Tag: liverpool

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Mark Pountney Grateful Freds at the Atkinson, Supporting Alice Wallace

Mark Pountney discusses the Grateful Fred night 2 October 2019, supporting Alice Wallace:

I recently performed at one of my favourite venues, the Atkinson Theatre in Southport. It was a Grateful Fred’s night, and these nights, in particular, have a long history of bringing quality artists over from the States to perform, supported by local artists. I was supporting Alice Wallace.

Mark Pountney performing at the Atkinson
Mark Performing at the Atkinson Theatre Photo by Matt Todd

I performed a mix of material from (Mark Pountney albums) Mark I, Mark II, Mark III and Live at home. It’s always a pleasure to perform in front of an attentive audience, and the crowd at the Atkinson is certainly that. I started off the set playing alone and was joined, for the second half of the set, by Paul Dance on bass guitar. The songs I performed included Footprints in the Sand, Sorrow Killers, Diamond of My Mind and Don’t let me go.

Mark Pountney and Paul Dance performing at the Atkinson
Mark Pountney and Paul Dance performing at the Atkinson

Headliner

Topping the bill was Alice Wallace, a California born Singer-Songwriter, who was about to embark on a UK tour. This was the first date of the tour. She was backed by two excellent musicians, Joe Coombs electric guitar and Scott Warman on upright bass. Together they played a fantastic set of original songs and some covers. Alice has certainly mastered the art of yodeling and had found a way of integrating the technique into her material.  I particularly enjoyed a song called the Same Old Song.

A local trio, The Hard Way Home, kicked off the night, super tight harmonies and strong original material.

Thanks to Paul Dance for bass, the staff at the Atkinson for light / sound and hospitality, Colin Maddocks for the invitation and support. Also, wishing Alice and the guys the best of luck with the rest of the tour.

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Pedal Steel Sessions with The Sums and Shadow Captain.

Pedal Steel
Pedal Steel

Earlier this year I was asked play some pedal steel guitar on a couple of recording sessions.  The first session I played on was for Shadow Captain, (aka Stuart Todd). The songs were Goodbye and Clandestine Lover. I played drums on that on too. That’s due for release late 2019/ early 2020. Andy Fernihough, who is well known as a musician and as the studio manager at Crash Rehearsal Rooms, has been working on those recordings. So when the Sums, formerly known as Smaller were looking for some different sound, Andy suggested that I could do some steel on their new album, Better. I played on two tracks, Contraception Is Rife and Salt of the Earth. I first saw, lead singer, Digsy perform with Smaller at the Liverpool Lomax, supporting Oasis. Later I played on the same lineup a few times in venues like the Picket, when I was in the Marbles.

I bought the steel from a friend in about 2006, some of it was hand made but it has a Ronnie Bennett pickup on it. It’s hard work to play the mechanisms are very stiff, but I’ve persevered and managed to get some good things out of it. I need to practice more. Some of my favorite steel players are Buddy Emmons, Buddy Cage (New Riders), Jerry Hogan (Heads Hands and Feet), JayDee Maness (Sweetheart of the Rodeo), Red Rhodes (Mike Nesmith), Weldon Myrick (Areacode 615) and of course Jerry Garcia,

I have a some more sessions planned.

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Music at Liverpool Cathedrals Liverpool Hope University The Big Hope 2

Recently I got the chance to perform at both of Liverpool’s fantastic Cathedrals. I was invited to take part in Liverpool Hope University‘s The Big Hope 2.

Performing in Metropolitan Cathedral Liverpool Photo by Hope University

On 13th of June I performed a version of John Lennon’s Imagine at the Anglican Cathedral. It wasn’t until a few moments after I arrived that I learned that I would be performing it as part of an address by Father Michael Lapsley, a South African Anglican priest and social justice activist. Below is a video from that event. The reverb of the Anglican Cathedral was amazing.

On 19th June I returned to sing at the Metropolitan Cathedral to sing You’ll Never Walk Alone. I was originally asked to sing Cohen‘s Hallelujah but some of the lyrical content was brought into question. Below is a video from that ceremony. I fluffed a few words, but I was quite nervous.

It was an honor to be involved in the event and am very pleased to have been given the opportunity to sing solo in both of Liverpool’s amazing Cathedrals.

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Jimmy Campbell Michelangelo (cover)

This version of  Michelangelo by Jimmy Campbell was recorded for submission to BBC Radio Merseyside to celebrate their 50th Birthday. Billy Butler, a former Cavern DJ who has been with the station for over four decades, invited members of the music community to submit covers of songs released in 1967.

Jimmy Campbell tribute – 50 years since the release of Michelangelo.

 

Young Jimmy Campbell
Jimmy Campbell

In his lifetime, Jimmy Campbell received very little recognition, despite being an excellent songwriter. Born in Liverpool, he was a member of the Merseybeat group the Kirbys. Apparently, they adopted this name following a mix-up by the Cavern Club Compare, Bob Wooler, who announced the area that they originated from instead of the band name, which was the Panthers (previously the Tuxedos). After becoming professional The Kirbys recorded for RCA under the management of Brian Epstein’s former secretary Beryl Adams. His songs were recorded by his contemporaries; the Escorts, the Merseys and the Swinging Blue Jeans.

 

Moving with the times and steering toward a more psychedelic flavoured sound the band changed their name to the 23rd Turn Off (an exit off the M6). The group’s first single was Michelangelo and was released on Decca’s Deram label in 1967. Very few of the Merseybeat artists, such as the Beatles, were able to successfully make the artistic transition from exciting beat music to credible psychedelia, but Jimmy did. There is a collection of tracks from this period called The Dream of Michelangelo it features recording by the Kirbys and some 23rd Turn Off demos.

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He went on the record three albums as a solo artist for the Fontana label: Son of Anastasia (1969), Half-Baked (1970) and The Jimmy Campbell Album (1972). During this time he also worked with Billy Kinsley, of the Merseybeats, and recorded an album called Yes it is (1971) as Rockin’ Horse.

The Liverpool-based label, Viper, which is run by Mike Badger and Paul Hemmings, both formerly of the La’s, have also released a couple of albums containing a collection of Live and unreleased material: Jimmy Campbell ‘Troubadour’ Lost Recordings and Jimmy Campbell ‘Live 1977’.

Rockin' Horse band
Rockin’ Horse: Billy Kinsley – Bass Guitar, Vocals; Jimmy Campbell – Guitar, Vocals; Stan Gorman – Drums; Bobby Falloon – Lead guitar; Mike Snow – Organ, Piano Source : Liverpool Echo

I’m not going to say too much about Jimmy’s music here as it is something I’d like to write more about in future.

In this recording I played the guitar and vocals live, that’s how I came to get the lyrics muddled in the last verse. I later doubled the vocal and added a shaker, tambo and a cymbal. The vocals were recorded using an Audio Technica AT4033 and the classical guitar was miked with a Rode NT3.

For more information about Jimmy Campbell check out.
http://www.triumphpc.com/mersey-beat/a-z/jcampbell.shtml

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/jimmy-campbell-436273.html