Rhubarb Thrashers Convention1 Page

Rhubarb Thrashers' Convention No 1

The Stackridge gig at the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis is cancelled.

However ... Mr Mutter Slater and his band, "Little Dixie And The Kickass Rhythm Section" are playing at "The Hope And Anchor" down the road.

Being English (and therefore totally bonkers) The Rhubarb Thrashers sally forth to Lyme Regis ANYWAY.

Here's Andy Lamkowski's description of what happened ...

(This is Lyme Regis. On this particular day, the unpredictable capricious climate of this Sceptred Isle is in fine form. It throws up a perfect gem of a Summer's day... )

Now ... over to Andy.

"Hope is the mother of fools" as a supposedly Polish proverb would have it. Well, given all the goings on of late between the band, I suppose I was a fool as I set off for Lyme Regis. But even though I had a sense of things lost, at least there was a chance to catch up with some chums and and opportunity for them to see Mutter and his band in their natural setting.

"Is there anything more pleasing than an English seaside town on a sunny day in June? Renewal and hope bound together. Freshly painted shop fronts, traders at the start of their season still keen to see the holiday makers making their first outing of the year - good-natured bonhomie all around.

And there in the sun-drenched beer garden - a bunch of happy laughing Thrashers with Mutter in the middle of them. Oh Happy Day! He'd come along for the fun. On that blissful afternoon these are the things that stick out in my mind :-

Sharing a beer with Mutter telling me how he became interested in music. He's also busy writing more songs and has loads more material beyond the stuff he's currently using in his set.

"Strolling along the promenade to join the impromptu games of rounders and footie on the beach and finding Mike and Jennie there. With all the current difficulties within the band, tensions can't be very far from the surface. But from my limited perspective, none of this was evident throughout that delicious, languorous afternoon as Thrashers sat, basked and played in easy companionship.

And then it was time to make the Bridport move

"The "Hope & Anchor" is one of those places where one minute you feel you could be involved in a punch up and the next finding that the "craic" is going to be top class. Do they ever get bored here? I don't think so - and tonight there is a decent sized number of locals waiting expectantly as we arrive, good-naturedly reminding Mutter and the boys that it's time to get on with things.

"Frankie gravitates to the front. Before long a splendidly leonine-coiffured, red-bracered lothario has whisked her into whatever space remains for dancing. Marzo and his T-shirt (with the ever changing motto now proclaiming "Mutter - Sex God") is also to the fore, finding himself becoming a slave to the rhythms. The Grateful Dead's "Bertha" chugs into town and a couple of rousing, rowdy soul numbers culminate in the joyous "Can I Get A Witness."

"And then, joy of joys, Mike wanders up. He
and Mutter are soon adjusting the system to cope with the violin.

Like greyhounds having been given a final rub down with "The Sporting Life", Thrasher expectations are straining at the leash...

"Mike positions himself next to Richie and begins to ease into the first tune taking a neat solo. Cameras that had been flashing steadily throughout the evening suddenly go into overload as a number of us frantically scramble to capture the moment. Then we're building to the climax - "Shaky Ground". I will never be able to do justice to this. It's the bands tour de force and tonight it's monumental. Richie launches a stiletto sharp attack and Mike is suddenly matching and trading with him. For the next five minutes I'm in Heaven. I don't ever want to leave.

"The Thrashers catch the Stackridge Express back to Lyme. I get to motor home, mind in turmoil from the day - and a head full of the tunes. Regrets for those who couldn't be there on this perfect day... . Mike's contribution was majestic. It was the real thing - Folk-Jazz and Swing abandoned - the violin brought to bear on Soul and Rhythm 'n' Blues to demonstrate its range and versatility - and not found wanting. Was he sending a message to Stackridge and The Thrashers that they be foolish to consider reforming without him? If so, he's right - full stop. No point debating it.
Four days later I've still got a foot in the camp of fools and the other one is reaching for that Shaky Ground."

This page was updated on July 21st 2001 by Jennie Evans