Wild Tales at The Navy!   Words: Dave Whiteman, Pictures:  Matthew Thomas

Why the headline? Well, I am currently reading ‘Wild Tales’ the autobiography of Graham Nash, founder member of The Hollies and later Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young).  I always thought Mr Nash was a fairly clean living musician but this book has really opened my eyes to the rock & roll excesses of so many in the entertainment business. Autobiographies are a particular favourite of mine, and I have read quite a few, but if many of the tales are even half true, how could they recollect some of the things that happened so long ago?  As one social commentator said of the Sixties, ‘If you can remember it, you weren’t really there’ but it’s not clear who actually made the quote…..reports say Pete Townsend, Robin Williams, even Timothy Leary….it seems no-one can actually remember!

The only vice available to the regular Open Mic crowd at the Royal Naval Association is really a plentiful supply of cheap beer, so I hardly think that will merit a chapter in a future tome, but who knows…..some of our musicians may well follow into print!

A bit of a change tonight for resident cameraman, Laurence Gale recruiting a backing band to start off the evening. Lol admits that he is more confident with a camera than with a guitar…particularly in front of a live audience, but he soon got into the swing of things with songs from Eric Clapton, The Beatles and even Ronnie Lane. Practice makes perfect so they say Laurence…..keep it up and don’t forget to take notes for any future publication!

Next up Richard Heywood is now an established regular at the Open Mic, and as well as having boundless enthusiasm, he is also musically adventurous as his set showed this week. Oasis covers are pretty straightforward and a regular feature at the club, but I cannot remember anyone ever attempting any song by the Electric Light Orchestra! ‘All over the world’ is an ELO classic, and one section of the lyrics lists a number of cities; London, Paris, Rome…….and Shard End, which was the birthplace of the songwriter, Jeff Lynne, just down the road in Birmingham!

A couple of months ago, one of our popular local bands, ‘Robbie’s in Rehab’ reunited to play at a party at Blists Hill, and said gig went very well. Rumour has it that they will be playing down at the Navy very soon, so the band, or at least 75% of them, got together once more to try out some stuff. Their regular drummer wasn’t available so step forward resident sound man Jonathon Newton, no slouch with the drumsticks, to fill the gap. What followed was a great example of musicians listening to each other and communicating onstage to deliver a solid no frills, but very tight performance. None of it was rehearsed, some of it was new, but the end result was very enjoyable, fusing The Police, Stereophonics and even a busked version of the Lynyrd Skynyrd anthem ‘Sweet Home Alabama….great stuff.

Two members, ie 50% of another local rock band Bang to Rights turned up to play, hoping to recruit a couple more musicians to make up a Scratch House Band. The very busy sound man Jon Newton volunteered once again to pound the drums at the back and an excellent set followed. Perhaps it would have been easier to  have just formed a large ‘supergroup’  between Bang to Rights and Robbie’s in Rehab and played rock classics all night….I am sure the crowd would have been happy, but I am not sure if the stage could have handled it!  My particular favourite?  A cover of Peter Frampton’s ‘Show me the Way’ which featured a brilliant guitar piece from Mark Langford, replicating the original ‘talk box’ sound.

Unusually for the Open Mic, only four live acts this week. This is a lot less than the usual dozen or so, but some real quality…..particularly from the bands but also from the lesser experienced musicians. These are the people who keep the live music scene alive in Newport, willing to turn up and play without payment and entertain an audience just for the sheer pleasure of it. We would not have a club without you.

So no wild tales of debauchery, drunken or otherwise, to tell you about; no-one misbehaved, there were certainly no groupies, and the only evidence of pharmaceutical use I saw was the paracetamol taken by Jon Newton after all that drumming!  

Till next time, keep the faith and keep it live.