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Posted by Butch on September 01, 2003 at 02:40:30:
In Reply to: Castlebar Showbands... photos, memories posted by Hucklebuckn on August 30, 2003 at 18:56:13:
I played with the Bros' Walsh band for one night.They had heard erroneously that I was a great player of the stringed instrument, and they gave me one week or was it two? to practice before my debut( I knew I was in trouble from the get go As I was unable to master or even come close to the lead they had given me to practice, and lacked the gumption to call them up, and tell them forgetaboutit. (how about some Bob Dylan?) . So they picked me up one night at my house in their van, and we headed westward. Seemlingly for hours to arrive at this lonley, wind swept Ballroom. God knows where!. On the journey there one of the younger Brothers regaled me with visions of loose women who fall for musicians,and whose drawers fell too, and reminded me of "The Hawke Calling up Robbie Roberston' Of "The Band " to hire him, he Said "You won't make much money, but you'll get more pussy than Frank Sinatra!." So with loads of lust permeating my brain, I was determined to play my damnest. And that's exactly what i did my damnest, I did'nt have a clue , the musical rameis I came up with, was most discordant to the ears, and I was slowly eased to the back of the musical bus. We drove home in silence there were no pussycats to be seen. I was dropped off at my house given five pounds for their troubles, with the usual, "we'll be in touch!".. I went to my Uncle's army office the next day, and asked for a topigraphical map of West Mayo, to find out where exactly I bombed, Bellmullet!. Many many moons later I was to meet Mr Hucklebuck himself, 'Brendan Boyer' at an Irish festival in Cleveland Ohio. A genial man who was was concerned about his diet, especially on the road where all they seemed to eat was 'Fast Food'. I assured him he did'nt look all that bad,and he did'nt. The following year, at the same festival
I met Liam Clancy at the bar after the festival, and posed to him the question that Bob Dylan once said , that liam Clancy was one of the finest balladeers he had ever heard, but that I confessed to Liam that i was unable to tell one Clancy Brother from another, and was he the one that bobby was talking about?, "Oh Yes",he said " I am the one". Well if he was'nt he treated me to a spellbounding impression of Bobby on the road and how he felt about staying on the road(whicj is true to this day!). A great performance, that put Buddy Rich to shame. I left Mr Clancy in good stead before Barleycorn made a fool of himself which he did so later that night, big time, but tha's another story. The show bands of Ireland were one of the most wellcome group of musicians at "Las Vegas" Nevada, as supporting acts for the Super stars. their music, appealed to all ages as they played such an eclectic variety of songs. Our own band from Castlebar featuring Seanie Bourk 'THe Royal Chords" as Tempus mentioned kept us going onthe home ground in the Town Hall. Many more moons later i met a friend in California who drove a cab there ,he was the the lead guitar in the Galway group "The Philosophers" he wnt back to Ireland and now resides in Dublin. I am having a memory block now because of the tragedy that befell members of the 'Dickie Rock Showband" Which I wrote a catharsis some years ago upon this website for which i am greatfull I hit the paper instead of the Bushmills that night. I had gone to school with one of the members "Fran O' Tool" R.I.P. My Father was a personal friend of Mick Delahunty who had his own Glenn Miller type orchestra my Father had a vaudville type band in his youth A trio playing the piano accordions with teddy Bears strapped to their instruments. Some trivia; County Mayo had more dance halls than any other County. ArseBishop O'Casey, banned dancing on a Saturday night,and you get a rubber medal if you tell me where he is now. I'll say a prayer for Fran o' Toole to-night and his fellow musicians, nad to-morrow I will be inspired with a litany of Irish Showbands. 'Music soothed the savage Beast or is it
Breast"."'The Celtic Tiger" is somthing to be proud of. "The Celtic Musician has been re-born" I replaced my guitar last week and bought a music stand ,I am making a come back, stan back and let the man sing!!.
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