Bitter Withy

In the Foulkestone rehearsal today we did our first version of Bitter Withy and also the Sailor's Alphabet. Two new strings for the Foulkestone bow.

Meeting with Amy

How great to meet with Amy at London Bridge. Been to Intaglio Printmakers and to the Hays Galleria. Also the first Foulkestone rehearsal of 2012. Excellent.

Foulkestone in the garden

Just before Matt and I went to Denmark - here's Richard Sanderson and I in the back garden posing for a quick Foulkestone picture. We look like farmers.

Foulkestone play Scott Wood's Christmas party

Foulkestone

A wonderful, lovely, satisfying Foulkestone second gig at Scaledown on Friday. Thank you to Mark Braby and co for hosting a great night. Nice to see Sexton Ming briefly, although couldn't stay for his improvisation.

The vocoder sounded great on Pace Egging song - in which we requested money from the audience via a traditional song. This was opportune as donations were sought almost immediately afterwards.

A very nice evening. Video coming soon.

Foulkestone

Foulkestone are go again! We have a rehearsal on Sunday evening and a clearspot from Resonance sorted for November - just need a date. Hurrah!

The Foulkestone Gazette

From Richard Sanderson's 'Bagrec' Blog'

The Foulkestone Gazette
To commemorate our first concert as Foulkestone, Jude and I produced a 12 page magazine, "The Foulkestone Gazette". It includes lyrics, short essays, some explanations of the Foulkestone method, illustrations, a bit of "creative writing" a cartoon and other bits and pieces. The magazine is resolutely pre-digital. Jude did the pictures and writing in pencil and pen, I used a manual typewriter...

Should you want a copy you can get one in various ways- send us 50p* and an A5 Stamped Addressed Envelope to "Foulkestone Gazette" c/o 30 Pascoe Road, Hither Green, London, SE13 5JB.

*Or you can go to Richard's blog and paypal online

Mirror Mirror

Yesterday Foulkestone played their debut gig at Mirror Mirror, Karen Haines's new club at Ryan's Bar in Stoke Newington. It went well. First track was Skin and Bones and I droned on the wrong note. We had some very strange harmonies ... Alan Savage, an old chum of Richard's came, Richard hadn't seen him since 1983!!!! Alan has a real Middlesborough accent. He used to be in a band called the Flaming Mussolinis, apparently. He was a very nice chap.

Foulkestone booking

Making a little A5 book - the Foulkestone Gazette! A very limited edition for our Mirror Mirror debut on 25th July.

Jude and Richard are Foulkestone ... at Scaledown 71

Jude - I am Foulkestone!

Jude and Richard - We are Foulkestone! At Scaledown 71

Making a video with Richard

Just been filming in my shed with Richard Sanderson, our first Foulkestone video. When you watch it (it's not posted yet), look out for The Foulke Stone, my little two-faced pot I made of Richard and myself. It's not there for long, don't miss it! The video is to the sea shanty Shallow Brown.

The Foulkestone

Now with added colour - and instruments! And on tartan in honour of the 'Talisman Crew'.

Foulkestone pot head - Sanderson side

Foulkestone

Foulkestone rehearsal and recording

Another quick rehearsal squeezed in on a Sunday evening. With Matt's help we recorded two songs - 'Talisman Crew' and 'One Cold Morning in December'. Good work!

Foulkestone

Richard has sent me the rehearsal copy of 'Talisman Crew'. I love it.

It's really micro-hoose.

Inspired by Richard's blog about the band, I've posted an old postcard of the Warren, on the cliffs at Folkestone.

Foulkestone rehearsal

Just had a cracking Foulkestone rehearsal. Sadly I didn't have the tape recorder set correctly. I'm particularly taken with our new song 'Talisman Crew' which is one of John Cowan's poems adapted for a contemporary performance. The poem has been edited to leave out many sections, set to a strathspey and sung over a loose, minimal house backing.

Foulkestone

Had a lovely rehearsal tonight with Richard Sanderson. He played mini accordion and fuzz guitar and I played microkorg. We had a very nice session! Our first micro-outing as the avant-folk duo will be at Scaledown later in the month, on 25th Feb.