|
At 8.05 p.m. Gilbert walked on stage and began the show. This was Gilbert's first ever single.
"This is where the Good Old Days were filmed. Leonard Sachs (presenter of said programme) would spin in his grave if he saw me here."
The
crowd cheered
"My daughter Helen Marie is in tonight with her friends, they are probably saying 'Who's he?' I also appeared on my first television programme in Leeds, it was on the Golden Shot (a game show on ITV in the 70s). I wasn't sure that I would be welcome back in Leeds after my last hit. It was in 1989, a song called "So What", which went like this, (and he played it):
Well it sounds better than Leeds
Gilbert
recalled getting a telephone call from Andy Williams while on tour in the US
in the
Gilbert changed to his second keyboard (DX7) for this song. Album tracks, Gilbert said gives the artist the opportunity to experiment and try different styles. As a songwriter he is always delighted when somebody says to him about an album 'We like the singles but we also like this other track.' This gives him immense satisfaction.
Gilbert changed again to his other keyboard for this song.
He related his experience of playing the Blue Note Club in Japan last
October. Seemingly patrons of the club can
Gilbert and Mick were joined on stage by Archie Brown playing the tenor there. Archie had previously appeared with Gilbert in the Opera House in Newcastle. By having local musicians play, Gilbert joked that he sees it as 'care in the community'. "We feel that we are a part of you."
HOLD ON TO WHAT YOU GOT - [From the album "BY LARRY / THE LITTLE ALBUM"] Mick Parker backed Gilbert with the piano-accordion. Gilbert told us that as one of six children growing up in an Irish family there would often be sing-songs and the piano-accordion would be brought out and that he disliked it, especially Jimmy Shand records. But now that he has grown older he had learned to appreciate it and has come to like the instrument. "There is currently a great version of Chuck Berry's Promised Land with a great accordion solo."
Archie Brown returned on saxophone for this track.
Gilbert told of the Spanish / French / Japanese and Portuguese versions and sang the Japanese chorus. He then sang the French chorus which was greeted with woos from the audience. "I should sing more in French.......is that women or men doing that?"
Gilbert introduced this song by explaining how
he got the idea for it. A few years ago his drummer Roly, had a cassette
tape of sounds and rhythms that some people had recorded of everyday
activities from around the world. The basis of this song is the
rhythmic sound made by women washing clothes on the rocks at the riverside
in the Peruvian jungle. Gilbert tried to incorporate the rhythm into a
song for this album, but couldn't manage it. So he just let the tape
play and he sang over it.
This was a change to the usual programme and it is the first time that we have heard this song from the "Life & Rhymes" album on this tour. (Pity you missed this one Linda).
Gilbert it seems has a great fondness for this song which was
his second single. "My first single was called "Disappear" which it
did." He likes to sing the early songs and as he is a
Lives a Don who loves his knees"
Gilbert then spoke a bit about his age. "I'm 55 and proud of it, I don't feel a day over.........60. When I was child and I looked at photographs of my parents in their 30s and 40s, they looked ancient. I think we look good. We look as cool as our kids, maybe cooler." Audience laughter.
|
built in 1865 and where the famous BBC
television programme The Good Old Days was broadcast from. Both
Charlie Chaplin and Harry Houdini have performed in this music hall. The place
was full to capacity and included among the audience was Gilbert's daughter
Helen Marie who goes to university
in Leeds. Attending her second show
in three days was group member Julie Roberts accompanied by her children Cheryl and
Bradley. I am not sure who the biggest fan is in that
family. New members to our group, Chris and John from Liverpool were
there, and I was joined in the front row by Mary and Graham from
Huddersfield. For those who still don't know,
the group of which I
speak is a forum where Gilbert fans can write and share their experiences of
Gilbert's music. It doesn't cost, it's great fun and only very nice
people need apply.
loudly upon hearing the opening bars of the song causing
Gilbert to stop and jokingly say "there's no need for me to continue
this one" after such a good reaction.
70s. Andy loved the song
"We Will" and was anxious to record it
but he had a problem with one word (bagsy) and wanted Gilbert's permission
to change it.
daughter Tara aged 9 or 10. "We
thought you were dead" they said. "Maybe they were from
Leeds" he quipped. "Is this Clair they
enquired?" "Yes I replied she's a midget."
People just seem to have a problem accepting that
Clair is no longer a child and is now a married woman.
have a meal while the show is
on. The closeness of the stage to the dining area coupled with the
natural shyness of the Japanese fans almost caused a few of them to
have heart attacks when Gilbert changed keyboards and sat close to them.
Gilbert did admit that without Japan he wouldn't be here.
topical
songwriter, they evoke memories of the
time and as an example he explained the line in the song:
a new
song in Ronnie Scott's on Sunday.
That's if he can get some time to
practice it beforehand. While talking to Kevin, he mentioned to me
that they had tried to get Big Jim Sullivan, who played the original guitar
solo on Alone Again (Naturally), for Ronnie Scott's, but unfortunately he
was appearing in Hartlepool. They are hoping to get him for November
if the dates can be arranged.
