Steel Pulse at the BBC Maida Vale studios.

After a long day spent in London, we headed out to Maida Vale to The BBC Studios;

This is the radio home of BBC classical music, drama and of the studios where bands ranging from The Beatles to Nirvana have played.

One of the smaller studios was where John Peel recorded sessions with up and coming young bands for some 30 years - recording everybody you've ever heard of.

Seriously!

They have proper equipment and everything;

This was a big deal for me - we had tickets to see 'Steel Pulse' being interviewed and playing cut down acoustic versions of tracks from their debut album 'Handsworth Revolution' which is now 38 years old.

The programme comes out on Radio 4 on 4th and 5th January 2016 and on the 'Mastertapes' website where it can be downloaded.

In fact I was getting worked up in the queue because we'd been asked to submit questions and mine wasn't selected.

Worst of all, the producer even sent out a second e-mail giving a list of suggested 'questions' we should send in.

It doesn't bring out the best in me.

Then it started and the band played most of the album - including 'Ku Klux Klan', 'prodigal', 'soundcheck' and 'Handsworth Revolution'.

Actually the presenter did ask my question (as Robyn reminded me later) about the Rock against Racism carnival in 1978.

Back then while 'Punk' gave angry white youth a voice, 'Steel Pulse' represented a British and more militant version of Reggae. The two were always going to come together even if the music was a world apart.


This is Selwyn Brown on keyboards and vocals and on the right David Hinds on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. They are the two survivors of the original band;

They were in good form - describing their early days in Birmingham and the problems black youth had at that time from racism and the Police, how their music represented their political activism and Rastafarian faith.

They talked about their role in 'Rock against Racism' which included playing in front of 150,000 people at the Victoria Park carnival in 1978.....including me.

There was some great music and the band were very willing to play for us - including a rerun which most bands wouldn't have bothered with.

David Hinds talked about the pressures the band had been under from record companies - to go mainstream when political Reggae was replaced by 'dancehall' or 'lovers rock', at a time when white youth was also turning it's back on punk and going over to the 'New Romantics' in the same way.

That was the effect of 'Thatcherism'.

A quick look at their website shows that the band has never lost it's engagement with politics and none of their activism either.

But it must have been tough - there were lean years.

Here's Selwyn Brown talking to fans after the show;

It was a huge pleasure to revisit 1978, a really tempestuous year and a turning point - a time to fight back.

And just as much a pleasure to hear a band still in very good form - unfortunately the BBC's unique lighting system defeated both my camera and Robyn's phone to the extent that we couldn't do justice to the rest of the band.

A very special evening.

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

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

Still just about moving with The Reggulaters down at The Horns.

It used to be me that dragged Robyn out - these days Robyn's doing the dragging.

We went to see 'The Reggulaters' at 'The Horns' down in Watford.

They were on cracking form - the second set was brilliant.
This is hardline Trojan Ska - 1969 pure and simple.

No nutty sound of 'Madness', no 'Two-Tone' (which I love) just Trojan.

Good strong bass line;

Fine Brass section;

Great keyboards....just a lot of fun;

 

 

Most of the old favourites are there but since I last saw them back in September, they've added a few more. There's more Reggae but they still did 'Return of Django', so that's alright.

 

I haven't been out that much recently - my music scene is dying a bit and venues have been closing this year.

 

 

The last time I was at 'The Horns' I had a walking frame with me. This time I was moving a bit - so much so that someone in a worse state than me (is that possible?) came up and said; "At least you're still moving a bit".

 

Which I guess is true.

 

And we left 'The Horns' at midnight, which isn't such a bad thing either.

 

Neil Harris

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

Home:  helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

 

Contact me:  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 

 

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)

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Back at the Hob! Who'd have thought that would ever happen?

Saturday night when I realised I'd spent three solid weeks being ill and had only occasionally gone out to see a Doctor or go to Hospital there was no choice; we had to go to The Hobgoblin.

It probably wasn't that clever but we were stir crazy. Besides I wasn't going to pay for it till Sunday.

This is 'Tree House Fire', playing their own brand of reggae but they were desperately missing their regular bass player.

Tonight the lead singer was covering bass guitar, this is the lead guitar;

I really like Mocara ('my friend') and of course I'm a sucker for a badge;

They play an eclectic fusion of reggae, punk, ska and rock and roll. Then just to confuse an old buffer like me they always throw something else into the mix.

They played 'Beg, Steal or Borrow', which was their excellent single in the summer. If you Facebook them you can check out their downloads.

They were playing great and really benefited from the great sound at The Hob.

I still find it hard to cope with the fusion of so many genre's but that's just an age thing - Robyn was fine with it because she's a generation younger and grew up fusing music that my age group always kept separate. I'll have to learn to live with that.

What could follow that?

We love 'Eat The Evidence' and if nothing else, the band name does provide some fine and free legal advice.

We got some new songs but we were very happy to hear three old favourites;

There was serious political analysis with 'Tories go to Waitrose'.

 

There was some helpful insight into the complexities of human relationships; "How come you only ever want to F&#K me when you're drunk?"; 

 

 

 

 

But no Eat The Evidence show could ever be complete without 'The Van Song'. I thought the least I could do to improve the lot of humanity would be to post the chorus;

 

"I really like your van, it reminds me of the van I used to be in when I used to be in bands.

 

I really like your van, it's the kind of van I'm going to buy when I stop being in bands"

 

Which pretty much sums it all up really.

 

We love Eat The Evidence; they are witty, clever and fun. Check them out live and see why.They play from here to Central London so there's really no excuse.

 

It was a pleasure to make it to a very special Hob night - we are all very worried about the redecoration and relaunch in January.

 

Then again it's hard to imagine Jenson Nightingale presenting Murph and the Magic Tones on a Saturday night.

 

You may have to Google that band to see what I mean!

 

Neil Harris

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

Home:  helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

 

Contact me:  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 



Tree House Fire, Eat the Evidence and Critical Jac at the Hob.

 

After a hard old week of being ill, being messed about and generally overdoing it, grouchy Neil staggered into The Hobgoblin for an urgent blood transfusion on Friday; it had better work - next week will be worse.

Luckily, I already knew I wasn’t going to be battered by the music – this time I was going to get an easy ride.

That’s Critical Jac, the first of three bands playing Reggae 2014 style (which is not the Ska I love or the slow, slow classic reggae that Robyn likes). They were playing a definite reggae beat but there with some rock and a few other things chucked in there as well.

Then how about this?

                                             Cheers!

That’s disconcerting; I’m going to have to use the ‘A-word’, I’m going to have to break the final taboo. It’s actually quite difficult for me to get the word out – it’s a bit dirty, I feel a bit ashamed.

Yes it’s an accordion.

What do you mean; ‘Speak up?’.

I said, it’s an accordion.

Ok, it’s an accordion. Yeah, that’s folk music, busking beggars and the Paris metro in the summer.

The last person I knew who played one was someone none of us liked or trusted and in the end we decided he was a police spy.

This time it was being played up front by ‘Eat the Evidence’, who somehow managed to fuse reggae with Hip-Hop as well as a few other random styles as well.

What came out in the mix was a lot of fun – the accordian version of Public Enemy’s ‘Don’t believe the Hype’ was unmissable. Like being slapped in the face with a punky, reggae sponge pudding.

At this point I feel I should introduce a voice of reason;

H    [a|Solicitor|writes]

Given the recent amendments to The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, the cuts in legal aid, the inherent imbalance between the resources of the Police and the defence, the psychological disadvantage of being a defendant held in detention awaiting questioning, the class and racial bias of the legal system, Yadda Yadda Yadda, it would be reasonable to recommend to anyone under arrest to;

At any rate, perhaps I can now listen to an Accordion without being ill.

Top of the bill (third time I’ve seen them) were ‘Tree House Fire’, like the other two bands playing their own material and a couple of covers (Daft Punk, yeah really).

I like them more every time I see them and last night they were on top form. If you want to check them out, they have videos on YouTube, and a facebook page too.

It was a dancy, punky reggae night down at the Hob which gives next Saturday night a big challenge; ‘According to you’ and The Wicked Venetians’ are my favourites out of the 5 bands.

Mr Nightingale is celebrating his birthday while the rest of us are just glad that he’s going to leave The Hob alone.

It still works.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

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

MoCara and The Dirt Royals at The Cave - Addlestone.

MoCara

I’ve been hyped – MoCara have a new single out;

 

And I got a request to review it – normally that doesn’t get a very good response from me but MoCara have taken some stuff I really like (Punk/Ska/Reggae) and mixed it all up. (Oh No they didn’t – did they?)

They did….but it works out fine – live.

Beg, Steal and Borrow is good – a punky feel without being nostalgia for old men.

Check it out here;

Beg, Steal or Borrow

But I hung on a bit before I did a review because ‘Undercover Festival’ (Bisley 19 – 21^st September) is holding a series of showcase nights at The Cave (Holly Tree, Addlestone) and I thought I’d come down and see the band live again.

I really enjoyed the first band on – ‘Dirt Royal’, a three piece from Brighton.

 

They look like MODS and sound like Punks.

Hey, they even dress like me! What’s not to like?

 Lots of their own stuff – no covers (OK there was ‘White Man in the Hammersmith Palais’ but they did that really well and, well; I was that man) – they are an exciting three piece with attitude to spare. Does this mean I’m going to have to travel to Brighton?

Possibly.

MoCara

It’s been three months since I last saw them and there’s been a lot of gigs, rehearsing and studio time since then;

 

They were also headlining last night and had more than a few fans in the hall;

There was also new stuff, including  ‘Beg, Steal and Borrow’ which is really good live, as I thought it would be.

And when they let go they do know how to do a bit of Ska as well.

Skankin’,

 And they even forced me to go all the way to

Caffe nero

to do my first download. Not happy about that, I can tell you.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Home:  helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

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Helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
   

The Reggulaters at The Horns, Watford.

........

The reggulaters

........

You have no idea how bad a day I had – a whole day driving up and down and round and round, with a bad back trying to sort things out for my Mum before she comes out of hospital. No food, lifting things I shouldn’t lift, waiting and driving and driving and waiting.

I collapsed at about 4 o’clock and woke up at 7 30pm feeling ill and lousy.

By 8 00 I was aching and off, driving more miles around the M25 to Watford.

When you’re ill and fed up even Watford is exciting.

On Thursday it wasn’t exciting, it was great.

 

The

Reggulaters

For a long time I’ve either been ill or there were problems and I missed this band. Hardline Ska and Rock Steady from the extensive back catalogue of the Trojan Record label, including some that I haven’t come across.

This was very much the ‘spirit of 1969’, which is not really my thing – hardline Skinhead stuff.

But Skinheads have changed a lot over the years. The Watford Skins gave this lone mod from out of town a really friendly welcome.

 

As you would expect, a lot of classic stompin’ stuff – Desmond Dekker’s ‘It Mek’, ‘007’ and ‘The Israelites’. There was Toots and a lot more besides.

But when a band plays ‘The Upsetters’ ‘Return of Django’ there is no hope for me. It is still the coolest song ever written. Am I wrong?

I was deeply envious of the three ladies who were celebrating before heading for Great Yarmouth for a long weekend. That’s ‘Skamouth’ – three days of Ska, Rock Steady, Reggae and I suspect a certain amount of mayhem and madness.

This band may come from Kentish Town but they often play as far west as Hayes and (subject to the odd health problem) I’m going to be there to see them again. Their Ska is pre Reggae but also ignores the whole Two-Tone influence of my youth. This is heavy on the bass, heavy on the Skank, a real labour of love.

The word I'm searching for is authentic.

m

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Classic Hobgoblin; Mocara, Tree House Fire and Captain Accident and the Disasters.

Saturday night and I’m at The Hobgoblin at Staines. It’s my favourite local venue and it’s all set to be a classic night at ‘The Hob’. An evening of Reggae, three bands crammed into one night. Except I always had a certain sinking feeling about it all.

For a start, all the bands are white which is a potential problem for me, if only a cultural one.

Secondly, if I hear someone from the home counties say ‘I and I’, there will be trouble.

And finally, if I catch so much as a hint of a pretend Jamaican Accent, I’m off home. I can’t even rescue the evening by going to see The SkaSouls, because they are playing the conservative club over the road and I’m not prepared to hand over a fiver to a bunch of tory B@#*&£$ds.

Instead I got something I wasn’t expecting;

I’ll start with Captain Accident and the Disasters, here’s The Captain;

 

And this is one of the disasters:

 
I missed a big part of the set –we’ve been flooded and my Mum’s carers couldn’t get through, so I had to leave, go home and then drive back. When I struggled back in I was met by a big thrash guitar slowed down to half speed and a bass that sent The Hob’s ancient floorboards buzzing. Hmmmh, that’s interesting.

Like all three bands, they were playing their own stuff. Reggae? No, not really but then again no fake accents either. I’ll stick around a bit.

The headliner’s were ‘Tree House Fire’ with a bass that started various internal organs dancing to the beat, always a good thing in reggae terms, but they weren’t letting me off either. A heavy Reggae beat couldn’t disguise the fact that this wasn’t Reggae.

 

And was that Daft Punk I was listening to?

It was.

And metal thrash – why? But it's after midnight and I’m still there.

Now The Hob has a habit of picking out a good line up, usually with a connection. Mocara just took it to the extreme;

What’s going on?  There was Reggae;

There was thrash

In fact there was Reggae and Thrash in most of the numbers, sometimes at the same time.
 

 

 

There was a nod to Ska, but at high speed. There was Punk but they slowed that down. And what’s with the Heavy Metal Jewellery? 

 

I know what it is, those damn kids have been in again and they’ve been listening to my precious record collection without permission. All ‘The Ramones’ stuff has gone and they’ve muddled everything up. I had a 12 inch of ‘Shinehead’ I was really fond of but when I pulled it out there was only a ‘Clash’ single in the sleeve. I have no idea why there is metal in my collection, I never had any of that and why is ‘Burning Spear’ turning up where The Jam should be?

Worst of all I had some mixtapes on cassette which had a lot of sentimental value and they threw them all out. They put the stuff on MP3 and they’ve changed it all around. What did they do to my music? Who gave them the key to the Juke Box?

Oh dear, I just got very old. I was going to use the word ‘context’ and I stopped myself just in time. I was going to mutter about a lot of ignorant kids messing about with really good stuff they didn’t understand because they weren’t there.

Without knowing it I became the curator of the Music Museum and I’m not happy. Who messed around with the Sex Pistols exhibit?

I’m not sure where it’s going but there was energy, there was life, especially from Mocara. They may have been shambling and muddled at times but they got it together and took a lot of music, threw it in the blender and something different came out. Just like 77 in fact, just like we did.

Nice work.

Now if you don’t mind I’ve got to close the Music Museum early today, some vandals have been at the X-Ray Specs cabinet.

Neil Harris

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

Contact: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
 

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

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