"Songs
without words" |
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Credits: |
Top picture Tennyson's home at Farringford CD launch (Pete Turner); Bottom pic and pictures of the band from Bush Hall gig Shepherds Bush London, May 12th, 2004 (copyright of Morgan Faulkner) |
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Links:
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Listen in at Ragamuffin Radio
Paul Armfield & Four Good Reasons |
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Good Reasons will be live on the main acoustic stage at Glastonbury Festival 2004 on Friday, June 25th check the Glastonbury Festival Website for details |
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Cast List |
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Paul Armfield: Vocals, double bass and guitar. "I'd played in band with Adam when he was just starting on guitar, by the time we came to collaborate he was touring the world as Joan Baez's accompanyist, whenever he had time off we'd sit down together and write and record our songs. Outside of a couple of gigs supporting the likes of Kate Rusby and Stacey Earle we had no ambitions for this project other than to get together when we could just to make music. It was these early demos that caught the attention of new label 'A Town Full of Fonzies' Paul Armfield
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Jake Rodriques: Ukelele, accordian, banjo, harmonica, vocals. Dapper multi-instrumentalist with his own unique solo shows and albums. Jake and JC immersed themselves in Hawaiin and Hula music for many moons. They were sidemen to Midge Ure on tours of England, Europe and Russia. Jake taught the dying George Harrison how to play the ukelele. A dry wit and a fine musician.
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JC Grimshaw: guitar, dobro, mandolin and vocals. Grew up on the Isle of Wight and quickly absorbed country blues, folk, jazz, hula and developed his own personal brand of thrash skiffle in bands like the Chuff Train Stompers and the Dance Preachers alongside his sister Angelina. Three solo CDs and a wealth of experience in blues and folk festivals and gigs all over UK, Europe, America and Japan.
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Trevor Smith: Drums and Percussion.
"I found myself playing bass in an awful holiday camp band, the only thing that kept me sane was the drummer Trevor. Only sixteen at the time he was already pretty incredible, but after three years studying classical percussion he was unsurpassed, and has remained so in my opinion. Trevor's CV is testament to his versatility (Miracle Mile, Nick Hayward, Rockingbirds, Mark King) The most sensitive, intelligent, musical and accomplished drummer I've had the pleasure to work with." Paul Armfield
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Barkley McKay: Hammond Organ, Keyboards and Guitar. Played with JC in the Chuff Train Stompers and was in Pete Hogman's Island blues bands. Pete was sideman to Sonny Boy Williamson, John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry on UK tours before settling on the Island enriching its music scene alongside Dick Taylor,original Rolling Stone and Pretty Things guitarist. Barkley tours with the Pretty Things and also
is working with Jon Langford's Chicago based projects
that includes the Waco Brothers. Diamond player.
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Adam Kirk: guitars and
recordings. Adam Kirk stepped out on the acoustic stage at Glastonbury
with Tanita Takarim. He's toured as guitarist with Sinead Lohan and a
lengthy spell with Joan Baez. Between tours he collaborated with Paul
Armfield and performed in Island concert halls and on the mainland. He
once said "A gig is a gig and you play your heart out whether its
in an Island pub or Carnegie Hall." He's played both with all his
heart.
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| Playlist | |
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The
programme is introduced by Walter Otter aka Ragamuffin Mike with
soundtrack of Devil On Your Back (Songs Without Words)
"Is it a blessing or a burden let your conscience be your guide there's a devil on your back but an angel by your side" (Devil On Your Back, Songs Without Words) |
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"I fell
asleep surrounded by words, my pillow bursting
with birds, when I awoke they had all taken
flight like so many dreams that turn in the
night, they were lost to the light. I knew a man
with a devlish laugh like rolling stock on a
railroad track, that hacking cough was the
cancer's bite, like so many flames that burn too
bright he was lost to the light. "
(Lost to the Light, Songs Without Words) |
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Paul
Armfield introduces Adam Kirk and speaks of their song collaborations
between Adam's tours as Joan Baez's guitarist. Then they sing the
sparkling Unfound God . . .
(Unfound God, live from Medina Theatre Isle of Wight, filmed / recorded by John Rhodes) |
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Paul talks about
Jacques Brel (left) and his songs (live at Medina
Theatre, Isle of Wight, filmed and recorded by John Rhodes)
Then straight into Paul's version of a rare Jacques Brel song How Can
It Be That A Man Gets Bored which has a rightful place alongside
covers by David Bowie, Scott Walker and Nina Simone on the Brel tribute
album Next.
(Songs Without Words and also Brel Tribute album Next) |
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"Welsh? Welch? We
sound like muddy boots . . . this is Annabelle . . .". Paul
Armfield and Adam Kirk perform Gillian Welch's Annabelle
(Annabelle live from Medina Theatre, Isle of Wight, filmed / recorded by John Rhodes) |
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Paul Armfield and Adam
Kirk performing a magical version of A Little Something. When Barclay's
Hammond blew the power on the last number at
Bush Hall, the band went acoustic and Paul led
them around the tables singing this awescome
song. He ended up at his wife's table. There
wasn't a dry eye in the house.
(An unreleased demo that was the source of Songs Without Words) |
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"You turn me fifty five degrees from that angle I can plainly see all my crimes and mysogony, Trigonometry . . ."
How Trigonometry became to written (live from Medina Theatre, Isle of Wight, filmed / recorded by John Rhodes) then straight into Trigonometry (Trigonometry, Songs Without Words)
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"This is a song I wrote this year Vapour Trails. . .As JC Grimshaw says
another one drawn up from the well of self righteousness"
(live from Medina Theatre, Isle of Wight,
filmed / recorded by John Rhodes) seques into
Vapour Trails (Vapour
Trails, Songs Without Words) written for the dirty old river that
runs from the middle of the diamond Isle of Wight to the sea.
" I want to take you down to the river and follow the source to the mouth, we'll steal a boat and follow the vapour trails south." |
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We end this Ragamuffin special
with the credits playing out to Song Without Words.
(Song Without Words, Songs Without Words) |
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Paul, Jake, JC, Trevor and Barkley have a
grand time at Glastonbury 2004 "Go get 'em Gladiators . . ."
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The amazing Bush Hall gig, Shepherd's Bush, London. |
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