Black Sheep

Evening Strumpets, 

here's a vid of a song I have written which I have since added slide guitar and harmonica to.  Not sure whether anything will become of it, but hey ho,

You want the wool, you got to find the black sheep

You want the wool, you got to herd the black sheep

You want the wool, you got to shear the black sheep

You want the wool you got to get the black sheep.

You got sawdust in your mouth

your shoulders are in pain

You push it all from your head

but it just comes round again

You've dirt under your nails

and oil under your skin

you spend your long days working

cos you know you're born from sin

There's people in their pulpits

and there'e people in their fields

there's people in confession

and there's people on their knees

You know theres types of praying

but you aren't doing neither

just because you talk to heaven

it don't make you a believer

The black sheep they all know it

cos they all do it too

the black sheep they don't fear it

they don't need the gospel truth.

Till the next one, learn something new,

Mark.

Happy Fathers Day! As if?

Evening Strumpets,

My good friend and fellow charmer, Mr Andy Dalton has gone into my Blog spot, and assured me that the glitches that had previously ruined the flow of my, ahem, writing, has been fixed.  So here is a story that should hopefully make you smile on the day we assign the pride of being a Father in the United Kingdom.

I have started jogging again, well I say jogging but it’s more a case of walking and jogging over a 4Km route.  The other night, Friday it was, I was out jogging when I went past a wonderfully coloured card on the pavement outside a local Primary school.  It was addressed to Asif, and contained on the cover a brilliantly designed tie.   I carried on jogging, and then a momentary lapse of being Knackered grabbed me.  How much effort had this kid put into this card, and how much would they be gutted when they realised that they had lost it.  Then I thought, how would the Dad feel?  I went back and picked it up, within it’s gatefold was a detailed letter from a young girl describing just what a brilliant Daddy Asif was.  I loved the details in the drawings, and the way the kid described the joy of having Asif as a Dad, so I picked it up and brought it home.

I posted photos of the card on my Facebook page, and asked if anybody knew how I could get the card to the Father? Overwhelmed?  Is the Grand Canyon a ditch?  I got the name and year group and school of the kid, but alas no address.  I went to bed and posted a reminder.

I woke up this morning and had a person reply to a post stating they knew the family.  Fantastic, I sent the person my personal mobile number, and thought “we can do this.”  They still haven’t replied.  I took my daughter to her football practice on the field, which adjoins the school, and went around every one of the kids playing asking if they knew the kid, and more importantly their address.  Loads knew the kid; none of them knew her address.

I came home, and alongside all of the wonderful compliments on Facebook unfortunately there was no further ideas for the address of Asif.  I realised then that I would have to reconcile myself with the knowledge that Asif would get the card on Monday, as I would take the card into the school that morning on my way into work.

I went off to Asda to buy our wine for the evening and whilst in aisle 22 I received a telephone call from a lad who now lives in Rotherham telling me he had contacted his Mother who still lives in Boro, and had asked her if she could help.  It just so happened that an Asian party was going on next door to her and she, God or Allah Bless her went next door and asked if anyone knew of the family.  It turns out that a lady did, and not only could name all the family members on the cards, but HAD AN ADDRESS AND WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THE CARD THERE TONIGHT!!!!!  Chris passed on this ladies address.

I went round, and there was nobody home.

I went next door and holding a homemade card in my hand rang the doorbell.  It was answered by a lad who initially looked at me like I was a white guy in a pair of shorts, with a dodgy beard, who looked like Jack Black, and had a handmade card in his hand.  But again whichever deity takes your fancy, he allowed me to explain and said that next-door were out at a party and he would wait until they came back and let them know.

I gave him my contact number and asked him to call me when anything had happened.  I then drove home and had Marksy’s Paella, with their boiled potatoes and lots of wine.  We watched The Voice, and joy of joys at nine o clock the lad called me to tell me Asif will be waking up tomorrow with his fathers day card on a tray brought up by his daughter.

This is what we are capable of.

Till the next one, learn something new.

Mark

Story of a Dreamer.

Afternoon Strumpets, I've finally found out that it wasn't my computer that was cattle trucked, it is in fact the blogsite. There's something obviously in the settings, which I can't for the life of me find, which does not allow for paragraphs, so it reads like a constant stream. If anyone has an idea on how to fix this then please let me know. I have been sent a CD by the chaps at Nouvelle Musique by one of their bands, James Auger and the Natives, and asked to write a review. The CD is called "Story of a Dreamer" and is a collection of songs written by James and Robert Auger (I'm guessing they are related.) Opening track "Intro" is an interesting instrumental piece, with a chant reverberating throughout which sets the tone nicely for what follows. "Look up at the sky" has a melody which you are sure must have been lifted from something else, as it immediately feels both familiar and fresh. It hasn't, at least as far as I know. At one stage it reprises the chant from "Intro", which I was again sure I had heard before. It was only on second listening that I realised that I had. This is a similar story throughout the Album. The more upbeat "Looking for a home but I'm coming up short" is a nice change in tempo, and allows a little commentary at the end, which had the added bonus of convincing me I was experiencing some form of psychosis. Stand out track "The days fade quicker than you think" has a vocal and violin arrangement which would make the hardest diamond soften to putty. And it's here that I have my gripe about the CD. It's the packaging. No information regarding any of the musicians involved, and handwritten titles, which although aesthetically pleasing, realistically had me convinced that one of the tracks was called "Smugster's Hymen"! It's actually called "Smugster's Hymn", which explains a lot. "Driving home" is as anthemic as this collection gets with the best chorus on any of the songs. It passes the old grey whistle test, or rather the middle aged really dark brown with flecks of white whistle test "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" I have to admit left me a bit cold upon the first couple of hearings, but it's a grower and is now officially on my jogging playlist. Once you've heard it you will be able to guess the pace I jog at. "Story of a Dreamer, part 1" is the most rounded musically and the longest song on the album. It even has a lovely little bit of banjo throughout. I'd love to tell you who is responsible for the plucking but alas, oh well I've already had that whinge. It has a coda which I absolutely love, and still am not tired of hearing. "The Devils Daughter" is reminiscent of mid sixties Kinks with it's electric guitar, and has one of the best vocals I've heard in a while. Final track "Sinner in rapture" is a plea to be returned home, and leaves you feeling upbeat and content having enjoyed the journey with James and whoever else is in the band (Yeah I know) following a lovely choral outro. I would highly recommend this CD to any of you Strumpets. Melodies, rhythms and lyrics which would sit in any music lovers collection with the comfort of a blanket bought on the day you were born. You can get it here https://www.facebook.com/jamesandthenatives/info, and upon looking at the page I have been given the JOY of gaining a list of the band!!!! James Robert Francis Auger - Main Vox / Guitars / Organ / Harmonica Ian Dixon - Bass / Backing Vox / Percussion Jordan Swain - Drums / Percussion / Harmonica / Backing Vox Mina-Kate Jackson - Strings / Violin Justin Shirran - Guitars / EFX / Backing Vox No news about the banjo player. Bloody typical. Till the next one, learn something new, Mark.