Rock and Roll

Nat 'Wing Back' Maon

Back in December I said that I'd started playing a stripped down version of Led Zeppelin's Rock and Roll.

And in the October I speculated about my next batch of recordings - in particular my desire to bag the services of Nathaniel Mason, the finest banjo player this side of the Trent.

So, on Thursday just gone, Nat came over for a spot of supper and a bit of a play. We ran through a few songs together, one of them being the aforementioned Rock and Roll. After playing it once thru we had a feel for which way it was going. On the second time, it sounded a bit like this:

The next time we play it will be in a couple of weeks at the Running Horse in Nottingham. Led Zeppelin fans may well be washing their hair that night.

My Brother Jake

When James rang the other day and said he'd really like us to do another round of recording, it was, quite literally, music to my ears. We've done a few sessions together over the years and he really has helped shape a lot of my songs. I may have provided the playground, but James was the one who put the swings and roundabouts in.

That's not my quote by the way - when Nigel Clark walked out on Dodgy 20 years ago I remember Matt their drummer saying it might be Clark's name on the records, but they all know how the songs really got written and recorded. Ouch.

That said, I know this time around we'll be doing a couple of covers. James and I both love the Eiderdowns' version of From the Beginning by ELP. Bernard, who played fiddle on Pickering Place would certainly be my Number One choice for this along with Nat: Nathaniel plays sax with local shit kickers Slumb Party, but it's his banjo I want to hear on this:

The Eiderdowns - From the Beginning

And another one I'd like to have a crack at is My Brother Jake. Free had a huge hit with it in 1971, but, again, I want to do it more like the Eiderdowns; so chilled we may all end up getting hypothermia. Let me make a few phone calls and see if we can't fix this up for early in the New Year.

The Eiderdowns - My Brother Jake [mp3]