RMMGA UK4
at Hargate Hall
Buxton
March 23-26, 2001

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Reports


Subject: UK4 - Thanks to everyone - especially Chris

Date: 26 Mar 2001
From: Bob Thomas

I'm now well on the way to recovery after the weekend and I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who was there and who made my first rmmga get-together such a great experience.

From the second I walked through the door I knew that it was going to be a fantastic weekend - and so it was. I've never learned so much, played so many great guitars, drunk so much beer or made so many great friends in such a small space of time as I did over the UK4 weekend.

From past experience I know how much work it takes to put something like UK4 together and I'd like to especially thank Chris Rockliffe for all the effort he put into organising the weekend and all the work he put in over the weekend to make sure that everyone was having a great time.

To Chris and everybody else - thanks for a great time and your friendship - see you next time round at UK5 if not before!

All the best, Bob


Subject: UK4 Survivors, an apology

Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001
From: Alan Marshall

I am so sorry, dispite only having around 5 more people than at UK3, and the weather being cooler, the duration of the sessions, and the uncontrolled thirst of th US contingent, the beer ran out just on midnight Sunday. This didn't stop the more intrepid ones lasting through to 6.00am, though this was disappointing, as on Saturday, a couple of us lasted until 10.15 am!

An average of around 40 people each day managed to drink their way through 88 Imperial gallons (that's over 117 US gallons) of beer and lager plus a further 20 UK gallons of wine plus an assortment of soft drinks, tea and coffee. It is obvious from these figures, that the ladies at the event are all lushes! I suggest we charge them double next year! The only males to suffer this discrimination being Magnus Paterson, who managed to stay up to 4.00am, Friday, having started drinking at 5.15pm, only to be up again at 9.30, and continuing like a man who had never tasted beer in his life, and, of course, Guy Snape, who as usual, drank his own weight in beer each day! No, really, I love you all, even a certain Welsh lady who decided that I have a magnificent, if slightly bruised lunch box.

I hope this is the first posting to reach the group on UK4, so that I can say a real big thank you to all who attended. I won't single anyone else out, as you all made it what it was, a slightly (well very really) fuzzy, warm and fun weekend.

I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did.

I'll leave it to others to report on the details of the meet, I'm too bushed , no make that Knackered at the moment, having had about 7 hours sleep over the 3 days to keep on typing just now.

Best Wishes, - Alan (Chief brew master and meter maid) Marshall


Subject: Re: UK4 Survivors, an apology

Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001
From: Pat Martindale

Alan, Thanks are due to yourself, Chris and Fiona for organising such a great get together. I know a lot of effort went in to finding the venue and all the million and one things that needed sorting out.

Despite the shortage of beer and the culinary pyrotechnics on Sunday morning I am sure I am not alone in thinking what an excellent time we all had. Perhaps at the next one (when is it Chris??) we should ask someone to give us a fire fighting workshop.

Everyone put heart and soul into having a good time and I'm sure UK4 will go down in gathering folklore as being one of the best.

As usual I came away with fond memories and a ton of inspiration.

Thanks to all who came for the good humour, good music and great company.

(Them sausages were a bit burnt though:-))

Pat Martindale


Subject: UK4 Survivors, an apology

Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001
From: Shirley Worrall

Hello there, exhausted UK4ers :)

What an utterly brilliant weekend that was! Many thanks indeed to Chris, Fiona and Alan for their organisational achievements. (I vote for booking Hargate Hall again right now for next year's bash.)

It's never possible to draw up a comprehensive list of highlights for an event like this. However..... that won't stop me from sharing some of the bits that particularly stood out for me, so that I can re-live them again tonight before I have to get back to work in the morning.

On the new guitar front, this weekend was absolute bliss. Many, many thanks to Simon from Brook Guitars, based in Devon, England (http://www.brookguitars.com/) for bringing over such a beautiful collection and trustingly allowing us to play with them all weekend. (Incidentally, many thanks also to the very patient occupants of that sitting room suite for letting us use it for the guitars - that was very much appreciated, Zena, Joan, Linda et al.) I already knew that I liked Brook guitars, but I could never have had the opportunity to just sit and play with various body styles and wood combinations for hours and hours in any other circumstances. I just couldn't believe how easy they were to play - amazing action! - and how sweet they sounded. Enormous thanks also to Michael Dunnigan for arranging the visit. (Michael made the elegant Brook website, and he owns a collection of extremely attractive green Brook guitars!) I'm already planning a trip down to Devon for a further drool in the workshop there. I'm already thinking walnut/cedar - between now and then I just have to decide on a body size and save up the dosh... :)

The other new (to me) guitars that just blew me away were Jamie Kinscherff's (http://www.kinscherff.com/) two gorgeous guitars. Jamie came all the way from Texas with Jim Whelan! I was very excited when I read that they were coming, partly because of all the great things I've read here about Jamie's guitars. Those of us in the UK often read on the NG about lovely American guitars that we'd not normally get the chance to play, so for me it was a real treat to get the opportunity to play these two. They were both absolutely stunning: vibrant, resonant and gorgeous to look at, with beautiful, light actions. Throughout the weekend I kept seeing people huddled in corners with Jamie's guitar in their arms and disbelieving looks spreading across their faces :) Thank you very much indeed to Jamie and Jim for coming over, and for bringing those lovely guitars with you.

On the musical front the weekend was an absolute killer too. Chris Rockcliffe had an inspirational idea, which involved drawing names out of a hat on Friday evening in order to come up with random pairings for musical collaborations, which those of us who participated performed on Saturday and Sunday night. It was a great idea, and brought together people who would probably never have thought of playing together in other circumstances. It was great to hear old friends playing again, and also to hear new friends playing for the first time. As is always the case at NG bashes, those of us who are nervous players were greeted with warmth, support and enthusiasm.

The guest players were a joy and an inspiration as always, including the wonderful fiddler (Graham Clark) who came along yesterday evening and blew everyone away! Thank you very much indeed to Lee Collinson, Wizz Jones, Zena Tubman, Doug B. Smith and Dave Wood. In fact, the only miserable note in the whole weekend was when I dashed anxiously up to the utterly phenomenal Dave Wood after hearing him play at the Saturday night bash, clutching my money in my sweaty little hand in search of a CD - and it turned out he's never recorded anything! I truly hope that he soon does, because if he doesn't then I think my car will soon need new tyres as it'll be travelling up and down from here to Devon in the hope of catching some gigs...

Some other magical moments I particularly enjoyed were the brilliant recording workshop given by Bob Thomas and Henry Smithson, the electric guitar lesson from Pete "Lovely Bum" Gay, hearing young James Tucker (only 12 years old!) play with such confidence and ability at the Saturday night bash, playing on the swing in the garden and on the slide in the funhouse, singing daft harmonies with Brenda, Zena and Alan to accompaniments from Greg Neaga, Michael Dunnigan and Chris Rockcliffe in the small hours of this morning (the best fun I've had in years - it was an absolute blast!), catching Magnus playing through a really beautiful Richard Thompson song in the bar last night before the festivities began, hearing Dave Wood's ethereally beautiful tune written as a tribute to James Taylor, hearing Henry playing Elizabethan Serenade and other utterly beautiful things in open G on the upstairs landing on Friday evening, persuading Chris Rockcliffe to do a few of his beautiful Geordie songs late last night and finally, winning first prize in the raffle :))) (Many thanks to Joan for selling me the winning ticket. I told her at the time that it was the winner, but I don't think she entirely believed me!) As always, though, the best bit of all was just seeing old friends again and making some new ones. There really is nothing quite like these NG bashes, where everyone is just there for the love of the guitars, and the real joy of spending 3 days with like minded people immersed in fun and music (and beer, of course). Roll on UK 5!

Best wishes, Shirl


Subject: UK4 and Dave Wood Recording

Date: 27 Mar 2001
From: Michael Dunnigan

Hello again to the UK4 lot and let me say thanks to you all for making it an unforgettable experience. It was a huge eye-opener for me and inspirational players and guitars were all over the place! Wow!

Dave Wood and Simon from Brook Guitars don't actually get the newsgroup as yet, although Simon is righting that ASAP, but I'll be passing on any comments made on this NG to them so they can see what everyone made of their guitars (in Simon's case) and their performances (in Dave's) where appropriate.

On that note, Simon was talking to me just before he left on Sun and said he is going to try his best to urge Dave Wood to make some kind of recording - and help fund it as well, if necessary! Apparently Dave's a bit difficult to pin down on this though but I think it might inspire him if he knew what was being said here about his performances. So I'm going to collate the feedback on Dave and send it to him via Simon so he can use these 'reviews' to make Dave see sense and get something on CD.

Drop me an email or post something here if you want him to hear it.

Cheers, Michael Dunnigan


Subject: UK4 memories

Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001
From: Magnus Paterson

Well, if the truth be told, I have fewer memories than I should, but that's just due to the massive loss of brain cells, rather than any lack of memorable moments!

The only reason the beer lasted until midnight on Sunday was that we had a delayed start on Friday because of incompatible CO2 connectors for the lager, and lack of sterilising facilities for the beer taps. Still, we made up for lost time as best we could.

Oh, yeah, music and guitars. Let's see. Yes, they were both present. Oh, OK then.

Our guest players were, as indicated on the survivor thread, a real treat. Lee Collinson, apart from playing his set, did another at the "folk night" as well as a tunings workshop and much of the breakfast cooking. We should invite him back. He fries a mean mushroom.

Doug B Smith was in fine form. He depressed me completely by playing my Armstrong for about half an hour and making it sound like it never has before and probably never will again.

Wizz played a stormin' set on Sunday night, and had a fund of great stories about his experiences playing over the years. He and Doug are touring together just now, so if you get the chance GO AND SEE THEM. I know I'm shouting.

The luthier presentations were fascinating. Jamie Kinscherff had forgotten his colour transparencies, but when, at the start of his talk, he said he'd forgotten his slides, several people offered him the use of their bottlenecks! You could tell it was a guitar get-together just from that. Jamie also graciously allowed me to play his own High Noon guitar in part of my solo spot on Sunday, and it was a real treat. Well, for me at least! Thanks, Jamie; you're a gentleman.

Shirl is absolutely right about Dave Wood. The man has an incredibly delicate touch that draws you right in, and it leaves plenty of space for dynamics. Some lovely slide stuff in there, too. One of the weekend's high spots for me was having my playing (briefly) mistaken for Dave's. As if! Dave, if you ever record anything with that lick you put together on my guitar, I want an acknowledgement on the sleeve of the CD.

The Brook instruments were nice to play, but someone (no names but his initials are Chris Rockcliffe) has a warped sense of humour. Now I am and always have been a supporter of Heart of Midlothian football club, but Chris had me sharing a room with Michael Dunnigan who is a great guy and a good player but is (a) a CELTIC supporter and (b) has three Brook guitars ALL OF WHICH ARE GREEN. Good Grief.

No matter how much alcohol I throw at my addled brain, I'll probably find it hard to forget the "duet" Nigel and I played as a result of the random draw. In the best Celtic traditions of ignoring the rules (or even the guidelines), we drafted in Pete to play lead, and Henry on bass. Nigel suggested the old 60's hit "I Only Want To Be With You", so with a few minutes to go before playing, we decided to figure out lyrics, chords, arrangements, you know the sort of thing. Well, the lushes, sorry, I mean ladies, on the balcony obviously thought it was singalong time, went totally mental, and wouldn't let us go without playing another one. Problem was, we only knew that one. In a moment of inspired genius, Nigel suggested "Mustang Sally", and we charged through that without too much mishap. Best fun I'd had vertical for ages. Pete never wants to play "Mustang Sally" again, though.....

What else can I say? Great music, great food, great beer (while it lasted) and *great* company. Roll on UK5.

Cheers, Magnus


Subject: Re: UK4 Survivors, an apology

Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001
From: "Nigel James Tucker"

Well, I for one really enjoyed the weekend. As you all know, I am the MC for the Saturday folk club sessions, and it is a lot of fun. The new people that came along were very welcome, and we had some fantastic guitars from our friend Jamie Kinscherff, www.kinscherff.com, and a very nice set of guitars from Brook guitars at www.brookguitars.com. A big welcome to Simon from Brook, who stayed up all night Saturday, and all day Sunday, fuelled by coffee, for the 4+1/2 hour drive back to Devon. Nice one mate!

We had a charity raffle, that raised about £ 100, with prizes donated by Lucky Bags, Wizz Jones, Lee Colinwood, and others. There was also a superb travel guitar, won by Shirl, I'll let her describe the joy of owning such a beauty.

A big thank you must go out to Chris Rockcliffe, and others who helped organise the event. THe beer did indeed run out, but I did notice some people, no names ( Magnus, and me) drinking wine in half pint measures. Still, it keeps the vocal chords running better.

Some suggestions for next year:

1. Keep the venue, it was superb.
2. Lets have more early nights- well at least start jamming earlier.
3. Don't say I didn't warn you all about going to bed early-you were all
told, but you didn't listen.

and lastly, I would like to remember the statement by Jim Whelan, those of you who were there will know what I mean. I think he could be right!! ( Only joking guys, honest.

Best wishes, Nigel Tucker


Subject: [UK4] Hello, my name is Al...

Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2001
From: Al Evans

...and I'm an RMMGA Gathering addict.

Cea and I made it back home safely to Austin about 5:30 yesterday evening (which, of course, was by then after midnight "our time").

What an amazing time it was. Seeing old friends, making new ones, drinking excellent English beer, and playing music. And setting the kitchen on fire...

Highlights? They're all highlights, there were no shadows, but...

Saturday night, when Ronan's lady friend Brenda chastised the lovely Jamie Kinscherff for failing to mention the Irish in his presentation that afternoon. You shoulda seen the look in his eyes! Sheer fear! Brenda is NOT the sort of lady you want to be on the wrong side of. To Jamie's credit, he did find the only possible solution -- he apologized profusely, gave her a hug, and assured her that, were she not already attached, he would be in love with her. But I bet he never again forgets to give the Irish their due!

Dave Wood's version of Norwegian Wood. Wow. We made him play it several times. I know it's already been mentioned, but it was absolutely one of the best things I heard all weekend.

The fact that both Pat Martindale and Shirley Worral consented to play with me on a couple of my own songs!

Old Speckled Hen. I would've brought a barrel back with me on the plane if I could've carried it on.

The kitchen fire. I didn't help start it or put it out; I just wandered in, looked at it, said, "yup, that's a fahr all right," and went outside for a smoke. It was early in the morning, and I know my limits.

Lee Collinson. A great player (damn good singer, too), great fun to hang out with, and cooks a mean English breakfast. Knows more tunings (or "chunings") than anyone I've ever met.

Chris AKA "clipboard man". You could whack him upside the head, and he still wouldn't just relax and have a good time. He put an incalculable amount of time and energy into making sure everything went right. And it did. Righter than right.

Meeting some of the local players. I didn't get to talk to them all, but I had a long conversation with Perry Huntsman and Jim Davie. What great guys! We ended up discussing the possibility of substituting a four-pound sledge for a subwoofer in a teenager's car.... To give you an idea -- Jim has 18-year-old twin boys, and he's still one of the most mellow and fun-loving people I've ever met!

I could rave on forever. I think Charles summed it up best at the Texas Gathering, when he said that these Gatherings are all different, but they're all the same. That's the absolute truth. The places and the music are different, but the people are the same, regardless of accents and other irrelevancies. These are the finest people in the world. Hanging out with them for a weekend, drinking and playing music, definitely WILL alter your world view for the better. It's hard to be pessimistic or cynical about the human race when you're having this much fun.

I think I'll hold on to this particular addiction -- it beats the hell out of any day-to-day reality I've ever seen.

--Al Evans--


Subject: Re: UK4 Survivors, an apology

Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2001
From: Charles Park

Where am I? WOW!!!!!!! What a time.

I still have 800 messages to go so there may be some redundancy later on.

We got home last night just before midnight, quite exhausted from all the flight connections and the tonnage we were carrying through miles upon miles of airport terminals. I only had three minor heart attacks and one very small panic attack. The girls just didn't seem to care. They were sure they had all the loot first and then I was taken care of. Linda threw me over her shoulder and toted me for a couple of miles at Heathrow.

Later on I told the girls that we would not take as much luggage next time and also curtail the spending sprees. Their answer was "screw you, we'll just get one direct flight next time no matter the cost". Well the mind reels at that thought and I feel another panic attack coming on.

I need a bit of time to clear the cobwebs so as to relate our wonderful experience. Once again all these diverse personalities thrown together is a success. Life is good.

Charles ( I'm so broke I can't even pay attention ) Park

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