Adrian
in collaboration with bands and artists
As a writer and performer Adrian has worked alongside more than a hundred
different bands and artists. For many of these known and respected performers
he has created a poem in praise and as reference. These poems have been
used to introduce the acts at festivals where he has written as many as
thirty in a few days for performance over a weekend. They have also gone
on websites, album-notes, book sleeves (Robert Meseko), and into multi-media
performances. Feel free to ask for copies or indeed pre-recorded versions
for your show, performance or broadcast. Adrian will write poems regarding
any band for broadcast or recording as long as he is credited. Adrian also
melds his words with music and song; he has done so with dozens of different
acts. some of the bands and artistes are listed on this page along with
some information about them.
Intro Poems index page - Intro Poems Sound Files
Celtarabia.
Originally meeting at Musicport where Adrian introduced them on the main
stage as the final act of the main night these guys asked Adrian to write
more so he could work with them. They were later funded to perform together
and two books were created of the poetry from these performances. Celtarabia
described his work while on stage at the Black Swan Folk Club as Very Sexy
Words you all should read if you have someone to be close to.
The
Hank Wangford Band
The Main stage at the Otley Black Sheep Festival saw Adrian struggling to
recite this band name correctly as part of his tongue in cheek poetic introduction.
The people who appreciate his poems the most are the acts. Bands stop and
turn towards him wondering how he knows so much about them. Hank and gang
where a little culture shocked, but they did the right thing, and played
in on the applause for the most effect. Actually between us only, they were
a little out of their remit playing to a folk audience and turned out to
be really pleased with the reactions.
Elephant Talk
This recently reformed outfit worked with Adrian way back at the start of
their career and in surprising ways. Hey they worked together back at (Get
ready to cheer) Rosedale and then later were double booked with stunning
results. Adrian arranged a festival called Positive Steps in York for several
years to promote mental health and one year someone told these guys they
were on at the square. As the remit was that anyone could get up and read
their poems over the mike in the square without derision the chaps decided
to play along and back Adrian and all. Wonderful. Good luck to members past
and present and work with him again please.
Banoffi.
A long running relationship with this much recalled outfit, Adrian continues
to have musical involvements with members who have moved on to recording,
community music and acoustically sound venues. David and him. in particular,
mesmerise audiences still. (Ade was there he gig when alcohol was vowed
against forever, oh, yes, he, was..
Black Umfolosi
Adrian introduced Black Umfolosi at the Masham Festival and again at the
Early Music Festival where they hung out after and took his introduction
poem to perform at future gigs and place on their website.
Dave i wonder if we should get recordings of poems to acts for them to use
it might pay of dividends.
Charanga Del Norte
Adrian wrote an introduction for Charanga Del Norte to perform on stage
at Musicport; Whitby’s wonderful festival of music from the world.
Chechelele
Adrian looks on all forty odd of them as friends and has performed call
and sweet response work with them since blah-di-blah-way-back-when. Several
individuals and spin off acts have gone on to blend with him too. None less,
of course, than Jane Stockdale, who has been a major shaper of Mists of
the Ancients.
Clanjamfrie.
Otley festival stared for many years with pie and peas and beer and Clanjamfrie
and Steve and Ade on a Friday Teatime. Adrian’s introductions ran the
gamut of jovial derision and respect from these sweetly sounding men of
muscle and never quite got t the bottom of the name. Wah it mony a muckle
mecks a... Nah....
FOS Brothers
Special poem to introduce them at Otley Black Sheep Festival.
Cloe Doody Band
This Scarborough based band took an Adrian poem to make into a song.
Willow Songsmith
International musician Willow from the group Shapeshifter has played with
many great names including Roy Castle and has toured extensively throughout
the world.
His album with Adrian is still available and Willow wrote and plays all
the dozens of tracks you hear per number, er except for the poetry bits.
They await a rebirth via your request.
Jon Harvison
Nationally known performer with a stunning repertoire of ‘folk-style
songs for the now’ who can get a trad ballad out like you don’t
want to have ears again. He has often worked with Adrian from festivals
to arts centres to snug little smoke warning zones. (and might do again
if he takes that as a complement)
Julie Ellison
Look at the glossy ads
in the mags, open whats ons around the country, wonder what should be in
the heart of the music lover go to a quality gig and there she is; Ade’s
pal Julie. He has written dozens of poems to go with her songs which are
still available in book form and it is certain that of they ever decide
to meld as Damn Heart again Jane Hickling would be dusting her drums off.
Bob and Sheila Everhart
Bob was so impressed at Musicport when Adrian introduced the acts that festivals
around America were approached with the idea of funding Adrian as a poetic
compere there.
Nick Hall of the
Hall Brothers
Books are available of the words written to perform with this pazzazz of
a performer who fills the hearts of an audience. Angelina Johns added beautifull
fiddle to stun audiences.
Damage
We are stepping back a bit to the time of international status for these
lovely guys, but Masham needed holding back for a performance that started
with Adrian and swiftly moved on to the boys from behind the limo’s
smoke glass.
James Christie
When we die and go to heaven (no really) Jon Moon and Adrian will look down
on their lives and admit that the most magical time of it all was when with
this guy on stage as Deep Heat. This is the hey day the time that has made
all the rest of it possible and footage is still available contact and enquire.
The Dhol Foundation
Poem written to introduce them at Whitby World Music Festival.
Dr Brown
Adrian introduced Dr Brown at The Northern Green Gathering
Breathe
Adrian didn’t really thank the guys from the wonderful here magazine
for the chance to write an introduction poem for these guys. “Do you
know me?” asks the lead loon, “No” whispered Adrian with
his poem in his hand and a mike in front of him. “Well it better be
F****** good” gravelled the lead guy staring him in the face. The audience
went mad and Adrian survived.
Coope Boyes &
Simpson
There is a whole saga (& series of poems) involved in introducing these
lovely guys. They used to hang on the edge of the stage to hear the next
instalment.
Cosmic Voyage
Adrian introduced Cosmic Voyage at The Northern Green Gathering
Em Whitfield
Excellent singer/songwriter and multi instrumentalist well known throughout
the North of England, Adrian worked wonderfully gladly with this singer
and still has the poetry books available to prove so.
Dave Carley of TRIBALISE
This guy brought boxes of taped together something or others on to the stage
including tobacco tins, televisions, and thousands of pounds worth of stuff
and using flashlight and fire brands made stuff happen that had festivals
dancing to Adrian. Poetry to dance to as Tim of Fibbers once exclaimed.
Alex Kirby
Exciting Whitby-based songwriter who I really enjoy working with. Lovely
guy. The little pub the Hussars were enthralled by this guy as I cheekily
worked in with his beautiful words.
Michael Watts
Youngest ever winner of Acoustic Musician of the Year, Michael reaches directly
to the emotions making guitarists weep. Living and recording in Greece now,
I once asked him to describe what he did and he replied that he treated
the guitar as a musical instrument.
Carabali
An introduction poem, researched, written and performed by Adrian, stunned
the Whitby Festival audience into enthusiastic readiness.
Martin Fletcher’s
Usual Suspects
For start offs if you want a quality cosy studio you can go no further than
Martin. The work he did for the Remember This album, with Tony Morris accompanying,
is superb. Adrian tells us that when Peter-at-the-gate asks him what was
the most exciting performance event of his life he will be torn between
Tim Hain, the un-remembered guy who melded Teenage Kicks with Reality Rippled
at Rosedale and will realise, no, it had to be melding the words he had
gathered from the Musicport audience with this hip hop blues combo and the
Blues actually walking in the door.
The Fisher Kings
Elaine Wallace of Mists of the Ancients and of course Lucid was in this
lovely outfit Adrian wrote specially to introduce at the Masham festival.
(Robin Williams did quite well too!)
Gabriel
I have fond memories of making my first two albums at Marc’s studio
and it was a pleasure to do his excellent band Gabriel an intro poem for
the Masham Festival and writing another to set them off at the York’s
lovely Air 2000 fest which should be re-invented. There is a lot of beauty
out there still that was birthed by this outfit. Sing on.
Halcyon Band.
The Hall Brothers
“Nick n Dunc are real good pals and I always look forward to a chance
to work with them,” says Adrian Several festivals have seen him trembling
in front of them with yet another intro poem in hand.
Imbizo
Adrian introduced Imbizo at Whitby World Music Festival
Jim Eldon
Adrian introduced Jim and his partner at Otley Black Sheep Festival
John Kirkpatrick
John used to think Adrian was a bit looney when he was doing the introduction
poem.
Julie Ellison
Sheffield-based songwriter Julie has a beautiful voice and captivates audiences
with not just her excellent guitar work but also her, almost haunting, observations
on the affairs of the heart.
LoBeams
Adrian introduced LoBeams at the 'Here magazine' launch.
Los Incas
Adrian introduced Los Incas at Whitby World Music Festival
Mark Gaultier
York’s Early music Centre just might have been the first place these
good friend got together on stage and they have been brought together since
mainly through the collaborations of James Christie.
Mark Barns
Every year for several years the, wait for it, Conservative Club in Otley
was taken over by poets and storytellers till early hours. This is where
Adrian wrote about Mark and got to know him. (He had never been written
about in poetry before)
Footnote the beer is less than one pound fifty a pint and it makes you question
your allegiances!
Meseko Kiz Amina
and The Congo Beats
Hey. We are talking Robert Meseko here. Adrian once described him as the
best person to ever have in your audience. He is the best to experience
on a stage. The best to know. The best to work with.
Martin Simpson
Adrian introduced internationally known Martin with a poem at Whitby World
Music Festival which was his first gig after moving back to Britain to live
in this amazing little town. So well known and respected yet your listening
of the song is far more important to him than anything else.
New Jazz Quintet
Another outfit featuring Elaine Wallace of Lucid and of course know for
touring with Adrian to accompany his work. They enthralled the festival
audience there to raise funds for a children’s hospice.
Ola
Adrian introduced them at a Black Swan Young Performers night and they have
gone on to take an intriguing energy to high levels of respect in the folk
world. Nice relaxed musicians. Ade has often been asked to to write for
this annual event.
Paul Scott Masse
Adrian introduced Paul at Masham Festival with a special intro poem.
Sansaar
Adrian introduced Sansaar at Whitby World Music Festival.
Saaz
Sistermadly
I’ve gone on to ‘melding’ with Sistermadly and Em Whitfield
solo several times since writing the first intro poem. Great people.
Schalom Bakhshayesh
Introduced at Whitby World Music Festival.
Sid Kipper
“I’ve introduced Sid a few times with intro poems and have also
written review poems,” Adrian tells us. What he fails to tell us is
that he ended up on a large stage in an enormous folkie costiume aying and
arging like a rite proper chap with a few cushions under his jumper and
Sid in a suit still wowed the audience into uncontrollable laughter.
Duncan McFarlane
Hard to imagine now that this lovely talented guy who is nationally famous
once as a solo act and again as a band would have been in a little pub being
introduced by poems of our very own Adrian.
Eliza Carthy
Adrian introduced Eliza at Otley Black Sheep Festival.
Elizabeth Ryder
Emily Saunders
Adrian introduced her performance for Young Performers Night, at the Black
Swan Folk Club.
Emily Slade
Adrian introduced Emily at the Black Swan Folk Club’s Young Performers
night way back in her career and bumping back into her late at night at
a festival (where she was performing as part of a massive tour) he asked
what she had being doing lately. As well as remembering his poem he had
written for her she simply said “doing a bit of singing.
Under Milkwood
Adrian introduced an act from Under Milkwood for the Stage Coach Theatre
at their fundraising event at the Theatre Royal, York with a specially commissioned
poem. Alright, Adrian tells us, being asked to be among the celebrity hosts
for this event, (God was one of them – and she was more nervous that
Adrian), was perhaps the most exciting performance to date. Come to think
of it they asked him of he would write a play for them some time. Shall
we remind him?
Robb Johnson
You embrace being real and loving life when you realise through listening
to him that things aught to be better and we know the way that should be.
Robb has always encouraged Adrian’s writing and thanks him greatly
for his poems.
Siyaya
Words written by Adrian filled halls at festivals and ended in their rousing
cry of Siyaya and calls, cries and applause brought the band on.
Stanley Accrington
Moving at times this guy is funny. Lovely too he has worked alongside Adrian
from the early days in little pubs in the midlands to the latter ones in
folk festivals whether there was a broom for the stage or a bolt for the
door.
Sweetgrass
Young pefromers nights saw Adrian writing for them and ointroducing them
with tsame and thanks going across the workds. They travel across th globe
a fair old bit now.
The T & B Specialists.
Tanglefoot
Gosh the audience have oozed a bit and goshed and quavered and Adrian has
Introdused all of this with words in attempt to tell of the beauty of these
big guys from across the water in the north of the Americas.
Tashbain
Adrian wasn’t a storyteller when he wrote to complement the Klesmer
and the magic; he wishes now he could step up again on the vaulted halls
of this wonderful experience
The Pack
Gosh these guys were big and were young and have all gone on to be something
special, well Ade introduced them as part of the celebration of their being
there festival going.
Tim Hain and Th’Worx
Adrian introduced Tim Hain and Th’Worx at Whitby World Music Festival
and was thrilled to read the poem ‘over ‘ the music.
Tim Van Eyken
Adrian wrote a special piece as a thank you which has since been published
in Folk Roundabout. Review poems and descriptions that sum up this guy,
well as he was at the time, and show of the promise we now know is blossoming
all over the country indeed continent.
Tony Wilson.
Great voice - Great music - Great fella - Great songs.
Tony has his poem on his website.
Tung
Adrian introduced Tung at the here: launch. Buzzin great mix of metal and
hip hop they loved the input of performance poetry into the intro of their
crowd raising act.
Vin Garbutt
Adrian has introduced Vin with poems several times. As a reluctant star
who holds your emotions in his hands turning you by instant from helpless
laughter to immensely moving beauty it is one of Adrian’s great complements
to be appreciated by this respected humble lovely genius of the art of the
folk performer. Thank you Vin.
Viva Flamenco
‘We ripped up the carpets at the very last minute for these guys, well
for the gals actually. It had been explained to me the necessity in the
dressing room while only I was in clothing,’ tells us Adrian with a
still swoony look in his eye. The flamenco of his words echos still in their
hearts is what they tell us.
Voice On The Water.
Witches of Elswick
My alter ego the rather large Northern folk hero Jed Frauden, introduced
this act at the Black Swan Young Performers night and at Otley Festival.
The Women At No.
13
Not an intro poem as such - more of a ‘meld’. I held an ‘Amnesty’
candle whilst reading the poem and then they went straight into a song they
had prepared specially. It were lovely.
The Cutters
Now this is a good band.
What thrill it was to work with them, to spend time with them, to introduce
them, to be asked to record for them. Wow.
No really. They are real nice natural guys with energy to die for. Listen
look and wish you were as pure. People try to compare them, to classify
them, to analyse, to shove in compartments. I say don’t even listen
to such nonsense! Feel. You don’t get something this good that often
and it bursts out at you if you let it. Don’t trap it in words hold
it in hearts. No one will ever say in the future ‘ That sounds like
the Cutters’ I can’t imagine anyone getting close to it!
We met up at The Crown in Middlesbrough. Tony of Manilla PR had got me along
to do intro poems for The Cutters and The
Golden Virgins and Ed Parrish. Now I will be performing at every one
of their gigs throughout the country. Hang on Ade, don’t get carried
away. That’s not quite true is it. Well no OK. It was like this; I
wrote the intro poem below and as we chatted about the idea (They didn’t
want to hear it beforehand) they came up with the idea of playing their
intro while I did the poems. Have you been to the Crown? If you fell off
that stage you would die. If you did a crowd surf you would have finished
the song before you hit hands. Well maybe not quite that high but….
They don’t make lamp shades big enough for that place - They had to
use half oil drums. Any road up; The sound started, give it one minute they
said and then go up and do yer poem. They disappeared. I waited I went up
I did the job. They appeared from the darkness and walked briskly across
the dance floor (A bit like Tom Cruise in that hit man film of his - well
about that speed anyway) Up the stairs Met me as I was just leaving the
stage All four of them gave me a big smile They each shook my hand They
were straight in there Picked up their instruments The intro stopped They
started playing, Coolest entrance I have ever seen.
Bands and Artists Adrian has worked with