Some new musical directions, June 2007

Given Rob's background, with his parents having been evacuated from the Bilbao area in 1937 as the city was increasingly under threat from Rebel troops, he is very interested in the Spanish Civil War and the evacuation of the Basque children.

With a new tune that Rob has composed, I have written a song called 'The Bite' dedicated to a man called George Wheeler who fought with the International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War. The song takes its name from the small piece of wood that some soldiers used to place in their mouths before going into battle, as something they could bite on to help contorl the terror when fighting. The Guardian did a series of excellent interviews with Spanish Civil War veterans in 2001 and, amongst many amazing tales, the interview with Mr Wheeler is particuarly remarkable.

On a recent business trip to Madrid, I took the opportunity to go shopping for some Galician and Asturian music. I had seen the name of a few bands in folkie magasines and thought I would treat myself. I have been bowled over by how good the material of bands like Tejedor is. (Go and research this material - you will not be disappointed.)

Consequently, and in the desire to write something to, in some way, honour the memory of Rob's parents' experiences, I have taken one of the really beatiful tunes I found on one of the albums I brought back, to use as a base for a song called 'Solo Por Tres Meses' - (Only for three months) which is what the parents told their children when persuading them to leave Bilbao for Southampton. I am using a DADGAD tuning to play the accompaniment and, once I have wrestled a couple of remaining lyrics to the ground, I would hope to introduce it to the repetoire.

So, with some dances and a couple of songs, we are adding a Spanish as well as a French flavour to the mix. I'll report on responses later - but if Danza Prima is any guide - they are going to like it.