Dublin's Fair City

I had the pleasure of seeing Damien Dempsey at his recent Vicar St gig in Dublin with the rest of the Deer Shed gang. What a great gig, I've never seen a crowd so into a performer before. He didn't need a PA as the crowd just sang everything. Brilliant.This was followed by a rather extended tour of Dublin's lively nightlife ending up back at the hotel where we got to meet Damien's fiddle player Sean Regan.

    Well before you know it it was 5.30 in the am before we all tottered of to beddy byes. What a great night and just enough time for forty winks before breakfast and a late morning hair of the dog down by the river.

Marmalade au Marseille at O'Connels

A very appreciative if somewhat demanding audience at a recent gig.

Molly Malone

I've not been posting a great deal recently, which is more a consequence of doing too many other things to fit in a bit of banjo blogging, what with the Charmers etc etc. I am practicing the tenor and aside form doing my D and G scale exercises, to get that little finger going, I've started a few simple tunes.
Starting with The Wild Rover I've also been working on Molly Malone.

Tenor v 5 String Banjo

I'm getting to grips with the finger board on my new tenor banjo and following some of the exercises in Gerry O'Connor's book Irish Tenor Banjo. One of the first tunes he looks at is The Wild Rover and I've been working on getting my little pinky finger into action as I don't use it that often playing the 5 string.
Here's the tune on the tenor and on the 5 string as a comparison.

Tenor


5 string

What do you get if you cross a canoe with a violin?

 an appalachian dulcimer.... Undeterred by its strange shape, tuning and fret positions Carl couldn't resist the unconventional charms of this strange beast and annoyingly within a day he managed to turn out this.

New Arrivals and a Repreive

Ashbury AB-65T Tenor Banjo 4 string, maple rim & resonator, rolled brass tone ring, presto style tailpiece.

I've been thinking about getting a tenor banjo for a wee while and this week the banjo lust wass too much to resist. So, I bravely soldiered out in the teeth of the storm (not - I live oop north and was only a light breeze for us) with my brother to Hobgoblin Music in Leeds. I'd played a  couple of Ashbury tenors at the Wadebridge shop and was really inpressed with the 45, 55 and 65 range £300-£600. I'd set my sights on a 55 open back which would have set me back £400+ so I was prepared to trade in my Windsor Popular to make a it a bit more digestible for Mrs NBB. I know one had gone on ebay recently for £250.

Carl was disgusted that I would even consider trading in an instrument as its an emotional thing for him. He like to hang on to his babies and he clearly likes an instrument in every room. Not that he's precious, I've never seen so many bin bags arrive at a gig before concealing mandolins, guitars and bass. 

Anyway the guys at hobgoblin where great. Not sniffy or stand-offish in anyway in fact they were very honest and open about their stock, and happy to chat. They were also really up front about the trade-in value they could offer for the Windsor and what you'd have to spend on a new banjo to get the same sound ie £600. I didn't need much encouragement to hang on to it and as they did have any AB-55s in stock I gave the 65T a whirl and loved its sound. Its a resonator model tuned CGDA at the moment but it just felt right straight away. Brighter than the Goodtimes that they had in and at £299.00 inside the price I'd planned to spend with the trade-in.

So I've now got a instrument stand that includes a new AB65T alongside the Windsor and Rutherford. The new a strange world of playing with a pick is something that I'm trying to get used to, so I'll post some sound when I'm happier with a bit of plastic between my fingers. Carl managed to come home with a mountain Dulcimer which is a bit like a violin crossed with a canoe - I think I got away lucky.

The Black Sheep Recordings EP

The CD EP of the Black Sheep Recordings is winging its way to us as I write and will definitely be ready for the Doc Brown's gig on 7th Nov! Get 'em while they hot! (we only got 50 made).

Harvest Home

First run through of a new tune 'Harvest Home' no vocals yet and the lyrics are a bit bawdy!

The Alice Charmers on iTunes!

Hi folks we are now officially on iTunes. So if you'd like to have the Charmers with you all the time, click on the picture or the link and find us on t'interweb.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-black-shep-recordings-ep/id720802372

Alice Charmers live at HM Bark Endeavour

Here's a wee clip of us playing on board the HM Bark Endeavour recently
supporting John and the Rag Men and Coco and the Butterfields.

Alice Charmer

I'm usually slightly wary or bands who sing about themselves - except for Motorhead of course, but Mark's ditty about the eponymous Alice Charmer has changed my mind. Needs a bit of a polish though!

Coco and the Butterfields... and the Alice Charmers

They're back by popular demand and we're back supporting, so I'm assuming we were popular too, but probably we were just cheap...

Anyway, all aboard the HM Bark Endeavour for the 4th October.

Tickets are available from Nouvelle Musique or on Facebook

Rosedale Run

We've been working on a few new tunes this one's by Carl.

Aubrey Atwater - Cluck Old Hen

Great intro to playing this tune.

Cluck Old Hen

Another old nugget that I've overlooked because its everywhere. Its another modal tune in sawmill tuning gDGCD.

Salty Paws: Maid of Amsterdam

I'm absolutely lovin' this - you can beat a good old shanty!

Old Joe Clark

I've had a bit of a hankering for going back and looking at some classic tunes. Old Joe Clark is one of those songs that are in all the tutor books and its usually the one which is used to introduce the F chord. Its also such a simple tune that I'd over looked it. The other night I saw Rebecca Findlay playing fiddle at the local pub and on top of being a fantastic musician she played a version of Old Joe Clark and I thought hang on this is a bloody great tune - I should have another look. It's one of those tunes like Cripple Creek that are apparently simple but once learned leave a lot of room for improvisation or elaboration. Not that I've got that far yet but there is something hypnotic about a tune which is seven and a half bars of one chord, G, and half a bar of a second F. It has a really archaic feel to it, apparently it's a modal tune in the mixolydian mode.

As a song its got about ninety-five verses and lots of them can be found here http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiJOECLARK;ttJOECLARK.html

I know you shouldn't read your own reviews but..

A really nice review of our July gig at Doc Brown's for 4 Play by Simon Rylander

I can honestly say this months four 4PLAYS were the best I’ve ever seen! And what a start! Grass Route managed to get McCormick, Cherry Head Cherry Heart, Head Of Light Entertainment, and The Alice Charmers all into one gig, for the 4th July 4PLAY. McCormick started us off with a set that had everyone “stomping” along. This guy switches effortlessly between ballads that have lyrics that make your heart melt and mid-tempo songs that quite literally give you Goosebumps. Make sure you visit his really cool website www.mccormick.com 

What a pleasure it is to listen to Head Of Light Entertainment. Its rare to find a band so expressive in what they do, and if you’re ever having a bad day/week/month/year, just spend five minutes watching their set and all your troubles will melt away. Cherry Head Cherry Heart gave us all a lesson on how duets should be sung, and then The Alice Charmers took to the stage with banjos in hand. 

These magnificent men and their strumming machines combine polished talent, humour, and a voodoo-like ability to get you off that bar stool and dance with random strangers! Top tip for when you go and see The Alice Charmers – make sure you’re at the front, and that there’s plenty of room. Yeah, yeah, I know you dont want to dance, but that’s irrelevant because you won’t be able to help it!

The rest of the article is on EXNE  http://www.exne.co.uk/diary-of-a-superfan/diary-of-a-superfan-july/

Reach for the Skylon - Archie Bester

The Devil's Pint

Hadacol Boogie - Osaka Music Concern

Tupelo - Firefly

Just found this great little video of Irish band Tupelo at last year's Deer Shed.

Sweet Baboo

Been waiting to see this guy live since I heard 'Bounce' on 6 Music. Saw him at Deer Shed and he didn't disappoint - understated, psychedelic love songs with a bit of a guitar wig-out thrown in at the end. Brill.

VolksPower 5 gig

Mark took some photos at our recent gig at the VolksPower Festival.
We all took advantage of the huge (for us) stage to give it a bit of RnR posing. I even managed to get carpet burns whilst playing the cowbell!!

Thanks to Mark for the photos. He's posted some other images on The Great North Strum 

Hitchhikers

Carl's been knocking out some good new tunes using Garage Band and his new I-Phone.
This one's inspired by the Eagles Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy theme.

I love my job! - Deer Shed Festival 2013

The day job is hotting up and I'm really looking forward to the festival this year.

Lineup:
Darwin Deez
House Of Love - special guests
Edwyn Collins
King Creosote
Gaz Coombes
The Unthanks - Songs From The Shipyards
Willy Mason
The Milk
Deep Sea Arcade
Tubular Bells For Two
Velcro Hooks
Dancing Years
To Kill A King
Zervas And Pepper
Smoove And Turrell
Blood Relatives
Eugene McGuinness
The Phantom Band
Deaf Club
Spring Offensive
Bwani Junction
Barbarossa
Stealing Sheep
Blue Rose Code
Sweet Baboo
Luke Sital-Singh
David McCaffrey
Moulettes
AlascA
Public Service Broadcasting
Marconi Union

Elizabeth Cotton - Shoot that Buffy lo

Volkspower Festival 12th July

We're off to play the Volkspower Festival in sunny Redcar on 12th July supporting Revolutionaires, apparently we are 'supplying bluegrass toonage'!
Tickets n'that
http://www.volkspower.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/events/406152282795682/

Thursday 4th July 4 Play: Doc Browns

No-one Knows Nothing Anymore - Billy Bragg

Carl's Tune Clawhammer Stylee

New Songs Old Songs

A band version of this song and although its rough as, it's starting to come together. We are trying a slightly different tack to our usual 'all together - race to the finish' approach, its a bit more loud/quiet - race to the finish!

New tune in gestation takes a bit from shortnin bread...


and that old nugget which is getting a new lease of life.

Amanda Lynn

Working on a new tune about a girl with 8 strings.

Billy Bragg - Handyman Blues

The new Billy Bragg album is sooo good!

Archie Bester - Far Away Places (can stay that way)

Brian Harris hon Chair B.A.S.(E.) writes;

It has been a busy month for those of us at B.A.S.(E.) but our peregrinations have paid off.An avid collector of Besterbilia- Mr John Johnson of Thornton-Cleveleys near Blackpool has sent us an MP3 of a rare recording of Archie actually on the beach entertaining the holiday makers.This is either from 1958 or 1959 and seems to have been taken from an outside broadcast for the Granada T.V. show "Seaside Special Day Out" and has been recorded on a disc recorder from the live performance.Mr Clive Johnson ,John's father ,was a technician for the Light Programme and often set up his equipment at such events.Thank you once again Bestermaniacs for coming up trumps.

Green Room - Coco and the Butterfields and Holy Moly and the Crackers

Played the Green Room last night supporting Coco and the Butterfields and Holy Moly and the Crackers.
Great night, and despite the sound guy seeming to think that he was setting up for Metallica these guys where awesome.
 

Red Lion Gig

We played the Red Lion in York on the 26th May. It was a bit of a tight squeeze. I've never seen four fat blokes fit in a space that small before! but the open mike night run by Vinnie Whitehead was a blast! and we'd love to come back and do a full set!

Playing with a capo

I've been messing about with a capo trying it quite way up/down the neck. This little tune is played with it on the seventh fret.

The Alice Charmers Gigs

As a forerunner to the release of the forthcoming Alice Charmers EP, "W.C. Hero's" (title to be confirmed) the Charmers are playing loads of gigs. We'll be starting with a candle lit acoustic night at The George in Stockton High Street on the 16th May. We'll be following this with two gigs in York in one night, the 26th May. The first one at the Red Lion on Merchantgate and the second with the incredible Boss Caine at Busk till Dusk, later that night. We will then be supporting the frankly, rather amazing Coco and the Butterfields at The Green Room in Stockton on the 1st of June. And if that's not enough, we have a festival date in July, which we're not allowed to well you about just yet! We'd love to see you at any one of these events.

Texas Eagle - Carl Dalton

Carl's just discovered Garage Band!

Middle Aged White Guy Blues - Osaka Music Concern

http://soundcloud.com/osaka-music-concern/middle-aged-white-guy-blues

New Songs - Work in Progress

While waiting to finish the demos of the four songs we've recorded, we've been cracking on with some new stuff.

Edwyn Collins 'Do it Again'

New Stage Gear for The Alice Charmers

Everyone says get a look, what ever that means, so we did....

Diddy Wah Diddy - Osaka Music Concern

Charmers Recording Session

We had a day recording in Teesside with the very talented Steve Hoggart who gave us the benefit of his knowledge and expertise to record four tracks, Cowboy Waltz, By The Fire, Apple Scrumpy and Great North Strum.
Can't wait to hear the first mixes!!

Curtis Eller - Sugar In My Coffin

while we are at it a bit of Curtis Eller

Curtis Eller from DanWilby on Vimeo.

CW Stoneking - She's a Bread Baker

I love a song with a double entendre - even if it is paper thin.

OsMuCon - Swords of a Thousand Men

Woody Guthrie - Cowboy Waltz

Here's Woody's Cowboy Waltz.

Cowboy Waltz

I sat down for about 5 minutes yesterday with my brother and his guitar while he showed me a new tune he's been working on. We also had a go at a tune we might record next weekend 'Cowboy Waltz'(not the Woody Guthrie one). The banjo part is usually played by Mark who's a bit more bluegrass than me but I think I'd have a go at the picking part. It's faltering but I really enjoy this tune and can't to see if we can capture a good version of it on saturday.

listen to ‘Cowboy waltz’ on Audioboo

I Love Ian Dury & the Blockheads

Found the old CD of Dury's best of - magic!

Longlands - Banjo lead

We might be recording some tracks in a studio soon! So Carl and Mark are working on arrangements of our songs.

listen to ‘longlands with banjo lead’ on Audioboo

Wild Bill Jones by Pharis & Jason Romero

This is a really good version.

Classic Archie Bester

Kitchen Girl

Wow some great playing in this tune.

Polo Blues

Bucket Head Blues 2:22

Nice to See You

Boss Caine - Truck Stop Juke Box

We played supporting Boss Caine recently in Stockton. It'd be good to get over to York sometime and do it again.

Rough as a...

Rat's Arse, but you've gotta start somewhere.

Lets go Dancin

We've been working on a couple of new songs recently and Lets Go Dancing is coming along quite well!

Further Adventures of Ned Kelly

listen to ‘Ned Kelly tune’ on Audioboo

Ned Kelly Bucket Head Blues

Its a long story of misread emails, beer and the discussion of how to incorporate Australian outlaws into our set, which is mainly about soft fruit and their products.

listen to ‘ned kelly bucket head blues’ on Audioboo

The Devil and Me Blues - Pee Bee Guttenburg

"Me and the Devil Blues."

(download)

Springfield Rifle - Carl Dalton

listen to ‘The Springfield Rifle’ on Audioboo

Pretty Polly

I don't think this is supposed to be the old folk tune but Carl's really starting to get the feel of the banjo.

listen to ‘pretty polly’ on Audioboo

The First Waltz

I tried a few things in 3/4 time recently and I'm really enjoying it. It's a bit strange with the old frailing action and instead of trying to analyse when the bumps and ditties should go I found it easier to let it go and just play.

listen to ‘Waltz’ on Audioboo

Pee Bee Guttenburg - Ernie

Song for the New Year:"Ernie"

(download)

Pee Bee Guttenburg - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

The Band Covers:Number 1 "The night they drove Old Dixie down."

(download)

Less Dillard...

More Dullard
This little ditty has been giving me the earworm treatment recently.

Oh by the way..

Oh by the way the Dillard in the 'Dillard and Clark' tunes is Doug Dillard. Heres a super cool video of him in action (look at that bass player shes got it going ON, man!!!) In this book their double act is described as short lived cos ' with his shitkicking grin Doug and Gene never had the discipline or desire to be a performing act' as their favourite pastime was to take acid and drink row upon row of Martinis. - Carl

Gene Clark we like..

Carl writes:

Hi Andy, i cant remember if you got me the 'Hotel California' book for christmas but thanks if you did. There are loads of tunes by bands in California that started to mix bluegrass and country with pop, folk and rock in the mid/late 60s. Ive only read a few chapters but i realised that my favourite tune on that Raising Sand album was written by the singer out of the Byrds. Here are a couple of great tunes I've discovered by Gene Clark - Carl Charmer

Lets Go Pickaboo

It's been a wee while since last we met. I've been having a flirtation with the idea of a tenor banjo but finances have closed that one off for a while. So instead I've been playing the old 5 string in a more celtic/pletrum stylee. This has morphed into a nascent tune called 'Lets Go Dancing' with the Charmers but I've been having a play around with the melody, which I've always heard in my head as a kind of call and response tune, and here's where its got me.

listen to ‘Lets go pickaboo’ on Audioboo