Interviews

The Magic Band | The Duchess, York | 14.03.12

I think there’s little doubt that Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band’s 1969 Trout Mask Replica is one of the genre changing albums of the twentieth century, created by one of the most challenging bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Captain was definitely at the helm of this outfit, whose members were forced to go under pseudenyms, as indeed Don Van Vliet himself did, though his old mucker Frank Zappa was at the controls. However, praise must also go to the members of this band, whose contributions are vital, especially those of drummer John French (aka ‘Drumbo’), who was chiefly responsible for transcribing whatever thoughts the captain had into music. Bassist Mark Boston (aka ‘Rockette Morton’) was also an integral part of the magic. I spoke to both John and Mark in York in March 2012, and found the two musicians delightful company, whose collective memory was immaculately intact.

Ralph McTell | The Great British Folk Festival | 02.12.11

It was late one December night when I caught up with the British folk singer and guitar player Ralph McTell, on the eve of his 67th birthday, who was only too happy to chat about his long and fruitful career, not least his relationship with old friend Bert Jansch, who we lost just a matter of weeks before. One of the great troubadours on the folk revival, Ralph McTell has had an interesting and varied career both as a performer, recording artist and television personality, especially in the field of children’s television. Warm and personable, Ralph made time for this chat before seeing in his birthday, presumably with something strong at the bar.

Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash) | The Great British Rock and Blues Festival | 28.01.12

One of the most prominent rock bands I began to follow in the early 1970s, after hearing “Lady Whiskey” on John Peel’s show, was Wishbone Ash, whose first three or four albums were essential listening throughout the early part of the decade. Sitting down to chat with one of the band’s founder members Martin Turner in January 2012, soon became one of the most comfortable interviews I ever conducted, chiefly due to the fact that he was immediately chatty, open to talk about anything and vivid in his recollections. To be honest I could’ve chatted to him all day long. Going over the ‘old days’ seemed to be no trouble to him whatsoever, which was both informative and anecdotal in equal measure, and everything I would want from the writer of such timeless songs as “Ballad of the Beacon”, “The King Will Come”, “Warrior” and “Throw Down the Sword”.

John Renbourn | The Duchess, York | 20.04.10

It’s funny how easily we place our musicians in the bracket of ‘hero’, and in my time I’ve had one or two of those, John Renbourn being right up there at the top of the list. Perhaps this has as much to do with the fact that he was a thoroughly nice chap as well as being a gifted musician. I bumped into John and his son on a side street in York close by the venue and asked if they wanted any help. They were fine of course, perfectly able to offload a guitar and a few bits and bobs before going for a bite to eat. “Looking forward to our little chat” he said as I headed towards the Duchess. Once I found my way to the backstage, I settled into a conversation with the former Pentangle guitarist, while his touring partner Robin Williamson sound checked onstage, his Celtic harp clearly audible throughout the interview. We managed to cover a lot of ground in such a short space of time, from his early days on the burgeoning folk scene, his time with the American singer Doris Henderson, his meeting with Bert Jansch (another hero) and his then more recently reformed Pentangle.

Ian Matthews | The Great British Folk Festival | 03.12.11

After listening to Matthews Southern Comfort’s lengthy soundcheck on a cold winter afternoon at the Great British Folk Festival on the East Coast of Lincolnshire, I sat down for a chat with the band’s namesake Ian Matthews. My initial concern was the question of whether the singer was in the mood to trawl through the annals of his long and fruitful career or whether he would prefer to just tell me about his new material. As always, I endeavoured to squeeze a little of both out of him. A familar voice to those who have cherished the early albums of Fairport Convention, notably the first couple of albums or so, then the chart-topping Matthews Southern Comfort single version of Joni Mitchell’s Hippie anthem “Woodstock”, or even the short-lived collaboration with Andy Roberts in Plainsong, not to mention the plethora of solo records, many of them that reside on my own shelves. It was good to chat with him and rekindle some of those memories.

Ted McKenna | The Great British Rock and Blues Festival | 29.01.12

Ted McKenna once provided that all important backbeat for both Rory Gallagher and Alex Harvey, no small feat when it comes to the world of 1970s Rock and Roll. Thoroughly attentive and affable, the Lennoxtown native spoke to me late one evening in January 2012, immediately after his appearance with the Band of Friends at the Great British Rock and Blues Festival, recalling those heady days of playing alongside two quite different characters in music. Having been involved in music from the age of 16, Ted spoke warmly of his life on the road, not only with Gallagher and Harvey, but also his time with the Average White Band, Greg Lake, Gary Moore and Michael Schenker. My good pal Phil Carter took this accompanying photograph.

Phil May and Dick Taylor (Pretty Things) | The Great British Rock and Blues Festival | 28.01.11

It was by pure coincidence that I first picked up the Freeway Madness album by the Pretty Things from a bargain bin at Bradley’s Records in Doncaster at the same time as hearing the band perform “Onion Soup” on the John Peel show in the early 1970s. I became an instant fan, not only of the band’s then current music, but also the earlier recordings, notably SF Sorrow, the very first Rock Opera album. Meeting up with original members, singer Phil May and guitarist Dick Taylor, was a treat for me, especially due to the fact that they were both in a chatty mood after their appearance at the Great British Rock and Blues Festival. It wasn’t difficult to coax out of the two musicians some of their more colourful recollections from the early days of the band, together with their brushes with the London underground (and I don’t mean the tube system) and their memories from a long and fruitful career.

Judy Collins | The Duchess, York | 08.02.10

It was always on my wish list, to sit down for a moment or two with the American folk singer Judy Collins, who I always imagined to be a warm and welcoming interviewee, which I soon discovered she was just that. Her voice was more than familiar to me, having a good dozen or so LPs on my shelves, though this was the first time I got to see the singer. When Judy invited me backstage for a brief chat, she was pouring tea from a china tea set, while members of her entourage milled around tuning guitars and preparing for the show. Though her 70 years had begun to show, her youthful eyes were still wide and sparkling as she spoke to me on a various range of subjects from her early ventures in Classic music to the folk revival, her first meeting with Bob Dylan, her political activism and her humanitarian work, especially in relation to suicide, something close to her hear, to her appearances on both Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.

Thijs Van Leer | The Great British Rock and Blues Festival | 25.01.13

If there was one band in the early 1970s that appeared to tick all the right boxes, it was the Dutch four-piece Focus, led by the inimitable Thijs Van Leer. I met up with him late one night at the Great British Rock and Blues Festival after the band’s highly anticipated set, where he was only too happy to go over old ground, whilst at the same time, bringing me up to date with the current status of the band and their recently released tenth album Focus Ten. Despite appearing much older, let’s say a little heavier and sporting thick rimmed glasses, the young man I first saw on The Old Grey Whistle Test almost forty years earlier shone through during our little chat. He was adamant that his band had nothing to do with either Jazz of Progressive Rock, and maintained that Focus was first and foremost a rock band, though conceded that they were seen by their fans as ‘Godfathers of Prog’, confirmed perhaps by the T shirt he was wearing, designed by Roger Dean, the artist responsible for many a sleeve associated with the Progressive Rock genre, most notably those released by Yes. During our chat he spoke of his idiosyncratic ‘scat’ singing, his famous organ sound and his continuing fondness for his band. Sitting in with Thijs is the band’s bassist Bobby Jacobs. (Photo: Kev Boyd).

Donovan | The Great British Folk Festival | 05.12.10

Back in 2010, on a freezing cold December morning, I bumped into Donovan, who was suitably attired in a thick woolly hat and heavy overcoat, as I opened the Pavilion door for him, his needs being much greater than mine. “You’re Donovan” I pointed out, which he dutifully confirmed with a smile. “Would you like to be interviewed for my magazine?” I asked as bluntly as this time in the morning would allow. “Yes” he replied with no hesitation, “but can I grab a bit of breakfast first?” It was like bumping into an old mate, though I’d never actually met him before. We agreed to meet up later in the day at his chalet, after his soundcheck. I was later greeted by a very warm individual, dressed in black from head to toe, who already had the kettle on, and was only too willing to traverse his eventful life and career over coffee.