BULLS HEAD BOB JULY 2013 - 100th AUSTRALIAN ANNIVERSARY. THE UGLYS...NEW PHOTO. FAIRFIELD SKI. GREAT BRUMBEAT GIGS, THE KINGS HEAD, BEARWOOD. SALOPIAN DUDES. BEATLES VS STONES. BRIAN GREGG.

Watcha Brummies, Cobbers and other Overseas friends,

STREWTH SHEILA! IT'S THE 100th AUSTRALIAN ANNIVERSARY

I just want to say congratulations and many thanks to one of the blog's dedicated readers who hails from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia who, last month, logged on to read their 100th blog......and have since returned another couple of times.....many thanks, whoever you are, for putting up with my inane ramblings since I started down this road of monthly drivel.   If I'm ever passing that way you must keep a couple of huge shrimps ready to throw on the barbie and we'll ramble on about things a bit more!!!!  If there's Anything or any band you would like me to focus on especially for you then please just let me know and I'll be your slave........in a sort of Brummie, article writing, cyber way that is.   Of course you might probably be another Brummie abroad, but the shrimp thing still applies!!

BOB'S AMAZING AUSTRALIAN FACT FILE!!
FACT 1.  Just to give you, the BHB bloggies, a sneaky peek into the status of my international music success, I can disclose right here that I'm actually known in Alice Springs!!  "Well blow me down!" you must be saying, "that famous eh?".  
So, if you visit Alice Springs, you could always ask around for me, I probably won't be there but I am known there, it's just a matter of physical substance that makes the difference.  You could still bathe in the ambience.

You just try asking anyone you meet there "Excuse me, have you seen Bob?", I bet you that practically all of them will either say Bob? or by the other name I'm affectionately known as, 'Boboo'.

FACT 2.  BRUMBEAT FACT.  Any mention of Brummie success in Aus has to include Birmingham's own The Ugly's  who had a

No 1 chart hit there on the Astor label, an off shoot of the British PYE record label, with 'Wake up My Mind'  and were scheduled to be on The Rolling Stones tour of Australia but were vetoed by the Australian Musicians Union at the last moment.

FACT 3.  My Uncle Bill drowned on Bondi Beach.  Sad but true.  
No worries though, he could have been eaten by sharks or crocodiles, bitten by spiders or snakes, infested with mice or any of the other hundred ways to die, only to be found in Australia.....life's for living right? 

FACT 4.  Not everyone who lives there is called Sheila or Bruce.....  Kylie's a thing of the past too...evolution.   

Back to the West Midlands.
FAIRFIELD SKI

A few months back, I mentioned that Fairfield Ski had announced that their previously recorded LP, which was only in existence in acetate form, was now set for release on CD.  For those who hadn't read that particular blog, let me tell you that this group exceed, chronologically, the 60's time restraints of the Brumbeat period but of course their beginnings as that very well known 60's Birmingham band, The Cheetahs deservedly place the band here in continuity.   

It was only when they were joined by Bill Bonham did they change their name to Fairfield Ski. 

They appear to have also been known as Fairfield 'Sky' but just to set the record straight, they got their 'Ski' name from their ex-managers wife Ellen, who spoke fluent Russian so they called her Ellenski and eventually simply 'ski'.  
I don't want any smart alec out there pestering me for "why Fairfield then Bob?"

So anyway, the CD release is imminent and will be released sometime in July on the European label 'Guersen', I can't actually give you precise details of the release but please let me direct all you fans of Fairfield Ski to visit their Facebook Page 

www.facebook.com/FairfieldSki.

...where you can find all the news about the band's CD release, see the artwork, hear a track or two and explore the gory details of how much it costs and things like that.  I sincerely wish you guys good luck! and am pleased to see that this previously planned release has at last become a reality.  Great to have a bit of good news to announce.

THE STONES VS THE BEATLES
If you were there during the sixties, there was always that basic music question of which of the two bands you preferred?  That sounds simplistic when referring to the two biggest bands ever.   Weren't we lucky?

I'm a Beatles man, no denying it, through and through, and at the last poll, 80% of the public agreed with me.   

Like all bands though, there were off-stage friendships and on-stage rivalries at every level including these two mammoths of rock.  This competitive band rivalry was re-visited and re-ignited in the 90's by the media, in their carbon-copy hype of the 60's, re-badged as 'Britpop' during the Blur/Oasis days.  Blur declaring themselves the reincarnation of The Kinks, during their psychedelic whimsical period and Oasis dressing exactly the same as the cover of The Beatles Rubber Soul LP and imitating the Beatles guitar sound of that period......they certainly were not The Beatles but there was some good music made by both of those bands during Britpop.          

That inter-band rivalry situation was captured so perfectly in the legendary film, Spinal Tap when David St Hubbins was talking about another band's singer. 

"He was so crap, the crowd were still booing him, while we were playing!"

Here's something though.  If you want to hear John Lennon's opinion on Mick Jagger and the Stones? click on the link below and listen to a very short, but very interesting, interview with John Lennon.  His biting assessment of Jagger is so harsh and although, in truth, I agree with everything he says, he seemed to me to have some kind of preoccupation about Jagger.  
  
Lennon also wrote "And Your Bird Can Sing" about Mick Jagger with the 'Bird' in the title referring to Marianne Faithful..........."but you don't get me!".

Worth a visit:

Click Here :  http://youtu.be/E-b3fRisu50

GREAT BRUMBEAT GIGS 

THE MORGUE,
THE KINGS HEAD, BEARWOOD
THE UGLY'S 
Given this blog's Australian theme, I have had the pleasure to recently have this just drop into my lap, a previously unpublished, photo of The Ugly's, taken by the bands manager, John Singer, well that is Steve Gibbons, Willie Hammond and Dave Morgan sat having a beer.  One of the best vocal front-line's of all the Brummie 60's bands, brilliant  harmonies from these three.  Some of you, along with me will recognise the Brumbeat Gig location too, it's The Kings Head at Bearwood, situated at the end of the Hagley Road that had a dance Club named The Morgue where groups like The Uglys, The Moody Blues and The Spencer Davis Group among many others played in the cellars of this large boozer which had been painted black and had skeletons hanging on the wall and things.  This pictured seating area was above The Morgue and was a great venue to play at particularly during the summer months, the venue was promoted by John Singer.  I was last there in 2005 and they were still having bands then. it's probably a franchise joint by now. 

(L-R The Uglys,  Gibbo, Willie and Dave.  copyright: The Uglys)

Fantastically, all of these three guys are still playing live, great eh?? Never stop playing is the message here.

THE SALOPIAN DUDES
Talking about never stopping playing.   As notified in the last blog, ex-Redcaps Mickey Walker and Alan Morley with new guitarist Steve Field aka The Salopian Dudes are pictured here in action at their first gig at Worfield Cricket Club back in May.  
I'm always tempted to crack a joke about falling off the back of a lorry but I imagine that Mickey would have used that line already!!  Great to see you two guys back in action.  I notice that Mick had borrowed Popeye's right forearm to get a bit more bottom out of his bass. "Go on mate".  Seriously great voice and bassist....really one of the very best and along with Alan these pair were a serious part of the Brummie early 60's music scene, one of the most musically respected bands, so do try and get to see them or if you're a promoter book them for some gigs.

ROCK LEGENDS

If you should fancy a couple of days away by the sea then you should zoom off to Pontins, Lowestoft between 4 - 8 July and go and cop an eyeful of some of the pioneers of Rock and Roll when they get together to perform including the blog's own favourite Brian Gregg, who will be reuniting with Clem Catini
to reform their original line up of The Pirates....  I'd be there myself but am gigging elsewhere at the same time.
FEMINIST NEWS

This might not be true in the Antipodes but it appears, from a recently researched report on the BBC website, that men are apparently to blame for the female menopause??  

Just when you thought you'd reached the top of the 'Men are to Blame' heap!! 




FOOTBALL ROUND UP
Well with the new football season on the horizon and despite their best efforts, Birmingham City remained in the Championship. The Baggies did remarkably well and the mighty Villa showed their strength and determination
in the latter third of the season and battled through to stay up in the Premiership.  I'm pretty sure that we will, as Brummies and most certainly if you're a Villa supporter, enjoy the fortunes of our teams this year.

Finally....
'Her indoors' is coming back from a family visit this weekend so I'm eradicating the smell of fish and chips, curries, Pizzas, you know anything you don't have to cook for yourself when you've been busy all week slaying aliens on 'Halo' 1, 2 and 3, having a Beer and Beatles Day which entailed getting up, allowing myself a civilised cup of tea then it was the whole of the Beatles LP's in chronological order at a staggering volume, accompanied by copious amounts of beer.....pure art.  No matter how many times I listen to it, their catalogue of songs is monumental, their instinctive insight as to what was innovative and quality is simply breathtaking.  The recordings themselves are vibrant with energy and enthusiasm right from their first LP.  It really pisses me off when I hear them referred to as the first 'Boy Band'?? 

If you've watched 'Searchin for Sugarman' and enjoyed it
then you should really watch 'The Story of Anvil', both great DVD's.   They both go well with a large bowl of hot Chili con Carne,Rice, Fajitas and naturally, copious amounts of beer!!.  

If you eat your Chili whilst watching 'Sugarman', sufficient internal wind capacity will be fully charged and one can then indulge in streams of 'cheek lifting' activity during the Anvil story. Now thats rock and roll. 


Bob
Copyright: BullsHeadBob
contact:  Bobsbullocks@GMail.com   

BULLS HEAD BOB JUNE 2013 - THE REDCAPS

Hiya Brummies

Well I've been busier than a nest full of ants for the past couple of weeks and so, in advance I apologise for the shortness of this months blog but for us die hard Brumbeat fans the topic of this months blog should be enough.

Whilst doing things I was thinking which of the Brummie bands would I like to see again?  Well there were a few so I thought more about local music influences on me and the first name that always comes to me is The Redcaps.

During my early youth I, like most of my generation, was deep into Cliff and The Shadows, mostly the latter on my part.  Apart from listening to the Radio on Sunday afternoons for the Pop Charts there were no other modern music shows so I do remember waiting for the charts, guitar poised on my lap ready to try and learn some instrumental as it was being played, you only got to hear it once a week if you couldn't afford the record so you had to be bloody sharp!!.  If it was a song I wanted to learn, my Mum would be taking the lyrics down in shorthand for me, I would then rush upstairs and play it to death for hours whilst it was fresh in mind, my Sisters would be shouting "Mum, make him stop", she never did.

THE REDCAPS

It wasn't long before I got the real music 'bug' and in the next couple of years I had improved to the point whereby I thought I was getting to sound good, then one night my older brother, for some unknown reason of generosity, said he would take me to see a good group he knew of.  I can't remember which dance hall we went to but the band was The Redcaps.    I wouldn't have been the first person to think to themselves "These are a seriously good group" they had some real 'dynamic edge' to them and they would have been the biggest band in the UK had they got the right breaks.  The familial voices of and harmonies of Mickey and Dave Walker were as close as you'd hear and my belief that I was now a better guitarist took a real knock that night.  I learned a lot about stage projection from them too, they really had it all, great voices, great musicians and they could really put it over well, incredibly good Beat music.  I mean just look at the kit on that picture, a row of Gibsons and Vox AC30's and VOX PA, Binson Echo and I'm not sure if that piece of kit next to the Binson is a Meazzi??.  The sound combinations would have been seriously driven and Mickey Walker and Alan Morley were a good engine room for the band

I went home feeling excited by what I'd just seen and heard and realised that I had a lot to learn and woke the next day with a degree more of ambition to improve.  There have been several of my muso compatriots, recently, Bill Bonham from the same period, who too were influenced by this amazingly good band.  Another of those muso's is the very nice Brian Nicholls who recently interviewed Mickey Walker and Alan Morley, bassist and drummer respectively of The Redcaps so we should be on the lookout for an update to their Bio on the BRUMBEAT.Net page soon, click here THE REDCAPS BIO. 

So would I like to see The Redcaps again?, well all the circumstances have changed so much in that respect it just wouldn't be the same as back then,
it wouldn't have the same impact as then, luckily though not all the members of those great bands have stopped playing.  

THE SALOPIAN DUDES
The hot poop from Brian is that Mickey and Alan have recruited Telford guitarist, Steve Field and are going gigging again, this time under the guise of 'The Salopian Dudes'...........now don't ask me where they got the name from
but I'd almost bet that it was born from a Sunday lunchtime session with a carry-out back to the garage to knock out some 'good ol toons'.

Well here we have a video clip of the SALOPIAN DUDES in a garage and, seen lurking in the background is the aforementioned Brian Nicholls, the Gandalf of Black Country music.   They have already done their first gig at Worfield Cricket Club in May and I'm sure I'll be getting some updates to pass on to you all of when and where they might be gigging at. 

I love the written comment on the Youtube clip, "recorded in the 'actual garage'"  I just thought, this could be the very garage, where they thought up the name too, makes you think doesn't it?.....

Gotta say that your'e looking good Mickey and both you and Alan are playing  well, and incidentally Mickey, if the name was your idea then, "brilliant mate! what a corker of a name, couldn't have done better myself".  You should have got yourself a Gibson EBO though to give us some of that Redcaps bass end sound.  

So anyway, bless THE SALOPIAN DUDES and all who go to see them.  They recently played at Worsfield Cricket Club so keep your eyes and ears open and get ready to see part of the greatest band in the West Midlands history back on the stage.   

I'm sure you won't forget their name.  A lot of us remember The Redcaps influence on our past, so God Bless guys give it some "stuff".

Right you guys, I'm packing my little suitcase and heading North where the women are women.

Cheers
Bob

copyright:  Bullsheadbob
contact:    Bobsbullocks@Gmail.com

   

BULLS HEAD BOB May 2013 - REG CALVERT. THE MOVE, TOWER OF SONG VENUE.

Hiya Brummies,

Well welcome to May, twittering birds, profusions of flowers and of course, being the first of the month it's a date with The BH Bob Blog.

REMEMBERING REG CALVERT

Those of us who remember the midlands bands of the 60's will be aware of the name of Reg Calvert.  Reg managed and 'groomed' an assortment of Midlands young popsters along the lines of Larry Parnes who managed Billy Fury, Marty Wilde, Duffy Powers etc etc and had his own 'school of pop' at Rugby.  Later on in that decade Reg was responsible for the successes of midlands bands like The Fortunes and Pinkertons Assorted Colours, Tanya Day, Johnny Neal and a host of others.  Reg was a real early entrepreneur and was also involved with Pirate Radio.  Reg died in strange circumstances and his story has been comprehensively covered by David St John along with the assistance of Sue Calvert, Reg's daughter, and others who had worked with Reg over the years.  Click here to visit:
THE REG CALVERT STORY

TOWER OF SONG

These days it can be hard to find a gig.  These days it can be hard to find a gig where the owner doesn't expect you to pay for the privilege of playing at his/her gaff.  It would be great wouldn't it if there was a live music venue where all different types of music can be heard?  Well there is such a place.
The Tower of Song in Coleshill.  

This purpose built venue is run and owned by Tom Martin an Irish Singer/songwriter with a passion for live music and performance, indeed Tom has played most places both at home and overseas both as a solo artist and with his fellow musicians in The Tom Martin Band.  The Tower is
beautifully decorated venue with fabulous murals by local artist Mike Browning.  

With a rich programme of weekly and monthly events it seems crazy not to make a visit or two to this most impressive venue normally starting the musical week on Wednesday night with The REA RIVER ROOTS.  There is an open microphone spot  (2 songs maximum) before the booked artist commences so get in there and sign yourself up and show people what you can do.  On Thursdays its CROSSROADS BLUES with the same format as Wednesday.

The First Friday of each month is ACOUSTIC ROOTS hosted by
Vo Fletcher and Catherine Howe with invited support artists and the first Saturday is the HEARTBEAT HONKY TONK hosted by Jimmy Cox and Terry Foley playing early Rock N' Roll and country blues with support slots.  The last Saturday night of each month features the great Tom Martin Band.

BASS PLAYER SPECIAL
If you're a bassist you will want to visit the Tower for a Sunday night,
bi-monthly workshop featuring just bassists hosted by BASS GUITAR MAGAZINE Editor and 6 string bass virtuoso Steve Lawson featuring specialist internationally acclaimed bassists.   If you're not a bassist but would like to know how to solder leads etc, this could be your opportunity to learn, just go there and get chatting!! I've never met a bassist who doesn't know how to do things like that.

WANNABE A SONGWRITER?
Well opportunity is knocking for you to attend the other Bi-Monthly Sunday night event Lobelia's Lazy Sunday songwriter night.  To have all these events and styles under one roof is brilliant and my congratulations go to Tom for having the strength of musical passion to include all these differing styles.

Other bands and artists are booked throughout the month and there is one other fabulous bonus too CHEAP BEER!!! So get yourself down to the Tower of Song for a great night out with live music.   For a more comprehensive view of the Tower visit Toms web page, CLICK here......THE TOWER OF SONG 

THE MOVE
I don't really write much about The Move because everything is already covered on the ELO network and it would simply be me repeating what has already been written.  We Brummies musicians saw them as mates, doing the same gigs as everyone else until they hooked up with Tony Secunda and his bunch of shady crooks and cronies, then they really took off, and deservedly so, they were excellent.  

There was always something kind of old fashioned about their thinking though.  I mean, if you have just charted with "Night of Fear", one of the new breed of drug related, psychedelic records that were released during those heady, 'far out' times and then followed it up with "I Can Hear the Grass Grow", that thunderous, bass riffed, psychedelic rocker, you would have thought that some immediate re-thinking would have taken place about the set list which included 'Zing go the Strings of my Heart'.    

Their transition from Rock Band to Cabaret act was a jaw dropping moment of shock when Charlie Wayne told me what they were going to do.  Thinking about it in hindsight, you can see how some of them had never really left  that 'gimmicky song' thing behind.  

I CAN HEAR THE GRASS GROW
Anyway that apart, here's a fantastic Youtube clip of Roy Wood, Bev Bevan, Sprike Hopkins and Ace Kefford doing a quickly re-learned "I Can Hear the Grass Grow" for a live performance in Birmingham 1981.  

I really like this, it shows what a great bassist Ace Kefford was and how important he was to The Move's live sound, he was so effective and solid.  It's also a great live sound here, just a back line and that's it....that's how it should be.....and that's how The Move were, energetic and loud, none of this lifeless perfect sound crap, there should always be some kind of urgency with a band and they had it for a short while.

YOUNG BRUMMIE PADAWAN - OLLY BETTS
Last month we visited some of our Brummie muso brothers abroad, one being Willie Hammond of The Uglys.  About 5 years ago Brumbeat did a series of interviews of some muso's early beginnings, 'Six of the Best', which featured Willie's hilarious first gig when he was 12. 

He sent me a Youtube link at the same time of his Nephew Olly Betts who has followed in his Uncles footsteps and is playing the guitar.  "He's 11 years old and is playing a lot better than I could at that age, he has really dedicated himself to the guitar.  Goodness knows how good he will be when he's 12!!".   It's almost like history repeating itself and there is a real facial resemblance to his Uncle in his younger days, it's only right to encourage young Brummies so good luck from us here at Brumbeat Towers Olly and keep practising!!!  Let's all try and give this young man some support.
Click here:OLLY BETTS

THAT SHAKIN' SOUND
It's a little funny that when listening to Shakin All Over some people still think it was the great Mick Green doing his stuff and they all want a Telecaster or Gibson TV to get that sound.  It was Joe Moretti who played the lead on Shakin' and for those seeking to emulate that beautiful guitar sound you will have to get yourself the guitar he used at that time:

GRIMSHAW SS DELUXE.

You would, of course need to have one with a complete set of strings as opposed to the one on this photo but for it's age its a lovely piece of work, I just love the teardop F holes and it's aged honey colour tones are gorgeous.   I'd like one of these but they're rare as hens teeth

Well yours truly is busy gigging away here and there, more there than here though, if you get my drift but it's always great to play back in Brum.

Come on Villa, just one more win please!!!!!








Take Care and have a lovely May

Bob
copyright: Bullsheadbob
contact:  Bobsbullocks@GMail.com



     

BULLS HEAD BOB Apr2013 - BRUMMIES ABROAD. THE UGLYS, THE BRUMBEATS, THE CHEETAHS, LEE STEVENS. GOODBYE TO THE RITZ. THE BULLS HEAD WITH ALVIN LEE.

What Ho you Brummies,

So here we are again for the annual pilgrimage across the seas to see what's going on with some of our old Brumbeat band of brothers who quit these shores for adventures new.  Those are, the ones I'm in touch with.  I'm sure there are other muso Brummies Abroad in that category who aren't in contact with me so it would be nice to know how they're "gooin' on" too.  

HAWAII - GRAHAM ASHFORD (THE BRUMBEATS)
The Brumbeats were one of Brums good bands during their day, fuelled by some canny name changing that got them more attention, and that was really what it was all about then, rolling with the changes and getting the gigs.

Wafting breezes, beautiful sun, sea and palm trees.   It sounds just so idyllic
so there's no reason to ask former Brumbeats vocalist Graham Ashford just why he chose those shores to move to.   Graham is still active in the music world and regularly performs with his band or solo at many events across the State.  He was a recent guest on Radio KKCR Hawaii when he talked for 2 hours about Birmingham, it's bands of the 60's, the Beatles etc....- and the station played 8 of his own ,more recent songs.  Graham was pleasantly surprised to find that during the show they received lots of calls about Birmingham bands from all over the US.

Graham is also the vocalist with the Hawaiian group 'Pono Kane' who play regularly at the Tahiti Nui which is a bar featured

(At the Nui)

in the George Clooney Film The Descendants.



As if that weren't enough, Graham is an accomplished artist and when not in his musical guise he hones his artistic skills with Hawaiian scenes and landscapes

(copyright Graham Ashford)

CANADA - NORM CRANDLES (LEE STEVENS and The Satelites)
Lee Stevens and The Satelites were a good rockin' band who packed em in at all the usual places like The Carlton but Norm aka Lee Stevens legged it to Toronto, Canada to seek his fortune.  Norm is retired and celebrated his 73rd Birthday last month....... these days gets his kicks on the golf course and also puts himself through the mental torment of following the ups and downs of the  'Mighty Villa'. Though Norm isn't singing now he managed to dig out a great photo of himself in the early 60's when he was a part of the Brumbeat scene for us to see,... Norm....

(Lee Stevens copyright Norm Crandles)

"This was taken at Nechells and the discerning buyer will note the Victorian brickwork with it's original window frames and delicate paving, leading onto a full lawned garden with decorative pathways and symmetrical line posts, strategically positioned to frame the trees and adjacent properties.  The perambulator is an avant garde planter with a touch of whimsy.  The large garden gnome, centre stage is not included in the sale price".  

Yeah Norm, it's great to see his Brummie sense of humour remains and this is a really nice photo, evokes some distant clothing memories for me too.   

USA - BILL BONHAM THE CHEETAHS, TERRY REID
California is the home of Walsall's ace organist Bill Bonham

Bill sent me some nice photos of his recent visit to the NAMM Show where he got to hook up with some old friends from both the world of music and Film audio too,

(Bill and buddies at NAMM)

including Alicia Previn, daughter of Andre Previn with whom he jammed later on in the day.

Now you would have thought it was day in Tipton for example because of all the people that were there, Bill got a nice surprise when he bumped into ex Finders Keepers, Deep Purple bassist and singer Glen Hughes.  It's a far cry from Saturday night at The Woolpack.

(Bill and Glen Hughes)

"We hadn't seen each other for years and it was great to have bumped into him again".  

FAIRFIELD SKY
When Bill joined The Cheetahs they changed their name to Fairfield Sky, and also changed their image by glamming it up a tad!

The interesting news about FAIRFIELD SKY is that the songs they had recorded are about to be issued on a CD in Europe in June of this year and seemingly they are compiling material for another release later in the year.    Fairfield Sky are pictured here, Bill Bonham,Nigel Wright on Guitar,Matt Bridger on Bass and Dave Hynds on drums.

Here is a link to two acetate tracks that will form part of the upcoming release.
Very trippy and great hammond organ sounds
prevail. 

Click Here FAIRFIELD SKY






SPAIN  - WILL HAMMOND  THE UGLYS
Over to Europe now for an update on Will or Willie Hammond, The Uglys.
I don't really need to say much about The Uglys, a band that has always been
talked about.  

(Will Hammond in action copyright Amparo)

Having taken to the backwaters of Spain for the quiet life, it was only a matter of time before Uglys guitarist Will Hammond found himself lured back on stage bashing out R&B far away from the madness of the coastal resorts.   "There's a kind of California feel to this part of Spain, with loads of artists and musicians of great quality".  

Will too has been conducting interviews and playing live sets on the Radio as well as performing a workshop on songwriting at The School of Performing Arts and a blues masterclass at a Museum of Culture which attracted almost 200 guitarists along with his live gig commitments.   "There is a really cool place in the country called La Huerta Sonora

(Gene Garcia,bassist Alvaro Carazo, drums Luis Carlos Gamez, Will Hammond copyright Paco Gamez))

(The Sound Garden) it's a recording studio and a place where artists and musicians congregate every full moon to play music or stage events and I was an honoured 'invitee' along with three other excellent Spanish Blues and R&B musicians, Gene Garcia who is a mean harp player and vocalist and the great Alvaro Carazo who is a phenomenal bassist, he growls along!"  

"I'm just loving playing good music with

my own band too who are really up for it, the live gigs are full of energy, and the fantastic audiences too, of all ages,I don't really like to compare it with the old days, but it's not far off.





Willie sent me a clip of his band in action at a gig in Merida, Spain.

Click Here:  THE WILL HAMMOND BAND

THE UGLY'SWhilst on the subject of The Ugs I have to say that there are more search engine hits for The Uglys than any other Birmingham band on Bulls Head Bob either personality wise or Uglys records.  

It is also an interesting fact that, there are more musicians still playing live today, like Will Hammond, who were a part of The Uglys than any other Brumbeat era band.  Just thought it worth a mention.





All of the above musicians Played at:

THE RITZ, KINGS HEATH
Well it burned down last week and in a way it's probably the best thing that has happened to it, it never looked right as a Pawn shop, and it's importance for Brummie musicians has been diluted by solely being referred to as as a place where The Beatles played, with all those wonderful Brummie players and bands practically ignored.  A sad end to a fantastic place where the younger generation of musicians from the West Midlands but particularly Brummies learned their musical trade and we got to see some incredible acts there, not just the more famous faces either.  

THE BULLS HEAD - ALVIN LEE
We recently said goodbye to Alvin Lee, guitarist for Ten Years After, Alvin Lee was not a Brummie but another Brummie, John Byrne, wrote to me with his memories of seeing this great guitarist at The Bulls Head on the Coventry Road.

"I first saw Ten Years After at Mothers, Erdington and was amazed how good Alvin was, even tapping out tunes on the guitar with a drumstick.  Later on the band did a gig at The Bulls Head, Coventry Road supported by none other than a band called Earth, later known as Black Sabbath.  It was at this gig I'm sure that turned the fortunes of Sabbath.  I saw Alvin 'Heads Down' with the lads from Brum and not long after this gig, a name change and more optimism saw Sabbath improve and we all know the rest of that story.  Let's not forget Alvin's Woodstock fame either.  RIP Alvin Lee".

DENNY LAINE
John Woodhouse has written a nice article on Denny Laine, go to the Pie Stand page for more details.

and Finally...

There's been a whole lot of people die last month who formed a part of the world we grew up and lived in on a daily basis.  "Ain't it Funny, how time slips away......."

Tut tut Anon.


Bob

copyright Bullsheadbob
Contact: Bobsbullocks@Gmail.com

BULLS HEAD BOB Mar 2013. BULLS HEAD BOB EXCLUSIVE!! 'ANON THE COMMENTEER' AND THE FENTON-WEILL CONTROVERSY!!, Could Bob be Stripped of Award??, More shocking than other shocking things!! JOHN ENTWHISTLE, STAN CURTIS and GUY MACKENZIE SPEAK OUT

Hello Brummies, Folks, Folkettes, Drunks and Drinkers

It's with a heavy heart and a slight 'niggle' that I have to report that my recently awarded 'Golden Dibber' has been suspended, not literally of course, that would just be cheap humour and, as you know, I'm not that sort of chap/chapette.  It is true to say though, that I find myself under a BBBCGLM investigation for "heartlessly annoying a sensitive guitar freak" when, with my usual crass eloquence, I dared to suggest that this guitar:

a Fenton Weill,  was awful, thereby 'wilfully annoying a reader', contrary to sub section 12a of the BBBCGLM statutes for award winners.

YOU'VE DONE IT NOW BOB!
 "I'VE NEVER HAD SUCH A DELUGE OF BAD COMMENTS" shouted His Eminence, The Lord High Editor-in-Chief of BRUMBEAT,  J Woodhouse.

"YOU'VE OVERSTEPPED THE MARK THIS TIME BOB!!!!" ...."I'M REPORTING YOU TO HENRY TROUSERS!!" he yelled down the office upon the receipt of a second 'anonymous' comment being received through the 'cybernetic contact device'................  WHO IS THIS FENTON WEILL ANYWAY???

'Anon The Commenteer' as he shall be known, was obviously upset enough by my opinion of this inferior thing to feel compelled to send two comments about how great they were and how wrong and bonkers I must be.   Mrs Bob would say he was being a 'Stirrer', I think I agree.

I thought I had been quite the gentleman in my first reply to 'Anon' having covered the ground with some reasonable acknowledgement of this here geetar', given it's early days but it appears my actual wording was, or is now, the centre of the complaint.  It's like guitar nurd PMS.  In answer to 'Anon The Commenteer', who appears intent on trying to get me to break my news years resolution... 

"No, I don't mean it's not a looker...., I mean it's soddin' awful and if I had the choice of any early guitar, it wouldn't be a Fenton Weill.

I mean look, who wants to get into a row about something that I think was rubbish?, not me, I just happened to mention it in the context of early guitars. I'm pretty sure you're all old enough to make your own minds up?  Simply because it's old doesn't mean it's good either or because of the Jim Burns connection.  His association with Herr Weill didn't last longer than a bat's fart and frankly I'm not surprised, I can just imagine the conversation between them.   

Jim.   "Good God that's bloody awful, I'm off to build my own guitars"...
Auf Viedersen".  
Herr Wiel......."Pig!"

Burns Sonic

... off went Jim and indeed, built some lovely, quality guitars, but the small bodied style of the first Burns sonic model, which I've highlighted before, is similar in shape... end of similarity.  It must be remembered that Guyatone and others were also producing small bodied guitars at the same time so it really was a fashion and moreover, a lot of these early models were all made at the same factory and used some of the same parts. Burns would change this style radically with their huge bodied range of models.

A Fenton Weill is not a Burns........It's like all those guys who say "I jammed with Jimi"........so what? wordplay inferring that he too was a genius and had been touched by the hand of God are far removed from the truth.   At the Cedar Club in Birmingham I saw local guitarists jam with Jimi too and also at clubs in London like the Bag o' Nails, none of whom are, or were later guitar heroes themselves....fame by association means sod all.

It is what it is.

Lets Leave it Up to Others!
I am a man with an open mind, or as Mrs Bob refers to it, 'that large void, capable of engulfing what's left of the Arctic"', so I went further afield as I did with the Award Winning investigation exposing the Brumbeat vote rigging scam of The Strollers and sought out other serious and reputable sources who may have voiced their opinion on the subject, and who better to start off with than, the world famous:

STAN CURTIS 

Stan Curtis? yes sir, world renowned sound engineer and hi-fi guru, I guess he knows something about circuitry and sound. Stan owned more than one of these guitars and at one time actually owned the Brand name itself, so I doubt if I could find a better source.  He was a bass player and probably still is.

Quote: "They weren't very good guitars to play"

http://www.stancurtis.com/FW.htm

JOHN ENTWHISTLE
Probably the UK's most thunderous bass player of all time had a Fenton Weill once.
Here is a short piece reproduced from the John Entwhistle 'Gear' page on The Who's website which is a good read

http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gear/bass/bass6066.html

"Fenton Weill, a guitar manufacturer with a factory in Chiswick, made oddly shaped but serviceable guitars.  For a fiver (about 12 dollars), Entwhistle convinced someone who worked for Fenton Weill to smuggle out a body for his next instrument. A second factory had put on all the other parts.  Peter remembers this bass sounding "pretty good".  John Entwhistle swore it was "diabolical".

FAMOUS GUITARISTS
Here is a list of all the other famous guitarists that have either owned or liked the Fenton Weill:

hair balaclava and glass jug on left,
ugly slab of wood on right

The bassist of Mungo Jerry... who had a summer hit with 'In the Summertime' which featured a 'blown' glass jug playing the bass line.  Coudn't find any more.  

Hey I've just noticed they're all Bass Players as well, that explains it all.

You fashionistas will be more interested in guitarist Jerry Dorsey's 'hair balaclava'.

so no guitarists then!!


EDITOR BRUMBEAT.NET
When asked for a comment by the worlds press, the Editor of Brumbeat said  " Fenton Weill is a TV Ventriloquist isn't he?".
HENRY TROUSERS, CHAIRMAN, BBBCGLM

Henry Trousers, Chairman of the BBBCGLM had this to say.  "Well I have to say that I've never seen a Fenton Weill but I've been told they were capable. These days though, I personally prefer a Spear and Jackson No5 spade, with a composite handle mind you!, it's sharper edge really cuts through the sod..... I don't actually know if a FW had that??".


"Regarding the suspension of Bobs Golden Dibber, it is true that he is currently under investigation and as soon as our Sparkhill representative, Seamus O'Tarmac, reports back to us we will convene a general meeting of the Brotherhood and, if found guilty, Bob will be ceremoniously de-capped at Villa Park and his name expunged from The Shed of Fame".  

Previous De-capping  ceremony picture supplied by Albert Trousers (centre, wearing grey )

GUY MACKENZIE
Guy Mackenzie is the other person I found who thinks Fenton Weill are great and collects them!!  So at the very least I may have helped one soul mate find another, you could get together, I bet the hours would fly by.

You other serious guitarists are not obliged to look at the following link if, like 'Anon The Commenteer' you're 'touchy' and only like to look at EKO's for example.  I guess Anon will be rushing over there as we speak.

www.collectors-club-of-great-britain.co.uk/Features/Collecting-guitars/_ft25 

.... but I can tell you straight away that collector Guy is a drummer!!!! and buys Fenton Weills to hang on the wall.  He reports on his web page that his most desired guitar is yet another Fenton Weill (belonging to his best friend) and added that his wife thinks he is mad and has moved into the spare room.  

MRS BOB
To be inclusive gender wise, I thought Mrs Bob would fit the bill nicely especially with my growing feminist fan base and when asked the question "Mrs Bob, what about a Fenton Weill?"......she replied "Oh shut up with your sex talk and have a digestive", then followed up with "Wait a mo', wasn't that the guitar that all the fret wire used to drop out of the neck????..... 
How would I know, I never owned one?

Thats why I love her, she's a storehouse of knowledge about those little things that I have no interest in, you know me?  I'm not the sort of person who goes on about things, she just feeds me facts...  Her proper name is Lucy but I call her Mrs Bob, especially when she's being coquettish after fish and chips on Saturday night and you know, there's something about the smell of stale vinegar and mushy peas that set's her afire.... at the moment, as an added delight, she's taunts me with derogatory facts about Villa's current goal deficit, she's a a real temptress that one, whew! a blood boiling 15 seconds of non stop passion.

There you have it, I haven't made any of that up?  Those are some other peoples opinions on Fenton Weill.  So Anon the Commenteer, with the exception of John Entwhistle who can't answer back, why don't you go and bother them with your "Not wanting to get into an Argument" argument.  I await judgement by the league of flat capped peers.

It has just occurred to me that Anon the Commenteer could have led a miserable life until one day and quite by chance, he stumbled across an old delapidated warehouse and there in the corner was a secret door.  On opening the secret door he  found it to be stuffed with boxes marked 'Old 60's Guitars'. he must have thought "Yahoo!!! Bonanza!!  I'm gonna be rich".  I can't imagine how disappointed he would have felt to find they were all Fenton Weills but, ever the optimist, he set out to corner the EBay market until Bob Investigates blew the lid off his aspirations. 

That's just a maybe of course, and any implication that Anon was entering an old warehouse, without wearing the appropriate hard hat, would have been foolish on my part as this suggestion would be a further breach of the Statutes for Winners mentioned above and would incur an immediate debagging and decapping punishment.

It would have to happen this year, the very year where I promised to be a bit nicer to people?.......bollocks to that then!.  I can just imagine the shame of having to enter the boozer without my jauntily placed flat cap, tackle akimbo, and having to look at the empty space behind the bar where my Golden Dibber would have been standing proud.  I know that Doris the barmaid loved to give it a daily buffing. 

The next thing you know is that someone is going to disagree with me about the plastic nightmare that was the Hagstrom Futurama!!...no, no-one is that thick or geeky.   Oh what a disaster!.  I notice that even Stan Curtis agrees with that too, we're like peas in a pod, Bob and Stan, we could form a double act and visit homes for nervous guitarists, you'd probably have to pay the travel costs though Stan cos' I'm a musician and ain't got no dough.  These are just my 'hands on' recollections of these guitars, I do this for some fun.

As usual all comments are welcomed and, like this one, will be answered in full.
................................................................

So anyway on with the Motley.  This months blog was going to be the annual update on Brummies abroad which I really love doing to see what's happening with the Brummie muso's across some 'ponds'....until 'Anon the Commenteer'  distracted me from my normal peaceful existence, so now I am hiding away in the cyber shed worrying about my public image. What will Lanky Len say when he hears?  He's been working away creating the Bob T Shirt, he phoned the other day and said he'd worked day and night for three days and had a grand total of 4 small ones.  "How come so few?" I said, it was then he told me he had a small problem with his printing set-up, allied to a rare form of sleeping sickness but promised to update me on his Bob Campaign at the next meeting at the boozer, after the darts.

The Brummies Abroad will now appear Next Month and jolly good it will be too, full of the most interesting snippets and actual photographs! that you won't want to miss.

BOBS FAVOURITE PICTURE!!
Ho Ho....it's another year and accordingly it's my favourite Brumbeat picture time again.  Just love it, always worth reproducing again and again if you've missed it.

THE VICTORS

copyright Ken Reeves(right)

Just wonderful, it's really representative and captures the youth and fun of being a musician in a band back then.  Life was so much simpler.  Two beautiful Gibsons, would have been a great sound.

It's a bit like the Brumbeat Mona Lisa to me.   "I wonder what the drummer is thinking, with his inscrutable smile?"  Maybe something like "I wonder if they would like the idea of having matching Fenton Weills??", it's definitely the way a drummer would think.  Well the Lead guitarist looks like he knows the answer to that particular thought, and probably, so do the other two! I also see the guitarist has chosen the chord of C sharp7 for the pose, most unusual, perhaps he thought it was exotic? 

It kind of irritates me that the drummers shirt collar is sticking out of his jacket too, I think I'm getting fixations.

My eternal thanks to Ken Reeves, who is the only bass player on this page with a truly beautiful, high quality guitar, for sending in this wonderful gem, just fantastic.

I have yet to see a better picture, that is unless you have one that you would like to be seen occasionally, normal contact address.

OK, that's that and this is this:

THE REDCAPS- Talkin' bout you....
this was the real sound of beat groups during the brumbeat days,
and there were few better than The Redcaps, if any!! definitely not that tinny and soul-less 'Dial' Brumbeat LP Hollick and Taylor recording.....The Redcaps also 'passed' on the Fenton Weill owners opportunity..... which will only increase Anon the Commenteer's belief of how wrong we all were then.

have a nice life, love your wife and see you next month.

THE REDCAPS
http://youtu.be/Hl8PiFok_Aw


finally.....
just noticed that Stan's website is down.  lets hope it's just a glitch.
RIP Cleotha Staples............'People Get Ready there's a train a coming'.

Older couple sought for journey to Mars........"Mmmmmm Mrs Bob?"

Tara'
Bob

Come on Villa!!!
copyright Bulls Head Bob
Contact Bobsbullocks@GMail.com