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Mike Knee
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Mike Knee's Music

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In music I am a "Jack-of-many-trades but master of none".

My musicianship is shaped by church choirs, chamber choirs, learning trumpet and trombone at school, teaching myself acoustic guitar and bass guitar and playing in one or two rock and folk bands and church music groups.  I have had two short stretches of piano tuition in adult life but I am not very good at it.

I have written various songs over the years and have also branched out into more "classical" composition by writing a cantata "The Beatitudes" to words written by my friend Lesley Leon, based on the famous "Blessed are..." sayings of Jesus.  I have a particular love of sacred choral music, born in my 20 years in the choir of St John the Evangelist, Merrow (near Guildford) and cemented by three years of regular worship in the chapel of Clare College, Cambridge, listening to (and on rare occasions singing with) its world-class choir.  A while later I had a wonderful year conducting the choir of the Anglican Chaplaincy in Strasbourg in 1993-4.  I have led a children's choir at my church and run workshops on how to sing Anglican psalm chant.  I sing tenor in Petersfield Chamber Choir, in an a cappella choir called The Free Radicals (the name was my silly idea) run by Steve Sargent, and most recently in the Rosemary Consort, half from Petersfield and half from Cambridge, conducted by Louisa Denby.

My guitar style is "contemporary folk" or "thoughtful acoustic".  I very much like Oysterband, Show of Hands (Steve Knightley and Phil Beer) and (especially, but much more recently) Mumford & Sons.  I have been part of a (now dormant) four-piece folk band "Highly Strung".  I write and perform songs, often with Lorna who plays flute and sings.  Our duo is called "Hat&CoatTails".  I play bass in (and sometimes lead with guitar) our church band and in Jonathan Thompson's band.  I play a Stagg electric upright bass, which is great fun to play, and one day I'd like to get hold of a real double bass.  And in November 2011 my old friend Marie-Claire Greening and I formed a brand new band, Taro, with our newer friend Richard Barnes.

Find me on MySpace at myspace.com/mikeknee  (now somewhat superseded by Bandcamp).  TOP TIP:  Don't  do what I did, which is to open a regular MySpace account and then try to convert it to a music one.  It takes several weeks and lots of frustration!

Here is a simple blog of my musical activities.   Items played for the first time are underlined.  For no particular reason other than space, I don't normally record my contributions to church music.
Saturday 9 February
With Lorna, again as Hat&CoatTails, kicking off "Asthma Aid", a great evening of music at the Half Moon, Sheet organised by Alison Strudwick as part of her pre-London-Marathon fundraising effort.
  • Cave of Many Colours
  • Tilted Windmill Waltz
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Shanghai
  • Lie of the Land
  • Ballade pour Anne
  • November 1989
  • Give me your Hand
  • The Glorious 12th
  • Tricot première formule
  • Seven Days
  • Farewell
We were (rightly) eclipsed by Deepblue Jazz, which Joel had turned into a quartet, and then by Dreamweaver, plus impromptu input on their first song from Joel and David on trombone and sax.
Sunday  27 January 2013

Hat &CoatTails' first proper pub gig, a 2-hour set at the lovely Sussex Brewery in Emsworth - what nice people and a nice place to play.  Here goes...
  • Merrily Kiss / Let Sophie out
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Shanghai
  • Tom Bhetty's Waltz
  • Tilted Windmill Waltz
  • Old Maids of Galway
  • Home Away From Home
  • Earth's Shadow Rising
  • Newbarn Hanger
  • The Glorious 12th (a new tune of mine)
  • Breton set
  • Tricot première formule
  • Easter Eve
  • Lie of the Land
  • Waiting for an Angel (reprise)
  • Shanghai (reprise)
  • November 1989
  • Late Junction
  • On the Border
  • The Butterfly
  • Le Varie V
  • Give me your Hand
  • Midlife Crisis (me only)
  • Changing Lives in Bordon (me only)
  • Imber
  • Widecombe Fair
  • Ballade pour Anne
  • Sunset over Foula
  • Cave of Many Colours
  • Seven Days
  • High Germany
  • Farewell
  • November 1989 (reprise)
  • Give me your Hand (reprise)
A very successful and enjoyable evening!  It gets easier and more fun when you have time to get into the groove!
Thursday 29 November 2012
Vic's Buskers at the Bat and Ball, Farnham.  I think I only did one song:
  • Prospect Lane
Joel's jazz duo Deepblue Jazz also played.
Thursday 15 November 2012
Lorna and I played again at the Horns, Crondall as guests of WychWood .  This was a great evening.  I think we played
  • Lie of the Land?
  • Cave of Many Colours?
  • Imber?
  • Tricot première formule?
  • November 1989
For Nov 89 we added Marie's flute part for the verses, which we worked out by listening to the CD in the car, and which Lorna practiced while we were driving along!  Made me realise what a long instrument the flute is!

WychWood are a friendly bunch  and we really enjoyed this evening.
Saturday 10 November 2012
The Rosemary Consort gave a concert at St Peter's Church, Petersfield.
Saturday 3 November 2012
The Free Radicals shared a concert with others to celebrate the organ restoration at Chalton Church.
Thursday 25 October 2012
Vic's Buskers at the Bat and Ball, Farnham.
  • Pearls across the sand
  • Changing lives in Bordon
  • Autumn leaves
The Bordon song went down particularly well.  Other highlights were a new singer Emily, the folk band WychWood (who offered me a guest slot at their next evening at the Horns) and of course the wonderful Chloe Reynolds.
Thursday 11 October 2012
A guest slot for Vic at the Horns in Crondall.  Another Hat & CoatTails gig:
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Cave of many colours
  • Shanghai
  • Tricot première formule
  • Earth's Shadow Rising

Tuesday 2 October 2012
With Lorna again at last!  We played at Vic's Buskers (Lorna's first time) at the Row Barge in Guildford.  I sold 2 CDs and Lorna was offered the chance to play her flute for another band's recording session..
  • Shanghai
  • Tricot première formule
  • Earth's Shadow Rising
Good to be back playing again
Saturday 1 September 2012
The Rosemary Consort sang the beautiful service of Compline in East Meon Church.  I was the cantor, which made for a lot of singing overall.  I did succeed in going down a tone through the service.
Saturday 25 August 2012
The Roots stage at Greenbelt!  Family and friends and a few others in the audience, who amazingly didn't leave when it started to rain!
Mike on Roots StageAudience at Roots Stage
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • National Park
  • How was it for you?
  • Standing Tall
  • Lie of the Land (sing along!)
  • Easter Eve (with Logarhythm box)
  • Pearls Across the Sand
  • Silent Swan
This was quite a success - I think I played pretty well (had to borrow a guitar strap) but I was in a low-key mood so I didn't mention CDs etc. at the end - and nobody asked me.  On the way back to the campsite we were caught in a devastating cloudburst that destroyed my box of CDs (though not the CDs themselves) and several items of my music, which I hadn't needed anyway!
Tuesday 21 Audust 2012
At Write Angle:
  • Easter Eve
  • A Pretty Penny by Steve Tilston
For A Pretty Penny I used the DADGBD tuning for the first time.  Seemed to work OK.
Thursday 2 August 2012
Vic's Buskers at the Railway, Alton
  • Pearls Across the Sand (I think)
  • National Park (I think)
  • Easter Eve (with Logarhythm box, first outing!)
Tuesday 10 July 2012
Vic's Buskers at the Ham and Blackbird, Farnborough.  An urban, multi-level pub, and a bit surprising to find that the small audience was a listening audience.  Great stuff from Deepblue Jazz of course.  And I was pleased that Vic asked me for an extra song:
  • How was it for you?
  • Count your Footprints
  • Turn me Tender
  • National Park
Friday 6 July 2012
Repeat performance by the Free Radicals, this time at Petersfield Methodist Church.  As predicted, two extra rehearsals led to some improvements.  Here are some YouTube clips:
Tuesday 3 July 2012
Vic's Buskers at the Row Barge, Guildford (very near where I used to live).  Deepblue Jazz played a great set.

I played
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Standing Tall
  • Pearls Across the Sand
A nice atmosphere, and I didn't mind that not many were listening, so it was both endearing and embarrassing that Vic gave the audience a bit of a telling off!
Monday 25 June 2012
Taro played a relatively long open mic set at Vic's Buskers at the Market Hotel, Alton.  A great venue to play in, and a chance to have another go at numbers we had premiered at Uppark:
  • Seven Days
  • Whiskey Lullaby
  • Exhilarating Sadness
  • Stones in the Road
We were preceded by my son Joel and his friend Jonny as "Deepblue Jazz".  They were brilliant!
Saturday 16 June 2012
Taro played at the RNLI Summer Party at Uppark House.  A very echoey venue, difficult to be heard, especially as the audience wanted us turned down so they could talk, because that was also difficult.  A bit of a test for us, our longest gig, and the first use of my small Peavey PA system I bought on eBay.  It was better when we turned the bass down and the treble up.  Many first performances for us.  This was the set list:
  • Who will raise their voice?
  • Stones in the Road, by Mary Chapin Carpenter
  • Share the Darkness, by the Saw Doctors
  • The Voyage
  • Life in the old dog
  • November 1989
  • When my  rowboat comes in
  • Whiskey Lullaby, by Alison Krauss
  • Exhilarating Sadness, by the Saw Doctors
  • Ride On, by Christy Moore
  • February, by Jukebox Gypsy
  • Pearls Across the Sand
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Seven Days
You live and learn!
Friday 15 June 2012
The Free Radicals performed "Songs for Summer" at Chalton Church, which is always a joyful place to sing in, especially with the chance to repair to the Red Lion over the road afterwards.  A smaller than usual audience, possibly because we are going to repeat the concert in Petersfield in three weeks' time.  I won't list everything here, but here are a few highlights, including those I had a particular part in other than just as one of the choir...
  • A Bach organ fugue arranged for choir and double bass, the latter being provided by my Stagg upright - a first for the Free Rads!
  • Steve's wonderful arrangement of Seal's "Kiss From A Rose" with me and Marie as soloists - but I bottled out of the top C!
  • Stanford's "Blue Bird" with Marie as soloist.  A beautiful song, beautifully sung - I think it got the audience's vote!
  • Randy Newman's "Short People" which we hammed up quite a bit!
  • Java Jive "as recorded by Manhattan Transfer" - anouther audience favourite I think
Not bad - a few ragged edges.  It will be better after a couple more rehearsals.
Tuesday 10 April 2012
Taro at the Green Man Folk Cub, this time at the warmer venue of the Pheasant in Farringdon. Fewer performers, mostly singing solo and unaccompanied.  I think we sang
  • Seven Days
  • Aslan
  • Who will raise their voice?
  • November 1989
  • Waiting for an Angel
Friday 16 March 2012
Taro's first paid gig!  We were well received as the entertainment at the RNLI annual dinner at Petersfield Golf Club.  This was quite a daunting venture, as we also had to provide a sound system, and we "borrowed" the amazing Bose system from Life Church in Petersfield.  That is a dream to set up!

One reason for the appreciation was the fact that we had made an effort to put together a set with a strong nautical theme.  Here's what we played:
  • The Sailor's Hornpipe (Marie on piccolo!)
  • The Voyage
  • Ready for the Storm
  • Who will raise their voice?
  • When my rowboat comes in
  • Seven Days
  • Aslan
  • November 1989
Tuesday 21 February 2012
Taro were invited at short notice to be the main guests at Write Angle.  Our first big break!  Set list:
  • Who will raise their voice?
  • The Voyage
  • Ready for the Storm
  • Life in the Old Dog, by Richard
  • Brand New Set of Wheels, by Richard
  • Aslan
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Pearls Across the Sand
  • November 1989
  • Seven Days
Some great comments and reviews, and a promise to be invited back!  Not bad...
Tuesday 17 January 2012
At Write Angle:
  • Pearls across the Sand
  • Standing Tall
  • Turn Me Tender (Martyn Joseph)
These went down very well.
Thursday 12 January 2012
An invitation to play a guest slot at Vic's event at The Horns at Crondall.  This was one of my best, most relaxed performances and the audience and ambience were great.  I played
  • Count your Footprints
  • National Park
  • Standing Tall
Met Mark Nelson, who is am amazing guitarist and great singer, and he plays guitar flat on his lap with his left hand only, three short fingers making the chords and his thumb sounding the strings.  And no electronic trickery.  An inspiration!
Thursday 29 December 2011
Joel and I played at Vic's Buskers at the Bat and Ball near Farnham.  I played
  • National  Park (I think)
  • Open Face
and Joel did his first solo pub performance, playing (on keyboard) and singing Hard Shoulder by Steve Knightley.  Bit of a strange, disjointed venue, but lots of people there.
Tuesay 13 December 2011
Taro at the Green Man Folk Club at Four Marks Golf Club.  It was FREEZING, but we had a reasonably warm welcome!
  • Wo will raise their voice?
  • The Voyage
Saturday 10 December 2011
Petersfield Chamber Choir at St Peter's, Petersfield, singing excerpts from Handel's Messiah and various short Christmas pieces.  Notable for me by my being the only first tenor, which made life hard but I love a challenge of that sort.  Best pieces were a beautiful Ave Maria by Lauridsen, Poulenc's O Magnum Mysterium, and of course Coventry Carol and Peter Warlock's Bethlehem Down.
Sunday 4 December 2011
I played at Vic's Buskers at The Prince Of Wales, Hammer, near Haslemere.
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • November 1989
  • and (I think) Newbarn Hanger
A quiet evening, but notable for the quality of the younger musicians' acts.
Thursday 1 December 2011
A red-letter day!  Debut performance, at the Railway Arms, Alton, of my new band "TARO", with Marie-Claire Greening (flute, vocals) and Richard Barnes (guitar, backing vocals) and me on guitar and vocals.  We played
  • Aslan, by Kendall Payne
  • The Voyage, by Johnny Duhan (we know it as a Christy Moore song)
  • Who will raise their voice?, by Capercaillie
The set went down very well and we were immediately invited to do a guest slot at The Horns at Crondall, which sadly we couldn't make.  But Taro was well and truly launched!  
Wednesday 9 November 2011
Playing for the first time with Lorna at the Coalie:
  • Merrily Kiss / Sophie
  • Shanghai
  • Imber
  • Tricot première formule
and at the end of the evening
  • Earth's Shadow Rising
which was received rapturously by someone called Sam.  J-P played, and Sophie.  What a friendly crowd.  My voice was completely knackered from a cold, but it didn't seem to matter!  On the way home we saw a leucistic deer at the Bartons Road/Emsworth Common Road crossroads - what an amazing, ethereal sight, like something out of Harry Potter or the Narnia books!
Thursday 3 November 2011
Second appearance at the Railway Arms.  We were limited to two songs each.  I played
  • Midlife Crisis
  • Standing Tall
Standing Tall was received very well as it's Remembrance season - which seems to be taken more seriously every year.  Joel and Ben were amazing, especially in "Work for what you get" with Joel's instant trombone solo - apparently the first time Vic's Buskers has had a trombone!
Wednesday 26 October 2011
Off to the Coalie again.  
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Count your Footprints
  • Midlife Crisis
  • Autumn Leaves
Thanks to John for singing along to Midlife Crisis!
Thursday 6 October 2011
At Vic's Buskers at the Railway Arms, Alton.
  • National Park
  • November 1989
  • Changing Lives in Bordon
But the real highlight was Grand 88 (Joel and Ben)'s first ever pub open mic, which went down a storm!
Wednesday  3 August 2011
Back to the Coalie:
  • Sudoku Junkie
  • November 1989
  • Open Face
  • National Park
And at the end of the evening, Steve Knightley's Widecombe Fair.  Which someone said was the best song, not realising it was not mine!
Wednesday 20 July 2011
Open mic (or Open Mike as they call it, which I like) at the "Coalie" (Coal Exchange) in Emsworth.  A friendly bunch!
  • How was it for you?
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Power of the Market
  • Midlife Crisis
And - a duet with Sophie Butler:
  • Hey there Delilah
which we had been trying out over the weekend.  John and Sophie played later, including another favourite Emsworth Glue.  A  really good evening!
Friday 15 July 2011
Hat & CoatTails played on the "mainstage" in the rain at the Little Green Gathering to a very patient audience:
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Old Maids of Galway
  • Merrily Kiss
  • Imber
  • Earth's Shadow Rising
  • Tilted Windmill Waltz
  • Newbarn Hanger
  • Cave of Many Colours
  • November 1989
  • Lie of the Land
Saturday 16 July 2011
At the lovely Woodland Stage at the Little Green Gathering, to one of the best audiences ever, especially the members of Seize the Day:
  • Two Wheels Good
  • National Park
  • Power of the Market
  • How was it for you?
  • Standing Tall
  • Count your Footprints
Apologies to John Meriton and Wheels of the World for inadvertently squeezing their set!

Over the weekend I also ran songwriting workshops and we had two wonderful late nights of sharing music together, so I ended up playing nearly everything I've ever written.  A stonking weekend of good music, with Sketchy, Wheels of the World, Seize the Day and Stewart Lever , and poets Wendy Klein and Anna-May Laugher.
Tuesday 17 May 2011
At Write Angle in Petersfield:
  • Open Face (aka Lost in Translation)
  • Shanghai
Tuesday  15 March 2011
Hat & CoatTails played at "Eat Well Together" at Havant URC.

Tunes before dinner:
  • Merrily Kiss / Let Sophie Out
  • Old Maids of Galway
  • Cave of Many Colours
  • Late Junction
  • Tilted Windmill Waltz
  • Tricot première formule - a lovely Breton tune
And songs after dinner:
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Earth's Shadow Rising
  • Imber
  • National Park (just me)
  • Newbarn Hanger
  • Lie of the Land (first time with harmony and flute)
  • High Germany
Not many people listened, but it was a pleasant enough evening!
Tuesday 15 February 2011
At Write Angle in Petersfield:
  • Changing Lives in Bordon
  • Genoa
"Genoa" is just a little poem set to music which records my impressions of a nondescript square with a cafe in the corner that I came across one evening when wandering around the Italian port city of Genoa.  It was just behind the main shopping streets but seemed a million miles from the commercialism of the city.  My impressions of this humble place were enhanced when there was a power cut and I realised the sky had darkened since I had arrived, and it was full of stars.  My conclusion was "this is the simplest kind of place: civilized space".
Saturday 12 February  2011
With Jono, Jez and Steve (Jono Thompson and the Backbeat Boys) playing a Crossover Youth Club benefit gig in Liss.  I'm particularly enjoying playing Jono's newer songs like "Singing like her Mama" and "When you're down on your luck".  Also captivated by the fiddle playing of Dorry Macaulay in "She Moved throught the Fair", with her friends  connected with Flight Brigade.
Friday 4 February 2011
At Wordsouth (formerly Nineveh) open mic in Havant:
  • How was it for you?
  • Changing Lives in Bordon
This song tells the true story of a night when my band went into a kebab shop in Bordon and were greeted rapturously by a group of young ladies who were convinced that one of us was Piers Morgan.  One of them wanted him to hear her sing and put her through to the next round of "Britain's Got Talent".  "Eat your heart out Piers Morgan, we've found the spit of you" is one of several kebab-related puns.  I also tried to get across the feel of Bordon as an army town, though for all I know nobody involved had anything to do with the armed forces.
Sunday 26 September 2010
At Tongues & Grooves in Southsea:
  • Two Sets to Love
  • Autumn Leaves
Tuesday 17 August 2010
At Write Angle in Petersfield:
  • Two Sets to Love
See comment on 26 June.  Watch me singing this on YouTube
Sunday 25 July 2010
At Tongues & Grooves in Southsea:
  • How was it for you?
  • Standing tall??? - not sure
Saturday 26 June 2010
With Lorna, at an outdoor party in Rowlands Castle.  Basically our 14 May set, but  without some of the me-only songs and with Cave of Many Colours and The Tilted Windmill Waltz

The set went well but I had arrived a bit out of sorts following a very contrasting Petersfield Chamber Choir concert at South Harting.  Among other odd things I remember frantically trying to tell people to look at the beautiful full Moon low in the east before it was too late, bizarrely forgetting that a full Moon at dusk is rising.  This led to a new song which I wrote a couple of months later: "Two Sets to Love".
Friday 14 May 2010
Return to Flora Twort, this time with Lorna.  Our standard set for the moment:
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Merrily Kiss / let Sophie Out
  • On the Border
  • Shanghai
  • Imber
  • National Park
  • Power of the Market
  • Late Junction
  • Newbarn Hanger
  • Ballade pour Anne
  • Earth's Shadow Rising
  • Give me your Hand
  • High Germany
As or Wednesday, quality, not quantity in the audience.  Was impressed that  the singer before us, Joe, has played with Marcus Mumford!
Wednesday 12 May 2010
With the "Jonathan Thompson Trio" taking part in the national "Nights at the Museum" event at the Flora Twort Gallery in Petersfield.  A select audience, shall we say?  But great fun and a nice space to play in.
Sunday 28 March 2010
First visit to Tongues & Grooves at the Florence Arms in Southsea.  This is a wonderful venue, with a friendly but unobtrusive compere and an friendly and efficient  sound man.  A very high standard of poetry - highlights for me were Alastair the parish priest turned naval chaplain, and Andrew Bailey from Chichester.

I sang two songs and was asked back after the interval for two more!
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • National Park
  • Count Your Footprints
  • Newbarn Hanger
I really liked the main guest, singer Janet Ayers from Delicious Soundbites, who has a delicious and captivating voice.
Tuesday 16 March 2010
At Write Angle in Petersfield:
  • Mid-Life Crisis
  • Newbarn Hanger
  • National Park
Sold my last two CDs!   Need to get some more done.
Tuesday 19 January 2010
With Lorna at Write Angle in Petersfield:
  • Earth's Shadow Rising
  • High Germany
Tuesday 15 December 2009
At Write Angle in Petersfield:
  • Autumn Leaves
Watch me singing this on YouTube
Friday 4 December 2009
On my own, invited to play at Nineveh in Havant, sharing the bill with the House Band and with poet Wendy Klein.
  • How was it for you?
  • Autumn Leaves
  • Standing Tall
  • Newbarn Hanger
  • Turn Me Tender, by Martyn Joseph
  • National Park (by request)
I sang Turn Me Tender in honour of Martyn whose concert in Petersfield I was missing because I had succeeded in double-booking the evening.
Saturday 14 November 2009
I sang with the Free Radicals at Jonathan Thompson's gig at The Studio@TPS in aid of Cecily's Fund.  This was a wonderful packed evening of music.  In the main set I played bass (and electric upright bass) in Jonathan's band, along with Chris Banahan on keys, Steve Dove on rhythm guitar, Alessio Barelli on drums, Kate Gwilliam on violin and Marie-Claire Greening on backing vocals.
 Jonathan Thompson and band members Mike Knee
Saturday 3 October 2009 - Havant Literary Festival
With Lorna, now "officially" naming ourselves "Hat & CoatTails"

"Word on the Street" in the URC Café in Havant - sharing the "stage" with the wonderful poet Stella Mandella
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Butterfly / Cave of Many Colours
  • On the Border
  • Shanghai
  • Merrily Kiss / Let Sophie Out
  • National Park
  • Imber
  • Breton tunes
  • Ballade pour Anne
  • Earth’s Shadow Rising
  • Give me your Hand x2
  • High Germany , trad arr. Steve Knightley and Kate Rusby
A good busy atmosphere but with a listening audience too!

"Hampshire Voices" at the White Hart in Havant
  • Shanghai
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Imber
  • National Park
  • Earth’s Shadow Rising
  • High Germany
Later in the evening I was asked to play some more:
  • Lie of the Land (the audience joined in - a first!)
  • Autumn Leaves
This was a good evening, a small but discerning audience!
Saturday 5 September 2009
With Lorna at an outdoor party at Rowlands Castle.  We played the 4 July set, more or less, with no rehearsal and about an hour's notice (that was my fault!).  Well, we got through it, and some people even liked it, but next time we should do some more rehearsing...
Friday 24 July 2009
With Lorna, as the featured guest at Havant Live, which takes place in the wonderfully intimate setting of Nineveh in Havant, nineveh.co.uk.  Comparable with Petersfield's Write Angle.
  • Two Wheels Good
  • Power of the Market
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Imber
  • Sudoku Junkie
  • Lie of the Land
  • National Park
  • Count your Footprints
  • Shanghai
  • Earth's Shadow Rising
All the songs seemed to go down well, as did most of the poets and another singer whose short set included a very Tom-Lehrer-esque song about nuclear power.  Sold some CDs.  Bit of a shame that the second set was hijacked by a political rant (the basis of which I agreed with, but that's not the point).  It was a hot night, my fingers started to stick to the strings and my voice went dry, but overall the evening was a great success.  Standing room only!

Lorna and I are going to call ourselves "Hat & Coat-tails"
Saturday 18 July 2009
With Lorna, at a private party in Petersfield.  A shorter version of the 4 July set.  Interesting to be asked in detail about the lyrics of Earth's Shadow Rising.
Saturday 4 July 2009
With Lorna, at an outdoor party in East Meon:
  • Merrily Kiss / Let Sophie Out
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • New Potato Polka and Altered by Accretion (what a name!) by Paul Gitlitz
  • Imber
  • Cave of Many Colours
  • Ballade pour Anne by Guy Bergeron
  • On the Border
  • Le Varie - V by Fabio Ighina
  • Earth's Shadow Rising
and two encores!!!
  • Two Wheels Good
  • Shanghai
Not bad seeing we were experimenting with some new classical-ish stuff.  Great atmosphere, lovely weather, glorious view, appreciative (drunk?) audience!
Friday 3 July 2009
The Free Radicals sung an under-rehearsed programme of summer music at Chalton Church, ranging from Weep No More Thou Sorry Boy by Thomas Tomkins, through Baisez Moi, Summertime, Blue Moon to Yesterday where I attempted a solo.  We got the audience singing Sumer is Icumen In and played recorder and drums to a wonderfully jingoistic piece about Agincourt called Deo Gracias Anglia.  I think we just about pulled it off.  The beer and sunset at the Red Lion were good too.
Thursday 11 June 2009
The Free Radicals contributed three songs to "Sounding Out the Maasai", a slightly bizarre evening at Petersfield Methodist Church hosted by Russell Stone, a professional vocalist and psychotherapist.
Tuesday 17 March 2009Mike Knee at Write Angle
I was the main guest artist (with Lorna) at Petersfield Write Angle Poetry Cabaret.  My first ever full set using my own material:
  • Two Wheels Good
  • Lie of the Land
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Earth's Shadow Rising
  • How was it for you?
  • Sudoku Junkie
  • Standing Tall
  • Shanghai
  • Imber
  • Count your Footprints
In the words of my closest and most honest critic "a rip-roaring success".  A lovely audience as usual - and I sold some CDs.

I think Lorna and I should call ourselves "Seriously Mellow".
February 2009
With Lorna, recorded a demo CD at Chris Poulter's Herne Studios

Just four songs:
  • Shanghai
  • Autumn Leaves
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Count your Footprints
I have sent a copy to Greenbelt.  That would be such a break - to play in the Performance Cafe!
Tuesday 20 January 2009
At Petersfield Write Angle, I played
  • Sudoku Junkie
Wednesday 31 December 2008
With Lorna, at a New Year's party.  As upbeat a selection as we could manage (i.e. we left out Widecombe Fair!):
  • Merrily Kiss / Let Sophie out
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Shanghai
  • Cave of Many Colours
  • Give me your Hand
  • On the Border
  • Imber
  • Sunset over Foula
  • Farewell
An interesting experience...
Tuesday 21 October 2008
At Petersfield "Write Angle", I played a couple of my songs:
  • Autumn Leaves
  • The Power of the Market
Once again I had the "Jake Thackray" comment
20 September 2008
Again with Lorna at Rowlands Castle.  A very moving moment when our hostess led a surprise prayer for the miracle of a harvest brought home against all the odds after such a rotten summer.  Fireworks amongst the drying hay.  Good music and good conversation.  We played the 28 June set except that we replaced Cousin Jack with
  • Seven Days, by Steve Knightley - a new number (for us) with both of us singing
Thursday 3 July 2008
Highly Strung played at the wake of a good friend who died of cancer.
  • Merrily Kiss / Let Sophie out
  • Cave of Many Colours
  • The Holy Ground
  • Reluctant Fiddler
  • Breton tunes
  • Imber
  • Barlow Knife + Wind that Shakes the Barley + Morpeth Rant
  • We Built Fires
  • Farewell
Saturday 28 June 2008
With Lorna at an outdoor party near Rowlands Castle.
  • Merrily Kiss / Let Sophie out
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Shanghai
  • Cave of Many Colours
  • Imber
  • Sunset over Foula
  • On the Border
  • Widecombe Fair
  • Breton Set
  • Cousin Jack
All good fun, as ever!
Saturday 28 June 2008
Highly Strung played "unplugged" and outdoors at a baby-naming ceremony party near Petersfield.  My first outing with the cello.
Saturday 21 June 2008
Charity concert at the Studio@TPS, Petersfield, in aid of Cicely's Fund for educating AIDS orphans in Zambia.  A very well attended gig (91 tickets sold) organised by Jonathan Thompson.

First on were Martin and Sarah, acoustic folk duo, with a lovely set of four folk songs: Caledonia, Tom Paxton's Last Thing on my Mind, The White Hare by Seth Lakeman, and Lancashire.

Then Highly Strung, playing the 14 June set, well appreciated despite some technical problems.

Jonathan's own set was a storm, very well received.  This was the first time we had performed as a complete band, with Jonathan on lead, acoustic and vocals, Dave Giles-Kaye on acoustic rhythm, Chris Banahan on keyboard, myself on bass and backing vocals and the amazing young talented Alessio Barelli on drums.
Saturday 14 June 2008
Charity concert at Petersfield United Reformed Church and new hall in aid of disabled orphans in Bolivia.

First outing of the "Sargent Singers" with Steve Sargent, myself and friends Fiona, Marie-Claire, Debbie, Lorna and John.
  • Ave Verum Corpus, by Mozart
  • There is no Rose, by Steve Sargent
  • Our Love is Here to Stay, by the Gershwins, arr. Steve Sargent
  • Linden Lea, by Vaughan Williams
  • A Gaelic Blessing, by John Rutter
  • Married to a Mermaid

After the interval, Highly Strung played a short "unplugged" set:
  • We Built Fires
  • Foxhunters + The Butterfly
  • Cave of Many Colours
  • Cousin Jack
A quirky but very enjoyable occasion, which raised over £400 for the charity
Saturday 2 February 2008
A new year and a party at Sheet Village Hall to beat the winter blues.

First up was Jonathan Thompson, accompanied by me on bass and Chris on keyboard.  Jonathan played two new solo numbers, plus four songs from his Songs of Rapture album:
  • Sing it with me
  • Whirlwind of Lovers
  • Pilgrims
  • Child in your Eyes
Then it was Highly Strung's turn with our brand new set, which explains the gap since September.
  • Foxhunters + The Butterfly
  • Westward (by While and Matthews)
  • Barlow Knife + Wind that Shakes the Barley + Morpeth Rant
  • Imber
  • Cave of Many Colours
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Let Sophie Out
  • The Holy Ground
  • Tom Bhetty's Waltz
  • We Built Fires
  • Give me your Hand
  • Cousin Jack
Sunday 16 November 2007
Open mic slot at the White Horse, Rogate.  A lovely country pub with plenty of atmosphere, very good for folk music.  The band previously seen at the Square Brewery were there.  I think I played
  • Lie of the Land
  • Power of the Market
  • Waiting for an Angel
Saturday 22 September 2007
Highly Strung played the 21 April set (slightly re-ordered and no encore) at an outdoor party near Rowlands Castle.  Other bands were Van Jammer, Dreamweaver and Feckless.  Glorious weather on the last day of summer.  A great atmosphere, good food, and the music went very well despite one of us being propositioned during the intro to a song!
Sunday 15 July 2007
With Lorna Silvester on flute, two short slots supporting Sheetstock's headline band DreamWeaver at the Half Moon in Sheet , part of their 2007 Sheet Tour!
  • Breton tunes
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Imber (my latest song)
  • Widecombe Fair
  • Sunset over Foula
  • Shanghai
A small but really appreciative listening audience (you could hear a pin drop) and an really well set up sound system that made it a real pleasure to play.  DW were in the groove, too.  A great evening.
Saturday 14 July 2007
A rare chance for me to hear my all-time favourites Oysterband at the Bishop's Waltham festival.  Opening with a spectacular rainbow over the Bishop's Palace ruins, they played a wonderful set with that unique amazing sound.  Felt like a groupie at the end, popped in to chat to them and told them about stuff I have played, especially Heaven to Calcutta, which brought on some reminiscences about their Indian tour and the Ride album.  John Jones's voice is really something special, pure and melodic but with a real edge. 
Saturday 7 July 2007
Highly Strung's first festival!  We played an early half-hour set at Sheetstock, this year renamed MacSheetstock with a Scottish theme.
  • Foxhunters + The Butterfly
  • Cousin Jack
  • Reluctant Fiddler
  • Shanghai
  • Metal Man + King of the Fairies + Sleep Sound
  • Merrily Kiss + Let Sophie Out
  • Widecombe Fair
Well, we survived, despite a few technical hitches, mostly of our own making!  The best thing was that, after weeks of rain, the sun smiled on us and the whole festival.
Thursday 14 June 2007
Open mic with Andrew Lee at the Bear and Ragged Staff, Wrecclesham, aka the Outback .  We performed our 20 May set to an appreciative audience, and enjoyed the jam session at the end (never heard Talking Heads played quite like that!)  On Crazy Boy I tried DADGAD tuning for the first - but probably not the last - time.
Sunday 20 May 2007
Open mic with Andrew Lee at the Square Brewery, Petersfield.  Andrew on bouzouki and mandolin, me on guitar and bass, both singing.
  • Crazy Boy (Knightley)
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • The Keeper (Knightley)
  • Heaven to Calcutta (Oysterband)
A good atmosphere yet again.  An eclectic mix of other open mic slots.  Awesome guitar playing from Mike Fry with the house band.  Fast strumming but no plectrum.  And putting a capo across only some of the strings, playing behind or right across it sometimes.
Saturday 21 April 2007
Highly Strung, with special guest Jonathan Thompson, played "unplugged" at our own private party kindly hosted by Melanie and Tony.  Jackie played bongos and bodhran for us - a great addition to the lineup.
  • The Butterfly + Foxhunters
  • Merrily Kiss + Let Sophie Out
  • Cousin Jack
  • Reluctant Fiddler
  • Shanghai
  • Breton tunes
  • The Keeper
  • Metal Man + King of the Fairies + Sleep Sound
  • Gone to America
  • Widecombe Fair
  • Encore: Give me your Hand
Jonathan played his version of the Diggers song and his own Listen to your Soul and Sing it to Me.

This was a wonderful evening - adults and children listening intently in a relaxed atmosphere.  What a great way to make music!
Wednesday 18 April 2007
Open mic at the Royal Oak, Hollywater (between Bordon and Liphook).  A pleasant venue with a nice big stage, but sadly very few in the audience.  I played
  • The Power of the Market 
  • Avenue
  • Waiting for an Angel
rather better than usual I thought.  Then I played bass for Jonathan Thompson's five-song "feature set" including a great new song of his - "Listen to your Soul".
Sunday 15 April 2007
Another open mic slot at the Square Brewery, Petersfield.
  • The Power of the Market 
  • Two Wheels Good
  • Waiting for an Angel
I like this venue.  A perfect setting for the first song, as the "Square" of the pub is that of Petersfield Market.  Nice audience.  The house band's bass player was playing a Deane electronic double bass.  How cool is that - I want one!
Saturday 31 March 2007
Highly Strung played the 24 February set at a party in a barn near Rowlands Castle.  We played Cousin Jack as an encore.  DreamWeaver played after us.  The venue was very cold and the audience seemed a long way away, but technically the set went well.
Saturday 24 February 2007
Highly Strung played a private party at Petersfield Rugby Club.  A difficult venue for providing background music: the low ceiling means that  the normal conversations of partygoers become a deafening scream.  Still, the gig went well technically and the music was appreciated.
  • Foggy Mountain Top, also sung by the Poozies
  • Fast tunes:  Merrily Kiss the Quaker's Wife + The Bridal
  • Slow air:  The Reluctant Fiddler
  • Song: Shanghai
  • Fast tunes:  Metal Man + King of the Fairies + Sleep Sound
  • Song: The Keeper
  • Two fast Breton tunes
  • Song: Two Wheels Good
  • Slow airs:  Sunset over Foula + Give me your Hand
No encore!
Sunday 18 February 2007
I played the first Open Mic slot at the first official Open Mic night at the Square Brewery, Petersfield.
  • Sudoku Junkie
  • Waiting for an Angel
  • Lie of the Land
A baptism of fire, playing after the house band's excellent warm-up to an audience of discerning 18-30s.  Thanks to Andrew for moral support, to Kev for letting me play and to Wendy and others for appreciative comments!  Overall musical standards and atmosphere at this venue are great.
Tuesday 13 February 2007
An enjoyable open mic night at Grayshott Social Club with Vic's Buskers. Right at the end of an evening full of (mainly) good music, I played
  • On the Border
  • Waiting for an Angel (my latest song)
  • Lie of the Land
  • Avenue
 Good to have the lyrics appreciated!
Saturday 16 December 2006
Highly Strung's Christmas party in Petersfield.

First we were treated to a great set by Jonathan Thompson, singing his own songs and a few covers, ably accompanied for two numbers by his son Joseph on accordion.  Jonathan's songs about parenthood and "Our Town", as well as his encore "It's your life (?)" were particularly memorable, as was his lovely opening song "Rare Thing" by Steve Tilston .

Then on came Highly  Strung, playing to a very appreciative audience of friends.  Our set list was largely a repeat of  21 October; new numbers are underlined.
  • Fast tunes:  Merrily Kiss the Quaker's Wife + The Bridal
  • Song: Gaudete, by Steeleye Span (our first foray into Latin a cappella singing)
  • Slow air:  The Reluctant Fiddler
  • Song: Shanghai
  • Song: The Keeper
  • Song: Two Wheels Good
  • Fast tunes: Barlow Knife + two Breton tunes
  • Song: Pilgrim's Way
  • Slow airs:  Sunset over Foula + Give me your Hand
  • Encores (yes, two): All around my Hat, by Steeleye Span, and Cotton Mill Girls
And then we partied for the rest of the evening, dancing to Abba, Status Quo and the Scissor Sisters among others.  A good time was had by all!
Saturday 9 December 2006
Petersfield Chamber Choir (conductor Ann Pinhey) at St Peter's Church, Petersfield.  A concert called "Mainly Mozart" including his Missa Brevis, with music from other composers including Holst and Arvo Pärt.

Sunday 3 December 2006
Highly Strung played the first slot at an Acoustic Music Night organized by Stiff Promotions.  Our first gig for which people have had to buy tickets!

We played
  • Fast tunes:  Merrily Kiss the Quaker's Wife + The Bridal
  • Song: Pilgrim's Way
  • Song: Gone to America
  • Slow air:  The Reluctant Fiddler
  • Song: Widecombe Fair (Knightley)
The other acts were great.  There was Rio, a good-time beat combo that came as a relief after our more angst-ridden stuff.  Then Polly Wood, solo singer and guitarist, a very good first appearance.  After the interval, Amalthea, two gorgeous, talented women singing and playing their own songs on fiddle, guitar and mandolin.  Finally, Martin Newnham and Andy Parkin, two of the Goondocks, also gave us some great songs, but sorry chaps, you're not as good-looking as Amalthea even if your CDs are cheaper!

Thanks to Iain Martin and especially Neil on the sound desk for his wonderfully patient sound checking and set-up for such a complicated line-up uncluding us rank amateurs.
Tuesday 21 November 2006
I played at a Vic's Buskers open mic evening at Grayshott Social Club.  A disappointing turnout, but that gave me an opportunity to do two slots, one less well prepared than the other!

I played my own songs:
  • Sudoku Junkie 
  • My Avenue
  • The Power of the Market 
  • Two Wheels Good
  • Autumn Leaves
A generous response from the "crowd", especially to the songs themselves and the guitar playing.  Reading between the lines, I need to work on my singing.  It's harder than I thought to make the transition from choral singing to solo in front of a mic!
Saturday 21 October 2006
Highly Strung supported DreamWeaver at Traders in Petersfield.  Our first gig without Phillip who has retired to Cyprus, so our lineup is now
  • Andrew on bouzouki, mandolin, whistle and vocals
  • Marion on violin and vocals
  • Lorna on flute and vocals
  • myself on guitar, bass and vocals
Set list:
  • Fast tunes:  Merrily Kiss the Quaker's Wife + The Bridal
  • Song: Pilgrim's Way, by Albion Band
  • Slow air:  The Reluctant Fiddler
  • Song: Shanghai, by Mike Knee
  • Fast tunes:  Metal Man + King of the Fairies + Sleep Sound (Andrew  & Marion)
  • Song: The Keeper, by Steve Knightley (in charts, covered by Seth Lakeman)
  • Song: Two Wheels Good
  • Fast tunes: Barlow Knife + two Breton tunes
  • Fast tunes:  The Wind that Shakes the Barley + The Fox Hunter
  • Song: Gone to America
  • Slow airs:  Sunset over Foula + Give me your Hand
  • Encore: Widecombe Fair
A great sound and a great audience, lots of praise especially for the songs.
Saturday 16 September 2006
Highly Strung played the 12 August set to 240 people at an outdoor party near Rowlands Castle.  The other bands for the evening were DreamWeaver and Feckless (who played at the Wickham Festival).  Very successful - relaxed playing, but went very well despite feedback and crane-flies!
Saturday 12 August 2006
Highly Strung's first-ever full-length set, at a private party hosted by - Highly Strung! - for about 60 people at Sheet Village Hall, near Petersfield.

Set list:
  • Cotton Mill Girls
  • Tunes: Constant Billy + Let Sophie Out
  • Conservation Peace by Phillip Jay
  • Tunes:  Give me your Hand + Black Joke 
  • Widecombe Fair by Steve Knightley
  • Gonna do what  I have to do
  • Tunes: Mrs Jamieson's Favourite + Plaisir d'Amour
  • Easy Easy (blues number sung by Phillip)
  • Tunes: The Wind that Shakes the Barley + The Fox Hunter
  • Gone to America, by Steeleye Span
  • Tune: Farewell
  • Encore: Cousin Jack
A great success. Watching the video is - well, a learning experience!  It was great to hear the audience clapping to the beat of Black Joke, followed by the deathly hush at the dark  lyrics and menacing instrumental build-up of Widecombe Fair.  Other highlights were Phillip's solo performance of Easy Easy, the fiddle and flute especially in Mrs Jamieson and Farewell, and Andrew's brilliant band introductions during an instrumental in Cousin Jack.
Tuesday 27 June 2006:
Highly Strung played an open mic slot at Traders Club, Petersfield, organized by Stiff Promotions:
  • Cotton mill girls
  • Tunes:  Give me your Hand + Black Joke
  • Gonna do what I have to do
Our hearts sank when Iain gave us the last slot of the evening, following the fiasco on 16 May.  But  in the end we had a wonderful audience, nobody leaving early, and Iain amusingly introduced us as the "headline act".  A great atmosphere, with plenty of clapping and stamping along to "Black joke".

Look out for David Newey, who sang some great stuff earlier in the evening.
Saturday 17 June 2006
"Highly Strung" played at a party in Petersfield:
  • Cotton mill girls
  • Tunes: Constant Billy + Let Sophie out
  • Two Wheels Good (Mike & Andrew)
  • Tunes: Give me your Hand + Black Joke
  • Gonna do what I have to do
Well received!
Saturday 10 June 2006
Petersfield Chamber Choir sang an a cappella  concert at Holy Trinity Church, Privett:
  • Byrd's five-part mass
  • Hymn to St Cecilia by Benjamin Britten
  • Five negro spirituals from Michael Tippett's "Child of our time"
Tuesday 16 May 2006
Open mic slot with Andrew Lee at Traders Club.  With Mike on guitar and vocals, we performed
  • Heaven to Calcutta, by Oysterband (Andrew on mandolin)
  • Avenue, by Mike Knee (solo)
  • Two Wheels Good, by Mike Knee (Andrew on bouzouki)
These songs went down well and we won the "Best Bit" prize for the cycling humour in "Two wheels good".  BUT... we were last on, at 10:35, by which time most of the audience, including other performers, had gone home - jolly poor show, we thought.
Saturday 9 April 2006
Petersfield Chamber Choir performed Parts 2 and 3 of Handel's Messiah and Bach's "Lobet den Herrn" in St Peter's Church, Petersfield.

Then "Highly Strung" played at Melanie's birthday party in Petersfield.  We performed
  • Cotton mill girls, a song about the cotton industry in the USA
  • Tunes:  Give me your Hand, Black joke (Morris tune), the Morpeth Rant and Mrs Jamieson's Favourite
  • Gonna do what I have to do, by Oysterband
A successful gig, and very enjoyable, at least for us!
Sunday 19 March 2006
Photo credit: Vic CracknellOpen mic slot with Vic's Buskers at the Links, Liphook., Hampshire, UK
Songs:
    • Lies of the land, by Mike Knee
  • Josephine Baker, by Al Stewart
  • Another chance, by Mike Knee
My first pub gig, very scary but a friendly host and audience.  The first song went down well but, on reflection, the other two were a bit too quiet and poetic for the venue.  All part of the learning curve...
Tuesday 7 March 2006
I performed at Traders as part of a five-piece folk band "Highly Strung".  We are
  • Andrew on bouzouki, mandolin and vocals
  • Marion on violin
  • Lorna on flute
  • Philip on guitar, accordion and vocals
  • myself on guitar, bass and vocals
We performed
  • John White, a song about the last soldier to be flogged to death in the British army
  • Tunes: Let Sophie out (unknown origin) and the more well-known Plaisir d'amour
  • Cousin Jack, by Steve Knightley of Show of Hands
This was Highly Strung's first public performance, though its real debuts  (before the band had a name) were as Andrew, Marion, Philip and Lizzie at a birthday party on 15 January  2005, and before that with me at our New Year's Eve party on 31 December 2004.
Tuesday 13 December 2005
I played my first solo open mic slot with guitar at Traders.
Songs:
  • On the border, by Al Stewart
  • Lies of the land, by Mike Knee
  • Autumn leaves, by Mike Knee
I won the "Best Bit of the Open Mic Night" prize for the line in "Autumn Leaves":

Will an outdoor heater and some garden lights
Bring back for you those summer ni-ights (tune fragment from "Summer Nights"!)
Tuesday 22 November 2005
I made my public debut (at least in recent times) on bass with Jon Thompson (guitar and vocals) and Chris Bannahan (keyboard) at Traders Club Open Mic Night, Petersfield, Hampshire, UK .

The open mic nights are organized by Stiff Promotions

Page last updated 2011 February 17 by Mike Knee
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