Funky Friday – Folksie Blokes
From Folk Hobbit……..
The Leigh Folk Festival is taking place, just round the corner from me this weekend. Criminally, considering it’s only a twenty minute hoof – this year will be the first time I’ve actually wandered along. I’m not entirely sure to what to expect, but yelling, yodelling and some polite humored a hootin’ and a howlin’ are sure to feature on the fixtures list – let’s hope some of it’s as groovy as these green fingered funky folkies….
Donovan – ‘Barabajagal(Love Is Hot)’
Donovan was discovered in Westcliff (about two miles, or two train stops ) down the line from the Leigh Folk Festival by Tin Pan Alley legend Peter Eden who until fairly recently ran an excellent second hand record and book shop in Leigh – ‘Barabajagal’ features The Jeff Beck Group doing the backing duties – you can smell the Zep’ in this track.
John Martyn – ‘Dreams By The Sea’
I’ve always felt there’s a touch of ‘The Sweeney’ style stake out texture about JM’s snake hips shake down.
Led Zeppelin – ‘The Girl I Love She Got Long Black Wavy Hair’
Like Bowie, Bolan and Rod Stewart – Robert Plant followed the same hop, skip and jump from Mod to Folk to Hippie before joining the rock aristocracy – you’ve got to love Zep for tempering their testosterock with both funk and folk.
If you do end up taking a trip to the Leigh Folk Festival( perhaps via the Fenchurch flyer) – keep an eye out for someone in a straw pork pie hat (yes, really!) sitting and sipping down by The ‘Billet.
……To Rock God
Mondo Planet 
June 27, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I like that John Martyn track – what’s it off?
And crossed fingers that your straw pork pie hat doesn’t get soaked.
June 27, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I like that John Martyn track – what’s it off?
And crossed fingers that your straw pork pie hat doesn’t get soaked.
June 27, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Mondo – I was fully expecting to give the festival my traditional ‘wide birth’, as frankly chunky knit pullovers and a finger in the ear is not all that tempting for me… but the lure of your looking a prize wotsit in a straw pork pie ‘at? see you there!! (i’ll ave me camera!)
June 27, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Cocktails –
It’s from ‘Solid Air’ – you really can’t go wrong with any of John Martyn’s seventies albums. And ‘Solid Air’ is a perfect starting point. (‘Bless The Weather’ is equally good and the sunny uptempo companion to Solid Air’s late night vibe.)
You can read a bit more about my love for the album here– and Davey H has another JM track on offer here
P If you’re on facebook you can see my new hat in the photo’s section (£5 at T K Maxx if you’re tempted)
June 27, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Ah, yes, Solid Air of course! The classic – must get a copy. I have The Road to Ruin which is great.
June 27, 2008 at 10:37 pm
never mind facebook, it should be up here!
June 28, 2008 at 9:08 pm
like this??
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=708891&id=583582665
HA!
June 29, 2008 at 9:28 am
Here’s another of me summer tifter
June 29, 2008 at 11:09 am
That sounds like a lot of fun. I owe John Martyn everything, in lots of ways. My first guitar teacher was a memeber of his band in the 70’s. Oh the stories he could tell were wonderful.I’ve been a fan for decades. I missed his best ever gig (according to Mrs. A) because I was slumped in the toilets of the Mean Fiddler after a rather copious quantity of the old Dos Equis. And let’s face it. What a way to live!!! I also saw him play in a local hostlry near me wearing a pair of carpet slippers. He was awful but he didn’t give a toss. You had to take him as you found him back then. Now, sans leg, he seems to be getting his stuff together and the last time I saw him he was wonderful. He really is a treat live. Don’t miss out. Me and my Mrs. Axe did a lot of our courting to John Martyn. Solid Air is the perfect LP with which to leave the arm off the turntable. Wipes misty eye. It’s our anniverary today too! So you just know what’s going to be slinking its way around the airwaves of Axe Mansions tonight.
June 30, 2008 at 9:06 am
AV I’m a latecomer to John Martyn (only picked up on him, about 4 years ago)- but as soon as I heard Solid Air, Bless The Weather, Sunday’s Child – I felt as if I’d known his songs all my life. And what an incredible technician on the acoustic – It’s unreal, some of his playing. I saw him on the Solid Air tour last year and the support act John Smith is well worth checking out and almost as good a player as JM at his peak..
PS – We had a couple of tunes from Solid Air as pre amble music at our wedding, and Bless The Weather was our Honeymoon album
June 30, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Did you have a lovely time? I’d love to go to that, maybe next year.
June 30, 2008 at 5:45 pm
It was a cracker – It’s a fun size festival rather than a biggie, Saturday it all goes on the in the Leigh Library Gardens and Sunday is
Old Leigh with loads of great music like these two bands – The Beatroots and Melodica, Melody & Me You should come on down next year RE..
July 1, 2008 at 12:52 pm
can’t go wrong w/ some Donovan!!!
Cheers!
dd