old news28th July 2007The Mutter Slater Band made its début at the Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland, Dorset on Thursday 28th June. The three-piece line-up (Mutter, drummer Ady and me) means that the focus is more on Mutter’s voice and his songs. On July 6th I made my début appearance with Back Street Blues at Hamworthy Labour Club, near Poole, in Dorset. The band is a three-piece blues/rock band, fronted by Mike Biggs, a true bluesman and a great singer/guitarist, and drummer Jim Allen. I loved it – no rehearsal whatsoever, just winging it from start to finish, and it went down really well. Following the 22-piece Barrelhouse Blues Orchestra project, we had the début appearance of that line-up plus full gospel choir at the Gillingham Festival in North Dorset on the 12th of July. Special guests on the night included Victor Brox, erstwhile singer with the Aynsley Dunbar retaliation, Victor’s daughter Kyla, a truly great young blues/soul singer, Ray Foster, another great soul shouter, and Pete Brown, the man who wrote the lyrics for Cream and Jack Bruce’s wondrous works. Playing Cream’s ‘White Room’ with the man that wrote the lyrics and approximating Jack Bruce’s original bass line was a particular joy for me, as was Victor’s glowing appraisal of my bass playing – it’s all good for the ego! My second gig with Back Street Blues took place on July 13th at the Foresters Arms Hotel, Williton, North Devon, a tiny pub near Minehead. We’re now officially big in North Devon! Blimey, one night you’re playing in a 35-odd-piece band to hundreds of people, huge PA, lights, the whole shebang and the next you’re playing in a trio to a dozen enthusiastic punters in a Devon village. I love my job. On Wednesday 18th July Mutter Slater and I returned to Mojo Studios in Torquay, Devon to continue work on the début Mutter Slater Band CD. Billy Bragg came down to oversee proceedings, and appeared to be more than happy with the way work was progressing. We were also visited by Rob Wheeler from South Hams Radio, and a chap from the local press. Rob interviewed Mutter, Billy and Adrian Collis in Leo Brown’s studio, and its subsequent broadcast was picked up by BBC Radio Devon. There’s a real positive buzz about the way that the whole Mutter Slater Band project is developing. Our next gig is at Adrian Collis’s lovely boozer the Sea Trout, Staverton, Devon on Saturday 28th. I’m playing with Back Street Blues at Weymouth Working Men’s Club, St Edmund Street, Weymouth on August 4th, a first for me, followed by that band’s visit to The Ropemakers, West Street, Bridport on 11th August. On Friday 24th I’m playing at the Royal Portland Arms, Fortuneswell, Portland, Dorset with Hamish Maxwell under the billing ‘Hamish and friends’. Essentially it’s a Custer’s Last Blues Band gig, where yer man is joined by Tim Broad, me, and a bunch of Dorset blues aficionados that grew up with Custer’s. I’ve got another Back Street Blues gig at the Portman Arms, East Chinnock, near Yeovil, Somerset on August 25th, followed by another gig with Hamish and company at the Sailor’s Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth on September 1st. Chris Lonergan |
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