Back at the Chicken Shack

Accompanied by ravenous hens, the Desperates played all afternoon last Monday (4th June 2012) as part of the Jubilee celebrations at the Royal Oak in Meavy.  Unlike the previous day, when another band that featured some of the Desperate members played to a rain-soaked and deserted village green, Monday was a fine day so we were watched by a happy crowd sitting at the tables on the green and tucking into hog-roast and no doubt sampling the fines ales available.

By late afternoon, the hens were roosting contently, full of hog roast and bread rolls scavenged from the area around the aromatic hog and we were thinking of wrapping up our two-set performance to make space for another band due to arrive at 5 pm.  That's when we heard the other band weren't coming after all, and the landlord offered a free drink if we played on.  Not that free drinks are what motivates us, but the rush back to the bandstand told its own story.

Fortunately we had another set of tunes in hand - our repertoire has grown since it all started three years ago - and we were able to play on until 5.30 pm or so.

Wearily we packed up our kit, reflecting on how many of our tunes related to chickens....apart from "Back at the Chicken Shack" written by Jimmy Smith, we played "The Chicken" by PW Ellis. 

We are also finally getting the hang of "Ain't Nobody Here but Us Chickens" by Alex Kramer and Joan Whitney - recorded by Louis Jordan but also famously by "Gonzo the Great" on the Muppets.  Fortunately, there was somebody there, apart from us chickens.