Tuesday, November 03, 2009

McTell

I was wide-eyed walking to work this morning in the hope of catching sight of my lost friend.  I'm at my desk now and feeling surprisingly okay about arriving empty handed.   It's gone and that's it.  I'll never keep another one.

Bev and I opted for another game last night (Othello) but still she beat me. She was inspired...and very lucky! Tonight MIL joins us to see Ralph McTell.  The last time I saw him live he signed a poster which hung in Ashley's room as a child for years. The time before that was in the 80's and before that at Nottingham University in 1975. 

The first album I bought was EASY and immediately began learning the finger-picking style on my brand new Epiphone guitar. I'd been saving for a year and had just picked it up...the guitar that is!  I really wanted a Gibson just like McTell but couldn't wait five years to save up. I couldn't afford the case to go with it so I wore it on my shoulder and strummed as I walked. It was my most prized possession and I took it everywhere.

I worked at Burtons(not the tailors) as a window display person and every lunch-time I'd go down into the cellar and have a jam-session with others.  The acoustics were fantastic. Mick Ashwin was one of those who became a good friend over the years and eventually played professionally. Every now and then he pops up in my life but I haven't seen him in 10 years or more.

McTell's early albums are superb but he's been extremely tame for many years and no longer cuts it..  He should evoke some very fond memories though and no doubt launch me into picking the guitar up and playing his songs over the coming weeks. No, not Streets of London.  I might even post a session (they reckon you can easily do that on a mac).

That's it! The time is 10:20pm and we've had a really great night.  The man was brilliant!  We shared a few words afterwards and he signed a CD as far as I can tell...that's the name of the CD..."As far as I can tell".  And would you believe we even bumped into Mick Ashwin and had a good old chin-wag about the old days.

A memorable night...and of course he still cuts it !  He's getting better with age which is something else we have in common.

4 comments:

  1. Ken, you speak of acoustics. My son has a drum set in the Machine Shop and the acoustics are fantastic. One day, I returned home and son was bashing away, while daughter number two was playing something classical on the piano. Worlds apart, and yet... they were playing in-sync. I wish I could have taped that moment.
    Glad you enjoyed the performance!

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  2. Poor old Ralphie - he must be as sick of playing 'Streets of London' as the divine Al Stewart is of playing 'Year of the Cat. Glad you enjoyed the evening

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  3. What about Baker Street and whatshisname Rafferty!

    bet you had a great time.

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  4. Hi Helen
    It has to be heavy metal in a machine shop! You have a piano in there too?
    Thanks, it was a fantastic performance.

    Hi FF...actually he brought something special to this one and you could tell he was singing it as if for the first time. It was the best version yet.

    Hi Blu
    I tried what you suggested in today's post and it worked for most of the day.
    Whatsisnameisgerry.
    Thanks. If it was a bet and you put thousands on it, you'd be minted...it was that good.

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