Well that’s it for another week from us dear reader – AUK is down at Black Deer so if you are down there and see one of us (not me sadly!) with a press pass on do come and say hello and harangue us for giving your favourite artist 5 out of 10 in 2017. Or if on the other hand you’re not there, while away a couple of hours by listening to the new superb podcast of some of the best americana around from AUK’s Keith Hargreaves which you can listen to here. We leave you this week with the very sad news of the passing of Ronnie Clark, one half of Liverpool’s Southbound Attic Band with my very good friend and ex-AUK Interviews Editor Barry Jones. For many years I promoted with Barry, along with Chris Stevens, various nights including a regular one at the View Two Gallery in Matthew Street, evenings which always opened with Barry and Ronnie, and honestly they were magical – both musically and also because of the bond between the two of them which produced some of the finest comedy I’ve ever seen over the years, all possible because of the strength of their friendship.
Barry writes of Ronnie on the Southbound Attic Band website: “A rock guitarist from an early age, Ronnie had played in the original Cavern and had seen The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix live, and although he didn’t think of himself as a bass player at all, he developed his own style, much admired by musicians and punters alike and I consider myself very lucky to have had him play and enhance my musical compositions. But beyond that, he loved to entertain, and we had so much fun playing that the inter-song banter became as much part of the show as the songs. I’d like to think that the song performances were well rehearsed and tight, but the banter was always improvised on the spot and amused ourselves just as much as it appeared to amuse the audience! I couldn’t have asked for more from a band-mate and I can’t begin to imagine what life will be like without him.”
Ronnie will be sorely missed by all of those here at AUK who remember him. Our love goes out to his family and of course to Barry too. RIP Ronnie. And here’s a clip of SAB in fine fettle at Anglsey’s Folk on the Farm back in 2015. See you on Monday.
I was absolutely gutted to hear this news this week. As everyone who had met Ronnie says, he was a lovely person and will be greatly missed. Together with Barry “Southbound Attice Band” were firm favourites on the local scene and much further afield. Deepest condolences to Ronnie’s family and Barry.