MY BACK CATALOGUE part 6

A look back at recordings I made over my career.

Part 6. PUNKS DELIGHT, LP  Dingles Records 1984

My second and last LP, after that I stuck to cassettes until CDs became possible.

This, like many of the others over the next decade, was recorded by our friend Colin Whyles in his home studio in Felixstow. Sue and I met Colin when we lived near Spalding for a few years after 1968. We played in an Incredible String Band type group who had more name changes than gigs! I knew the Dingles records people—Roger and Helen Holt—from the folk club they ran just off the Euston Rd in London. I did it several times. It was a good one. They had it pressed and distributed but all the promised high profile publicity never materialised and they, sort of, disappeared. I know they had a disabled child and I think there was a crisis about treatment so they had more important things to think about.

Rob Whalley played fiddle again and it was the first outing for Trevor James who plays all kinds of whistles and other minstrel type instruments—and is still doing so although our paths haven’t crossed for years. The title track is a Playford dance tune and it seemed particularly relevant to 1984. It was a bit of an experimental album altogether with a definite political slant and I used a bit of electric guitar and synth alongside the usual folk instruments. There is some good material on the LP which I still do, but overall I consider it my least successful album, somehow it just didn’t work. 

The reviewer from Shire Folk echoed my own feelings: 

“It’s a workmanlike record but lacking in sparkle. It’s difficult to put ones finger on what is missing, but despite creditable performances from all concerned, it doesn’t quite create the impact it should.” 

But other folk liked it: “This is a record Pete can be proud of—a second and very worthy LP which will give his fans (and there are very many) a great deal of pleasure.” Unicorn Magazine

 Titles:

Punks Delight

When This Old Hat Was New

The Cottagers Complaint

Bruton Town

Ground for the Floor

The Lousy Tailor

David Oliwarle (sic)

The Hand Weaver & the Factory Maid

The Factory Girl

Peggy Walker

Punks Delight (The New Way)

The one track which everyone praised was David Oliwarle, written by Audrey Smith. Hear it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN7bp7tvRT8  Sadly, it is still relevant.

The couple dancing on the front were a random couple who Roger spotted walking down the street and dragged in to pose! The man contacted me a few years ago and asked whether the record ever materialised. I sent him a copy.