Thursday, 5 November 2015

Seven Year Hitch

It seems like yesterday, but Desperate Measures has been playing now for seven years, with only a few changes of line-up along the way.

Looking back over 2015, one of the most significant changes was that two of our members - who met through the band - decided to get married!  Even more significantly, they decided to move on from Desperate Measures to pursue other musical interests!  

However, Geoff (who used to play keyboard for us) and Felicity (baritone sax) remain good friends of the band and we wished them well at their ceremony in St Germans.

The deed is done

Last weekend we played our last Sunday jazz lunch for this year at the Bedford Hotel in Tavistock. But fear not, they have asked us back for next year and we are planned to play six dates as follows:

Sunday 3 January
Sunday 6 March
Sunday 1 May
Sunday 3 July
Sunday 4 September
Sunday 6 November

We hope to see you there!

We have one more possible gig  this year in Exeter - watch the web site for details.

And Happy Christmas!



Sunday, 19 July 2015

Dart arts

Totnes, twinned with Narnia, houses the South Hams alternative community, and it was there that the Desperate magical mystery tour ventured on July 12th 2015.  

While most English folk are rolling cheeses downhill and dancing around with bells on their ankles, in Totnes they race dragons.

This has to be accompanied by sideshows, live music, and stalls selling exotic food.  Members of the band were seen to be frequenting these establishments before ducking under their umbrellas to feast on never-ending pancakes and Bertie Botts' every flavour beans.

There was even a stall manned by a Potter but we didn't dare ask to see his scar.

While we awaited our turn, a local wizard entertained young elves in the little marquee that was to become our venue in the damp conditions.  The wizard however was rather tardy and the band members became impatient to begin, so Richard was despatched to place the Oculus Malum on the offending wizard. However, the grated cheese from a consumed delicacy had coated his spectacles and the spell did not work.  

The problem was solved by Debbie who, by showing her charms, frightened the wizard away.  Well, it is a rather awesome bracelet.

We soon began to play. Then the wizard avenged himself by placing a machina frigoris charm on our generator which plunged us into silence.  However, our own master wizard Mick swiftly took out his wand.

Despite the gasps of women present, he used his essentia ignis spell and we were soon under way.

A good day.

International Tour

A brief mention must be made here of the Desperates international debut in Brittany, France.  Several band members, both current and old (or should that be old and current?), travelled across the channel to the home of our previouis drummer, Jeremy.

There they played with local musicians and generally made merry.  Here's a couple of their pictures.

Une fete de la musique

Une fete des aliments




Saturday, 7 February 2015


Well, it's been a while, hasn't it.  But before we go on, we'd like to wish you a happy new year!

Sometimes, inspiration can be lacking.


Goodbye 2014

But since last November when the last entry was made the Desperates haven't performed that much. Expected gigs over Christmas didn't materialise and we all had our own celebrations in one way or another.

We did one last gig at the end of November in the New Continental Hotel for a charity gathering, but that was it until last week, when we visited the Bedford Hotel for the first of this year's jazz lunches. Now, we're not sure yet about future jazz lunches there because the hotel has a busy calendar, but keep an eye on our web site Dates page for news.

Overall it was a very good year - although we didn't quite reach the number of gigs we played in 2013 -that was 19 - last year was 18 if we include all the spin off small combo performances.

New year - new band!

Over Christmas a couple of band members decided that their commitments meant that they had to leave the Desperates for now.  So we say thank you to Geoff and Felicity for all their help and playing and hope to see them again soon.

We know one or two helpful folk who deputise for us from time to time but will be looking for a permanent new member or two.  In particular we need a pianist.  I will avoid the well-worn jokes which those of you with broad minds would have heard, but while thinking about it, I came across this little strip cartoon which tickled me, so I'm sharing it here.



Apologies for that.

Music

If you were at the Bedford on Sunday 1st February you might remember some of the tunes in medley below.  Please remember that this was a live performance and also not a studio quality recording!





See you at the next one.