Sunday 29 April 2007

Excerpt of Interview by Paul Cross of Sweet Floral Albion Magazine

Excerpt of Interview by Paul Cross of Sweet Floral Albion on line magazine (http://xoomer.alice.it/sweetfloralalbion/SFA/sfa_32.htm)
Paul Cross puts questions to Mick Trewhella:

PC: Who came up with the group's name?
MT: The group name came from Phillip Solomon, owner of Major Minor Records. We wanted to record under "Shades of Blue" but there was already a group in USA using that name.

PC: What sort of music did you guys play live?
MT: Some contemporary (Beatles, Bee Gees, Kinks, Small Faces etc) some R & B and a number of our own songs (which we often got requests for). We had a repertoire of over 100 songs and about 20 - 30 were our own.

PC: What was the line-up of the band?
MT: Original Line Up was:

Michael (Mick) Trewhella - Lead Guitar
Howard (Howie) Dutton - Rhythm Guitar
Frederick (Fred) Bowes - Bass
Roger (Polly) Pollard - Drums

Line Up on 'Coplington' single:

Michael (Mick) Trewhella - Lead Vocs/Rhythm Guitar
Peter (Pete) Lingard - Lead Guitar
Howard (Howie) Dutton - Bass
Roger (Polly) Pollard - Drums

What Coplington was about by Mick Trewhella

Coplington was about a small village with various characters in it.
The real Coplington was actually based on Boldon Colliery, Tyne & Wear (my home village).
People mentioned in the song were:
Jimmy Jake the undertaker really my Dad's neighbour Jimmy Wake a coalminer, the undertakers in our village were actually the Coop.
Mary Wills was Margaret Willis who ran the off-licence shop across the road from the chemist shop.
Jimmy List was an old fella called Jacky Sparks who played piano in a pub called the Queens Head. He plonked on the pedals of the piano so hard with his feet you could hardly hear his playing (which was a blessing usually).
The only ones not based on anyone in particular were Mrs Purse & Mr Jones. There was a district nurse about the time of the others who used to ride a bike but I never knew her name. Mr Jones was loosely based on the coffin maker at the undertakers.


'Coplington' by PERSIMMON'S PECULIAR SHADES.

Mrs Purse the district nurse
Rides to work each day
Never thinking of her life or if she’s here to stay

Mr Jones the carpenter
Making things from wood
Never cared for no-one in his life
He never could

They’re the people of Coplington
Saturday night when they have a sing song

Jimmy List the pianist
Plonking on the keys
Supping pints for all he’s worth
And leching at the knees

Of Mary Wills who sells the pills
At the chemist shop
No ambition to get far
She thinks she’s at the top
But she’s not

Nobody gets very far
When their one aim in life is a brand new car

Jimmy Jake the undertaker
Is a clever man
In a job that won’t die out
And it never can

They’re the people of Coplington
Saturday night when they have a sing song

Cop Cop Cop Cop (to fade)

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