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Big Mac and the Small Fries: Skiffle

I would like to invite everybody to check out the fantastic "Big Mac and the Small Fries". They are a Skiffle, Blues, Boogie group that play every Wednesday at the Brewery Tap on Catherine wheel road from 8.45. There is great music there everynight of the week apart from Monday, but these guys were my first discovery there. They are older gents than me who play the most authentic Skiffle/Blues/Boogie I've ever heard. Not loud pub rock, they are acoustic based and have a washboard rythm section.

Justin Anderson ● 6266d12 Comments

Thanks Justin, I must pop down to the Brewery Tap again and ..give it a whirl. "Big Mac and Small Fries" seem to be on You Tube too.

Jim Lawes ● 6266d

Thanks Jim . I hadn't seen this clip. Good stuff. They are missing their washboard player and the mix is a little guitar heavy but good to see Mac Mcgann and Max Emmons on the old Youtube. I'll be down Tap tonight for a bit of Johnny Bull and John Coverdale.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCt5minPwd0

Justin Anderson ● 6265d

I've also set up a myspace page for them: http://www.myspace.com/bigmacandthesmallfries  Check it out!

Justin Anderson ● 6263d

Talking of Skiffle, which we weren't, Lonnie Donnegan used to live on the Dock. Excuse my continual renewal of this thread, I just want to spread the word.

Justin Anderson ● 6262d

By coincidence, I made it in that night. It put me in mind of a 1960s northern pub (except the prices). I did my best to avoid singing, despite John's exhortations.

Colin Murphy ● 6262d

Justin, not only did Lonnie Donnegan live at Brentford Dock but he also frequented the La Rossetta Restaurant in the High Street!  Just ask Pietro or Ciro (the owners) and they may point you towards his photo in the large picture collage.One evening I was there on my own  just about to order...and across a few tables was Lonnie on his own. I hadn't really spoken to him before other than nodding but to my surprise he waved me over to join him at his table!Being a chatterbox and a trad jazz fan..(of Chris Barber especially) I didn't feel embarrassed at all but entirely at home! Towards the end he said to me "I'm on THIS IS YOUR LIFE"tomorrow evening at the Teddington Studios..would you like to come along! Sadly I was otherwise engaged and couldn't accept his invite.He had arrived from Spain via Gatwick Airport, and his wife via Heathrow! Wow..what goes on behind the scenes of TV!We had a skiffle band at my Chiswick School in the 1950's..the headmaster was a bit horrified at the thought but he was won over by the enthusiam of the student audience.

Jim Lawes ● 6262d

That was a pleasant anecdote Jim Does your chewinggum lose its flavour as well

Victor Mullins ● 6261d

Great story Jim. I love a bit of La Rosetta so I'll check it next time. Joyce at the Six Bells told me he rehearsed upstairs there for a while. I'll bet there are a few Lonnie storys around Brentford! What was your Skiffle band called?

Justin Anderson ● 6261d

The Worried Men of Brentford...                   

Hugh Telford ● 6261d

Nice embedding Hugh, I couldn't do that. This is Big Mac and the Small Fries before the name change. "It takes a worried man, to sing a worried song".

Justin Anderson ● 6261d

Yeah me again. Last night was another stormer. Even managed to score myself a washboard!

Justin Anderson ● 6260d

You've got to jump back, turn around, pick a bail of cotton. You've got to jump back, turn around, pick a bail of hay.

Justin Anderson ● 6254d