Entertainment For Lively Minds
Wombles and Spedding
Posted by Jono_13 on 23 September 2011 - 6:02pm.
The recent article about Chris Spedding and his involvement with the Wombles would suggest our paths crossed in '73/'74 at the house of my friend Guy Hanson.
I have a vivid memory, aged 10ish, of the band milling about in Guy's lounge, heads off, drinking and smoking for all they were worth. It certainly made an impression on me.
Guy's father, John, gave me one of albums in '74 after I passed my 11+. Sadly it has got lost over time.
Jono
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There are two concerts I have practically no memory of...
that I was supposedly present at. The first was Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac on Hampstead Heath in 1969 when I was just a few months old. My Mum has a vague recollection of being there with me. The second was The Wombles on a bandstand on... Hampstead Heath... in around 1975. I can remember the snouts and the fur.
Fleetwood Mac's appearance on Hampstead Heath in 1969
lasted less than 3 songs before skinheads invaded the site throwing bottles and coins at the band bringing the evening to an end.
Even though it was a free concert we felt robbed.
That's about all I can remember except I think Duster Bennett and The Edgar Broughton Band were on the bill (but they played most of the freebies at that time).
Oh yeh! There was this woman with a baby beating a hasty retreat. Took very good care of it she did.
Excuse me, sorry, but
"Heads off" what do you mean?
I could be wrong...
But I picture Ver Wombles in Wombles suits sans Womble Heads.
Heads Off.
You are not wrong
five or six full size chaps Womble suits from the neck down, hairy bloke from the neck up.
Very odd moment.
Massive Wombles fan, here.
I once passed Mike Batt coming out of a radio interview while I was going in to promote my own book, and basically told him Wombling Songs was one of the most gloriously produced records I've ever heard. Not just children's records, but records full stop. The great man sneered at me, told me I was mad, that it was a piece of crap. And marched off.
Do you know? Somewhere in Wimbledon, a womble died that day.
And I guess the lesson is: never meet your hero producers. 'hey, wanna meet a prissy, Thatcher-supporting creator of a dismal West End turkey'? Errrrr....
But listen to me: Mike Batt is such a pop genius he had no hesitation in throwing away a melody that, had it appeared in the Top 40 circa 1973 would now be deemed a stone cold classic in the Waterloo Sunset mould. From 'Wombling Songs', I give you: Dreaming in the Sun, feat one Chris Spedding.