Intentions, had formed. The Intentions have a long history of their own but the one constant was vocalist Johnny Duhan. Ger Tuohy, Cha Haran, Guido di Vito were just some of the other musicians important within the story of The Intentions. Coventry resident and renowned violinist, Joe O’Donnell, was also once a member of this band.

Back in Belfast and the void that had been created by Van Morrison leaving was filled by a musician who was born 250 miles south of Belfast, in the city of Cork. And that was Rory Gallagher who took his band Taste to Belfast. Incidentally, Rory Gallagher was apparently the first musician to own a Fender Stratocaster in Ireland. Taste took over the Maritime Club and began uniting people.

The reputation of Taste, who had also been born out of the Showband scene, spread rapidly. So much so that they were invited to play at the Isle of Wight festival in 1969. Taste was outstanding. Their performance was one of the highlights of the entire festival. So much so that Rory was becoming known in his own right and soon after the Isle of Wight success, the band split and Rory formed his own band.

Meanwhile in Dublin and Phil Lynott was causing a stir. Phil was born in Birmingham to an Irish mother and a Caribbean father and was raised in Ireland after his mother returned to her family in Dublin.

Guitarist Eric Bell, had also been born in East Belfast, had been visiting Dublin with thoughts on forming a band when he came across Phil and Brian Downey at the Countdown Club where both were playing in a band called Orphanage. Brian was a really good drummer while Phil had a great voice and was developing his stage presence.

Brian Downey had also been a part of the Belfast Blues scene and knew Eric well. And when these two forces hooked up together and Thin Lizzy were born. Writing a mix of original songs, that included a hint of the Belfast Blues, Thin Lizzy soon found themselves been signed to Decca Records in London.

Ironically though, it was the reworking of an old Irish folk song that gave Thin Lizzy their first major hit with ‘Whiskey in the Jar’. Of course, Phil Lynott would become more prominent within the band.

Van Morrison was, by now, in New York forging a series of albums like Astral Weeks that were chock full of songs with Irish themes. Despite of his ambitions Van never really lost sight of his roots.

Despite this rise of the rock scene the Showbands still continued to play on both sides of the border. But July 1975 saw Irish music hit a terrible low as 3 members of the Miami Showband lost their lives in a dreadful assault.

The result of this incident being that the Belfast scene dried up and the city ceased to be a music hub. All apart from Rory Gallagher who kept the flame alive by continuing to play the city as often as possible and whenever he could. Dublin also suffered. It had plenty of rock bands but no real scene as such.

That was, however, until Bob Geldof and his acquaintances began to emerge during 1976. On the UK mainland, 1976/77 was the period of punk rock and swept along with this Bob along with Garry Roberts, Pete Briquette, Johnnie Fingers, Gerry Cott and Simon Crowe formed the Boomtown Rats.

Belfast also found itself being sucked into the punk rock tide after effectively becoming a ghost town as far as music went and one man, Terri Hooley, had made the brave move of opening the Good Vibrations record shop in the city centre. Terri believed that music therapy was the answer. Good Vibrations first became a meeting place for the like-minded music listeners and then a record label. An enthusiastic punk scene followed.

A ‘battle of the bands’ held at the Queens Hall during June 1978 saw the The Undertones, from Derry, steal the show from a Belfast band called Still Little Fingers. Stiff Little Fingers, I am guessing, would have been the favourites to win as they had already been picked up by John Peel. There was no doubt though that The Undertones lead singer Feargal Sharkey had a unique voice. Of course, a band as good as SLF, was always going to break through at some point. And they did with their songs that characterised Belfast at that time. There also grew a bit of tension between the two bands. 

Good Vibrations first single release was that by a local band with the name of Rudi and a song titled ‘Big Time’. But it didn’t stop there as the label came to greater attention when they signed up The Undertones who scored big with their debut single ‘Teenage Kicks’. Famously, spurred on by SLF getting airplay, The Undertones contacted the John Peel show direct and he fell for the song big time. Such was its popularity that ‘Teenage Kicks’ was reissued by the bigger Sire label that was a part of the Warner Bros. Music Group. A new energy had now returned to Northern Ireland.

Simultaneously, in Dublin, a band from the Clontarf area of the city, U2, namely Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen were also creating a stir as their songs exposed the wounds of Irelands past. As their music spread it connected with the people of America which of course is a country built on a good deal of Irish immigration. The rise of U2 is the stuff of legend. As was, of course, what Bob Geldof achieved during the 1980’s with the concert he organised where it seemed that, when the call came, no one could it down.

Looking back now, it’s incredible to think that the musically minded people of Ireland could write some of the music while entrenched in the culture that they found themselves. But in the main, the music they did write and perform refused to be defined by the sectarianism that existed. And depending on your tastes, Ireland went from strength to strength, with regards to its place in music. Thankfully, as a whole, Ireland had at last found itself and the rest, as they say, is history…………….

Footnote: During one visit to Dublin around 1978, I was invited to watch a band rehearse. They just happened to be playing downstairs in the bar I was having a drink in. The lad I was with, who was also working in the bar, was enthused about them but, after watching the rehearsal I was less than impressed. Soon after returning home, the band I had watched rehearse, U2, were touring the UK, playing the General Wolfe and the 77 club in Nuneaton. 

Them - Baby Please Don't Go

Taste - Blister on the Moon

Teenage Kicks The Undertones

P is for Paddy - Joe O'Connells Shkayla

Thin Lizzie - Whisky in the Jar

Where the Streets Have no Name - U2

Wandering John Reunion Concert 2010

Wandering John Reunion Concert 2010.

The main site for Wandering John, formed in Coventry 1969 HERE

Wandering John, the popular and charismatic but short lived blues / rock band formed in 1969 and by 1971 had gone but the band made a huge impact on the Coventry Music Scene, so much so that 40 years later when they reformed for a one off gig, the venue was packed!

The concert, recorded for DVD and Youtube by Nomad, Gordon Smith of Lyme Regis TV was in memory of their manager Dave Sullivan and the proceeds went to Macmillan Cancer Care. Organised by Julie Sullivan and featuring guests who had been associated with the band in the past,such as Neol Davies (later of The Selecter),Tim James of Ra Ho Tep, Tim Healey on Mixing desk, Cliff Wagstaff on set up, John Westacott (of Whistler and Urge) on harmonica with Last Fair Deal, and Trev Teasdel with performance poetry and introductions.

Pete Clemons from his 2010 Coventry Telegraph article - 

Article by Pete Chambers

Wandering John back on to stage for Dave
EVERYONE seems to be reforming nowadays – giving music lovers the chance to see a band that they may have missed.

Well, one band I never thought I would ever get to see is the fabled 70s band Wandering John.

As luck would have it, these guys too have caught the come-back trend and on September 4 (doors open at 6.30pm); they reform for a one-off gig at The Sphinx Club in Stoke.

The gig is organised by Julie Sullivan in aid of Macmillan Cancer Care. Her husband Dave was the band’s manager, and his funeral was the spark that reunited the legendary Coventry band.

Julie said: “It was at the funeral of my husband, Dave Sullivan, last September. Ade Taylor, the bass player suggested to friends that the band should get together again in Dave’s memory.

“The gig will be for the Macmillan charity who helped us when Dave was ill with mouth cancer. Dave also wrote a poem that Wandering John developed and played regularly – Image of Ezra.”

The band held court in the area from the late 60s to the early 70s, as many local bands went through the motions these guys took it for real, playing blues infused rock.

They played their last gig at the Lanch in 1970, it was recorded, but because of the sound quality it has never seen the light of day.

A new live recording is promised for the 4th. Three of the original members will take part at the gig, that’s, Ade Taylor (bass), John Alderson, (lead guitar, playing currently with the Travelling Riverside Blues Band) and John Gravenor (singer) with replacement drummer Paul Hayes from Coventry.

I asked Ade Taylor about his Wandering John memories.

He said: “May 16, 1970, we were offered a gig in Walsall supporting Black Sabbath. Alas the gig was cancelled, so we played the Woolpack, Rugby instead! It would have been a prestigious gig, if it had come off. Then we played in the old Cathedral ruins. A sort of mini-festival, August 29, 1970.”

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So what can we expect on the night of September 4th?

Ade said: “The audience are in for a treat. Proper music, Blues, Blues/Rock. A mixture of covers and Wandering John’s penned songs. “Our splinter band called Last Fair Deal, will be performing some acoustic, Delta type Blues, during the interval. Guest musicians who have been invited include Trev Teasdel, Tim James of Ra-Ho -Tep fame, and, Neol Davis of Selecter fame.”

Wandering John Set List 2010

Here is the concert on youtube thanks to Nomad,Gordon Smith.

Part 1

Last Fair Deal - Country Blues - 

With Neol Davies of The Selecter

Rehearsals

Julie and Dave Sullivan -managers

Dave Sullivan

John Gravenor

John Alderson

Wandering John 1969

John Gravenor

Last Fair Deal

Ade Taylor

At the concert. The band and friends on the right John Alderson and Trev Teasdel

DVD Cover

Nomad - Gordon Smith - who filmed the concert

Trev Teasdel with performance Poetry - photo by Pete Clemons

Canned Heat - by Pete Clemons

Canned Heat - by Pete Clemons.

Canned Heat are a rock band that came out of Los Angeles and who specialise in good time boogie music. They are famed for their arrangements of old blues recordings as well as creating some original classics. The nucleus of the original band was made up of Bob Hite, Al Wilson with guitarist Henry Vestine joining as the initial jug band began to evolve into a full group.

That was back in 1966 when they performed songs like ‘Dust My Broom’ and ‘Rolling and Tumbling’. In addition to his distinctive guitar and harmonica playing, Al Wilson also had an unusual yet effective singing voice. And it is his that you hear on the bands biggest selling hit singles.

Famously, Canned Heat appeared at the now legendary Woodstock festival in 1969 where one of their hits ‘Going up the Country’ was even described as the festivals anthem. The bands 52 year history is an epic story in itself with a succession of musicians passing through the ranks, including those mentioned above who are, sadly, no longer being with us.

Yet still Canned Heat continues to thrill and delight audiences. And recently, in Leamington Spa, that’s exactly what happened as the Heat belted out a tremendous gig. It had everything from the obvious hits, extended work outs, improvisation and soloing. The set dipped into and pulled out songs from all the classic albums. And the sound, once it settled, was simply throbbing.

Locally, it has been a few years visited our area. I remember seeing a ‘Naughty Rhythms’ tour involving Canned Heat, Dr Feelgood and others at the Spa Centre during 2001but before that it had been the 1970s when Canned Heat last visited us.

Nowadays, Canned Heat feature two, almost, original band members, in Adolfo 'Fito' de la Parra on drums and Larry 'The Mole' Taylor on bass and guitar who have each been associated with the band for 51 of those 52 years. Completing the band are relative newcomers John Paulus on guitar and bass and Dale Spaulding on guitar and harmonica. And between them they managed to work up, what was initially a seated audience, to one that was up on their feet dancing.

The concert opened with the amazing groove that is ‘On the Road Again’, a song adapted by Al Wilson. John Paulus, bravely took on the vocal part with Derek Spaulding accompanying him on harmonica. This was followed by an Al Wilson original ‘Time Was’.

Off the top of my head, and in no particular order, the Canned Heat set included ‘Don’t Know Where She Went’, ‘Going up the Country’, ‘Future Blues’, ‘So Sad the World’s in a Tangle’, ‘Rolling and Tumbling’ and of course ‘Let’s Work together’ where Larry Taylor switched from bass to slide guitar. They even had time to include a wonderful Harvey Mandel composition ‘Cristo Redentor’.

The night was wound down with one of the bands more epic explorations. A Larry Taylor composition called ‘Fried Hockey Boogie’, where, each of the individual band members get an opportunity to stretch out and express themselves individually. The gig was finally wrapped up with their version of ‘Crying Won’t Help You’.

If I had a slight reservation it would have been that I would have preferred to hear ‘On the road Again’ after the sound had settled down. That small gripe aside, the whole thing had been very engaging.

Boogie music has a pretty sound, it might even turn your head around, sang Bob Hite in 1968. It certainly did just that in Leamington.

The New Nuneaton Folk Club- Kristy Gallacher.

The New Nuneaton Folk Club - Kristy Gallacher.

by Pete Clemons.

Firstly, I guess, it is only right to congratulate host Geoff Veasey for the incredible venue he has managed to secure for the Nuneaton Folk Club. With a full stage, lights and a wonderful sound system he has certainly done himself, and the club, proud.

The story was that, after being let town by his previous venue, Geoff went to the Queens Hall for a drink to console himself. Within an hour of losing his previous venue, the Queens Hall were enticing him in. ‘We have been waiting for you’ they said. And several months on, things appear to be going very well.

More than that though, what appears to be happening here is that the club has vision. It appears to be bringing together artists from the established folk circuit with singer songwriters from todays ‘open mic’ experience. As such the music is diverse and relevant. The range of songs on offer this evening was an eclectic mix of observational, humorous and thought provoking.

From the ‘floor spots’ to the headliners, talent was in abundance throughout the night. Wilson Wright, Paper Circus, Ian Bland, Rob Halligan and house band Nunc simply surpassed themselves. It was as though the surroundings they suddenly found themselves in seemingly taking them all to another level.

And headlining this evening was Kristy Gallacher. Now there was a time, a few years ago, when you couldn’t venture into an open mic evening in and around Warwickshire and not see Kristy on the bill. For starters she organised an awful lot of them herself. And, like everything, you take things for granted.

But circumstances change and life moves on. So when Kristy announced from the stage tonight that, apart from the occasional date, she had actually been away from the scene for getting on for three years, it came as a bit of a shock. I was aware I had not seen her around for a while but on hearing that fact first hand I must admit to being slightly taken aback.

Call it coincidence, but her 40-45 minute set suddenly transformed into one of the finest performances I had heard Kristy perform. Or maybe I was simply paying far more attention than I would have done a few years ago as the realisation of that fact that her time away had suddenly dawned on me. Either way but she was back with a bang. Kristy was absolutely sublime.

Heart and soul went into established songs like ‘Quicksand’ and ‘Fending off the Frost’. But the real surprise was for the new songs ‘Bandwagon’, ‘Monday’ and ‘Finally I’m Fine’. These, to me at least, had come totally out of the blue. Kristy’s set concluded, as it had done in the past, with her version of Bob Dylan’s ‘Don’t Think Twice its Alright’. It had all been polished and you could hear a pin drop in the room as Kristy appeared to grab everyone’s attention throughout her set.

It had been an exceptional and memorable evening. And looking at the schedule for the future, it seems as though more top drawer events are being promised.

Callum Pickard and the Third Look - the Old Grammar School

Callum Pickard and the Third Look - the Old Grammar School.

By Pete Clemons.

In an attempt to display its cultural credentials, Coventry – with more than a little help from the good folk at The Tin Arts Centre – has once again thrown open the doors of the Old Grammar School and transformed it into a music venue.

You may now be scratching your heads and thinking that ‘this idea was tried and failed a couple of years ago’. And you would be absolutely right. But the big difference now I guess is that the eyes of the UK City of Culture administration team are focused on Coventry. And, thankfully, those who operate The Tin Arts were, were once again receptive to the idea, which is commendable of them, especially after their original idea of music at the Grammar School, appeared to gain little support from those that matter.

And kicking off this series of gigs, which will be held on the last Thursday of every month, is Callum Pickard and the Third Look. Rarely do I feel that wow factor at new music nowadays but I do find it difficult to contain my excitement for this group. Make no mistake this is a top quality band that seems to perform better with every outing. Clearly they are practising and developing together as a unit.

Each gig seems to bring with it a new song or 2 that seems to slip seamlessly and effortlessly into the set list. The dynamic and the vibe within the band, right down to the subtle touches of a sympathetic horn instrument being textured into the mix, just leaves you feeling that this band really are on the cusp of something very special right now. It is a real all round effort with each of the band members playing their part.

The set list comprised of: Lampshade, Driving Through, Empty Skies, Hoard the Pieces, Time Lies, Latest Rivalry, Sweetly Elephant, Follow the Sign, Lonely Boy & Girl finishing off with last year’s single June.

As for the new songs, one of those on display this evening is the latest ‘Sweetly Elephant’. It is a lovely tune but rather than me simply pass on my thoughts I took advantage of Bruce Soord of The Pineapple Thief and asked him for his opinion. He replied ‘This is really good stuff - lovely song, well written with lots of lovely twists - especially with how the vocal melody flows. Nice for once to be able to send back positive feedback about new music! Has a touch of Mercury Rev/Elliot Smith but certainly not in a bad way’. Thanks for that Bruce!

The idea, as I understand, is that once a month a local artist will play the Old Grammar School. This 12th century building is wonderful venue. It is central, it is accessible and it is situated right in the heart of the city. The high ceiling helps to create a rich sound. With a secure outdoor atrium type area this place is a hidden gem with incredible potential.

Callum’s gig was at the height of the recent heatwave. And you do, naturally, tend to look favourably on things when the weather is good. I saw no evidence of any form of heating in the building. So I would advise to wrap up warm if visiting during the winter. But please do not let that put you off as the visit is unique and well worth the effort. Time and again the Tin Arts have put on music at Coventry’s more quirky venues. And once more they have created a resounding success.