RAPIERS ARE GO!

Some Things Just Stick in My Mind

DUFFY DOES MEEK: Welsh songbird-of-the-new-century Duffy has recorded Please Stay for actor Nick Moran's upcoming Telstar biopic of Joe Meek, who famously produced the Burt Bacharach tear-jerker with Liverpool's Cryin' Shames in 1966. Thanks to Duffy namechecking Joe all over YouTube, the wizard of Holloway Road should see his profile raised with Generations X, Y and Z... YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO REPLACE IT: The world, well, Britain at least, changed its pop music axis on July 24, 1958 when Cliff Richard recorded Ian Samwell's immortal rocker Move It at EMI's Abbey Road Studios. Happy 50th to Sir Cliff's finest hour, often revisited by The Rapiers... IN THE WINGS: An insider with the Me and My Shadows team says: "Momentum has clearly built up behind the MAMS shows because we have now had a sudden run of surprise guests—first Denny Laine of The Moody Blues and Wings [Heritage Ball], then Cliff Richard [Caron Keating Foundation] and on Sunday [Ton-Up Day] Oh Boy! TV show stalwart Vince Eager." Lesson? "It is reaching the stage where if you don't book a MAMS show or a MAMS-linked gig that you could miss out on one of these special appearances." So it goes! Your next opportunities are Friday and Saturday, in Coleford, Gloucestershire, and Kidderminster, Worcestershire, respectively. Visit our Datebook 2008 page for details.

Some Things Just Stick in My Mind

MBE FOR MR. HARRIS?: It's news to to me, but the campaign for ex-Shadow Jet Harris to receive an MBE (Member of British Empire) "is gathering strength", writes William Hooper. High time for the man who taught Britain to play electric bass. To support Jet's nomination, contact Pat Le-Bruin at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2-4 Cockspur Street, London. For the record, mates Bruce Welch and Brian Bennett were honoured with OBEs (Order of British Empire) in 2004. But Hank Marvin, citing personal and private reasons, declined his... NEIL RATES HIGH, TOO: What prompted one Richard Burse do sing out, "Neil Ainsby is just a Rock God!"? Seems this YouTube video of our lad belting out Do You Love Me? like 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1970 never happened... PRETTY PHOTOS BY NJH: Scanned Nathan J. Hulse's ever-blossoming photo blog lately? Wow! Lotsa beauty shots vying for your attention.

Some Things Just Stick in My Mind

PROOF POSITIVE: Still hoping for good pix and video of The Rapiers on The Young Ones behind Cliff Richard last Friday in Egham. Nathan J. Hulse forwarded a blurry snap but the singer might be anyone in a cream-coloured suit... GO NOW AGAIN: "When Denny Laine sat down at the piano and sang the opening line of Go Now, 'We've already said goodbye...' it sent chills down my spine," says Colin Pryce-Jones, reflecting on The Rapiers backing the Birmingham legend last month at the Heritage Foundation's Annual Summer Ball. "None of us had ever played Go Now, we had just two run-throughs. Denny sang it just like the record."... KEEPING WILTSHIRE ROCKING: "We had a great night with John Leyton at the Melksham Rock 'n' Roll Club on Saturday," says Dave Lawes. "It was packed out, with John on great form." Last time The Rapiers hit town was November 1996. I was there, on my honeymoon, in fact. "Ah, you must be the Americans," said the doorman, briefed on our arrival. "Does it show?" I probably replied... SOUNDS LIKE THE BEATLES IN AMERSHAM: Glad to see Rapiers brethren The Shakers of Merseyside (pictured) invading the Amersham Rock 'n' Roll Club on 19 July, another chapter in a life mission to "recreate the look and the sound of those Liverpool days and Hamburg nights, from the Cavern to the Star Club".

Some Things Just Stick in My Mind

DORSET STOP FOR "MAMS": "Now in its fifth fantastic year", Me and My Shadows drops by the Weymouth Pavillion on 8 November, notes Nathan J. Hulse, "a location we don't get to that much". Box office: 01305 783225. [Shimmering night shot of Pavilion from Dorsetbays Flickr Photostream]... SHADS 2009?: William Hooper says he heard Jet Harris say a Cliff and The Shadows reunion next year is down to Shadow Bruce Welch, "all the others are for it". At Pipeline 2008, I, too, overheard Bruce mention "we might do something", interpret that as you will... BEC ON MEND: True blue Rapiers fan Brian E. Clark is back home from a Luton hospital, recuperating after a medical scare. Well wishes to you, Brian... NUMBER OF THINGS: My favourite business from the 2008 Annual General Meeting of the Joe Meek Society: Newsletter No. 125 for March/April 2004. Alas and alack, that issue found itself incorrectly numbered 124, making the latest edition actually No. 150, not No. 149. One member says "the mistake was made over four years ago and we should let things remain as they are". No, sir, says another, update now. Issue remains open with "comments welcome". Compulsive me says "reconcile".

Some Things Just Stick in My Mind

MAMS HOT TIX: Noting strong advance sales for the 8 June Roses Theatre show in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, a Rapiers insider suggests the Me and My Shadows tour "looks to be gathering momentum again". Fab news considering the impact of rising petrol prices. Laugh, you UKers, but I'm paying $4 per US gallon in San Francisco for the first time... 25TH HUZZAHS: Lost in the Silver Anniversary hoopla in March were these well wishes from Liverpool's Shakers: "Please pass on our congratulations and best wishes to Colin and the boys for their anniversary gig. Wish we could have been there but we have a busy weekend, too. Hope it all goes well and we'll be there in spirit!"... IOW WITNESS: "Managed to catch The Rapiers show on the Isle of Wight on 18 May," emails Neil2726. "As ever the guys were in top form with Jimmy Jemain as Cliff. Nice spots from Billy Davis and John Leyton—made a great evening in front of a very enthusiastic crowd!"... SAVAGE DISTORTION: No wonder Colin Pryce-Jones winces at the thought of video recorders capturing every live note, good and bad, for posterity. Case in point: this low-fi example from the Thameside Theatre audience spawns a heavymetalkerrrraaaangshadowssound. Funny, though, to hear Colin sending up Dave Lawes, who, we're told, "made a fortune on the stock market" after he left the band in the early '90s and upon his return in 2005 "bought us a new set of strings each".

Some Things Just Stick in My Mind

AW, ROCKER: Glad to hear from guitarist Andy Wren, one of the redwoods of the British Rock 'n' Roll scene over the past two decades. This hep cat's run in combos with Rapiers family ties like Jet Black, The Avengers and Robb Storm & The Persuaders, even depped as a Rapier rhythm guitarist for a night. "My current band is the hardcore rock 'n' roll/rockabilly quartet Slim Slip & The Sliders," he notes on his MySpace hangout. He also plays lead guitar in a Buddy Holly tribute band, Marc Robinson & the Counterfeit Crickets. I first met the personable Mr. Wren just before he and a reunited Jet Black rocked the roof at the Wayne Nicholls Memorial Concert, July 2005, Potters Bar... BUS STOP: The Routemaster used for the Walkers Crisps advert "is at a coach builders in Leicester being converted into a tour bus", says a YouTube poster... 59 CLUB: Tommy "Dizzy" Roe, Billy Joel, Ventures lead guitarist Nokie Edwards, Sonny Curtis of The Crickets, actor Albert Finney, poet Dante. What do I have in common with these creative lights? A May 9 birthday, yessiree.

Some Things Just Stick in My Mind

SNOBS GUITARMAN AVAILABLE: The rhythm player on the original mega-British Beat stomper Buckleshoe Stomp is looking to jam. Says John Boulden in an MSN Shadow Music post: "Experienced lead guitarist with Strat and EOTP. Shadows preferred but have played covers all my life so that could be an option. Some vocals. Can provide mike and stand, etc. Doesn't have to be a working band. Just getting together to work on the numbers is fine. Surrey area preferred but travel to another county for the right people. Age 60 but young at heart."... MR. BLOBBY, HERO: Trawling YouTube for Screaming Lord Sutch vids, I stumbled upon "a large pink humanoid" who rose (ballooned?) to pop fame in the '90s, starring on presenter Noel Edmonds' Saturday night entertainment show Noel's House Party (that's the pair at left), storming the pop charts, raking in merchandising, even standing for political office—watch how Mr. B (105 votes) goes all wobbly when the tally for obvious mate Lord Sutch (782 votes) comes in during that Littleborough and Saddleworth by-election I spotlighted Wednesday. Genius! Blobby, per Wikipedia, "communicated by saying the word 'blobby' in an electronically-altered voice, expressing his moods through tone of voice and repetition." He'd have my vote... LONDON FLAKES: Twice. That's how many instances during my lifetime I remember snow at sea level in my native San Francisco. So being greeted by white stuff from the sky over our Rapiers-Pipeline Easter Weekend really did stick out. Here I steadily brave the elements on a brief but uneventful walk to the Notting Hill Gate Tube station. Brrrr!

Some Things Just Stick in My Mind

WHO DIDN'T MAKE AMERSHAM: For weeks, rumours had me glad all over that Dave Clark Five bassist and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Rick Huxley might attend the party, take a bow or join The Rapiers for a number; no word why he begged off (well, it was snowing o'er Britain that Easter weekend). Also no-go, alas, on Kaiser George Miller. Meanwhile, John Leyton sent a classy note, reprinted belatedly here: "I should like to pass on my congratulations to The Rapiers on this their 25th Anniversary in the music business. Unfortunately family committments have made it impossible for me to be with you this evening but I'm sure that this special Anniversary Concert will be a great night for yourselves and your many fans. Congratulations and Best Wishes."... DAVE RAVES: "I have to say that I really enjoyed playing with two rhythm guitars on the last few numbers, a sort of mini-Phil Spector-ish, Sounds Incorporated-ish load of noise!" says Dave Lawes. Speaking of rhythm, I'm glad Colin Pryce-Jones fondly remembered the late Wayne Nicholls from the stage... DO THE NEIL: Finally, the more I watch Neil Ainsby's ultra-zany dash about as "Bootleg Freddie Garrity" on Short Shorts, the more I'm convinced the band should make it part of their stage show, light comic relief at its heaviest!

Some Things Just Stick in My Mind

SHADOWMANIA X: "We're coming up to the 10th Shadowmania in 11 years. That's longer than The Shadows were originally together. Amazing!" said Colin Pryce-Jones, "very honoured" The Rapiers were asked to appear yet again for Bruce Welch's everything Shadows day, keeping their perfect attendance record intact... DUFFS STOMP: The American Midwest might be the last place to find a British Beat stronghold, but Long John Thomas and The Duffs beg to differ. Their Presenting... album, which I picked up last fall in Camden Town's boss Sounds That Swing record shop, contains stabs at Rapiers staples Move It and Buckleshoe Stomp, even referencing—Whoa!—"Rapiers" in the verses of the latter, instead of, well, themselves, a la the precedent set by the song's originators, The Snobs. But then again, here's a '60s Swedish combo called The Alligators violating the rule, too... AMERSHAM GOODIES: Need more incentive to get your winkle-pickers down to The Rapiers' 25th Anniversary show? Besides a full line-up of secret guest stars—I leave the best guessing to your imagination but you will kick yourself if you don't come and I do mean that—expect the night to include 1) drawing to win £50, and 2) raffle featuring a guitar signed by our lads and beloved footballer Gary Lineker, benefitting Macmillan Cancer Support.

Some Things Just Stick in My Mind

MUM'S NOT THE WORD: Flowers and chocolates will have to do, because a Rapiers date won't. The 2 March Mothering Day show at the Hub in Verwood is off, cancelled, reason unknown, a victim of the topsy turvy world of bookings... QUOTE OF CENTURY: That's what Colin Pryce-Jones called a recent fan comment: "Somebody came up and said to Neil or Nathan, 'Gosh, I didn't know The Shadows were called The Rapiers before they were called The Shadows!'" Um, send that fellow back to class... MADE IN SPAIN: "Our Valencia gig was fantastic," relays Colin, despite a chaotic start hours earlier during check-in at London Stansted Airport. A squabble over checking suitbags (payment required, please) saw our lads minutes away from missing their Ryanair flight. Meanwhile, that fetching Rapiers tattoo spotted by Nathan belongs to lead guitarist Sergio "Norton" Joven with Spain's rockin' Vibrants combo, who opened for The Rapiers at Surforama. BTW: Dig The Vibrants' Que bueno! home page with beatnik-cool animation galore (per image at left).

Some Things Just Stick in My Mind

MOTHERING DAY: It's news to me that UK mums celebrate Mother's Day, not in early May, as we do in the States, but the fourth Sunday of Lent. This year that's 2 March, same day The Rapiers have an early afternoon curtain for a Me and My Shadows show at the Hub in Verwood, Dorset. Sweeter still: the theatre is laying on a special afternoon tea with scones and cakes in its "bright and cheery cafe" before the 4 p.m. start—one more reason to love England. To book, call 01202 828740... MEEKUMENTARY UK DEBUT: After its excellent reception in Portland, Oregon last month, A Life in the Death of Joe Meek moves on to the 2008 Glasgow Film Festival, 14-24 February. Peruse the festival programme here. I spy ALITDOJM showing at 18:30 on closing night. MUSIC MAD, I STAND ACCUSED: Don't tell the boss, but the secret's out I've got a date with the space time contiuum in Amersham next month, the Bucks Free Press has revealed.

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RAG! UPDATE: The Mother's Day show is being rescheduled, possibly to another venue.

Some Things Just Stick in My Mind

Brush With Disaster: The shot's vanished (at last check), but Nathan J. Hulse's Natjag photo blog a few weeks back had a candid he took of rehabbing singer and "real-time train wreck" (per the Toronto Star) Amy Winehouse on her way into legal proceedings in London... Will 2008 Be the Year of Joe Meek?: Filmmakers Howard Berger and Susan Stahman's years-in-the-making documentary on the rise and fall of Britain's first independent pop producer, A Life in the Death of Joe Meek, had its world premiere this week in Portland. One eyewitness review: "The film is wonderful, a well-balanced respectful multi-layered look at a fascinating person. I can't believe how much Joe Meek affected the sound of popular music, and how little I knew about him until tonight." Later this year, actor Nick Moran's Meek biopic Telstar debuts too. Hopefully, The Rapiers' cameo roles survive the editing room... January Blues: Sad farewells in the past fortnight to two golden voices of the '60s, Fortunes lead singer Rod Allen, and The Kingston Trio's John Stewart. Had I room for only 10 songs on a journey to the stars, You've Got Your Troubles and The New Frontier would make the cut. The first notes from the first group at my first concert on my first visit to English soil came from Rod's Fortunes, Christmas time 1988, Brighton.