Joseph Porter, Annie Hatcher, Steven Cooper and Jerry
Influences
An evening in the company of Joseph Porter, and his hard-beaten acoustic guitar has been compared to a cross between Private Eye, 1066 and all That and John Betjeman's coming out party.
Sounds Like
What does the band sound like? How long is a piece of string? With a catalogue of 130 original compositions to choose from, the band are able to adapt their set to suit their surroundings. With a whole range of both acoustic and electric songs, Blyth Power can settle comfortably into the tidy seated arena of an art centre and discuss matters on intimate terms, with precision and definition. Just as easily they can select a programme of up-tempo numbers to get the dancers tumbling over each other in a smelly rock-club basement, or reeling in a wet Marquee after a long day at the cider tent. Present to all humours and any occasion, ‘they change a visor swifter than a thought.’ There is no fixed set of songs. Each audience is presented with a tailor made selection that can vary from the gentle acoustic arpeggios of Burning Joan to the full-on punk rock assault of songs like Carlisle and Sometimes I Wonder. There is everything in between as well, and it is with a sly sense of mischief that the band will take delight in taunting the least folk-oriented crowd with the sound of accordions, or slipping in a raucous anthem to enliven the atmosphere of a balmy country fayre.
But overriding everything is the breadth and content of the lyrics, which Mr Porter claims are his first love, and his most cherished care. Irony and subtext mingle with plain-speaking and historical metaphor in brilliant tapestry of colour and irreverent speculation. Will Charles succeed to the throne? Will politicians ever keep their pants on? Why was Mary Tudor so uncouth as to burn total strangers, and will the legacy of sweat and boredom left in the desert by the Templar Knights be rekindled in the Kevlar helmets and SA80s of the modern armies bound for Baghdad? Anyone can make music, but not everyone can find the time to make every word count for a dozen, or to unravel the intricacies of human fallibility with a perception that rarely falls short of sympathetic.
With their twenty fifth anniversary fast approaching this year, Blyth Power remains one of the most original and innovative bands around. Formed in late 1983 by singer/drummer Joseph Porter, one of the prime features about the band is their all-consuming individuality. They have a strikingly identifiable and personalised sound built basically around Joseph’s epic songs, with their colourful personnel, exotic story-lines and crashing, impassioned choruses.
All merchandise can be purchased at The Blyth Shop
hi, err if youre open to requests what about 'marius moves' or 'bacchus on the wagon' or 'rowans riding'.. would love to share a stage one of these dayS peace, best wishes AURORA
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 2 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): WALKABOUT WITH MY PEN
Once drove an old sedan, up north, From a place in Sydney to Cairns; Then to Kuranda I went forth, By train, to look without set plans.
I browsed through the trendy market, With fresh fruits of tropical kind; Walked to the creek through lush thicket - Nature’s hand giving peace of mind.
I dined in a scenic cafe; Then, outside, as I wrote for yen, Some passing Kooris called-out: “Hey, You go walkabout with your pen.”
Request or question, I don’t know - Assured voices, elderly men. That’s now several years ago, And I’ve seen the world - with my pen.
Here they are at last, three new tunes, as promised. Find out the important stuff: how to answer letters from impecunious wives of former heads of state, what's happened to the old place since you last looked and a question of personal philosophy...whoever said Sundays were boring...
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