Leyland Accordion Club - 14th October 1998
Well we made it, we are now one year old. This time last year I was hoping that my efforts were going to be a success and that I would find enough people to produce a good accordion club, well I found you, what a great bunch of people I have met and what a year it has been since that first night when 35 of us met for the first time with most people not knowing anyone else in the room. The entertainment was provided by myself, Tom Bennett, Richard Eastham and our guest artist Steve Roxton. Now look at us a year later, we have provided music at charity events, provided accordionists for paying jobs, produced an audio tape, played on the radio, had so much enjoyment listening to our players that it must be illegal, been visited by Chester Accordion Club, had over 6200 visits to our Internet Website, appeared in the newspapers and most important - we have made some friendships at the club that no money could buy, and had fun doing it.
The Langtons.
Robert Hood & Andrew Figg
Our October meeting was as usual a fantastic night opening with Chick Stephens playing Do You Want Your Old Lobby Washed Down, Wild Colonial Boy, Love is Teasing, Black Velvet Band, Wild Rover, When Irish Eyes and Slievenamon. Chick was telling me about his grandson Alex Cowland aged 13, who is one of our club members who achieved two firsts in and two seconds at the NAO Duckinfield competition, well done Alex. Next up was Basil Berry with Someone To Watch Over Me and others who's title I missed, sorry Basil. We had fun when Basil came to my house to record his pieces for the tape, when he had to stop tapping his foot because the microphone could hear his banging, he found his fingers stopped working, he solved the problem by taking his shoe off to tap his foot and made no mistakes at all after that, good thinking Basil. Bert Winstanley made his debut playing in front of the club and played a nice version of Those Were The Days, the first time is the worse Bert, we will look forward to seeing more of you in the future. Julie Langton was up next, Julie is just seven years old and had only been practicing three weeks before playing Batter Up, Skating and Kick Off.
Channel 4 TV contacted me after the last club night and asked if we had a seven year old accordionist for a proposed feature on the Big Breakfast TV programme, they had found us by typing 'accordion' on the Internet and ended up on our website. Julie's details are now in their files, lets hope the feature materialises. Julie's sister Sarah Jane Langton aged 13 then played Ballooning, her brother William aged 12 then gave us Kinder Marsh, Jenny Lind Polka and Blue Skies before his sister Sarah joined him for a duet playing Tourelay. There is an awful lot of talent in one family there and they deserve to go far, I am sure they will. At Duckinfield North West Area Championships William was placed third in Polka Grade 2, Julie was first in the 7 Years And Under Merit Award, Sarah Langton was second in the Elementary open and third in Elementary Own Choice. Sarah and William achieved a first in Prepatory Duet. Frank Scholes gave me an early request and so he was on next, Frank played Then He Kissed Her, She's A Lady, City of Dreams, Save the Last Dance For Me and Buttons & Bows. Agnes who is no stranger to playing at the club, then made her debut with her MIDI setup playing a selection of Scottish and Irish Medleys, Flower of Scotland and When Irish Eyes. I followed Agnes. In the last newsletter, I said that I was going to play two new tunes per month from memory, this month it was three, I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now, Bless Em All and Don't Dilly Dally. George Hicks followed me with Blaze Away, My Way and after asking for a request he played Jealousy for Agnes McLaren. Robert Hood Followed George, Robert was practicing for the Duckinfield competition with Ballintore Fisherman, Raviel Musette and My Florence. Robert came first at the championships in Late Starters (L/S) Grade 4/5, Second in L/S Polka, Second L/S Musette and third in the Scottish Open. Robert was then joined by Ian Carter, they played Sorrento Thoughts, Earl of Mansfield and Hazel Villa. Ian then continued on his own with amongst others Scotland the Brave. When I write 'amongst others' it sometimes means I missed the titles of the missing tune/s or the titles were not announced and I did not manage to get them later. Andrew Figg followed Ian playing Luci E Ombre, Sonata No. 1 and Bel Fiorie. Andrew was also at the NAO Championships at Duckinfield where he came first in Advanced Intermediate Solo, first in Open Musette and third in Open Polka, well done to Andrew and all the rest who entered these competitions, I know they have worked hard to get this far. I hope you all appreciate the cartoon on the other side of this newsletter. Tom Bennett then played Dollanes Medley, Blue Danube and Bercuse before the night finished with Dugald McCallum playing Highland Cathedral and a Bobby Macloud March. Our next night on 11th November is our anniversary night with guest artist Steve Roxton who was guest artist at our first night, there will be sandwiches during the break, our tape will be on sale (£5 very good value, 90 minutes of quality accordion playing), and the night will be recorded for broadcast over the Internet. I look forward to seeing you there.David Batty
Our Internet Website
Our Internet website has had 6210 visitors as at 8th November 1998, that's 670 visitors since last month. Channel 4 TV contacted us this month looking for an accordionist and I have just received a request from America for a copy of the tape of our players the day I mentioned it on the Internet. Many people are sending us email's saying how much they like the site and through it being able to follow our progress. I have received a club membership request from America and one from Australia. Our club night this Wednesday is to be recorded and broadcast over the Internet, many people have sent email's saying they are looking forward to listening in to us. If the recording goes well and all works ok, then I hope to put more of our nights on the Internet for all to enjoy.
Jeff Ward
In the car park after the last club meeting, Jeff Ward had chest pains, he was rushed to hospital and had to be jump started, Jeff has since had a pacemaker fitted which he tells me is in four-four time. He will be at the next club although he has to take it easy for a while, get well soon Jeff.
Our first tape is released
In a past newsletter I asked for volunteers to record some tracks for a cassette of accordion music. I must thank all the people who came forward, volunteered are now featured on our tape 'Leyland Accordion Club 1998 Vol 1', this tape features over 50 tracks of accordion music and is an hour and a half long. Tracks include Figaro's Aria, Bel Fiore, The Maigret Theme, Leaving of Liverpool, My Florence Waltz, Whispering Hope, Under Paris Skies, Snow Waltz, Wheels, Under the Double Eagle, La Cumparsita, In the Mood and about FOURTY other tracks. After everyone had recorded their pieces I found I had almost three hours of music, this had to be chopped down to an hour and a half to fit on the maximum length of tape which would work in all tape players which is a 90 minute cassette, I chose TDK D90's which have proven to last well no matter how many times they are played. I now have about 40 tracks left over which will enable us to have a second tape out soon. The first cassette will be released at the club this Wednesday, the tape will retail at £7 but club members or visitors to the club only pay £5. The tape will be offered for sale on the Internet and will deliver our music to who knows where, I have asked on the cassette sleeve for feedback and I will keep you informed of any fan mail which will be forwarded to the club or the player concerned. We will never know who will listen to our cassettes and what they may lead to, this was one of the reasons I have put so much time in to this production but it was worth it. I can sit in the comfort of my armchair listening to Rebecca playing Granada, George Hicks playing The Maigret Theme or Robert Hood's Whispering Hope which I have taken a shine to, I must ask him if I can borrow the music for it. Thanks again to all those who contributed to the tape, in alphabetical order, Agnes Mclaren, Andrew Figg, Basil Berry, David Batty, George Hicks, Ian Carter, Leo and Les Thurston, Rebecca Postlewhite, Robert Hood, Steve Roxton, Tom Bennett and Walter Perrie. I will try and get a group photograph of the above players who as far as I know will all be at the club in November, this will be nice to have in the club album. Anyone wanting to be on the 'Leyland Accordion Club 1999' tape has plenty of warning to get practising, I will start asking around just after summer for volunteers who wish to be immortalised on next years audio tape. 'Leyland Accordion Club 1998 Vol. 1' - 90 minutes of accordion solos OUT NOW at £7 RRP but only £5 to club members or visitors. An ideal Christmas present for that accordionist in your life - stop me and buy one.
Accordionist Wanted
The Black Bull at Rimington, North of Burnley would like some live music and they would be interested in an accordionist to drop in for a chat, the pub is run by Michael and Barbara Blades on 01200 445220 or call at The Black Bull, Rimington, Near Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 4DS.
I had another idea!
I was thinking about producing a video tape next year of the club, a mixture of players, events and general shots of the club should produce a nice keepsake, what do you think?
Walter Perrie and Tom Cowing to return
Due to great demand, Walter Perrie and Tom Cowing are to play again for us on 12th May 1999, this means that we are now booked up with guest artists until the year 2000.
The Big Breakfast - TV Programme
After reading our website, the 'Big Breakfast', television program contacted me looking for a 7 year old who played the accordion for a proposed feature called 'young bloke old bloke' where they feature a young person doing something not normally associated with young people, they now have the details of 7 year old Julie Langton who played at our October meeting, lets hope they follow it up.
Club Subscriptions
It's almost the end of the year and the annual subscription of £3 is almost due, it would speed up entry at the door if subscriptions could be paid either November, December or January. If everyone turns up in January trying to pay their subscription then we may have long queues to get in.
Another Accordionist Wanted.
A hotel in Harrogate is looking for an accordionist to play on Christmas Day, they want someone who is a professional and who can play from 1pm to 3pm and are offering around £170. Telephone Keith on 01254 677936. (Keith is an agent for the hotel.)