May 18th - Day 30

I went to Nunhead Library this morning to return an overdue dvd. My disgruntlement at being told that I owed Southwark Council three pounds was tempered by the realisation that a toddlers' group was in full swing in the children part of the library. I'd been to this group in the past (with my daughter), recalled that songs were a feature and spotted an opportunity to avoid a trip uptown this afternoon and with it give myself an extra couple of hours to write in the blog. As I waited, not wishing to appear sinister, I flicked through a book about London social history. Before long I heard the happy sound of a maraca. And then a tamberine and various other instruments to bash, shake or blow. "He's trying to escape," said a mum as she caught up with one little fellow who, in mid-flee, had bumped his head on the electronic swing gate. Perhaps he'd been given the tuba. The songs were a mixture of old and new - Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, Wheels on the Bus, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Here We Go Round the Mulbury Bush, Ring a Ring a Roses. Three hundred and fifty years of song history (if one believes the Ring a Roses plague connection) peformed inside ten frantic musical minutes.

August 6th - Day 110

Today was one of those happy days that gifted me my music experience completely out of the blue. A school holiday trip to the park was delayed by news that there was a children's show about to start in the local library. The show turned out to be a music jamming session led by the Rock and Roll Pirates - Andi on Yamaha organ and Didntcatchhisname on vocals and drums. A vast array of child-friendly percussive and wind instruments were laid on the floor in front of them for their young audience to choose from. As the Pirates grooved through their Booker T/Chas and Dave-esque set (I particularly enjoyed their pub rock version of "Ten little pirates jumping on the bed - oi!!"), seven or eight children and a couple of adults bashed, shook and blew in accompaniment. By the time our hour with the personable duo was up, the kids had karaoked, taken part in a dance competition and had drumming lessons from Didntcatchhisname. It came as no surprise to learn that these two very accomplished musicians had rather more on their CVs than providing musical fun for the under twelves. Andi (also a composer), for instance, has played and/or recorded with Jeff Beck, Judie Tzuke, Toyah and David Bowie amongst many others. I didn't find out much about the other chap, who I shall now call Didntcatchhisnameanddidntfindoutmuchabouthim.

More about Andi (Clark) at myspace.com/467282281

Update - Through my involvement with The Ivy House, aka the Newlands Tavern, I discovered that Andi played there back in the 1970s with the band Upp. One of their album sleeves now adorns the musical wall of honour!