Not wishing to dabble in politics too much, I still think it’s important we get to know our local candidates a little. Hopefully we’ll track down all of them in time, as I invite Rachael Schneider Ross of Labour to be the first under the Devizine cosh……

So engrossed in our chat, I thought the lady on the table next to us was talking to the window; being on the first floor of New Society I didn’t expect anyone to be outside. It was some guys on a scissor-lift putting up the Christmas lights! We both stared out to the view and my companion commented how much she loved Devizes.

I’m not the political sort usually, but in a dilemma with this election, maybe you are too. So, I invite all local candidates to face my interrogation, I mean a chat! Ah, Devizes then, Tory safe seat. I don’t know about you but I’d want some options on the table, I yearn for change. Tactical voting to achieve this is still a grey area locally. While the Lib Dems traditionally do better than Labour, the latter came second last time. Therefore, Labour’s Rachael Schneider Ross is my first victim.

I’d like to know more about Rachael, her local priorities but start on how she feels about national issues, and Jeremy Corbyn. I asked her outright if she is a “Corbynite,” and if, through the smear against him, ol’ Jezzer remains the right man for the job. Rachael explained she doesn’t think of herself as a label, “I don’t really do labels,” she replied. “I’m just a working mum, who’s come into politics recently, in the last two years. What’s really interesting about Jeremy Corbyn is he has been incredibly successful at bringing young people into the party, and democratising the party.” Rachael enlightened, as an example, a conference in September where all the members decided to increase the ambition around the green new deal. “A decision made by all members, and that feels very democratic.” Impressed with his influence on her children too, Rachael completed the answer with the point, “my kids came into politics, because of Jeremy.”

Does Rachael agree with me, that the voting age should be reduced? I suggested to 14 years old, maybe too radical, but Rachael agreed at 16 most are ready. Kids, you have a cool mum!

And in that, there’s something immediately warming about Rachael’s character, aside being openly consistent and extremely optimistic, she’s not defensive and we spoke on an equal level. This blows my stereotype politician out of the water! She responded to my questions with a heartfelt persona, of family, and a resident, despite my prompts to focus on a national scale. A story followed about Jeremey’s mother who used to live nearby. She gave him a book of her village history some years ago, and upon meeting him recently, was surprised to find he remembered her, and had read the book. “I’m impressed with him; think he has great vision. I think of the whole green revolution, his relationship with the young, and taking it to heart, and to the heart of our policies.” It’s in sharp contrast to Boris Johnson, she noted, and expressed he doesn’t see the importance of those issues.

But the smear of Corbyn is so extensively ingrained. Seems we base our political opinion on the meme with the worst grammar, least they might be more trustworthy than the newspapers. As I said, Rachael is ever the optimist, “I know he has a mixed reputation, I think often, the Labour party, particularly he, is not getting a fair hearing by mainstream media. Sometimes I read things and think, well I was there, and that didn’t happen. Some have a distorted view, but I think he’s the leader of the moment, and he is right to stand toe-to-toe with Boris.”

We spoke about bickering in Parliament, I compared the charade to a rap battle, it got a laugh. “I’m very impatient about all of that now,” Rachael expressed, “watching it over the past few years, it’s one of things that’s got me involved, to be honest. I just am fed up with exactly that, the nonsense, that echo-chamber going around, as it’s so different from how we get stuff done, in the real world. Which is about cooperating and building bridges with each other, even if we don’t understand or like each other, we have to work together. That’s, in working life, how we make stuff happen.”

Bing, bang, bosh; thus, Brexit was an inevitable subject, I’m going to gloss over it, knowing Rachael is in agreeance with the Labour policy, and the mandates are on the table. Passionate about leaving without any consideration of the negative implications, stick with what we have. Passionate about remaining, despite the referendum result, vote Lib Dem. I honestly feel the most logical solution to the mess is Labour’s; we know no deal is economical suicide, Rachael worries about this. So, obtain the right deal and take a vote, the final answer. If you respect democracy, you should respect people have a right to change their mind over three years and exposure of the propaganda enforced on the campaign. If it really is the will of the people, then where’s the argument? Just one more cross in a box, I’m sure you can manage. If you still believe we should remain, regardless of the millions who voted leave, then maybe, just maybe, that’s not entirely fair either. “I also have a lot of concern and want to understand better,” Rachael summarised, “why people chose to vote to leave, and I think there’s lots of reasons. One thing Labour would do is address the underlying causes of that frustration and anger, about how they felt democracy or government was letting them down.”

Again, Rachael bought up youth, maybe she’s hinting something, aware my greying sideburns worsen daily! “Of course,” she stated, “in the last three years, a lot of young people are eligible to vote who wasn’t, and it’s about their future, isn’t it? It’s our children and grandchildren who will reap the impact of Brexit.” Enough! I feel we need to hear the local angle here on Devizine, and what a Devizes constituency would look like under a Labour flag.

Considering the voting history of the constituency, does Rachael really feel she has a chance in turning that round? “You know,” she answered, “I never say never.” See, always the optimist! “You’re right, there has never been a Labour MP, but we have had some wonderful Labour councillors over the years.” She strives to follow in their footsteps. “We’re in strange political times at the moment, and I think and hope when they weigh up who to vote for here in this constituency, they think about the policies, ask themselves what kind of country do they want it to be, I think that’s fundamental, and also, who will represent and stand up for us best, as a community. I would love to do that; I would love to stand up for the community, and represent us well in Parliament. I have ideas, and strong views about local issues which need much more focus and attention on, and would like to bring that campaigning spirit that I discovered in myself a few years ago, through the Oxenwood and Braeside campaign, that’s what really woke me up, politically.”

Again, I see this air of positivity shine through Rachael, at a time when the local Conservatives are in turmoil over choice of candidate, in whatever attributes Danny Kruger has, he is not local, and you know, we keep it local here, like it that way. “Wouldn’t it be better, to have a local mum, who knows the area, knows the issues, instead of someone piloted in from London, because he’s Boris’s mate?!”

It brings to the boil my killer question, not necessarily for Rachael herself, but for our consideration, being we don’t like change, we continue to stick with the Tories. If-it-isn’t-broken attitude might now be unfitting; even our affluent community is suffering, open your eyes when venturing beyond, it gets worse. Maybe making a change is not really changing at all, being Rachael is one of us. So, given Rachael lives in a village life between Devizes and Marlborough, I asked what’s the importance, to her, of having an MP who is locally based. “I think it’s absolutely crucial,” she asserted, “I’ve lived here over twenty-five years, bought my kids up here. So, I’ve experienced what it’s like living in a rural community, where there are no buses, of becoming a taxi for your kids! I’ve lived and breathed Wiltshire country air and my feet are firmly planted here; and I love it. You also notice what’s worrying.”

Rachael strapped the local homeless issue onto the youth angle too, proud of her trustee status with two such charities. Her volunteering gives her, “first hand, in-your-face experience of what’s it’s like when things just don’t go according to plan. Each of us are a few steps away from homelessness, and I’ve seen that reality.” Keen to point out the issue of homeless army veterans, evident locally. “Now, someone coming in from London, who has sat at the top table with Boris, and doesn’t know this area, I don’t think he’ll have the same local knowledge and understanding, and why he’d want to care about what’s happening here.”

More tea was poured, she thinks we need to discover our radical roots here, pointing to the population of working class, and told me of Upavon’s Henry Hunt, the radical farmer during the Napoleonic Wars. With a wealth of local knowledge and history, undoubtedly, she is one us, no matter how you feel about voting Labour.

The anniversary of Jo Cox’s death shifted something in Rachael Schneider Ross, she explained, spurring her on to this post. “It took things to a different place; I was getting more concerned with where things were heading. I feel this general election, (despite the bad timing around Christmas) is really important. For me it’s a once in a generation moment to say enough, we don’t want to head further and further to the right, which will be a further division of hatred between people. That will be encouraged by Farage and Boris.”

I pointed toward our prospective development, a possible train station, new NHS centre. Rachael stressed it may be just be talk, while she’d love to be a part of making them happen, concentrated on the issue of affordable homes. “What worries me a lot, talking to people, is they say we just don’t have enough affordable housing, so my kids have to go elsewhere. And you know, there are other issues too; are there enough community spaces for young people?” We talked over Braeside and Oxenwood, closing of our youth centre, “and Pewsey has no youth centre, used to have the Shack.” Thus, cuts of police, schools and public spaces became the subject quickly, and how it creates disorder. “I think the government doesn’t join the dots between reducing police numbers, removing youth workers, or limiting their time significantly. If you close public spaces where young people can hang out, or the whole exclusion and criminalisation of young people, it’s no wonder we end up in a place where we have real problems.”

With all this mind, my finale interrogation; “if this historic moment happens, what would be the main difference to our constituency?” I got her on this one, but after some contemplation the reply was, “I think, we would look back and honestly think we’d say ‘thank god we voted in Labour in 2019,’ a bit like, post-war, The Attlee era, a time when the NHS was founded. I would like to think we’d look back at this as a ‘see change’ moment. At a fundamental level I would hope for us to be thinking people and planet at the heart of all decisions and policies, right the way through parliament to local councils, rather than profit and privilege. People being central around politics, that’s what I’d like to see for us. I think people are completely fed up with the way things have gone for the past few years. One of the biggest changes too, would be a change to the whole attitude to climate.” Holistically, Rachael linked this with the youth agenda, and we know they go hand-in-hand.

I really don’t care for your preconditioned view of Labour, bought about by the waft of media negativity, I warmed to Rachael, felt immediately like we were old friends on a reunion, and I never thought that would happen with a politician. You know me, I’ll say it how it is, and I wonder what I’ll make of the others, should they take the dare!

© 2017-2019 Devizine (Darren Worrow)
Please seek permission from the Devizine site and any individual author, artist or photographer before using any content on this website. Unauthorised usage of any images or text is forbidden.

Adverts & All That!

Nice prolonged mellow murmur of Britpop breezes through my headphones, the Billy Green 3’s last single release of the year, Soul. There’s a mesh of Verve and Spaceman 3 coming across, it’s growing on me fast; do check it out, and bear in mind Billy and the lads are down the Crown, Devizes Saturday night.

Pop Quiz: The best way to preview what’s on Friday down the trusty Southgate is A: Have me waffling about Chippenham/Devizes based Blues Reviewed with Adrienne Hale, Mark Johnson, Paul Hale, Pete Lamb, Derek Head and Martin Cleverley. Or B: Have a listen to this preview YouTube Vid of four classic covers? Eh? Me, waffling? Oh, right you are then, please yourself, here it is:

Yep, speaks for itself really, but that’s just the start, Frome’s Back Wood Redeemers on Saturday also comes highly recommended; Go Southgate!

Quick pint before Sunday dinner, and where (roast pork and crackling, yes thank you, it was) better than our dependable Southgate? The live music board is jammed with some great future gigs. We will keep you informed too; you know we will. This Sunday session though comes from Trowbridge’s singer-songwriter Phil Cooper, backed by his Slight Band, namely returning original Jack Moore on drums and Phil’s brother Ellis Cooper on bass; both accompanying vocals.

Perhaps it’s my autumn lack of enthusiasm to hike up Dunkirk Hill recently, the inability to witness some of Devizes’ live music scene left me craving, or, more than likely, Phil has polished the live act, as in my humble opinion they simply knocked it out of the park, or pub at the least. My account also propped by the notion I’ve only ever seen Phil play live acoustically, faired by Jamie on Cajon, and the backing band really gives him that extra dynamism. Yep, they gave it their all, and came across professional while residentially convivial. It was a comfy atmosphere, as is the Southgate on all occasions.

I arrived one song prior to a well-deserved doughnut break for Jack, when the egg shakers came out and the second half rang through one of my favourites of Phil’s, Road Songs. Yet Phil is so prolific an artist there’s many accomplished songs I haven’t heard, the gig planned to dig into the back catalogue a bit, but there’s probably a couple of new ones knocked out while I write this……hold on, check the book of face…… yep, told you; his electronica sidearm BCC has an armistice day release with Tamsin Quin on vocals! See this here Spotify link.

Ah good on them, it was an enjoyable gig, particularly poignant was the quasi-political I Don’t Have A Voice, about as radical as Phil gets, subject matter usually retained for emotions and social interactions. I apologise for avidly eyeing your doughnut like a famished Victorian street urchin, Jack, let it be known I had cheesecake waiting at home.

See here, next Friday is Peter Lamb’s Blues Reviewed, I’m looking forward to some twisted folky-blues skulduggery on Saturday with Frome’s Backwood Redeemers, and Sunday bluesman Thompson Smurthwaite gets on his harmonica. Blow the man down, do they ever come up for air?

© 2017-2019 Devizine (Darren Worrow)
Please seek permission from the Devizine site and any individual author, artist or photographer before using any content on this website. Unauthorised usage of any images or text is forbidden.

Adverts & That!

Promising Young Talent

Andy Fawthrop

Wade Merritt is a young (21) man who is fairly new on the scene, and I’d certainly never seen/ heard him before. So I thought I’d go and give him a listen. Hailing from Warminster, Wade’s offering is largely covers from the 1960s/ 1970s, with occasional forays into the 80s/90s. In other words, all stuff from long before he was born. Obviously he was brought up properly, and it was nice to see his dad in the audience to take some of the credit for that.

We had plenty of familiar singalong stuff from the Beatles, ELO, Queen, Elton John, Zutons and far too many more for me to remember. He played all of these very competently, but hasn’t quite yet developed the knack of putting his own stamp on them. What was very pleasing though was to hear Wade’s own songs, quietly inserted here and there in the two sets. These tended to be fairly upbeat numbers (of which he had a CD for sale) and none of your miserable, introspective singer/ songwriter stuff.

All in all a thoroughly entertaining afternoon, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing much more of this young and rising talent.

Future Sunday Sessions at The White Bear:

• 17th November Ian O’Regan
• 15th December Phil Jinder Dewhirst
• 22nd December Vince Bell

© 2017-2019 Devizine (Andy Fawthrop)
Please seek permission from the Devizine site and any individual author, artist or photographer before using any content on this website. Unauthorised usage of any images or text is forbidden.

Adverts & That!

With assorted images kindly nicked from:

Alan Jones, Richard Benham and Deborah Barnett

Felt a tap on my shoulder in the Cellar Bar of the Bear Hotel last night, an eerie witch called Tess taciturnly offered sweets from a variety Halloween basket. If it was just a kind gesture, I also saw it symbolic of the evening; variety is the tenet of these regular open mic events.

Secured on the Devizes circuit as the last Thursday of each month, I wobbled down the steps to witness no end of participants willing to step up. Preconceived judgements of a drunken karaoke, a Saga Britain’s Got Talent or a host begging for acts immediately dismissed. The scene is bustling for a week night, the quality varied but not in any manner amateurish.

Treated to a great unity and quick turnaround of tens of performances, from either upcoming or matured musicians, there for the love of it really is inspiring, communal and fun.

I swear there were more guitars than people down there, and there was a sound amount of people. Take it as red, a majority were acoustic singers, most with a cover song. Yet some originals were noted, some bought a band, others perhaps jamming via a makeshift group for the evening.

Variety moulded though, particularly through Neil & his Ukeladies, bringing a taste of the Southgate uptown! Admitted and uncaringly, they trashed Monster Mash and the Addams Family theme in a satirical and seasonal show so drunkenly fun it was nothing short of hilarious. But not without the following poignant, then viciously witty Halloween and rugby themed poems from Gail Foster. While these two acts stick in the mind, through their diversity, or insanity, the standard of all acts was simply superb.

From Dereck Wood to a pale-face-painted Terry Couchman, and through an Eric Clapton aficionado, to a gorgeous acoustic adaption of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy, the evening was exceedingly entertaining and gregarious. Had to ponder if I was the only attendee not planning a blast under the spotlight, though the offer was there, some kind of stand-up routine suggested; yeah, no really!

With little alternative options, it wouldn’t have mattered if Oasis was planning a one-off in the Corn Exchange, it’d still be the best thing to do on a Thursday night in the Vizes, and it was also free entry too.

Any dubiousness of open mic nights I once may have had were quashed last night. I ponder the necessity of venturing to a different one, in a different town, to compare, if only for an accurate review. But when did I give a toss about accuracy? Considering I was thoroughly entertained, that’s enough, and all you need to know to do a lot worse for an evening then bookmark the next one of these gatherings in your diary.

Top marks Richard Benham, the organiser and compere, who, with a witty slant on introductions, banded the heavy flow of hopeful performers. We stopped for a short natter, enthusiastically informing how for some it’s a gateway, for others a solace, but all played an important part in this, what essentially felt more like a family gathering. Top marks too, to the Bear; Luke, for a pause in tending the bar to fetch drumsticks, and a welcomed event. After a tough afternoon trick or treating, this was no trick, the highlight of which, amidst all these performers, in my humble opinion, was undoubtedly Laurie Couchman’s spellbinding and apt performance of Eva Cassidy’s Autumn Leaves.

© 2017-2019 Devizine (Darren Worrow)
Please seek permission from the Devizine site and any individual author, artist or photographer before using any content on this website. Unauthorised usage of any images or text is forbidden.

Adverts & That!

Dust off your Lederhosen and dirndls, tune your alpenhorns, Seend Community Centre annually hosts an Oktoberfest to make King Ludwig envious. It’s next week volks, Saturday 5th October. They invite you to “join us for another fabulous night of fun and entertainment, in true Bavarian style.”

Traditional games include Holz Sägen (Log Sawing) Kuh Melken (Cow Milking) Nagelbalken (Nail Beam) Bier Stemmen (Beer Holding) and Bier Trinken. Tickets are £12.50 available now from the Community Centre or the Post Office, Seend, and include a hot buffet supper and disco.

Adverts & Stuff!

“What a FANTASTIC afternoon!” writes Sarah Tyler of Devizes Town Band.

“It was perfect weather for sitting in a park with a picnic, and over 1,000 people came along to Hillworth Park to hear Devizes Town Band’s fifth Children’s Prom today!”
“Adults and children alike sang, danced, and clapped along to a variety of film and TV themes, including The Greatest Showman, Jungle Book, The Incredibles and Strauss’s Thunder and Lightening Polka.”
“Many children entered into the spirit of the afternoon, by joining band members in dressing up and they also had the chance to hear other children perform, when some of the young students from CJ School of Music sang some wonderful songs.”
“There was also a chance for children, (and adults!) to try out a number of instruments that band members had brought – who knows, in a few years time, some of them may be playing in a future Prom!”
“Thank you to everyone who came to the concert today and we hope that we will see you all in Hillworth Park again next Sunday, for Proms in the Park, starting at 3pm!”

Adverts & That!

After popping out of the yurt on the Green, bedazzled by the curious show inside, want for some normality rushed through me, that and the simpler fact I needed a cider or three.

Where better than our dependable Southgate, where if the fun was to stop, you’d be wondering if you were in the right pub? Although the vibe inside differed to the customary acoustic, folk, rock, punk or jazz, as Sophia and her Soul Rebels delivered some fine covers of soul classics; Motown, Atlantic popularised in those swinging sixties and moving onto modern anthems of The Brand-New Heavies and others.

Sophia not only has the palatable, soulful voice to execute some of the hardest vocals known to pop, but an obligatory diva persona blended with entertaining banter, and a proficient backing band to compliment it. She single-handedly eased through The Supremes and Vandellas, soothed the crowd with Stevie Wonder and Otis Redding songs, and controlled a series of soul masterworks.

Hosting only a minor audience than usual here at the crowded Southgate, she made it a night to remember. It may’ve been a show more suitable for a function, than our gypsy-canal type watering hole, but what a function it’d be. Again, Deborah and Dave have shown diversity in the acts they book, pushing the awesome Vince Bell gig today, for example. I declare The Southgate remains the number one most faithful and reliable venue for live music here in the Vizes, or so help me the god of hats.

Mike Barham was there, pushing for a gossip headline I reckon, with a sweeping opinion about……. ah, I’m not a tabloid Mr B, let’s not go there…… (yet!)

We hope to see Swindon’s Sophia and her gang in our town again soon, with universal appeal they’ll convert any pub or venue into an episode of Soul Train!

© 2017-2019 Devizine (Darren Worrow)
Please seek permission from the Devizine site and any individual author, artist or photographer before using any content on this website. Unauthorised usage of any images or text is forbidden.

Adverts & All That Malarkey!

There’s been a few fond memories out there on the milk run, but today was the pinnacle. I think you’ve seen the coverage, maybe you’ve heard enough about it all now, but I have to say yet again, a massive thanks to everyone who donated and supported this bizarre fundraising erm, thing.

Here’s some photos and videos of the shift, which simply wouldn’t have been the same without Wonder Woman turning up in Bottlesford to help. I was a drying drowned rat by this point, and it gave me that extra boost to continue. At the last count, we raised £1,238, which is simply incredible.

If you do Facebook, the video diary is up there to see, starts a bit dark, middles with despair and thoughts of if Spiderman would make it of the storm aplenty, the culmination was simply delightful, and the conclusion left me trundling off on my own again, hoping this was not the end to my friendship with the adorable Carmela, Lucy and Darren. We will continue to support and publicise all the great fundraising actions of others for this worthy cause, and I wish Carmela and her family all the very best wishes.

Here’s the link to their website, if you’d like more information.

Enough blabbering, here’s the photos of what has been a great adventure.

Last workday today dressed in my civilian clothes, tomorrow I transform into Spiderman; don’t get the overexcited, it’s just a onesie! I could claim Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s 1962 magnum opus superhero was aptly selected for its pioneering adolescent protagonist role, its dealings with themes of inadequacy, and loneliness, as being milkman can be a solitary shift, and I’m quite young, honest! But no, its just that’s the onesie I got from the kids one Christmas past.

I don’t wear it, hardly, only upon my return home from a rainy day when I’m soaked. This Friday though, with an unfortunate forecast of rain, it may be the onesie that’s soaked. Still, I cannot see reason to postpone it unless all hell breaks loose weather-wise. Friday is also ideal, as you know how it is on that day, people just want to make a break for it in their car, get to work and do their time; last thing they need is Spiderman holding them up in a milk-float! Friday is the day I get the highest number of disgruntled drivers yelling abuse at me; let’s see how those Green Goblins deal with the web-slinger!

The idea to this was toyed in my mind for a while now, and when Lucy Chillery-Watson sent Devizine an event poster she needed sharing, we did, but I wanted to do more. We’ve done a few charity gigs, and summer is a full calendar, so here’s something rather different, quirky and fun. I hoped it’d capture some attention, and I’ve been overwhelmed by the response.

So, I’m delighted to announce, on my last check, together with online donations and the wonderful customers on my round,

we have raised £1,095 to date!

This is absolutely incredible, proper chuffed I am with this, which has more than doubled any fundraiser we’ve had on Devizine. It really proves to me that this is more than an event guide, shaping the way I envisioned, it really can be a community media product and do some good work.

You can still donate here!

Yet, as well as our exceptionally kind and generous customers at Planks Dairies, and everyone who has donated online too, I have to thank other media resources who have gathered around this to help. Joanne of the Gazette & Herald, Emma and George at Fantasy Radio, and I believe I still need to call back Richard at BBC Wiltshire Sound too. Even Claire Perry, despite often being the butt of the joke here on Devizine, has shown she’s a sport and retweeted our campaign!

I’m sure we’ll have some photos, and I will try to make a video stream onto our Facebook page at intervals throughout the morning. Please come out and laugh, I mean cheer. I’ll also stop outside the Bear Hotel, if I see some of you chanting! It’s impossible for me to give an exact time, but I’d estimate about 9:45-10am.

Somewhere between Woodbrough and Bottlesford I may meet my nemesis, Wonder Woman. The most heart-warming part will be Carmela and Lucy joining me for the final stage of my shift, fusing the Marvel and DC universes with undoubtably cataclysmic consequences!

Here’s a message then, from the real superhero:

My only concern is after tomorrow, life goes back to normal, but I hope I’ve made a five-year-old friend; Carmela is such a little fighter, who always has a smile. There’s far more daring, courageous and vigorous fundraising attempts happening to help, including her Dad, Darren, who’s in training for the London Marathon 2020; rather you than me, Darren! Click here for more details.

Adverts & Stuff!

Images used with kind permission of Nick Padmore

Featured image by Andy Fawthrop

Yeah, proper job that; is this anyway to start a formal and highly articulated review? Do I care, you were there, wasn’t you? It’s that pub in town which yesteryear used to have nicotine stained wallpaper peeling off the wall, which you’d get a tobacco hit from just standing close to. Now the Three Crowns is chic, Wadworthshire flavoured and very much a part of contemporary Devizes pub culture. It may not be home to live music every weekend, but it has its moments, and when it does it goes down a little something like this Sunday, when our pop cover favourites, People Like Us took over and hosted an afternoon in aid of Julia’s House.

Even CD sales from the support artists went into the charity pot, and when they’re none other than the lady like Tamsin Quin, and that local master of melancholic acoustic, Mr Vince Bell, you know it’ll be a homegrown winner. I noted a Pikachu in the toy shop window with a Sherlock Holmes hat, but if my son would like it was a fleeting thought as the mellow sound of saxophone drifted from the pub and drew me in.

Jimmy Sax was the fellow’s name, quite apt considering. After only a short period he’d mastered the sexiest brass instrument known to jazz, and presented us with some sassy sunny covers. I was reminded by our writer Andy, this was the second year of the charity event, that I was a fool to miss the last one, and my judgement on the décor of the Three Crowns went out with the Mesozoic era; what can I say, they don’t let me out much. The sun though, was scorching last year, Andy expressed, and while it stayed this way for Tamsin, who took the gazebo stage next, bin bags were sought for the speakers, in time for Vince Bell, as that tropical drizzle patted down.

Though climate could never distract, the crowd was both building and buzzing, you’d be forgiven to forgetting this was Sunday, a day usually reserved for homecooked roast dinner and perhaps strimming hedges. Yet I was informed the Sunday roast here was something rather special, and affordable at around a tenner a pop too. And those who partook stuck around to see the live show. It’s been a while since I heard Tamsin sing, although galivanting and making a name for herself, she, and Vince were at the Southgate Friday with Jamie, Phil and Pat. Still, for me, it was great to hear how much more self-assured and proficient she now comes across, but delightfully retaining her trademark air of gregarious and welcoming essence, which projects through her songs and banter. Tamsin was keen to tell me about new recordings she’d been making, and I’ll be thrilled to tell you about them when the time comes.

Vince set up next, I never tire of Ship of Fools, his magnum opus in my opinion, and the plethora of his intelligently crafted songs. Like Dylan could do in his heyday, timeworn, he now just goes through the notions. There is never anything mundane about Vince’s mellow moods, as he delivers them with such an astonishingly acute appetite; no ego, just, captivating passion. Then he rounds up with the facetious tribute to Devizes, which would soar overhead of “outsiders,” but is welcomed here with audience participation.

By six, People Like Us livened up to the point of a dance frenzy, for it’s what they do best, and herein lies the secret formula to a successful and enjoyable afternoon; when support artist are encouraged to do their own thing, what typifies Devizes music scene, is knowing acceptable, and for this People Like Us bought us something special, their share shines every time.

Through Don Henley to Bruno Mars, from Maroon 5 to Evanescence, and Coldplay to Metallica, it’s an exclusive and unique take on a Now album archive, finished with a slick overcoat in something almost Californian beatnik bubble-gum, yet matured over beechwood, ever proficient and polished; it’s Devizes, and its danceable fun. They could manage this electric atmosphere in our crustier pubs, they’ll do the same in a glitzy sports bar, it just works universally, simple. Catch People Like Us at the Owl in Bromham this Saturday.

Amalgamate this with the hospitable crowd, and it’s a pleasant, Devizes styled episode of Cheers; where everybody knows your name. Nick, you are “Norm!”

© 2017-2019 Devizine (Darren Worrow, Nick Padmore, Andy Fawthrop)
Please seek permission from the Devizine site and any individual author, artist or photographer before using any content on this website. Unauthorised usage of any images or text is forbidden.

Adverts & All That!

Monday afternoon, three days prior to DOCA broadcasting the date for next year’s carnival and I’m chilling in the beer garden of the British Lion with Mirko Pangrazzi. He needs no introduction to anyone into the local music scene, he’s the former coordinator of gigs at the Cellar Bar, a large part of the Saddleback committee, and the brav’ uomo who’ll fix your guitar proper job.

We reflected on this year’s Saddleback Festival, and the announcement for the next, but this was not why we were having a pint. Neither was the first subject on the table, this Thursday (August 8th,) when George Wilding plays the Cellar Bar.

The door tax is just £3, and most importantly is a fundraiser for Liam. At birth he suffered Hypoglycaemia and associated brain injury. We’ve mentioned Liam previously, here, who at three days old suffered Hypoglycaemia and associated brain injury. Now six years old, Liam suffers from multi-focal epilepsy, global developmental delay and is also visually impaired as a result of this trauma. Recently his family discovered a medical doctor in Egypt who specialises in healing brain injuries by combining medical and holistic approaches, and hopes to raise some funds to get Liam to Egypt.

I checked it’s “just George,” rather than the band, Wilding, and Mirko confirmed it was. Yet I retracted my word “just,” as its hardly worthy of this imminent local legend. We are here to chat about 10p Mix Up, a band who will follow George’s lead with a gig at the Cellar Bar in support of Liam, on Thursday 12th September, but who you may not have heard of, yet. “So, yes,” Mirko unveiled, “then there is us. I suppose you could call it an Irish band, not strictly Irish, but mainly.”

“Folk inspired?” I asked, followed by questioning if it was to be originals or covers.

“We haven’t started writing yet,” he explained, “least I mean, I started a while back, but we’ve struggled to find the time to finish stuff up. So, we’re only playing covers at the minute.”

Keen to stress they viewed it as a bit of fun, meeting up and jamming, now they feel ready to go live. Aside a private party in August, this will be the unveiling of 10p Mix Up. “So, I look forward to that,” and so do I, it will be interesting to see Mirko playing, rather than in the crowd with the dedicated support he has shown for others, and I’m confident it will be returned. Afterwards they plan to polish off the writing and bring us some originals.

“How many people in the band, Mirko?” I asked.

“Four; me, Bill Hicks, Phil Hore, and Pete. So, I play guitar and mandolin, Bill plays and accordion harmonica, Pete plays tin whistle and fiddle, and Phil sings; the only Irishman, so he sings!” Mirko disclosed the covers though would be “stuff you’d expect, The Wild Rover, The Irish Rover, Fields of Athenry, Streets of New York, standard Irish stuff, with a couple of more English things thrown in…” Again though, Mirko stressed it was just a bit of fun. Do they feel confident at this stage?

“We’re ready to go now, ready to move on and get better,” he responded, unveiling a formula of monthly gigs, allowing time for rehearsing and clamping on writing material too. I pondered song writing, as much as I’d like to, I get stuck with cliché; all ideas have been done, haven’t they? Must be especially true in Irish folk?

“Everything has, it’s only your take on it. I’m all in favour of taking bits and bobs, when it happens, everybody does, everybody always did.” Mirko expressed his thoughts on writing for an Irish band, “something new to me. I can’t write about, you know, drugs and shit, like I used to when I was a kid in a punk band; rebellion, and all this!” Confessing he wasn’t too aware of Irish culture.

I pointed out, subject surely comes from the heart, and culture closer to home. It’s no good a country band singing of boxcars and dustbowls if they come from Trowbridge. When Vince sings “nobody gets out of here alive,” referring insular feeling of small towns, it’s Devizes. Should it be a distant style, can themes be generalised?

“You write what you write,” Mirko replied, “I find it a challenge to write about things I don’t know shit about, why not? Sometimes I find it just comes out, others it needs adjustments to fall into a signature. Other times you can build it, by learning something.” He finalised the thought with drafts of a song he was working on, editing it thoroughly to fit with a melody.

So, what’s in a name then?

“10p Mix Up,” Mirko enlightened, “is something Phil suggested; in the old days in Ireland, you could get a random bag of sweets, called a 10p mix up.” So, it relates to the variety of songs? “Yes, and also, it’s a bit of a mix up; I’m Italian, two Englishmen and an Irishman. We thought it suits the situation.”

It was Mirko’s idea to start the band in December, recognising the gap in the market for fun, party Irish folk. I pointed out Cath and Gouldy of Sound Affects is the only thing similar here. Mirko got technical with the unruly nature of Irish folk’s composition, making the music stimulating. He also debated the tempo, wishing for frenetic when Phil desired slower. “Songs that people recognise,” Mirko expressed the importance of, “Whisky in Jar, things like that; we’re not there look pretty, we’re there have a good evening and want people to take it on.”

At open mic at the Cellar Bar the band did a set, crowds expressed their fondness, for this is something different, a tenet they want, and something we look forward to hearing.

© 2017-2019 Devizine (Darren Worrow)
Please seek permission from the Devizine site and any individual author, artist or photographer before using any content on this website. Unauthorised usage of any images or text is forbidden.

Adverts & All That!