A farewell to Robert Trehern (Bobby Irwin) 1953-2015

Photo: Natacha Horn

As friends and associates will know, drummer and all-round good chap Bobby Irwin sadly died from cancer on 8 May.

At Bobby’s funeral at St Stephen’s Church, Twickenham, on 19 May, Nick Lowe took the lectern to deliver a eulogy for his fallen drummer and veteran musical partner. A few minutes beforehand, Bobby's brother Chris recalled childhood moments, and Geraint Watkins performed a comforting ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ seated at the piano, with Martin Winning on sax, but Nick’s own public address to the 300-strong congregation was nothing short of high drama.

Tears fell faster than the hailstone rain in the churchyard, which was punctuated by bursts of spring sunshine, just as Nick’s emotionally charged speech was dotted with humorous asides that brought hearty laughter and light relief.

‘I looked up the word “eulogy” before writing these notes,’ said Nick [I am paraphrasing]. ‘It is supposed to be brief… well, I first met Bob in 1976, when I was recording at Pathway Studios in Stoke Newington…’ Within moments of recalling this encounter, Nick broke down in tears, unable to continue for a full minute. Time became suspended as mourners allowed him ‘a moment’ to summon composure. Eventually, he mopped his eyes with a checked handkerchief and continued. ‘I don’t know how I’m going to get through this,’ he said, thumbing his notes and looking as if he was about to return to his seat in the congregation. The Reverend Jez Barnes stepped forward in support, his holy intervention persuading Nick to continue, and recall his unique musical partnership with Bob.

Then he slammed us with the nitty-gritty: ‘Bob was larger than life. When he told a joke, he was always a member of his own audience’. More laughter. And then, by emotional contrast: ‘I don’t know how I’m going to carry on without him…’ Nick’s son Roy popped up from the pews to deliver a fresh handkerchief. ‘We spent many years touring the world as young musicians,’ continued Nick. ‘There are of course stories that I couldn’t possibly repeat in church… but I‘m quite happy to give anyone a personal consultation later, if you wish.’ More laughter amidst the tears… Nick had done Bob proud, and returned to his seat to huge and sustained applause.

Recording engineer Neil Brockbank then read from The Corinthians, and we sang 'He Who Would Valiant Be'. Following the service, many of the congregation repaired to a nearby hostelry to toast Bobby’s memory and exchange stories about the great man.

Bobby Irwin obituary from The Independent

Music City Mike on Bobby Irwin

With thanks to Tanita Tikaram and Natacha Horn

Photo: David Corio

 Follow Will Birch on Twitter

The Benefit Show for Henry McCullough – London 17 March 2015

Putney’s Half Moon was heaving on St Patrick’s night with great music, familiar faces, and five of the biggest ‘stars’ loosely associated with London’s old pub rock scene. It was all in aid of former Grease Band and Wings guitarist Henry McCullough, who in 2012 suffered a massive heart attack and now finds himself in reduced circumstances and wheelchair-bound.

The charitable evening was proposed and skilfully organised by Dave Robinson, of Stiff Records fame, who has known Henry since the 1960s when Dave managed Irish band, Eire Apparent.

The evening’s music commenced with a funky set by London’s world-class musicians, Tim Hinkley (keyboards/vocals), Mel Collins (sax), Neil Hubbard (guitar), John Halsey (drums), Bob Tench (guitar/vocals), Steve Simpson (guitar/vocals), and Kuma Harada (bass). The Band’s ‘The Shape I’m In’ and McCullough’s ‘Gone With Another’ were stand-outs. Kokomo’s Tony O’Malley made a guest appearance for Bill Withers’ ‘Use Me’, and the band was then on hand to furnish versatile accompaniment for some of the name singers that followed.

The auction lots, pic courtesy of Justin Tunstall

In between sets there was an auction, in which many items of rock memorabilia went for eye-watering receipts, largely down to the style and skill of auctioneer, Nick Stewart. These included a platinum disc for ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ (awarded to McCullough); a set of Beatles LPs (signed by Paul McCartney, whose virtual presence was duly noted), and some fine cheddar cheeses, 45-disk shaped, with appropriate ‘record labels’, courtesy of the Town Mill Cheesemonger. The ‘So It Goes’ / ‘Heart of the City’ cheese went for £600.

Nick tunes, Dave and Nick Stewart auction, pic courtesy of Justin Tunstall

First-up, post auction, was Nick Lowe, who received a hero’s welcome from the capacity crowd and delivered a chilling version of McCullough’s ‘Failed Christian’. Nick was soon joined by Andy Fairweather Low and Paul Carrack for an acoustic and harmony strum along on some old classics, including Ray Charles’ ‘Crying Time’, Bobby Darin’s ‘Things’, and Johnny Cash’s ‘I Don’t Hurt Anymore’.

Andy, Paul, Nick, pic courtesy of Justin Tunstall

See a video of Lowe - Carrack - Fairweather Low in action here (courtesy of Claire Robinson)

Fairweather Low, Carrack, Lowe, pic courtesy of Pia  Meijer

It was then left to Carrack to rouse the audience with his evergreen ‘How Long’, which no doubt reminded Paul of a football crowd sing-along on the Sheffield Wednesday terraces.

Graham Parker was up next for storming performances of  ‘Local Girls’ and ‘Soul Shoes’. Close your eyes and it could have been The Rumour, so sympathetic was the band.

Graham Parker, pic courtesy of Vernon Wallis

The evening finished with Suggs, who was charm personified, delivering his Madness hits, ‘It Must Be Love’ and ‘Madness’.

Suggs, pic courtesy of Claire Robinson

Should you wish to make a donation to the Henry McCullough cause, a Facebook page has been set up here

To round off a great evening with lots of rocking music and old friends, I made the trip back into town on the tube with GP, who agreed it was a classic night for sure. Let’s hope it raised plenty of dosh for Henry.

Follow Will Birch on Twitter

40 years of Peace, Love, and Understanding

As this majestic song enters its fifth decade, some of us will recall those barroom comedians who couldn't resist uttering 'Yeah, peace and love, man', as one of our longer-haired brethren shuffled past. It was the predictable dig from hippie-bashers, post-Woodstock, as they taunted anyone in an ex-army greatcoat and loon pants - as later portrayed by Nigel Planer's 'Neil' in The Young Ones. But what on earth was wrong with peace and love? Are they not the universal goals of civilisation? The 'joke' became tiresome and was possibly what was on Nick Lowe's mind when, in 1974, he sat down to pen a new take on the dull cliche.

Lowe has since described composing the song as 'the seismic moment' of his early songwriting career. Title-wise, he may have been subconsciously influenced by The Gaylads' 1970 ska classic 'Peace Love And Understanding' as it boomed out from a North London jukebox around the time his group was packing 'em in on the London pub circuit. Tune-wise, Lowe acknowledges the influence of Judy Sill and her 'ginchy little lick' in 'Jesus Was A Cross Maker'.

When the song opened The New Favourites of Brinsley Schwarz in 1974, '(What’s So Funny 'bout) Peace, Love And Understanding' sounded fabulous and modern, with its power chords appropriated from The Who and a lyric that at first seemed tongue-in-cheek, cynical even, but one that has gained in poignancy in today’s even more ‘troubled times’.

‘The Brinsleys’ had troubles of their own, still scarred from the 'The Fillmore Hype' of 1970, in which a planeload of journalists were flown to New York to witness the group’s hesitant debut. Although they established themselves as kings of the London pub rock scene, they had become trapped. It was thought that recording with ace producer Dave Edmunds would yield some hits, but within a year the group had disbanded, sick of communal living and one too many trips up the motorway to play Scarborough Penthouse Club yet again.

But ‘Peace, Love and Understanding’ would have a life of its own. In 1978 it was recorded by early Brinsleys fan Elvis Costello, and released on the US version of his Armed Forces LP. Then, in 1992 the song was covered by American musician Curtis Stigers for the soundtrack album to the hit movie The Bodyguard. It is said that leading actor Kevin Costner, himself a rock music fan, insisted on its inclusion. It became the biggest selling soundtrack recording of all time, clocking up sales in the tens of millions. Consequently it earned Lowe considerable royalties, allowing him to work at a more elegant pace, but also enjoy artistic control of his subsequent music and retain his trusty road band. The song is still a permanent fixture in Lowe’s live shows. Sung at a slow tempo to acoustic guitar accompaniment, it has acquired an almost hymn-like quality and his attentive audiences listen in reverence.

Nick Lowe recalls the song’s genesis: “I think I’d originally thought of it as being funny, because the old hippie thing, which I’d invested a lot of my time and energy into, had become a load of old bollocks. I had that poetic thing… ‘As I walk this wicked world, searching for light…’   I was doing it tongue in cheek, using those words, thinking about some hippie saying, ‘It might be all changing now but when it comes down to it, you might laugh, what is so funny about…’ I thought it was a fantastic title, I couldn’t believe my luck. As long as that title popped up now and again it didn’t really matter what I sang about in between… of course I thought peace and love were basically good, but suddenly the old dream was over and I was in the right place at the right time, front and centre, to come up with something like that.  It was a sort of waking up song.”

(What’s So Funny ‘bout) Peace, Love And Understanding

Recorded by Brinsley Schwarz at Rockfield Studios, 1974

Produced by Dave Edmunds

Hear a sample and download MP3 here: http://tinyurl.com/69el564

With thanks to Pete Silverton, who clued me up on The Gaylads

No Sleep Till Canvey Island – The Great Pub Rock Revolution on Facebook

Follow Will Birch on Twitter