ARTICLES
Touring again with Steve PhillipsPhoto Carolyn Dean
The 1998 Steve Phillips/Brendan Croker tour was very successful. This was
the first time the two Notting Hillbillies had toured together since their
'Nev and Norris' days some ten years ago.
Steve used his Beltona resonator (Les Paul Shape) and six and twelve
string
guitars he built himself. Brendan also used his 'Phillips' six string so
the
sounds of the guitars were very complimentary. They tended to vary the set
list a little each night but they generally played a mixture of country
blues numbers such as Cool Drink of Water, Rope Stretchin' Blues and the
fabulous Red River Blues, and guitar rags such as Just Pickin', Dallas Rag
and Boogie Woogie Dance.
They also did songs they had penned themselves such as Steve's brilliant
and hugely emotional Burning Sand and Brendan's Poor Boy In This Town. They
played one or two gospel numbers like Which Way Will You Turn?. Familiar
to NHBs fans were songs such as Blues Stay Away From Me, Railroad Worksong,
Beweildered, Will You Miss Me, Hobo's Lullaby, I Feel Like Going Home and
KC Moan. Brendan tried to deliver his vocals in a different way to how they
are usually done by the 'Billies which was very interesting to hear. Classics
included That's All right, Mama, Drinking Wine and, for an encore, a rousing
version of Leadbelly's Goodnight Irene.
They usually played two sets, the first being around 45 minutes and the
second about an hour. During the tour Brendan splashed out to buy his own
personal mirror-ball which also made an appearance at Ronnie Scotts - ah,
romance is not dead!!
Mark Knopfler about Brendan Croker
Special Thanks to Terry Kilburn
