rapiers are go!

The Sound of a Hurricane

Singer Wreckless Eric has today's opening notes, to accompany the UK opening of the film Telstar:

On the second floor of number 304
Above a handbag store and the heavy roar
Of traffic rolling down the Holloway Road
A one time bedroom housed the studio of Joe Meek

Where he conjured with the sound of another world
That Tin Pan Alley thought was too absurd
But miles of wire and recording tape
Brought fortune fame and no escape for Joe Meek

As he stirred up the sound of a hurricane
Joe Meek
Called upon forces from beyond the grave
Joe Meek
Suffered alone for his madness and pain
These were the only rewards that the hit parade
Held in store for Joe Meek

We Remember Wayne Nicholls, 1967-2005

FLASH and TWANG: Rapiers Recording at Toe-Rag!

I can't think of better mid-week news from Rapiersland: visual confirmation The Rapiers are at long last esconced inside the analogically superior recording confines of genius producer Liam Watson's Toe-Rag Studios in East London, working on new waxings, their first since the turn of the century (You're Never Alone With CD, 2000; Buckleshoe Stomp 45, 2001).

Nathan J. Hulse posted these instrumental images to his Facebook profile and I'm chuffed he did.

Brand New "Telstar" Film Promo Features Mr. Ainsby; Meanwhile, US Premiere at Seattle Festival Friday

The rise and fall of Joe Meek lives!

There's a new Telstar trailer, radically different from the original teaser promoted for months on the film's home page. Watch below but don't blink when Rapier Neil Ainsby's brief appearance flashes 26 seconds in.

It's hard to believe it, but at long last, Telstar opens 19 June in the UK. Jumping the broomstick, the American unveiling happens tomorrow night at the Seattle International Film Festival with a repeat showing there 14 June.

London's Sunday Times Sunday spotlighted Telstar big time.

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Norway in a Blink

And you whinge about your commute.

Here follows a page ripped from what I'd call Nathan J. Hulse's Road Warrior Journal, chronicling Saturday's whoosh-there-and-back-with-no-sleep-ta-very-much jaunt to Moss, Ostfold and the Wild Bunch Rock 'n' Roll Club.

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Get up at 8 a.m. (early for most musicians).

Drive to Heathrow. Traffic solid, takes just over 2 hours. Didn't think we were gonna make the plane. We did.

Just under 2 hours for flight.

Arrive in Norway, driven to hotel. Check in and quick freshen up.

Drive to venue, 1 hour 15 mins.

Soundcheck.

Off to hotel to drop off stage clothes.

Eat.

Back to hotel to change.

Walk to venue (with guitars).

Gig—success.

Chat to Pete Berry and Shake Set for 30 mins.

Drive back to hotel, 2 hours (diversion because a tunnel closed).

Arrive hotel about 2:30 a.m.

2 hours sleep, up at 4:30 a.m.

Breakfast, shuttle bus to airport, catch plane.

Arrive Heathrow 9 a.m.

Drive home, arrive 11:30 a.m.

Quick nap, food, drive to Broxbourne for evening show.

Who said it was a glamourous lifestyle?

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NORWEGIAN KNACKERED: Saturnine Colin Pryce-Jones, Dave Lawes and John Tuck await an early morning return flight to England at Oslo Airport. Photo courtesy Nathan J. Hulse.

Amersham Set List for Shakers + Vid 5: "I Saw Her Standing There"

Been remiss in recapping the details of my B-day shindig in Amersham a fortnight ago, including who done wot. I'll begin the beguine with Liverpool's Shakers, who delivered a prime example of the "genius of Lennon and McCartney" with this high energy set, liberally dosed with a serious 1963-64 Liverpudilian accent. (Erm, chalk up further genius, as I count three Larry Williams covers.)

Kudos to good Glaswegian George Geddes for keeping track.

Some Other Guy
It Won't Be Long
Bad Boy
Bad to Me
Everything's Alright
Love Me Do
Happy Birthday
Bony Moronie
Needles and Pins
I'll Get You
Ferry Cross the Mersey
Slow Down
Shakin' All Over
From Me to You
Hippy Hippy Shake
Twist and Shout

Encores:

I Saw Her Standing There
Johnny B. Goode

Palmers Green Collection

A gathering of British music makers convened backstage at Palmers Green's Intimate Theatre, 3 May 2009.

Top left, clockwise: Colin Pryce-Jones, singer Fabienne Delsol, John Tuck and Toe-Rag producer Liam Watson talk shop (Liam: "Are you going to sing Baby Sittin' tonight?"); Colin and Liam compare and contrast English eyewear; your humble tour guide establishes the base of a standard photo pyramid.

Three smile styles.

Amersham Vids 2-4: Shoes, Punters, Backstage

A trio of unrehearsed, casual moments caught on camera from Amersham's Polish Club, aka the Amersham Rock 'n' Roll Club, 9 May 2009.

Rapiers Dave Lawes, Neil Ainsby and Nathan J. Hulse rehearse for their Comfortable Shoes advert campaign.

Scanning the floor evidences a surfeit of Rapiers/Shadows stalwarts, among them Dick West, Ralph Gowling, Alan Taylor, George Geddes, Steve and Helen Terrell, Barry and Julia Gillam, Rob and Di Bradford, Ruud Lans, Ramon G. and Ellen Holbrook. And my fellow San Franciscan Ed Meares fiddling with his own camera (and three hours later no longer a Rapiers virgin).

Backstage, nine well-dressed musicans ham it up at the cry to "do something clever". Foot Alert: John Tuck lost a pair shoes to the Shakers mob, who inadvertently hightailed it back to Liverpool with his footwear.

Amersham Vid 1: Whenever You Feel Blue, Cue Up "On My Mind"

From Saturday night's second set at the Amersham Rock 'n' roll Club comes a hard rockin' take on singer Mike Berry's 1964 release On My Mind, recorded by The Rapiers on their last single, way back at the turn of the century. Colin's clipped intro dedicates the tune to Mr. Berry, recovering from recent surgery.

For a change, audio clearly captures the yeh-yeh-yeh vocalising from Neil Ainsby and Nathan J. Hulse, behind Colin Pryce-Jones's lead vocal.

First Amersham Pix: 5 Live Rapiers, 4 Live Shakers

Damn, man! Don't smashing clothes make the men and bands?

Before barnstorming the stage for three hours of stonking British '60s Beat, The Rapiers and Liverpool's Shakers matched up in shades of natty blue and black sartorial splendour backstage at the very sold out Amersham Rock 'n' Roll Club Saturday night.

More snaps, reportage, comment and video to come on this splendiferous evening.

AMERSHAM 9 MAY 2009: SOLD OUT!

Thank you, everyone.

Palmers Green: Just Say Yeah to "Baby My Heart", "Wonderful Land"

Harmonizing, melody and guitars. Bliss indeed.

Bonus! A snatch of the lads channeling The Young Ones Shadows behind singer Kytsun Wolfe on We Say Yeah: