Music: From The Beautiful South to pub landlord

This week I saw a new album entitled '˜Songs From Behind Bars' whereupon I expected a new Folsom Blues or San Quentin tales but no these are bars of the drinking kind and tales gathered form a wide variety of customers.
Dave RotherayDave Rotheray
Dave Rotheray

Let me explain.

You may know David Rotheray from The Beautiful South?

Well he retired over four years ago and opened a pub in his home town of Hull. It was here the stories came in and as resident mine host collected some great local stories tempting him to return to the guitar and make some songs.

Joining him are folk artist Mike Greaves and Irish songwriter Eleanor McEvoy who has the distinction of having the biggest selling Irish album ever with her A Woman’s Heart release from 1993.

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Together we get Greaves’ influence and the harmonies of McEvoy and Rotheray reminiscent of the old Beautiful South hits.

Credited to Prosecco Socialist the first single from last year This Dog’s For Christmas Not For Life showed the humour element too and the pub references heard throughout the 10 tracks. We have the Man Who Faked His Own Life and we have the Queen Of The Afternoon and like the others clever lyrics and good rapport from the small trio all enjoying the experience.

I can imagine this to be the soundtrack to the pub culture and the lives surrounding it.

The Hull City Of Culture according to Rotheray has a 24 hour garage that is closed, a bus stop where buses don’t stop and a pound shop with a sale on.

All too familiar?

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