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Post by wolfman1 on Nov 17, 2010 22:20:14 GMT 1
I think you were safe Bluesman 47,as far as I can remember my detuning was after your departure,I wouldnt have got away with it when you were there!,I think it happened by accident,wonky pitch pipe or something,and I thought....."this'll do for me!",strange thing is I'm now so fanatical about perfect concert tuning I cant even stand any of those exotic tunings for long.so put your mind at rest,old Wolffy didnt pull a sneaky one on the great Bluesman47.when I was looking at those photos of us in the Fleetwoods van I was really reminded how much you looked like Scott Walker in them,lucky bleeder,no wonder I never got a look in with the hot crazy mamas!,there were hot crazy mamas were'nt there!?.Anyway I would have been far to serious a student of my instrument to have taken any notice of them!,,well that's what I've consoled myself with all these years.sleep well,Wolfman
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Post by bassman on Nov 18, 2010 22:57:14 GMT 1
Hiya Wolfman The new Racing Cars are playing the Martyr's on Sun, Bobby Hiyde is up for it how about You.
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Post by bassman on Nov 18, 2010 22:59:56 GMT 1
Hiya Wolfman The new Racing Cars are playing the Martyr's on Sun, Bobby Hyde is up for it how about You.
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Post by bassman on Nov 21, 2010 22:45:57 GMT 1
Come on Lads lets hear some more of those crazy stories . I'm getting withdrawal symtoms. I'm sure Young Buck has a few to tell.
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Post by bassman on Nov 22, 2010 16:27:30 GMT 1
I remember playing in a duo called Deuce during the 80's , we were playing a new years eve in Trebanog workmans ,we got there normal time giving ourselves plenty of time to set up etc., come 9.oclock the bingo was about to start when a certain comedian from Merthyr turned up, no gear not even a mic, he says to us full of self importance "you'll have to go on for 45mins then i'll do an hour and you can finish the night off with dancing as i'm booked in Tito's Cardiff for a midnight spot". With that in comes the entertainment Sec., so the comic relays the same story to him " i have a big gig in Tito's later on so i'll have to be gone by 10.45 at the latest" he says, "right! says the Sec if that's so you you'd better make your way down there now we dont want you being late for that one do we". "I've not seen a face like that since, it was brilliant". Needless to say he went on at obout 10.45 for his second spot and did'nt leave the club until about 11.45. seems he'd suddenly forgotten about the Tito's gig. I've never laughed so much in my life it was really funny. But he had the last laugh i suppose as he's done very well for himself ,has'nt he.? All the best .Bassman.
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Post by bluesman47 on Nov 22, 2010 21:20:33 GMT 1
Bassman, Had a similar experience with "Wales Top Comic" a rather portly gentleman, who wore specs, you might know him... rhymes with rice, we were playing when he came to the club, and grabbed my leg.. saying you have to come off.. because he had another booking... he wanted to use all our gear...but we stood our ground and off he went with his tail between between his legs, these guys have got some egos and old jokes
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Post by calford on Nov 22, 2010 21:39:01 GMT 1
Hi I'm Ian Cal Ford, Cal Ford was my Ol Man. Many Guitarists backed him. Allan Crompton was with him for a few years. But Mickey Gee was also with him in the early days. So was Tommy Miller and Eddie Williams. The band had a drummer called 'Sugar' a black guy who killed himself while the band were in London in the 60's I think. The regular gig in Merthyer was the Kirkhouse's Discs a Go Go. I have many stories and many photos. My Dad was not from Merthyr although he lived there after meeting my Mother in 1966. He was A Cardiff boy through and through. Splott,
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Post by youngbuck on Nov 22, 2010 22:56:56 GMT 1
HI I new your father well,he was a great guy.I remember him in the kirkhouse.The band he was with was called the Tequilas.I was still in school then ,we used to sneak in.I think Eddie williams was in the band to.I also new Eddie when he was with Sassafrass.Another good talented Cardiff guy.
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Post by bassman on Nov 23, 2010 0:50:41 GMT 1
Hiya Cal, I saw your Dad perform a few times (brilliant) he called at Merthyr music for strings one day and played the Twyn Carmel in the night , can't recall how long ago this was ,but i know he was'nt very well. He had a very young guitarist with him as i remember, could it have been you?
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Post by bassman on Nov 23, 2010 1:05:56 GMT 1
Another incident happened at a club in Tredegar ,we were there for a sunday night, on the Bill was a comedian by the name Maxwell Plumb from up country somewhere. He was telling us what a brill week he'd had down here for Alan Philips ." he thought he was the dogs", he said in front of the sec, "i cant remember his name", i would'nt mind an early one tonight as i have a long drive home . The guy came on with a song ,then went in to a few gags, the crowd put up with him for about ten minutes then the concert sec pulled him off . So he had his way and had an early night after all.
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Post by calford on Nov 23, 2010 21:02:04 GMT 1
Thanks for that Youngbuck, Yes Eddie was with the Tequilas, I have letters to my mother from my Ol Man that he wrote when he was in London in 63,4 and 5. The other band Eddie was in were the Rebels. At that time my Dad hung up his guitar and just fronted the bands. I am in touch with Eddie nowdays and yes he is a great guy. Him Mickey Gee and Congo had a great band in the 80's called 'All the notes'. I was at Mickeys funeral and all the ol boys were there.
Bassman, The young guy on guitar that night could have been Paul White. He was John's (the bass player) son. Paul turned out to be a guitar genius. He went from strength to strength. Got a record deal and ended up in Hollywood. He met a woman out there and decided to stay there, he completed his degree and now actually works for Steven Spielberg would you believe. Very wealthy and very happy. I am in touch with Paul as I have known him since I was 4. His Dad John is not very well these days. Another great picker with the Ol Man was Lenny Stuubs from Garden City. I really did like Lenny and he to is another guy I speak with now and again. Unfortunatley I have not spoken to Allan Crompton for years as he played with the Ol Man to.
Ive done quite well myself, recorded several albums two in Nashville one in Memphis. Two appearances on WSM Grand Ol Opry and 2 tours of the southern states of the US with American band members. including CW Gatlin from The Hawks and Levon Helms along with Mark Winchester and WS Holland. Ive been happy with what I have done and my guitarist in my regular band still lives in Merthyr. Unfortunatley my Dad never saw me record ashe died in 1996. I have all his guitars and many more. A lovely selection of 4 Martins to top it all off.
Anyone interested I am on facebook as Ian Cal Ford. I now live in St Davids West Wales right on thee Beach, its beautifull, although i'll never forget my time in Merthyr. Would love to come and do a gig there sometime.
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Post by bassman on Nov 23, 2010 22:45:05 GMT 1
Hiya Cal it's nice to know youre doing so well in the music bizz. ,you're Dad would have been chuffed i'm sure. "I did'nt realise he's been gone so long." There's a few of us working on Alan Cropton to come out of his retirement even for just the odd gig, im sure if he did he'd get bitten by the bug again. All the best for the future. Bassman.
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Post by wolfman1 on Nov 27, 2010 0:42:08 GMT 1
Hello Readers!,been off the air this week.great to have Ian 'Son of Cal' on board.it was such a pleasure to work with Cal,I knew every gig was gonna be fun!,I sarted to use a Telecaster at first,one night I took my Strat,& it turned out he loved it!,particularly the inbetween p/u sound,he would thereafter ask me if i'd brought 'That Red pregnant dog' even before I'd opened the case!.what a Gent,whatever Cal got payed,I got payed,& that's more than I can say for a couple of singers I backed before him!.I remember the first time I met him,he was in The Tequilas/Outcasts,& I was in The Crescendos,we often would do a double bill at the Kirkhouse.the band broke into Lucille,a cowboy boot shot out of the wings,a shout of Yeh!,& there was the great man!,he scared the crap out of me!,even then,Cal never talked down to me,even though I was about 14yrs old,I thought 'I like this guy!'.I'm proud to say I was his last guitarist,& I was with him till the end,still can't believe he aint with us.I'll never forget every time I rang him,his voice would boom out 'Speak,it's your money!',it would take me right back to friday nights in the Kirkhouse,God bless you Cal,hope to see you sometime,but I know you would'nt want it to be any time soon!,The Old Man From The Mountains',love you mate.Wolfman
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Post by wolfman1 on Nov 29, 2010 1:52:28 GMT 1
Hi Y'all,Just a note to say I've posted my guitar pics on my facebook page,& no mean feat it was either,took me bleedin'ages!.wonder why this page translated my comment of Cals as 'Pregnant red dog',what I'd written was that Cal used to call my Srat 'The red pregnant dog',has it done the same again?.hey Bluesman47,huge apologies for the cock up on sunday,this technology is too much for me.anyone noticed that the original contribitors to this site,dont contribute any more,wonder why?.got some tales to tell that could be 'sensitive' to some ears,know who I mean?...wink,wink.anyway,there must be loads of us either on stage or in the audience that have stories to tell.got some great memories of doing gigs in London,then travelling back over night to record at Rockfield,I wrote to Charles Kingsley some time ago asking if he could in some way let me have copies of The Harts tracks,no reply,guess they're just to big time now to bother with the guys that established them as a studio,do you detect a touch of vitriol?,sodding right!.come on chaps,don't let the side down,ypu've got as many memories as I have,keep the local 60's flag flying!,regards,Wolfman
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Post by wolfman1 on Nov 29, 2010 1:54:53 GMT 1
YES, IT SODDING WELL HAS!,ARE THEY AFRAID OF THE WORD pregnant dog?
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