November - Stan Graham

Not many people know this, which might be just as well, Back in the day, I used to play in the folk rock band from Hell. The Claws had a following, world famous in North Kent, But in Maidstone, wholly unknown, plus anywhere else we went. Young Kate was our lead singer, whose voice could not be matched, She’d got her guitar from some bazaar, there were no strings attached. Mike was a trained musician, and tickled ivory keyboards, With jazz background, he always found those sixth and thirteenth chords. On lead guitar was Marshall, who loved to play the blues, On lead guitar was Marshall, who loved to play the blues, He’d repeat the first, in each line of verse, which kept us all confused. Terry was the bass player, his tough fingers didn’t bleed, He was so able with wires and cables, he was our ‘packer of the leads’. I was mostly on mandolin, and quietly on the fiddle, They let me play ‘cause of my PA, and the knobs I could twiddle. Before we went electric, I used to play the spoons, And gave up brass, when they went gas, in case I inhaled fumes. We practised in the basement of an Undertakers’ store, And laid down riffs, where they’d laid out stiffs, the grateful dead for sure. Beside the mortuary table, we pounded ‘Meet on the Ledge’ Songs about ghosts, and ‘Alison Gross’, took on that extra edge. The worst gig I remember, was up in Walthamstow, When singer Kate, was running late, with her ‘London’s A to O’. We had to start without her, Lord knows how long we’d last, Since all too soon, we ran out of tunes, so we reprised them less fast. There was only one folk song, one of us could sing right through, That’s ‘Matty Groves’, which everyone knows, so we made it sound anew. We did an instrumental, in between every verse, For us to sing it, took thirty minutes, with none of it rehearsed. It was a rare occasion, the crowd more tight than the band, We got free drinks, not as you’d think, but lobbed at us in cans. A beer bottle bent my mando, so top F played as sharp, As he arose, little ‘Matty Groves’ became a major part. A stray ashtray did join the fray, and hurt poor Marshall sore, It missed his neck by just a speck, and struck him in the jaw. We made to go, the very next blow, as things went from bad to worse, We had to flee without our fee, which cost us deep in purse. Soon after we disbanded, given up as some lost Claws, Our Kate’s lost still, round Shooters Hill, and Mike’s searching lost chords. And Marshall’s sung no more now, but done a little depping, Whilst Tel twangs wires, with Gospel choirs, I do tunes with no F in. JJ Crossley 1997

Ye Olde Chequers Inn, 122 High Street, Tonbridge, TN9 1AS First and third Mondays of each month, 8 - 11 pm Subject to the Covid 19 emergency, please check our website for the latest information tonbridgefolkclub.org

3rd October Paul Walker & Karen Pfeiffer

17th October Christopher Mark Jones

7th November Nick Dow

21st November Vic & Tina Smith

5th December Sally Ironmonger & Brian Carter

19th December Simon Kempston Tel: 01892 822945

info@tonbridgefolkclub.org www.tonbridgefolkclub.org

 Available for live and online events, Julie and Gavin Atkin sing and play mainly trad music on a variety of instruments.  Our online Sunday night Zoom sessions are friendly, fun and attract some great performers. If you’d like to join us, drop us a line!  Gavin is running tunes playing meetings with Goudhurst

U3A on Mondays. Email for details  Don’t forget our dance band The Tonic! ‘A great band –music that makes you want to get up and dance! So good that we book them every year!’ John Sweeney, dance event organiser and caller  See www.youtube.com/c/GavinAtkin for samples

Contact: Julie and Gavin Atkin gmatkin@gmail.com More info at Singdanceandplay.net Farnborough Social Club

6 Pleasant View Pl, Farnborough, Orpington, BR6 7BL

OCTOBER 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th Singers & Musicians nights

NOVEMBER 3rd, 10th & 17th Singers & Musicians Night

24th Hunter Muskett

Orpington Folk Music and Song Club exists to promote folk music and song. It is a non profit making organisation and is for those who wish to listen to or take part in an informal evening of folk music and song. For those who wish confirmation of guest(s) nights they can call any of the telephone numbers below. Thursdays @ 8pm 01959 532 754 020 8325 6513

Website: www.orpingtonfolkclub.org.uk E-mail:orpingtonfolkclub@hotmail.com

ASHFORD FOLK DANCE CLUB

We meet every

Wednesday afternoon

3.00 – 5.00pm

Godinton Village Hall, Loudon Way, Godinton, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3JJ We use a variety of callers each week Visitors and new members welcome – first visit is free

For full details and to make sure we ARE meeting please contact Edna 01233 627 121

ashfordfolkdanceclub@gmail.com Collections or smaller items Best prices paid

Ring Collin 07860 354 135

WANTED

LPs, EPs, 45s, CDs

Folk, Blues, reggae, jazz and rockWANTED Collections or smaller items, best prices paid

LPs, EPs, 45s, CDs Folk, blues, reggae, jazz and rock Collections or smaller items Best prices paid Ring Collin 07860 354 135

Ring Collin 07860 354 135

This issue of Around Kent Folk was produced by Alan Castle and Andy Wood on behalf of Tenterden Folk Festival. Promoting folk song, music, dance, crafts and traditions. Registered Charity No 1038663

Issue No. 114 December/January COPY DATE: 18th October

Then … 18th October 2022 - December / January 18th December 2022 – February / March 18th February 2023 – April / May 18th April 2023 – June / July 18th June 2023 – August / September 18th August 2023 – October / November

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