Singing for The Rams Collection

L-R: Mike, Stef, Kev

I was recently invited to perform at the opening of a Museum exhibition. Now, having been in the Music business professionally for nearly 35 years, this might be something I could take offence at! But, this is no ordinary exhibition. It is The Rams Collection. Curated by Andy Ellis, author of several Derby County books and a lifelong Rams fan, it is an extraordinary hoard of Derby County Football Club memorabilia that reaches back into the 19th. Century and takes your breath away, particularly, if, like me, you have supported The Rams all your life. Collections like this are fascinating. It is not always the ‘grand pieces’ that draw the gasps, it can be the discarded golden goal ticket, one of so many thousands that lay strewn across the terraces following a match. It evokes a memory, a passion from the past, perhaps something that provokes conversation between Father and Son, as the younger generation finally gain an insight into what it was like to support the club in yesteryear. During discussions about this exhibition which I sat in on with Andy and Peter Bonnell, Curator of The Quad, I saw some amazing stuff! -But i won’t spoil the surprise, come along to opening night and see for yourselves!

Andy Ellis. Picture: http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk

It was C. V. Wedgwood who said: ‘Without passion there might be no errors, but without passion there would certainly be no history‘. – Well, there’s no passion like that of a football fan, and DCFC’s history will be on display at The QUAD, Derby for all to see for 3 months during the summer. I’ll be taking a small band to open the exhibition performing tracks from my DCFC CD “Fan Fayre for the Commons People” live for the first time, comprising Mike Koch my musical cohort from B.C.Sweet and Witch Cross on guitar, my lifelong mate Stef Cybichowski (After the Fire, and soon to be BCS!) on Drums and special guest Tom Leary (Lindisfarne/feast of Fiddles/Clem Clempson) on fiddle. Derby County Club Captain Shaun Barker will be doing a DJ set to follow.

Tom Leary

For our part, while I’m over from Spain, we’re hoping to turn it into a fun little ‘micro-tour’. – On Saturday June 7th, Me, Mike and Stef under the name of ‘Straight Shooters’ will be performing an exclusive set of Bad Company and Free numbers at the Uxbridge Arms in nearby Burton -on – Trent, and we’re looking at a venue to host us on the Friday night too. to complete a hat-trick, if you will!

Kev Moore

Back to the Grindstone….

This week I’m trying to do some more preparatory work on my next solo album, whilst also being “on call” for Mike from BC Sweet who is putting the finishing touches to one of our new tracks. I’m in the “workmanlike” stage of my project, where I’m detailing every dodgy piano note, repairing bits here and there and generally trying to knock into shape ideas that are not yet complete songs. It doesn’t feel particularly creative, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Once I’m back in the swing of things it should move along nicely, but the sunshine has a way of luring you away from the studio!

I’ve also been distracted by my football team’s (Derby County) legendary victory over our bitterest rivals (Nottingham Forest) and felt compelled to record a version of “Wish you were Here” to commemorate it! You can download it here:

We’ve been quite busy with BC Sweet too, involving a lot of travelling, so that’s kept me away from the studio at times. Still, I have time to get cracking on my usual stuff, as my next show with BC Sweet isn’t until mid October.

Kev Moore

Just like the Old Days

A week or so ago, I went to see my beloved Derby County play Barnsley at Pride Park stadium with my Dad. Now, whilst I’ve been to Pride park before – even sang there – it was the first time we’d sat together for a match since the heady days of the early 70’s, witnessing the magic that Brian Clough and Peter Taylor brought to the club. The venue was different then, of course – not a shiny modern stadium, but the intimacy of the old Baseball Ground, almost on top of the treacherous pitch, daunting for the opposition.

To sit with Dad again felt like completing the circle. After all, Brian’s sons appointment as Manager and my football education through my Father prompted me to write “Derby Pride”. Fast forward several years since that song and Nigel’s appointment, and we’ve witnessed everything- hard times, spectacular falls from grace, a shining period of sublime total football, followed swiftly by total collapse. The phrase “no-one said it was going to be easy” hardly seems to cover it. If we didn’t know it before, we know now – Nigel Clough has a long hard road ahead.  Watching the game with Dad, I saw some reasons to be optimistic. We kept a clean sheet, loanee Jamie Ward looked an industrious lad, but we were making too many unforced errors, almost beating oursleves, as it were. Nevertheless, at the time of writing, we’d managed to grind out a massively important win this weekend against high-flying Swansea.  This club will rise again, but it will take longer than some can stomach. But then, supporting Derby County was never for the faint-hearted.

What it is for though, is Fathers and Sons.*

* View/12YO – AND daughters!! 😉

Kev Moore

Come on England!

The campaign for Hat trick of Lions – the England football anthem adaptation of Jeff Christie’s Yellow River gathers pace. Appearing on BBC Look North yesterday, Jeff spoke about it, and about the continuation of the band Christie, of which I’m proud to be a part. You can watch both the Look North segment and a new video for the song below.

It’s available from June 7th as a digital download from itunes, so here’s hoping we get to the final and then we can fly out to Jo’burg for a special appearance with Jeff!

Kev Moore

Progress against the Pilgrims?

Today, Derby County face Plymouth Argyle at Pride Park. The second home game of the season, with the players keen to turn our stadium into a “fortress”. It’s an important game to win, for whilst we opened our account with a win against Mr. Ferguson Junior’s Peterborough, and got a hard fought point away to Blackpool, the two games in between, against Rotherham and Scunthorpe respectively, have been less than inspiring.

But, nick some points away and win your home games, and you’re always going to be there or thereabouts. So come on Derby and take the wind out of the Pilgrims sails!

Celebrating the game today with another piece of art from Miki’s “Countdown for the Commons People” calendar. As you can see, ever the safety-conscious artist, Miki has furnished the “Kevram” with a lifebelt!

Don’t forget, the “Fan Fayre for the Commons People CD” is still available by clicking the links in the sidebar.

Kev Moore

Countdown for the Commons People!

It’s here!  The Calendar that runs from August 2009 to July 2010, commemorating Derby County and featuring exclusive artwork by Miki, based on the “KevRam” character from the “Fan fayre for the Commons People” CD battling against the Chamionship opposition month by month in an amusing fashion! This Calendar is a STRICTLY LIMITED collectors item, with a print run of just 125, to symbolise our historic club.

Available in either “slimline” or A3 formats, they’re a great way to keep track of important dates, such as when we beat Forest home and away, AGAIN!  Grab a little bit of history now, buy from our ONLINE SHOP or from the RT stall at the Clough’s Way event, which takes place at the Assembly Rooms on Thursday July 2nd.

Shown here is the Front and back views of the A3 Calendar. each month features a piece of art depicting the “KevRam” battling the likes of Ipswich, Swansea, Doncaster, Peterboro’, etc. – in very humorous guises!

Front

Back

The Season’s just around the corner……Come on you Rams!!!

Kev Moore

Calendar preview – Shot-stopping Liz

Time to give you all a sneek peek at another artwork piece from the “Countdown for the Commons People” football season calendar featuring the “KevRam” logo from the “Fan Fayre” CD. (Don’t forget, you can get your CD by clicking on the links here on the site, the “Red Dog” limited edition is selling fast, so don’t miss out!)

Today, it’s the turn of Swansea City, who after flirting with the play-offs, remain in the thick of it with us next season. For those who don’t understand why the Queen is keeping goal – check the history books!

(See also the Leicester artwork)

Kev Moore

Artwork © 2009 by Miki

Advance orders now being taken

It’s here! April 17th means you can now secure your copy of Kev’s “Fan Fayre for the Commons people CD”, and it will be shipped out to you on the release date of April 25th.

Choose between the DCFC Endorsed edition, or the Strictly limited (500 ONLY) “Red Dog” edition with special artwork. Both versions contain 12 great songs in celebration of Derby County. Just visit our ONLINE STORE and select music, or browse ShopKEV and follow the links!

DCFC Approved edition

Limited "Red Dog" Edition

The History of Derby County in just under 5 minutes

So, another track completed, a re-working of Billy Joel’s “We didn’t Start the fire” – transformed into “We’ll always be the Derby”. It was a challenge to tell the story of DCFC , almost chronologically, and fit it into the feel of the song, but I just about managed it, with a little help from fellow 606ers Addisons a Monster and MapRead. The lyrics have morphed a little from the original idea sketched out earlier in my blog, but not much. Click on the Player to hear the teaser clip. The accompanying lyrics are below:

Born in 1884, Right after the Boer War
’88 we helped to build the Football league

Harry Newbould Jimmy Methven Cecil Potter Stu MacMillan
Ted Magner Jack Barker Harry Storer leave

Steve Bloomer and the “B’s” Gallacher takes second place
Charlton extra time 4-1 and doing fine
Gypsy curse, bad to worse, ’53 leave the first
Third division beckoning, syonara, goodbye

We’ll always be the Derby
Since the league was started and we won’t be parted
We’ll always be the Derby
And we’ll keep on winning with the fans all singing

Tim Ward had it tough, passed the reins to Brian Clough
What a fella!  put the mighty Rams on top
Roy Mac, Archie G, Hector, Hinton, Hennessy
Dave Mackay, Colin Todd – Solid as a rock

Boulton first seen, now we’ve got a winning team
First Division ’69 Finished fourth the first time
Spartak, Benfica, all of Europe coming here
Bitter taste –  what disgrace, trouble with the “Juves”

CHORUS

Dave Mackay’s what it took, Suffered “Real” bad luck
“Longson out!” – we all shout, Cloughies legend there’s no doubt
Call the Doc – 2 years on-  ’80 and going down
Third division Suicide -what for 1985?

Two seasons Arthur Cox turns the tide and stops the rot
Second tier, better show, won it at the first go
Fifth in 1989 Shilton, Saunders doin’ fine
UEFA pandemonium cos of Heysel Stadium

CHORUS

Maxwell blackened name, leaves the “Lady Ghislaine”
Derby, teetering, bought by Lionel Pickering
Record signing-mania following our failure
Roy Mac comes back, Fester city, soon sacked
Jim Smith, Stimac, Second place and we’re back
Premier league- I’m blown away – what else do I have to say?

CHORUS

Finish 12th, like a dream, Steve McClaren on the scene
Baiano, Eranio two good seasons here we go
Seemed like we were doing fine, terror on the decline
Bald eagle on his own, one above the drop zone

Gregory, Burley, bought by Peter Gadsby
Phil Brown, nearly down , saved by Terry Westley
Billy Davies play- off show, betrayed after that though
Money mess, must confess – blame the three amigos!

CHORUS

Premier season of doom, one win in a blue moon
Davies on his bike and now the Jewell don’t shine
Tacky tabloid exposé, cannot get the team to play
Jewell has lost the dressing room, GSE a fortune

Adam Pearson ’09 Derby make the headlines
Nigel Clough, has the stuff, management the players love
Commons, Teale, Savage too they all want to play for you
Derby pass it on the floor, you wont beat us anymore!

CHORUS

©  Kev Moore 2009

The Tealinho Mambo

A sneak peak at another one of the tracks from the forthcoming “Fan Fayre for the Commons People” CD now, an edited teaser clip of “The Tealinho Mambo” – chronicling the phoenix-like rise of Derby County winger Gary Teale. Click on the player to listen, sample lyrics below!

“….Cloughie sprinkled on some magic dust
Now to start him in the team’s a must
We thought his career had bit the dust

We love to see Tealinho on the ball
He doesn’t look like Gary Teale at all

but a different name can win the game

Senor – who is this Gary Teale?

Does he play for Boca Juniors? -No
Does he play for de River Plate? -No
Does he play for Santiago? -No
Does he play for  Real Madrid? -No

NO- He is Tealinho, he play for Derby County!
Aiee! Caramba!”

© lyrics and music copyright Kev Moore 2009