Here this biographical log loops around on itself. I was with my two brother Nigel and Glyn in a band called the Woebegone Brothers (the Woebegone was stolen from Garrison Keillor because we thought it sounded good) and we really are brothers - so harmonies sounded unusually tight. We wore suits and trilbys because the Blues Brothers had yet to go mainstream - what we were trying to do was to pay tribute to the gospel musicians of the first half of the 20th century who were the inspiration for rock and roll. In the 2 years we were playing we sold 3,000 tapes and a few hundred posters, badges and of course T shirts. The whole point of the band was to point to other musicians we loved. So this was the subject matter of the T shirts.
Paul Clowney designed the T shirts for us. And we provided pictures of gospel artists. The first is The Rev Gary Davies, a blind gospel street singer who became a poster boy for the revival of guitar finger picking in the 1980s. We were more interested in his songs - which were often dark and judgemental but immensely powerful.
The subject of the second Tshirt is sister Rosetta Tharpe a swing guitarist with amazing technique who had hits with among others Up above my head. And played Vegas! You can see a clip of her on the film Amelie if you keep your wits about you. But below you'll find Youtube movies of Sister Rosetta and Rev Gary Davies - brilliant that through youtube this old footage is getting an airing again. These T shirts are starting to wear. I have a few left which are precious because when they're gone they're gone. By the way if you're thinking of doing some T shirts to promote something .. don't. They are relatively expensive to buy and print and soak up cash flow like nothing else. I could run off cassettes and Cds for a song. T shirts cost money!!
Well well well!
I still have 2 of those 3000 tapes (er, somewhere), and this sure brought back some memories - chiefly of greenbelt 1989-1991. I hope you have good memories too!
Posted by: Kirstine | October 14, 2007 at 09:02 PM
well well well - impressed you tracked us down though I suspect that's google for you! We keep making rumblings about getting a new set together. There's even a portable harmonium a family heirloom we've had restored. Watch this space!
Posted by: John Griffiths | October 15, 2007 at 08:37 AM
YeeHa! at last I find a link to one of you elusive bros!I once dated your younger brother after his return from Bolivia and I loved the music then and love it now...except my tape got chewed! I want to play it to my kids, especially my son who is a fantastic musician, any old copies of the tape hanging around that I could cross your palm with silver for? Hey, that t- shirt brings back memories...and Harry?? my goodess...ask Nigel if he remembers the mini and the double bass lift from the train station!!ha ha those were the days eh? God bless ya ..love to all
K x
Posted by: katherine | March 20, 2008 at 12:06 AM
I have one of each tape - I loved your music and really want to get the albums on my ipod - ideas please? I will pay...
Posted by: James Ewins | July 15, 2008 at 08:18 PM
I have one of each tape - I loved your music and really want to get the albums on my ipod - ideas please? I will pay...
Posted by: James Ewins | July 15, 2008 at 08:19 PM
Oh, happy memories ... and I would love to get my hands on a CD after rather stupidly chucking out my entire tape collection. Farewell Fat & Frantic, Sam Hill and Woebegones.
Just seen you're playing at Greenbelt - can you tell me which day? Would be lovely to see you all again :-)
Posted by: Natalie Cooper | August 17, 2008 at 09:22 PM
Haz tapes.
[Also haz all Fat and Frantic, like Natalie but that's not relevant. Whatever happened to A Tribe of Toffs?]
Get CD cut, boys.
Posted by: Stephen Sadler | November 06, 2010 at 06:56 PM
Still have tapes of 'Satisfied' and 'Get on board' - play them to my kids. We even formed a tribute band once called 'The Redemption Brothers'. iPod tracks - yes please!
Posted by: Jeremy | August 23, 2011 at 12:33 PM