Showing posts with label The Pentangle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Pentangle. Show all posts

Tuesday, 21 October 2014

Pentangle - Travelling Song

OLD PA'S WEDNESDAY CLUB

A FLIGHT NIGHT


A Parking Ticket

 
PENTANGLE - TRAVELLING SONG (1968)

I was rushing to catch a train to Waterloo, the traffic was terrible. I got to the car park with under 5 minutes to spare. After parking I headed to the pay kiosk when it started to pour of rain, when I say pour I mean serious pour. It was more lions and elephants than cats and dogs. I could not get the machine to work and there was no protection, I was getting more and more drenched. I was in a right panic as I saw my train pull up. I just had to go without at parking ticket and face the consequence.

I was absolutely soaked from head to toe and spent a very uncomfortable journey from Hounslow to Waterloo Station about 35 mins. I swear there was steam rising from my drying out clothing. I was cursing as this could end up being a very expensive night.

I was meeting Flycasual as we were on our way to see the reformed Pentangle. I just had to be there as I had followed Bert Jansch and John Renbourn since the mid sixties as well as Pentangle themselves.

I had almost dried out and had a welcome few beers before heading to the venue. The concert itself was enjoyable but not spectacular. I always thought that both Bert and John should do more of the singing. But there you go.

On the way home we got on the train and who do you think came on to our carriage?  none other than my sporting idol Andy Murray who was with his girfriend Kim Sears. They only stayed a couple of stops before getting off.

I shared a carriage with Andy Murray.

I picked up my Car and believe it or not there was no Parking Violation Ticket. Had I actually got off with it?. With a smile on my face we headed home towards the M3 when that horrible flashing light occurred.

'I don't believe it, I think I have been caught for speeding'  

Wednesday, 22 January 2014

The Pentangle - Pentangling

OLD PA'S WEDNESDAY CLUB


Dr Robert
Hughie and Me!


THE PENTANGLE - Pentangling (1968)

When I first heard this, it totally freaked me out...I was already a fan of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn and this was a marriage of the best to me.

This is a bit of a strange story really, but part of me growing up and is absolutely true.

My friend Hughie was invited round to the brother of a next door neighbour whom he knew and asked me to come along. It was a great night, Robert lived in a bedsit and it was perfect. It was littered with books and LP's, there were interesting pictures and paintings on the walls. We had plenty interesting concoctions to drink and as we were, I would say around 16 or 17, we felt grown up and alive.

Robert had always the latest music and when I told him I was a Dylan fan, he said he had a friend who was also a fan and would get some albums for me. True to his word he popped into the chemist shop I worked in after school (great for my supply of johnnies, shame I did not know what to do with them apart from pinning them to the back of unsuspecting guys in school) and gave me the missing albums, at that time I had only 2 Dylan albums, The Freewheeling and Blonde on Blonde. Robert completed my set.

I was in Zimmer heaven.

The people in the chemist shop gave him and me some strange looks and it did not register, until I found out a few days later that Robert was 'Queen of the Queens' in Inverness. I was told that I should not be seen with him because I would get a 'Reputation'. It did not bother me and I still visited Robert occasionally, he never did try anything as I made it perfectly clear I was straight, well sort of straight. He did make hints of course.



One day Robert gave me an album to hear as he knew I liked Bert Jansch. It was the first album by the new 'Super Folk Group', the Pentangle. I loved it, especially Pentangling, a complete showcase for the great talents that made up the Group. I later found out not too much later that Robert had passed away. I liked Robert, I found him interesting and great company and even at that young age, his sexual orientation did not bother me.

He poured a mean Martini.

Watch out for another Old Pa special about the Pentangle reunion Concert.




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