So what is it with Lewisham eh? How come there’s so many sessions? Is the Lewisham ITM collective splitting into ever-smaller factions? Are you trying to have a session (at least) every day of the week? Do you have no lives outside ITM? Do you like a drink or three? Are you totally serious session hounds? Is it some fiendish Gallic plot … or maybe all of the above?
I know, it's strange. For somewhere out in the back o' beyond of suburbia. And it's a mixture of yes'es and no's to all of your questions. But it's always been quite healthy down here so far as I've been around, and I was surprised to find SE London live and kicking when I moved to this end of the galaxy after living round Co. Kilburn for half a decade.
But I only discovered recently that traditionally, Lewisham borough is regarded locally as quite Irish. THat has probably changed now as the biggest ethnic minority is Turkish. But there are other influences - there are 2 music colleges nearby - one in Goldsmith's and Morden (I think). There has always been a fair smattering of music around - John Bow and Roger Sherlock used to play in Forest Hill. Bobby Casey used to have a session in the London to Brighton pub in Queen's Road Peckham. Kevin Burke is from nearby Eltham.
But mostly it's a quirk brought about by historical events and dint of effort of the local enthusiasts - thus there probably is some degree of gallic and caledonian input. So maybe we are spread a bit thin.
That's how it works, a landlord/landlady or barman/barmaid goes for a drink in a different pub from where they work (a very acceptable busman's holiday), hears your session there, and ask you to do the same in their pub. It just snowballs.
These particular landlords/ladies etc just happen to live in the Lewisham area.
To think I used to avoid the area like the plague and now I spend more of my leisure time there than anywhere else. So come on Orson, move to Lewisham - think of those great savings you'll make on travelcards!
Aidan, your own Humours of Lewisham will have to become our theme tune I think.
What about the noodle house 100 yards away, the West Indian restaurant etc. and there's also a Turkish grocers.
Lewisham's getting very cosmopolitan. It's where it's all happening. Aidan, Danny, watch the value of your properties go up.
Not only that - in another minority interest, my local athletics club, which 7-8 years ago was in the doldrums, is now rapidly ascending the ranks of the British League and have at least one rapidly rising star in young Jermaine Mays, 2nd fastest Briton in the 3000m Steeplechase and has now been picked for the UK team in the 'chase:
Sometimes I find the sociability of website quite demanding. However the above discussion demonstrates thwe value of checking in regularly to the "Discussion Board". Thx for the vivid picture of your neck of the woods. I know where to head next time I'm in London.(..Uh last time I was there was 1974. D'you think you could be so kind as to keep those every-night sessions active for about another five or ten years? Just long enough for me to get my life in order, then I'll be right over..
Croydon indeed Sarah! To be honest I don't think anybody is safe when the football's on. I'm glad I was not around last Sunday as you can imagine.
When I told people on Monday morning that I'd had a great weekend, they assumed it was because of the football results - morons!
It had everything to do with a session double on Saturday(beerfest then Shillelagh's)and nothing to do with a bunch of millionaires kicking a stupid ball. That Zidane's handsome though.
what really makes me laugh is all the muppets sporting their patriotic cross of st. george england flags from their french,german,american,japanese,italian cars
it's so funny
if the swiss were n't so hung up on the 'blitzsauber' stuff i'ld be rooting for them tomorrow
Dave you're behaving like a Scotsman, supporting every team but England!!!
Conversely, whenever Ireland get through the finals, every pub in London becomes Irish.
Doesn't the Swiss flag look a bit like an inverted St. George flag?
What's St. George famous for anyway apart from slaying a beast that does not exist.
Oh no, I'm rambling!
I'm not afraid of Lewisham - we once sat in the Spotted Dog while the place was being drunk dry by a bunch of travellers and carried on playing when 20 police vans turned up to chuck them out. I still can't understand why all these guys with truncheons and riot shields totally ignored the musicians. There was another time in the William Wallace after a Scottish football victory when someone got out of hand and was sent flying across the musicians table - we still carried on.
Ahh the William Wallace! I remember watching England beat Scotland there. My abiding memories, hazy as they are, were of not being able to move, a friend smuggling in a large bottle of whiskey, someone shouting, when Paul Scholes was on the screen, "You're an ugly wee man. Look at you!" and a pint of Guinness being thrown at said screen when England scored. Never mind, Scotland won the re-match at Wembley! My friends (2 Scots, a Welshman and a smattering of Anglo Saxons) and I watched the match in the pub next door to the office. We came up with the now well-known(?) football chant, "I'd rather be a badger than English", and a group of rival fans bought us a bottle of champagne afterwards.
Hey guys - we're going to have an American lady fiddler (from Chicago) and her friends visit us at the Blythe (some of ye's know who I mean) tonight, so if ye's have a spare evening and need a session in Lewisham....
Oh dear, folks! Just had a phone call from a mate of mine who lives in Vauxhall asking if we'd like to do a session there! A pub called The Black Prince. I told him that we were all pretty thinly spread at the minute, what with occasional appearances at The Duke, regular appearances at The Blythe and Shilleaghs and now the new Holly Tree effort. (Let alone surreal sessions at the Catford Beer thing'my.)
Maybe we could do a one-off, I told him. But I doubt anyone can commit any more time. He's away to think it over for a bit, anyway.
Back to the beer thing'my.
Was that bizarre or what? Sitting on-stage, drinking and smoking and chatting away just like a real session. Wandering off to the bar or the loo, playing when we felt like it. ONSTAGE! You'd have thunk we'd have got ourselves into some sort of performance mindset organically by virtue of the fact that we were on this wee roped-off stage, but the fact that we didn't is a marvel! It was like inviting a load of strangers to come and watch you having a little private party!
Planet Lewisham
Planet Lewisham
So what is it with Lewisham eh? How come there’s so many sessions? Is the Lewisham ITM collective splitting into ever-smaller factions? Are you trying to have a session (at least) every day of the week? Do you have no lives outside ITM? Do you like a drink or three? Are you totally serious session hounds? Is it some fiendish Gallic plot … or maybe all of the above?
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Just a person
Re: Planet Lewisham
I know, it's strange. For somewhere out in the back o' beyond of suburbia. And it's a mixture of yes'es and no's to all of your questions. But it's always been quite healthy down here so far as I've been around, and I was surprised to find SE London live and kicking when I moved to this end of the galaxy after living round Co. Kilburn for half a decade.
But I only discovered recently that traditionally, Lewisham borough is regarded locally as quite Irish. THat has probably changed now as the biggest ethnic minority is Turkish. But there are other influences - there are 2 music colleges nearby - one in Goldsmith's and Morden (I think). There has always been a fair smattering of music around - John Bow and Roger Sherlock used to play in Forest Hill. Bobby Casey used to have a session in the London to Brighton pub in Queen's Road Peckham. Kevin Burke is from nearby Eltham.
But mostly it's a quirk brought about by historical events and dint of effort of the local enthusiasts - thus there probably is some degree of gallic and caledonian input. So maybe we are spread a bit thin.
Why, Orson, are you thinking of emigrating?
:~}
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Planet Lewisham
It might lose its exotic charm if I did
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Just a person
Re: Planet Lewisham
Wot, Catford? Shillelagh's? Exotic?
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Planet Lewisham
That's how it works, a landlord/landlady or barman/barmaid goes for a drink in a different pub from where they work (a very acceptable busman's holiday), hears your session there, and ask you to do the same in their pub. It just snowballs.
These particular landlords/ladies etc just happen to live in the Lewisham area.
To think I used to avoid the area like the plague and now I spend more of my leisure time there than anywhere else. So come on Orson, move to Lewisham - think of those great savings you'll make on travelcards!
Aidan, your own Humours of Lewisham will have to become our theme tune I think.
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Cath
Re: Planet Lewisham
Sacrebleu John, a fiendish Gallic plot!!!
Hey, I give Lewisham its exotic charm didn't you know?
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Cath
Re: Planet Lewisham
Re exotic charm, I can't think of any other session pub opposite a Sri Lankan restaurant ... well, not outside Sri Lanka anyway
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Just a person
Re: Planet Lewisham
What about the noodle house 100 yards away, the West Indian restaurant etc. and there's also a Turkish grocers.
Lewisham's getting very cosmopolitan. It's where it's all happening. Aidan, Danny, watch the value of your properties go up.
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Cath
Re: Planet Lewisham
... until all those poxy diddly sessions drive them down again
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Just a person
Re: Planet Lewisham
Not only that - in another minority interest, my local athletics club, which 7-8 years ago was in the doldrums, is now rapidly ascending the ranks of the British League and have at least one rapidly rising star in young Jermaine Mays, 2nd fastest Briton in the 3000m Steeplechase and has now been picked for the UK team in the 'chase:
http://www.kentac.org.uk/
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Planet Lewisham
So if you're a music playing running geek Lewisham is the place to be.
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Planet Lewisham
I suppose it helps to be able to run fast in Lewisham.
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Paul_draper
Re: Planet Lewisham
Nice one Paul, but since you play in the Forest Gate area, surely you would not be afraid to come down and play with us one of these days.
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Cath
Re: Planet Lewisham
Pot, Kettle
# Posted on June 15th 2004 by Just a person
Re: Planet Lewisham
So maybe it's natural selection at work in Jermaine's case.
# Posted on June 16th 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Planet Lewisham
Sometimes I find the sociability of website quite demanding. However the above discussion demonstrates thwe value of checking in regularly to the "Discussion Board". Thx for the vivid picture of your neck of the woods. I know where to head next time I'm in London.(..Uh last time I was there was 1974. D'you think you could be so kind as to keep those every-night sessions active for about another five or ten years? Just long enough for me to get my life in order, then I'll be right over..
# Posted on June 16th 2004 by vboyd100
Re: Planet Lewisham
Do you have to be able to run faster in Croydon or Lewisham when the football is on????
# Posted on June 16th 2004 by Sarah the Flute
Re: Planet Lewisham
We'll try our best VBoyd
Croydon indeed Sarah! To be honest I don't think anybody is safe when the football's on. I'm glad I was not around last Sunday as you can imagine.
When I told people on Monday morning that I'd had a great weekend, they assumed it was because of the football results - morons!
It had everything to do with a session double on Saturday(beerfest then Shillelagh's)and nothing to do with a bunch of millionaires kicking a stupid ball. That Zidane's handsome though.
# Posted on June 16th 2004 by Cath
Re: Planet Lewisham
what really makes me laugh is all the muppets sporting their patriotic cross of st. george england flags from their french,german,american,japanese,italian cars
it's so funny
if the swiss were n't so hung up on the 'blitzsauber' stuff i'ld be rooting for them tomorrow
# Posted on June 16th 2004 by biggus dave
Re: Planet Lewisham
Dave you're behaving like a Scotsman, supporting every team but England!!!
Conversely, whenever Ireland get through the finals, every pub in London becomes Irish.
Doesn't the Swiss flag look a bit like an inverted St. George flag?
What's St. George famous for anyway apart from slaying a beast that does not exist.
Oh no, I'm rambling!
# Posted on June 16th 2004 by Cath
Re: Planet Lewisham
he was n't english,he was n't funny and if he ever existed he was a pretty poor specimen by all accounts.
quite a good figurehead for england then...
and i dont support every team but england,cath-my xenophobia is truly international!
# Posted on June 16th 2004 by biggus dave
Re: Planet Lewisham
Strong sentiments Dave
Cannot quite figure it out but there's somthing vaguely oxymoronic about your last sentence.
# Posted on June 16th 2004 by Cath
Re: Planet Lewisham
I'm not afraid of Lewisham - we once sat in the Spotted Dog while the place was being drunk dry by a bunch of travellers and carried on playing when 20 police vans turned up to chuck them out. I still can't understand why all these guys with truncheons and riot shields totally ignored the musicians. There was another time in the William Wallace after a Scottish football victory when someone got out of hand and was sent flying across the musicians table - we still carried on.
I'll see if I can get to the Holly tree tomorrow.
# Posted on June 16th 2004 by Paul_draper
Re: Planet Lewisham
Hope to see you there Paul
# Posted on June 17th 2004 by Cath
Re: Planet Lewisham
Dave, we have an Armenian student at work who asked us to paint a St. George's flag on his arm!
# Posted on June 17th 2004 by Cath
Re: Planet Lewisham
Ahh the William Wallace! I remember watching England beat Scotland there. My abiding memories, hazy as they are, were of not being able to move, a friend smuggling in a large bottle of whiskey, someone shouting, when Paul Scholes was on the screen, "You're an ugly wee man. Look at you!" and a pint of Guinness being thrown at said screen when England scored. Never mind, Scotland won the re-match at Wembley! My friends (2 Scots, a Welshman and a smattering of Anglo Saxons) and I watched the match in the pub next door to the office. We came up with the now well-known(?) football chant, "I'd rather be a badger than English", and a group of rival fans bought us a bottle of champagne afterwards.
Qualit-eeeeee!
# Posted on June 17th 2004 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Planet Lewisham
Hey guys - we're going to have an American lady fiddler (from Chicago) and her friends visit us at the Blythe (some of ye's know who I mean) tonight, so if ye's have a spare evening and need a session in Lewisham....
# Posted on June 17th 2004 by Rudall the time
Re: Planet Lewisham
it was meant to be,Cath!i suppose you were missing the smiley-face thingies.
internationalism is the way - bring back the wobblies is what i say!
# Posted on June 17th 2004 by biggus dave
Re: Planet Lewisham
woo wee have a gud time guys an gals...wish i wuz there,, rock the house now
# Posted on June 17th 2004 by vboyd100
Re: Planet Lewisham
Oh dear, folks! Just had a phone call from a mate of mine who lives in Vauxhall asking if we'd like to do a session there! A pub called The Black Prince. I told him that we were all pretty thinly spread at the minute, what with occasional appearances at The Duke, regular appearances at The Blythe and Shilleaghs and now the new Holly Tree effort. (Let alone surreal sessions at the Catford Beer thing'my.)
Maybe we could do a one-off, I told him. But I doubt anyone can commit any more time. He's away to think it over for a bit, anyway.
Back to the beer thing'my.
Was that bizarre or what? Sitting on-stage, drinking and smoking and chatting away just like a real session. Wandering off to the bar or the loo, playing when we felt like it. ONSTAGE! You'd have thunk we'd have got ourselves into some sort of performance mindset organically by virtue of the fact that we were on this wee roped-off stage, but the fact that we didn't is a marvel! It was like inviting a load of strangers to come and watch you having a little private party!
# Posted on June 17th 2004 by Aidan Crossey