Comments for Terence Ruffle

Comment on Big Star by Terence Ruffle

Terence Ruffle — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 06:59:48 +0000

I am really enjoying Sisters/Lovers currently.
Listening to “You can’t have me” last night, I realised it’s Chilton’s “Won’t get fooled again”.
From Jody Stephen’s Keith Moon drum breaks, to the wonky (I assume?) Moog bass (shouldn’t imagine Ardent had an ARP, tho’ they did have a Mellotron) and Chilton’s Townsend power chords, it’s actually coming from the same space as “I don’t know what I want” by the Raspberries, minus the Who sell out-isms, Que?

Comment on George Wombwell, menagerist, part 1 by Michael

Michael — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:29:10 +0000

My name is Michael Powell. I am a descendant of George Wombwell, on my great, great, great grandmother Powell’s side. She married into the Wombwell’s.
Many years ago, when my father went to visit Georges Wombwell’s grave at (West) High Gate Cemetery, he was informed on the tour that part of the show involved the lion trainer putting his head into the lion’s mouth. The guide said there was no danger, as the lions teeth had been removed.
My fathers great, great grandmother had told him that what actually happened was, that as the lions jaws began to close, the trainer, who had been chewing tobacco, would spit some of the tobacco juice from his mouth to the back of the lions throat. This would burn a little and the lion would open its mouth wider and back away… I think the trainer was George Wombwell himself.
My dad did pass this information on, and was told that that made more sense, because if the lions teeth had been removed, it wouldn’t be able to eat.
The guide said they would change the information in the archives.
Michael

Comment on Big Star by Alwills

Alwills — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:25:48 +0000

Nice article Terence. Being a bit of a nipper I first heard of Alex Chilton when he produced The Cramps’ first album. I later purchased Like Flies On Sherbert after hearing it at a house party a few laters later.

BTW regarding obtaining an idea of what Big Star LP’s maybe worth nowadays it’s not Gema but GEMM (althought personally I find Discogs to be the ONLY place to garner such info!)

Also I think that I would like to mention Lindsay Hutton’s Next Big Thing blog for all things Big Star/Chilton and generally terribily cool current scene articles.

Comment on Bostock and Wombwell’s circus. by June McCarthy

June McCarthy — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:17:00 +0000

Hello

My Nan Ethel Maude Caroline Hughes was a stage / chorus performer, stage name “Hetty Denvers”, 1912- 1920, and during the early years worked with a travelling circus. I remember a photo of a thick snake wound aroung her and she was in oriental dress with a turban on her head. She loved tigers and had all sorts of tiger figurines and pottery.

Later in life she never spoke of her early working life, (later she married and became more respectable in society’s eyes), except once to remark when I found a photo in her sideboard of a very large man in a top hat and frockcoat that he was Fatty Arbuckle and that she had met him and he was not at all like the scandals portrayed, that he was a gentleman.

Does anyone know where my Nan who was from Shropshire, England might have met with Fatty Arbuckle? Did he visit England, or would my Nan have had to have been in a travelling show which went to America from England?

Any help with this much appreciated. Thanks. June

Comment on Big Star by terence

terence — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:00:21 +0000

Cheers Danny, and yup you’re right, should’ve given the heads up on those demos, thankyou.
I’ve been eyeing up the Ardent double cd for a while now……
Check Gema for an accurate price on your vinyl,
I remain Sir, your obediant Serpent……

Comment on Big Star by Danny

Danny — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:13:40 +0000

Allo Tel
I have you to thank for introducing me to Big Star (in word, not by playing it to me) during a drunken evening in a pub in Maldon in 1977 (I forget the name of it, now. You don’t mention the Big Star demos on the Ardent Records Story double CD, especially the Alex-sung version of Chris Bell’s I Got Kinda Lost with different lyrics. Essential listening. I got hold of original import vinyl copies of both #1 Record and Radio City in the sadly gone Vinyl Solution record shop in Bayswater in 1980. I wonder what they’re worth now.

Very bohemian,
Danny

Comment on Big Star by Paul

Paul — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:17:01 +0000

There’s never been a band like ‘em although Badfinger come close for thwarted dreams and personal tragedy. I actually can’t imagine my twenties without them and the indescribable way they made me feel.
Meeting Chilton was one of those perfect moments that come along so infrequently. He was pissed but a perfect gent, quite unlike any descriptions of him I’ve ever read in the press. Anyhow, a lovely piece Tev, great memories x

Comment on George Wombwell, menagerist, part 2 by Terence Ruffle

Terence Ruffle — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:51:37 +0000

I had an email from Heather today.
She’s still researching GW and the families.
Heather raised an interesting point, where did GW get the money(a fortune in those days) to buy the Boas?
The question of George’s financial ability to purchase the snakes has come under scrutiny before, Andrew Parsons raised this question in an email.
Andrew Parsons and another believe GW had an older cousin called Richard, who married a rich Irish landowner called Maria West who’s will mentions GW as the executer. Also GW gave her a woodcut which sounds like the original illustration on his business card, a yellow Tiger.
Richard and Maria had lived in Commercial road some years prior to GW moving to London, the theory is he borrowed the money from her and repaid the debt handsomely, hence GW is mentioned in Maria’s will.
The only flaw in this lovely tale is that no-one can find Richard in any parish records.
Ok, enough already!!!

Comment on Bostock and Wombwell’s circus. by James Gundersen-McLaughlin

James Gundersen-McLaughlin — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:42:22 +0000

Dear Terence et al,

I have been looking at my Great Aunt Agnes Alice Morris who married a Mr. Hazel-June qtr-1922-Cambridge-3b-1237. Her sister-Harriet Morris is my Great Grandmother and her mothers sister married into the family of Alfred Holmes-Showman who was in a caravan next to Charlie Birch on 1891 census, and they Holmes family appear to be connected to Benjamin Tapsell=1854-Romford-Alice Hoadley of the Showmen Hoadleys, which includes Aquilla Hoadley and Walker Hoadley etc…

I also noticed when looking through Free BMD, that a Thomas Hazel=Wombwell-December qtr-1934-Newcasttle T-10b-226. Does anyone have this information? If not I will order certificate.

Best wishes,

James Gundersen-McLaughlin

Comment on Raw Power, Legacy edition by Terence Ruffle

Terence Ruffle — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 06:29:28 +0000

Ah-ha!!!
So finally the truth comes out!!!
Well anyway, at least you can say you met him.
Now just what were you doing with my girlfriend……?