CHECK TIMES as they will vary from week to week but todays one is after the match at around 7.00pm with resident box master John Bowe and Peter Coughlan (guitar & voice) plus friends and being open anyone is welcome to join in
Historically solid, the tradiional Sunday session here finally re-started last week when John and Peter were joined by Kane O'Rourke (fiddle, flute, low whistle, bodhran) over from Ireland
Next week, St. Valetines Day, will see Mark Conyard (fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar) over from Germany, and i hope to get down too
Barely time between Sun afternoon and Tues eve to check the wig glue (SyrupStik), change the trousers and count the 'hot water bottles of the famous' collection.
Kane's over this weekend, joining John Bowe and Friends tomorrow here i think around 6pm with the Hungry Grass heads _ it's going to be emotional, before being clawed away for a gig in South Harrow
The Hungry Hot Water Bottles, John Bowe and the SyrupStik Syncopators...
Fab quality session last night: JB on box (of course!), Mark Conyard on tenor banjo & mandolin, Peter Coughlan on six string devil and vox humana, David on fiddle & mandolin & tenor banjo and a chap whose name I'm afraid I don't know on fiddle. Plus Vincent singing songs and me, as usual, doing my best to wreck the session on baritone uke and cheap bouzouki.
It's still going strong after eight months with some class players down (from Ireland and America), but regulars John and Peter are in Ireland this weekend, so i've been drafted in with Dara (a class flute player), Aidan (fiddle), Dave (uke) and anyone else welcome to join us at this 'dark house', The Kilkenny tavern, 6.00-8.15pm and maybe longer . . .
Fab trouser changing session in the heart of Sarf Lunden
Groovy old sesh last night in the heart of SW19 whilst John Bowe's away, sitting in his Hawaiian shirt on a deckchair with a knotted hankercheif on his head somewhere on the other side of the Irish Sea!
I was a pleasure to have some tunes with Aidan and Dara in such a intimate setting.
A special big 'Wow!' to Dara who played an amazing 'solo' set with two backers at once; that's just him on flute and John on six string devil with the weird secret tuning and me on the old baritone ukulele.
And thankyou to my roadie OutsideVenus.
Well what a coincidence - would I be right in assuming this is the Kilkenny opposite the Grove? Or the Princess Royal? Anyway greetings to you all from Co. Sligo where some of you may remember I moved to in 2005. See you in January and here's some reading http://www.celticspiral.us/A-week-of-music-with-French-and-Breton-Musicians-April-08
The Who-Killed-Kenny is next to the South Wimbledon tube station.
The Grove is across the road at the lights outside the station. The Princess Royal is dead...closed, gone, no more...
A warm one for the Sunday Wig Museum sesh.
Fab music with John (box), Daire (flute), Peter (vox humana/ six string devil), Liz (fiddle), Gemma (flute), John (fiddle) and myself (baritone ukulele).
And boy! Did we all put the world to rights once we stopped playing and started drinking and talking in earnest?!
The Mulinseseseseses and the Herpetology Expert...
Great session this week!
Earlier on last night (Sunday 14 Aug 20011) I was at the Tooting Old Testament Re-Enactment Society and played with Mr Vulpes (banjo/ vox humana/ goatskin), the Fiddlin' O'Leary Sisters, Alvin and a woman fiddler whose name has escaped me and, yet again, the massed Mulinseseses (2 x banjo/ box & pipes/ box). We played some fabulous sets. Truly quality stuff!
Then off to the Wig Museum. Mr Bowe's still away sitting on deckchair on a beach with his trousers rolled up, knotted hankie on his head (with his jacket still on naturally) so this week the herpetology meister (Lisaniska) was leading on wierdly tuned six string devil and vox humana. There was also Daire (flute), Mark (banjo/ fiddle/ six string devil), David (fiddle), Kevin (vox and another six string devil). Again the quality of some sets played by me, Daire, Mark and David were outstanding (even if I do say myself!).
Thanks to everyone at both sessions for a fab Sunday night out!
Saturday at the Wig Museum was not a session but a Starvin’ Mary Jane gig. I joined them for a couple of tunes and played invisible strummy-fing. The party went on and on...fabulous! One of these times where the distinction between gig and after-show party is undetectable. Half remember getting out of cab outside my gaff at dawn. Sleep through the day ready to return to play with Mssrs Vader & Marx.
Arrive at 7 pm. Norman Vader (box), Harpo Marx (six string Takamine/ vox hibernia), The late Mr Crumplehorn (flute), Clairey-O-Diddlio (fiddle), myself (cheap Romanian 'zouk/ Mahalo baritone ukulele). We touched on nearly all trad pub Irish styles (wotteffah that is!) and the diverse and copious punters (who had been watching the hurling on the big tele earlier) lapped it up: waltzing in pairs to Jon's old fashioned waltz set, trad dancing to a 'light reel' (as NV described it), singing along to corny favourites (Carrickfergus/ Black Velvet Band), listening politely to JB and Daire as they played an air, digging Harpo’s more obscure but searing vocal selections, along with lots of straight forward sets of jigs and reels und so weiter…
Session-ing don’t get better than this!
I have changed the names to protect the innocent
Last night: me, Norman Vader and the Late Mr Crumplehorn.
We swopped notes on hot water bottle collections and played the tune called The Hut in The Bog and Mr Crumplehorn had a picture of the bog in the hut. Harpo Marx was at a wedding in Italy extolling, as usual, probably, that all property is theft...
In the aftermath of the previous day’s Peckish Weed gig, Harpo & Spliffle Delekto were luxuriating in Mr Choudhry’s Hallal Deep Space Nine sinking pints of so-called Irish cider. I joined them in their misery. After half an hour of cromulent conversation we headed to the Wig Museum.
Norman Vader was already there, his box for his box still shut at his feet. Polishing up his bugle in readiment was the late Mr Crumplehorn and Ken Lazi fiddled with her G & T.
We sat down around the table: Norman Vader at the head of course. To his right: the Late Mr Crumplehorn, to his left sat Ken Lazi. I sat next to Ken and opposite Mr Crumplehorn and Harpo. Spliffle Delekto held his musical bed warmer like the champion he is.
For hors d'oeuvres there was a lively set of tangy jigs and then a portion of spicy reels. For the main course Jobox Squeezer joined us as we lapped up the gravy. Spliffle just sort of sat there, stunned. Harpo sprinkled some choice songs and we were joined by Annabel.
We played and played until dessert, brandies, port and cigars. Then we had more brandy, port and cigars followed by additional brandy, port and cigars. We finished the evening/ night with further brandy, port and cigars.
Spliffle Delekto and Harpo were, as advertised, ‘Returning to Groovsville’. Norman Vader had been to Groovesville earlier but had understandably escaped south of river. I met him in the Wig Museum. I was hobbling with aluminium NHS crutches due to an unexpected episode of the zombie woof. All episodes of zombie woof are unexpected. The Late Mr Crumplehorn turned up and we ripped through a selection of selections. Mr Vader is a zombie woof sufferer and we exchanged stories of pain once more.
Halfway through the evening we were highjacked by the Hi Dee Hi Yodelling Squeeze Box Korps. Folder Ree Folder Rye, the Fields of Peckham Rye, If You’re Irish Come Into The Parlour, When Irish Eyes Are Smiling- you know, proper pure drop. Mr Crumplehorn had an examination to go to, Norman Vader went home and I took refuge at the jazz/ funk session next door in Mr Choudhry’s Halal Deep Space Nine and counted my hot water bottle collection.
Last night the Fab Four (Normy Babe, Monsieur Crumple, Harpo & yours truly) were joined by Spliffle Delekto. After a period of settling down they powered into some fierce sets. Energized Trad?! This was Nuclear Trad! Never before has baritone uke, a well polished bugle, the shaved parrot, Herr Vox Humana, a knackered six string devil, chromatic serpent and dilruba sounded so cromulent in the field of non-performance derivative modal Hibernian-stylee musical endeavour.
And the Guinness revival continues…
Norman Vader, Harpo, Spliffle Delekto and Yhaalhouse happened in B B King's Wig Museum last night and a fabulous impromtu session occurred.
We had a brilliant time!
There was no music played, no-one even had an instrument.
We put the world to rights and no mistake!
B B King's Wig Museum welcomes famous professional antipodean crossdresser...
Last night we were bereft of the Late Mr Crumplehorn. He is polishing his bugle up in Deutschland. Norman Vader (athletic finger tips) & Yhaalhouse (usual session wrecking) were joined by Spliffle Delekto (a-twanging and a-fiddlin’) and, once he had dragged himself out of one pub and into another, Harpo (lovely hair/ six string devilling/ vox humana). Later David joined us with a bit of fiddling and Stuart fretting over my banjolele. Harpo provided the Crane Driver a sort of Capt Beefheart and the Magic Band backing on the aforesaid banjolele as he sang a song in F major. The Vincent of Innishboffin sang two songs including I’ll Walk Beside You.
Then, at about 8.30 Mary the Karaoke joined in on very new looking whistle. She then set up her karaoke stuff and the pub started being filled with a host of young beautiful things. The karaoke began at about nine and it turned out to be an end of tour after show party for the company doing the Dick Whittington pantomime at Wimbledon Theatre. Harpo, Spliffle and I passed through the kitchen on the way back from a fag and some of the theatre people were finishing the costume and make up for an actor posing as Barry Humphries doing Dame Edna. The real Barry Humphries is the star of the pantomime this year. They (the luvvies including the Dame Edna impersonator) sang like only actors can and presented a sort of end of term revue full of private jokes and innuendo. By this time the real Barry Humphries was in BB King’s Wig Museum and he wondered around the pub for 20 minutes greeting his colleagues and discussing his wig glue (SyrupStik) and his hot water bottle collection. Harpo & I were gonna do a karaoke (Uptown Top Ranking) but there were so many wide-eyed actresses clamouring for a place we never got a look in!
This Sunday Darth Vader’s brother Norman played box having not gone to Glasgow, Spliffle Delekto held the banjo beautifully still on his way home from the gig the previous night and Harpo (also on his way home from the previous night’s gig and on his way to France to do something called ‘skiing’) read a book on Marx and his quartet practised in the park. The late Mr Crumplehorn returned from Deutschland with his bugle and I, of course, diddled my strummy-fing (having simply walked the five minutes around the corner). We were joined this week by der Meister Herr Ginger Klint Gruntglass and his magical whistling and fiddling (and a spot of banjo bothering) who disappeared into the darkness with his luggage.
Quietisch night of trouser changing with Normy-babe on squeezy-fing, the Late Mr Crumplehorn on well polished gobstick-fing, Yhaalhouse on small strummy-fing. This week they were all joined by the Lovely Gemma on extremely shiney flutey-fing. Harpo was absent, still on his way home from the previous evening’s gig at the Wig Museum. There was a great moment when we played the Japanese Hornpipe and later on Norman Vader played other tunes that baffled us all! My aunties didn’t make it on account of them still finding their way home to Morden or wherever after last night’s gig.
Yhaalhouse (baritone ukulele strummy-fing)had man ‘flu and was far from his best, the beer didn’t taste right and ended up on the Jamesons. Due to an apparent recent poisoning, the Late Mr Crumplehorn (well polished up bugle) was drinking still bottled water with frozen ice (not fresh ice) and a special secret concoction* out of an expensive looking silver coloured thermos flask. Harpo (vox Hibernia and six string strummy-fing) was in a post snake bite confusion. I tried to clarify whether this was the variety with black current or without to no avail. The force of course was Norman Vader (squeezy-fing) and he lubricated his viscera with Guinness as usual. Despite all this we played rather well! Harpo ducked request to sing the Peckham Rye song and Normy Babe and Ole Crumple-Dumple played the air Ned on the Hill whilst Yhaalhouse and Harpo sat outside in the sub-zero having a quick fag. We played a weekly polka set. Norman, on his way to the gents, thoughtfully requested a solo from Mr Crumplehorn who responded to by playing silence (It might have been the John Cage piece) and chatting to us about parrot shaving in the Carpathians.
Later, the Vincent of Innishboffin sang on the stage and the Legendary Sunni sang, sat on a chair. We all ended up sitting around a big table by the fire in the Old Gentlemen’s club area of the Wig Museum: Harpo, Vincent, Sunni, Norman, Yhaalhouse with Mr Cleary in the background. Rumour has it that Ken will be down in a couple of weeks and der Meister Herr Ginger Klint Gruntglass may return soon along with Spliffle Delekto.
*consisting of: broiled tortoise skin, the fluff and dust from inside a fiddle, Scots bonnet peppers, regular bodhran scrapings, ganga leaves and coca leaves plus an infusion made from the rag he pulls through his bugle when cleaning it. It’s all spiced up with beetle juice (Betelguese), dried whistle bogies and fresh banjo muck.
Snow on ground on Saturday causes session on Sunday (no snow) to be cancelled.
So there was ‘snow on the ground’ on Saturday Night which for reasons not completely understood meant that the Sunday Night Session was off! There was no snow left by Sunday night! Curiously the same thing happened quite independently at the Tooting Old Testament Re-Enactment Society that nite according to Sister Redhead Fiddler. Must be a pub manager/ landlady thing?!
Anyway, Norman Vader, the late Mr Crumplehorn and yours truly (Yhaalhouse) were there in the Wig Museum anyway (on account of the weird cancellation being secret) so we all had a lovely time anyway, not playing but drinking! We were joined by Mary Nazareth who was going to sing like an angel but ended up discussing fire poking techniques with the box player. Harpo was lording it up out in Surrey with the toffs.
Next week on Sunday it seems Ken Lazi will be among us fiddling with her gin & tonic. Harpo’s return to civilization will occur and hopefully there’ll be no snow on the ground on the Saturday.
So it was a snow-less SW19 I ambled through en route to the Wig Museum. Norman Vader was sat behind a pint of black stuff on his usual chair at the end of the bar. I sat next to him and chatted about the digitization of Harry Chapin.
Spliffle Delekto and Angel arrived followed closely by The late Mr Crumplehorn and Ken Lazi. In strolled Harpo with a cheap six string devil with no case he had purloined from the Jazz session next door at Mr Chaudhry’s Halal Deep Space Nine.
We sat around the table and tuned up. We were joined by Joe and Joanne. Clockwise around the table then it was: Norman Vader (box squeezing), Ken Lazi (fiddling), Joanne (more fiddling), Spliffle Delekto (mainly the banjo thing but he also played the famous five string fiddle), Joe (goatskin), Yhaalhouse (baritone strummy-fing), Harpo (cheap borrowed six string devils and vox humana) and the late Mr Crumplehorn (well polished bugle).
Later on, the Vincent of Inishboffin sang, cracked one liners and raised his arms. I attempted to play the famous five string fiddle. It was horrid- not the instrument, my fiddling.
A fine session!
I spent Sunday afternoon deconstructing my gingery-grey face wig, replacing it with a selection of blue Rizla strips. I stepped out of the house as dusk descended and my newly naked chin and cheeks noted that the temperature was dropping. The clear azure skies were ruled by Venus low in the west burning four times as bright as Jupiter some 45 degrees higher. As I turned out of the back street into the high street I could smell the wood fire in the pub’ I was heading for.
It was just the Fab Four this week: Norman Vader, the Late Mr Crumplehorn, Harpo and Yhaalhouse. Aided and abetted by the Vincent of Innishboffin sang a couple of songs. Harpo sang the the song about Ireland written by a Welshman and a song about Scotland written by a Scotsman. Yhaalhouse embarrassed himself and everyone else by singing Yer Byebee ‘As Gawn Dahn Vhe Plug ‘Ole and the Tommy Steele setting of Carrickfergus strumming my strummy-fing. A set of hornpipes included Chief O’Neil’s Favourite and we visited Never Was Pimping So Gay. I had a jolly good chat with them all about my new found passion for shopping trolleys. Not the metal ones at Wal-Mart, the old lady wheelie doodahs. At the table of music I played Guinness chess with Harpo and Normy Baby never took off his jacket. At the end the lovely Lesley ordered crispy Peking (or is it Beijin) Duck and pancakes and we sat at the bar late into the night spreading hoisin sauce, smoking cigars and ingesting stout and Jamesons.
Come and join us!
This last Sunday we were blessed by a crapulent but cheerful strumpetyfing. As I have said before, 'you don't get that much enthusiasm for the music thenk Heavens'.
Harpo is still else where.
We've recently been playing the Japanese Hornpipe a lot, also Moving Cloud and a set of reels (the names of the tunes I can't remember)but it starts in G minor and goes to E minor. The key change, if you are not ready for it, nearly knocks you off your chair! Never Was Pimping So Gay continues to delight as well as Ned On The Hill (Air). We play a set of the absolutely bleeding obvious corny session hits and follow it up by a set of the most obscure tunes Norman Vader and the Late Mr Crumplehorn can dig out of their collective memories. Fab!
Come and join us!.
A full evening of trouser changing at the Wig Museum.
Harpo borrowed a quiet Fender, the Late Mr Crumplehorn and Darth Vader's brother (Norman) were on good form. Nice to see Joanne becoming a regular part of the party!
Cathy (or is it Kathy?) came from 'Ackney, played fiddle and discussed her hot water bottle and potato peeler collection at length with us. She said she lurks around this forum, so, 'Hello!': post something!
As I say the players were on good form and the six of us sounded like a band at times! Scarey!
The food half hour this week was popcorn chicken and chips from the Chicken Cottage (Halal) on the corner opposite. Classy grub!
Well I hope I didin't bore you too much with the pictures of my peelers, will be back soon to discuss left handed scissors. Neraly forgot the tunes were ripping.
Interesting sesh this week! Norman Vader and the Late Mr Crumplehorn were both away in Ireland. Joanne and the others were elsewhere. Harpo and I were around but we had no melody players! So we were relying on passing flautists, fiddlers, pipers and boxers to play tunes. But none came. So the two of us did it anyway! Harpo sang a huge amount of songs- he was on very good form, I also did one or two and we lilted our way through a few tunes as well. It’s the strangest session I’ve been to for a long time. A six string devil, a baritone uku-strummyfing and two vox humana. Was it a session? Was it a knees up? (It is Sarf Lunden and I did sing Knees Up Muvva Brahn)
Back to normal next week!
Come and join us!
Rarely has the Vulcan arse flute sounded this good...
Another great night at the Wig Museum!
The late Mr Crumplehorn, Joanne, Yhaalhouse and Norman ‘Fingertips’ Vader were joined by Aunty Mary-Ji of Nazareth on vox humana. We visited the Smell of the Bog among others. We also discussed and established that it is indeed a G# in the run E-G#-B in a waltz we were playing. This implies an Emaj chord in the key of D (the E chord actually functioning as a V of V). Enough musicological analyses already!
When we had finished playing, we traditionally sat around, consumed pints and put the world to rights. And then an hour after we had finished, unexpectedly, in walks Harpo and Spliffle Delekto with instrument cases. And so another sesh started. The Mighty Quinn sang a song, the one whose name means ‘Perfect one’ gave us a lecture on railway construction and Dancing Jon has a new six string devil that he is plainly in love with.
This is an increasingly fab session!
Come and join us!
It was a pleasantly mild spring evening in the South London Edwardian suburbs. A blackbird trilled from a chimney TV aerial and a swarm of ring-necked parakeets characteristically squawked as they flew over head in the sunny blue sky full of fluffy Simpson-esque clouds. The atmosphere smelt of a thousand Sunday afternoon garden barbeques.
I sauntered into the Wig Museum just as Norman ‘Fingertips’ Vader was buying a round. Harpo and the Late Mr Crumplehorn were stood at the bar. The pub was quite full for an early Sunday evening; the air was hot; the beer tasted great!
We sat at the nominal musicians table and tuned up our well polished bugle, Vulcan arse flute, shaved parrot and Harpo’s tonsils. Slowly the pub’ became busier and busier! Loads of lovely young women, stylish young men, a local Welsh rugger team plus the usual scruffy crapulent dipsomaniacs that usually form the bulk of the ‘patients’ filled the bar.
A bloke called Mick came and spanked his goatskin, Joanne scraped her catgut. The Vincent of Innishboffin silently did his crossword in amongst the trendies. With the enhanced clientele the Wig Museum was very much more raucous than usual. We had to play out to make ourselves heard, even to ourselves! It was a nice change from the regular comfortable laid back scenario. John Rowe strummed Harpo’s Takamine for a while. I tortured my cheap Romanian bouzouki/ octave mandolin/ mandola. We played and played and played and played. It was fantastic! The party continued into the night…
Fried string hoppers with prawn and squid.
Come and join us!
Sunday sesh returns to Tavern
CHECK TIMES as they will vary from week to week but todays one is after the match at around 7.00pm with resident box master John Bowe and Peter Coughlan (guitar & voice) plus friends and being open anyone is welcome to join in
Historically solid, the tradiional Sunday session here finally re-started last week when John and Peter were joined by Kane O'Rourke (fiddle, flute, low whistle, bodhran) over from Ireland
Next week, St. Valetines Day, will see Mark Conyard (fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar) over from Germany, and i hope to get down too
# Posted on February 7th 2010 by lisaniska
The toupee adhesive business...
Barely time between Sun afternoon and Tues eve to check the wig glue (SyrupStik), change the trousers and count the 'hot water bottles of the famous' collection.
# Posted on February 8th 2010 by yhaalhouse
Kane O'Rourke joins John Bowe
Kane's over this weekend, joining John Bowe and Friends tomorrow here i think around 6pm with the Hungry Grass heads _ it's going to be emotional, before being clawed away for a gig in South Harrow
# Posted on May 29th 2010 by lisaniska
The Hungry Hot Water Bottles, John Bowe and the SyrupStik Syncopators...
Fab quality session last night: JB on box (of course!), Mark Conyard on tenor banjo & mandolin, Peter Coughlan on six string devil and vox humana, David on fiddle & mandolin & tenor banjo and a chap whose name I'm afraid I don't know on fiddle. Plus Vincent singing songs and me, as usual, doing my best to wreck the session on baritone uke and cheap bouzouki.
# Posted on June 7th 2010 by yhaalhouse
Aidan Burke this evening
It's still going strong after eight months with some class players down (from Ireland and America), but regulars John and Peter are in Ireland this weekend, so i've been drafted in with Dara (a class flute player), Aidan (fiddle), Dave (uke) and anyone else welcome to join us at this 'dark house', The Kilkenny tavern, 6.00-8.15pm and maybe longer . . .
# Posted on October 17th 2010 by lisaniska
Fab trouser changing session in the heart of Sarf Lunden
Groovy old sesh last night in the heart of SW19 whilst John Bowe's away, sitting in his Hawaiian shirt on a deckchair with a knotted hankercheif on his head somewhere on the other side of the Irish Sea!
I was a pleasure to have some tunes with Aidan and Dara in such a intimate setting.
A special big 'Wow!' to Dara who played an amazing 'solo' set with two backers at once; that's just him on flute and John on six string devil with the weird secret tuning and me on the old baritone ukulele.
And thankyou to my roadie OutsideVenus.
# Posted on October 18th 2010 by yhaalhouse
Groovey in SW19
Well what a coincidence - would I be right in assuming this is the Kilkenny opposite the Grove? Or the Princess Royal? Anyway greetings to you all from Co. Sligo where some of you may remember I moved to in 2005. See you in January and here's some reading
http://www.celticspiral.us/A-week-of-music-with-French-and-Breton-Musicians-April-08
# Posted on October 31st 2010 by hoopoe
Location of the Kilkenny...
The Who-Killed-Kenny is next to the South Wimbledon tube station.
The Grove is across the road at the lights outside the station. The Princess Royal is dead...closed, gone, no more...
# Posted on November 2nd 2010 by yhaalhouse
Shhhhh!
Session still exclusive and fab!
# Posted on January 17th 2011 by yhaalhouse
Some Like It Hot...
A warm one for the Sunday Wig Museum sesh.
Fab music with John (box), Daire (flute), Peter (vox humana/ six string devil), Liz (fiddle), Gemma (flute), John (fiddle) and myself (baritone ukulele).
And boy! Did we all put the world to rights once we stopped playing and started drinking and talking in earnest?!
# Posted on June 27th 2011 by yhaalhouse
Still going...
Was there this week...
# Posted on August 4th 2011 by yhaalhouse
Mulinseseses....
I was also there this week. JB is on holiday and was replaced by the massed Mullinseseses...
# Posted on August 8th 2011 by yhaalhouse
The Mulinseseseseses and the Herpetology Expert...
Great session this week!
Earlier on last night (Sunday 14 Aug 20011) I was at the Tooting Old Testament Re-Enactment Society and played with Mr Vulpes (banjo/ vox humana/ goatskin), the Fiddlin' O'Leary Sisters, Alvin and a woman fiddler whose name has escaped me and, yet again, the massed Mulinseseses (2 x banjo/ box & pipes/ box). We played some fabulous sets. Truly quality stuff!
Then off to the Wig Museum. Mr Bowe's still away sitting on deckchair on a beach with his trousers rolled up, knotted hankie on his head (with his jacket still on naturally) so this week the herpetology meister (Lisaniska) was leading on wierdly tuned six string devil and vox humana. There was also Daire (flute), Mark (banjo/ fiddle/ six string devil), David (fiddle), Kevin (vox and another six string devil). Again the quality of some sets played by me, Daire, Mark and David were outstanding (even if I do say myself!).
Thanks to everyone at both sessions for a fab Sunday night out!
# Posted on August 15th 2011 by yhaalhouse
There on Sunday with John (box) and Daire (flute) and Liz (fiddle)...
# Posted on August 31st 2011 by yhaalhouse
Wigging it up with lashings of SyrupStik...
Saturday at the Wig Museum was not a session but a Starvin’ Mary Jane gig. I joined them for a couple of tunes and played invisible strummy-fing. The party went on and on...fabulous! One of these times where the distinction between gig and after-show party is undetectable. Half remember getting out of cab outside my gaff at dawn. Sleep through the day ready to return to play with Mssrs Vader & Marx.
Arrive at 7 pm. Norman Vader (box), Harpo Marx (six string Takamine/ vox hibernia), The late Mr Crumplehorn (flute), Clairey-O-Diddlio (fiddle), myself (cheap Romanian 'zouk/ Mahalo baritone ukulele). We touched on nearly all trad pub Irish styles (wotteffah that is!) and the diverse and copious punters (who had been watching the hurling on the big tele earlier) lapped it up: waltzing in pairs to Jon's old fashioned waltz set, trad dancing to a 'light reel' (as NV described it), singing along to corny favourites (Carrickfergus/ Black Velvet Band), listening politely to JB and Daire as they played an air, digging Harpo’s more obscure but searing vocal selections, along with lots of straight forward sets of jigs and reels und so weiter…
Session-ing don’t get better than this!
I have changed the names to protect the innocent
# Posted on September 5th 2011 by yhaalhouse
I said 'Jon', I meant of course, 'Norman'.
# Posted on September 5th 2011 by yhaalhouse
The Hut In The Bog...
Last night: me, Norman Vader and the Late Mr Crumplehorn.
We swopped notes on hot water bottle collections and played the tune called The Hut in The Bog and Mr Crumplehorn had a picture of the bog in the hut. Harpo Marx was at a wedding in Italy extolling, as usual, probably, that all property is theft...
# Posted on September 12th 2011 by yhaalhouse
Ninth of October Two Thousand & Eleven (Gregorian Calendar)
Norman Vader, the Late Mr Crumplehorn, Harpo Marx, Yhaalhouse, Jobox Squeezer: all present.
# Posted on October 12th 2011 by yhaalhouse
Brandy, port & cigars...
In the aftermath of the previous day’s Peckish Weed gig, Harpo & Spliffle Delekto were luxuriating in Mr Choudhry’s Hallal Deep Space Nine sinking pints of so-called Irish cider. I joined them in their misery. After half an hour of cromulent conversation we headed to the Wig Museum.
Norman Vader was already there, his box for his box still shut at his feet. Polishing up his bugle in readiment was the late Mr Crumplehorn and Ken Lazi fiddled with her G & T.
We sat down around the table: Norman Vader at the head of course. To his right: the Late Mr Crumplehorn, to his left sat Ken Lazi. I sat next to Ken and opposite Mr Crumplehorn and Harpo. Spliffle Delekto held his musical bed warmer like the champion he is.
For hors d'oeuvres there was a lively set of tangy jigs and then a portion of spicy reels. For the main course Jobox Squeezer joined us as we lapped up the gravy. Spliffle just sort of sat there, stunned. Harpo sprinkled some choice songs and we were joined by Annabel.
We played and played until dessert, brandies, port and cigars. Then we had more brandy, port and cigars followed by additional brandy, port and cigars. We finished the evening/ night with further brandy, port and cigars.
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by yhaalhouse
Curiouser and curiouser…
Spliffle Delekto and Harpo were, as advertised, ‘Returning to Groovsville’. Norman Vader had been to Groovesville earlier but had understandably escaped south of river. I met him in the Wig Museum. I was hobbling with aluminium NHS crutches due to an unexpected episode of the zombie woof. All episodes of zombie woof are unexpected. The Late Mr Crumplehorn turned up and we ripped through a selection of selections. Mr Vader is a zombie woof sufferer and we exchanged stories of pain once more.
Halfway through the evening we were highjacked by the Hi Dee Hi Yodelling Squeeze Box Korps. Folder Ree Folder Rye, the Fields of Peckham Rye, If You’re Irish Come Into The Parlour, When Irish Eyes Are Smiling- you know, proper pure drop. Mr Crumplehorn had an examination to go to, Norman Vader went home and I took refuge at the jazz/ funk session next door in Mr Choudhry’s Halal Deep Space Nine and counted my hot water bottle collection.
# Posted on October 31st 2011 by yhaalhouse
The Guinness revival continues...
Last night the Fab Four (Normy Babe, Monsieur Crumple, Harpo & yours truly) were joined by Spliffle Delekto. After a period of settling down they powered into some fierce sets. Energized Trad?! This was Nuclear Trad! Never before has baritone uke, a well polished bugle, the shaved parrot, Herr Vox Humana, a knackered six string devil, chromatic serpent and dilruba sounded so cromulent in the field of non-performance derivative modal Hibernian-stylee musical endeavour.
And the Guinness revival continues…
# Posted on November 28th 2011 by yhaalhouse
Unexpected session last night...
Norman Vader, Harpo, Spliffle Delekto and Yhaalhouse happened in B B King's Wig Museum last night and a fabulous impromtu session occurred.
We had a brilliant time!
There was no music played, no-one even had an instrument.
We put the world to rights and no mistake!
# Posted on December 20th 2011 by yhaalhouse
B B King's Wig Museum welcomes famous professional antipodean crossdresser...
Last night we were bereft of the Late Mr Crumplehorn. He is polishing his bugle up in Deutschland. Norman Vader (athletic finger tips) & Yhaalhouse (usual session wrecking) were joined by Spliffle Delekto (a-twanging and a-fiddlin’) and, once he had dragged himself out of one pub and into another, Harpo (lovely hair/ six string devilling/ vox humana). Later David joined us with a bit of fiddling and Stuart fretting over my banjolele. Harpo provided the Crane Driver a sort of Capt Beefheart and the Magic Band backing on the aforesaid banjolele as he sang a song in F major. The Vincent of Innishboffin sang two songs including I’ll Walk Beside You.
Then, at about 8.30 Mary the Karaoke joined in on very new looking whistle. She then set up her karaoke stuff and the pub started being filled with a host of young beautiful things. The karaoke began at about nine and it turned out to be an end of tour after show party for the company doing the Dick Whittington pantomime at Wimbledon Theatre. Harpo, Spliffle and I passed through the kitchen on the way back from a fag and some of the theatre people were finishing the costume and make up for an actor posing as Barry Humphries doing Dame Edna. The real Barry Humphries is the star of the pantomime this year. They (the luvvies including the Dame Edna impersonator) sang like only actors can and presented a sort of end of term revue full of private jokes and innuendo. By this time the real Barry Humphries was in BB King’s Wig Museum and he wondered around the pub for 20 minutes greeting his colleagues and discussing his wig glue (SyrupStik) and his hot water bottle collection. Harpo & I were gonna do a karaoke (Uptown Top Ranking) but there were so many wide-eyed actresses clamouring for a place we never got a look in!
# Posted on January 9th 2012 by yhaalhouse
Much coming & going...
This Sunday Darth Vader’s brother Norman played box having not gone to Glasgow, Spliffle Delekto held the banjo beautifully still on his way home from the gig the previous night and Harpo (also on his way home from the previous night’s gig and on his way to France to do something called ‘skiing’) read a book on Marx and his quartet practised in the park. The late Mr Crumplehorn returned from Deutschland with his bugle and I, of course, diddled my strummy-fing (having simply walked the five minutes around the corner). We were joined this week by der Meister Herr Ginger Klint Gruntglass and his magical whistling and fiddling (and a spot of banjo bothering) who disappeared into the darkness with his luggage.
# Posted on January 17th 2012 by yhaalhouse
Where are my aunties?
Quietisch night of trouser changing with Normy-babe on squeezy-fing, the Late Mr Crumplehorn on well polished gobstick-fing, Yhaalhouse on small strummy-fing. This week they were all joined by the Lovely Gemma on extremely shiney flutey-fing. Harpo was absent, still on his way home from the previous evening’s gig at the Wig Museum. There was a great moment when we played the Japanese Hornpipe and later on Norman Vader played other tunes that baffled us all! My aunties didn’t make it on account of them still finding their way home to Morden or wherever after last night’s gig.
# Posted on January 23rd 2012 by yhaalhouse
Man 'flu et cetera...
Yhaalhouse (baritone ukulele strummy-fing)had man ‘flu and was far from his best, the beer didn’t taste right and ended up on the Jamesons. Due to an apparent recent poisoning, the Late Mr Crumplehorn (well polished up bugle) was drinking still bottled water with frozen ice (not fresh ice) and a special secret concoction* out of an expensive looking silver coloured thermos flask. Harpo (vox Hibernia and six string strummy-fing) was in a post snake bite confusion. I tried to clarify whether this was the variety with black current or without to no avail. The force of course was Norman Vader (squeezy-fing) and he lubricated his viscera with Guinness as usual. Despite all this we played rather well! Harpo ducked request to sing the Peckham Rye song and Normy Babe and Ole Crumple-Dumple played the air Ned on the Hill whilst Yhaalhouse and Harpo sat outside in the sub-zero having a quick fag. We played a weekly polka set. Norman, on his way to the gents, thoughtfully requested a solo from Mr Crumplehorn who responded to by playing silence (It might have been the John Cage piece) and chatting to us about parrot shaving in the Carpathians.
Later, the Vincent of Innishboffin sang on the stage and the Legendary Sunni sang, sat on a chair. We all ended up sitting around a big table by the fire in the Old Gentlemen’s club area of the Wig Museum: Harpo, Vincent, Sunni, Norman, Yhaalhouse with Mr Cleary in the background. Rumour has it that Ken will be down in a couple of weeks and der Meister Herr Ginger Klint Gruntglass may return soon along with Spliffle Delekto.
*consisting of: broiled tortoise skin, the fluff and dust from inside a fiddle, Scots bonnet peppers, regular bodhran scrapings, ganga leaves and coca leaves plus an infusion made from the rag he pulls through his bugle when cleaning it. It’s all spiced up with beetle juice (Betelguese), dried whistle bogies and fresh banjo muck.
# Posted on January 30th 2012 by yhaalhouse
Snow on ground on Saturday causes session on Sunday (no snow) to be cancelled.
So there was ‘snow on the ground’ on Saturday Night which for reasons not completely understood meant that the Sunday Night Session was off! There was no snow left by Sunday night! Curiously the same thing happened quite independently at the Tooting Old Testament Re-Enactment Society that nite according to Sister Redhead Fiddler. Must be a pub manager/ landlady thing?!
Anyway, Norman Vader, the late Mr Crumplehorn and yours truly (Yhaalhouse) were there in the Wig Museum anyway (on account of the weird cancellation being secret) so we all had a lovely time anyway, not playing but drinking! We were joined by Mary Nazareth who was going to sing like an angel but ended up discussing fire poking techniques with the box player. Harpo was lording it up out in Surrey with the toffs.
Next week on Sunday it seems Ken Lazi will be among us fiddling with her gin & tonic. Harpo’s return to civilization will occur and hopefully there’ll be no snow on the ground on the Saturday.
# Posted on February 8th 2012 by yhaalhouse
The Famous Five (String Fiddle)
So it was a snow-less SW19 I ambled through en route to the Wig Museum. Norman Vader was sat behind a pint of black stuff on his usual chair at the end of the bar. I sat next to him and chatted about the digitization of Harry Chapin.
Spliffle Delekto and Angel arrived followed closely by The late Mr Crumplehorn and Ken Lazi. In strolled Harpo with a cheap six string devil with no case he had purloined from the Jazz session next door at Mr Chaudhry’s Halal Deep Space Nine.
We sat around the table and tuned up. We were joined by Joe and Joanne. Clockwise around the table then it was: Norman Vader (box squeezing), Ken Lazi (fiddling), Joanne (more fiddling), Spliffle Delekto (mainly the banjo thing but he also played the famous five string fiddle), Joe (goatskin), Yhaalhouse (baritone strummy-fing), Harpo (cheap borrowed six string devils and vox humana) and the late Mr Crumplehorn (well polished bugle).
Later on, the Vincent of Inishboffin sang, cracked one liners and raised his arms. I attempted to play the famous five string fiddle. It was horrid- not the instrument, my fiddling.
A fine session!
# Posted on February 13th 2012 by yhaalhouse
By 'fiddling' I meant, of course, 'nattering'.
# Posted on February 16th 2012 by yhaalhouse
Starting a collection of shopping trolleys...
I spent Sunday afternoon deconstructing my gingery-grey face wig, replacing it with a selection of blue Rizla strips. I stepped out of the house as dusk descended and my newly naked chin and cheeks noted that the temperature was dropping. The clear azure skies were ruled by Venus low in the west burning four times as bright as Jupiter some 45 degrees higher. As I turned out of the back street into the high street I could smell the wood fire in the pub’ I was heading for.
It was just the Fab Four this week: Norman Vader, the Late Mr Crumplehorn, Harpo and Yhaalhouse. Aided and abetted by the Vincent of Innishboffin sang a couple of songs. Harpo sang the the song about Ireland written by a Welshman and a song about Scotland written by a Scotsman. Yhaalhouse embarrassed himself and everyone else by singing Yer Byebee ‘As Gawn Dahn Vhe Plug ‘Ole and the Tommy Steele setting of Carrickfergus strumming my strummy-fing. A set of hornpipes included Chief O’Neil’s Favourite and we visited Never Was Pimping So Gay. I had a jolly good chat with them all about my new found passion for shopping trolleys. Not the metal ones at Wal-Mart, the old lady wheelie doodahs. At the table of music I played Guinness chess with Harpo and Normy Baby never took off his jacket. At the end the lovely Lesley ordered crispy Peking (or is it Beijin) Duck and pancakes and we sat at the bar late into the night spreading hoisin sauce, smoking cigars and ingesting stout and Jamesons.
Come and join us!
# Posted on February 20th 2012 by yhaalhouse
Enthusiastic amateur...
This last Sunday we were blessed by a crapulent but cheerful strumpetyfing. As I have said before, 'you don't get that much enthusiasm for the music thenk Heavens'.
Harpo is still else where.
We've recently been playing the Japanese Hornpipe a lot, also Moving Cloud and a set of reels (the names of the tunes I can't remember)but it starts in G minor and goes to E minor. The key change, if you are not ready for it, nearly knocks you off your chair! Never Was Pimping So Gay continues to delight as well as Ned On The Hill (Air). We play a set of the absolutely bleeding obvious corny session hits and follow it up by a set of the most obscure tunes Norman Vader and the Late Mr Crumplehorn can dig out of their collective memories. Fab!
Come and join us!.
# Posted on March 29th 2012 by yhaalhouse
Trouser changing in SW19
A full evening of trouser changing at the Wig Museum.
Harpo borrowed a quiet Fender, the Late Mr Crumplehorn and Darth Vader's brother (Norman) were on good form. Nice to see Joanne becoming a regular part of the party!
Cathy (or is it Kathy?) came from 'Ackney, played fiddle and discussed her hot water bottle and potato peeler collection at length with us. She said she lurks around this forum, so, 'Hello!': post something!
As I say the players were on good form and the six of us sounded like a band at times! Scarey!
The food half hour this week was popcorn chicken and chips from the Chicken Cottage (Halal) on the corner opposite. Classy grub!
# Posted on April 2nd 2012 by yhaalhouse
Lurkers
Well I hope I didin't bore you too much with the pictures of my peelers, will be back soon to discuss left handed scissors. Neraly forgot the tunes were ripping.
# Posted on April 2nd 2012 by HackneyCat
Knees Up Muvva Brahhn
Interesting sesh this week! Norman Vader and the Late Mr Crumplehorn were both away in Ireland. Joanne and the others were elsewhere. Harpo and I were around but we had no melody players! So we were relying on passing flautists, fiddlers, pipers and boxers to play tunes. But none came. So the two of us did it anyway! Harpo sang a huge amount of songs- he was on very good form, I also did one or two and we lilted our way through a few tunes as well. It’s the strangest session I’ve been to for a long time. A six string devil, a baritone uku-strummyfing and two vox humana. Was it a session? Was it a knees up? (It is Sarf Lunden and I did sing Knees Up Muvva Brahn)
Back to normal next week!
Come and join us!
# Posted on April 10th 2012 by yhaalhouse
Rarely has the Vulcan arse flute sounded this good...
Another great night at the Wig Museum!
The late Mr Crumplehorn, Joanne, Yhaalhouse and Norman ‘Fingertips’ Vader were joined by Aunty Mary-Ji of Nazareth on vox humana. We visited the Smell of the Bog among others. We also discussed and established that it is indeed a G# in the run E-G#-B in a waltz we were playing. This implies an Emaj chord in the key of D (the E chord actually functioning as a V of V). Enough musicological analyses already!
When we had finished playing, we traditionally sat around, consumed pints and put the world to rights. And then an hour after we had finished, unexpectedly, in walks Harpo and Spliffle Delekto with instrument cases. And so another sesh started. The Mighty Quinn sang a song, the one whose name means ‘Perfect one’ gave us a lecture on railway construction and Dancing Jon has a new six string devil that he is plainly in love with.
This is an increasingly fab session!
Come and join us!
# Posted on April 23rd 2012 by yhaalhouse
Fried string hoppers with prawns and squid...
It was a pleasantly mild spring evening in the South London Edwardian suburbs. A blackbird trilled from a chimney TV aerial and a swarm of ring-necked parakeets characteristically squawked as they flew over head in the sunny blue sky full of fluffy Simpson-esque clouds. The atmosphere smelt of a thousand Sunday afternoon garden barbeques.
I sauntered into the Wig Museum just as Norman ‘Fingertips’ Vader was buying a round. Harpo and the Late Mr Crumplehorn were stood at the bar. The pub was quite full for an early Sunday evening; the air was hot; the beer tasted great!
We sat at the nominal musicians table and tuned up our well polished bugle, Vulcan arse flute, shaved parrot and Harpo’s tonsils. Slowly the pub’ became busier and busier! Loads of lovely young women, stylish young men, a local Welsh rugger team plus the usual scruffy crapulent dipsomaniacs that usually form the bulk of the ‘patients’ filled the bar.
A bloke called Mick came and spanked his goatskin, Joanne scraped her catgut. The Vincent of Innishboffin silently did his crossword in amongst the trendies. With the enhanced clientele the Wig Museum was very much more raucous than usual. We had to play out to make ourselves heard, even to ourselves! It was a nice change from the regular comfortable laid back scenario. John Rowe strummed Harpo’s Takamine for a while. I tortured my cheap Romanian bouzouki/ octave mandolin/ mandola. We played and played and played and played. It was fantastic! The party continued into the night…
Fried string hoppers with prawn and squid.
Come and join us!
# Posted on April 30th 2012 by yhaalhouse