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From: Hugh Messenger
Date: Sun, 1 Sep 1996 12:25:17 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Re: Rory McLeod

On Mon, 26 Aug 1996, Peter Frederick McGuire wrote:

>
> Has anyone ever heard about a harp player called Rory McLeod? One of my
> co-workers saw me perform last evening and recommended him to me. Just
> looking for more info. My friend said he saw him play one harmonica
> through another at a show last summer.... but this guy does not play
> harp himself, so who knows what really happened. :-)

I'd like to add to the chorus of approval for Rory. I first saw him
busking in London underground (metro) stations about ten or twelve years
ago (hmm, more like 15 thinking about it!), and have managed to keep up
with his career fairly well. The most memorable Rory gigs have always
been at Glastonbury Festival, a 4 day, camp-out, Woodstock style annual
event with 5,000+ acts on 30+ stages. He started out playing the tiny
acoustic folk stages in the 2am slot, and graduated to the larger marquees
at respectable times of day after a while.

I'll not beat about the bush - I think Rory is one of the most talented
harmonica entertainers there is. My memory of his first Glastonbury
performance, to about 10 people at 2:45am on a stage about as big as a
drum riser, is one of my most treasured memories ("so often remembered
that the memories are worn", John Prine).

His style is totally unique. He's an intensely rythmic player, especially
when he plays by himself. Lots of whoops and hollers in that seamless
Sonny Terry fashion, lots of Madcat style "hup-pah" turbo charged chugs,
harp and vocals so interwoven you'd swear he is doing both at the same
time, usually playing some purcussion device with at least one hand, and
the whole time his HUGE size 3 million Doc Martens stomp out the beat.
And a *mean* tone when he wants it.

On that tiny plywood stage he had the whole structure bouncing and
crashing around. At one point he had both feet going, a set of spoons in
one hand, two tin camping plates in the other hand and his harp between
his teeth, singing "Beethoven's Mother's Blues", one of his funniest off
the wall songs. He's playing a ska version of Beethoven's 9th, gradually
building it up and adding phrases in, as if he's composing it on the fly,
pausing occasionally for the dialog, which is approximately:

Beethoven's Mum: Beethoven - yer dinners ready!
Beethoven: [no reply]
BM: Beethoven - yer dinners ready!
B: [long pause] What is it, mum?
BM: Beets and boiled cabbage
B: Aaaaw, not again!
[even longer pause]
BM: Beethoven - yer dinners ready!
B: Coming mum [carries on playing]

Other great Rory songs are "Love Like a Rock" ("Give me love like a rock,
in the stormy sea, give me love like a rock, won't you rock with me") and
"Slacker" ("He's a shark, slacker, a two tone double dealing money
grabber, makes one look just like three, talks like a symphony").

Best album is probably "Footsteps and Heartbeats", on which he plays all
the instruments (and plays them well - including some awesome slide guitar
work).

Rory McCloud for Pope. If you see an album, buy it. If you get a chance
to see him live, do yourself as favour!

-- hugh