Rob Armstrong - Coventry Folk Musician and Luthier

Rob Armstrong - Coventry Folk Musician and Luthier

Rob Armstrong has built guitars and instruments for George Harrison, Gordon Giltrap, Bert Jansch, Martin Jenkins and Dave Cooper and Kevin Dempsey of  Dando Shaft, Alvin Lee, Joe Brown, Dave Swarbrick, Mark (Bedders) Bedford (Madness), Martin Barre (of Jethro Tull)

This article is republished from FOLKS MAGAZINE - COVENTRY 1979 Issue No 8 July - August - by Pete Willow

"EACH GUITAR IS SPECIAL. ON ANY GIVEN GUITAR THE CHANCES ARE THERE'S THREE OR FOUR NEW INNOVATIONS"

Special report by Pete Willow on the Coventry folk musician who (in the 70's and well beyond) was gaining a world wide reputation as a builder of fine guitars.

On August 4th 1976, Coventry Evening Telegraph reporter, Martin Swain, published a feature entitled "Bob carves melody from Wood". He had visited Rob Armstrong at this flat and workshop in Brays Lane and had evidently been impressed by the fine craftsmanship that went into the instrument Rob was producing; particularly the six string mahogany guitar that he'd made as a present for his wife, Lynn, standing alongside another he'd built to celebrate the birth of his son, Nathan.

Recently, I visited Rob's new home in Stratford St., and the first guitar he showed me was the one he'd built

Rob Armstrong with Bert Jansch

for his second son, Thomas. The distinctive "A" symbol was displayed as usual on the headstock, beneath which were the letters "T.A." . As one might expect,it was shorter in length than the average acoustic guitar but the shape of the soundbox was unique - disproportionately narrow but with plenty of depth, creating a 'squashed' effect that was never the less pleasing to the eye.

One would have imagined such an instrument to have a thin unmelodic sound, but Rob played a chord that had as much, if not more depth and resonance than one would expect from any good quality, commercially built guitar. All of the more unorthodox looking instruments that Rob produced in the past seem to measure up to his more standard models in some quality; it seems he is able to produce exquisite tone from almost any shape of soundbox, as if by magic.

One wonders, when talking to Rob, whether he is concealing some great trade secret in the design of his guitars, a certain inner knowledge coveted by other guitar builders that enables him to continue to producing instruments, two of which are never the same, yet with a consistent sound quality. For exactly a year now he has been operating from his workshop in Spon End.

Before then, his reputation was good. Since then it has steadily improved as the standard of his finished instruments has progressed along the seemingly infinite road towards perfection; he states profoundly but without conceit "There just isn't a bad guitar coming out of the workshop now" As for the "great secret", Rob can't put his finger on it either:

"They are just bits of wood' but its only when you are working on them and you feel confident that you are

making progress...You can just be starting another guitar and say "As long as I can make another one as good as the last one, I'll be quite happy". Generally something happens half way through, usually an accident or a thought that's never occurred to you before. It just hits you and really knocks you sideways to think that you've done this job so many times, even if it's only something in order to get it more perfect.

"The theory part of it all seems to be one vast mystery that is destined to remain a mystery. That little guitar..." he points to the one he's built for young Thomas,".. you predict it's going to be a tinny, thin sound. You put the strings on and it's got more bass than a standard Eko. It's great mystery; it's like being able to feel your way round in the dark, but never quite being able to see where you are - just having the capacity to move about within darkness."

Rob gave me a couple of examples of discoveries he has made simply through experience of building guitars. One was with back strutting, the basic purpose of which is to keep the the back of the guitar rigid and to stop it splitting. Rob discovered that there had to be something else he could do with these triangular strips of wood to contribute towards the overall sound of the guitar. So in his latest instrument the strutting is angles so that the main face is directed towards the sound hole. ( see the diagram). Another example was the bridge saddle, a small piece of material holding the strings up from the bridge

that has quite an effect upon the guitar's general sound. Having considered the use of different materials; bone, ivory; plastics, brass; Rob turned his thoughts to other aspects that could easily be overlooked; the depth of the saddle in the wood, the tightness of the fit.

No matter how small the detail within the overall construction of the instrument, Rob is always seeking ways

to progress from ideas used in previous instruments. That not only means that each guitar is unique in its construction, but also is, in essence, the 'great secret', simply that each new guitar is innovative in (sometimes) the smallest detail. As Rob says, "Each little bit of the guitar, the things that you disregard, all of a sudden become very important and worth investigating" In order to prove the contribution towards the total effect of each new idea, he would have build identical instruments, one with and one without the idea being tested. But by the time Rb starts work on his next guitar, new ideas strike him that he has to incorporate. And so it goes on. The only test is the ultimate one, the sound produced by the finished instrument. By then it's impossible to say which innovation has done more to add to that sound; the important thing is that the guitar itself is right.

Rob had been playing guitars long before he considered building them, and had spent a lot of time working with Rod Felton in the New Modern Idiot Grunt Band. One day he looked at his Gibson J45 guitar and decided that there was no reason why he could not produce one himself. As Martin Swain's article points out, the decision to start building guitars was a brave one, as Rob's knowledge then was limited to what chords could be played. He had even failed woodwork at school.

In May 1971, the first Armstrong guitar was ready. No 023/571, it was constructed from red fiberglass and Rob sold it for £42. Over the next four years he produced another thirty-seven fiberglass guitars, before moving into wood. He built two guitars from plywood and then began using solid woods, the types that he uses today; rosewood, walnut, cedar, mahogany, bird's eye maple and ebony.


 

Dando Shaft guitarist Dave Cooper croons through an old standard at luthier Rob Armstrong's house in Coventry, October 2006, on one of Rob's guitars.

 Up until this time there had been little discipline in his approach to the work. Rob had very few orders; he

 just made the instruments and found he was able to sell them when they were ready. In 1973 he married Lynn and found it necessary to become more organised in order to gain financial security.

For six months, he took a job, boat building in Rugby and soon realised that the discipline of being employed could easily be applied to the thing he was really interested in. So he applied it. In the winter he works at least 9 to 5; in the summer the hours are longer. He doesn't bother with lunch or coffee breaks, but just eats and drinks while he's working. He says that he feels he should give himself the sack if he turns up late at the workshop. In the past he has been described as a perfect rebel  in that what he does is unorthodox  yet he still uses orthodox principles to be successful in his work.

As he built more instruments, orders started to come in regularly and now many folk musicians,local and national now possess Armstrong guitars. Bert Jansch now has two Armstrong's  a six string acoustic (no.100, which is Rob's pride and joy and one he put a lot of effort into building), and an acoustic cutaway. (Previously, Jansch was reputed to have said that he'd never own more than one guitar.) Kevin Demsey owns a hollowneck acoustic guitar made by Rob and Eddie Furey has an Armstrong double neck guitar.

But orders were not only for folk guitars. Rob had been doing some repair work for Fairport Convention bassist, Dave Pegg. Dave called to collect the instruments and tried out one of Rob's electric guitars that was in the workshop at the time. He immediately commissioned Rob to build him an electric bass, the first one in fact that Rob had ever made. Up until now, Rob has also built mandolins, double-necked acoustic guitars, semi-acoustics, a "Quindolin" and more recently acoustic bass guitars. He is presently working on a new mandocello for Martin Jenkins.

Rob moved out of Brays Lane last yer to set up his new workshop at Spon St. This was part of a scheme to Dave Cooper, who also started doing various jobs and now specialises in repairs to the recent batch of instruments. The two of them, along with Chris, who got involved with the workshop six months ago through the job opportunities shame and ended up building his own electric with nothing by verbal advice from Rob, have just set up in yet another workshop.
provide work opportunity for young people and a few lads have since helped out there with the more uncomplicated tasks. At the time the new workshop was set up, Rob was joined by guitarist

This is part of a Crafts Complex that is being organised at Hill St. near the Belgrade Theatre and promises to fulfill a great ideal as far as Rob is concerned. The complex is a row of four preserved cottages, converted in to eight workshops, each one of which will be occupied by someone who specialises in a particular craft. Out of about a thousand applicants, Rob, Dave and Chris were accepted to join the complex, which is part of a tourist route in the city, along with places like old Bablake and Ford's Hospital  At the moment Rob is spending his spare time making miniature reproductions of his acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos to sell as souvenirs. Like the real thing, these are intricately detailed and quite beautiful.

Rob Armstrong with a guitar for Bert Jansch

With the help of Dave and Chris Rob has been able to improve the general organisation and efficiency within the workshop settling. Long gone are the days he built one guitar at a time; there are now several on the go at a time; some to meet specific orders and others to build up stock of available instruments. He is beginning to receive orders now from shops as well as from private individuals and has just completed two; one for a shop in Denmark the other for a shop in Japan.

He ensures that he has enough fittings and raw material to keep him busy, reordering items like trussrods (which can be infuriatingly difficult to get hold of) when he's down to his last twenty or thirty, and owning enough wood at present to build another two hundred instruments. His aim is to produce four instruments a month without skimping in any way on quality.

His latest, no 159, stands resplendent in the front room of his house. The front of the sound box is cedar, the sides and back are rosewood, spliced on the back with bird's eye maple, producing an unusual and dramatic effect. The shape of the sound box follows a recent line Rob has been working on; the curves on the side appear to be tighter ans drawn up to an almost straight top, leaving the overall shape to be both modern and graceful in appearance  The fretboard is rosewood, as is the headstock which is narrow and appears elongated, a very simple but eye catching shape. The bridge is equally simple: flat on one side and convex on the other, looking good but uncomplicated. The finish is immaculate and without blemish, and the sound, needless to say, is incredible.

(This is Phil Lewis playing my Rob Armstrong acoustic guitar I've owned for around 9 years. The guitar was previously owned by Gordon Giltrap. The song I'm playing is my own and is called 'Fairy Tale'. )
From listening to Rob talking about his guitars, it is easy to get involved with in the enthusiasm he generates. We were going to discuss his work in terms of past, present and future, but really the future is obvious; he'll just keep building more and more instruments. By adopting the attitude, however, that each guitar is special" he has no plans to fall into the rut of mass-production. Even if he is fulfilled in his work and even if he feels one hundred % satisfied with each guitar, the innovator within him will always take over as he starts on his next one. Thus each new musical instrument that comes out of the Armstrong Workshop is a progression towards perfection.

Bert Jansch and Dando Shaft's Martin Jenkins both used Rob Armstrong instruments and bert has one in this video .
According to Pete Chambers in his Ultimate Guide Coventry Music Old and New - Godiva Rocks - Rob has built guitars for George Harrison, Alvin Lee, Joe Brown, Gordan Giltrap, Martin Jenkins,(Dando Shaft), Mark (Bedders) Bedford (Madness), Martin Barre (of Jethro Tull who who studied architecture at the Lanch in the sixties), Dave Swarbrick (of Fairport Convention)

Rob Armstrong has played with Rod Felton in the New Modern Idiot Grunt band (see separate entries on the Grunt band and Rod Felton), Music Box with Colin Armstrong (see press cutting), Quiet Riot with Martin Jenkins, and with a host of famous /semi famous musicians including Bubs White (Bonzo Dog Band).

..................................................
Read about Rob Armstrong's own musical career on this blog -
New Modern Idiot Grunt Band (with Rod Felton http://coventryfolkclubs.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/new-modern-idiot-grunt-band.html )

Music Box (with Colin Armstrong and Pip) http://coventryfolkclubs.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/music-box-rob-and-colin-armstrong-pip.html

'I am proud to put my name to this guitar

and for it to be part of my musical legacy'.

– Gordon Giltrap


Highly regarded as one of the worlds greatest guitar players, Gordon has been at the forefront of acoustic guitar playing since the late 1960's and has released more than thirty albums in his four decades in the music business. Designed in conjunction with respected master luthier Rob Armstrong and Gordon himself, the crossover Grand Auditorium/000 style Vintage VE2000GG Gordon Giltrap Signature electro-acoustic is based on a hand-crafted instrument that Rob made back in 1980 and Gordon plays today. Featuring a high grade solid North American cedar top, with mahogany back and sides, the signature ‘small waist’ body is complemented by Rob’s trademark headstock design.

The bridge is high grade rosewood, with a gradually compensated natural bone saddle providing excellent intonation, whilst the mahogany neck comes with a top quality rosewood fingerboard, with genuine abalone inlays and side dot markers. Electrics are provided via a Fishman Presys Blend preamp and Sonicore pickup system, which features a built in-microphone with mic blend control, notch -– anti feedback control, phase control button, three band EQ and volume control as well as a built-in guitar tuner, with flip-top easy battery access.

Gordon comments "My original guitar has a very strong treble with a sort of springy and expressive sound to the bass end. The new Vintage guitar has all of this combined with an overall warmth and balance to its tonality."

Comments from the Hobo site on Vox (now closed)




get in touch if u remember us.u used to live

Posted by: alan&sonia | 02/22/2010 at 03:47 PM

Joe O’Donnell’s Shkayla

ALSO - NEW ARTICLE BY PETE CLEMONS FROM COVENTRY TELEGRAPH HERE 

"The captivating sound of Joe O’Donnell’s Shkayla brings together the spirit of Celtic tradition and the

dynamic grooves of modern rock and jazz. It’s a unique and powerful sound that has evolved since band leader and ace electric fiddle-player Joe O’Donnell moved to Coventry in 1998.

Joe O'Donnell

Members - Joe O'Donnell, Si Hayden, Martin Barter, Adrian Litvinoff, Brendan J. Rayner

Joe's Website

http://thejoeodonnell.com/

Joe O’Donnell is one of the finest electric violin players performing in the Celtic tradition. He’s also widely acclaimed as a first-class mandolin-player, singer and composer.

Born in Limerick, Ireland, Joe began taking classical violin lessons at the age of twelve. After seven years of study he won two scholarships for the Royal Irish Academy of Music to study orchestral work. When Joe left the Academy, he took up playing lead guitar but returned to the violin two years later. During this time he played for various groups, including Decca’s Granny’s Intentions, who had also featured Gary Moore on guitar. This started a busy and productive period in the world of progressive rock music, with Joe playing a key role on both sides of the Irish Sea.

In 1971, Joe moved to London and joined Woods Band for nine months, featuring Terry and Gay Woods, founder members of  Steeleye Span. It was at this time that Joe started making electric violins for his own use, including violectra and 8-string violins.

In 1973, Joe joined East of Eden stepping into the shoes of their celebrated fiddle-player Dave Arbus. He was featured on their hit album Another Eden and toured Europe with the band until they split in 1978.

In 1977, Joe released Gaodhal’s Vision, a concept album of his own compositions, heralded as a fusion of Celtic music with jazz and rock. Drawing on Irish Celtic mythology, the music tells the story of the exodus from the Carpathian Mountains to Ireland by a race of people known as The Milesians. The project followed a deal with Decca after Joe approached Tubular Bells producer Tom Newman and Jon Field. Joe was joined on the album by Rory Gallagher, Steve Bolton, Theodor Thunder (Alan Price Band) and David Lennox (Ginger Baker, Blodwyn Pig, The Equals). The album was re-released in 2004 on Sony’s BMG label with three new bonus tracks.

In the 1980s, Joe lived in Guernsey. During this period he remained active in folk-rock music, and appeared

Martin Barter Keys

with various line-ups at festivals in Brittany and the Channel Islands.

In 1998, Joe moved to Coventry, to work with producer and musician Martin Jenkins, former member of acclaimed folk bands, Dando Shaft, Hedgehog Pie and Whippersnapper. Joe released his album, Shkayla and around this time formed the first line-up of the band, Shkayla with Martin and his guitarist son Ray Jenkins.

In 2004, Martin and Ray took up new projects and a new line-up of Shkayla was established, when Joe recruited guitarist Dave Perry (ex-US band, In Athens and Norwegian prog-rock band The Truth Monkeys) and keyboards-player Martin Barter (ex-Birmingham band, The Alliance).

In 2006, the expanded five-piece line-up of Joe O’Donnell’s Shkayla performed Gaodhal’s Vision at the Warwick Folk Festival. This introduced new band members, drummer Paul Johnston (of Midlands folk-rockers Meet On The Ledge) and bassist Mark Fulton. The

show also featured The Celtic Vision Orchestra conducted by Christopher Evans, plus dancers Sinead Lightley, Amardeep Nanra and Indigo Dance & Performing Arts. The show was recorded for later CD and DVD releases.

In 2008, Joe completed the long-awaited new Shkayla album Celtic Cargo. He is now touring with the band’s latest line-up in which Martin Barter and Mark Fulton have been joined by guitarist Si Hayden and drummer Brendan J.Rayner.

Joe uses Sonic Violins and a unique ceramic violin made by John Stevens.

Singing songs in English and Gaelic and playing soaring fiddle melodies and improvisations, Joe is accompanied by a team of first-class musicians who really understand and do justice to the dynamic spirit of Celtic and rock music.

From https://www.facebook.com/JoeODonnellsShkayla

This is such a beautiful track -

Si Hayden

And Watch this one on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni-LwCyVBvo

Don't Pick a Flower

Don't Pick a Flower was a curiously named folk duo was based at the Coventry Arts Umbrella club c 1971 led by poet and songwriter John Leopold who led many of the folk and poetry sessions at the Umbrella around that time.

Although I saw them at the Umbrella, I can't remember all the details. They played at the Umbrella Club on " May 11th 1971 Don't Pick a Flower - John Leopold's folk duo. Poetry and Folk session. Contemporary and own songs."

I have a note in my 1971 diary for Sunday14th February at the Plough Club on the London Road. A gig and disco run by Silk Disco. Dando Shaft were playing along with Music Box (Colin and Rob Armstrong). The entry says I got the addresses of Music Box and Don't Pick a Flower at that gig with a view to them playing at the Umbrella Friday night band nights I was organising at the time. I'm not sure that I put either outfit on at the Umbrella in the end for whatever forgotten reason but collecting contact address was part of the process.

Don't Pick a Flower were a gentle harmony folk duo with interesting lyrics as far as I can recall. They seemed to be around the Umbrella a lot at that time, weekends, sitting in the coffee bar, playing guitar and chatting.

I can't be sure but the full name may have been Don't Pick a Flower Unless You're Sure - although i may be confusing that with a quote i heard somewhere.

John Leopold had been involved with various poetry and folk events at the Coventry Arts Umbrella in the very early 70's and although John often played in the Umbrella coffee bar as conversation raged on every subject - often to the wee hours.

John Leopold had performed with the Umbrella Poets in the 1970 presentation of Geoff Pegg's Knotted Sheets (launch of his poetry chapbook for Outposts) at the Belgrade Theatre. He performed one of his songs called Dinosaurs Lament. I seem to think John play at other venues with the Umbrella poets during this period as well as folk clubs.

A short bio of John Leopold exists in the Knotted Sheets programme that reads -

John Leopold
The writer of the other song, Dinosaurs Lament. A talented songwriter and guitarist who takes personal preference to the 12-string variety. His songs are apart from anything produced by other writers and they use some excellent chord sequences..

Trilogy

Trilogy
were an acoustic group formed c 1973 by Al Hatton (ex - original version of Indian Summer) and consisted of -
Al Hatton - Acoustic Guitar and Vocals
Ron Ablewhite (Ex Torqwood) Acoustic guitar and vocals
Roy Brewster - assorted percussion

Al Hatton

They played both folk clubs and venues associated with bands. They later developed into a full band Just Jake and Ottoman.
incorporating members of

We covered this band in Hobo Magazine -


From Hobo 1973

"Another band to emerge (bearing some connection to Indian Summer) is Al Hatton's band. Al used to play bass for Indian Summer. Al is now playing acoustic guitar with three others known as Trilogy. The group have another guitarist and percussionist and make some nice sounds, using original material."

From Hobo 1974

TRILOGY
"Who are due to play the Windsor Free Festival during the last week of August, are a new band featuring Al Hatton (late of Indian Summer) on acoustic guitar; Ron Ablewhite (Ex. Torqwood) also on guitar and Roy Brewster on assorted percussion. All members compose and contribute vocals."

JOHN WANDERS BACK

"Ex Wandering John guitarist - John Alderson, returned from Sandersfoot in Wales, where he was reported to be living in Hobo issue 2. John met up with Trilogy -

TRILOGY

"Trilogy were also reviewed in issue two. An acoustic band. They are expanding their line up to include keyboard player Martin Barter who also sings, Rog Jackson on bass, John Alderson on lead and slide guitar along with the original members of the trio - Roy Brewster on congas and percussion, Ron Ablewhite on acoustic guitar and vocals and Al Hatton on acoustic guitar and vocals. They write all their own material which without classifying it too much, is, suffice to say, funky with harmonies. The band appeared recently on Midland's Today and are entering the Melody Maker contest. I caught the original band at the White Bear pub in Willenhall Wood recently with blues soloist Mick Stuart.

Ron Abelwhite is now an artist operating in Cumbria - 

Ron Ablewhite - Artist Biography

Ron Ablewhite spent many years in commerce and advertising in the Coventry area, painting on a part-time basis, before moving to Cumbria in 1993 when he became a professional artist. He created and developed the “Collectables Range”, a unique portfolio of over 60 limited edition prints of scenes in Cumbria and the Lake District. These images capture moments in time, which are reflected in the atmosphere, unique light conditions, buildings and livestock that make Cumbrian images so universally popular. http://www.cachetuk.com/acatalog/Ron_Ablewhite.html

And http://www.thornthwaitegalleries.co.uk/artists-exhibiting-at-thornthwaite-galleries/78-artists/111-ron-ablewhite.html

If anyone has any info or material on the Coventry folk outfit Torqwood (in which Ron Ablewhite originally played) please get in touch - hobozine@googlemail.com

Sneaks Noise

Original formation (1965) was Jon McIntosh, Ted Crum, Jane Parks and Giles Poole.

Reformed around 1970 comprising Jon McIntosh (Double Bass), Ian Wall (Vocals), George Van Ristell (Guitar, Banjo and vocals) and Ian Elson (fiddle, viola, mandolin and tenor banjo).

Sneak's Noise back after 20-year gap; WHAT'S ON: Folk. 2005

by PETE WILLOW

MEMBERS of local legends Sneak's Noise are rolling back the years this weekend and lining up for a night of nostalgia in Brinklow.

The band's name goes back to Shakespeare when servants at the Boar's Head in London's Eastcheap called for Sneak's Noise to entertain Falstaff and his cronies.

The band's founder members, Ted Crum and John "Tool" McIntosh, started playing traditional English songs in 1966.

One of their memorable early gigs was in the city's Locarno Ballroom where they performed a song about the Aberfan Disaster at a fundraising event.

Tool now plays in electric bass folk-rock ceilidh band Peeping Tom, but he became the lynchpin of Sneak's Noise as it went through line-up changes in the 70s.

The band was instantly recognisable with Tool's double bass complete with macabre human skull perched on the tuning pegs.

With Graham Bradshaw on vocals and guitar and George Van Ristell on banjo and mandolin, Sneak's Noise were residents at Logfire Folk Club in Leamington.

In 1971, they formed Kenilworth Folk Club, which met in the Virgins and Castle before moving to the Burnt Post in Coventry.

The trio will play its first gig in nearly 20 years at Brinklow's Wurzel Bush Folk Club tomorrow when Ted Crum also makes a guest appearance.

Tool has borrowed a double bass for the occasion, although the skull has long gone.

The concert opens a new season of monthly big-name events now taking place on Saturday nights at the club's venue, the British Legion, Heath Lane.

The music starts at 8.15pm with resident duo Clive Ryder and Maggie Coleman.

n Tickets from 01788 832021.

......................

Mary Elson - wife of Ian Elson has sent some action photographs by photographer Dave Birch which I am now adding to this post -

Armpit Jug Band

ARMPIT JUG BAND on MY SPACE

Songs - Mr Slater's Parrot / Morning Blues / Ask Me No Questions / Stealin / Just Because.

The Armpit Jug Band began life in Coventry UK in 1970 after emerging from Coventry College of Education University of Warwick.

Stringbean Cumming. vocals kazoo washboard

Jazz Beasley. Conductor traps guitar sax clarinet harmonica

Hot Lips Haines. banjo jug guitar tuba

T-Bone Jones guitar mandolin vocals

Dr Groove Green piano harmonica.

From this site -

http://www.dannyhaines.com/armpitjugband/begin.htm

"Before the Armpit Jug Band there was the Gosford Armpit Band. And before that there were several

disparate and desperate individuals wandering the mysterious and joyous landscape of the early 60s.

Jazz Beasley and Hot Lips Haines, his surly companion in schoolboy criminality, were struggling out of the musical straightjackets of the Boys Brigade to form the ill fated Tame Valley Juke Stompers. It foundered on the rocks of discordant incompetence. Little Wedge Beasley was kicking at his pushchair straps and beating his Tommee Tippee in time to Budgie and Iron Maiden.

Somewhere on the others side of the Birmingham tracks, in the depths of Shard End, was

T Bone "Axeman" Jones, treading the solitary path of a blues Visionary. He was to be a catalyst in the evolution of Fleetwood Mac . . . He told Peter Green to give all his money away.

In the days when Fred West was just another cowboy builder with a spare bag of cement .... somewhere in

Gloucester was Stringbean, the tortured aesthete standing alone in the shadows of the match factory . . . England's Glory! He tossed a coin up into the foggy glare of a sodium lamp and lost his bus fare home.

Jazz and Stringbean, with others too inept to mention, became the Gosford Armpit Band while students in Coventry. At first it was just holding hands . . . but before they knew it they were going steady. There were hours of rehearsal . . . ( was it 3 or 4?) . . . in a tiny room made of  fetid with the secretion of bodily odours and the acrid smouldering of Park Drives. At last they were ready to thrust themselves into the world of musical history. "

ARMPIT JUG BAND. NO SWEAT. LP. 1975. EURO 50
On COTTAGE Records Label - COT.201R. Stereo. 1975

RECORD IS IN EX CONDITION
PICTURE SLEEVE IS ALSO EX AND SIGNED BY THE BAND (AUTHENTICATED BY A BUSINESS CARD OF THE BAND WHICH WAS OBTAINED AT A CONCERT).
TRACKS ARE:- The Entertainer, Sweet Sue, Overseas Stomp, San Francisco Bay Blues, Slender Doris, Beedle-um-Bum, Ain't she sweet, Ukulele Lady, Washington at Valley Forge, Henry Thomas, Jug Band Music, Coney Island Washboard Roundelay, Careless Love, The Entertainer.
A HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE AND SCARCE RECORD

Gothic Horizon

GOTHIC HORIZON C1971 / 72

Andy Desmond and Richard Garret (Gothic Horizon)

A folk based band operating in the early 70's from Warwick (I think). I saw them play the Coventry Arts Umbrella and Earlsdon Cottage. They had an album on sale at the gigs which I think must have been Jason Lodge Poetry Book. The band made two albums according to this site and one single. (You can buy the albums and single from that site too.). Ron Lawrence and Grey Richardson of  the Coventry folk rock band APRIL were involved with the recording.

Albums
Jason Lodge Poetry Book 1971                   Tommorow's Another Day 1972

Single
Wilhemina Before Sunrise 1971

http://lysergia.blogspot.com/2006/01/gothic-horizon-jason-lodge-poetry-book.html

Beautiful debut album by UK band Gothic Horizon. The music exposed on this album is
highly unique, transparent and fragile. Kinda like Left Banke meets Honeybus larded and sauced with UK folk. A real beautiful album. Originally released on Argo in 1970 Gothic Horizon made two albums: 'The Jason Lodge Poetry Book' (Argo ZFB 26) 1970, which also gained an American release: ([USA:] London PS592) 1971; and 'Tomorrow Is Another day' (Argo ZDA 150) 1972.

Their music is not gloomy, brooding, damp, ghoulish, dark, threatening, creepy, bloody, horrifying or any of the other adjectives which spring to mind when one thinks of "Gothic". Instead it is warm, chatty, light, breezy, informal, witty. The albums are sometimes hyped as "psych-pop" (the former especially on account of its convoluted title and colourful pop-art cover) or even "acid-folk", but essentially they are neither of these things; they tends mostly towards folk and acousticism. However there are some tracks here to delight the psychedelically-inclined. The title track of the first album, 'The Jason Lodge Poetry Book', is great. Complex pop of sufficient quality to delight the pop-syke faithful. 'Song For Susan' is so close in sound and style to Fairfield Parlour that it just about escapes charges of plagiarism. 'A J Lone's Dog' is ragtime pop; and unsurprisingly with a title like 'Willow Tree Vale Song' this song is folk. But 'A Third For Jason Lodge' is very weird. Bizarre changes and references to flying, mushrooms and toadstools! (by Dave Thubron)

Tracklist: http://www.last.fm/music/Gothic+Horizon


1. The Jason Lodge Poetry Book
2. Song For Susan
3. Odysseus
4. A.J. Lone's Dog
5. Willow Tree Vale Song
6. Six Summers Back
7. Song
8. Althea Williams
9. Wilhelmina Before Sunrise
10. St. Valentine's Day Massacre
11. A Third For Jason Lodge
12. Pisces
13. A Farewell Ode To Port Sunlight

Bitrate: 192, ripped from vinyl



Dave Commented -
I first met the guys when helping out at the Earlsdon cottage folk club in Coventry where Richard & Andy were regular & popular guests. Bass & drums on the album were provided by Ron Lawrence & Gray Richardson of Coventry folk band APRIL for whom my buddie bullet & i were unofficial & very much unpaid roadies. Gothic were always well received in Coventry and i am delighted to say i still own a signed vinyl copy of the LP. i hope they are both well. Dave