John Cooper Clarke (aka JCC, The Bard of Salford, Punk Poet Extraordinaire) was born on the 25 January 1949 at Hope Hospital, Salford, Lancashire. His father George was an engineer, and his mother, Hilda, was an unpublished poet. He has one younger brother.

After teenage years as a Mod, John served time as an apprentice engineer, a lab technician at Salford University (then Salford Tech, where he was interviewed by Tony Wilson for Granada TV) and also a lead type compositor. After a brief unsuccessful marriage, and a stint living in Dorset, John returned to Manchester and started reading his poems in clubs.

By 1976 and the arrival of punk, he was initially the support act for many seminal punk bands such as the Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, The Fall, Joy Division, Elvis Costello and Siouxsie and the Banshees, to name but a few; His biting, satirical, political and very funny verse delivered in a rapid-fire performance style. Before long, John was headlining his own gigs and drawing huge crowds of fans. John had an striking visual appearance; tall and thin with a mess of black hair, black sunglasses, drainpipe trousers and cuban-heeled boots. He was dubbed “The Bard of Salford” and given the moniker “punk poet”. During those heady days, John recorded four studio albums, and released two live LPs. He also had limited success with the release a few singles, but it was the live arena where John found the greatest success and acclaim.

As punk began to wane in the early 1980’s, John’s star seemed to fade a bit also. He found himself with a personal battle on his hands as he struggled with a serious heroin addiction, which he eventually kicked in the early 90’s. During this time, he met his current partner, Evie, who is also mum to John’s daughter, Stella, born in 1994.

Since the punk days, he has been recognised as one of England’s most important poets and performers. Despite this, he shuns publicity and interviews, as he hates talking about himself. He has said, however, that he enjoys performing now more than he ever used to, having more confidence and stability in his life.

As a result of the current popularity of the 70’s punk phenomenon, John has been seen and heard more in the media over the last few years than in the last few decades. Sky TV recently dedicated an entire night’s programming to John, the Culture Show on BBC interviewed him for a special feature, and he made a brief cameo as his younger self in the Ian Curtis biopic, “Control”.

John now lives with his family in Colchester, and, unwilling to rest on the laurels of times past, continues to write new, vital poetry, and regularly perform live all over the country.

A molotov cocktail of frantic finger fits and gravel dragged vocals that’s sure to knock you out with its heavy, flailing backside as it crashes past the finish line and keeps on running.

Described as “Possibly the finest guitarist you’ll ever see” – (Chris Long BBC) with “All the slide guitars skills of Robert Johnson” – (Electric Ghost), John Fairhurst and his Band are rapidly gaining the reputation as the hardest working, most musically diverse and utterly stand out Rock and Roll Blues Band on the scene. After 2 critically acclaimed albums, ‘Joys of Spring’ (2008) (“Truly Exquisite” – The Guardian), ‘Band’ (2010) and 10 years playing as a solo artist all over the world including Asia, America,Canada, Australia and Europe, John has expanded the line up into a weighty and heavy-hitting three piece outfit of incendiary electric guitar lines, deep blues bottleneck grooves and trance-inducing, hip-shaking, foot-stomping rhythms. Having met Simon Lovelock (Bass) in Australia eight years ago, where they spent months living in a tent and then years playing together, an unbreakable brotherly bond in music was forged. Completing the line up is James Breen on Drums, Bonham-esque powerhouse and rock steady long term rhythm partner to Simon.

The John Fairhurst Band exploded on to the UK circuit this year, playing nearly 50 festival shows including Glastonbury, Secret Garden Party, Sunrise Celebration and Shambala to name but a few and over 100 packed out gigs across the UK and Ireland. At Greenman in Chai Wallahs, they “…filled a tent in a sunshine drenched field quicker than any festival act has done for a long time. The bluesman’s insatiable guitar work finely turned a crowd of a curious onlookers into a sea of dancing, sweaty bodies.” – (Gareth Main – Bearded Magazine) John Fairhurst truly epitomises the modern day wandering blues man. Stories of hunger, listlessness, roaming and reckless abandon are just a prelude to John’s story, something that can only be fully understood in the presence of the man.

John’s enigmatic tales relayed through intense and original blues are all told using his trademark howling vocals; think Captain Beefheart meets Tom Waits and Son House. When John Fairhurst walks onto a stage you know you are not only about to hear incredible music, but the tale of a tireless journey leaving a lasting impression wherever he stops (which is nowhere for very long!). With a bottle-neck style referencing the likes of Son House and Bukka White, comparisons to the fingerpicking of John Fahey, a heavy leaning towards the 60’s rock of Hendrix and Led Zepplin, plus the ever present influence of K. Sridhar (Indian Sarod master and mentor to John since childhood), John’s music is a real melting-pot of diverse musical traditions.

“Newcomers to John Fairhurst certainly won’t be forgetting his name in a hurry.” (Manchester Music) A new record is currently in production. Festival and tour bookings in the UK, Ireland, Europe, America and Russia are coming in thick and fast. 2012 promises to be a huge year for the John Fairhurst Band. Get on Board. This train is rolling!

www.johnfairhurst.com

Andy Hickie

Andy Hickie is a roaming singer songwriter from the mountains of North Wales. Spending the last three years touring the UK and Ireland, Andy has established a firm reputation on the touring circuit, built on the quality of his songs and the high energy of his live performances. Living out on the road in his trusty camper van ‘Dean’, Andy has been earning his troubadour stripes gigging, collecting stories and sharing his songs the old fashioned way.

www.andyhickie.com

The Glendale Family

The Glendale Family are a collective of musicians based in the North West, with members ranging from Scotland to Australia and a number of places in between. They can most aptly be described as a modern folk band, influenced by sea shanties, heroic figures, tall tales and the natural world. They are the purveyors of good vibes, with a clear motivation to share the energy they create whilst maintaining a gracious approach to their performance.

]]> http://www.telfordswarehousechester.com/2012/05/25/john-fairhusrt-band-with-support-andy-hickie-glendale-family/feed/ 0 http://www.telfordswarehousechester.com/2012/05/15/bob-log-iii/ http://www.telfordswarehousechester.com/2012/05/15/bob-log-iii/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 16:37:59 +0000 stewetcell http://www.telfordswarehousechester.com/?p=6672 Tickets £10.00

Bob Log III in his blue full-body Cannonball man suit and a face-shield wired with a headset microphone is one of the best, fastest and strangest American Delta Blues Slide Guitar player of today

Bob Log III was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona. Moved to  Tucson AZ and now living in MelbourneAustralia

“You take a guitar, turn it up and have a good time” in the early 90’s he Formed together with Thermos Malling the incredible DOO RAG who’s pioneered the whole Blues ‘punk’ or Even Tekkno Scene at this time, the Band Split off and Bob Log (b. Robert Reynolds III ) continued alone as the One Man Band, Touring all over the Globe North America, Europe, Japan and Australia, Mexico, and Iceland.

he acquired a kick-drum and a homemade foot cymbal which he custom-outfitted with a kick pedal of its own. These instruments, combined with his slide guitar work, distorted telephone microphone vocals, and Boom-Chik-a-Boom drum machine accompaniment, form the framework on which Bob Log constructs his songs. Log describes his on-stage setup in the song “One Man Band Boom,” introducing himself to the audience as, “Bob Log the third, one-man band, Tucson, Arizona. Heyeeeh! Lemme introduce the band to ya. On cymbals, left foot. Over here on the bass drum we got right foot. Shut up! This is my left hand that does all the slide work, right hand does the pickin’. My mouth hole does most o’ the talkin’. And you’re looking at my finger.”

In the summer of 1998, Log signed to Fat Possum to issue his solo debut, School Bus; Trike, now signed with Voodoo Rhythm Records in 2008 for ‘my shit is perfect’

TOM WAITS : “And then there’s this guy named Bob Log, you ever heard of him? He’s this little kid — nobody ever knows how old he is — wears a motorcycle helmet and he has a microphone inside of it and he puts the glass over the front so you can’t see his face, and plays slide guitar. It’s just the loudest strangest stuff you’ve ever heard. You don’t understand one word he’s saying. I like people who glue macaroni on to a piece of cardboard and paint it gold. That’s what I aspire to basically.”

MILTON BERLE “Hey kid…. DO what thou wilt.”
ROBERT PLANT “Dear Bob, it’s been ages since Sweden.”

christt.com

The genius that is Chris T–T.
Huw Stephens – BBC Radio 1

Chris T–T is a man that we can trust with our lives. If he was standing for Mayor of London, I’d vote for him.
Steve Lamacq – BBC Radio 2

Heartbreaking. Chris T–T can draw the poison and heal the wounds, simply by singing from his heart. It’s evocative, elegant and funny. How often can you say that about a record these days?
Brad Barrett – Artrocker

Chris has inspired me, made me laugh and given me pause for thought ever since ‘Eminem Is Gay’ landed on my desk back in 2003. London Is Sinking is darkly brilliant, while 9 Red Songs is rough, ready and compelling
Tom Robinson – BBC 6Music

The genius of Chris T-T’s songwriting is his ability to humanise even the most outlandish conceits, until they seem instead like brilliant ideas nobody else would’ve come up with.
The Guardian

Outstanding. The finest (and maddest) British pop album of the year.
Dan Cairns – The Sunday Times

The manic maestro responsible for The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Rutles and many musical musing with Monty Python makes a triumphant, cue fanfare – Tra Lah La Lah – return to the Telford’s stage.  Whoop Whoop!

Tickets available online via SeeTickets or via the venue on 01244 390 090

Scott’s musical past has seen him experiment with funk, indie, rock and soul, but his solo career has seen him take a more focused route towards folk and blues and he spent most of June 2006 supporting the Foo Fighters on their string of acoustic concerts across the UK. With influences including The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell, Marc Bolan and Joe Satriani, his music is often likened to that of American singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley.

Since forming in 2004 Society have supported many great visiting artistes when they toured the UK, opening for notable musicians and performers such as Eve Selis, Deadstring Brothers, Corb Lund, Luke Doucet and The Wailin’ Jennys. Apart from their own UK headline shows, Society have completed two tours of Canada along with a string of dates in the American mid-west gaining a whole new legion of fans in the USA. This constant touring has honed both their musical and vocal chops and in the winter of 2008 Society left their disused stable that served as their rehearsal space and spent time at The Brickhouse Studios near Brighton recording their debut release entitled SONGS FROM THE BRICKHOUSE. The album is a collection of eleven original songs from the pen of Matt Wise and arranged by all three band members. Guest musicians helping out on the recording included Spencer Cullum, a member of the Deadstring Brothers who is one of the foremost young pedal steel players around today, Dave Berliner and James Batchelar on keyboards and the glorious violin of the classically trained musician Sarah Gonputh. The songs on the album echo their love of all things West Coast, Laurel Canyon and the great country rock music of the early seventies yet bringing their sound right up to date with a distinct indie feel.

www.driverdrivefaster.com

Driver Drive Faster are a new band from Manchester, but you wouldn’t necessarily tell: this masterful debut album presents a rich, timeworn sound that exists somewhere between Americana and spectral indie rock. It’s crafted song-writing at its best, hinging on stirring chord sequences and moments of fragile beauty. “A review described us as ‘misfits’,” says singer/guitarist Dylan Giles. “We took it as a compliment.”

Named Open House and recorded in the shared digs in which the entire band reside, the album was a labour of love begun in late 2009, poured over in 2010 and set for release in 2011. The result is a lush, layered record that slowly draws you into its world. Think Mercury Rev’s Deserter’s Songs for a new generation. “We spent around nine months editing, overdubbing, mixing and tweaking every little detail until we couldn’t obsess any more,” says Dylan. “It was all self funded through working day jobs so we had no deadline, nor any expectations outside of the band’s own ambitions and ideas.”

Before the album, the single It’s All Over It’s Everywhere is released in May. A fine slice of harmony-laden pop, it’s a song about the public’s preoccupation with salacious gossip. “It started with the obsession there is of unearthing things in people’s private lives and past and moved on to the general urge to gossip and spread intrigue,” says Dylan.

Taking their name from the first line in WH Auden’s poem Calypso, in which he’s running late to meet his lover, Driver Drive Faster formed in Manchester and have, in their short career, supported The Aliens, The Phantom Band, Darwin Deez, Japandroids and more, recorded live sessions for Radio 6’s Marc Riley and received airplay on Radio 1 and Radio 2.  They will grace this summer’s festival season too with slots at Green Man, Beacons, FOM Fest and Sounds From The Other City all confirmed.

Dylan and Japan-born bassist Yuri Caul met at school in Torquay, Devon. Durham-born Peet Earnshaw joined the fold after meeting them at an open mic night in Withington, South Manchester. Completing the line-up, drummer David Schlechtriemen was recruited via a friend, who described him as ‘excellent’ but ‘very German’. “It fell into place at the first run through as a four-piece,” says Dylan. “When David left the room Yuri punched the air.”

Coming from such far-flung places, the players create a sound that’s got little to do with the music of Manchester’s past, but plenty to do with its future. “We like variation in a record; ups and downs, fast and slow, happy and sad, serious and not so serious,” says Dylan. “I guess there is a restlessness in our approach to music: in life too, as an example, David can never settle on which brand of cigarette he smokes. It’s different every time.

]]> http://www.telfordswarehousechester.com/2012/03/30/drive-drive-faster/feed/ 0 http://www.telfordswarehousechester.com/2012/03/28/salsa-inferno-14/ http://www.telfordswarehousechester.com/2012/03/28/salsa-inferno-14/#comments Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:44:27 +0000 telfordsadmin http://www.telfordswarehousechester.com/?p=6570 Free Entry – Free Beginners Lessons – £3 Intermediate Lessons

“Softly softly” is not a maxim that King King are familiar with. Since surging into life two years ago they have barely stopped for breath, and their electrifying sound and scorching live shows have generated more of a thunderous roar than a buzz.

Straight out of the blocks it was clear that King King is a band which knows how to make an entrance. An exhilarating debut at the Monaghan Blues Festival created such a stir that it prompted organizer Somhairle MacConghail to remark: “King King aren’t just playing the festival. Word is that King King ARE the festival”. With a reception like this there’s little surprise that the phone has been ringing off the hook ever since, and the last year has seen them bring their inimitable brand of multi-faceted blues rock to the Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival, the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, Abertillery Festival and even Glastonbury. This was in addition to a seemingly non-stop series of rousing live shows across the UK and Europe, much to the delight of the band’s burgeoning fan base.

In the midst of all this, a particular highlight of 2010 was King King’s invitation to perform within the hallowed walls of the BBC’s Maida Vale studios. The boys’ set went out on Radio 2 and won the approval of DJ and blues aficionado Paul Jones who was moved to remark: “Here at Radio 2, we think Alan Nimmo and King King are going to go all the way”.

Having signed to Manhaton Records, next came a return to Chapel Studios to record the eagerly anticipated debut album. King King are familiar faces having recorded their critically acclaimed EP Broken Heal at the studio, and again collaborated with the production team behind the Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs and the Editors.
The resulting album, Take My Hand, is a bold and wildly enjoyable collection of songs showcasing King King’s unique sound, swaggering from Stones-tinged blues rock through throbbing funk to reflective ballad and back.