25 f 12 shots from the fRoots
Rocket Launcher a dozen leading questions to fire at Steve Ashley
If you were given the funds to organise a concert bill, who would the artists be?
Bob Dylan solo, Little Richard, Planxty (the line-up I supported for a month in 1975 – Andy Irvine, Johnny Moynihan, Paul Brady, Liam O’Flynn), Robin Williamson, O’Hooley & Tidow, The Bushwackers (with Shanley Del), Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Daoiri Farrell, and all my mates.
Which totally obscure record do you most treasure and would like more people to know about?
New Orleans Street Singer by Snooks Eaglin. I never tire of hearing this one. He’s the most plaintive blues singer and prodi- giously gifted guitar player. It was reissued a few years back but it’s still a forgotten gem. The songs are all indelible and the instru- mentals are breathtaking.
What was the best live gig you ever saw? Bob Dylan at The Royal Festival Hall in
May, 1964. It was his first big solo gig in Lon- don. And what a setlist he had: Girl From The North Country, Hard Rain, It Ain’t Me Babe, Hattie Carol, Hollis Brown, Mr Tam- bourine Man, Chimes Of Freedom and many more besides. The only thing I remember him saying – just before the interval – was, “You can smoke now.”
And what was the worst?
I think I must have been lucky. I can’t think of anything that was so bad that I’ve felt the need to carry it around in my memory.
What was your own best ever gig?
My 60th birthday bash in 2006. I was accompanied by many old friends, including Dave Pegg, Simon Nicol, Chris Leslie and Maartin Allcock, a chamber orchestra con- ducted by the late Robert Kirby, my bands Ragged Robin, the Steve Ashley Band and The Tinderbox, Johnny Moynihan, Phil Beer, Martin Brinsford, Paul Downes, Al Fenn, Dik Cadbury, Ken Langsbury, Paul Burgess and Dave Bell. I sang 24 songs that night.
And what was your worst?
From the back of a lorry to a boy and a dog in a park in Swindon for CND. There was no applause, just two blank stares. It still haunts me.
What’s the professional achievement you’re most proud of?
Singing a song of mine unaccompanied to a quarter of a million demonstrators in Hyde Park. Although the police had banned live music, an unaccompanied song counted as a kind of speech. So I sang Down The Pub. It wasn’t easy trying to get a quarter of a mil- lion people to clap along. So around 20 per- cent joined in – say 50,000. It sounded like
cannon fire echoing off the buildings in Bayswater Road and Park Lane. The song wasn’t great. I was just proud of the fact that I remembered the words and didn’t fall over.
What’s the most embarrassing thing you ever did in public?
Bursting forth from a film studio with dry ice billowing out behind me into a busy high street, dressed as a minstrel with lute in hand and a false beard (yes Ian!). I had tights so large that it looked like I had severe varicose veins. It was a desperate escape from a traumatic scene which I can’t go into here. Suffice to say that a continuity person rushed out behind me and shouted, “What the fuck are you doing?” To which I replied, “You can have birds or a minstrel. You can’t have both.” So they got rabbits.
Which song or piece of music would you most like to have written yourself?
I’m a huge admirer of Ewan MacColl’s songwriting, and since he wrote so many
great songs it’s hard to choose one. I think The Ballad Of Tim Evans is such an impor- tant song, so I’d say that one.
Who was the first musician or singer you were inspired to emulate?
I think it was probably Lonnie Done- gan. I saw him at the height of his skiffle fame around 1958. He was my first step towards traditional music.
Who was the last-but-one musician or singer you lusted after?
I’m afraid that’s private.
If you had a rocket launcher, who or what would be the target, and why?
This is a difficult question for a peace
campaigner. Rocket launchers are not my thing, even imaginary ones! Songs go fur- ther…
Steve Ashley’s latest album is Another Day on Market Square Records,reviewed this issue.
www.steveashley.co.uk
F
root salad
Photo: Nick Hall
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