This page is in reverse order with the latest news at the top so work your way down and travel back in time and see what we have been up to.
September 2024
Rob’s interview with Hospital radio
June 2024
Farewell tour
Rick has decided he is going to hang up his mike at the end of the year, so unless there is someone else out there with a stage presence akin to Freddie Mercury our remaining gigs listed below will become the bands farewell tour.
Not sure at this point what will rise from the ashes (health allowing, we are mostly very old you know 😉 ) but it will not be Vintage Stuff, be good to see some friends at some of the gigs.
Vintage Stuff – Rocking the Blues since 2001
Saturday 27th July – The Flowerpot Bedford
Saturday 3rd August – Devonshire Arms Bedford
Friday 9th August – The Cellar Bar Bedford
Saturday 10th August – The Walnut Tree Blisworth
Saturday 17th August – The Red Lion Swaffham Prior
Monday 26th August – The Flowerpot Bedford
Saturday 5th October – The Fox Carlton -private party
Wednesday 9th October – St James WMC Northampton
Sunday 13th October – Esquires Bedford
Sunday 27th October – The Headlands Northampton
Saturday 2nd November – Sundon Park Social Club Luton
Saturday 21st December – The Flowerpot Bedford
Saturday 28th December – Esquires Room 2 – (our last gig with Rick – ticket only, free entry, see Rob for tickets)
February 2024
Oh how the years roll by, we are still out there gigging last year probably had the most gigs ever but 2021 ended in tragedy for Martin, his beloved Trish succumbed to Covid pneumonia in November after a year of health issues, music is pretty much now his lifeline so the more gigs the merrier. Even more gear has come and gone with the drive for lighter weight gear without sacrificing sound quality ever present. This year may see the balance if gigs between Vintage Stuff and Generation 5pan shift as Rick and Donna remarried last year so time at home and with his grand children has become more important to him but we will see ;-).
September 2020
It has been a long, long time and a great deal has changed since our last update, the music world has largely been forced into hibernation by Covid-19 and web server technical issues in recent months (now solved by Rob, Martin’s youngest son) have prevented any website updates. Vintage Stuff have continued to play (pre Covid-19) with gig numbers reduced by various circumstances but with the help of various Depping friends (more on them later) we are still looking forward to gigging when the world returns to “normal” again.
One tragic event that must be recorded is the very sad loss to the band indeed the entire Bedford music community of Chris Robinson, he succumbed to Covid 19 in April this year. He sang with VS on several occasions including a couple of NYE gigs at the White Horse, Chris fronted several bands in Bedford as well as running jam nights and numerous charity events. One of the saddest things I think I will ever see is his two brave daughters alone in the crematorium when if it had been allowed Chris’s friends would have filled it many times over. He has a memorial bench at Priory Marina but nothing can replace the good friend that he was to so many people RIP Chris we (and many others) miss you.
The retirement in 2015 mentioned earlier never happened and indeed the band have played many gigs with the same line up until sudden health issues caused Chris to give up the drum stool last year, several temps filled in before Jon Sharp was found and has now established himself as our drummer. The changes on the gear front over the last few years are too many to list so just keep an eye on the various pages for pictures and descriptions of recent comings and goings, one major change has been the demise of the Bose L1 PA systems 3 of the four eventually failed and have been replaced by much lighter and more portable Alto gear, none of us are getting any younger 😉 .
Our reduced gigging has actually spawned another band Generation 5pan were originally formed when Vintage Stuff were unable to provide the music for a 70th birthday party in November 2017 and Gary (drums) Pete (bass) Ben (vocals) Rob & Martin (you know what they do) have since ploughed their own some what rockier path, the name alludes to the 40+ year age span of the band’s members.
December 2014
Here we go again, really do not know what is happening it is like running down a hill, the years are going faster and faster, this year has been a mixture of ups and downs, fare few gigs (Pubs, parties, anniversaries, a beer festival, weddings (including Trish & Martin’s) ) on the down side internal stresses in the band re the number of gigs played/not played and finally one member indicating that he intends to retire from live performance in the not too distant future so 2015 will certainly be different for the band.
True to form Martin has been playing around with guitar and amp configurations, the 53/10 pickups are now in the HBII complete with individual coil split and phase reversal switching, the hard tail Modern Eagle has its RP pickups once more. A second NF3 has arrived, this time with rosewood finger board and birds, kind of in between the maple board NF3 and the ME III sound wise, a PRS Custom 50 1×12 combo has also joined the back line while there have been several speaker changes in the various Carr Slant combos. One of the 1x12s now has an Eminence Swamp Thang speaker while the 2×12 has 2 Tone Tubby speakers (different types what Tone Tubby call a H Bomb configuration) these two combos have the latest version amps, which have had effects loops added (see later) the original amp now has a Eminence Red White and Blue speaker while the amp from the 2×12 is now in a 1×12 cab with a Carr Kingpin speaker. Various midi rack effects have been used on some gigs ( hence the need for effects loops in the Slants) current set includes a couple of vintage Rocktron units coupled with a Voodoo Labs GCX all driven by a Ground Control Pro foot pedal, just a question of getting them all programmed with the sounds I want ;-).
For a bit of continuity we are ending the year as we started it, New Years Eve gig at the White Horse with Chris Robinson on vocals (Rick and Trish are enjoying the sun in Spain for Christmas/New Year.
January 2014
Not quite sure what happened there, seem to have lost a year, my how time flies when you are retired, days, weeks, months, a whole year, don’t know how I ever had time to work 😉 best have a catch up first. Last year 2013 we played twenty eight gigs, down from the previous years forty, but more than 2010 (twenty four gigs). Several reasons, changes in Rick’s social and work life plus he is finding it hard to manage more than one Vintage Stuff gig in a weekend (time catches up with us all eventually). As a partial result of this reduction in gigs Rob has resurrected his old band (The Two Non Blondes) so they are gigging again, Rob also was involved in organising a tour for New Zealand band Brilleaux (original rhythm & Blues in the style of Dr Feelgood) very good band they are too, tour ended with a gig at Esquires, the lead guitarist used Martin’s Marshall VM and rather like his strats it sounded great (when someone else was using it 😉 may be another tour this year. Martin has recently been involved with a local charity event (Bedrock) which was due to take place mid March but at the time of writing looks like it may have been cancelled, any one need a guitar for hire? (see Martin’s page, self confessed musical tart will play with anyone 😉 ) That said last years gigs all went well, we were rebooked at all venues played even our New Year’s Eve gig at the White Horse with stand in vocalist (Chris Robinson, Rick and his Trish (this could get confusing if you don’t know us all) were enjoying some winter sun in Goa) went very well (thanks Chris, Rick’s not an easy act to follow) and more gigs are promised for this year. As you would expect over a year there have been some changes on the gear front, Rob has another Red Strat (not sure if its a ploy to confuse Sandra or he just likes red Fenders 😉 ) two more of the Modern Eagles have got new pickups (the hard tail now as 53/10s and the Singlecut has 59/09s. Martin decided to get himself a bass rig for no better reason than he felt like it and ended up with an Ampeg SVT Classic head and a TC Electronics 4×10 cab, the amp was inspire by the sound Trish’s nephew’s (Dave Bevan) band’s bass sound (Martin had a jam with them in Australia early last year did not however allow for the fact that in its flight case it weighed over 90 lbs great sound but at that weight it did not stay long, it has been replaced with a TC Electronics class D head (feather weight) a Danelectro longhorn bass completes the setup. Another Carr Slant 6v has jointed the fold this time in head format with a 1×12 cab, later a 1×12 combo cab with speaker but no amp was acquired so the head is now a combo, many gigs now seeing a pair of 1×12 Slant 6Vs, several speaker cabs have gone the way of Ebay (mostly 1x12s Marshall, Session) as well as a few effects pedals. Latest guitar to arrive is a PRS NF3 (Korina body bolt on Maple neck and 3 Narrowfield 57/08 pickups, can cover a lot of ground, like a slightly brighter version of the ME III which has been getting a lot of gig time lately), speaking of the ME III its wiring has been tweaked to allow all pickup combinations the 513 has had the same mod so now has 19 pickup options. Looking forward, we have fifteen gigs confirmed so far this year and others provisionally booked so looks promising and one of the confirmed gigs is Trish and Martin’s wedding, told you it would get confusing (only known each other nineteen years, but you should not rush into these things, should you 😉 ). Hope 2013 was kind to you all and either way hope 2014 will be kinder still, see you at a gig some time soon I hope.
December 2012
Another year’s gigs over, how the time passes, new friends, new venues, new songs, new gear and already the gigs are building nicely for next year. On the downside friends have left us and venues have closed, the circle of life I guess, so best make the most of it while you can, so check out our gig list, mark dates in your calendar and get out and support local live music and the venues while you can. For the rest of this year (I know there’s not much left) have a great time, a super Christmas and a very happy new year from all of us.
November 2012
Not really sure where this year has gone, gigs are starting to build up in next year’s diary 🙂 and Peterborough seems to be making a stand as our northern outpost with a couple of venues re booking us (The Ostrich and the Cock Inn) and our regular Bedford haunts are not letting us down either (Danny’s Bar, Flowerpot, Bedford Arms, Kings Arms, George & Dragon to mention just a few). But at the same time these places are struggling so if you can find time to support your local music venues please do because the slogan use it or lose it has never been so true as it has of late just a quick drive round most towns will show you many pubs closed or turned into restaurants, so please try to do your bit. One recent gig that stands out was the Grafham Village Beer festival, it seemed like most of the village turned out with the intension of having a good time and they did (they really know how to rock), some excellent guest local real ales and “Hairy Bikers Chilli” completed a great night, this is hopefully going to become an annual event so keep an eye on our gig list and make sure you mark it on your calendar once the date has been confirmed you won’t regret it!
More changes on the gear front, the Carr Slant and Two Rock CRS are back in combo format and a Marshall Vintage Modern combo has had one outing (it could not really live with the 2×12 Slant so may not stay for long), the FBJ Modern Eagle has been treated to a set of PRS’s 57/08 pickups (same as in the SC-58) great PAF style pickups ideal for Blues & Rock hence it has been a favourite at several recent gigs (great sustain without driving the amp too hard). Our next gig finds us at Danny’s Bar on November 18th (with a few songs we have not performed there before and a new look for Move it !!) so please come along have a great Sunday afternoon/early evening and support your local music venue.
July 2012
Here we go again, half the year gone and we have had quite a few great gigs, several at new venues, Vintage Stuff sauce has been poured on locations as far as Hatfield and Peterborough along with our local Bedford haunts, so how many have you made this year? We now have the photos and videos Keith and Sally took at Danny’s Bar back in May (thank you both, great work). YouTube has more of Sally’s videos and you can contact Sally for further details, Keith also has a new website where you will find more of his work. Rob has a new baby, a Marshall JMP-1C (50th Anniversary 1×12 combo) it has been at all recent rehearsals and several gigs too. Not to be left out Martin has picked up a new PRS Signature Limited (408 pickup system so far only available on Sig Ltd model) and the 1×12 Carr Slant 6v has been converted to head format and the 4×10 Cornell cab rewired to allow two heads to drive it at once. We have several gigs lined up over the next few weeks so please have a look at the calendar and book for your next vintage fix, hope to see you soon.
January 2012
Seems like a long time since the last post, must have been busy, some great gigs have slipped by King’s Arms, Bedford Arms and of course Danny’s Bar. Sally (Aka Punk Rock Sal, thanks for the great work) took some videos of our Danny’s Bar gig and they have been linked on our Set list page as have several earlier videos. Rob and Martin have both passed a big birthday (and survived) so the vintage tag is becoming even more relevant. Martin has finally bit the bullet and bought a private stock PRS, not a personal order but a Rosewood Necked SC 58 which is incredibly resonant and has very quickly become his main guitar having been paired with the abalone ME1 and Santana II Ltd at recent gigs, could well see some of the others departing to Ebay before long. A couple of new pedals have had outings at recent gigs so a stable pedal board could mean the cupboard full of unused pedals may depart soon and several amps could go the same way too as the Two Rock / Carr twin amp setup seems to be capable of covering most required tone options lately. February is starting to look reasonably busy with 5 gigs booked so check your calendar/diary we hope to see you at some of them.
November 2011
Another year almost gone, where does the time go, we have enjoyed some good gigs recently both as a 5 piece and as a 6 piece (when we have been joined by Mark Ayles on keyboard, it’s always a pleasure to play with such a great musician and the keyboard gives our sound another dimension). Gigs are already starting to come in for next year so make sure your diary is up to date, we have our first gig at a new venue on the 18th (the Bedford Arms in Oakley) so please come along if you can make it, venues will only have live bands if they see a positive return and often the time it takes for a venue to become established is longer than the landlords can afford, so lets try to add the Bedford Arms to the regular Bedford gig scene. Ebay continue to prosper, Martin has added a couple more amps to his possible back line, a 1993 (Sampson era) Matchless Clubman 35 head (EL34 output obscure preamp valves, great sound and usual amazing Matchless build quality) and a Rivera Venus 6 (twin channel 35w 1×12 6V6 combo, in off white, with boost on both channels, half power option and foot switchable effects loop that can be used as a volume boost or cut), pictures will be posted soon. The Venus had its first outing at the White Horse (Newham Ave) last night and combined with the Two Rock Jet Sig gave more than enough options for what turned out from our point of view to be a great gig (thank you to all of you that turned up your support is greatly appreciated), the Matchless is waiting for a bigger venue when it will probably be paired with the Two Rock Custom Sig. We are finishing the year at the Kings Arms on New Years Eve so please come along if you can, tickets will be £7, not sure when they will be available but we hope to have some availble for purchase ASAP, make sure you get your ticket early to avoid disappointment. Please come along and enjoy what is sure to be a great night, you can even wish Martin happy 60th after midnight 🙂 and so into another year, have a great festive season if we don’t see you before, but we will because you are all coming to Oakley arn’t you.
August 2011
August looks like it will be this years holiday month, only one gig lined up so far (Flowerpot on the 28th, 4:30 start). Martin has been feeding the coffers of the good folk at Ebay again a second Carr Slant 6V has been acquired (slightly newer than the 1×12 which now has a Tone Tubby hemp cone speaker) with no reverb on the drive channel and a pair of Eminence Patriot speakers. Two more 25th Anniversary PRS’s are on their way as well, a 305 (3 pickups 5 sounds, set neck strat with Alder body and Rosewood board) and a Modern Eagle III (double cut M. E. with Dalbergia neck and 3 PRS narrow field pickups (mini humbuckers)). A whole host of kit is on Ebay, Strat plus deluxe, Ibanez RG560, Cornford Hellcat, Roland BC-60 (this one never even got to a rehearsal, just too much competition from the valve amps), 4×10 Cornell cab plus assorted speakers, more un/ lightly used stuff is likely to join it next week. Hope those of you going on holiday have a good time and those who aren’t see you at a gig soon.
June 2011
Another month coming to an end and not a lot happening on the gig front (only a couple booked for next month so far). Very quiet on the gear front, Martin has picked up a combo cab for the Two Rock Jet Sig so its a real pocket rocket now, ideal for rehearsals and gigs where space is an issue but amazing tone through it’s Tone Tubby hemp cone speaker, another Roland Blues Cube has also been acquired (don’t feel the first one had a fair crack of the whip) that said with all the great valve amps in the line up at the moment not sure when it will get a look in. Martin is using his original Modern Eagle (abalone one) and one other guitar (often the singlecut ME) at most gigs now, so sooner or later some of the others are likely to be on Ebay, assuming of course there is anyone out there with the cash to buy them. Mind you a new PRS Modern Eagle with a full sized humbucker and a pair of narrowfield pickups nearly turned Martin’s head in New York if only it had been a trem and not a hard tail :-).
April 2011
Well as the eagle eyed amongst you may have noticed we are five once more, Mike decided to leave the band at the end of January, I guess an 80 – 90 miles round trip for rehearsals and low paying gigs was always a bit much to ask, a shame as we were starting to gel nicely on a good night I felt. As things stand at the moment we are looking to remain a 5 piece guitar band, that said Mark Ayles (local keyboard legend) has joined us for some of our gigs and on some occasions when Rob has been unavailable (such a busy chap) Dennis (the list of bands is endless) has stood in (much appreciated). So if you are brave enough to venture to a Vintage Stuff gig there could well be some variety in what you see, but always a good time we hope. The only change on the gear merri-go round is that Martin has bought a couple more Bose systems (the original 750w L1 classics this time our existing ones are 500w L1 models) so you may have a chance of hearing the vocals with a bit of luck 🙂 The next few weeks will see us playing several familiar, as well as a few new venues, most are free entry, so as always please come along and get your vintage fix, we will be glad to see you.
January 2011
As January rolls in to February where do the weeks go, must be my age 🙂 we have been working on getting some tracks down, the music to four numbers were done last week with a quick vocal on one and this week we are going back to finish the vocals and get the mix sorted. Martin has sold the Boogie Mark 5 and a couple of guitars (Ibanez & PRS HB II) and the Cornell Rambler are on Ebay, but a Matchless Cobra will be picked up in the morning so even more quality sound options to play with.
December 2010
So here we are almost at the end of what has been a terrible and yet great year for the band, we have lost Ron our founder and yet the band has added a keyboard to the line up, something Ron always said we should do and indeed he did get to play with the keyboard in the line up at that last gig in January where he played until his arm just stopped working a real trouper to the end and very sadly missed by all of us. Looking forward the changed line up does give us new options, songs that would not have worked like Desperado and Just a Little Bit become possible and I have no doubt that as we move forward we will continue to increase the range of numbers on our set list having removed a few that although we could play them, just could never be the same without Ron.
So looking forward, Mike and Rob have established themselves in the band and are doing a great job in helping create our new sound, we plan to get into the studio in the new year to try to get some of the new vintage sound down, if you have a studio in striking distance let us know. We have no more gigs planned for this month, but a couple in the diary for January and others appearing for the rest of the year. Martin has picked up another Cornford Hellcat head to give even more tone options for next years gigs, this is the third Hellcat he has had, the first had been modded and had more treble than he likes, the second (combo) was just too heavy to lug around (great sound though).
So as we won’t be seeing you at one of our gigs before here’s wishing you
A
Very Merry Christmas
and
A Happy New Year
from
Vintage Stuff
November 2010
Another month has slipped by and the gigs are still being added to next years list Rob has treated himself to a wireless system so watch out for him going walk-about at gigs 🙂 Martin has added a couple more guitars to the armoury, another modern eagle double cut (Faded Blue Jean Trem) it has been upgraded with an oil/paper tone cap and volume mod, its the colour everyone wanted when ME’s first came out but the Abalone one was the best of 8 at the show and as guitars are to play not just look at that’s the one I came home with. The other PRS is a bit of a strange one, it was being sold as a Private Stock model but it does not have the usual signatures on on the head stock, but on the other hand it is not a “normal” PRS either, having a full depth singlecut body and a trem (most full depth single cuts are hard tail the exception being the latest Tremonti) and a very unusual pickup combination a P90 at the neck, Tom Anderson SD-2 middle and PRS#6 bridge again unusual in that it is tapped when combined with the middle pickup (#6s are the singlecut trem pickups, full depth singlecuts originally had #7s) these three pickups balance remarkably well considering their different designs, brazilian rosewood fingerboard and 10 top finish off a very unusual PRS. Our next gig is this Friday at the Ent Shed so if you fancy a Vintage fix we would be glad to see you.
October 2010
Where has the year gone? the band is bedding down with the new line up it gives us some new options and a different sound to some old favourites. Gigs have been flowing in steadily, thanks to those of you who have turned up, we have a charity gig this Saturday that is a bit close to the heart as it is in support of Cancer Research so if you can make it to The White Horse and chip in your £10 it would be most appreciated, we have donated our fee, and as most people know it’s an illness that can strike anyone so if you can help please do, you even get supper. Martin is venturing onto the gear merry-go-round again, he has picked up another PRS Modern Eagle, Singlecut Trem version this time, that completes the set he now has one of each of the original Modern Eagles (no longer in production due to the lack of Brazilian Rosewood used for the necks) later Modern Eagles use alternative timbers. Several bits of kit are on Ebay as I type to help fund the M.E. Boogie Mark 5, PRS Hollow Body II, Ibanez RG560, AER Compact 60 and TC Electronics G-System. Oh and while I remember Rob got the telecaster he fancied a Father’s day gift from his family, very nice too, see the guitar porn page for pictures. We have three gigs booked for what is left of this month and the same in November so hope to see you at one soon.
June 2010
A couple of great gigs to report the first at the Bedford Arms was a cozy affair with a good crowd who seemed to enjoy the night, Rick’s friend Peter and his wife, Love Mae, turned up and took some super photos (you can see them at CleaverCaptures) . The second gig was at the Black Bull Brampton, a venue we have not played for quite a while. The event was a Birthday Party (Happy Birthday Caroline) and to our surprise turned out to be an outside gig ( I know it is June but not exactly flaming), which we were not really prepared for (it was a cool evening). That said some decking and a tent made a stage and the party went with a swing with lots of dancing. Martin’s Les Paul had an outing, it’s first for many years and it proved to be a bit of a handful, even more gain than the Modern Eagle (only needed the clean channel on the Two Rock Custom Sig) and less smooth controls, yet not as much sustain as the PRS (Modern Eagle hard Tail), but at least the Gibson was used for a whole set, many guitars are back on the stand in favour of the M. E. long before that, nice to know the old lady can still rock! Things have been quite on the gear merry go round, Martin is trying to settle on what he does and does not need , but Rob did say he fancied a good Telecaster the other week so maybe things will liven up in that area soon. Next gig is late July, we are being kept off stage by holidays and Martin’s next hospital visit ( hopefully they will fix the Angina this time) so hope to see you all at the Ship on July 25th.
May 2010
A new phase in the bands story is opening or rather morphing from the previous one, Mike and Rob have both joined the band on a permanent basis and we will be doing our first official six piece gig at The Robin Hood in Clifton Reynes on the 22nd of this month. Please come along and support the pub , they are having a ” Bikes & Rods & Rock ‘N’ Roll” day and it should be a fun afternoon/evening (we start playing at around 3:30 contact the Robin Hood (01234 711574) for more details of what’s on on the day). The gear merri-go-round is still turning (some what slower without Ron to keep it spinning) Mike has got a Roland Organ box for his keyboard which adds all sorts of “surprise surprise” organ and leslie sounds to his keyboard (sounds amazing) and Martin has picked up another Two Rock head (Jet Signature), whilst his Blue Strat Plus, 335, PRS CU24 Artist, PRS CU22 Soapbar, various PRS,Gibson& Fender pickups and several speakers have all gone the way of Ebay (told you those Modern Eagles would be the end of some of the others) – many to Europe guess its because the pound is so weak our Euro zone friends are getting some bargains.
Speaking of Ron, I can’t remember seeing a church as full, they had to open the balcony and there were still people standing at the back, a mark of how many people he had touched and who cared for him, the convoy to the crem was quite a size too and there were more people there who could not make the church, a sad but truly memorable day, as always our thoughts are with Jill and her family.
For the benefit of those following our gear pages I will get specific details when I can but generally Mike’s keyboards are Roland, his amps are Peavey and Roland and Rob plays a Fender Strat or Yamaha through a Marshall Treble & Bass 2×12 combo (he does have another rather special one that does not come out to play, I’ll see if I can squeeze a picture out of him for you to drool over, keep an eye on the ampofiles and guitarporn pages for updates), that’s it for now hope to see you at a gig soon!
March 2010
This is the post I hoped I would never have to write, Ron Kennedy, the bands founder, lost his battle with Cancer on Monday evening (22-3-2010). Our thoughts go out to Jill and their families, Ron leaves a gaping hole in the lives of all who knew him. A solid friend always up for a laugh but stubborn in what he thought (knew) was right, he did not suffer fools gladly, but under the facade was a very caring man. His early life is outlined on his page. In recent years Jill has brought great happiness into his life (and he hers) they married as reported below on December 19th 2009. Where the band will go from here is still undecided but there will always be a gap where a big man stood. On a personal level Ron and I shared a passion for a piece of wood with six strings and the sound it could make, out of that grew a friendship that took us to gigs, concerts, music shops and guitar shows. I would like to think he counted me as a friend as I did him. I find it so hard to believe I will not be looking across to see him Strat in hand grinning as he belts out Move it or Johnny B Goode or making some gesture when he feels a solo has gone on for too long. Our loss is heavens gain, I wonder who he is picking for his new band, Buddy, Jimi, Elvis?
Funeral details are:-
Wednesday 7th April 2010
2:30 Buckden Towers,
4:00 Bedford Crematorium
After at the Anchor Little Paxton
No Flowers
No Black
Donations to Cancer Research
January 2010
A new year and a new decade, the last year though fine musically with many great gigs was not the best from personal and health points for the band , possibly the only exception being that Ron and Jill got married in December (19th, highly secret but a lovely day and we all wish them every happiness). This post is being written hot on the heels of a riotous night at the Ship where Vintage Stuff had a line up over the evening of no less than seven members (max six at a time). It started normally enough as Vintage Stuff with Mike (Chris’s brother) guesting on keyboard (he did an amazing job considering only one rehearsal), then after the first set Ron had to go home (more on that later) the last two sets we were joined by Rob Vernon (local celebrity) on guitar, thanks Rob. So a somewhat improvised night at times, had a different sound to your average Vintage Stuff gig. On a more serious note the reason Ron had to leave was that he was very tired, with pains in his arm and shoulder, his cancer has returned and he will be going into hospital tomorrow (Tuesday). It is a testament to his commitment to the band that he turned up at all and our thoughts and prayers are all with him and Jill, indeed I would ask those of you with a faith to send them a prayer and those without, a positive thought to aid the surgeons in there work. Mike or Mark Ayles (local keyboard legend) will be standing in for Ron at the next few gigs until Ron is fully recovered (hopefully very soon) who knows maybe Vintage Stuff could add a keyboard in the future.
November 2009
Even more activity on the gear merry go round, an Ibanez RG560 (1991 made in Japan (most of the new ones are made in China) with wizard neck, h/s/s pickups and Floyd Rose type trem)and another PRS Modern Eagle has arrived (Red Tiger hard tail) the two Eagles between them could well sign the fate of many of Martin’s other guitars as they are just a treat to play and it seems pointless to have guitars that never come out of their cases, so Ebay could have some more business soon. The Two Rock and Boogie Mark V are now both in combo format which makes the 2×12 cab redundant, another 1×12 cab (Marshall) has been loaded with a Tone Tubby so both combos can have an extension cab at larger gigs if needed. Ron & Martin both picked up Twin Stomp Booster pedals at Music Live just a question of where and when they start to be used at gigs (Ron got in first using his at the recent Kempston gig, which was different to say the least but the punters seemed to enjoy it, two more bookings have been arranged for next year). Speaking of next year the 2010 gigs page (this link will only be valid until the end if this year 2009) is now live on the site so please update your diary to make sure of your Vintage fix.
More October
Vintage stuff are now on Lemonrock ( http://www.lemonrock.com/vintagestuff?page=gigs ), as well as our gig listings you can also subscribe to a news feed so that you are automatically emailed whenever gigs are added, and there is also a blog feature which allows you to leave comments (nice ones preferred 🙂 )on gigs you have attended, so go on add your opinion to the internet and tell the world what you think!
October 09
Nearly Christmas! why do the shops start so early, have not got over summer yet. Ron and Jill are on their way back from America (Oh how the other half live 🙂 ) Ron’s holiday caused a unique Vintage Stuff gig (the party at Little Staughton) where we were joined by Steve on guitar (he stood in at the Anchor when Ron was ill) and Mark Ayles, keyboard wizard (who plays with The Fabulous Rockin Blues Pimps among others) thanks guys it was a real treat, and definitely a different Vintage sound :-). More gear has appeared Martin has acquired a PRS hollow body II (with piezo, first outing at the above gig ) and a PRS CU22 soapbar (yet to gig) its hard to find something that can live with the Modern Eagle which is a dream to play, (the Singlecut and Santana probably come closest, but thats this week 🙂 ). The Two Rock is now in head format and a combo cab is on its way for the Mark V (whoops did not mention getting that one, Mesa Boogie Mark V head, 3 channels each with 3 voices and 3 output levels not to mention contour or graphic/ channel assignable or foot switch controlled, Pent ode/Triode switching, Variac or full power the list is endless, not as transparent as the Two Rock but huge range of sounds in one box and combined with the Two Rock just amazing) got the Palmer switch box out again. Not really settled on what format to keep the Two Rock and Boogie in, its trying to find a balance between weight (backs not what it used to be) and convenience, not to mention they sound different, separate head and cabs allow lots of speaker options, just a question of getting them in the car. Last minute addition, Trace Elliot Velocette, 15w class Volume, Tone & 10″ speaker about the size of a large briefcase another attempt to help Martin’s back (at rehearsals at least), oh and another bit I forgot the Trace Elliot Tramp now belongs to Steve.
July 09
More on the gear merry-go-round, Martin has bought yet another Strat Plus Deluxe (this one has an Ash body the other (Blue one is Alder)), a Trace Elloit Tramp has also joined the back line (mainly for rehearsals but it might get to some of the smaller gigs). Martin has also bought a Freshman electro-acoustic (nice for a relatively cheap guitar) and an A.E.R Compact 60 though I doubt they will get to a VS gig. Unfortunately Martin’s angina has returned and another Angioplasty has not really reduced the symptoms so more drugs to take (what with 7 stents fitted and 8 tablets a day he will be able to rattle (hopefully in time) to the music) Most of the recent gigs have been private parties and weddings – seems the pubs are still struggling with the recession but our next gig is at the Anchor in Little Paxton on the 15th of August. So if you can come along and help keep music live, the few pubs left need all the encouragement we can give them to put on live bands as those that do a good job and become established as a music venue can thrive, trouble is it can take time and they don’t all have that.
April 09 News Flash last minute change (Sunday morning phone call) band not on till 8PM at The Chequers on May 3rd
A few more month passed and Martin has joined the ranks of the unemployed (redundant after 32 years) ah well maybe I will have time to keep the web site up to date now ;-), more gear has come and gone with Ron selling some kit and Martin adding a Strat Plus Deluxe (red,Silver & Blue Lace Sensors + Trem setter)to the guitar list (I know, the number of time I have said I can’t get on with Strats but they sound good when other people play them so maybe this one….. and it does sound good through the Two Rock, just a lot quiter than the PRS’s, maybe I will pair it up with the 335 sometimes to save messing with the amps settings too much) – I will get pictures of the recent gear on the site soon for you to drool over. A few more gigs have been added the next (May 3rd) is at a Vintage Bike Meeting at the Chequers Wrestingworth so if bikes are your thing you could get a double vintage fix – gig is due to start around 6pm (Sunday licensing laws often make Sunday gigs strange times 🙂 but the Chequers do good food so there is no excuse for staying away)
February 09
URGENT UPDATE
The Chequers gig on the 14th has been re-arranged to the 13th – they are running out of table space on the 14th so if you are feeling guilty for not taking her out for Valentines ……
January 09
Happy New Year! and let hope its a good one (as the song goes), it can’t be worse than last year can it? who knows will we all be singing the blues or will the good times roll again (lets hope for the later – quite like a bit of Blues though). Not much to report on the gear front, Martin has imported a Two Rock Custom Reverb Signature v2 combo from the States (they are pretty rare even in head form in the UK and the prices can get silly), it sounds pretty good though so get yourself to a gig for a listen. Speaking of which, a couple more pub gigs have been added recently 31st Jan & 14th Feb. at the Wrestlers and the Chequers so your excuses for not turning up and helping to keep music live are running out, keep an eye on the gigs page for more, hope to see you soon.
December 08
Another year coming to a close (will be glad to see the back of this one for lots of non-band related reasons), health wise everyone seems to be on the mend, but gig front seems to be very quiet (what pubs are left really seem to be struggling) so if you want to be able to see live music I suggest you get out there and support it while you can. A couple of gigs have come up for January (both private events) and we have an additional gig at the Chequers (Wrestlingworth) on the 19th of December. The gear merry – go -round continues, The Matamp and both Zinkys have gone (the smaller Rambler is on Ebay as I type) and a Dr Z Carmen Ghia (1 channel 18w hand wired ) and Marshall 1936 cab (2 x Celestion Vintage 30) have been added o the kit list, oh and Rick has a new mike (SM58 B).
September 08
Here we go again summer (what summer I hear you say) has gone and the dark nights are returning once more. For us (or Martin and Trish at least) this summer has been memorable for a lot of the wrong reasons, Martin’s routine angina treatment (overnight hospital stay to have a couple of stets fitted) did not go to plan. The first stent shaved the inside of an artery this caused a clot to form and 15 minutes after returning to the ward caused a heart attack, CPR defrib and 3 more stents put that right, but responding rather too well to the clot busting drugs had Martin vomiting a couple of stomach fulls of blood and the over night stay became three days, which caused us to cancel a gig, not something we do if we can help it. That was back in late June and happily Martin is well on the mend now and starting a phased return to work, but it has meant that all the gear loading has fallen on Trish, Rick (he lives nearest) and at the gig end the rest of the band (thanks guys). The gear merry go round has been very quite, Martin has added another PRS CU24 (this time a very rare beast, only 300 made in 2004 – solid rosewood neck and Vintage Bass and Dragon Treble pickup, I think someone must have fitted the latter as they have not been in production for quite a while). Looks like the days of Brazilian Rosewood necked PRS’s are over with production of Modern Eagle guitars having ended, the 513 Rosewood was discontinued last year, the reason they gave being a lack of sustainable timber, so if you fancy one best get in quick before they have all disappeared into collections (they are made to be played even if they are pretty). Looking forward gigs look a bit thin (one this month and a couple later in the year) but interest has been expressed at a couple of recent gigs for either return gigs or other events so keep an eye on the gigs page for updates.
June 08
Unfortunately the Party in the Park event was cancelled at pretty short notice so we had a weekend off, July looks promising with three gigs booked so far. The gear merry go round continues, Ron has added an Aria TA-61 and Gibson Blues Hawk (semi hollow Les Paul shape with P90s and Fender scale length) to his guitar collection, the Patrick Eggle having gone the way of Ebay. Martin has swapped a PRS McCarty for another Cornell Rambler (original small cab two channel version with Tone Tubby speaker), the 335 is having its electrics reworked (300k pots being replaced with 500k like old Gibsons and pickups may or may not switch to Bare Knuckle), the PRS standard has been fitted with some very old PRS standard treble and bass pickups hopefully it will now sound like the very early PRS’s (which are rare and cost a fortune if you can find one) and a PRS Custom 24 Artist pack is being added to the amoury.
May 08
Where has the time gone? May has been quiet (very very quiet – still allows time for practice hope you like the new numbers) but April saw a gig a week as will June (so we hope to see you at one soon). On the gear front, Ron has picked up a Fender satalite (80w amp with many built in effects) so expect a some different sounds from that front. Martin has added a Gibson 335 to the brood (picture will be posted soon – its an 88 upgraded with Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups for an even more vintage tone) this will give a different sound to his many solid bodied beasts and several effects have been purchased (TC Helicon Voicelive (vocal effects), Roland GR20 (guitar synth – pickup is currently attached to the 513), Boss Loop station and a Boss Rotary Ensemble), as Martin has not perfected tap dancing you are unlikely to see more than one or two at any given gig (and often none) but the combinations offer lots of possibilities. On the less visable side the speakers in Martin’s Rambler and Slant 6V have been upgraded to Tone Tubby Hemp coned beauties (as used by E.C. and Santana) so the sweet tones just gets sweeter. On the down side Martin is awaiting tests for suspected Angina and a bout of dermatitis has caused the skin to peel off his hands and feet, not what you need (hands) when playing electric guitar, so pained looks during blues solos could have even more feeling until the skin toughens up again, (this getting old is crap, and its not supposed to happen if you keep playing – and we’ll do that till we drop) hope to see you at a gig soon!
February 08
Was Christmas really that long ago – oh how time flies when you are (a) having fun (b) getting older – hope (a) applies to you 🙂 (b) we just have to tolerate. Not a great deal has happened on the gear front, a Cornford Rambler has joined Martin’s back line (15w twin channel with reverb hand wired by the master himself (Dennis Cornell) ). We seem to be gradually gravitating to smaller valve amps for guitar, not because we play that much quieter (remember to double the sound output of a 15w amp you would need a 150w amp and believe me you would not want to stand in front of one of those in a small pub ( I remember I used to use 200w valve stacks back in the sixties and you could lean on the sound, but that was mostly in large halls or even outside so it was not as painful)). The main advantage of the smaller amps is that you can drive them harder and therefore get a better sound (valve amps always sound better when they are working hard and after all its what the pros do in the studio to get the best sounds) and we would like you to hear the best 🙂 (best we can provide any way). Some kit is on Ebay as I type this, the Boogie V-Twin (floor valve pre-amp) sold in a matter of hours (Ron has another one if you are in the market) and a one of the Zinky’s (50w) and a couple of PRS’s (Studio and McCarty) are also listed, more may follow soon. Oh and Ron has bought a vintage Jukebox so I guess some more classics will find there way into our set list. A few more gigs have been booked so keep an eye on the gigs page to arrange your next Vintage fix.
January 2008
Another year gone – that makes Martin a year older 🙁 , no additions on the gear front (its a long time since I’ve had that to report) but the Hellcat sold last year. Jill has been busy on the phone so the gig page is worth a look if you fancy a bit of live music. Last year ended with our second gig at the Miller’s Arms in Eaton Socon (nice pub – friendly crowd and good sound) and this year starts with another new venue the Bull in Bedford (London Road) on the 19th why not come along and see if we can make it another regular meeting point, either way hope to see you at a gig soon.
November 2007
You ready for Christmas yet? well seven weeks to go nothing to worry about, a few gigs have been added to the diary, (see gigs page for details) and the gear merry-go-round continues, Ron has picked up a very nice new Strat (the light blue one for regular watchers) and Martin has added a couple of PRS’s, a standard 24 from 94 (modded by previous owner to McCarty wiring) and a Studio 24 from 88 (only in production for a couple of years quite rare H/S/S set neck all mahogany with sweet switch), I will get pics on Guitar porn when I have a bit of time. A Custom 24 has sold on Ebay and the Hellcat combo, McCarty Rosewood and 50w Zinky combo are all on Ebay as I type, the Slant 6v has won its place back as Martin’s main gigging amp whilst Ron rotates the Tremolux, Prosonic, Peavey and on the odd occasion the Pro Junior. Well thats it for now, hope to see you at a gig soon.
Quick site info update
You can now listen to the tracks from the CD by going to the Set List page and clicking on the Blue tracks, please bare in mind that was recorded in 2004, when Rick had only been with us a couple of weeks, we would like to think we have improved considerably since then :-), we intend in the not too distant future to get some more tracks down, maybe even update some of the existing ones if time allows.
September 07
Another month has rolled by – seem to be going quicker (must be my age) and a few more gigs have been played, Ron continues to get stronger (starting to lug his own gear again 🙂 and singing more, not to mention the chair has been dispensed with at the last couple of gigs which is really good to see. More gear has gone the way of Ebay, PRS Singlecut, Custom 24, Fender Prosonic, second Session cab, Hellcat’s Flight case (the Hellcat will be going next month in all probability) and for the first time in a while nothing has been added (yet). We have some picture from this year (at last see 2007 picture page) these pictures were taken by Ange the Goth – a member of a happy table who spent a fun afternoon in the sunshine at the Black Bull in August. With that thought in mind (audience pictures) if anyone has photos of the band they would like to donate to the pictures pages just send then in an email to Martin ([email protected]) just let us know when & where they were taken and you too could be immortalized !
August 07
Summer (what summer, oh yes April) is slipping away and with Ron on the mend we are starting to look for gigs again, unfortunately most places are booked up but we are managing to pick up a few, keep an eye on the gigs page for updates. Lots of gear has come and gone since the last update, in coming – Peavey Blues Deluxe (1×15 combo), PRS Santana II Brazilian (Ltd Edition of 200 just like the one he plays), Suhr Custom Classic (Ash Strat), Carr Slant 6V (18, 22 or 40w 1×12 hand wired tone box), Zinky Blue Velvet 25, Zinky Blue Velvet 50, out going – Eggle LA plus, Musicman Axis SuperSport Piezo, Gibson Q 200, Fernandes bass, Roland Blues Cube, Cornford MK50, Mesa Boogie Nomad 100, PRS Custom 24, Westone Bass (never even made it to the gear pages despite being in the wardrobe for years), one of the Session 2×10 cabs (the other is likely to follow soon)
April 07
It seems like a long time since the last update and a lot has happened since November, a quick look at the gigs page will show that apart from a a few outings in January and March we have been very quiet. Unfortunately we have had a good reason for this. Just before Christmas Ron was told he had cancer so the New Years Eve and January gigs were played while he waited for treatment to start and the first of the March gigs was played a just a couple of days after his treatment had finished. Somehow he managed a set before having to go home to rest (the man deserves a medal)and we learnt that Jill is not only a super gig getter/manager she’s an amazing nurse too. Ron managed to play right through the other two March gigs (we did have a standby organized for the first, thanks Steve). Those who were there will have seen him at the Anchor for the last few numbers when we became a six piece. Ron’s strength is gradually returning and once he is back to full health we will start looking for gigs again. In the mean time I hope you all join the rest of us in wishing Ron & Jill well . On the gear front Martin has been keeping Ebay in business again, a PRS Singlecut with a Brazilian Rosewood neck (one of only 250 made in 2001) has joined the pack along with a couple of Cornford amps (MK50 head and Hellcat combo) as well as a 100w Boogie Nomad 1×12 (which seems to be getting most use at the moment), going the other way the Boogie Mark 4 head, Subway Blues, Peavey Classic 30 and Crate CPB 150, not to mention a few guitars and as I write this the Eggle LA plus, Musicman Axis SuperSort Piezo, Gibson Q 200, Fernandes bass and Roland Blues Cube are all on Ebay and more are likely to be following soon so if you fancy a bit of Vintage Stuff memorabilia….. 🙂
More November news
The New year’s Eve gig at the Park has been confirmed, the new landlords have confirmed the booking, it is probably best to contact the Park to find out ticket details and if it is going to be a themed night (last year was Vicars & Tarts and a very good time was had by all).
Early November 06
Please note there has been a date change for the Griffin gig from the 18th to the 17th of November. More gear movements, Ron has sold the Fender Tonemaster (we are not likely to be playing any stadiums in the near future, (when will Wembley be ready, so its power was much more than we needed), Martin has picked up a couple of Roland amps a Cube 60 (extremely portable ideal for practices but could manage a gig at a push) & a Blues Cube (60w of Roland magic, about as close as solid state has ever got to a valve sound) these beasties came out in the mid nineties but in Roland tradition were some what over priced (similar price to a Boogie of the time) hence not many sold so they are pretty rare, nice tweed look cab adds to the vintage “Blues vibe” and the sounds are pretty impressive too. Martin’s search for “the guitar” could be over, a new PRS Modern Eagle has landed, it is to die for(even had the man himself sign it), there are going to be a guitar and amp sales to pay for this one 🙂 so there will be some more gear movements to report soon. Decembers gigs are looking rather thin mainly because we have other commitments most weekends and the change of landlords at the Park mean the New Years Eve gig may not happen either, we will confirm one way or the other as soon as we know for sure so keep an eye on the gigs page for updates.
September 06
Here we go again, summer has almost gone, the nights are pulling in and the diary is filling nicely with gigs most weeks. The recent gigs have included many highlights but the main one has to be Ron’s birthday bash (big one but take a look at our home page to see our motto – he’ll never be old). The gear merry go round is really in full swing with guitars and amps going in both directions, Ron has a Mark I PRS SE Soapbar in Blue (birthday present, Thank you Mum) and it got it’s first outing at Gamlingay and sounded great. Ron and Martin have both sold one of their Prosonics and having more or less settled on the Mark IV as his main amp Martin has also sold his Lonestar Special, but just so the amp cupboard does not get to empty he has picked up a Boogie Subway Blues (20w 1×10 all valve pocket rocket great for practices and very small gigs). Afraid Martin’s guitar habit is getting out of hand with a couple of Patrick Eggles (L.A. Pro & Berlin Pro) joining the line up last month, the L A Pro is an early one with 3 Kent Armstrong SC sized buckers that can be taped to give single coil tones as well. The Berlin Pro is unusual in that it combines the features of the early Berlins (which like the original PRS had no tone control ) with the later versions (which had but lost the 9 way pickup switching) so it is very versatile. The final new comer this month is a PRS McCarty Rosewood, twin hum buckers that can be coil taped but the main feature is the solid Rosewood neck which (like the 513) just gives a whole new feel to what are already great guitars not to mention a tone to die for (maybe the search for that perfect guitar is almost over,but there again there is always the Modern Eagle or a Private Stock to try) and maybe some guitars will actually be sold. Oh and the second 2×10 Session cab ha arrived (for when a bit more air needs moving), some lights have also been acquired to add to the visual side of your Vintage experience (they too got their first airing at Ron’s Birthday bash)
June 06
Another months gigs all played and a few more added to the gigs page. The gear merry go round continues, Ron has picked up a Fender Super 50 1×12 combo (one of his big regrets is letting a 2×10 version of this classic combo go a few years ago), it is soon to be fitted with a Celestion Vintage 30 to give even more tone. Martin has got hold of a Mesa Boogie Mark 4 head (later version than the combo he used to have and much lighter, no speaker), it is going to drive a pair of Session 2×10 cabs (one open and one closed back unfortunately there was a review in one of the guitar mags just after he had bought the first (open back) cab so they are now out of stock so we’ll have to wait to hear the rig in it’s full glory but the MK IV is renowned for its huge range of tones and power output options so we should get a bit of variety from that quarter. The last gig of this month (Charity gig at Wood Green, shame on you for not being there) allowed us to use a large PA having enjoyed the on stage monitors a couple more active cabs have been added to our PA so hopefully we might be able to hear the vocals “on stage” in the future, Pictures of the new kit will be posted as soon as they are available for the benefit of those interested.
May 06
Well the 2 May gigs have been played, both in Bedford (3 Cups and Fleur de Lys) on consecutive nights, they seemed to go down well with a lot of familiar (thank you) and some new faces in the audience, can’t have been to bad because more gigs have been booked, despite Ron playing the second gig with his finger bleeding through a plaster (what a trooper). Some of Martins’s amps sold last month (Peavey PA, Rivera and Marshall cab) the rest are back on Ebay again, as things stand our next outing will be at the Crown & Cushion in Great Gransden (June 8th) so come along for your Vintage fix, you never know you might even hear some new numbers (unless of course you are one of the dedicated few who have been to every gig, in which case we salute you!!).
April 06
April’s gigs have all been played the rest of the month and most of May are lost to holidays, currently the next gig is May 27th at the 3 Cups in Bedford followed the very next night by a 5 – 8 gig at the Fleur De Lyse again in Bedford (thats going to test Rick’s stamina, more medicinal Brandy required !!). Martin is having an amp clear-out everything apart from the two Prosonics and two Sessionettes is on Ebay including the old Peavey PA, Cornford, Mesa, Marshall and Rivera kit so there are bargains to be had out there (he just wants to be able to get into the dining room again really).
March 06
Two more Prosonics have arrived so now Ron and Martin can pump out between 60 and 120w each through 4×10 Celestions, just so the voices can still be heard a couple of RCF 310A active PA speakers have come on line meaning if we needed to we could have a 1.3Kw PA running, mind you unless we start playing much bigger venues feedback will get in the way long before we use it all. We did play a charity gig (in aid of a hospital scanner this month which allowed us a bit more volume than usual, and a second charity event for the same cause is set for June 17th ( see the gigs page, there will be 8 bands on from early afternoon till midnight ) so get the date marked in you diary and help a good cause. The last gig for a while (lots of holidays coming up) will be April 1st at The Black Bull in Brampton so come along if you can and get a Vintage fix while you have a chance, it will be six weeks to the next gig.
February 06
The gear front has been moving again a 1×12 (JBL loaded theile design) Rivera cab joined the back line for a couple of this month’s gigs, and a red Prosonic has also been added to the amoury so you may get lucky in the near future and see what two Prosonics can do, a second Sessionette amp has also arrived these tend to get used at practices (very light) and as fold back monitors with the advantage that they can always be used if one of the back line fail. March is filling up nicely with a gig each week, so we hope to see you at at least one of them.
January 06
Well the old year went out with a bang, the do at the Park was a Vicar & Tarts night (we did not know till we arrived) but people certainly got into the spirit of it and a great night was had by all. A few more numbers have been added to the set list the last couple of practices have been very productive adding numbers from the Zombies, Joe Walsh, Bad Company and Free. The gear front has remained quite, credit cards still recovering from Christmas, just a couple of new effects to mess with! The gigs are starting to come in in greater numbers, so have a look at the gigs page to arrange your next Vintage fix.
December 05
Gigs are starting to come in for next year, you can see them by going to the gigs page then following the link for 2006 gig list, we seem to have gone down well at the new venues recently (well we enjoyed it anyway & and we even had some punters at the 3 Cups in Bedford who stayed all night rather than go to a restaurant for a meal they had booked, so I guess they were happy). Another bit of good news the new landlords at the Crown & Cushion in Great Gransden are keeping the music nights going but not just Thursdays we have three gigs booked there for next year two of which are on Saturdays. The gear front has been a bit quite, just another V-Twin joining the list, too busy Christmas shopping, speaking of which have a good one then come to the Park in Bedford for a great New Years Eve knees up, you can even wish Martin a happy birthday after midnight, assuming you are still standing.
Merry Christmas from Vintage Stuff and have a Great 2006
One for the Girls
REMEMBER THIS AT CHRISTMAS TIME
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December.
Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring.
Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa’s reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl.
We should’ve known… ONLY women would be able to drag a fat-a ** man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost
Merry Christmas Ladies
November 05
Another busy month has passed (we are not complaining if you know somewhere we could play pester them to get it touch) and the gear is still, as ever, evolving. Ron has a 62 relic strat on its way from the states and Martin has swapped a Nomad 45 for a PRS custom 22 soapbar. On the world scene Gibson’s court case against the PRS singlecut has been over turned on appeal so they will be back in production soon (a victory for common sense) if you are looking at spending upwards of a couple of grand you are likely to know what you are buying, and if you don’t I am sure we can find something you can give us a couple of grand for. A few more pictures have been added to Ampofiles and Guitar Porn, so if that kind of thing excites you go and get a fix!
September 05
Chris and Sonia have been working on the CD it now has pictures of the band on it and a different one on the case, get yourself something special (or at least different). More changes on the gear go round, another PRS custom 24 has joined Martin’s collection, this one has PRS7 pickups usually only found on the no longer available Singlecut model (thanks Gibson). Ron has a Yamaha AEX wending its way from Wigan and a Mackie mixer should be arriving soon to make the vocals even more hearable (is that a word?). More gigs have been added so keep an eye on the gigs page and maybe we will see you at one soon. Our last gig at the Crown & Cushion (15th) brought some sad news Chris and Barbara are planning to retire, its a great venue, lets keep our fingers crossed that the new landlords will keep the music nights going. The last one with Chris and Barbara will be November 3rd so if you can make it to Great Gransden get yourself along to give them a good send off.
August 05
As can be seen from the gigs page June and July were fairly busy, August has given most of us a chance to grab a holiday, but the gear merry go round continues. Martin has sold the SAS, Berlin Pro and a Nomad, but bought a Boogie V Twin ( which Ron has now bought, imagine all that filth and Fender Clean as well). A pair of Active Mackie Art Series cabs have been added to to the PA (300W a side) to allow you lucky people to hear the voices from time to time. Well thats about it for now but Jill is continuing to work her magic so the gigs keep coming in hope to see you at one soon!
May 05
Even more gear! Ron has just got himself a Fender Tonemaster (top of the range custom shop hand wired beastie) so look out for some hot sounds from that one, we’ll post a picture as soon as it arrives. All electric band gigs at the Park have been cancelled until September (problems with late night noise) a shame as it was starting to build up a good crowd, lets hope its revival later in the year is successful
April 05
The gigs are still coming in the second half of May is starting to look quite hectic, we had a surprise fill in at the Crown & Cushion in March (24 hours notice some one could not make it) was a great night, what do you mean you missed it, come on the 21st of April and make up for it. Even more gear changes a second Boogie Nomad 45 has joined the back line and a new Boogie Lonestar Special is pairing up with The Cornford Hellcat to give some amazing tone options and another PRS Custom 24 (an old handmade one ) is on its way from Germany may arrive in time for the Park Gig on the 27th with a bit of luck so come along and have a listen.
February 05
The end of last year was rather busy and Chris has been sunning himself with the lovely Sonia for the last few weeks but practice has started in earnest again and Jill (our secret weapon) is starting to book gigs for this year so keep an eye on the gigs page its starting to fill up (I’ll post pictures of these two beauties as soon as I can catch them unawares). The gear merry go round continues Ron’s Epiphone has been traded for the Tele Thin-line (the one he had on the first picture on the pictures page), the SRV strat and Brian Moore have gone the way of ebay but a Patrick Eggle Berlin Pro has joined the amoury (already modified to make it more versatile) and a Cornford Hellcat is beefing up the back line
November 04
We are doing a charity gig on the 4th of December in aid of the MacMillan Nurses. Support a good cause and have a great night too, the venue is Brampton Infant School, tickets are £5 each. To get your hands on some ring 01480 810667 or e-mail [email protected]
Sad news the above gig has been cancelled due to lack of support, it will now take place early next year details will be posted a soon as they are available!
October 04
The gigs have gone well this month, we even have some regulars who turn up at most of the gigs, and very nice to see them it is too. The gear is still evolving, the Boogie MK4 is up for sale and a SRV strat has joined the amoury, its already done a couple of gigs.
September 04
The gear merry go round continues, Martin has sold the Boogie Maverick, the Line 6 and the Marshall Head and small cab but he has bought a 60s Fender Tremolux and 2×10 cab and an Award Sessionette 75, watch out for them at gigs. Speaking of which October is filling up nicely so plenty of chances for you to get your Vintage fix.
August 04
After a quiet May and June, from the gigs point of view, July went out with a bang, 3 gigs in a week, all seemed to go well, we enjoyed them anyway, Rick was feeling it after 2 gigs in 2 days but he as still smiling. We have already received 2 return bookings for the Griffin in Kempston (October and December), so they must have enjoyed it too, some more gigs have come in for September too, see the gigs page for other dates. Ron has got himself an Epiphone 335 dot tobacco sunburst, sounds as good as it looks.
May 04
The CD is in the can, as they say, 8 tracks in under 16 hours including mixing, not bad for mature geezers, we can strongly recommend the ZIG-ZAG studio in Hilton for any of you frustrated recording artists, Gareth is a genius! and the setting is great. With a bit of luck you should be able to hear one the tracks while viewing our home page, enjoy!
Once the artwork is sorted it will be available at gigs to keep the atmosphere going on the drive home and on the way to the next one.
April 04
What to say?
The site is gradually edging towards completion, we are planning to get a CD together in the near future, and before long Rick will be singing most of the numbers, with the rest of us just doing the odd one to allow Rick a rest (and to get the drinks in).
Ron’s got some Texas Specials for his blue strat so expect some hot new sounds!
Hope to see you at a gig soon.