By Andy Fawthrop

 

Well, yet again, we managed to put the lie to the ridiculous claim that “nothing ever happens in Devizes”. Last Saturday in the Corn Exchange, something very definitely happened. And there was a packed, sell-out crowd to witness it.

Rick Wakeman’s impromptu, and occasional, band KGB (standing for “Keyboards, Guitar & Bass” we were informed) hit the stage, and what a great show it was. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to get, but I wasn’t going to miss this chance to see a veritable rock legend playing live in our town. In the event there was no vast array of keyboards and electronica, no space-age stage clothes, no dry-ice machines, no flashy stage set. Instead the show was stripped down to its simple basics: stage left was Rick and his beautiful Bechstein piano, and stage right were Dave Colquhoun (guitar) and Matt Pegg (bass). Just a clear and uncluttered stage, with three musicians right at the top of their game.

Backstory (in case you don’t know): classically trained pianist Rick dropped out from the Royal College of Music to forge a career in music. Not only did he play on ‘Space Oddity’ with David Bowie at the start of his career as a session musician, not only was he an early member of The Strawbs, he later left to join rock supergroup Yes in 1971, recording many hit albums with them. This is an association he has maintained irregularly over subsequent years. Later he also recorded a number of highly successful solo albums: The Six Wives of Henry VIII, King Arthur & The Knights of The Round Table, and Journey to The Centre of the Earth.

Passages from these latter were liberally sprinkled through the two sets, and were met with ecstatic applause. But this was no mere romp through his back catalogue. The guys had worked on several newer pieces to particularly suit this line-up, featuring some interesting improvisations, and some wonderful re-working of such songbook classics as “Sweet Georgia Brown”.

In more recent years Rick has forged an additional side career as a professional raconteur, most recently as MC for Jongleurs comedy club, and has appeared on several series of the hit TV series “Grumpy Old Men”. These skills were much to the fore on Saturday, as Rick effortlessly engaged the audience with several hilarious anecdotes, some great jokes, and a wonderful continuing riff on the fact that the band’s vehicles had been ticketed outside the Corn Exchange during the day.

If anyone had been in any doubt, Rick immediately dispelled the notion that he might be slowing down or losing any of his skills. Not only does this man know his way around a keyboard – his playing was simply stunning – but he absolutely commanded the musical respect of his band, and he completely had the audience in the palm of his hand. From the first number, right through to the three pieces in the encore, the audience was spellbound. Everybody I talked to was saying the same words – “brilliant”, “superb”, “stunning” – and I’m not going to argue with that assessment.

Well done to Paul Chandler and Longcroft Productions for persuading Rick to come and play in D-Town, and congratulations for pulling off the staging of the show at the Corn Exchange on the night.

 

Adverts & That!

I’m rapping with Devizes Town Clerk Simon Fisher about the transfer deal from Wiltshire Council to Devizes Town Council, and the future usage of the Market Place; throw me a paddle, why do I get myself into these things? 

Not one to usually report news items, leave that to the trustworthy local journal, I felt this current local issue doing the rounds on social media does concern Devizine, being we’re an event and entertainment website. The Wiltshire Council’s transfer package to Devizes Council, is close to becoming Devizes’ own Brexit. I’m not taking sides, no sir-ey, not me, not getting involved.

 
Talk of converting the Market Place into a pedestrianised, “vibrant” community and social area is of interest to us, because I feel we need more areas like this, and kind of warm to the idea; in an ideal world.

 
The sad reality is though, while I appreciate any effort to improve sites for entertainment purposes, and this would be also be environmentally sounder than its current usage as a carpark, Devizes simply doesn’t have the capacity, infrastructure and population to support such a proposal. The idea of having a mini-Glastonbury in Devizes town centre all cool and groovy, but really, for much of the time would it really be so? Could we actually do this, or, as the other angle of the debate sharply points out, is dramatically reducing free parking in town going to have a detrimental effect of the businesses there?

 
It’s a melon-twister for sure, I wouldn’t want local businesses of suffer anymore than I’d want the space to become a barren desert left to a posse of drinkers sitting on a bench with a few tinnies. Yet the space, when needed, such as DOCA events, has been used effectively, just as they propose, with great effect, then it returns to a carpark.

 
Rather similar to Glastonbury, which is a vibrant festival of performing arts, a virtual city of revellers, for a week, but returns to be Worthy, a working farm the rest of the year. No one is suggesting you can’t park that cow in that field, as we want it to be Glastonbury Festival every day. As soon as I heard news of this, I despatched a few questions in an email to Town Clerk, Simon Fisher.

 
But opinions fly and fury rages on social media far quicker than media like your truly can relate, obtain a response and publish an article. I awaited a reply before joining any online witch-hunt. Simon did respond with an apology, just as I was wondering if the email to DC had accidently been sent to comic publishers instead, stating he was busy and would answer my questions soon.

 
With itchy fingers, I thought I’d kill some time while I waited for Simon Fisher to respond, by writing a short story. So, you lucky people, I’ve two articles out today; either scroll down for a response to my questions about the transfer from the Town Clerk, or click here to read my short story, which, I must point out, bears no resemblance to this, or any other local issues currently doing the rounds. Best option is to do both.

 
I greeted Simon, hoping he was in a fine fettle and wished him a bleated happy new year, cos I’m nice like that, what more evidence do you need? Well, for starters, I congratulated Devizes Council on this news, as in theory it sounds good. I’m all for keeping local issues between locals.

 
“On the WC article,” I asked Simon, “you’re quoted, ‘a programme that will support local communities to have greater control over services that help shape their towns.’ Yet one complaint on a Facebook group asks, ‘Bringing control of services to the locals?! I don’t think so! Is this really what local people wanted? No!’ So, what is the best procedure, for people who’d like to make suggestions and put their point across to DC?”

 
This didn’t get an answer, so I’ve no idea, email them through their website I guess, maybe I was being bleeding obvious! But along similar lines I asked, “How is DC communicating with the public to obtain the most popular and favourable decisions?”

 
This did receive a reply, bit indirect, but a reply nonetheless, “What is meant by this is that it is the Councillor who have been elected by local residents, who will be making decisions and those Councillors will be better in places to understand local concerns.”

 
Okay-dokey, that’s not incorrect by any means but…… moving swiftly on, “The main concern is the plans for the Market Place,” I probed, “and the ending of car parking. Why is this being done?”

 
“We consulted with the stakeholders,” Mr Fisher explained, “including FSB and the C of C, over changes to parking in the Market Place and they concluded that of the limited options available from Wiltshire Council, the option to have a community space with some exempt chargeable parking was the best option and that is what has been included within the transfer package. During the parking review we conducted a survey (537 people responded) and the option to turn the car park into a pay and display, was the least popular option which was the only way the who are could be retained it as a carpark.”

 
“Aside for environmental reasons,” I asked next, “the space is made available for “community use” when the opportunities to fill it are apparent, DOCA events, May Fair, etc. The remaining time it is perhaps better filled for parking, to make the shops accessible. Such a large community space is great for large events, and of course, Devizine thoroughly supports and encourages this, but a Tuesday morning in February, for example, the area will be barren, surely?”

“We accept that we will need to put resources into the town centre to ensure the place does not look barren space and that there is plenty going on,” Simon explained, to my satisfaction.

 
“I ask DC, how can a town of Devizes size, make full use of this sizable area, on a daily basis? And what plans do you have in place to insure it’s not just a wasted space?”
“As part of the parking discussion with Wiltshire Council,” Simon continued, “we made that exact point and they have compromised, in that half of the space can be used for non- chargeable parking in the Market Place, which is defined as blue badge holder, motorcycles, taxis, etc. This would allow the moving of the taxi rank, some disabled parking bays and the coach drop off point to create parking spaces in these locations.”

 
I wanted to point my ambiguity on forming an opinion on this, “Don’t get me wrong Simon, in an ideal world this sounds fantastic, I’d like to see a vibrant market area akin to Camden, but the reality is, we are not in a city, and we do not have the population, or infrastructure to support this every day, surely it’d be best to use some of the space, at least, to ease street parking?”

 
“What you are suggesting is what we have now,” Simon responded, well, yeah, if it ain’t broke. But Simon thinks otherwise, “and even with free parking in the town centre, retailing is struggling. We have on average under 70% parking occupancy in the town and free parking is not sufficient to bring people from outside Devizes to do their general shopping and therefore in the most part, there has to be another reason. What we do know is that the busiest visitor day in Devizes is Thursday, when there is no parking in the Market Place. Those market town up and down the country, which are striving attracted visitors are focusing on making their towns interesting and vibrant places to visit and I fear if we don’t try, then we will continue on a downward spiral.”

 
Now, while the latter half of this reply is spot on, try telling me the average is under 70% parking occupancy in the town, when I’ve driven around the centre three times looking for a spot, I double-dare you! I’d wager paid parking has been factored into this statistic, surely? That’s the point of the fury, if people have to pay, they’ll go elsewhere.

 

 

“Furthermore,” I put, “this idea was put by Wiltshire Council as a kind of rose-tinted threat during their process of hiking up parking charges, and extending them to Sundays and all night, for the sole reason to make them extra pocket money; rather than celebrate social events they wanted to burden them by making everyone pay to park during them, true?”

 
“You would need to ask Wiltshire Council that question.”
No way Jose, you can, if you want!

 
“How ironic then,” I battled on, “that they’d suggest such a community-spirited opportunity, and now, it seems, they cannot handle public outcry, they’ve handed the bag to you. Who will be in control of paid carparks, and who gets the revenue under this new plan?”

 
“Wiltshire Council.”

 
I rest my case. “Do you appreciate this sounds like a smokescreen, only to encourage the usage of paid carparks rather than actually bringing the town the opportunity to host community events?” I asked.

 
“Wiltshire Council were clear about this when the put together their parking strategy,” Simon furthered, “in that they wanted a further £95k from parking in Devizes.”
Greedy buggers, maybe reduce traffic wardens, save some pennies that way.

 
“I hope I am wrong on that last point,” I suggested, “but it will be the question burning lips! To me, it sounds like a plan, having more faith in DC than WC to deliver the right choices, and I’d like to wish you every success with it. Anything we can do at Devizine to promote and suggest ideas for this “community space,” just ask. In the meantime, I could add a poll, what people might like to see the space used for; I’m sure there will be some shocking yet atypical Devizes-humour responses!”

 
This time Simon no way Jose’d me, “we are appointing a Town Centre Manager whose job will be to increase the variety of markets and events in the town, working with groups to ensure that there is a lot going on, not only for Devizes residents but also making it an attractive destination of choice for those living in neighbouring towns who are looking for something to do.”

 
Failure to inform us of the proper and effective method to communicate with The Devizes Council, and put our concerns to them, at the beginning of this response, now revealed reasoning; he hit the nail on the head with this last comment; short answer, they don’t seem to want to hear your opinion, they’re appointing a manger to sort it all out for us; sit back and enjoy your new community space people, everything is done for you. You’ll only need to check your parking ticket’s not overdue, and stuff another tenner in the machine to enjoy said space.

 
Very conservative approach, wouldn’t you say what-what?

 

Adverts & That.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

 

Simone Pescatore quivered in the arch-back seat as Ricardo “Roulette” Cleweraro poured a second bourbon into a diamond-cut highball and casually pushed the decanter across the oak desk. “I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse,” Ricardo sneered, “You see, Simone, we feel that entertainment is going to be a big factor in drawing shoppers into the market towns, honest we do. We’re hoping that you’ll sign a contract agreeing you control the Market Place, Devizes, but we can’t have the public parking freely when we’ve gone to the effort of providing high-cost, paid parking, now can we? Perhaps convince some of your friends in the Guardians to take the blame, eh?”

 
The Guardians reigned over Devizes, that much was true, but to the Consiglio di Wiltshire, they were nothing. Simone only too aware, it was complying or face the consequences. Ricardo sensed his anxiety, “we’re counting on you, Simone.”

 
Anger boiled in Simone, standing, he enraged, with only card left to play. “Now you listen to me, you smooth-talking son-of-a-bitch,” he yelled, “let me lay it on the line for yer and your boss, whoever he is! Consiglio di Wiltshire will never get that deal! I don’t care how many Trow-Vegas guinea chav-greaseball goombahs come out of da woodwork!”

 
Cleweraro smirked, curved his arms over his shoulders and placed his hands behind his head, brewing in confidence, “I’m from Salisbury.”

 
Simone Pescatore, “well, let me tell you something, my Sarum-mick friend, people won’t pay to park, they can’t afford to, not with all da other cuts to public services you’ve made! I’m gonna make so much trouble for you, you won’t know what hit you!”

 
“There are negotiations being made that are going to answer all of your questions and solve all of your problems,” Ricardo continued unperturbed, “That’s all I can tell you right now. If want control you take it, but if you don’t hike up parking charges, the Market Place will be converted into a community space; fiestas, contadino’s mercato, and the odd tumbleweed passing by on a Tuesday afternoon. That’s the deal Consiglio di Wiltshire are willing to make, I suggest you take it.”

 
“Over my dead body!” Pescatore mumbled, hesitantly. He thought of the good people of Devizes, he didn’t care for a turf war, they’d flock to Trow-Vegas to shop, if they cannot park in their own town. A county-town where Consiglio di Wiltshire had conveniently made parking free, in plush multi-stories with minimal empty drug paraphernalia littering, stench of piss, and dank sleeping bags of rough sleepers; victims of the cuts. Bypass such matters with nose in the air, and they had class, superior shops, functioning infrastructure, and a Wagamamas.

 
Devizes cannot compare, with its minor boutiques, charity shops and Chick-O-Land. Yet, if he didn’t agree, Consiglio di Wiltshire would continue controlling this expanse, probably threaten to close more education facilities, devise more ineffective alterations to road layouts with their disorganised Muppets erecting perpetual roadworks, and snatch candy from babies, dancing the floss in gloat.

 
He gulped, pushed into a corner, “okay,” he trembled, “done.”

 
“I am sorry,” Ricardo “Roulette” Cleweraro confessed slyly, “What happened to your council was business. I have much respect for your so-called Devizes Guardians. But your Guardians, their thinking is old-fashioned. You must understand why I had to do that, the Consiglio di Wiltshire family need feeding, second homes, and a yacht or three moored in the Caribbean. Now let’s work through where we go from here.”

 
Simone Pescatore smiled his first smile, awkwardly. “Yeah, let’s talk business, Ricardo. First of all, we’re all done. The Guardians don’t even have that kind of muscle anymore, some fly-kid in the teddy bear racket, local businessman trying muscle in. He’s been gone snitched to the local sausage wrapper, da Gazelle n Herod, blubbing all this, ‘following their parking review last year it was clear that this was never going to be an allowable option’ malarkey.”

 
Ricardo leaned forward in his chair with his hands held out, he was getting somewhere with this two-bit, small-town councillor, minimal threats, if it wasn’t for some shylockbusiness rat. “Yeah, tell me more, don?”

 
Simone stumbles, “Yeah, gives it, ‘the parking review set out two clear choices for the Market Place: it either became a pay and display car park with a premium charge, allowing parking for up to two hours or all parking was to be removed.’ He’s accusing us of betrayal, us, da Guardians, in da rag!”

 
“Sheez, your problemo!” Ricardo waived off the delinquent, “deal with him, stuff his bears with crank n call the cops, or take him out, but make it look like an incidente, capeesh? Perhaps he could try turning right out of Dunkirk Hill or sumthuin’.”

 
“Is no problemo,” Simone assured, “he tows the party line, just worried, as they all will be, about their two-bit businesses; the Godmother’s sick, right? Sick from too much Brexit. The Vizes is a Tory town through and through, they’ll whinge outside Lidl, and post complaints on The Devizes Issue, but they’ll never chase us out of town. We will stop the free parking in the Market Place, spin ‘em a false promise about locating another, fictional place to park free; and you’ll get your readies, but Devizes is ours.”

 
With grave sincerity Ricardo nodded, “don’t fuck me, Simone. Don’t you ever try to fuck me; I’m frigid.”

 
Simone of the Guardians knew a good deal when he saw one, and this wasn’t it, but he’d return to Devizes with some pathetic excuse or other, and the people will buy it. He stood up, kissed Ricardo’s ring, bearing the insignia of the Consiglio di Wiltshire. “I never fucked anybody over in my life that didn’t have it coming to ’em,” he told him, “You got that? All I have in this world is my balls and my word and I don’t break ’em for no one. You understand? That piece of shit up there, Yan Wallo, I never liked him, I never trusted him. For all I know he had me set up and had my friend, the Basil Brush collection tin outside the Brittox News, killed. But that’s history. I’m here, he’s not. You wanna go on with me, you say it. You don’t, then you make a move.”

 

Adverts & That

Getting stuck in traffic can be frustrating enough, getting stuck in traffic in Calne is another thing all together! Sorry, sorry people of Calne, it’s cheeky Tuesday, always a tad mischievous on Tuesdays. I didn’t mean it really, I don’t go for town school rivalry, you know all that, “Devizes School, Calne School, fight, fight, fight,” nonsense; just isn’t me.

 

Did that happen here? It did where I came from, we used to sporadically fight with the other secondary school in our town, and annually organise one with the neighbouring town of Braintree. Being there’s only one school in Braintree, and Keith Flint of the Prodigy lived there, I’ve been known to spin a yarn about me fighting him. A bit of research though, revealed Flint didn’t move there until after leaving school; thanks Wikipedia, you’ve ruined my only claim to fame.

 
Anyway, I digress; congestion in our market towns is a twisted firestarter, fact. Calne Labour are campaigning, calling on Wiltshire Council and Calne Town Council to urgently secure funding for an independent traffic study to investigate practical options to address the bottle-neck in Calne and improve traffic flow and air quality in the town centre.

 
In a petition gathering more pace then the flow of traffic down Curzon Street, they state, “A large part of Calne, covering most of the town centre, has been designated an Air Quality Management Area due to pollution levels well in excess of Government limits for Nitrogen Dioxide and Particulates (small particles in the air). Both these pollutants emanate from road traffic and can be very damaging to human health. It has been estimated that this level of pollution contributes to the premature death of nine people in Calne every year.”

 
“Air pollution is exacerbated by traffic congestion, which is a particularly significant issue at the give-and-take system between Oxford Road and Curzon Street. This bottle-neck effectively cuts the town in half during peak periods, with significant delays to journey times.”

 
“Curzon Street’s bottle-neck is bonkers,” I expressed to Tom Morris of Calne Labour, in a manner only I would.

 
Tom agreed, but added, “for pollution it’s worse in New Road, due to HGVs on the A4.”

 
Often infrastructure issues in our market towns can seem impossible to solve, in Devizes we slapped a plaster on a served limb. Please sign this petition and hope some professional advisors can solve the riddle, because getting stuck in traffic is annoying, but considering the environmental and health implications of doing nothing is another.

SIGN THE PETITION HERE

 

Adverts & That!

On dub experimentation, with Erin Bardwell and Dean Sartain, we review the new Subject A album.

 

Post-it Notes, penicillin, microwave ovens, Coca Cola and dub; all invented by accident. Kingston, Jamaica, 1968, Ruddy Redwood popped into Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle studio to cut a version of The Paragons’ rock steady tune, “On the Beach.” The engineer, Byron Smith accidently omitted the vocals.

 
Principal producer, Bunny Lee noted the enthusiasm of the crowd, as DJ Wassy toasted over the instrumental at Ruddy’s sound system dance. To get the upper-hand over rival Coxsone Dodd, the following day, Bunny instructed his sound engineer, Osbourne Ruddock to record instrumental “versions.”

In 1989, returning home from the studio, Ruddock was murdered. The assassin made off with his gun and gold chain. The music industry robbed of one of the most pioneering, creative minds ever, known to the world as King Tubby. For his creation, dub, was more than reggae instrumentals. First to vision the mixing desk as an instrument, his techniques such as “rolling the stone,” predate drum & bass by thirty years, his self-built studio with a high-pass filter he termed “the big knob,” produced narrowing sweeps of signals, twenty-five years prior to acid house, and his popularity saw a rise in sound system culture, which DJ Kool Herc would export to New York’s funk audience, creating hip hop.

 
By the eighties dub was both a subgenre of reggae and a remix term across the board of electronic music. Either way it’s wildly experimental, yet I feel while the style of dubstep endures techniques of delays, echoes and reverbs, it’s lost its way somewhat when it comes creativity. Perhaps it’s just me, that I’ve not heard enough. I put it to Erin Bardwell, who agreed, he hasn’t heard enough dubstep to pass judgement.

 
Yet his dub project, Subject A, with ex-skanxter bassist, Dean Sartain, has just released a second album, “Writer’s Eyes.” It’s passionately experimental and uniquely distinctive. My initial reaction was, “it’s like they gave King Tubby a musical to produce!” In citing dub innovators, like Tubby and Perry, who pushed the boundaries, I told Erin, “that’s where this goes; nice one.”

 

“Hey,” he responded, “you get what we were trying to do!”

Omitting lyrics isn’t apparent on “Writer’s Eyes,” it’s opening track “It’s True,” echoes Sgt Pepper, with haunting female vocals, hardly replicating a skanking dub at all, rather drifting ambient house of The Orb. From the off you know you’re in for a musical journey, and the finale, wittily titled “Penhill Sunrise,” also gives me shivers of Sgt Pepper.

 
The following title tune, responds with the sort of mellowed reggae vibe akin to Swindon’s Great Western Reggae scene, which Erin Bardwell’s Collective revels, in a rock steady/boss style of yore. The vocals and atmosphere of the third tune, “Get Yourself into Light” though is where things take a jazz direction. “Miles Davis?” I put to Erin, if this hasn’t a hint of the evocative vocal of Johnny Cash too.

 
“We have jazz musicians involved for their skills,” Erin stated, “we were trying to create music which is unpredictable, which is what I thought jazz was, originally? With our natural reggae influences in there too.” Which Erin confessed, his hands can’t escape when a keyboard is put in front of him! I like it, as far as other influences are thrown into the melting pot, this doesn’t fundamentally lose reggae. Track four, “Hide Your Face,” upholds this, strictly dub-reggae akin to Augustus Pablo, so too with “Rising Tide.”

Yet “Road Trip,” is where my comparison to a musical choir stem from, under Nyabinghi drums. Horns then come in for “Nite Life,” replicating the duo’s 2-Tone origins acutely.

 
Bending those horns back to jazz in “Vega’s Strings,” with the deep trip-hop vibe of the Bristol scene; think Massive Attack. “I have lots of influences from soul too,” Erin continued, “and Dean from the Bristol sound. Of course, we always thought 2-Tone was about fusion, so we hope elements of that take on things has creeped into some of the songs.”

 
To magic this, the duo called upon a vast team, including Selecter guitarist, Neol Davies, drummer Matty Bane, Larry Larkin, flutist Heather O’Neill, violinist Rachael Birkin, trumpeter Colin Berry, Rowena Cameron, Harki Popli, Sarah Loveday-Drury on Trombone, Pete OD, Sonya Beale, Martin Bush. Plus, it features voices of Richie Vincent, Katie Cormier and Ray James.

Towards the end of this epic journey, “The Earth Still Turns while you Sleep,” also mellows with ambient dub/trip-hop, it’s a flavour I noted in “Sleepwalkers,” Project A’s first album. So, how, I pondered does Writer’s Eyes differ from Sleepwalkers?

 
“I think in general Sleepwalkers was more dub-ish, reggae skanked,” Erin considered, “where as this one is a bit more varied. But yeah, what you said too – that’s kind of nailed it.”

“I’m not sure how it’s different from first album,” Dean expressed, “think it’s the same project.” Some of the songs here, on what they deem parts 3&4, are linked to first album, parts 1&2. “A thread winds through,” Dean continued, “… a continuation.”

 
Hey, I’m no musician, all I know is, if you’re looking for something different, Writer’s Eyes will astound. It’s dreamy, sublime, but with the mixture of aforementioned influences, it’s a melting pot of variety, whist maintaining a one love to reggae.

 

Writer’s Eyes is on Digital Download for £5, CD for £8.

Pop-A-Top Records Website

 

Adverts & All That!

We take a listen to Swindon’s indie four-piece, Talk in Code’s December album, Resolve, and I question modernism, Uncle Albert style…..

 

Laugh it up daughter of mine; she pops into the kitchen to find me listening to Years and Years. I’m pondering contemporary pop with an eighties style about it, and quiver if it’s left up to them! It seems to be a trend, yet I can’t find much comparable to the album I have to review from Swindon band, Talk in Code. Trying to avoid an Uncle Albert moment, which is too often these days, when I begin to mumble along the lines of “back in the nineteen-eighties……” and my daughter immediately switches off. She doesn’t seem to care that we only had three TV channels.

Despite my dubiousness surrounding bands self-labelled “indie,” and debates with Sheer Music’s Kieran on what defines the term, there’s something immediately likeable about Talk in Code’s new second album, Resolve; apologises to everyone, I’m impelled to make comparisons to eighties music, it’s an age thing.

 
Because instantly I’m reminded of the great pop-rock outfits of that period, of U2 and particularly, Simple Minds. The opening tune, “Play with Fire” does this, surprising me at how “pop-lite” it is, given my expectations of “indie” is that of the nineties pre-Britpop era with shards of goth and punk. Buoyant and up-tempo, it’s agreeable and pleasant, nothing of the rage or fury of my preconceived ideal.

Nailing it down to the synths as the root cause for my Uncle Albert moment, the second tune “Keep Safe,” pings Prefab Sprout at me; a cringeworthily comparison, as all the tracks here are acutely written, without nonsensical hotdogs and jumping frogs. Shall we say Alphaville or Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and be done with it? That said, there’s also subtle echoes of all which indie shifted into through the nineties and naughties, from caressing the clubbing scene, Madchester and Ninja Tune, to groups like The Smashing Pumpkins or a non-psychedelic Spaceman 3.

 
Putting the Rubix cube back in my C5, I’d also make contrasts with what Devizes duo, Larkin are putting out. I like it, for it’s sophisticated pop, it’s modern sparkle, and highly catchy. Perhaps no tune on this album more so than “Oxygen,” which, after a couple of listens sent me to YouTube, wondering if it was a forgotten cover, as it was stuck in my head like classic pop should. Like an intoxicated first snog, felt like Oxygen and I had known each other forever, but we’ve only just met!

Steady as she goes, Resolve never deviates nor experiments, rather sticks to its working formula; synths and vocals on the following track “So It Goes,” keep the faith in a Simple Minds inspiration, the catchiness not waning, yet the album flows through five more tracks, taking you with it. Quoting influences from Coldplay and The Killers, to Daft Punk and archetypic Britpop groups, this four-piece have fashioned a polished and high quality, anthemic sound.

 
Since 2014, when the self-titled debut album produced by Geoff Swan, (known for his work with Haim, Ed Sheeran and Prides,) captured the attention of the industry; regional BBC Introducing and Q Music, Talk in Code have built a fanbase and are intensely motivated; with this new album, released in December, the professionalism clearly shows.

The good news for Devizes is, vocalist and guitarist; Chris Stevens, bass/synth and programmer; Mark “Titch” Turner, guitar, synth and programmer; Al “Sneds” Sneddon, and drummer and backing vox; Jamie O’Sullivan, will be Talking in Code down the Cellar Bar, as the first in a series of gigs titled Subterranean; Sheer Music’s determination to bring the town some full electric shows, not before Vince Bell supports the incredible Gaz Brookfield on 22nd February.

Said series of gigs at the Cellar Bar kicks off on March 1st then, with Chippenham indie three-piece, Socket supporting Talk in Code. Tickets are a fiver. If you can’t wait that long to see if I’m truthful about the potential of this proficient beguiling synth-pop indie outfit, and unless you want to travel to the Facebar in Reading, on 14th Feb, you really need to download Resolve.

 
All said and done though, some indolent research reveals Talk in Code do not cite any aforementioned eighties bands as influences, so it must just be me….and maybe Zammo and Danny Kendall. Bet you’re gonna ask Siri who they are aren’t you? Mr Bronson will have you, bloody whippersnappers!

 

Talk in Code website

Facebook

 

Adverts & All That!

Not usually one to publish pictures of myself on Devizine, and for the good reason I’m not the most photogenic subject unless it’s a John Carpenter flick, here I am this afternoon handing a cheque for £480 to Chairman, Sue Tovey and Treasurer, Frank Marshall of The Devizes Area Committee for Cancer Research. The money was raised at our birthday bash in November.

Devizine stands to notify, promote and encourage events in entertainment and the arts within the area of Devizes, it’s surrounding towns and villages, we’re not about hosting them. But last November I decided to hold a little birthday bash for the website, and it grew into the awesome concert of local talent you’ve probably all forgotten about by now!

 
Me though, I’ll never forget, the bits I remember of it, and I am eternally grateful to everyone who helped stage it, from The Devizes Conservative Club, Dean Czerwionka of Dead Kool Promotions to all behind the scenes, and a special thanks to Erin (you know who you are!)

 

Images from Matthew Hennessy and Nick Padmore

 
Thanks to all our fantastic acts too, of course; George Wilding, Jamie R Hawkins, Phil Cooper, Tamsin Quin, Sam Bishop and Finely Trusler of Larkin, Lottie Jenkins Bryony Cox and Gail Foster. Particularly Iggy, Chris and Catherine as the Daybreakers, who not only supplied the PA, but coordinated the technical parts and got everyone dancing by the end of the evening. Heck, if you missed out, here’s our summery of the night.

 
So, I confess, I’m chuffed today as I met the committee members and handed them the cheque. Formed in 2007, to date The Devizes Area Committee for Cancer Research has raised over £267,000 for Cancer Research UK. With a variety of events and sponsors, from simple collections to concerts, tapas evenings and the Autumn fair, to the main events, the annual Stert Country House Collectibles and Car Boot Sale in May and Pink Week in Devizes during October, the committee continues to raise funds, and awareness. I pondered to Frank, if he felt it was ever possible to find a total cure for this terrible disease, and I was surprised by his positive reaction that it would, one day, be found.

Until that day, we struggle on, almost everyone’s lives have been affected by the diagnosis of a friend or family member, myself personally, the very reason for choosing this worthy charity for our wonderful little party.

 
Next birthday bash though, I’m thinking………

While it’s that quiet month of January, when all that remains of a festive season are a couple of abandoned coconut creams in an otherwise empty Quality Street tin, a lone Christmas cracker novelty moustache sluggishly gliding under the fridge and a tree dumped in the street with a single streamer dangling, it’s a good opportunity to highlight forthcoming stuff to do, and look forward to summer festivals and extravaganzas.

 
If you’ve not yet discovered the news that Devizes has its very own scooter rally this summer, prearranged by The Devizes Scooter Club, then you’ve been living either on the moon, or Pewsey. But you might be forgiven to assume that an event of this magnitude will render the Scooter Club void of its usual crazy, crazy nights at the Conservative Club; you’d be very much mistaken.

Not content to sit on their laurels and await the rally in July, they’ve been busy revving engines, and perhaps safe-bet gigs with two nights of returning favourites and also, a new-comer to Devizes. So, it begins; on Saturday February 23rd, tickets for this a mere snip of a fiver in advance, for possibly the most renowned northern soul DJ in the UK, Mr Terry Hendrick, precisely one day under a year from the last time he graced us with his presence, rather splendid two-tone suit and braces.

Devizine reported a blinding night as thus; “Northern Soul aficionados from far and wide mingled with Devizes natives for an evening of cheongsam dresses, two-tone suits and quality northern soul on the talcum powdered dancefloor of the overflowing Conservative Club last night,” as it was indeed a cracking night, nearly cracked the old knees! Terry Hendrick does not disappoint, with a blend of rare groove and classics for all fans of soul. I suspect it’ll be a heady night with bar staff rushed off their feet!

 
The end of April, Saturday the 27th, also sees a soulful return of a favoured night last year. Bedfordshire’s finest, All That Soul’s reappearance also marks an anniversary of their original visit to our town. At the time I intended to flick between the club and a band at the Southgate, but once I heard these divas sing, I stayed for the duration, wedged in the groove!

Of all the fantastic nights the Scooter Club have owned, I’m reckoning All That Soul was perhaps the best, of which I described at the time as thus; “I kid you not, they were the soul cover band equivalent of Star Trek’s Borg, in matching frocks; resistance was futile. They assimilated me, half the population of Devizes, and reassigned our honky booties from the bar to the dance floor. With irresistible charisma and panache from the off, they filled the Cons Club with a plethora of chic Motown and Atlantic soul classics.”

The two most celebrated acts we’ve seen at the Scooter Club are separated by a newcomer to Devizes in March, Saturday March 30th to be precise. The Decatonics change the genre, a nine-piece ska band based in Bournemouth. Formed in 2012, they’re female fronted, loud and proud. See, you can apply as much soul as you like guys, but when it comes an evening to whine up mi waist like I was young again, it’s good to hear a bit of ska has also been included. Look forward to this night; tickets are a tenner.

I think, after April the Club understandably ween off the Cons Club nights, to work on this forthcoming rally. July really will test them to the limits, with eights acts plus DJs, it’ll be a heady weekend for scooter enthusiasts, but more importantly I feel, an awesome opportunity for locals with a passing interest in the scene to sample the diverse range of music on offer. It’ll all be covered there, from mod, to rock steady and ska to northern soul.

 

Not to mention it’s in Rowde, and you know what we’re like! So, yeah, like groovy, while tickets are available at the Cons Club, Vinyl Realm and Jeffersons for Terry’s night in Feb, wristbands have also gone on sale for the Rally; now that should cheer your otherwise gloomy January night up a bit…. better than a squashed coconut cream.

 

Adverts & That!

 

Photos Used By Kind Permission of Nick Padmore,

(and I didn’t even let him sit on my knee this time)

 

Oh, hello, s’ me, in 2019, not really gotten over 1989 yet, but here nonetheless, reporting on things which happened last year, still. Just a quick one then, we’ve already reviewed the “Live by Night” EP, and we wouldn’t want the boy’s heads to swell excessively, now would we? Needless to say, though, Sam Bishop and Finley Trusler, aka Larkin, did put on a grand show between Christmas and New Year at the Devizes Conservative Club for the launch gig of the aforementioned EP.

It was an intimate yet ample crowd of family, friends and fans, united in celebration for all these guys have achieved. After an acoustic support, Sam and Finley, accompanied by a fine selection of acquainted musicians, showed professionalism, magnetism and aptitude as they ran through some tunes from their previous album, some covers from the likes of Mumford & Sons and REM, but most importantly, and poignantly, replicating their new tracks from the EP impeccably.

I said of the EP, when I reviewed it in November, “a natural and positive progression from their debut album, concentrated into three solid and marketable tunes that Sam and Finley should be very proud of.” And deservedly proud they were, as I’d argue it’s their originals which dominated the evening, not the chosen covers, which is how it should be for a duo who strive to improve. 1AM particularly polished, and the encore of Solace in the Dark, debatably the anthem of the previous album, Set You Free, finalising the evening with panache and style.

It was that good, I suspect most had forgotten their free CD lodged in their pocket until they returned home. I discovered it in the morning, a refreshing present aside the thermal socks and Lynx deodorant sets, of which although I’m grateful for, they can’t hold a note like these guys!

Well done lads, and all the team involved; I wish you all the best for 2019, when I’m certain Larkin will push new boundaries and entertain crowds even further afield. As it stands though, this gig insured, Devizes loves yer!

Adverts & That!

 

Some might say happy new year, what lovely fireworks.

 
Others might say it’s a farcical pageant for a generation of infantile gurning, self-indulging dunces to rejoice the impending most ambiguous year in our nation’s history by throwing billions of needed money up in smoke. Dreary bloody grouches.

 
So, with sore heads we plunge into 2019, bequeathed by our leadership with nonchalant promises; they know what they’re doing, and an idle request to be united when the shameful reality is, we’ve never been so divided; politically, financially and in opinion of this dodgy fiasco we call Brexit. The only thing which seems to unite us is the notion we cannot accept this pledge from the one person who pledged it, that and, of course, the very fact no unnecessary finances will be thrown at some lavish ceremony for the 2018 Devizine awards; that’s a sure thing!

 
Honestly, not trying to twist your frazzled mind this morning, it is all about as much bull as us leaving the EU, for the whole idea of having a Devizine award ceremony was based purely on a joke, a satirical stab at another local website’s frivolous awards. Then though, right, I find that I can add poll questions to an article, so I did, just for the hell of it, cos I could. Sorry, it won’t happen again.

 

So, thought I’d better post the results, without too much waffling; drum roll, or least foot-tap, please…..

 

Firstly, we asked you to vote for the Best Local Venue/Event Organiser:

The runners up: with 14% of the vote, The Southgate Devizes, and Sheer Music with 22%.

The Winner, with 32% of votes goes to The Devizes Scooter Club.

Yay, applause! All the best for 2019 to you all.

 

Our Best Local Female Solo Artist:

Runners up, with 6%, Lottie J, and with 24%, Kirsty Clinch.

And congratulations to winner, Tamsin Quin, who stole the show with a staggering 59%!

Congratulations girls, and wishing you all the best for 2019.

 

Now, the boys; Best Local Male Solo Artist:

Equally pipped, the runners-up both got 15% of the vote, and they’re none other than: Vince Bell and George Wilding.

The winner, with 38%, is Jamie R Hawkins.

Well done guys, congrats and all that, best wishes for 2019!

 

 

And the results for Best Local Band/Duo of 2018:

Runners-up, The Day Breakers, with 11% and The Reason, with 15%.

But the winner, with 40% of the vote, is: da-da-da-da-da….

People Like Us!

Well done to all, here’s wishing you a great new year too!

 
Finally, based purely on releases I’ve personally reviewed this year and not on votes, I’d like to announce two more awards, for best local album and EP of 2018. It wasn’t an easy decision, but:

THE BEST LOCAL ALBUM of 2018 can only be, in my opinion: Colour in the Sky by Jon Amor. Reviewed here.

THE BEST LOCAL EP of 2018, also in my humble opinion, has to be, unquestionably: Soul Sucker by The George Wilding Band. Reviewed here.

 

Right that’s that that’s all that then, you don’t want to be reading too much today, well done to all; I’m off to the visit the toaster, see if my stomach can accept solids again. Have a great new year’s day everyblobby, I lurve n wanna snog you all, no, really, I do, tongues an all; pass on my man-flu.

Adverts & That!