I tried to find info. about this Lancashire band but they had no web presence so maybe they broke up many years ago and this tape from the charity shop is older than I thought? It's obviously a self published affair with a cheap one colour printed sleeve and a photo tucked inside the case that a friend had taken on a Box Brownie. The style is all cloth caps and clog irons and reminds me of The Houghton Weavers, The Grumbleweeds and Mike Harding - indeed Harding wrote the title song proclaiming the delights of the Wigan made mint. Maybe the group were taken to court for using the name? Who knows.
Anyway , here's a few tracks of "Folk and comedy Lancashire style".
Uncle Joe's Mint Balls - Uncle Joe's Mint Balls
Uncle Joe's Mint Balls - Dad's Medals
Uncle Joe's Mint Balls - Tek Mi On T'Fair
Uncle Joe's Mint Balls - Awterations
These SendSpace files are available for seven days or until exhausted.
Photo found inside the cassette case.
Maybe they are more akin to the Oldham Tinkers and Tony Capstick than the cabaret style bands I mentioned. That cloth cap image seems rather quaint and old fashioned now. The Houghton Weavers seem to to have rejected it completely and the Grumbleweeds look very scary indeed!
ReplyDeleteCloth caps quaint and old fashioned? And you say this on the day after Yorkshire Day? It's the only acceptable form of headgear when out walking your whippet after finishing brass band practice.
ReplyDeleteI love quaint and old fashioned! It's the professional Yorkshiremen look that I don't like- dressing up and then going home in a suit and tie! You know the sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteOh... My... GODDESS!!!
ReplyDeleteI just found this blog of yours from looking at yer profile, and, mate, it is ab-so-farking-lutely BRILLIANT!
I'm listening to these folking lads now, and this is the kind of stuff I live for... finding the oddities and strange things at charity shoppes, jumbles, and boot sales (thrift stores, rummage sales, and garage/yard sales for those of us living in the Amerikan Colonies).
See, I can speak Brit :)
Seriously, this is great stuff, and is gonna get added to my site's link list.
Well done, mate, hoist a pint fer me!
Thanks Brad. Nice to know that my efforts are worthwhile. I always check out Shellac Shanty and your Audio Oddities to see what you've found too. Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteWell, there's always the third blog too, the moodietoonz, even though it's more tiki and jazz stuff, but you're always welcome to visit (and bring that wife of yours too, I'll make up some kind of cocktail with a brolly in it [grin])...
ReplyDeleteLove the ska stuff, reminds me of a box of about 150 Jamaican 45s that I should have bought years ago (for the measly sum of USD$40.-) but never did. It was at the same store in Arizona that ripped me off for an acetate recording of Winston Churchill's speech to Congress on 8 Jan 1941 I had there on consignment. Never saw it nor the money from it.
But, on to happier stuff...
A couple of years ago, I had a mate who ran club nights under the 'Uncle Joe's Mint Balls' name; he even got in touch with the Uncle Joes company who were so delighted they offered to send down a man dressed as Uncle Joe from the mint sweets label.
ReplyDeleteHe was a little afraid, so never took them up on the offer.
Gosh, what a missed opportunity Simon! Though it does sound a bit weird!
ReplyDeleteThe uncle joes mint balls were a group of teachers from wigan, and performed all over lancashire and cheshire. They were in their prime around 1978/9. They have now disbanded. How do i know this? They were all friends of mine, and one, steve royle, lived next door to me in poolstock wigan.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that snippet of info Jim. Much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteThis is incredibly strange, and I realise I'm rather late to the party, but actually, my Dad was in this band.
ReplyDeleteThey did indeed disband years ago, but it's nice to see that there's still some appreciation for their music!