our Nephrons home.

Evening Strumpets, Here`s the other song from the other night, as rough and ready as the last one, but with an added MASSIVE BURP from Carl at the end. I tire of asking for any feedback. Till the next one learn something new, like how to give feedback! Mark.

3 legged Dog.

Evening Strumpets, here`s a new song by The Nephrons performed by 3 of them. the fourth fella had a cold and missed the practice. Rough as hell, but with a bit of spit and polish this might just be something good. Till the next one, learn something new, Mark.

Rotten song.

Evening Strumpets, I`m making a point of recording rough demos of songs as I`m reaching an age where the writing process if left is soon forgotten. here's the latest one. The chords, which if I'm being honest usually come pretty simply, once I relax and get into a playing zone, result in the more tricky business of mostly a series of grunt`s, utterances and words, the main one of which for this one is "Rotten", purely because I`m sat next to my bookcase on which john Lydons Autobiography "No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish" is sitting. It`s a great read if you get the chance.

listen to ‘Rotten ’ on Audioboo

I tire of saying this, please feed back, Can`t remember the last time anyone did. Incidentally, Mountain View California. Whoever you are, let me know, because I owe you massive thanks for keeping this blog going. Till the next one, learn something new....really Mark.

Our Home.

Evening Strumpets, Here`s a demo of a song that fell out of me hands and head earlier today. Not sure if anything will come out of it, or what form it may end up as, but I have to say I really like it. I can see a big build up for the middle eight section, but then I can also see little green men most friday evenings.

listen to ‘our home’ on Audioboo

Please post any feedback. It really means a lot. Till the next one, learn something new, Mark.

Halloween tale.

Morning Strumpets, Here`s something Grace and Hal came up with yesterday on their first day off from school. I think it`s rather splendid. CAUTION: It`s very scary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Till the next one, learn something scary. Mark.

I know you, Let`s go dancing.

Evening Strumpets, Here`s a couple of new songs, one from the Charmers, and the other a solo thing still very much in it`s early stages inspired by Hal getting into bed with us after he`d had a bad dream the other night. Any feedback for either of them would be greatly appreciated.

listen to ‘I know you’ on Audioboo

Let`s go dancing. Till the next one, learn something new. Mark

The Nephrons, might just be back.

Evening Strumpets, So for a while now, Me and Carl have been writing stuff which we feel might be not best suited to the Charmers, but which is still worth playing to our friends for their opinion. I was also coming up to my 200th YT vid, I know where does the time go my little Strumplings, which i wanted to make sure was going to be something a bit special. And then it dawned on me. Mark D. Carl and myself have been playing loud and enjoyable stuff together since we were 12. we didn`t know it until we were in our early thirties, but we were destined to be a band called The Nephrons (The nodule in the kidneys which makes urine, which meant we were basically taking the piss). Then My beautiful wife bought me a banjo, coincidentally a year after Andy had decided to learn the instrument, and me and Carl got talking, and the next thing you know, Andy is teaching me how to write a blog, and The Alice Charmers were born, and well you get the idea. Here`s the point, The Nephrons are back! And they`ve got a new member. Here`s my 200th YT vid, and it is with great pride that I let you know that The Nephrons are back, and they`re about to take over the world.....but they`ll have to be home by 7pm, cos they`ve got kids! Til the next one, learn somehing new, Mark

Those lying genes.

Evening strumpets, Here`s a work in progress, which is still in the chuck sounds at and see what sticks stage. I`m also writing a regular column for an online magazine which I will hopefully be able to post a tab for below.

listen to ‘lying king’ on Audioboo

http://www.exne.co.uk/mark-davies/
 

http://www.exne.co.uk/mark-davies/ There`s quite a few articles there. Hope to have a decent computer soon, so should be able to post more stuff. Thanks for sticking with me. Till the next one, learn something new, Mark..

Marmalade au Marsellaise

Morning Strumpets, It`s been too long hasn`t it, honest I have my reasons, mostly associated with trying to get to grips with a laptop which quite obviously hates the very air that i breathe so would rather commit computer suicide than allow my fingers to type anything of interest into it and be saved. But I`ll be damned if it won`t allow me to share this insanely glorious piece of charmers fun with you. Unfortunately the audioboo link won`t allow it to be more than five minutes, but take my word, it ends faster, and as per Carl`s requirement, a bit like Nirvana! I particularly love Andy`s French in a German accent. playing in a band with your mates? It doesn`t get any better.

listen to ‘marmalade au marsellaise!’ on Audioboo

Till the next one, learn something new, Mark.

Going Logo.

Afternoon Strumpets, The other night we discussed what we could do to promote The Charmers. Carl came up with a couple of images, and Andy set about doing the complicated computer tomfoolery adapting them for the `Boronization (as in made like it was from Boro) required. The clever fella came up with this. Then, the honorary strumpet Mike Platts (Honorary, because of the support he has given me over the past couple of years, and also because he introduced me to my wife) had a little tinkle with it whilst he was, admittedly, a little drunk and came up with this. I like them both. We`re going to be making T-shirts soon (i have photographic proof that the first one has been done). Blimey. Till the next one, learn something new, Mark.

The Sun was shining.

Morning Strumpets, The Alice Charmers played a set at The Sun Inn as part of a tribute night to a local living legend Andy X. Andy`s been playing one man gigs for the past thirty years in and around Teesside, and to say he is a big supporter of other brave chaps who get up on a stage and bare their souls, mainly to indifference, is like saying Ayers Rock is a pebble. It was a bizarre night. We were in the middle of Torrential storms (well torrential for over here anyway, Some of the Overseas Strumpets would probably have been out in deckchairs) and the beginning of Euro 2012. The room filled up nicely, although mainly down one side, which was a bonus because me camera was on the other side of the room. Other acts on that night included Jimmy Howes, singing a couple of songs, one of which was about choosing to live on a deserted island alone, before discovering "I`m a celebrity" is being filmed there....so he sets his gorillas and spiders onto them. Andy Landscape who sang a song about his enjoyment of picking cans up from the street and collecting them. He came armed with props, a bag full of cans which he triumphantly kicked into the "audience" at the end of his performance. Carl Eaton who is a writer of melodic beautiful songs regarding matters of love and loss, and finished off with a song about Gravy and the effect it has on the end result of enjoying oneself in a one handed way (ahem). and Steve McCormick, who it turns out is my wifes optician in his day job. Andy did a couple of his songs, The Boiler song, The York song, Gordon the Goldfish (my favourite) and then it was up to us to play. Apologies for the length of the vid, i can`t seem to cut it down, and it misses Great north Strum and Longlands from the end. It`s out there for you`s to see though. Please feel free to leave a comment. It`s really brilliant playing with your mates. All that and the best pint of Bass in the Country. Till the next one, learn something new, Mark.

Ragamuffin Blues

Afternoon Strumpets,

Here`s something I was messing about on the banjo with, but felt it`s true home was on the guitar.  Really enjoyable to play, and hopefully as much fun to listen to.  Please let me know.

listen to ‘Ragamuffin blues’ on Audioboo

Till the next one learn something new.

Mark.

Hide and Seek.

Morning Strumpets, I`ve been given the pleasure of having a week off with the kids, whilst Louise has been at work. We`ve spent most of the week having adventures in a strange land called the "North east English Summer". But today,as is the norm, it was Grey and drizzly. Grace has been writing a little short film, like she used to, and she myself and Hal spent most of the morning rehearsing what she had written. This afternoon we filmed it. Harry does all of his own stunts, and there`s even a bit of Pixar in there......honest (ahem, walks away looking to the sky whistling a well known tune in the American South". keep watching after the end "Credits" There`s a Blooper reel! So Ladies and Gentlemen, here as a GNS exclusive is "D-Kids on the Peril of Hide and Seek. Featuring Pixar) Till the next one learn something new, Mark.

To Heaven and back again

Evening Strumpets, I`ve kind of found a tune, but getting it out into the open can sometimes be a bit tricky. it wouldn`t be the first time I`ve written something which is too difficult for me to play. Great north Strum being a prime example. This is where, if you`re made of the stuff of insanity which is brollied beneath the generic term "creative", you drive your partners/families/friends nuttier than squirrel faeces. Because you will not stop until you find it properly. And you repeat the same fricken thing over and over and over and over till it makes Pye look like a lightweight. I`ve done this too many times and left the instrument only to have completely forgotten what i`d been playing, the day after. So I`ve recorded me doing the aforementioned psychotic tendency to give you an idea what it must be like to be a "non Mark" Davies at these times. They truly are so patient with me. This may lead to something it may not. The words " Take me to Heaven and back again, Take me, I know there`ll be reckoning, Take me to heaven and back again, I know that it`s beckoning. so please come by and..repeat" stuck to it. I actually like it. There might even be an E Flat in there which is the banjo equivalent of a fart in a frogsuit, but what the hey. At least i won`t forget it.

listen to ‘to heaven and back again’ on Audioboo

Till the next one, learn something new, Mark.

Tramp the Dirt Down

I was lucky enough to get to se elvis Costello and The impostors last Saturday, in my old hometown of Nottingham. Nottingham has changed so much since i was last there, nearly twenty years ago, but Mr Costello`s talent hasn`t changed one little bit. He announced this song by saying that he wished he`d never have to sing it again. Till the next one, Learn sonething new, Mark.

Billingham Synthonia.

Evening Strumpets,

Well it`s been quite a crazy week. The Charmers were lucky enough to be asked to play the inaugral "Branded" show for BCT events in Billingham. BCT is a community company who look to support all things recreational.Profits going directly back into Billingham and the Surrounding Area. I have to admit i didn`t have a clue what to expect, so i was incredibly impressed when I turned up and found a proper elevated professional stage.

We were greeted by Michael and Paul, who are a couple of fellas who i`ve worked with on a couple of other occasions. These chaps are two of the nicest and hardest working people you could ever wish to meet. They really do love their music and their community. Bob the sound guy just told us to get on the stage and play what we were going to be doing, and he`d do the rest. Which he did with a professionalism I`ve not yet encountered. This was by a mile the best sound The Charmers have ever had. The monitors were absolutely perfect which meant that we could hear what we were doing. Fantastic.

We started of as usual with Andy`s "Apple Scrumpy" which always gets the night off to a good start. We were doing a couple of new songs, well new for our set anyway. Big River by Johnny Cash, and John Henry by just about everybody else. They both had Andy singing lead. He`d admitted being nervous prior to doing it, as it was the first time he`d sang solo in front of a crowd. He absolutely nailed it. Just brilliant.

We finished the set and witnessed a Charmers first. An encore!!!!!!! Unfortunately, we didn`t have an encore ready, so we did Cripple Creek again. There was much hilarity and mickeytaking of yours truly, prior to the gig as we`d been billed as "The Alice Charmers...Featuring Mark Davies". Nothing to do with me, but try telling them that. If it was up to me we`d be called "Mark Davies`s Alice Charmers"! Honestly though, that night was the best we have played, and we enjoyed it so much it reminds you of why you want to get up in the first place and basically be ripe for being shot down. We`re a good group of mates, who have been given this chance to experience playing, mostly, our songs for lovely people. It doesn`t get much better than that. Till the next one, learn something new, Mark.

Back in Blog.

Evening Strumpets, Well, it`s been quite a while hasn`t it. I`ve been really rather busy with a few personal things to post anything recently, and when I have attempted to do some stuff, my rubbish Lap Top crashes. Good news is that in a couple of weeks time I`ll be buying a new PC. So thanks for waiting and welcome back.  Here`s a load of stuff that the Charmers have been up to over the past month or so. Here`s a couple of vids featuring Harry and Grace from my tribe, and Tommy from Andy`s. And here`s a rough first version of Whiskey in the Jar. We`ve been booked to play at Ripon Museum on June 4th, as part of the HeArt Festival. It`s going to be acoustic, and has to feature standard folk stuff from yonder years. So we`re learning loads of new things, and a rare outing on mandolin for me! I`ve also been fortunate to be able to write a regular column for a brilliant website http://www.exne.co.uk/ . I`m there if you click on the "Strum Und Drang" Icon.  It`s a bit more adult content, so be careful if easily offended. There`s also an interview with The Broken Broadcast on there as well. Hope you like the vids and column,and they`ve rewhetted your appetite for all things Strum. Till the next one, learn something new. Mark.

The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat. The Broken Broadcast Remix.

Evening Strumpets,

Have a look at this, I honestly can`t think of anything to write about how good it is!



We have a Single available (Good Afternoon Mr Moon)on Itunes i think http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/mr-moon-single/id516296258 , if anyone`s interested, but if all else fails try , we`re supporting Mark Morris at the "Stockton Calling" Stockton Weekender Festival this weekend at The Vault. http://www.stocktoncalling.co.uk/tvlineup.html

Come along, It should be a belter!

Till the next one, learn something new,

Mark.

In Memoriam.

Evening Strumpets,

Earl Scruggs passed off into the great beyond earlier this week, which coincided with the passing of another genuine lovely talented man (more details when appropriate for this amazing fella). So here`s something I went out into the back garden, worked out properly, and for those who know, played to the night skies.




Thinking of you Charming chaps,

till the next one,

(just like him), learn something new,

Mark.

Big River

Evening Strumpets,

The Charmers have been having a crack at the Johnny Cash belter "Big River". Carl and his Dad have stated that I resemble Mr Paul McCartney on the bass, not the playing, but the (frankly) appalling dancing. Whatchyagonnadoo!



Now if we could only figure out how to finish the bloody thing!

Till the next one, learn something new,

Mark.

Doc Browns Part 3, The Road, the Creek and the Longlands.

Afternoon strumpets,

here`s the third and final video from last weeks gig at Doc Browns,

Hope you like, please let me know what you think,



Till the next one,learn something new,

Mark.

Alice Charming with a cowbell!

Evening Strumpets,

Here`s a further vid from our adventure at Doc Browns the other night. The Sound fella realises i`m taping, and you can see more of the Charmers as a result, and we add cowbell into the mix for the first time! MORE COWBELL BABY!!!



Hope you like, please leave comments, it really means a lot!

Till the next one, learn something new,

Mark.

Good Afternoon Mr Moon: The Broken Broadcast.

Evening Strumpets,

Here`s a chance to see the video for The Broken Broadcasts forthcoming Single. Available to buy 2nd April. Unfortunately i wasn`t able to make the shoot, so Alas i`m not one of the masked folks, but I think it`s brilliant. Directed, I believe, by Ian Dixon of The Purnells (a band to definitely catch of you get the chance!)



Till the next one, learn something new,

Mark.

Oh what a night!

Evening Strumpets,

We played our second gig proper last night at Doc Browns in Boro, and it was fantastic. The crowd were brilliant, but then they always are there. Dancing, singalongs, and just sheer joy was had by all. Well the first two definitely happened. Mark said to me at the end "People keep coming over and saying how much they loved our songs, and I`m waiting for them to laugh, but they`re deadly serious" One chap even enquired whether we had a CD out! Just a great night, and made even better by knowing that you`re playing next to and with your mates! here`s our view of the night.

I`m so chuffed to say that not only did the Bloggie camera I bought last year, and which I have to say has let me down on so many occasions, worked a treat. unfortunately, I managed to place it directly behind the "Sound" fella. Don`t worry, he realises and it gets better later. But to get the songs we`ve written out there and get people dancing, and for a couple of minutes enjoying themselves, well, to quote Eric Morecambe, "That`s smashing". here`s the first two songs, Apple Scrumpy and By the Fire. More to come over the next couple of days.

The ol` Joanna.

Evening Strumpets,

I`ve done a rare recording of me playing the piano in our house. i thought the song "walk with me" would sound nice on it. Not sure about the "Bohemian Rhapsody" rip off in the middle eight, don`t know where that came from, it just happens sometimes.



Let me know what you think.

Till the next one learn something new,

Mark.

Walk with me and Patchwork

Afternoon Strumpets,

Here`s a couple of rough and ready demos of a couple of songs that I wrote this afternoon. Hope you like, please let me know what you think. Ta!



This one hasn`t got words yet. Please feel free to send any in, if you wish



Till the next one learn something new,

Mark.

200.

Evening Strumpets,

So here it is, The Great North Strum`s 200th Post. Well let me personalise it a bit more for you, it`s Mark Davies`s 200th post. Me. Mine.

I`ve been looking for a grand gesture for the 200th, and many suggestions have been made, most of which are inspired and will without a doubt make up the next fifty to a hundred posts, including an absolute bona fide interview with a personal legend of mine. For those intrigued, he`s probably the finest Radio 1 DJ that John Peel and John Walters shared an office with.

However, This Blog would not have ever appeared if I hadn`t run the daft idea of completing the Great North Run whilst playing a banjo, past Louise. And when I asked my beautiful wife what she thought I should do, she just said "well thank the Strumpets who have supported you over the past few years."

So in no particular order,

Andy Dalton; By a massive fluke you decided to learn to play the banjo about a year before I did. You then set up the amazing Northern Banjo Boy Site http://www.northernbanjoboy.com/and have been a source of inspiration, amazement, and let it be said, non provider of drum brushes ever since. You came up with the name of my blog and for that I will be eternally grateful. Cheers Andy.

Mark Dent; A brilliant guitarist, but a human metronome on the old drums, who has helped me to "pace it a little" for Christs sake. I am and will be forever, one of Dave`s Pups. If ever I`m getting idea`s above my station, one look from you, and I`m back down on Earth. Thanks Denty.

Mountain Spring California; I have no idea who you are, but you keep on checking the blog! if you could let me know who you are that would be wonderful.

Mr Benjamin Harrison; An amazingly talented fella who has had to put up with a lot of tragic events over the last couple of years. He designed the GNS logo that sits atop the blog. Massive thanks Banjoman.

PeeBee Guttenburg; For confidential reasons, I can`t tell you this fella`s real name, but his support, contribution, talent, and downright PUNK spirit has kept mine an so many else`s blog`s voraciousness tickling the uvula of the Muse from which we profit. (spoiler alert!!!!) Cheers Brian

Carl; My Glitter Twin. The person who made me want to play the guitar, and who has continued to do so for the last thirty years. Blood Brother (literally) and main role model (my family included) for my adult life, I can`t think of a single time we`ve been together, and not been smiling by the end of the reminiscence. You are, and always will be, Dalton. My Dalton.

Stephen; My Brother from another Mother. Mr Didlick, you and your amazing family have never ceased to surprise me in your generosity of spirit along with the support and, ahem, constructive criticism which has been a constant in guiding what I have hoped to achieve with the blog. Plus your knowledge of Springsteen and Andy Kaufmann has always helped. Cheers Dids.

Louise; She`s the absolute love of my life. She make`s it great to be me. What more can I say. I love her more than a football in the Park loves kids.

And finally Mary Lydia.

Mam bought me my first guitar. She encouraged me to go to the perceived mental places (Tom Waits, Lowry, etc), she told me "know the game before you learn the rules"

Most importantly she told me the most important thing about art, and being an artist. It`s the one rule I impart upon Harry and Grace and I implore you to teach your kids, and that rule is.......

Know when to stop!

Till the next one, learn something new.

Mark

An email from a Pal O` mine.

Belated happiness in your New Year strumpets,

It`s been a bit hectic round here lately, and along with various other projects I`ve not had much time to post`s things Strumtastic. I hope you had the Holidays that you deserved, and that all your strummings were ultimately fulfilling.

My really rather wonderful friend Stephen Didlick in Bedfordshire sent me an email regarding the previous post.

" Hello mark, me and Zoey have just been listening to the songs posted on the blog and really impressed with apple scrumptious, pal 'o mine and especially cowboy waltz. could you post the lyrics along with the audio? it might be my hearing, you could be a bit michael stipe-ish or it could simply be the producer."

So for Mr and Mrs Didlick here you go.

Pal O` Mine.

Music and words by myself.

Pal O` Mine, tell me why you`re so lonely?
Pal O` Mine, tell me why you`re so lonely?
wel there`s a feeling hidden deep
it`s there for me to keep
Pal O` Mine, tell me why you`re so lonely?

Pal O` Mine, tell me why there`s a danger?
Pal O` Mine, tell me why there`s a danger?
Well there`s something I can`t say
thats why I feel this way
Pal O` Mine, tell me why there`s a danger?

Pal O` Mine, tell me why you`re frustrated?
Pal O` Mine, tell me why you`re frustrated?
Well it`s all within my hands,
you wouldn`t understand.
Pal O` Mine, tell me why you`re frustrated?



Apple scrumpy.

Music and words by Andrew Dalton.

Sit beneath this apple tree with me sweet Ida Red,
Sit beneath this apple tree with me sweet Lilabet,
Sit beneath this apple tree and drink some apple crush,
Irish Peach, my sweet Maiden's Blush.

Lets make apple scrumpy, Lets make love tonight,
Lets make apple scrumpy, till the morning light,
Lets make apple scrumpy, right here on the ground,
Take a swig, feels alright, take your time it'll last all night.

Sit beneath this apple tree, Annie Elizabeth,
Sit beneath this apple tree ans let me taste your flesh,
Sit beneath this apple tree and curl up on the ground,
Norfolk Beauty, your Sweet Billy Bound.

Sit beneath this apple tree with russet in your hair,
Sit beneath this apple tree until the trees are bare,
Sit beneath this apple tree and hear the autumn call,
making scrumpy while the apples fall.


Cowboy Waltz
Music by Carl Dalton, words by Mark Davies

I`ve had children to various women,
none of them know my name, it`s true.
They`ve other laddies
that they call their Daddies,
You may feel this a shame I`m sure.

Not for me the childhood dream,
that`s for other folks.
Not for me the goodnight kiss,
that to me`s a joke.

I have travelled, the States have unravelled,
Too many things I have seen and done.
They are my ladies
and they are my babies.
They`ve allowed me to have fun.

Have I regretted, when all is considered,
My many splendid faults.
I can say clearly,
I`ve enjoyed it dearly,
This dance was my Cowboy Waltz.

So there you have it. Lyrics to the songs.

i`ve recently been messing about with the banjo in a ragtime/bluesy downstroke (Or as Eric Morecambe might say a "RUMCHUCKKA RUMCHUCKKK") manner. This turned up. i really am rather taken with it.

Very Demo by the way.



Till the next one learn something new,

Mark.