Saturday, November 22, 2014

Wouldn't it be great if it was like this all the time...


Look at the view from my blues bench...

I've always enjoyed the story that St Peter was so busy meeting and greeting Princess Di that Mother Theresa, who mistakenly went and died on the same day, had to wait in line. Apart from the idea that there is a heaven with gates and a border post, the appeal of this is that it summons up the idea of blind prejudice, pop fame, the notion that a fan base can be everywhere – and, of course, the success of Style over Content.
This came to mind as, of late, I have been reading some excellent, feisty, amusing, informed and occasionally barking-mad committed 'debates' about blues matters – ranging from how to encourage young people to join in; the power of the Genre Police; the value of Awards in whatever form - and whether old blues people are old, irrelevant, probably dead and still playing...
As the famous mis-quoted line nearly goes - ”This is a Five Minute Argument...not a Full Argument” and the reason for that can be laid at the feet of the Broad Church School of Blues. I doubt that these gauntlet-flashing, glove-to-the-cheek rumbles will ever be resolved or will ever stop returning for another skirmish. Often kicked off by editors with space or social commentators with time to spare, you can guarantee that after a few flounces, a spattering of terrifying assumptions, a flurry of YouTube defence evidence and a provocative referee, the bout will go the full three rounds and then be called an Honourable Draw. Any Boxing Club would be pleased with the turn-out, the noisy audience and then go home determined to organise a re-match at some time in the future. Yep – let's all Poke the Bear and come back soon.....

Having said that, with my Cynics Pass tucked firmly in my Hat – nevertheless, I see nothing wrong with these punch-ups flaring up every so often. Indeed, I would be worried if they didn't. Those of you, who, like The Hat, spent some pleasant time in the world of Traditional Jazz, will know that such polarisation was very rare (apart from the time Humph, like Dylan, was berated for thinking for himself and changing formats). Maybe this is why Trad disappeared quietly into the darkness, along with the Hat's spectacular show-stopping foot-kicking Brighton Stomp.

What is clear is that the energy generated by these discussions is a rather interesting manifestation of the vibrancy of the blues world and its multi-colour, multi-hatted, multi-passionate musicians and fans. I love the idea that the 'who is best/fastest/purest' argument can still keep a bar room table bouncing and full of pints till closing time. There is not a hope that the good old days will ever concede an inch to the old and cliched, the purists will not budge over for the exciting new and different kid on the block - and the lets learn from our elders are unlikely to run up the flag in the face of the you gotta hear this kid blowin' your sox off....
The Smart Money says you can do all those things, take all those stances – many at the same time and be the better for it. Underneath the growly bear is a reasonable lucid human being. The mythical 'genre police' really don't stand a chance.

Let me take you here...
Buried in his stupendous back catalogue from twenty five years ago is a remarkable Van Morrison spoken song called 'Coney Island'. It is a beautiful sentimental account of his long-ago trips from Belfast to the seaside with his mother and I can heartily recommend it to anyone not averse to dabbing a wee tear from the corner of their eye. It finishes with the spoken words "Wouldn't it be great if it was like this all the time?" Van the Man - and all of us - know that it can't be and probably shouldn't be - and yet a) that doesn't make us dismiss it as irrelevant and no longer formative or b) not want to re-visit and enjoy its beautiful momentous resonance now and again. The one thing you don't do is forget the way it affected you.

Of course, it can't be like that all the time, but in my view, it is that body of memory that is so important in the Blues world. We are here because we took that long journey through every kind of musical countryside. Our machines are stacked with those references in every kind of landscape and every musical colour and shape. Look! Here is a young vibrant, new, exciting scene/musician/singer/songwriter and Hey! just over there is that amazing beautifully and brilliantly crafted piece of our past, Sit down on this handy bench with the plaque 'The Blues' nailed to it by someone before us and take in the view. You may not like that bit of the view – but this bit will make you punch the air with joy. Meanwhile you can argue over its merits with that bluesy person at the other end of the bench. That has to be a good thing, a healthy thing – and that's my view and I don't care what you think....and mine's a pint...and who exactly is SRV?


You are not likely to meet The Hat in Heaven – unless there has been a cock-up in the booking details. Besides, thanks to Michael Powell and his movie friends, we know that Heaven is black and white and full of dry ice. Worst of all, there are certainly no arguments - Five Minutes or Otherwise.

Pip Pip!
The Blues Man in The Hat

Pic of Van as a young man copyright Elliot Landy.