Summer Fun!
Well, where do I start? We have been having such a fabulous summer that I just don’t seem to have had time to keep up with the blog. So let’s go back a few weeks to Wednesday 15th June to find our intrepid band stuck in traffic on the A316 on the way to The Battersea Barge! Now, if you guys haven’t been to this place, you really ought to give it a go. It’s quite magical: a barge tethered on the Thames bedecked with fairy lights, gently rising and falling on the swell of the river, with atmospheric décor, serving great food and with a brilliant little stage with great acoustics. (http://www.batterseabarge.com/). We were really pleased that our friends The Purple Buddhas (http://www.purplebuddhas.com/) invited us to share this gig with them and a great Aussie band, Road. We were due to be the first band to take to the stage at 8.15pm. As the traffic nosed along (London at its worst!) I was trying to keep the panic out of my voice as I reassured Keith our drummer who is an absolute fanatic about time keeping (well, I guess he would be!) that we would be there in plenty of time! Finally, we drew up outside the barge at 8.05pm. No time to change; no time to sound check, just plug in and play. So we did! And what a great time we had! We have to thank the sound man Jack Carroll for coping with us under those conditions and it was great to hear him say at the end of the evening ‘You guys have got some f****** brilliant tunes!’ (please read in a Scottish accent!) Thanks to The Purple Buddhas and to Road for sharing that gig with us. We hope we can do it again before too long and to bring them down to Dorset.
So that was Wednesday. Saturday found us piling into a minibus together with my sister, George, my friends and neighbours Trish and Dee, 5 kids, the instruments (including Simon’s double bass which has a couple of seats to itself) and a picnic to travel up to Derby to play at The Horse and Groom. This pub is a real muso’s venue which is fast making itself a name on the music scene up there. It’s a pub but with a proper stage and a really good sound system. Yes, it’s a long way to go for a gig. But hey, they asked us! And boy was it worth it if only for Diana and Mike’s legendary hospitality! Curry, casserole, salad and wine on arrival ( we finished the curry off at 3 o’clock in the morning – more on that later!) and then played from 9.15pm to nearly midnight. It was a blistering hot night - one of the first really warm days of summer -there was a reasonable sized audience – about 40 I guess – but for them to come out on such an evening when they could have been sitting in a garden with a barbecue and a cold glass of wine – well we thought that was great! We all had an amazing night. Out came all the percussion instruments – kind of becoming a State of Undress thing! – and they clapped and sang and jigged. It was great! At the end of this blog you can read a review by The Mystery Man of that evening’s gig. Anyway we had such a good time that we stayed up for hours afterwards chatting with Diana and Mike. We were staying in the flat above the pub and the sleeping arrangements were dubious to say the least! All the kids bunked down on the floor in the sitting room; Alan bagged the single bed (well he needed a good night’s sleep ‘cos he was doing most of the driving); Keith had the bed settee on the landing; my sister George bagged a bed with Trish and Dee sleeping on the floor in the same room; I slept on the floor in Alan’s room (not our usual sleeping arrangements I have to admit ..but it was soooo hot); and that just left Steve and Simon … they shared another double bed! As Simon said (who graced the kitchen at 3 o’clock in the morning in full Wodehouse striped pyjamas, dressing gown and pipe) he only joined a band in the hope of pulling a girl (well in his youth anyway) and so far the best he’d managed was Steve! Anyway, I came over all schoolmarmish and kept telling the kids to stop talking and go to sleep but the grown ups were making such a racket they didn’t really have any positive role models to follow! In fact you could hear Dee, Trish and George cackling away like the Macbeth witches: they were clearly having such a good time I had to get up and join them!! Not much sleep that night! The next morning, it was a mammoth full cooked breakfast and back in the minibus for the long drive back. In the words of the kids ‘an awesome weekend’! Hope Mike and Diana will invite us back. Check out what else is happening at The Horse and Groom on http://www.horseandgroomderby.co.uk/
The following Friday was Bournemouth Live! We were really pleased to be invited to take part in this celebration of Bournemouth Town Council’s commitment to live music. We were due to play at 1.00pm on a big stage set up on the pier. We were just about to sound check when the heavens opened and it absolutely bucketed down. We’d heard Glastonbury was rained off that day but why travel all that way when you could be ankle deep in rain water on Bournemouth pier? We thought we’d never get on stage but by 2.45pm the stage had dried out; the deckchairs were steaming gently in the afternoon sun; a few people were risking a damp rear end to settle themselves in front of the stage; so we thought ‘Damn it. We’ll play’ And we did. And we had a great time.
Then we were back at The Borderline on Weds 6th July. Only a support slot and we were on really early but we were just glad to be invited to play. It was fantastic that some of our former work colleagues and great mates managed to get along to see us: Ray Barker; Merlin John; Eileen Devonshire and several other upright citizens of the education world (so glad our children’s futures are in your safe hands, guys!) Having left them all last year to recklessly follow our dream of making a living out of music, I was reassured to realise I’d made the right decision! It was so good to see them all and, Ray, the feather boa was just for you!
Then Sat 9th July and two great festivals – firstly The Beggars Fair at Romsey. Surely this must be one of the friendliest and best organised festivals around? Thanks Nigel for inviting us. We were playing in the Courtyard at The White Horse ; there were loads of people there including friends of ours Maggie and Steve who we hadn’t seen since the previous Beggars Fair. The sun was beating down; we sold a couple of albums; and left Claire playing Irish music in The Star whilst we raced over to Milford on Sea to play at the festival there. Now, we only live a few miles away from Milford but we had never been to their festival. In fact it was only when Keith brought it to our attention that we knew they held one. He'd gone along last year. Anyway, we sent an album off to Adrian Withers of well-established rock band Sabre and he invited us to play. It is the most wonderful festival. Held on the village green, there's a beer tent at the top and then the green slopes down to a really good-sized stage at the bottom making an almost natural amphetheatre. We loved it. I reckon the whole of Milford was squashed on to that Green. It had a great atmosphere and we had a really warm response from the audience - they came down to the front and danced around with children on their shoulders and a whole gaggle of kids crowded round us at the end asking for autographs! Well, bless them, they didn't know any better but it was nice anyway!
Then last weekend we played a very impromptu gig at The Salisbury Arms pub in Purewell, Christchurch. (www.christchurch-music-pub.co.uk) They were running a three-day beer and music festival and their set-up was terriffic with 'electric' bands in the pub; a DJ room in the pub; and an acoustic venue in a barn out in the garden. Anyway, Alan popped in the day before the festival to drop in a CD to Leon the landlord. A couple of bands had had to pull out at the last minute so they asked if we could step into the breach. Fortunately 4 of us - Steve, Keith, Alan and I - were free on the Saturday and we played for the last couple of hours with Keith swapping his usual drum-kit for congas. I tell you what,people, - he was bloody brilliant! And what a party we had. It was fantastic - one of the best, most fun, most excellent atmosphere gigs we've done. Alan and I went back the following evening at their request to do a mellow duo-gig but you know the best laid plans and all that ...we abandoned our set list; the gorgeous Russ Gannicott from Nemesis came up and jammed along to our stuff on mando-cello; the lovely Jenny Suzanne from Aquaphase came up and played tambourine and backing vocals; some young guy that we'd never met before came and played harmonica; I sang; Alan yelled out the chord changes; out came all the percussion instruments - again! - I danced ankle-deep in spilled beer; and we had another party! A completely perfect weekend. Took us a week to recover.
Anyway, we're making our debut this weekend at The Tudor Rose, The Cornmarket, Romsey come and party with us there!
Cheers everyone!
Charlie
Read on for The Mystery Man's review of our derby gig taken from It's Only Rock N Roll Derbyshire Gig Guide .... Aug 2005
Who Said Southerners Are Lightweights
Not in the case of CHARLIE ROSE they are not!
This voluptuous songbird who fronts STATE OF UNDRESS is all woman
and delivers her music with a power that rocks the heels, I have been trying to think who she reminds me of, but not one person springs to mind,
There is some Alyson Moyet in there, there is also some Kate Bush but Charlie is Charlie so I think comparisons are wasted.
The band hail from Dorset and consist of
Charlie Rose - lead vocals
Alan Rose - guitars and vocals
Steve Adams - guitars, banjo, mandolin, harmonica and vocals
Simon Crabb - double bass
Keith Fletcher - drums
The band played a selection of original songs from there new album
GHOSTS OF WASTED CHANCES ( what a brilliant title) and threw in some great covers including the Cranberries Linger, the Levellers Beautiful Day, Steve Harleys Come Up And See Me and the Water boys Fishermans Blues, but my personal favourite is the brilliant MARILYN written by Charlie and Alan, apparently inspired by a pair of baby doll pyjamas,
( better not go into that one).
S.O.U. are a difficult band to pin down, I think you would have to see them a few times to a find a musical home for them but that is probably what makes their show so refreshing,
All in all an excellent band, excellent musicianship and excellent songs well delivered.
10/10
So that was Wednesday. Saturday found us piling into a minibus together with my sister, George, my friends and neighbours Trish and Dee, 5 kids, the instruments (including Simon’s double bass which has a couple of seats to itself) and a picnic to travel up to Derby to play at The Horse and Groom. This pub is a real muso’s venue which is fast making itself a name on the music scene up there. It’s a pub but with a proper stage and a really good sound system. Yes, it’s a long way to go for a gig. But hey, they asked us! And boy was it worth it if only for Diana and Mike’s legendary hospitality! Curry, casserole, salad and wine on arrival ( we finished the curry off at 3 o’clock in the morning – more on that later!) and then played from 9.15pm to nearly midnight. It was a blistering hot night - one of the first really warm days of summer -there was a reasonable sized audience – about 40 I guess – but for them to come out on such an evening when they could have been sitting in a garden with a barbecue and a cold glass of wine – well we thought that was great! We all had an amazing night. Out came all the percussion instruments – kind of becoming a State of Undress thing! – and they clapped and sang and jigged. It was great! At the end of this blog you can read a review by The Mystery Man of that evening’s gig. Anyway we had such a good time that we stayed up for hours afterwards chatting with Diana and Mike. We were staying in the flat above the pub and the sleeping arrangements were dubious to say the least! All the kids bunked down on the floor in the sitting room; Alan bagged the single bed (well he needed a good night’s sleep ‘cos he was doing most of the driving); Keith had the bed settee on the landing; my sister George bagged a bed with Trish and Dee sleeping on the floor in the same room; I slept on the floor in Alan’s room (not our usual sleeping arrangements I have to admit ..but it was soooo hot); and that just left Steve and Simon … they shared another double bed! As Simon said (who graced the kitchen at 3 o’clock in the morning in full Wodehouse striped pyjamas, dressing gown and pipe) he only joined a band in the hope of pulling a girl (well in his youth anyway) and so far the best he’d managed was Steve! Anyway, I came over all schoolmarmish and kept telling the kids to stop talking and go to sleep but the grown ups were making such a racket they didn’t really have any positive role models to follow! In fact you could hear Dee, Trish and George cackling away like the Macbeth witches: they were clearly having such a good time I had to get up and join them!! Not much sleep that night! The next morning, it was a mammoth full cooked breakfast and back in the minibus for the long drive back. In the words of the kids ‘an awesome weekend’! Hope Mike and Diana will invite us back. Check out what else is happening at The Horse and Groom on http://www.horseandgroomderby.co.uk/
The following Friday was Bournemouth Live! We were really pleased to be invited to take part in this celebration of Bournemouth Town Council’s commitment to live music. We were due to play at 1.00pm on a big stage set up on the pier. We were just about to sound check when the heavens opened and it absolutely bucketed down. We’d heard Glastonbury was rained off that day but why travel all that way when you could be ankle deep in rain water on Bournemouth pier? We thought we’d never get on stage but by 2.45pm the stage had dried out; the deckchairs were steaming gently in the afternoon sun; a few people were risking a damp rear end to settle themselves in front of the stage; so we thought ‘Damn it. We’ll play’ And we did. And we had a great time.
Then we were back at The Borderline on Weds 6th July. Only a support slot and we were on really early but we were just glad to be invited to play. It was fantastic that some of our former work colleagues and great mates managed to get along to see us: Ray Barker; Merlin John; Eileen Devonshire and several other upright citizens of the education world (so glad our children’s futures are in your safe hands, guys!) Having left them all last year to recklessly follow our dream of making a living out of music, I was reassured to realise I’d made the right decision! It was so good to see them all and, Ray, the feather boa was just for you!
Then Sat 9th July and two great festivals – firstly The Beggars Fair at Romsey. Surely this must be one of the friendliest and best organised festivals around? Thanks Nigel for inviting us. We were playing in the Courtyard at The White Horse ; there were loads of people there including friends of ours Maggie and Steve who we hadn’t seen since the previous Beggars Fair. The sun was beating down; we sold a couple of albums; and left Claire playing Irish music in The Star whilst we raced over to Milford on Sea to play at the festival there. Now, we only live a few miles away from Milford but we had never been to their festival. In fact it was only when Keith brought it to our attention that we knew they held one. He'd gone along last year. Anyway, we sent an album off to Adrian Withers of well-established rock band Sabre and he invited us to play. It is the most wonderful festival. Held on the village green, there's a beer tent at the top and then the green slopes down to a really good-sized stage at the bottom making an almost natural amphetheatre. We loved it. I reckon the whole of Milford was squashed on to that Green. It had a great atmosphere and we had a really warm response from the audience - they came down to the front and danced around with children on their shoulders and a whole gaggle of kids crowded round us at the end asking for autographs! Well, bless them, they didn't know any better but it was nice anyway!
Then last weekend we played a very impromptu gig at The Salisbury Arms pub in Purewell, Christchurch. (www.christchurch-music-pub.co.uk) They were running a three-day beer and music festival and their set-up was terriffic with 'electric' bands in the pub; a DJ room in the pub; and an acoustic venue in a barn out in the garden. Anyway, Alan popped in the day before the festival to drop in a CD to Leon the landlord. A couple of bands had had to pull out at the last minute so they asked if we could step into the breach. Fortunately 4 of us - Steve, Keith, Alan and I - were free on the Saturday and we played for the last couple of hours with Keith swapping his usual drum-kit for congas. I tell you what,people, - he was bloody brilliant! And what a party we had. It was fantastic - one of the best, most fun, most excellent atmosphere gigs we've done. Alan and I went back the following evening at their request to do a mellow duo-gig but you know the best laid plans and all that ...we abandoned our set list; the gorgeous Russ Gannicott from Nemesis came up and jammed along to our stuff on mando-cello; the lovely Jenny Suzanne from Aquaphase came up and played tambourine and backing vocals; some young guy that we'd never met before came and played harmonica; I sang; Alan yelled out the chord changes; out came all the percussion instruments - again! - I danced ankle-deep in spilled beer; and we had another party! A completely perfect weekend. Took us a week to recover.
Anyway, we're making our debut this weekend at The Tudor Rose, The Cornmarket, Romsey come and party with us there!
Cheers everyone!
Charlie
Read on for The Mystery Man's review of our derby gig taken from It's Only Rock N Roll Derbyshire Gig Guide .... Aug 2005
Who Said Southerners Are Lightweights
Not in the case of CHARLIE ROSE they are not!
This voluptuous songbird who fronts STATE OF UNDRESS is all woman
and delivers her music with a power that rocks the heels, I have been trying to think who she reminds me of, but not one person springs to mind,
There is some Alyson Moyet in there, there is also some Kate Bush but Charlie is Charlie so I think comparisons are wasted.
The band hail from Dorset and consist of
Charlie Rose - lead vocals
Alan Rose - guitars and vocals
Steve Adams - guitars, banjo, mandolin, harmonica and vocals
Simon Crabb - double bass
Keith Fletcher - drums
The band played a selection of original songs from there new album
GHOSTS OF WASTED CHANCES ( what a brilliant title) and threw in some great covers including the Cranberries Linger, the Levellers Beautiful Day, Steve Harleys Come Up And See Me and the Water boys Fishermans Blues, but my personal favourite is the brilliant MARILYN written by Charlie and Alan, apparently inspired by a pair of baby doll pyjamas,
( better not go into that one).
S.O.U. are a difficult band to pin down, I think you would have to see them a few times to a find a musical home for them but that is probably what makes their show so refreshing,
All in all an excellent band, excellent musicianship and excellent songs well delivered.
10/10
