Silk Disco – The Origins

 

Silk Disco – The Origins

by Pete Clemons

Music can take you back in time, as well as act like switch that can stimlate the brain and stir it up. And that was exactly what I was attempting to do when I asked Graham Wood to go back to a time, over 50 years, when he and Jim Twyneham formed Silk Disco.

I am fairly certain if you were a regular 'up town' during the 1970s, or began to move slightly more away from the city centre, you were quite likely of attending one of Silk's nights at some time or other. But, as I discovered, it didn't just end there. This is the first part of a piece that will hopefully cover all of Silk's activities. But I started by asking Graham how it all began...........

'Jim Twyneham lived in Styvechale and went to Whitley Abbey School. We met on the return journey of a Sky Blue special train and I’m sure it was on the way back from Burnley in August 1967, our first First Division match!. (For the record city lost 2-1 in front of 21,000 fans).

'We immediately struck up a friendship based on our passions for CCFC and interest in rock and prog music. We went to most matches, home and away and loads of gigs. We were approached by the club - Arthur Pepper and Ian Willars, who were on the commercial side of the business) as they wanted to start a Fan Club. Arthur Pepper was a real gentleman and an absolute pleasure to know.

The first function we organised was a disco in the Continental bar, located in the Sky Blue stand, roughly across the road from the Mercer’s. The DJ was Pete Waterman and it would have been late 1969. We did 3 more discos in the bar (one with Wandering John) before we 'officially' formed Silk in December 1969. Unfortunately we never met Jimmy Hill'.

I then asked Graham to recall how the Silk name came about and when the residencies began. Silk also promoted bands..........

'We came up with name. We wanted a short name that had a 'quality feel'. Do remember the carbon paper that typists used between plain sheets in order to produce several copies? On it, it said 'Silk finish' and that became our choice. Jim was keen on Halfbreed (we both loved the Keef Hartley Band and Halfbreed was the title of one of their albums) but, in time, wouldn’t have been that clever a choice.

At one time we advertised as SILK - Sounds Incorporating Liquid Kinetics!. I think we’d had a few beers. We didn’t start running the Plough Club until Feb 1970 but did book Dando Shaft in that year'.

Finally, for this particular session, and probably because I had an earlier article about Mandy's club still fresh in my mind, I asked Graham for any memories of the Sunshine Agency. Their founder, Craig Ward, was a near neighbour in the area I grew up. I was just wondering if their had been any tie up's or rivalries.........

'Craig was a local DJ (called himself Craig Crunchbucket) who I got to know thru him managing a band from Derby called Pugma-Ho and they played at the Plough. He then asked me to set up an agency/management company with him which we called Sunshine Agency & Management.

I bailed out within 12 months coz it was too much work alongside Silk. However during my SAM days we looked after a band called, A Band Called George who made a single called 'NCB Man' on Bell Records which got a lot of media coverage locally and they played at Mr George’s and the Trocadero. It was a bit of a novelty single released at the time of the big miners strike due to pit closures. I just can’t remember him putting on gigs at the West End Club but may explain how I remember Silk supporting a couple of band at the Navy Club'.

To close this first article it is right, I think, to mention more about Jim Twyneham who passed away during 2017 at the age of 67.

Jim had once been known as 'The Voice of Highfield Road'. The result of 20 years of service as stadium announcer. Jim’s first game was a 1-1 draw with Everton on August 30, 1986 after being spotted by George Curtis during an event at the Ryton Sports Connexion. Jim's final match as announcer was at the Ricoh Arena during March 2006. He also presented a late night slot on Mercia Sound.

NCB MAN - A BAND CALLED GEORGE

Jack Tar by A band Called George

Jim Twyneham - from Coventry Telegraph

Paul Taylor and Graham Wood - Photo by Sue Long

Graham Wood at the mic

Photo by Sue Long

Photo by Sue Long

John Coles of Silk with John Bradbury of the Specials

Chums - advert from Hobo (Coventry Music and Arts Magazine 1974)

Full page ad in Hobo 1974

Steven Wilson – The Harmony Codex

 

Steven Wilson – The Harmony Codex

by Pete Clemons

For me, it was one of those magical moments in popular music history that I have experienced through listening to music in now more than 60 years. I remember the release of landmark records such as Sgt Peppers, Tubular Bells, Dark Side of the Moon. To be clear, I am not comparing The Harmony Codex to any of those records. It was the felling that was evoked during its playback. I have never heard anything quite like this.

I was one of a select few attendees of, a recent, private airing of the latest record release by Steven Wilson. It was beyond anything I had ever experienced aurally. And, an absolute privilege to have been there.

A 'Spatial sound experience' is an expression you will begin to hear more and more of. Especially if you enjoy gaming, movies or music. It is sound that occupies every millimetre of space within the confines it is heard in.

By being at the centre of the experience your senses are heightened. The intention, then, is that the sound draws you in more so that you hear more detail and feel it more emotionally. It is surround sound on overdrive.

L-ISA technology brand themselves as 'The Ultimate Expression of Sound'. They continue, that their product 'enables artists to create and delivery immersive sound for live and recorded productions of any scale. This comprehensive ecosystem of audio tools provides a natural and vivid experience that heightens emotion and invites the listener inside the music. We call this Immersive Hyperreal Sound'.

In principle it is similar to Atmos technology. Atmos speaker placement comes in a variety of formats such as 7.1.4 (the 7 being seven surround [floor/wall] mounted speakers, 1 being the sub woofer for low frequencies, 4 being ceiling mounted speakers).

L-ISA are taking that principle a little bit further. In the case of this particular demonstration we were surrounded by 18.1.12 (the .1 being made up of 24 sub woofers). Together it produced a depth, clarity and a detail that you have never heard before.

Based on just one listen of the record, Steven appears to be attempting to create a completely new genre of music yet, at the same time, remain within some of its boundaries. At times the piece felt like a spontaneous unfolding that simply continued to unfold and peel back.

Steven appears to have thrown his entire palette of musical textures at this project. As such some of it I found vaguely familiar - in a similar way to bumping into an old friend who has matured. At other times, the absolute beauty was quite breathtaking and overwhelming. All within a crystal clarity I have never heard before.

Other areas of the music were other worldly. By it's mid section I felt I was in heaven or deep space. Certainly not in Highgate, North London. Such was the journey it took you on. The prodigious feeling when the record ended was that this had been one of those life affirming moments. A short period of time was required afterwards in order to recover.

I imagine the working of Steven's mind to be similar to someone like David Bowie. I once read that David, several gigs from end of a tour, was already on to the next project in his head. But that is where the similarity, with David, definitely ends.

Additionally, Steven seems to be the complete opposite of the old 'If it ain't broken' phrase. Having the ability to move on from a successful path is a truly courageous move. And he appears happy enough to tear up his own rule book for everything that has gone before.

With a shape shifting attitude - If no one enjoys the next album, tough, I'm going to do it anyway. The next project is more likely forming in Steven's mind right now. The Harmony Codex will be available later this year in, I'm guessing, all the usual formats. I have no doubt that, for many, it will be a 'what just happened there' moment.