Bulls Head Bob Sep 2022. JONI MITCHELLS LIVE GIG. CARL WAYNE. BRUMBEAT.Net Up and running. DEJA VU...THE UGLYS, We have all been here before.

 

Hello Brummies,

Ain't it great to be a Brummie?  Everyone loves us after we showed the country what REAL hospitality is like during The Commonwealth Games.  It's a  bonus for the greatest city on the planet and we should all be justifiably proud of our heritage.  Built on our gritty industrial past, which was my and maybe your reality, those times are now consigned to history superceded by hi-tech. However the charm of Brummies is embedded in the richness of our life in a multi racial society built on hard work since the 1950s and our self-effacing humour is enchanting and infectious too.  I have often remarked during my blog years that the City was a real role model of social integration.  I'm very proud of being a Brummie.... long may she reign.

JONI MITCHELL.   NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL.   

In 1967, Joni played at The Jug O' Punch, Digbeth, Birmingham for £10.00.   A couple of years later she achieved her first UK chart success with the release of her 2nd LP "Ladies of the Canyon" which peaked at Number 18.  From then on her light shone bright, going supernova in 1971 with her outstanding musical and autobiographical LP, "Blue" and it was a masterclass in songwriting, pouring out her soul for the world to hear, I was hooked on her voice and musicality, not only as an exceptional songwriter but also as a guitarist with a radical variety of guitar tunings and a great pianist where she floated on a gentle musical breeze.  A string of releases followed with Joni being at the forefront of the singer/songwriter genre regaling us with her musical journey from folk to jazz from then on.   She was exceptional in every sense.

In 2015 she suffered an aneurysm which left her with no mobility, speech or the ability to play music.   I won't dwell on that right now, suffice to say, it was a battle for Joni to even get to the most basic of mobility and ability.  Then along came Brandi Carlile who took on the mantle of helping her hero get back on her feet again.    She organised, at Joni's house, a monthly "Joni Jam" where people would gather and sing Joni songs to her and with her giving a critique or a nod of approval.

Last month at the Newport Folk Festival Joni surprised the world and got back on stage!   The Joni Jam players were assembled on stage before the Queen made her appearance to the roar from the crowd, real heartrending emotion flooded the air with people spontaneously bursting into tears as she came onto the stage, a tad unsteady on her feet and assisted by her daughter.  Joni was back!!!  Now 78 dressed in Jazzy Joni style she sat down and the magic started, Brandi was her right hand, high-note vocalist, giving Joni little hints of lyrics in the nicest way.  The high register of Joni's voice has now been superceded by a rich and mellow tone but still with her lovely tremelo.    

She sang several songs and played some guitar too but the most poignant song for me was "Both sides Now" because she wrote it at 22 I think and now, 56 years later, the meaning becomes more real for her because she had indeed seen a whole lotta stuff from both sides in her life.   That sentiment was certainly felt by Wynnona Judd, who was sat behind her with tears streaming down her face.    She also sang a couple from "Court and Spark" another 'must have' for songwriters to lean on for inspiration with Joni rockin' on her Throne of Gold.   Her music has and will always be played in this house.   

When the Beatles released "Free as a Bird" I cried for days, never expecting to hear them again and I shed several tears seeing and hearing the amazing JONI MITCHELL this time around too.  There are some YouTube clips of her appearance including the very moving "Both Sides Now".   It would be great to have a DVD release of the gig 

CARL WAYNE

It is now eight years since Charlie's demise although it doesn't feel like it.    Carl Wayne and The Vikings, The Move, the West End Musicals and ending his career with The Hollies is testament to the greatness of his vocal quality.   There is not a lot more left to write about him, that isnt available to read already on the Brumbeat page.    I was a bit shocked to learn of his death but he is still in my memories of those 60's days in his company.  God Bless you Charlie...   

THE UGLYS - DEJA VU

A group of Spanish teachers were visiting the Guggeheim Art Museum in Amsterdam looking at some old masters, they entered the Rembrandt gallery and came face to face with someone's face they knew very well.... "Its Will Hammond" one of them said.  They were all amazed at the likeness, burst into laughter and sent him the foto.  The Painting is by Rembrandt and is called "The Noble Slav" painted in 1632.

"When I received it I thought they had photoshopped my face onto it as a joke so I disregarded it till we met up at a gig and they said it was a real portrait.  My good lady bought me a print of it one Christmas.  I've got it framed on the wall and people always ask why I had my portrait painted wearing golden Arabic robes? That's when the fun starts".

If that wasn't strange enough,  I popped into a music shop last month and bumped into the younger double of my "Uglys" bandmate, drummer Keith Smart.  "It was amazing,  I was staring at him, and he must have thought I was trying to pick him up or something".                            

The likeness was staggering.

Spanish musician Nu above and the great Keith Smart below whilst with Wizzard. 

We have all been here before!

BRUMBEAT.NET    

Good news!  

John Woodhouse is now overcoming the cyber glitches that had occurred on the BRUMBEAT.Net website and is up and running again and this month features Robert Plants journey from Walsall to Led Zeppelin on the Pie Stand page.  

It's always a good read and a font of information on most every Brumbeat band that ever there was.   The best period for guitar bands....the 60's.

FINALLY

It's beautiful dog walking weather, so I'm off to the park where, no doubt, I can reflect on how lucky I am to have existed through such great times including these days.   I don't have a dog, I can't keep going through the heartbreak of losing them, so nowadays I go out and make a fuss of other peoples pooches.  It's great, I get my daily "Dog Fix" without the poo or the vets and food bills. 

UPDATE CHARITY EVENT

On 17 Sep there is a charity event at the  Boat and Railway  featuring a clutch of Brummie talent raising money for a great cause, Teenage Cancer Trust.  Ex Brumbeat survivor Bob Styler who featured in The Yamps, The Fashion and Traction will be performing and he's so famous they dont need to put his name on the poster, just a photo!  Show starts at 7.30.   Be there.

Go Bobby Go!!!

  

Take Care my Friends, be Kind to Each Other.

Keep Playing 

Bob

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Contact:   Bobsbullocks@Gmail.com