The Road

Just finished watching The Road, which isn't quite as good as the book, but I have to say I watched the last 15 mins while blubbing! and now I can't sleep.

It's a pretty harrowing book (and movie) especially if your a father, but somehow McCarthy manages to turn the bleakest story into something positive.

Don't read before bedtime but do read it. (before you watch the movie)

Soundtrack by Nick Cave, need I say more...

Paris Texas - via Teesside!

What's your player? 1pixelout

Someone has asked what the new player is. You can find it at http://www.techknowl.com/2008/10/flash-mp3-music-player-code-for.html
and
http://www.1pixelout.net/category/audio-player/
Its a flash mp3 stand alone player by 1pixelout.

It takes a bit more to set up, in that you have to add a small bit of code to the header of the blog before you can add the code for the player to your posts, but the thing seems to work and that's what matters.

Eliza Cotten - Goin Down That Road Feeling Bad

Goin down that Road Feeling Bad

Finally, I think I've found an audio player that works. I haven't been happy with the Odeo player which only seems to work when it feels like it, despite what Rick says. The Google player seemed to be a bit of a dog as well, so lets see how this one goes, but so far so good.

Fresh from the Compost Heap

I've let them lie for a while but couldn't resist seeing what a bit of composting had done to two of my current practice tunes.

Napoleon etc..


Tralee etc...


I think I'm going to start on a new tune, soon.

My Arse!

See What I Mean?

Ewan McColl and Peggy Seeger - Derek Bentley

I've never quite got away with Ewan McColls singing voice and ear bending folk style, but he and Peggy Seeger did somefantastic stuff in the 50s and 60s. McColl seems to be one of those songwriters who is known for other peoples versions of his songs like Dirty Old Town and First Time Ever I Saw your Face.
There's a good archive of both McColl and Seeger at http://www.peggyseeger.com/.

Also... Jim Royle & Ewan McColl - no coincidence surely?

The Alice Charmers - Dirty Old Town

While I'm at it....

Two for the Road

This photo could have been taken at the last practice as Johnathan launched into another verse of Dirty Old Town....

I think I've nearly got the A and B parts of this tune.
Napoleon Crossing the Rhine


This is a practice version of the Ewan McColl tune we didi at the last jam.
It's Ewan, Peggy Seeger et al in the photo.
Dirty Old Town

Dirty Old Town

Last nights practice wasn't our greatest moment and everything seemed a bit hard work. Highlight number 1 'Dirty Old Town'

New boy Johnathan proved to have quite a decent singing voice, and if he can get his act together on the penny whistle, a star is born...

Highlight number two happened afterwards in the pub and involved Carl, a dodgy wet patch on a bar stool, and a frankly filthy, libelous story from Mark about Chuck Berry and micturation!
I feel I can't say more without checking with my lawyer first!

Two tunes from Carl

Country Blues


Whoop Waltz


two new tunes by my little bro'

Napoleon Crossing the Rhine

I've been working on the A part of Napoleon and its starting to sink in. Learning new songs and patterns on the banjo is a bit like composting. I have to chuck loads of rubbish at it for ages and then leave it for a while and magically its as if your fingers start to learning by themselves. I find that if I'm getting frustrated with a tune having a rest from it is as important as plugging away until blood and tears stop you.

'Strikes a Chord' on Posterous

As it's now official I thought I'd post something to the new Strikes a Chord forum on Posterous.
I've been messing around strumming the banjo and plucking intermittently and here's something that popped out this afternoon while playing in the key of D.

So Chris, I hope everyone moves across to the new forum at http://strikesachord.posterous.com/  as I think you've done a brill job with the old site!

Pokey LaFarge

Sally and Rog sent me this link to a band they've recently discovered - Pokey LaFarge.
We like...

A Modern Murder Ballad

A modern "Murder Ballad" starring Melinda-Mae "Red Milly " Guttenburg with a surprise appearance by Billy-Ray Guttenburg. I found a poem written by their brother Jim-Bob so I decided to set it to music.A ballad in the tradition of "Knoxville Girl" and "Where the Wild Roses Grow"

(Well I think it was a poem-however it did begin"I done kilt(sic) them girls...")

PeeBee