Wednesday, 25 September 2013

I should Coco!


Evening Strumpets,

It is my absolute pleasure to inform you that the Charmers have been given the privilege of supporting Coco and The Butterfields (again) and John and the Ragmen on Oct 4th.  The thing that makes this one extra special is that it is going to be on The Endeavour (well a replica, but in my head it's the real one) in Stockton.  I played it last month with The Broken Broadcast, and it is a truly magical experience.  Tickets are £5 and I have a few so if you want one let me know.

Till the next one, learn something new,

Mark.

Lakes



Evening Strumpets,

Here is a song which is very young in it's existence, it didn't exist half an hour ago, and it will probably not exist in this format for much longer, but I like singing it and playing it like this.



Till the next one, learn something new.

Mark.

Friday, 13 September 2013

Alice Charmer.

Evening Strumpets,

Here's a tune written by our Denty, and it's as good as any damn thing any of the other of us have written.



Till the next one, learn something new, like how to write a song, half as good as this,

Mark.

Thursday, 12 September 2013

Rosedale Run V2.

Evening Strumpets,

Here's another go at Rosedale with percussion.



Till the next one, learn something new,

Mark.

Monday, 9 September 2013

The Road.

Evening Strumpets,

Here's the recording I did not realise was played.  Just heard it again for the first time, and it's not bad.



Till the next one, learn something new,

Mark

should check my inbox a bit more!

Afternoon Strumpets,

Just found out that a tune (The Road) I sent off to BBC Introducing several years ago was played on Bob Fischer 's show. Unfortunately it was on 22nd July 2011. DOH!!!!!

Head to bbc.co.uk/introducing, upload your music and you could have your tracks broadcast on BBC Radio

Till the next one, learn something new like I just have!

Mark.

Wednesday, 4 September 2013

Never known where.

Evening Strumpets,

Two of the Charmers, Carl and myself had the pleasure of playing at a friends charity do last weekend. Unfortunately we took to the stage as the pie and peas were being dished out and there was not a lot of interest from the punters for our unique style of buffoonery.  As we were playing, proving that a two legged dog is still a dog but not a very good one, especially if it needs a pee, the crowd were paying as much attention to us as a blind deaf Tibetan Monk would to a Madhur Jaffrey TV show. This led to me altering the lyrics to our songs (i.e "We won't stay long" became "hope you choke on your pie and peas" and so forth.)

As Carl remarked "Never has so little been listened to by so many by so few".

I haven't enjoyed playing as much in ages, it was genuine hoot, and the night made over a thousand quid for charidee which was the NSPCC.

Here's a video from our practice round here last week.  It's one of my songs, and it took the longest time to get into a groove, but we're getting there, and this might be a future pub pleaser.




I`ve long been a sinner, of this i`m not proud
Most days pass me by, like i`m in a blur
I`ve drank and I`ve stolen, been up and been down,
i`ve lived but I`ve never known where

The laughs and the fires, I store with me now
As i`m looking back, i feel a slight tear
the fights and the heartaches no longer mean much
I`ve lived but I`ve never known where

My memories cleanse me, like water on skin
My conscience is never in doubt
and if there's a heaven I`ll stand at the gate
and I`ll dare them to try and keep me out

I`ve danced with the sinners and I`ve dined with the priests
I`ve sung with the angels, and laughed with the beasts 
I`ve seen Men lay starving, and I`ve thrown away feasts
I`ve lived but I`ve never known where.

Till the next one, learn something new.

Mark.

Friday, 30 August 2013

Rosedale Run.

Evening Strumpets,

here's a new Charmers ditty to light up your weekend!



Till the next one learn something new,

Mark.

Saturday, 17 August 2013

EXNE post 8, my favourite so far.


Back to Reality.

Friday, 9 August 2013

EXNE post 7.

Evening Strumpets,

As is the normality these days, here's a post I wrote about a year ago.



It was whilst I was sat in my office on Mid-summers day watching the hail fall from the sky bouncing six inches off the ground eviscerating the kindly old age pensioners through their plastic headscarves, that I thought, is this as good as it gets to be British? The middle of our Summer, a time when tradition dictates we get the Sprouts on for Christmas dinner; sat in an office with the heating on. My Mother was born in Blackpool, and they have a phrase there, “The tides not coming in, it`s coming down” which pattern matching back to many a childhood holiday walking along the Golden Mile in my Lord Anthony cagoule, the drizzle and fret making it nigh on impossible to make out the gaudy and deliberate neon signs promising untold wealth and a night`s entertainment with Les Dawson, is bang on the money for that Lancashire haven of Hen and Stag Do`s.
The group of drink driving, (alleged) racists, shooters of apprentices, and general nasty pieces of work which we choose to call the England Football Team, were about to be knocked out again of a major Tournament, without even trying. Apparently they play too much throughout the year, and need a break in the winter. Yeah, I can imagine two games of football a week, must wear you right down. I`ll remember that as I`m completing my thirteenth hour of a 27 hour “sleepover” shift
Separate to our footballing role models, the two boxing thugs who in a public press conference had been involved in an assault involving a beer bottle, and a threat that one would “fucking shoot” the other were about to be handsomely rewarded for a “grudge” boxing match, which the public lapped up like thirsty dogs licking piss from a portaloo floor.
Let`s get one thing straight. These over indulged, pampered, downright lucky (if I`m being absolutely honest), sports personalities do not earn their wages. Nurses, labourers, teachers, bin men (or whatever they`re called these days) etc, earn their wages. These loudmouth meatheads are given a lot of money. At best they make their wages.
Sorry if I’m sounding a little more grumpy this month than normal, it`s just that I`m going on holiday tomorrow (and any burglars out there, I’ll be back by the time this is published, so you`ve missed the chance of pilfering at my address). Yeah I know I can hear that dripping sound as your heart is bleeding. But here`s the thing. I have to go on an aeroplane. I don`t like that. I don`t like that one little bit. The aeroplane, to me makes no sense. You can`t lift one up with your little finger, so how can they stay up in the air. To be honest, and I try to be, I really do, the flying bit is not too bad, it`s the taking off and the landing that fills me with a dread the colour of dishwater after a squid risotto. I have to put a brave face on as the kids love it, and like Alsatian dogs in the Seventies can smell fear from a distance of sixteen feet, but inside I`m quivering like Shaking Stevens on a rollercoaster watching insidious after forgetting to take his anti-cholinergic tablets.
Occasionally I`ll order some food, and it never fails to surprise me when people complain about airline food. You`re in an aluminium tube five miles in the sky travelling at twelve Gillian, Lillian miles an hour (that`s how fast these things go, I swear, they leave numbers and head for girls names), and your complaining about your mash. I once mentioned this to a chap who was sat next to me, and he said, “yeah, but the mash is lumpy”. Not as lumpy as my farts, I thought.
That`s your lot for now, I`m off to buy a cardigan for the remaining “Summer” months.
Till the next one, learn something new,

GNS.