From Anthony Newley to Elephant Micah. 1958 – 2016 and beyond.

Have you ever hated something so much but never told anyone? When I was a child I hated music.But,I also hated vegetables,very loudly.In my childhood way of thinking I thought one was enough for my Mother.I hated music,especially Irish music.Old men,singing boring songs, in a language,Gaelic, I didn’t understand.
Then we moved from Dublin to Slough,outside London.We moved in with my Aunt.Before 24 hour T.V. broadcasting started at 7am and closed at midnight.My Aunt had it on from beginning to end,and because she was hard of hearing, very loud.She was a staunch Irish Republican,and never watched BBC,’English propaganda’.We saw ITV only.Saturday was ITV’s teenage programme ‘Boy Meets Girls’,which I always ignored.One week,out of the corner of my eye,I saw the quiff,the pose,heard the thunder of the drums and guitar,and Eddie Cochran singing ‘Something Else’.The world didn’t change,I still had to eat vegetables.However,one lonely bullied child’s life changed.
I didn’t have much money.My Mother bought me my first record,’Idol On Parade’by Anthony Newley after I saw the film.I tried to play it on my Aunt’s record player.Unfortunately it only played 78’s.It got many extra grooves.
My musical life really began on 18th,May 1963 at the Slough Adelphi.The first night of the Roy Orbison/Beatles tour.Sixth row,right hand side.I saw the Beatles and heard Roy Orbison.
Fifty something years later after many more good concerts and good music,I discovered Elephant Micah.I read the Uncut magazine review of ‘Where In Our Woods’,and the intro said for those who like Jason Molina and Will Oldham.The first song I ever heard was ‘Still Life Blues’,the ‘Spinning On Air’version.Elephant Micah is the first singer since Tim Buckley who the more I hear the more I want to hear.There is beauty in his gentle voice, and beauty,emotion and truth in his songs.Now all I have to do is catch up with all the music I’ve missed.

Nevan.