"Luke Philbrick & the Solid Gone Skiffle Invasion" releases album "Luke Philbrick & the Solid Gone Skiffle Invasion"
Innovative roots rock and skiffle music drawing on traditional blues, jazz and folk influences and with frequent forays into gypsy-tinged psychedelia. Breathtakingly powerful vocals, raw delta blues styled guitar and an almost tribal foot-stomping beat combine with a potent cocktail of saxophone, violin, and harmonica to create a special atmosphere.
Songs are distinctive and original relating to subjects such as slavery, losing one’s religion, death, cowboys and his father-in-law going to hell!
Hailing from South West England, Luke Philbrick and the Solid Gone Skiffle Invasion! have built up a strong local fan-base always leaving audiences wanting more during their many travels throughout the UK and Europe. Performances often feature homemade instruments, improvised jam sessions and a dynamic line up from stripped back solo shows, all the way up to seven or so performers if the audience wants to party on into the night!
Essentially a live skiffle session, the bulk of this LP was cut at The Forge located at the Heart of England in late 2021 with overdubs added throughout 2022-3 adding a rich array of flavours to the rough-and-ready rhythm and call-and-response singing. The songs swing from gospel influenced blues to gypsy-jazz and folk, capturing the diversity and energy of the band’s live shows. We hope you enjoy...
"Powerful, wild and a masterpiece of blues" (User feedback provided via Submithub´s "Hot or Not")
...That slide guitar is nasty and brilliant... There's something menacing, yet humorous here... - Alt77
...The intense vocals are just amazing... - PlaylistSubs
...An instantly engaging track with upbeat driving beat, growling slide guitar, really cool... - Zoe Konez
"Luke Philbrick & the Solid Gone Skiffle Invasion" releases on Friday, 24.11.2023
Credits:
Voice/Guitars: Luke Philbrick
Drums/Voice: Jake Philbrick
Double Bass/Voice: Glen Lawrence
Harmonica/Voice: Julian Roe
Clarinet/Saxophone/Flute/Voice: Anthony Grant
Mandolin/Voice: Maddy James
Voice: Meg Hayden
All tracks by L. Philbrick except Summertime (George Gershwin), Drunken Sailor (Trad.), Angie (L. Philbrick; Davey Graham), The Healing Crow (L. Philbrick; Damon T), No more, In My Time of Dying,
Let My People Go and Johnny Still Ain’t Home (L. Philbrick; Trad.).
Recorded Live 21-23
Engineered by Tom Gittens (Monochrome Productions)
Mixed by Jake Philbrick
About the Songs
No More
No more my lord I ain’t never turning back no more
Why test my faith? Why do you tempt me to fall from grace?
I think I’ll live my life away from the glare of your white light
No more my lord I ain’t never turning back no more
Based on an unaccompanied spiritual song from an old Alan Lomax recording, this take twists the opening phrase around from its original apologetic meaning to dismiss the idea of going back to an abusive relationship…
P.I.G.
Knock knock who’s there at the door its getting late I’m having nobody over
Knock knock who’s there at the door by the hair of my chin
Little piggy its me at the door the big bad wolf I’m coming over for dinner
Little piggy its me at the door won’t you please let me in
Or I’ll huff and I’ll puff until I blow your house down right down to the floorboards
I’ll huff and I’ll puff until I blow your house down
You can’t build a house out of sticks and straw don’t believe me just ask your two sisters
You can’t build a house out of sticks and straw so come on let me in
I didn’t make this house out of sticks and straw I built it myself out of bricks and mortar
I didn’t make this house out of sticks and straw not by the hair of my chin
So you’ll huff and you’ll puff until you blow yourself out right down to the to your last breath
You’ll huff and you’ll puff until you blow yourself out
I’ll catch my breath and climb up your wall cross your roof and come down your chimney
I’ll catch my breath and climb up your wall by the hair of your chin
If I catch you climbing up my wall I’ll get some tinder and I’ll tend the fire
If I catch you climbing up my wall you can let yourself in
You’ll huff and you’ll puff until you throw yourself right down to your death
You’ll huff and you’ll puff until you throw yourself down
I’ll huff and I’ll puff until I blow myself out right down to the cinders
I’ll huff and I’ll puff until I blow myself out
The three little pigs in song form!
Wanted
The hangman said I want to hang him today wanna make him sweat a bucket wanna make him pay
For a fistful of dollars bring him before the law bring him in alive for a few dollars more
I found the wanted man drinking at the bar he said I don’t know who the hell you think you are
I’m gonna take you outside gonna make you dance gonna bleed you good you don’t stand a chance
I can hear the howling in the wind I can see the sweat start to burn his skin I can feel his fingers start to itch inside he is champing at the bit
I know he can’t take it anymore any second now and he’s gonna draw when I can see it in his eyes I pull the trigger and watch him die
I just took his lousy messed up life I just made a widow of his wife I made an orphan of his boy turned his daddy into a lifeless toy
Written in homage to the Spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone…
Johnny Still Ain’t Home
Its 2021 and we’re all out packing guns and all I know is johnny still ain’t home
Its 2022 and there’s more red than white and blue and all I know is johnny still ain’t home
Its 2023 and no one seems to be free and all I know is johnny still ain’t home
Its 2024 when they declare all out war and all I know is johnny still ain’t home
Its 2025 and no one got out alive and all I know is johnny still ain’t home
Based on an old American Civil War song which, in light of the recent polarisation of American cultural/political camps, seems chillingly relevant today…
The Boat Song
Outside its blowing a gale but can you feel it putting wind in your sail so take me by the hand as cold as a graveyard in December in a far away land
If we get caught on the rocks I’d grab your hat your earrings I’m very sari but please understand that this here boat ain’t got no anchor so baby on my command abandon ship
When we crawl out from the shipwreck we’ll mark the spot by leaving an ex right here in the sand where we will bury the treasure along with all of our plans
Written about a boat…
Black Diamond Express to Hell
The train that I ride is coming into call right here at Gloucester terminal
I thought I’d seen it all before but never did I see a more wretched hive of scum and villainy
The conductor’s calling all aboard that black diamond express to hell
He said step right on up ladies and gentlemen all you local frauds and charlatans
There’s no need for tickets this is your ride your salvation has arrived
We’re departing all aboard that black diamond express to hell
I’m sorry but did you think that was your stop well you ain’t ever getting off
Didn’t you hear me call we’re hellbound and we’re going deeper underground
I guess we’re staying all aboard that black diamond express to hell
Inspired by an A. W. Nix sermon and gifted to those who frequent Gloucester’s favourite haunts…
Let My People Go
See the land of Palestine let me people go
The adopted home of the Ishmaelites let my people go
Go down Moses to the promised land go tell old Pharaoh let my people go
Racism institutionalised let my people go
No one free to criticise let my people go
Go down Moses to the promised land go tell old Pharaoh let my people go
Look into old Pharaoh’s eyes let my people go
Demand and end to apartheid let my people go
Go down Moses to the promised land go tell old Pharaoh let my people go
This interpretation of the classic spiritual highlights some of the analogues between the struggles faced by the Isrealites of the Bible with those of many modern-day Palestinians… Just to be clear, the message isn’t one born out of any antisemitic agenda, but rather of a hope to elicit empathy for an oppressed people.
Angie
A little loving’s what I need
Cross my eyes and dot my Ts
A cup of continental coffee
A little loving’s what I need
A little Angie
Save me your sympathy
A little is what I need
So c’mon baby set me free
‘cos I’ve been waiting so god damn long
A standard of the London Folk scene in the 60s, Angie (regardless of how you spell it!) was apparently composed for a girl who worked at Continental Café – Davey Graham’s original and the possibly more famous reinterpretations from Bert Jansch and Paul Simon are instrumental guitar pieces but here we add words to help tell the story...
In My Time of Dying
In my time of Dying don’t want nobody to moan all I want you to do is bring my body home
Well well well so I can die easy Jesus gonna make up my dying bed
Meet me Jesus in the middle of the air if these wings should fail me meet me with another pair
Well well well so I can die easy Jesus gonna make up my dying bed
I’m going on down to the river stick my sword in the sand shout my troubles over I made it to the promised land
Well well well so I can die easy Jesus gonna make up my dying bed
In my time of dying don’t want nobody to cry all I want for you to do is bury me when I die
Well well well so I can die easy Jesus gonna make up my dying bed
An old gospel interpreted by many seminal artists (Blind Willie Johnson, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin to name but a few) the great thing about this song is that each version treats it wildly different from the next; this is our take…
Summertime
Summertime and the living is easy fishes jumping and the cotton is high
Your daddy's rich and your mama’s good looking so hush little baby don't you cry
One of these mornings you're gonna rise up singing spread your wings and take
to the sky
But until that morning there's nothing can harm you with Mummy and Daddy standing by
The Healing Crow
Carve my name in stone save this wandering soul carry me home calling on the healing crow
Those are the words to your song since your bird has flown now I sing them alone calling on the healing crow. You felt it in your bones soon you’d have to go journey on beyond calling on the healing crow.
A tribute to our friend and collaborator in all things musical, Damon T, who sadly lost his battle with
Cancer. The Healing Crow was born from our last meeting before he passed, where he handed over a set of handwritten lyrics he wanted to sing together on what he knew would be his final album… we never had the chance but this song was written in memory and tribute… Rest in peace brother x
Drunken Sailor
What shall we do with the drunken sailor early in the morning
Put him in the guardroom until he gets sober early in the morning
Put him in the long boat and make him bail her early in the morning
Put him in bed with the captain’s daughter early in the morning
What shall we do with the drunken sailor???
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