Mister Panties rides again!

I haven’t mentioned what I do for a living here very much – if at all.

I’m primarily a guitar teacher, but I do get some of my income from playing. I’m with two bands – an electric quartet called the Cock & Bull Band and an acoustic trio with two of the guys from C&B called Monsieur Pantin. What we play could well be described as mostly self-penned roots music and we play folk festivals, concerts and ceilidhs.

Monsieur Pantin – CD available here – had a rare local gig last night at the Navigation pub in Cosgrove. Nice place – chav-free, no TV, no juke box, friendly clientele, welcoming landlord and good beer.

What a pub should be in fact.

We had a great time – lots of enthusiastic listeners, 4 new tunes unveiled, very energetic playing, lots of successful team improv and a booking enquiry.

My mate Chris Allin kindly provided the PA and also an ‘extra’ in the form of a John Martyn song – ‘May You Never’ – by way of a tribute.

Here’s Chris performing it:

All in all a very enjoyable evening that’s left me feeling very ‘up’. The trio definitely has something about it – a drive and a cohesion that makes the whole sound very much greater than the sum of its parts. We’re thinking about making a second CD, so watch this space, as they say…

RIP John Martyn

Sad news indeed.

Rather than say it all over again I’ll just cut and paste what I wrote on a newsgroup:

>So far ahead of it’s time it’s ridiculous, and downright beautiful too.

Yeah, this is my favourite JM period – the mid and late 70s.

I went and saw him a few times and it has to be said he was a tad
patchy even then.

He was obviously well into his long relationship with drugs and booze
by then and that’s what ultimately did for him – both in terms of his
health and his artistic output.

Apart from the obvious regrets at the passing of such a genius
guitarist, writer and performer, my chief one is that he died much too
young and yet so long after his prime, which makes it extra sad.