Mark Astronaut and friends, Al Damidge, Chris Bowsher & Martz & Spandex Ballet at Club 85

Sometimes you just get that feeling when something you've set up is off and running under its own momentum and it just breaks all expectations of everything even you thought of...
You ever had one of those feelings ?
I got one last night at the Ripple Rocks On Strangely gig at Club 85.

Mark and the Otters had done their final (maybe) gig with Joe the Bass in Brighton the previous night and were all as knackered as a band can be who didn't get to bed before 4.30am so he started off with just Dom' on guitar and later by new bass player, Lucio. He's different to Joe, no doubt about that but he's gonna fit right into the mix without any bother at all. Great start.

Al Damidge hit the stage with poems and songs and I have to admit, poetry wise he was excellent. A bit nervous, but then who wouldn't be if they'd scarcely gigged for ten years ? He ended with a few songs and I loved it. Loved all of it. Nice one Al, I'll get back to you for another one, one of these days.

Then Chris Bowsher and Martz his keyboard player (both of whom play in Military Surplus/R.D.F.) hit the stage for one of those spots that transcend any thought you had of what they are about. Blinding set.
I work in a band (Bass Relief) which uses poets and musicians, and Chris and Martz do the same. If you see a gig advertised where one of the bands is named The Faction, check it out 'cos it might be Chris and Martz and they are definitely something to hear. Same as I've said about Al, I'll be back for you guys again.

Spandex Ballet headlined and I have to say I really don't know what it is about Chris and Leon ? Everytime I see them they are good to great, but everytime they work for me they are even better. They just seem to get all the verbals together for my gigs like they're saving them up for it. A pair of great local lads (or is it larrikins) supremely talented, well, they must be 'cos they're both in about four or five bands, and funny as fuck...

If you didn't manage to get there, then you missed a great gig in which every artist exceeded every expectation I had of the event.
Sheer class, every one.

I managed to get a couple of shots of Spandex and Chris & Martz but missed out on Mark and Al but I know Chris Bowsher took some so I'll see if I can blag a couple...
Watch this space.

And this coming Thursday April 3rd we have...

Yes, it's all go at the Cozmic house at the moment.
For those who have asked after the poor puss (Cozmic the cat) no, he has not had to have his eye operated on and removed as yet 'cos he seems to be reacting well to the medicine but it's early days and we have to be hopeful.

Here's the next parnassus event.
We've never yet done one for The British Legion, sorry, Royal British Legion so it'll be going down as a first, but I'll let you know how we get on after the event.
Right now I'm off to helm the Ripple Rocks on gig 'cos that's tonight at Club 85.
See ya...

Ripple rocks on... strangely again.

Yes, it's that time of year again so here's a flyer to look at while you decide...
It all takes place on the 30th March at Club 85 in Hitchin. I'll see some of ye'z there.

RHYTHMS OF THE WORLD FESTIVAL 2008.

So...
We're up and running and I'm booking the Arcadeclectic Stage again which I have to admit is more fun than most things in this life. Ok, it can be quite daunting trying to start with a blank canvas when you are responsible for the smallest stage of the lot and can only fit a fourpiece with drumkit on it or five piece without drums which limits us somewhat, but we are running from midday until 9pm both Saturday and Sunday so we can fit in some of the more eclectic and esoteric artists and bands who otherwise would probably not have got a look in, and get a few new poets too.

I've got all but one of my local band wishlist but you'll have to wait for their names as that info' will not be released until the programme is out so please don't stop me and ask, as a refusal to impart that knowledge can for some reason cause offence and you lot should know me by now... I don't mind causing it. So stay cool people... All will be revealed as soon as...
Besides... Once I've booked them the gobby little oiks go around telling everybody they're playing it anyway.

RHYTHMS OF THE WORLD FESTIVAL 2008 IS ON...

Well ain't that good news ?

Yes, it's back... Hitchin's very own 'RHYTHMS OF THE WORLD' Festival is on...
So book a weekend in your diaries.

JULY 12th and 13th 2008 is the date and Hitchin (I mean come on... where else would it be ?) is the location... and what is more it's not even spitting distance from the town centre...
So... here we go again... The Arcadeclectic Stage is being booked from this moment on.

DID'JA MISS ME ? 'COS I'M BACK...

Here we are again, back safely on the old site after taking a couple of months out to do some other things...

One of the things I get accused of quite regularly is being confrontational, contentious, or just plain '...ist' (You can fill in your own frontpiece for the
...ist) misogyn, rasc, fasc, or the odd '...obic' which is the other usual diatribe from some of the more humourless P.C. brigade about some of the things I do live on stage, so I have started posting the odd poem and critiques of others on another site where I will happily explain those of mine on site. Hopefully not in the detail I had to go into regarding one particular item that garnered me two death threats from the local branch of the I.R.A supporters club when I originally performed it, but if you take a look you'll get the drift.

The beauty of this particular site is that it caters to writers of all types of things so I can post some scurrilous re-writes of popular songs that people like to hear done live, along with the odd poem or two and any other form of writing I care to do and most of the time I get some intelligent feedback... (which makes a nice change...)

Because everything is done on a four to one ratio, ie. I publish one and then I have to review four from other people everything is kept to a reasonable perspective and it seems to work reasonably well, so here is the link that gets you in to the site...

http://morewriting.co.uk/ Just punch it into your search engine and click 'go'.

When you actually get in you can browse all the works in there including some of mine but should you wish to post criticism or praise then you will have to become a member.
Unlike some who keep their names hidden I publish under Chris Ripple so I'm quite easy to find, so if you get in and want my stuff then find something I've written and click on my name.

Here are a few that are in there...

Poems. Picnic On A Rainy Day.
Hearts Of Darkness.
Armageddon there... But Slowly...
To Erin The Side Of Peace.
The Monster Kids.
The Office Christmas Party.
The Crown Vs Christmas. F.
The Perfect Express Hut Pizza.
In Praise Of Thoughtful Drunkeness.

Songs. Frostie The Snowman.
Anarchy In The Tory Part-ee.
Golden (Gordon) Brown.
Stevenage Woman (Redneck Woman).

Anyway, that's what I've been up to since Christmas apart from taking a well earned holiday in which I went to visit my ex-work colleague who lives in Africa, the facts of which amazed even old cynical me, so watch this space and when I manage to get it all down I'll post it up with some pic's somewhere between this site, More Writing and the Myspace.
Bearing in mind it was supposed to be a holiday, I attended political meetings and rallies, helped dig out an open sewer, picked up litter, paid off corrupt policemen and nearly got arrested when flying back into Gatwick as a heroin smuggler... (It was baobaob (Monkey bread) which is an African fruit that you pound to a powdery flour and then use as a cooking ingredient... it tastes sort of sweet and sour at the same time... and bearing in mind how many Africans are in the U.K. it seems suprising that H.M. Customs and Excise have never heard of it...)
All good fun playing with 'The System' nevertheless...

There are loads more photo's in myspace so click on the link if you want to take a look.

The Sunday 2nd December gig...

Well, here we are again... Safe and sound after doing my bit for culture.
Seeing it was The Astronauts 30th Anniversary gig, Mr Astronaut packed the gig with the usual suspects from the past and the now, starting with just Rico from the Astronauts... just as a little taster of what was coming, and then it was the turn of Mark's current outfit...
The Otters opened up their bit of the proceedings in their usual Psychedelic Punk Folk Rock way and proceeded to get a little momentum going for three numbers. This band is so good and so different that they deserve to succeed big time, but will they get an opportunity ?
Your guess is as good as mine. Suffice it to say that Dennis is a phenominal drummer for his age, and Dom' plays a nifty lead guitar. Joe, the bass player on the other hand, keeps thinking about leaving the band. It would be a shame if he decided to do so but I'm sure Mark will carry on with them. They're too damn good to waste.
The Otters were followed by Steve Lake who used to be in Zoundz alongside Joseph Porta (now currently propping up the drumming chair in Blyth Power). Steve played acoustic guitar and his quirkily humorous cynicism hopefully won him a few more converts. He was followed by a solo set from Alan Clayson of Clayson and the Argonauts fame. Alan decided that since he was playing solo he'd play a load of old 1960's cover versions including Johnny Remember Me... Personally I think he'd have been better off doing his own stuff but then what do I know ?
Jon and Jo from Lika Sharpe followed Alan but without their bass player as his Mum had just passed away and he was therefore unavailable but even without they managed to keep people's interest. I like this lot. That having been said I've known Jon on and off since Chron Gen days and his stuff is always worth a looksee. Shame that Jo was going down with a cold and was losing her voice but she coped until the end when she managed to turn into Kermit's sister and just croak a soft 'thanks' to the audience.
Then it was yours truly's turn...
Last week when Mark had originally mentioned that he'd like me to introduce The Astronauts with one of my poems I couldn't really see the sense in it. Oh yeah, I was up for doing it but I didn't really know how I'd fit in ?
Leave it to Mark Astronaut to see the whole thing in his frame of vision.
The poem he wanted was 'Flashback, Big Business & Fastbuck' which is about as autobiographical as I have ever got and which actually talks about a time which predates The Astronauts by about five years which leaves it safely mired in the 'Hippie' ethic of which I am a dinosaur or relic whichever you will.
Doesn't matter though, it worked perfectly as an intro' and when Rico hit those first few chords over the ending I could see what Mark meant...
and The Astronauts were superb.
My mate Grant Meaby who took all the shots of me while I was up on stage, reckoned that on a good day The Astronauts could take on anyone in the world musically and show them how it's done...
Not a lot I can say about that apart from agreeing with him because this was definitely a good day.
Great gig, and a worthy 30th Anniversary for Welwyn Garden City's finest.
There are a few pictures on the blog and the rest are stuck away in the Chris Ripple myspace pics.