When I was about 13 or 14 years old, I became hooked on the guitar tunes of a group called The Shadows, who I saw on TV and aroused in me the need for a guitar. I started to save up my pocket money, but found that I would never afford an electric guitar. So the first guitar that I bought was a chinese acoustic guitar which cost me £4 and 10 shillings and made me feel a fraction more like Hank Marvin!
After trying to play "Apache" and "The Frightened City", I heard a song called "Hit the Road Jack" by Ray Charles, and I just had to buy the record. In fact I played it solidly for 2 or 3 days and drove my lovely mother totallly bonkers! This led led me on to other blues singers like Champion Jack Dupres, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker but at this point I still hadn't moved from acoustic to electric and was therefore looking for some kind of English acoustic music.
I met up with Nigel Paterson (an old school buddy) and Dave Moran (creator of Chelmsford Folk Club) who had a folk group called The Halliard with a guitarist, Geoff Harris, who didn't want to go professional. So, there it was, I swapped places with Geoff and became an acoustic guitarist playing English folk music.
We drove around England singing in folk clubs and entertaining audiences with our humorous repartee. We decided at one point that we wanted to supply new songs for people to sing. Our method was to take Broadsides (early newspapers that were sung) and turn them into songs like "Lancashire Lads" or the "Boys of Bedlam". We became well known as singers of broadsides but after a while we became prisoners of the group and we decided to split up and escape to freedom!
In a way the freedom was a delusion as I didn't know what to do. I saw the chance of making some cash by doing some solo bookings in folk clubs. I tried but found that I couldn't introduce songs myself, and I realised how good Dave had been in communicating with audiences, and wished I could talk like him. Gradually though, I built up a reputation as being a tasteful accompanist on the guitar. I recorded for Bill Leader (a man I respect) and then my last record, Penguin Eggs, was on the Topic Label.
Late one night, driving home from a booking near Manchester, I had an argument with a lorry full of bricks and I was hurt. The result: Bricks 1- Humans 0. ! I'm still trying to see the funny side of it. Ho, ho, ho!!
I now live in York with my wife and faithful dog Harry. I try to play snooker, chess and guitar. I read a lot, and escape the TV by playing Bob Marley, Radiohead, The Killers, Tom Waits and even a bit of Snoop Doggy Dogg! I have a good new life and I guess you could say I'm a Music loving, chess playing, book reading, guitar wielding MoFo !!!
Nic, thanks for adding me to your friends. It's been a winding path that led me to discovering your music, but I'm so glad to have found out about you.
Thank you for the friendship. We have actually traveled 1,000's of miles and sailed together for years. Your "Canadeeio" is one of my absolute favorite songs of all time. Your guitar work is brilliant and inspiring and your vocals take me to another place and time. Thanks.
If you just happen to be anywhere near Atlanta, Georgia this October, I'd love to invite you to my partner, Brooks Hunnicutt's annual "Brookstock" held at her horse ranch (RSVP only....but some of the finest musicians around ) about an hour away. Just let me know.
Have safe travels my frind and I hope our paths cross someday along the road.
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.
Thanks Nic! I'll keep you posted ;) I'll be watching your space too and listening to Mike Harding more to see if I hear you again (think he played a couple of songs from your Penguin Eggs album a while back). You have beautiful songs and a voice that takes me off to other shores, Reb x
Just to let you know, there's a new song on me profile. As always, any comments, thoughts, philosophies on life, the universe and everything are more than welcome.
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