The Skasouls at Mr Bumble.

If you followed my blog for any length of time you'll have seen The Skasouls before - probably the biggest thing to come out of Staines since Hard-Fi;

On Friday we headed down to Mr Bumble on the edge of Camberley - always a good night at Mr Bumble - we made a new friend;

This is Allan and Nick Tidbury on brass; the band plays Two-Tone/Ska to a very high standard. Every night with The Skasouls is a lot of fun.

As you can see, I wasn't the only person who felt that way;

I'm missing Carl Gaywood, their longtime drummer, he brought different influences to them from old time Trojan Ska and Reggae.

These days there's more fun, more rock and I miss the old sound.

But we still ended up leaving after midnight, always fun The Skasouls, check them out for yourself!

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)

Home:  helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

The SkaSouls at The Riverside.

 



  blood

 

 

I'm sorry I'm late with my Blog - had a big old nosebleed in Tesco's - blood on the floor and everything.

 

 

Foolish people might think that I'd been overdoing it - how silly is that?



 

Last night? I'm here at The Riverside Club, Staines. It was massive - we only just got in.

Who was playing?

The mighty SkaSouls that's who.

 

 

 

 

 

Dance floor heaving, rafters vibrating, glasses clinking, toe tapping, Ska band.

 

Neil Harris

 

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

Home:  helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

 

Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 

 

 

 



The SkaSouls Private party at The Two Rivers.

The

SkaSouls

Maybe Facebook isn’t so bad after all….yesterday evening I got a late, late message that a Skasouls private gig was open to all (that means all the Staines Skallywags).

A surprising number made it into The Two Rivers to celebrate the landlords birthday.

There was some of this;

A bit of that (more cowbell please)

 

And rather a lot of this;

 

A truly wild night of

TwoTone

Of course I would never have danced so late into the night but Robyn made me……

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me:  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

The SkaSouls down at The Airman.

ska

Friday and more nostalgia – it’s got to stop and I’ve lined up a cure on Saturday night…..but once more couldn’t do at once more couldn;t daythe ny harm, could it?

I’m back at my old patch; Feltham and the Airman Pub to see The Skasouls.

 

I’ve been there when it’s all been about to go off and I’ve been there when it really has gone off but tonight there was a great atmosphere. It was a mixture of young people celebrating the end of a week before they went on ‘somewhere else’ and us old ‘uns enjoying a special band. It was packed solid.

There was dancing till midnight and a lot of familiar faces;

 

On the 25^th May at Chertsey, The SkaSouls are launching their new album with a big fanfare in front of a really big crowd – I’m guessing 500 will be packed into a marquee at The Chertsey Social club (you need to get tickets in advance for this one).

It’s going to be a bit too big for me, which is why I’ll probably give it a miss – but it will be great.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production) 

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Contact;  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 

 

Double Whammy.

Early Thursday morning I opened up my e-mail to find that my trip to France on Saturday had been cancelled. Gutted.

I won’t pretend it wasn’t a blow and it had taken quite a struggle for it to happen in the first place (thanks S, couldn’t have done it without you and thanks to G). It wasn’t meant to be.

It means a real double whammy for me this week and even I have to admit that it left me reeling on the ropes, gasping for breath. There are only so many rounds you can lose.

Well, I’m a big boy - knock me down and I’ll get up again. Also, I never promised you a happy ending.

Thursday Night, at The Riverside.

Even a night with my favourite Ska band, The Skasouls, it still took me three quarters of the show to thaw out.

 

They did manage to thaw me out in the end.

Now all my hopes of international travel have gone out of the window, I am free to take another look at

 The Reggulaters

Who play The Brookhouse in Hayes on Saturday night and that will be fun.

OK, it’s not Moules Frites, its not baguette, or café au Lait, it will never be France. But it is Ska.

 

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Home:   helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Contact:  neilwithpromisestokeep@hotmail.co.uk

Ouch!

The skaS0uLs

 

The car park was full and every nook on the main road had a car crammed into it. The pub was rammed full for a night of Ska.

Mr Fred Perry, Mr Ben Sherman, Mr Harrington had all decided this was the place to be. There was even medical help available in the person of Dr Martens.

And me?

For me the only place is up front.

Of course I’m paying for it now

But some of my problems are  solved – the NHS has rallied round to help me out. My Mum is back in hospital and I am really grateful to the G.P. who fought for a bed for her, the care workers who could see I was losing it, the ambulance crews I had to call out for her after my back went (ouch! That’s just not fair) and everybody else who helped.

I came out of hospital, got a bite to eat, had an injection and fell asleep for a solid 3 hours before I went out.

And what did I look like? A bit like these two that’s what;

 

Once again, thanks SkaSouls.

the

SkaSouls

Neil Harris
(a don't stop [ouch!] till you drop [ouch!] production)

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Contact: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

Candid camera.

Friday morning and I was in Staines – actually I was in the Pawn shop, looking at cameras. The photos on the Blog are taken on my Nikon, which sounds rather impressive. Actually, I bought the Nikon last year from a charity shop - £11-99.

What I need is a bit more Oooomph, a bit more pizzazz because I only have 3 megapixels and 3x zoom. Am I boring you already?

While I was there who did I see?

 

That’s Nick Tidbury of The SkaSouls, eyeing up trumpets. They are playing next Saturday, but I had to explain that I wouldn’t be there because many years ago I vowed I would never enter a conservative club. If I did, something terrible would happen.

This is him in action last summer, a great night in Walton.

 

I had a Look at Lord John’s Facebook page – I’ve never got used to social media myself but I learnt that the guest vocalists on Saturday were  Pippa and Sandy  who now have their own Soul group ‘The Reflections’.

I’m going to add them to the growing list of local groups (The Dekkertones for one) that are forming and I need to see.

There really is a scene and it’s a healthy one with everyone wanting to be in their own band. Just like Punk, just like the MOD revival of the 1970’s, just like Two-tone.

I don’t think I’ll be short of nights out any time soon but even more exciting (from The Reflections Facebook page), on 22nd March the only place to be is The Holroyd  Arms in Guildford. For one day only (in aid of The Teenage Cancer trust) you can see many of the groups I've reviewed here.
That's 'Redeye', the wonderful 'Sha La La's', 'The Reflections' and more as well as Northern Soul D.J.'s.

I have no idea whether I'll be able to get away for a whole day and for that matter whether I'll be in any state to be there anyway. But I'm certainly going to try....  and I'll be plugging that day relentlessly. Keep your fingers crossed for me. 

Did I buy that camera?

Eh no… I decided that I wouldn’t buy a new camera and have to spend a lot of time learning how to take amateurish pics, when I can take amateurish pics now, with no effort.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)
Home:         helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact:      neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
 

New Year's Eve with the SkaSouls..

D

Strangely, I found I was well enough to go out on New Year’s Eve after all, even though Elaine who organises the music at The Egham and District Social Club took one horrified look at me as I came in and offered to get me a chair. That wasn’t quite the image I was aiming for.

Now here’s a tattoo I’m a little envious of - Trojan records;

 

Does that give you any kind of a clue as to how I was spending my New Year’s Eve? How about this?

 

This fine feather cut hairstyle is being modelled by Tina who provided guest vocals for part of the evening, and is branching out into a new Two-Tone band I’ll have to look out for.

It wasn’t just music;

 

There was dancing too;

 

Even a fez or two;

 

So Bob Marley, Two-Tone, Desmond Dekker, Symarip, Toots; it all adds up to The SkaSouls.

I left after dancing until 1-00 am, a really nice atmosphere, friendly people and good sounds. I didn't get arrested or end up at Accident and Emergency, so it has to be a good start to a tough year and that means another success notched up (at enormous expense) by ‘The Cancer Drug Fund’. Just thought you ought to know that because this New Year’s Eve was a big deal for me.

Thanks, SkaSouls. I hope to see you in 2014.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

The SkaSouls Christmas Party at Mr Bumble's.

Friday night and I’ve got a cold, I’m not feeling great and a bit low after another really stressful week. I've either been depressing everybody I meet or losing it in spectacular fashion.

Now I’m preparing my relaxing new Blog, sorting out some rather fascinating hedge photos. I thought I might call it ‘hedgesyewlike.blogspot.com’. (good pun?)

Eh, no I’m not. Of course I’m not. Monday’s going to be a depressing day for me and there’s no more time for moping about.

This afternoon I stumbled across an interesting lead for a story I’m going to research. I’ve had a lean spell recently and needed a bit of luck – I write some really, really  boring  interesting things for another place. I’m looking forward to some ferreting about on the net.

But

Have you any idea how much effort has gone into keeping me alive? How many disappointments there have been along the way? I’ve got to face it, I’ve been a very unrewarding patient for poor old Dr Feelgood.

Then

there’s the money Dr Feelgood has conned out of successfully applied for from The Cancer Drug Fund. Obscenely large amounts of money that aren’t going to work for very long.

Hedges, indeed.

I said I wasn’t going out – too ill and I meant it.

Until 8-30 pm, that is. Then I shot out of the house, grabbing only a Porkpie hat, got on the motorway and headed off to Camberley/Blackwater to Mr Bumble to see;

 

 

The Skas0uls  

No the crowd got in the the way of that shot;

 

No that’s a bit tame, how about this;

 

No, that’s even tamer, how about this;

 

 No, still not enough action

 

 

 That’s better, that’s what a brass section should be like – can you work out who is where?

I had a great evening. It’s the friendliest, happiest, partyest, christmassyest pub I have ever been to.

I was moonstompin’ and skankin’. Uptown Top Rankin.

‘Rankin’ fooolstop’.

‘546 was my Number’.

‘Guns of Navaarone’.

Got kissed by three beautiful women and one man. Sadly, only the guy was sober. I seem to have danced with quite a number of people although some of them were only doing so to avoid dancing with the ‘incredible falling down man’ who took his shirt off when perhaps he shouldn’t have. And no, it wasn’t me – I only fall down in private.

I have decided that of all the cool records I have ever heard The Upsetter’s ‘Return of Django’ is the coolest record ever. Until I hear the next coolest record, that is.

Now it’s 1-20pm at night and I’ve just eaten a bacon sandwich, drank a pint of iced coke from my favourite Belgian beer glass (I am trying to be good, really) and my shirt is wringing wet through.

I think The Cancer Drug Fund can count this special night at Mr Bumble as a great success.

What a great night.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

N.B.

I’ve decided to go on another wasted tour  to forget about Monday – tomorrow it’s Modnight!

 

 

Thanks, SkaSouls.

It’s been a very grim week – my poor old Mum in hospital and very ill. I’ve been keeping a sad vigil every day, unable to do anything to help, watching as things get worse.

This evening I cracked and had to get out – I went to see the SkaSouls down at the Riverside club in Staines.

 

Of course, I was never going to be in the mood for it even though they were on top, top form. It’s not just my poor Mum, I’m also unable to drink or dance. Well, I didn’t drink anyway.

 

It was a shame as the band had a great sound and put on a really tight performance. The brass section was better than ever and the reggae beat was stronger and sharper. I think they’ve all been rehearsing hard. They’ve certainly had a load of gigs recently, even pulling in a crowd of 500 at the Thorpe Park show, which I missed.

It was sad too because they are off to Brixton next week (Brixton Hootenanny on the 3^rd) but I’m unlikely to be there. And I feel they are on the brink of making it big, which is always bittersweet for local fans.

While it couldn’t be a happy night for me, it was certainly happy for the crowd, dancing away to some fine Ska from the 60’s and from the 70’s revival.

 

In a way I’m glad I went – the new programme at the club isn’t really my kind of music although I suspect I may pop in sometimes.

So in many ways it was goodbye and thanks for some wonderful memories and my memories from the summer are good ones.
And what's to come? Two fingers to all that.   

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

More blood, please.

Now, after a long, long morning at hospital, two blood tests and a degree of controlled panic wherever I went, I’ve been banned from eating garlic and it’s strictly no alcohol. I actually do think it’s a vampire thing.

   K

I’m under orders to head on down to A and E if….no, you don’t really want to know about that. And I’m back there on Friday, much more blood.

   .O
Oh a@#*!

But there is good news – I was checking out a reggae listings site and moaning about how young black people are as alienated from music as young white people are when I discovered that our very own ‘SkaSouls’ are playing The Hootenanny, Brixton at the beginning of December. It’s a big deal – apart from anything else getting the most exciting band from Staines to travel more than about 3 miles outside of Staines is a big achievement in itself.

But going to play the home of British reggae? Now that’s a biggy.

I just fear that Ska means a lot less to your average Brixtonian these days than it does to your average middle aged white man in the Hammersmith Palais.

I’m not sure if my walking stick will get me there but it would be fun to go.

Somehow I don’t think I’m going to make it to the Brighton nightclub either - where The James Taylor Quartet are playing this Friday. I felt it in my bones when they cancelled their date at the beginning of October – some things are just not meant to be.

And no more Northern Soul, for the moment.

Grrrrr.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Autumn leaves.

As promised, here's the new programme for the Staines Riverside Club - I'm not involved in any way.

Although I can recommend The SkaSouls.

 

   Staines Riverside Club

October

10^th The New Haw Leans Jug Band

24^th Asylum Affair

31^st The Proof – Paul Cox Band

November

7^th The Good Old Boys

21^st The Jazz Knights Orchestra

       Big Band

28^th The SkaSouls

December

5^th The New Haw Leans Jug Band

12^th One for the Road

 

 

s

CLUE No 16

Here’s the question;

7000 what? By whom?

K

Clue Number 16;

He was a founder of the German Green party.

The story so far;

It’s a work of art by one of my favourite 20th century artists. If it’s a sculpture, it’s the biggest sculpture ever made. If it’s performance art it will be the longest performance…..ever.

He was German but very European, a sculptor and an early pioneer of performance art who died in 1986. He was enigmatic, charismatic and created a myth around his life which became a performance in itself.

Some of his sculptures were very intimate – vitrines (small glass cases) filled with everyday objects while others were huge and brutal depictions of a brutal century.

When you’ve got the answer, e-mail it in to me at;

neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

The first right answer wins a combat bracelet, made by me.

 Now to business;

As Autumn arrives, Winter is near. The staffing crisis at St. Peter's Hospital Accident and Emergency is unresolved.

There has been far too much time wasted being ill or messing about having fun.

Time to restart the campaign.

You have been warned! 

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

 

Who killed Bambi?

Friday night and I’m back at ‘The Jubilee’ pub in Sunbury – opposite Kempton Park racecourse. I saw a band there in the summer where the tumbleweed blew through the bar and a lone church bell rang. What was it tolling for? My lost evening.

This time I spotted a hunting trophy on the wall;

 

 Just the kind of thing you’d want in a cosy country pub – a plastic Bambi head. Why oh why? Then again, it could have been worse - it might have been real. The Southern Comfort sign lights up in real life.

But no lost evening this time! Friday night and The SkaSouls were in town. Well, on the edge of town anyway.

  2tone
  
Here’s half the band, crammed into the alcove.

 

And that’s a nice hat;

 It was all Two-Tone rather than Reggae. Ah, happy days.

There were a fair few Pork-pie hats in the crowd and a nice young lady tried to steal mine, a gentleman made me an offer I felt obliged to refuse and I was dancing till midnight.

The result? I’ve had to be carried back to the Sunny View rest home in an ambulance. Matron has locked me in a cupboard with a Largactyl-laced Horlicks. I'm going to be banned from playing Dominoes for a very, very long time.

It’s all his fault;

........

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Contact: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com