Holly Berries.

It's enough to cheer anyone up........
  

........almost.

It's been freezing cold and after a couple of milder days it's getting cold again.

I'm trying to get into the festive spirit but it's not so easy. I saw this variegated holly on Sunday and stole a picture of it.

In some ways I prefer the traditional dull green, especially for Christmas. But it made a change seeing this in the winter sunshine.

And I was reminded of the Seamus Heaney poem 'Holly';

Holly

It rained when it should have snowed.
When we went to gather holly
the ditches were swimming, we were wet
to the knees, our hands were all jags
and water ran up our sleeves.
There should have been berries
but the sprigs we brought into the house
gleamed like smashed bottle-glass.
Now here I am, in a room that is decked
with the red-berried, waxy-leafed stuff,
and I almost forget what it’s like
to be wet to the skin or longing for snow.
I reach for a book like a doubter
and want it to flare round my hand,
a black-letter bush, a glittering shield-wall
cutting as holly and ice.
–Seamus Heaney

 

Which is about an older man reflecting on how hard life was when he was young - how the Christmas Holly they gathered (free) back then never had any berries. All the while he sits in his rich, old mans house, enjoying his Holly with glorious berries and thinking back to when he was young.

I think you would probably have had to have gathered your own berryless Holly to understand that!

Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

No Lip at The Cave, Addlestone.

We made it!

It was my first night out in a very long time.

At least a couple of months I'd say. Which is all down to the inconvenience of having broken my back in, eh, several places.

Darn!

Obviously, I wouldn't have made it at all without Robyn and the help of a mega painkiller.

But what better way of celebrating than going to The Cave at The Holly Tree in Addlestone for Saturday night?

Well worth it though - listening to a set of classic punk tracks played as they were meant to be.

And in a small venue too.
I like The Cave and I've seen some great bands there.

And what better band to see than 'No Lip', playing punk fast and furious;

We got even got a name check; they played 'The Ruts' 'Staring at the Rude Boys' for us which means a lot to me.

This time last year I was going to The Cave to watch bands booked for The Undercover Festival at Bisley, which was great because I wasn't going to be free to get there.

Amazingly, it's happening again this year it must be a real battle to keep it going. With 'The Damned' headlining and a long list of bands you can facebook the festival to check out whose playing - which includes 'No Lip'.

So you can expect some of this;

 

 

Now, if I can handle 'No Lip', what next?

 

Neil Harris

 

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

Home:  helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

 

Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 

 



All dressed up!

As you can see I'm all getting dressed up!

It's my walking frame and back brace. I must admit I would have preferred it if it had looked a bit more like Darth Vador's body armour.

We are going out tonight - for the first time in......well the first time for a very long time.

We're off to see 'No Lip', an explosive punk band at 'The Cave' at Addlestone.

This morning I actually walked to the village Post office and I was ON MY OWN!

It's the first time and hopefully the start of a bit more mobility.

Anyway, we are both quite excited about tonight. The Cave is a famous old venue. 

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

Neil wingeing again.

Sitting at home with a collapsed vertebrae or two is depressing enough but I've been depressing myself further about the state of the local music scene.

It's not the bands - there are plenty of them - it should be thriving.

The problem is the collapse of many of the best venues and with that the loss of a way of looking at things.

So, last weekend (according to 'London Stone's facebook page) someone turned up on a motor bike having driven all the way from Roumania hoping to spend the night at the legendary 'Hob'.

Sadly, all that's left of The Hobgoblin and it's music is the legend. The London Stone (too ill to visit them so far) has replaced it with a trendy, designer, clean, quiet and probably very nice home for the fashionable new crowd who are filling it out these days.

No more music. Just shiny happy people.

I'm not knocking it, it's just not me.

The Horns in Watford is different too - more safe tribute acts and less cutting edge stuff.

Locally, The Cave at Addlestone is increasingly taking the place of The Hob but it has noise problems and isn't so easy to get to.

Otherwise there are a dwindling collection of Pubs - all concerned to be as safe as possible and a small number of depressing working men's clubs; outdated and not really catering for the working men and women of today.

It's all got a bit dismal.

On the plus side Mick Moriarty is now on his third annual festival at Bisley; every September there is an amazing three days of Punk, Ska and Reggae. I can never plan on being well enough to get there but the acts range from big names to local groups  and it's a triumph to create a festival out of nothing, virtually single handed.

Otherwise? Everything is shrinking and getting too safe for words.

If there weren't any bands or no one turned up, I could understand it.

It's time something exciting happened.

Meanwhile in the election campaign, everything has gone very quiet about the NHS too.

This is the issue that matters most to people and the one that really worries them.

After five years of scandals, the party's plans for The NHS are something that everybody should be debating.

I will be! Again, it's time something happened.

Neil Harris

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Contact me:  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

Tapestry and Kung Fu Chicken Fighters at The Cave, Addlestone.

Thursday night; despite the cold and a few wisps of snow we were off to The Cave at The Hollybush in Addlestone.

I've been a regular there for a while for a while but this was the busiest I've seen it. Then again, it's no coincidence that The Hobgoblin has closed. Mind you, there were some special offers behind the bar.

I have no idea who the first act was (we were a bit late, if I can find out, I will update) a strong, acoustic guitarist. 

The Kung Fu Chicken Fighters were up from Poole in Dorset and are Mark Leadbetter and Matt Burridge on guitars, Jason Colbert on Drums, Graham Rigler on bass and Robbie Almond on vocals.

Just like The Hob, I often go to The Cave to catch music I probably wouldn't like, if I thought about it. That's how you get to hear new things. I like that.

They play 'Stoner Rock/Funk'...."Like a roundhouse kick to the face from Chuck Norris". Well we got the Funk - in small patches. We also got the stoner rock, not so much my thing though everyone else liked it.
 

We'd come to see Tapestry who we've seen a few times before at The Hob. By the time they came on there were more than a few Hob regulars in the pub too.

Tapestry describe themselves as an "Alternative Rock band fusing Metal, Indie and Atmospheric Rock to form the unique sound that is tapestry". They are; Simon on drums, Jake (JB) on guitar, Tim guitar, Matt on bass and Alys on vocals.
  

It's all their own material, it's original and always exciting. The band that comes closest to them (different, I know) are The Wicked Venetians.

Here's Matt who also appears on solo acoustic guitar occasionally;

 

 

Anyway, the desperate renegade group of people who found their way to the Hob are probably now going to be finding their way out to The Cave. Which is kind of circular because back in my day you could see bands like The Jam playing there.

 

And they still have pool tables.

 

 

Neil Harris

 

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

 

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

 

Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 



Those Wicked Venetians down at The Cave, Addlestone.

Friday 13th? Who cares?

I did, I wasn't so good - got tired in Tesco's and never really recovered, then went out to The cave at The Holly tree in Addlestone to see The Wicked Venetians..

Except we nearly didn't - I kept getting lost, driving round and round. I nearly gave up until we realised that the road was closed.....so I wasn't quite as stupid/ill/past it as I thought.

Still, we were late; missed the support act, missed the beginning of the Venetians - I think The Cave still has some noise issues with the neighbours, they shut down early.



                           

Also, as you can see; lousy photos. I wasn't myself.

The venetians were in good form - headlining, confident, relaxed. It was a good performance; fine guitar work, really good drums, solid bass.

I was happy, it just ended far too quick.

 

 

 

 Neil Harris

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

Home:  helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

 

Contact me:  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 



No Lip at The Cave, Addlestone.



 

     NO LIP



 

On Friday night we weren't feeling so great, we were feeling like this;

 

So we took a trip to The Cave in Addlestone, otherwise known as The Holly Tree and once upon a time home to bands like The Jam and Sham 69.

 

I think by now you've guessed that we were there for the number one, don't give a flying F£#K Punk Band;

 

    NO LIP

The Cave was melting down;

As No Lip played Punk the way it was meant to be; at the top of its voice and with a sneer. 

And as my girlfriend is about to be made homeless by a greedy, cold hearted landlady, everything had the feel of the 1970's about it too.

But it was really good to see you out and about again Elaine!

The band has an E.P. out and I'll be reviewing it in a few days time. I can't imagine that anything from a studio could ever compare to this;

I can't resist putting this last picture in mainly because I can;

 

 

 

Neil Harris

(a don't stop till you drop production)

 

Home:  helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

 

Contact me:  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

 

 



The Disputes and Sweet Johnny at The Cave.

Third time round for me at The Cave, Addlestone. This is the third taster night for The Undercover Festival at Bisley (19^th to 21^st September). I won’t make it there so these nights are a chance to enjoy some of the punk and alternative acts that will be playing.

Sweet Johnny

 

This was a melodic punk band (heavy beat, good tunes, lots of life) playing their own material which is on their e.p. as well as Spotify and all the usual outlets.

Then a real bonus for me;

The Disputes

 

This was a reggae band with a punky vibe thrown in every so often.

 

Great bass line (especially up by the speakers, I can confirm) and a wild lead guitar. ‘Lost in SoHo’ and ‘Babylon’ were the highlights of the evening for me and I think they have a mini c.d. out - they will also be on YouTube and all the other venues.....check them out.

I didn’t think anyone young bothered with reggae beats any more so I left with a smile and a little bounce in my step, a little reggae bounce.

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

No Lip, Demon Smiles and Wrank at The Cave, Addlestone.

I don’t think this is MOD night;

 Nice Tee, but it doesn’t look like MOD night at all;

No, it really isn’t - I may be in the wrong place;

 

No way, it’s;

NO LIP

                       

My favourite Punk band and they’ve taken me straight back to 1978 to The Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Ruts, The Ramones, Sham 69 and lots more.

I did a review of them here, with some memories that mean a lot to me;

http://helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/no-lip-at-hobgoblin.html

And it was all happening down in 'The Cave' at The Holly Tree, Addlestone – where Jimmy Pursey of Sham 69, The Jam and a whole load of other bands cut their teeth in days gone by.

So, a lot of memories. It's a drug I try to stay clear of because in life there is no going back.

But if you want an some idea of the excitement of 77, when we were all going mad and 'The World turned Dayglo'- this is as near as you'll ever get. But then you weren't there were you?

History qistory – this was fun, even if it's not exactly MOD night;

This was the second taster for Undercover at Bisley (19/21 September 2014) – that’s too far ahead for me to plan for, so these nights are all I'll be able to manage.

But hey, how lucky am I?

There were two other bands on the bill as well; ‘Wrank’ a lively punk band and Demon Smiles from Brighton – here’s their guitarist;

 

I really enjoyed ‘The Train North’ which, I suppose, if you live in Brighton has all the thrill that the ‘Road to Brighton’ has for us.

It’s really tough trying to make it as a band, and it doesn't get tougher than struggling all the way up from Brighton on a Thursday for no money.

When I see these great bands taking such trouble to play for us, that's why I do these reviews.

Click a picture for a slideshow.

'No Lip' are playing The North Star in Staines on the 31st, although I'm hatching plans of my own that night....

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Home:   helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Contact:  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com

helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

     p

    THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO!

            F.A.B      

                                         c        a

       k

      technicolor