11 posts tagged “harmonica lewinsky”
When I posted the photo of Smiler I came across photos of the rest of the band taken by John O'Hare at a gig we did in December at Loch Lomond Studios. Suggested captions welcome, with the usual prize for the funniest i.e. none!
The week before the charity gig we are going to Gosforth near Newcastle to play a jam session. Aye that's right a 400 mile round trip to play four or five numbers. Who knows what we'll find to do with the rest of the time......
Regular readers will remember the moving story of Fraser Williamson son of my good friend, and bass player in my band (Harmonica Lewinsky) Smiler. Fraser died two months before his fourth birthday. Friend and resident fan of the Lewinskys, Allan Sneddon already had plans in place for a charity rock and blues gig to take place at Strathclyde Homes Stadium Dumbarton and after Fraser's passing we discussed the idea that perhaps the charity to benefit could be one which had helped Fraser who had cerebral palsy. And so after much work by Allan including meticulous health and safety measures, hiring of various equipment (including pyrotechnics) and seeking various permissions the idea has come to fruition. Allan has also negotiated special drinks promotions and has lined up veteran rock DJ Tom Russell to compere the evening. There will be four bands including ourselves appearing on the night (1st March) one of whom is Heir of the Dog from Newcastle Upon Tyne. My friend Jim Carr will be there with his band Littlehed and the line up is completed by Dumbarton band Cortez. Tickets are a very reasonable £8.00 and all profits will be going to Bobath (Scotland). To book your tickets, email Allan Sneddon at lizzyman@blueyonder.co.uk
Just a reminder that if you're at a loose end and in the area tonight you could do worse than Loch Lomond Studios in the Vale of Leven Industrial Estate. Harmonica Lewinsky are on stage at 9 pm, also appearing are The Unsoppable Flying Raincoats. Admission is £4 and I believe it is bring yer own booze! (so you'll recoup the admission on what you save on the drink!
More details from Richie Plunkett 01785504059
First gig for a wee while on Sunday night (23rd) at Loch Lomond Studios in the Vale of Leven Industrial Estate (Near Polaroid). Looking forward to it. Also appearing are The Unstoppable Flying Raincoats. The kick off is at 9:00pm and admission is £4 if you're in the area.
More details from Richie Plunkett on 01785504059
I should mention too that sometime contributor to this blog Allan Sneddon has organised a charity gig at Strathclyde Homes Stadium in Dumbarton on March 1st 2008 in aid of Bobath Scotland. Four bands will be playing on the night, Heir of the Dog (from Newcastle), Cortez, Littlehead and Harmonica Lewinsky. The gig will be compered by well known rock DJ Tom Russell of Rock Radio. Admission is £8 in advance or £10 on the door. Anyone wishing tickets should contact Allan:
01389 609088
It's my birthday today and I have just received a bottle of Balvenie 1993 single malt which is finished in Port Wood casks. My mother handed me a handful of money which is nice and even the in-laws weighed in with a few quid with which I can buy........more whisky probably! My niece and nephew probably out of some sympathy for an old codger even sent a card. Thank you to the Tomahawk Kid and his lovely Missus and wee boy for sending me a birthday card which contains 'A Birthday Poem about Poo!' (five verses believe it or not!).
Last night Harmonica Lewinsky played at a local tennis club. The organiser is a big blues fan and whilst it may seem somewhat bizarre to have a blues band playing at a tennis club barbecue, it was the second year we've done it and we went down surprisingly well.
I met some folks I hadn't seen for many a year and they were I think amazed that I was still doing this. My missus texted me half way through the first set to say she could hear us from our front garden! (about half a mile away as the crow flies).
Smiler has re-vamped the Harmonica Lewinsky Website there is much less writing in it now - and more pictures!
Enjoyable gig last night although my voice is suffering a bit today.
There were a lot of refugees from the sailing regatta which took place during the day at the gig. It's fair to say that these folks music of choice wouldn't be the blooze but they were a good crowd and responded really well. We played two sets of 90 minutes. (The question of whether I'm getting too old for this arose once again!)
Jim Schultz came along and took these photos. Jim is from the U.S.A. & is everything from a qualified chiropractor (amongst his clients are Rangers F.C. whose players know him as Doctor Jim) to sound man at the Clyde Bar, to the guy who pours the whisky at the Helensburgh Whisky Tasting Club! (Full account of proceedings on the blog next weekend!)
Harmonica Lewinsky tonight at the Rhu Inn at 9:30.
Looking forward to renewing a few acquaintences tonight like Donald McKillop and Shug Anderson. Whether my other old Rhu mate Dougie Miller will turn up I don't know. He left home to buy a power card ten years ago, and has variously appeared in Rothesay, Maryhill and is currently believed to be somewhere in the Motherwell vicinity.
Next week's gig at the Clyde Bar is now in some doubt. Rhythm of Blues will not be appearing but I think we'll still be doing the gig since it has been heavilly advertised including on Rock Radio 96.
Will update after the weekend.
Just back from our first Lewinskys rehearsal for a few weeks. The banter was good today, we always kid Martin the drummer on e.g. Q -What do you call a guy who hangs around with musicians? A - A drummer!
He is also used to the comments about being a man who hits animal skins with bits of wood.
However, our Martin also has a wealth of stories of his own, usually true (although I'm sure, occasionally embellished), about his travels
in the world of music over more than 40 years. Today he told of a time he was playing in a club at the U.S. naval base at the Holy Loch. Realising on setting up that a plug needed replacing, he got a hold of one of the navy personnel
"Excuse me do you think you could get me a screwdriver please?" said the bold Martin.
"Certainly!" said the American serviceman, only to return a couple of minutes later with.....a vodka and orange juice.
Yes folks, taking in two dates on the Clyde Riviera, The Harmonica Lewinsky summer tour of Helensburgh and Rhu takes place on the 20th and 27th of July.
On the 20th we play the Rhu Inn. The Rhu Inn is a great pub and has recently changed ownership. Thankfully the new owners are to continue the fine tradition of live bands.
If you look carefully at this picture you'll see the excellent Clyde Bar just around the middle! I have played in various bands at the Clyde for mine host John Rappalini and it's always a good gig. We look forward to working again with Eck and Jim who do the sound there and are good eggs.
On this ocassion, 27th July (Friday)
we support Rhythm of Blues who seem to have a reasonable CV so we look forward to it.
Last Saturday Harmonica Lewinsky took to the highways and negotiated the road and miles to Dundee. We played an afternoon gig at a music lounge in the city, a converted church called Deacon Brodies. The day was set up well when Janice Forsyth gave us a good billing on her Radio Scotland show. Smiler, the bass player and I set off at 11:00am in the tour bus (Smiler's Toyota Previa and my trailer) & collected Martin the drummer and Gregor our guitarist on the way.
I'm probably far too old to still be playing in a pub band. However our drummer, my pal Martin, is several years my senior. Martin is at the stage in life when a wee trip to Aberfoyle for a scone followed by a look round the woolen mill with the wife would be a perfectly acceptable way to spend a Saturday. He is though an excellent drummer and played in Hamburg in the early sixties not long after the Beatles had their stint there. He's got brilliant stories of where he's played and some of the characters he has played with. Gregor, the guitarist is a guy I knew vaguely in my early 20's. He played in a band called the Radars who nearly made it big. They had a mangement deal and had a record lined up but, well you know how these things can go. Our original guitarist had left when Gregor came along. We had tried a couple of guys without success but then Gregor came in and virtually learned our set in four rehearsals. He's a fine player. Smiler the bass player (and for the day last week our tour transport manager) is the baby of the bunch. He's a good friend and Sue, the girls and I have been on hols with him and his family on a few occasions. He has turned up at rehearsals the past two weeks a little red in the face and clutching a can of Red Bull. This is due to his taking part in a series of Polaroid 10k. races on behalf of the charity Bobath who have helped his wee boy Fraser http://www.justgiving.com/robertwilliamson . He's a solid bass player and plays an Ashbury bass which is TINY. I couldn't even find a photo of one on the net it's so small.
Harmonica Lewinsky, complete with ill-advised hats.
I had delayed us by about 30 mins when we had to turn back for trailer keys which I'd left in the hoose (I know, I know). It was fair to say that the three of us who weren't driving had enjoyed a small libation on the journey north but the reality of arriving at the venue with 30 minutes to spare was a sobering experience! We went on about 15 minutes late after a quick assembling of gear and no sound check. As the gig had to finish at 5 on the dot we therefore played over 100 minutes without a break which isn't bad at our time of life!
I've eventually got the guys round to the idea of playing some of our own material in amongst the blues R&B covers. We've got one so far and I've got a few I'd like us to work on. At the moment though the set weaves its way from Muddy Waters and Sonny Boy Williamson towards Stevie Ray Vaughan stopping off along the way for a bit of Doctor Feelgood, Johnny Kidd and the Pirates and even Henry Mancini (no really!) The clip is of a Willie Dixon song "I Want to be Loved"
The gig went well and the audience were fantastic. The guy who had booked us was well impressed and has offered us another gig. We'll probably try to get a gig at night next time too if only to cover the drinks bill. Anyway we rounded off the day at Jahangirs excellent Indian Restaurant. It was worth the round trip for the Chilli Tikka Masalla! The journey back was characterised by a difference of opinion on whether it was quicker to go back all the way via motorway or to come off at Kilsyth and go via Kirkintilloch. See the things folk argue about through drink? (It IS quicker staying on the motorway- especially on a Saturday!). Smiler and I arrived back in Helensburgh at 11pm. I tried to explain to Sue how a two hour gig could involve a twelve hour absence. I'm not good at these things.
Anyway we're gigging again a bit nearer to home next Saturday June 9th at the Highlander in Alexandria.
