The one and only and fantastic Dijajo (pronounced Did ya Jo?) made an unannounced appearance, much to he delight of the crowd, at The legendary Nelson Open Mic last week and also much to everyones added delight so did the wonderful Pixiephone and thanks to Marc the head bar steward you can enjoy both Dijajo and the pixiephone just click on the above link!
Time fly’s …….. its already August and I’ve done nowt for July but what a month it was harmonica for BillyFranks @ the world famous Troubadour and an album launch party with Twisted Harmony. Wonderful photos at the troubadour taken by the very talented Darren Clarke (look him up on facebook - one of my friends).
And just check out the Twisted Boys. The video below is one of three I put together the day after the night before so to speak…….
I had the good fortune to play for a second time at the Gorringe Park Tavern this week (Tuesday). My first visit was with John and Justine as my backing to perform a few ‘Dick Philpot’ songs. This weeks visit was a more spontaneous affair with my rather cheekily asking Tim Buckley at very short if I could play harmonica on his set. The gent that he is Tim said yes which led to another extremely enjoyable evening. This night at the Gorringe happens once a month and features singers and comedians and I believe spoken word and its all hosted by Pete Kermally a grand comic and Andy Gibbons and grand singer! The event is a joy and at present I’m looking forward to listening to the live recording of the evening that Andy does for free and then posts on the web. I am also enjoying receiving photos via facebook again taken and generously shared by Andy. I’ll be updating this post as the live recording ‘hits the web’ and I recommend you looking these guys up on facebook and saying hello.
Its my open mic at the Nelson Arms tonight - must be about 4 years now I’ve been running this - I ought to work out when exactly it all started and have a party!!! Anyway tonight is gonna be great with Andy Sharrocks and slide guitarist Huskie Jack heading down down. See them tonight before they hit the even bigger big time!!!! when Andy will be headlining the Leicester Square Theatre - May 18th with the Smokin’ Jackets.
So come on down - grab a shaker grab a partner grab a beer and listen to the music the sweet sweet music.
In December 2008 I released an album (I still like to call them albums) called the South London Stroll. Its a bad idea to issue an album in December because the very next month to all casual browsers of albums its a year old! Oh well you live and learn. So here I a, two years I suppose down the road and still up to my ears in new songs for the ‘follow up’. The follow up shall be called or might be called ‘The little book of South London Folk’. The very last song to be added to the ’stroll’ was ‘What I need is your love’. That song signalled a change in direction for me - a more popularly orientated slant - less intraspective but still ‘quality’ said with a capital Q. The track list currently looks someting like this:
You gotta downsize (not sure which version - the video one or one of the other two).
Treat that girl sweet (subject of the video challenge - thanks Moth - but where is everyone else!!!!)
Che Guevara (recorded several times but am unsure of the Springsteen vibe)
The Demon Inside (written with John Black - a version currenty available on myspace will be engineered and more vox added by Jus)
The Awakening of a heart
It’ll be alright ( written with John Black- is well under way but needs keys)
My baby did what mybaby do (recorded twice - needs a new vibe - perhaps tomorrow)
The boy with dust for brains (recorded but needs reviewing - art work underway).
Drowning in a stormy sea (recorded but possibly suffering with an attack of triteness)
The 7:15 train ( again recorded and again feels not finished - lyrically - I play violin on this one!)
So there you have it 10 songs almost down and another half dozen in the half written stage. Exciting times.
Been lucky enough to have been working on the beautiful game project being run by Billy Franks. The proceeds of this venture will be going to the charity formed by Prince Harry and Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso, Sentebale, which cares for orphaned children in Lesotho, Africa. So far I’ve been in the studio and on location and am currently knee deep in edits and footage. These are really exciting times! Check out the link above and while your there the 10 second tease for the project film/ music video - you’ll find ‘the tease’ on the video page.
Last night I stepped back in time and sang and drank in a pub like pubs used to be - warm, welcoming and with a back room! All pubs should have a backroom, a saloon or snug. The Gorringe Park in Tooting has a backroom and last night hosted a ’sessions’ evening for acoustic and comedic acts.
A great little pub and an excellent night - I, a little suprisingly, was headline - not suprised because I was but just suprised that nobody had told me! Anyway after the shock came the music. Dick Philpot and the JBs (Black and Barker) performed 7 songs (and not the facebook reported 8 - fool that I am I counted ’set list’ when totting up without my glasses on). The songs were Confetti (I got the verses in the right order and remembered to name before sail), the demon inside, the goodliest river, arlington, what I need is your love, the red river and sub prime.
I really enjoyed the night and look forward to future evenings at the pub - well done Andy for organising.
In late 2008 I completed a collection of songs which I entitled ‘The South london Stroll’. I had originaly intended to call the collection ‘The River Wandle Red’ as a homage to my hero Dennis Wilson’s 1977 masterpiece ‘Pacific Ocean Blue’ But after a photoshoot featuring me mimicing Dennis’ pose on the cliffs of the Big Sur - but in my case me standing on the banks of the Wandle - I bottled out - somehow my fat face and belly just did not cut it - oh what a tart. The cover ‘mockup’ does exist and can be seen at my myspace so if you want a laugh go and have a dig around. Anyway - while the photo shoot may have been a disaster the album was and is not. As far as I am concerned this is my best work - from the bottle neck guitar playing on the title track to the harmonies on the Goodliest River this collection oozes quality - if I say so myself - quality with a big Q as was said by the very drunk woman in the Nelson Arms who complimented an act ‘Quality - thats what that was - Quality’. And so - yes even if I say it myself Quality - I am very proud of this collection. So I must recommened it to you all - go and buy a copy! Yes do it now and raise a cheer to Roy Wood - he played all the instruments on his solo albums just like me and like Dennis Wilson he too is one of my heroes. So beware as you prepare to spend your cash - this album is not for the faint hearted nor the classicaly trained brigade - this album is for those who have stood at the front of the Hammersmith Odeon stage and said to their mate “I can do that” - well I did say that and now I have done it.
Go out and buy - spread the word and let it multiply and as a wise Native American once said “let the smile you send be returned”.
Today my son Danny will enter the video challenge fray. I am a litle concerned about what this 6ft 3 barnstorm of a young man will contribute but I am eager to see - will it be an Ibanez driven mime, heavy metal and distortion pedal, or perhaps a gaffa tape extravaganza like the PC he built and held together with said tape when he was but 13. On the other hand will he just sleep late and then go to the pub?
Who knows what this weird and wonderful challenge will present.
dick@southlondonfolk.co.uk
Ever fancied being in a South London Folk pop video?
Last year I managed to get a bit of video in a ‘mash-up’ for the Wendy and Lisa single Salt and Cherries and having just written a cracking new song I fancy doing a bit of mashing myself.
If you’d like be in a video for my new track “treat that girl sweet’ just send me a video clip of yourself and I’ll create the ‘mash’. In line with the lyrics of the song I’d love loads of footage of the girls that we all ought be treating sweet - young girls, old girls and ones in the middle - nothing obscene please - it won’t be used - this is a fun songs and will be family viewing - and if you blokes, guys or fellas also want to be in the video then send me your clip also - I reckon the song will provide plenty of cues and ideas for your footage. Now what I want is just a snippet - a few seconds only. The reason for this is that 1 - its a mash up and 2 neither you or I want email postboxes crashing down under the weight. If you come to my open mic - burn your file to disc - avi, wmv, mp4 etc preferred but I’l have ago with anything. If you can’t burn or send over the wire then use something like a free ftp service and I’ll be able to download it from there. So lets get going. You have until the end of the month to get your footage to me.
Listen to the song here ‘treat that girl sweet’
On the serious note I must point out that your participation is just for fun both the song and the video will remain my property ! Sorry but there you go - your reward will be in the taking part!
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