Amis, Buvons!
Andrew Burn and Bob Buckley, longtime friends, drinking buddies, great raconteurs and occasional serenaders, look back over times with the Gents, in particular the 1979 trip to Brittany.
Andrew Burn
Andrew Burn, Brittany, 1979.
Andrew has performed extraordinary guest duets with Martin and the band, including a slightly avant-garde version of Lindisfarne’s “Meet Me on the Corner”.
Andrew’s quick wit, incredibly amusing observations and supreme talent at story telling, meant he was often in the spotlight at post-gig soirees. He has been a much-loved friend of the band, along with his wife Julie, since the 1970’s. They both love sailing and Andrew arranged a number of highly memorable cross-channel sails involving band members in the 80’s. His Irish dancing on board was always a source of hilarity and, it has to be said, some consternation. Andrew also masterminded the infamous ‘French Trip’, during which the whole band and friends traveled across Brittany in a converted exhibition coach, the band performing in bars, folk clubs and on campsites (check out the slideshows below).
I met Ted and the rest of the folk group through my friendship with Jem whom I first met at work in 1975.
Julie and I will always be grateful to Ted and the group for doing us the great honour of composing and singing a tremendous song about us at our wedding. We always remember Ted bursting through the doors at the end of the top table, already plucking his double bass, and saying “did someone say music?” This in response to Jem’s request for an accompaniment to a singalong-a-gram after he had read the cards and telegrams. Needless to say, the song was a huge hit with all the guests and the subject of encores in the hotel bar later.
Ted was a one off – an engaging character with a dry wit which could at times border on the arid - he had a brilliant sense of humour
I am not a musician but I was always impressed by the range of his talents, his unique singing voice, and the different instruments that he could play.
I was lucky enough to be with Ted on a number of memorable trips. The first was in 1979 when 10 of us including all four of the Somerville gents set off for Brittany in a modified vehicle which went under the loose description of “campervan” [‘Le Bionic Bus”]. After a performance at a Breton bar, the group were headlined as “Les Funny Boys” in a local newspaper - Ted’s wit was a one of the main reasons behind this. On the same trip Ted found the high octane cider produced by a nearby farmer rather too much to his liking! He was not alone in this!
Another excellent occasion which again saw Ted on top form, both musically and humorously, was the weekend in Barmouth when the group recorded their album, “Far from Home”. This will linger long in the memory
More recently, Phil and Ted joined Julie and me on a sailing weekend. Ted was on particularly good form although on a couple of occasions he did appear to think that the sea had got a bit too rough for his liking. As always however, Ted was prepared to see the funny side of everything We thoroughly enjoyed him and Phil playing to us outside a bar and on the yacht. On the way back along the Solent, we remember Ted thoroughly relishing take over the wheel and steering us back to Yarmouth, looking for all the world like an old sea dog.
We will always remember Ted with fondness and affection - he is - and will continue to be - sadly missed.
Burnie
Bob Buckley
Bob Buckley with Phil, Martin and Jem, Winchester Folk Festival, 1979-ish.
Bob was, and is, a larger than life character, much along the lines of an overgrown Toad of Toad Hall, airman’s goggles and all! He was always a hoot to be around, making many a folk festival extra special with hilarious antics.
The band perpetuated a myth that Bob, as ‘Bob Barley’, was the lead singer in a country-folk reggae supergroup*. We tried to persuade Country Bob to be the Caller and frontman for dances (sadly, this harebrained scheme was not to be).
Bob wrote to Phil after rediscovering the long-lost cache of photos from the legendary ‘French Trip’…
Hi Phil
I’m in the process of battling with technology to digitise the the photos!, but I’m getting somewhere and should be able to make an album that we can all share very soon!
As far as I can remember, the Somerville Gents were a support band for a group called *“Bob Barley and the Balers”. I may be mistaken, but I will put as memories as possible into words and send them on. Unfortunately many of the recollections of Ted may be unprintable. Do you remember “…a daffodil dipped in tomato sauce…”? Happy days!
Keep well
I’ll be in touch very soon
All the best
Bob
The French Trip
SLIDESHOW 1: On Our Way (August 1979)
SLIDESHOW 2: Exploring Brittany
SLIDESHOW 3: Camping Capers
SLIDESHOW 4: Somerville Gents at play.
SLIDESHOW 5: Amis, Buvons!
