Weston-Super-Mare Shanty Festival Vibes: Dive into Episode 20 with Us!

Shipshape and Bristol Fashion uses chapters so.

You can skip between stories and interviews.

If you're using a modern podcast app.

Or just sit back and enjoy the whole thing.

Avast beyond there.

This is Steve the Reverends welcoming you to another wonderful podcast of Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion.

Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion.

Boys along the harder side from evil gods to wonderful he them all the line Secure the barrels down below Find them, tie and lash them this vessel, she is certified Ship Shape from Bristol Fashion.

So welcome Everybody to episode 20.

Can you believe it?

It is episode 20 of Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion.

My name is Justin, also known as Oggy and I sing with the Port.

Of Bristol Shanty Crew.

And I'm also joined with my co.

Host which of course is Shanty Boy.

Hello there.

Right, how are you, Oggy?

I'm all right.

Ollie the Shanty boy, he is joining us for the intro and of course we'll be recording segments as we are here recording live in Western Super Mare.

It's a wonderful space just outside of Bristol.

They're running a wonderful shanty festival and we're here supporting the crews to sing our hearts content of bringing some Bristol style.

Yeah, Bristol Style to Western Shanty Boy.

How are you doing?

We are recording in August so you are clearly in that beautiful place that is school summer holidays.

Yeah, so I just came off of doing year nine, which is the grace period from year seven to Year nine and I loved year nine, I loved it.

But now I'm going into year ten.

Year ten.

Omg.

What does that mean for you?

I'm guessing that's the serious time now.

Yeah, the time of revision and revision and revision non stop.

And yeah, I don't know what shanties and what, what shanty events I'm doing.

I have to try and work them around my revision stuff.

And also, and of course I hate to say this, you have to put school first before sea.

Shanes, I hate to say it, but.

That is good to hear that.

That is the attitude that you've got right now and I'm guessing you're right, Shanty Boy, that maybe you won't be coming to as many events as you did before.

But the good news is, guys, we're all going to be here rooting for him, supporting him along the way and I'm guessing he will share his experience as he goes through this, I believe.

A very stressful time to be a young person through the GCSEs.

Yeah, it's going to be a stressful time, mate.

So don't Worry it's not going to be the end of his voice.

He will be coming along and featuring when he can, but of course there might be an interlude while we might not hear from him for a while.

Oli, tell us, what are you looking forward to the most from this shanty festival?

Mostly just hearing lots of people's stories and hearing lots of why they got into sea shanties, who inspired them, what.

And also being at the port of Bristol, that's of course the best part.

And just being around Western Super Mare.

I haven't been here for a while.

I'm seeing some friends I haven't seen for a while.

So, yeah, I'm going to be having some fun here.

And we are, for the first time in a very long time, we are.

Nearly a full day crew.

Old Bill is currently spending a considerable amount of time on holiday in America and he returns on Monday, so he is shy of coming to this gig.

But the rest of the crew is here and so I'm looking forward to catching up with them later, which might get a bit messy.

I've heard that the port of Bristol rum is on tap, so we're looking forward to that.

Rum.

I know rum.

You love rum, don't you, buddy?

I can't.

The silence is golden.

Nothing to comment.

Nothing to comment.

Anyway, well, we gotta crack on because I'm about to go live.

So next up, you're gonna hear interviews, segments of audio of the Western Shanty Festival.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

And children.

And children.

And anyone who identifies as anything in between, which we haven't mentioned.

First off, we don't want upset anyone.

We are the Port of Bristol Shanty Crew and we are here to support the Western Shanty and Folk Festival.

As we go along, I will bore you with a little bit of information about our group, our team, our crew, and we will entertain you as we go along.

First up at the moment is going to be Art.

As we've all got nicknames, he's called Art because his name's Arthur and we couldn't think of anything else to go with it.

So where's Art?

There he is.

Right, and now, my lads, be of good cheer for the Irish coast will.

Soon draw near and then we'll set.

Sail for the old Cape.

Clear.

How come I get your ropes, my son?

And now, me lads, Cape clears in sight.

We'll be off all the head by tomorrow night and then we'll set sail for the Al Cape light.

How can I get your roots, my son?

Jamboree Whip.

Jamboree Oh, Sailor.

Coming up behind Jamboree Whip.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, I feel so broken.

I wanna go home.

So we've just heard Waves of Harmony come off the main stage and I'm with their musical director.

I. I asked all the ladies who's the best person to talk to, and they said, oh, the boss man.

So I thought I'd grab the boss man.

Introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about yourself.

Yeah, I'm Stephen.

Very in love with the shanty scene.

And all things musical come from a barbershop background, really.

And the girls were really a barbershop chorus.

But we thought for the festival we would learn some songs, some shanties, and come and sing them with you.

And you sounded amazing.

I recorded some of the audio that you've just heard and you're.

And you're kind of an offshot of the Harry Browns.

Are you all partners of the Harry Browns?

That's what I heard in the audience.

They were clearly wrong.

Yeah, I'm a Harry Brown.

Nice, Helen.

The first soloist is a Harry Brown.

And you'll see some Harry's out in the.

In the audience.

But we've got a strong connection.

Yeah, no, of course.

I mean, the Harry Browns are legendary.

Well, I don't know.

Legends.

Legends in our own lunchtime, maybe.

Well, it's so good.

So tell us a little bit how these girls came together.

They came together as a barbershop chorus about 10, no, 11 years ago in somebody's front room in Western Super Mare here.

And it's gradually grew until about 30, 35 girls.

Covid then came along and took its toll, as it has with everything, unfortunately.

And we are where we are with like 25 members, mostly barbershop.

We sing in the barbershop style.

Doesn't mean we sing barbershop song, but within the style.

And as I say, three years ago, we thought we would do something for the festival, as it's our local festival.

And that was the result.

And they sound great, like I said.

And I think they must.

They must get a lot out of it.

The community, the camaraderie, and of course, your strong leadership.

They get an awful lot of joy out of the singing.

It's hard work.

There's nothing that's done easy for them.

Some of the arrangements that we sing are quite difficult, although we've tried to simplify everything for this festival.

They work hard, they play hard, some of them drink hard.

There must be a shanty band there, not a harmony.

Anyway.

So have you managed to listen to some of the other acts?

And groups that are here.

And have you enjoyed any so far?

Well, we've only been down today, unfortunately.

When we arrived we were straight on in CJ's and with the Harrys we had to go and sing in the vaults.

And from the vaults we've come and sung here.

You've not had time to stop?

No.

So we're going to go and listen to a couple of bands and then the Harry's are singing six o', clock, I think later on.

So nice.

We should enjoy that.

And then we shall have a few beers.

As you should.

Well deserved, well deserved.

And the sun is shining so you couldn't ask for a better day.

That's right, that's right.

Beautiful.

I think back to last year, or was it the year before?

It was a howling gale coming up the chart.

I think that's tomorrow, Nobby.

Dolly would be proud of that.

Yes, well, he.

I think we're on stage later.

Beautiful.

Well, thanks for talking to me and well done for a great set on the.

Thank you very much for saying so.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

We're the Harbor Boys from Brixham in G. So our next song, it's an Australian folk song.

It's Botany Bay.

Sa.

Well, farewell to the well known old baby Trust Sing to a liar A lion Sing to a liar.

It wouldn't be a shanty event if it wasn't for people who were dressed up in pirates.

And I'm told I've discovered some very kosher pirates here.

Do you want to introduce yourself?

Well, I'm Lawrence Dudley.

I'm from Wiltshire.

I'm a local writer.

I write poetry, short stories and folk songs.

Fantastic.

This is right up your street then.

And dawn, my partner, she's a lovely Bristol girl and we often go to the Pirate Festival in Brixham and dawn had a lot to do.

She doesn't like trumpeting things.

But dawn had a lot to do with Weymouth Folk Festival.

So when our mates are down in Sidmouth at the moment driving everyone crazy playing the fiddles, we're here enjoying Western Superman sunshine.

There is no better place to be There is no better place to be.

Have you enjoyed any particular act so far?

I don't know the names of the last group that sang, but I used.

To sing Ladies Barbershop and I understand.

Harmony and they were fabulous.

They were great.

They were great.

They're called the Waves or something.

Waves, aren't they?

Waves of harmony, I think.

Waves of harmony.

I haven't heard many of the others.

But the Waves of Harmony are absolutely.

Brilliant and I, I'm an acapella folkie, so I love.

But you're enjoying it?

Yeah, yeah, it's a fantastic, it's a fantastic day.

But we, you know, it can be bad coming down the tourist route from Bathway because that's my nearest place that I do do my stuff.

But yeah, we, we go to different things, don't we, folks?

There's a good, good pub that dawn goes to in the Star in Bristol and I hang out occasionally in the Raven Pub in the middle of Bath where they do storytelling.

Nice, nice.

So, yeah, we're a bit or'd out wearing, wearing our pirate pirate hats.

Yeah.

You're looking amazing.

Very good.

It's a day to.

Yeah, yeah.

We normally wear a full, full gear but I've been eating ice cream and.

I burst my stays if I. Yeah, of course, yes.

You don't want that.

Well, I like to, I like to say that I've been growing this two.

Two foot beard.

No, I exaggerate, I exaggerate.

But yeah, you have to be seriously lazy to have a beard to actually look like a proper pirate.

Yeah, it's hard work, buddy.

I mean, testament to your hard work.

It is where I say the Amazon's going, but my beard can keeps growing.

Yeah, that's good.

You should be a poet.

Oh no, you are.

Well, I'd say when I was six I did not know it.

I grow a beard and be a poet.

Look at that.

It's beautiful.

Beautiful.

Well, I'm going to leave you guys to it.

Thank you very much for talking to us and continue to enjoy the rest of the events.

I've got one beautiful poem that I might be able to give to the masses.

It's very short.

Okay, yeah, go on then.

Yeah, go on then.

One day is all I ask One day that's fine.

From dawn to dusk Whispering on they gently say that threescore year and 10 may never pass my way again.

Yet still let there burn inside of me the curiosity to see a world full of color and mystery.

On a sand dune by the sea on tiptoes try to touch the sky Strange wonderful things that pass like fleeting clouds that race across the sun Fleeting images in my mind and feelings in my heart One fine day is all I pray Come walk with me, my friend let's find that gold at rainbow's end.

Beautiful.

They could make that into a shanti song.

I think that would be good if our listeners are thinking, wow, that was a great poem.

A Bit of free advertising for you.

Where could they find you online?

Are you on Facebook and got a website?

You're off grid.

I'm working to.

Yeah.

I'm working very hard to be not known.

But I do.

But I do little booklets now and again.

But no, you won't find my work online, unfortunately.

Well, I've got an exclusive of the podcast.

Thank you very much for that poem.

That is amazing.

Thank you.

O' er the sea to Bristol town loaded down with brandy O the sea to Bristol town loaded down with brandy O We're brandy O Neat summer sky.

And setting sun Corn crates seamed on the Bristol run Grundy for the waiters trade Satyrs they have earned their pay Horsey the Bristol town loaded down the Grandio or see the Bristol town loaded down the Grandio Randy O Rolling on to the deep green day towards the hill to Red Cliff Bay Corncrake steamed upon her way from the moonlit night to the breakers day.

So, like I said, we are here in Western Super Mare enjoying an incredible shanty festival.

But of course, it doesn't just happen by itself.

There is a crew that's put it all together.

Do you want to introduce yourself and how you got yourself involved in this wonderful Sue Shanty organising committee?

Well, my name is Nigel Glanville Gittins.

I'm the musical director of the Steepholmes Shanty Band.

We'd been down to Mevagissi, which is the.

At their first shanty festival, and we were buzzing when we came back.

That was way back in, I don't know, 2018, I think, and we thought that was great.

You know, what is there in Western Super Mare that's anything like it?

And he said, nothing.

So I stupidly said, let's hold our own.

And over the past five years, it's grown into something rather massive.

And it's brilliant.

It's absolutely fantastic.

Just wandering around the beautiful place that is Western Super Mare.

There's just a sea of shanty supporters, singers, folk artists and the whole town is just alive, which is great.

It's amazing, actually, because we've actually got two acts that have come all the way from Connecticut this year.

Wow.

And one of them's brought.

Well, she actually booked her ticket to come to Western Super Mares Sea Shanty Festival.

She's never been to England before, before her friend Mike Kotowski actually knew he was singing here, so she was so confident.

That's amazing.

It is.

I mean, apparently the other people that are coming from Connecticut are my druthers.

And they know Mike as well.

So we're just amazed that people have come from the States to sing here.

It's just a testament to your organization and the kind of good reviews it is.

It's absolutely.

The word gets around now.

I mean this morning we had a parade down the high street and people were coming out of shops and taking photographs and videoing us and it brought a whole crowd onto the Italian Gardens where the main stage is.

It was led by the seeker to cadets who'd volunteered their services and they loved it so much they want us, they want to come back next year.

Amazing.

Tell us a little bit more about Steep Holmes.

Tell us a little bit about that crew.

Steepholmers started way back.

I think it's in 2018.

I forget now it's way in the midst of time but it's.

Somebody put out a call for I want to sing some shanties.

Because he was playing a commuter game that had shanties on it.

He had no idea what was involved.

Originally there was over 20 people that came out to sing but some of them wanted to be acapella, some wanted to have musical instruments.

We became an acapella shoot of it and we now, I think we're about 9 strong at the moment.

Which is.

Which covers lots of harmony parts.

Myself and Dave Townsend, we do most of the arranging of the shanties.

Well, we do all the arranging of the shanties.

Well I say that.

Well most of it.

We do it all.

Yeah, we try to arrange it.

You never know what's going to happen on stage.

Oh yeah.

I mean we can arrange four part harmonies and end up with eight part harmonies.

But yes, it's.

It's been a journey to say the least.

But we are now known for the harmonies that we sing and we get a lot of gigs.

We've sung on the SS Great Britain.

We've sung on.

Well I had to go to on a school trip and sing shanties with my little boys school on the Matthew so that was fantastic.

But yeah we, we get invited to all sorts and even when we've been here we've had more invites to more gigs and things and we.

What we do is we raise money mainly for the rnli.

Okay.

But we also for this one, this festival we have the lions collecting as well so they get affairs.

So we've got two charities but yeah, I mean we've even got the Steepholm charity here on site because they want to tell people more about Steepholm after.

Which we are named of course.

And my wife sitting down in the sunshine listening to the music at the moment.

She was the one who came up with the Steepholmers.

Oh wow.

Well, that makes complete sense because it's.

Exactly.

And.

And if I was a listener and I didn't know where Steep Holm and what Steve Holm is all about.

Have you got some background knowledge of what that is?

Well, it's a big lumber rock in the middle of the Bristol Channel basically and it's been used as a gun emplacement to protect the ports and stop the ships coming up the Bristol Channel to basically to go to Bristol.

It's also been used by smugglers in the past.

So yeah, it's quite a poignant place.

And of course these guys are probably promoting the fact that there's wildlife there too.

So that's also amazing.

What has been and is going to be the highlight for you at this festival?

I can't.

Can't pinpoint one thing.

The beer at the end.

I can imagine.

Oh, trust me, there's been a lot of beer drunk all the way through so far.

Obviously it's going to be the Port of Bristol shanty crew.

That's very kind.

Widow's one of many talents.

Yeah.

Of course for us as sleep homers we're just.

We've only actually booked ourselves in for one proper slot and that's this afternoon.

Okay.

But if there are any gaps because somebody's dropped out, we fill.

We did that yesterday.

We just sang in the vault so it was fantastic.

Well, you're clearly a very busy man.

Thank you for talking to us.

And we're going to carry on now recording some interviews and some audio from the festival itself.

Thanks for talking to me.

Thank you very much.

It's been a pleasure.

Cheers.

Oh the smartest clipper that you will.

Find it you must have done the.

Margaret Evans on the blue Star line.

Bull joint run to me hair in a jig and a taunting gun ho wa you much done the lies will be all on my knee Clear where the track and let the ball join run and we're outward bound on the west creek pier hay haul way you must go We've got we sail and western pier clear and tracking up at the bullshine run to be hanging gun ho wa you stun Eliza Lee all on my knee clear we're tracking at the bull join run and now I'm over in New York town Ho way ho why you must dance our dance the Barry girls around clearing a truck and let the bulls I run to me Harry king and a donkey gun ho way ho why you must dance.

We're called the Lower Deckers.

We're a shanty group from Hereford and Shropshire.

And we all started because we were in a community choir called Choral Diversity.

And it was Ken's 70th birthday and he wanted to sing a few shanties.

Yes.

It was eight years ago, that was.

And at the end of the performance for the choir, they sang a sea shanty, and we decided we liked it.

So that's when we started.

Could you please tell me how each one of you got started in sea shanties and loving it so much?

That goes back to you.

I guess it goes back to me again.

Okay.

Well, I've loved sea shanties for a very long time, from the first time I heard Fisherman's Friends and then I saw the Longest Johns in falmouth.

Ooh, crikey.

2016, I think.

And I was hooked from then on, and I started singing sea shanties.

And that's how we came to sing some shanties for Ken.

We got a few people together and sing a couple of shanties.

We're a very different group now from when we were then.

The two girls have joined us since then, and we've been doing this for seven years now.

So he.

Can you tell me who each one of you are, please?

Hi, there.

I'm Gaynor.

I'm Tom.

I'm Marie.

And I'm Paul.

Tell me, what's been the best part of being lower Deckers?

Oh, I think the camaraderie between all of us, to be honest with you.

We go all over the country now to different festivals, so we see a lot of each other, but we rarely fall out, and we have a great time together on the weekends.

It's quite exhausting, but, yeah, it's definitely the friendship and the camaraderie.

Yeah.

Where else have you guys been recently?

So where else have you guys been?

Well, recently, we just come back from East Compton, east of Compton, with the Seven Whalers Festival.

We were in Falmouth.

We've been to the Newport Shanty Festival this year.

We've been here, obviously, port, he said.

And we're going to never see in October.

So we're really looking forward to that.

So what's been.

What's the next iteration?

And what's like.

What are you hoping to get in this?

In lower Deckers?

No, we.

This is it.

This is us.

Yeah.

We don't want to expand.

We don't want to do anything else.

This is us.

We just want to learn our songs, have fun.

Yeah, absolutely.

And learn some New songs as well.

Yeah.

So that's what we're all about.

Yeah.

What's been your.

Each of your favorite songs that you've sang so far.

Right.

Who's gonna go first?

I'll go probably.

No Hopers.

It's one of my new ones, but I love singing it and it's a great song.

We all love no Hopers.

Retirement song for me from the Longest.

Johns because I'm a big Longest Johns fan, so I love a retirement song.

I love Wild Mountain Time because it's lovely when other people join in.

Yeah.

Wild Mountain Time was actually a folk song that I learned, but I never knew it was actually a folk song.

I learned to inquire when I was very young.

It's a very good one.

Very good one.

I like singing jazzy and bluesy things and trying to bring that fusion to the shanty world.

So my favourite part probably is God Moves on the Water.

Mine's Maggie May because it reminds me of my time in the Royal Navy where I first heard it.

Yeah.

Oh, my favorite song at the moment is definitely Excursion Around Falmouth Bay because I get to sing a funny song and I get to play my Baron as well, which I love.

What a great instrument.

I personally love the Barham so much.

I love it, I can't even stop.

So thank you guys for speaking to me today and I hope you guys have a good rest the day of of your festival.

And now we are ready to head for the horn Our boots and our clothes boys are all in the porn Heave a pole and heave away way hey, roll and go the anchors on board and the cables all stored to the rollicking handy dandy O a man the stout capstan and heave with a.

Will.

Us soon we'll be driving her way down the hill and go the anchors on board and the cables all.

Scored to me.

Hey there, listener.

Let's take a quick break and go over to the signaller, who is voiced by Ash this month and will let us know what we've been up to over the last month and where you can catch us in the future.

Heave to me hearties.

It's the signaller here bringing you all the news and the fun and the frolics from the Port of Bristol shanty crew.

Well, the weather over the last couple of months has been fantastic and there's nothing better than people like doing when the sun's out to sit outside with a pint or two and listening to Shanti.

And that means that August for the Shanty crew was really, really busy.

It started off on the 2nd of August down at Western Super Mare, supporting the shanty festival down there.

We managed to get along for the second day of the festival with three sets finishing off on the main stage later on Sunday afternoon.

Great crowds, lovely people and nice to be singing outside at a festival.

We swiftly moved on then to that lovely little micro pub in Fish Ponds, the Snuffy Jacks, where we went last year, and the guys entertained a small but very enthusiastic crowd there.

Next was a fantastic event, the Bristol Classic Car SAP Festival, which took place at Clifton Rugby Club and organized by those lovely people, the Bristol Freemasons.

I know the turnout for that was really good.

The guys did a couple of sets and I know they were well received.

That followed swiftly on by something I really can't tell you too much about.

So that's a bit exciting.

You will know more, but on Monday 18th August, we were singing down at the SS Great Britain and being filmed by ITV West News for a forthcoming program that they've got now.

This should be out in the first week of September, but until that does go out, I can't tell you much more about it, but it was a great thing to do.

Some fantastic shots these guys do with a drone flying over the Great Britain and we're very excited by it.

So more to follow then we moved on to the Clevedon show.

Used to be the Cleveland Flower show, but I think they've enlarged it somewhat and the guys did a couple of sets down there on the Sunday and then back to the Great Britain again for us the next day on.

On Monday singing their family day.

It's lovely.

Singing on the Great Britain Shanties sound fantastic in that setting, not least because we were able to try out the new kit that we've managed to acquire.

And lots and lots of thanks to Oggy for all his help buying that and also for setting it up.

He's the techno expert.

But I think we're all going to have to get involved in that because we don't want to just rely on Oggy's expertise.

We all need to know how to use it.

But it did sound great coming out of those new speakers.

So that was a lovely day.

And then the final event is going to be over in the Chocolate Quarter, singing to some great people there.

We've been there a couple of times.

They're very generous to our charity and they also give us some nice food and cakes, which is what, as you know, the crew really look forward to.

So that Was August very busy and we've now moved on to September.

Starts early in September where we are at Wanstreau Village Hall.

It's deep down in deepest Somerset and this is a joint fundraiser between ourselves and the church.

And now I believe tickets are virtually sold out.

There may be some left, so if you want to have a look, get on the website, look at 1strow Village hall and see if you can get some.

We then move on to the end of September when it's the Bristol Shanty Festival.

We've got a gig on the Saturday evening in the Nova Scotia, our second home, supporting Sam and all the lovely folk down there, where we're going to be doing a gig for them on Saturday the 20th and then we will be singing at the shanty Festival on the 21st in and around the harbourside and the city centre.

And it's quite likely that because we're suckers for punishment that we're going to carry on singing after the festival and do an after sing over at the cottage, which again is a great venue to sing shanty at, particularly if it's a nice evening and everybody can sit outside and our voices echo across that harbour and it's a brilliant setting to sing shanti.

So that's it.

A very busy couple of months.

We love seeing everybody who comes out to say hello to us.

Our charity fundraising is still going really well and it's all thanks to you, so come along and support us.

We look forward to seeing you.

And if you haven't bought any yet, get on the website and buy some of our new merch because you can wear that to come and see us and we will doubly thank you for both buying the merch and the T shirts and being there.

So that's it for now.

This is a signaler signing off.

Goodbye.

So I've met a familiar face here.

Tell me who you are.

Yeah, my name is Jamie Robinson.

Yeah, I.

Well, I work as a shipwright and engineer at T Nielsen and Co shipyard.

So I still actually end up fixing, seeing a big old traditional boat.

But I also sing shanties and play concertina is a bit of a hobby.

Yeah.

So where have you performed as.

As like a sea shanty?

All over the world really.

I used to.

I used to sail for.

For a living on old square riggers and I first joined these boats as unpaid crew and so I would sail all over the world and I would then.

I would then go busking in whatever port we ended up in to earn some money.

But for the moment Here we're in Western Supermare Sea Shanty Festival.

I've just done a set of CJ's earlier on and we've got two, two others later on tonight.

So where else can people see you next?

Next time you're playing the York Hotel.

At 8 o' clock and then the Regency at 10 o' clock tonight.

I might have got that the wrong way around.

And then I'm doing three sets on Sunday as well.

Oh, it must be.

You must love Sea Shanes as much to do this as.

As a hobby.

Yes, it's.

It's very definitely a hobby.

I, I work full time, you know, I fix these big old traditional boats for a living.

So, yeah, I don't have time to, to actually run a proper shanty group or a proper band, but I do as a, again as part of a, as part of a hobby, we organize a Sharpness Sea Shanty Festival once a year.

So that's something to, to get my teeth into.

But yeah, the music is very definitely a hobby.

So did you grow up using ships or did you get into it?

I.

My family moved to Scotland when I was the age of 10 and we lived on a little remote island off the west of Scotland.

So there was no opportunity to.

Was it mingalay or not?

I have been to mingle many times.

It's a beautiful island, but no, mingle is uninhabited.

But where we were then, there was no roads there, so you had to be involved in boats to get to the mainland and.

Yeah, so I learned to drive a boat well before I learned to drive a car and yeah, I've been involved in the sea all my life.

So you probably got these sea chains over time, haven't you?

Yeah, I mean, I've always had a bit of an enthusiasm for, for singing and then I kind of wouldn't necessarily say ran away from home, but I sailed or I took a couple of years off from working, working on the island in Scotland and I joined a square rigger and sailed all over the world then.

And that's where I really got the, got the bug for it.

They just, you know, when you actually sail these boats, then the songs get out, they take on a whole new relevance.

They're really good.

It's like, please tell me if I'm wrong.

There's three or five types of seashells.

I mean, the ones that I would know, there's a Halya shanti.

They, they have a specific rhythm where you get two pulls with one chorus.

So for instance, blow the man down.

That's A very.

Everyone knows that, you know.

So I was walking down paradise street to me way.

So pull way.

Hey, blow the land.

Those are your two pulls.

And then you would do the next.

The next verse.

Then you do another pull, another two pulls.

Then you have a capstan shanty.

They usually have a more of a rhythm and a longer chorus.

So something like.

Oh, I don't know.

Yeah, yeah, that's.

That's one also.

I mean the one that I do quite regularly.

Away to the southern wind it is free and we're bound for the sea.

Yeah, that's more of a rhythm.

So you know, walking around the cast and the court and the chorus is longer.

Then you have your short hall shanties which is in Liverpool.

I was born Bring him down.

And Liverpool is my home from Bring them down, you know.

And that's a very short.

A short shanty, but short pulls.

And then you've got your stomp and go ones which the.

The.

A drop of Nelson's blood wouldn't do it anyhow, you know.

And the idea is you walk along in a line pulling a rope and then some people would peel off at the front and join at the back again.

So there's.

There's lots of different kinds of them.

Essentially they're work their works on.

Yeah, I bet.

I bet skipper knows a lot of different.

Different sea chains because of his boat.

But thanks for.

Thanks for talking to me, Ade.

I hope you have a lot of more adventures in that boat of yours.

Well, yeah.

Unfortunately for the first time in my life I don't own a boat.

And I feel so much better.

I just mend other people's boats now.

Yeah.

But I still sing about it.

We live in the past.

Yeah.

Thank you.

On the poop deck walking about there is a second mates a steady answer self what he is a thinking of he doesn't know himself.

We're wishing he would hurry up and strike.

Strike the bell.

Strike the bell.

Second May let's go below.

Look away the windward you can see it's gonna blow.

Look at the glass, you can see that it is fell.

We wish that you would hurry up and strike.

Strike the bell down in the engine room Working on.

Somebody.

Somebody.

Oh, now we are somebody.

Okay.

I thought I heard the reverend say John Kackanaka July 8th.

Today's a Western shanty day.

We're outward bound for Cardiff Bay.

We're outward bound at break of day We're a Bristol ship and a Bristol.

Crew.

East city red but East Gast blow Bristol bread he's thick of arm, he's thick of head there's no revenge skip makes three There's J for Russian there's chili, Johnna John there's fish and our town doggy too John Canaka July Bill Muff and paddles complete the crew when we get to Cardiff Bay John K. We'll kill the Welsh and steal their pay Just one more verse and then we're through.

So wandering around have clearly bumped into some of our friends, the Beach Boys.

How are you gentlemen?

Resting at the moment.

Between.

Are you enjoying yourself so far?

Oh, absolutely.

What's the point in singing shanties if you can't enjoy yourself?

Exactly, exactly.

And can I ask how many pints you've got on board?

Just two today.

Oh, good man, good.

We have a two point rule as well.

This was great.

What particular act have you enjoyed so far?

Oh, we did the Stables games room yesterday.

If you enjoyed yourself, that's great.

Just been listening to Boise Brin.

Yes, yes, they're good.

Friends in Waves of Harmony as well.

They sounded great as well, didn't they?

Really good, really good.

And clearly you're looking forward to the Port of Bristol Shanty Crew next year.

Absolutely, absolutely fair weather.

Can you just remind me what's the check going to be paid out to for that kind of statement?

Our account overseas?

Yeah, yeah, in Iceland.

But good stuff, good stuff.

How many more sets have you got to do today or tomorrow?

Another three to do.

Wow.

And you're here tomorrow?

Yes.

Oh, that's just one more to do.

One more today?

Yeah, we've got the.

Where are we next?

Oh, the York Hotel, main stage tomorrow and the Old Colonial.

Nice.

Well, carry on enjoying the rest of the event.

It's been great to talk to you and we'll see you soon.

Take care.

Thank you.

Now, everywhere we go, we clearly are very, very happy to see people who just enjoy our music.

And there's one particular chap that I see every single time that comes along and just enjoys our tunes.

Just introduce yourself to us.

So I'm Matt.

Well, I go to quite a few shanty festivals.

Seen you guys quite a few times.

I always love it.

It's a fantastic show.

Every time.

Well, it's very, very kind of you to say so.

I mean, I guess the best thing is actually you're a young person.

Most of the time I speak to slightly older people, but ultimately there is a lot of young people that do live like shanty music.

Any idea why that is the case?

I would blame TikTok.

I think you Think so?

Well, a man.

Yeah, absolutely.

It would appear to have made our life easier for a bigger audience, which is great.

You've clearly been here.

Oh, look, the music just starts.

Perfect.

Are you here tomorrow?

I am.

Have you got a particular act that you're really looking forward to hearing?

Other than us, of course.

The voice.

Minus.

They're always fun.

Perfect.

Which is great.

Well, as a special thank you, we are providing you a very special Port of Bristol badge hat that will sit up on your hat.

Because this chap, if you see him around at Oceanti Festivals, he's got a hat very similar to ours and some incredible badges.

And we've added a special Port of Bristol badge upon that now.

So here we are.

I hope you enjoy it.

Yeah, absolutely.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for talking to us.

I was just a little lad oh so me mommy told me Away, all away we'll haul away Joe, if I.

Didn'T kiss the girls My lips will.

Go home Holy Away, haul away we'll go away, hey all away we'll haul away together Away, all away all away Drove away, hey all the way we'll hold for better Where Heather?

Away, all the way all away Jo.

I used to date a Cornish girl but she turned fat and lazy Away.

All the way Horro now with the Bristol girl.

And she just drives me amazing.

Away, all the way all the way, hey all the way we're all the way together all the way all the way all the way.

Hey.

Welcome back.

I hope you enjoyed the audio we captured at the Western Super Mare Shanti Festival.

And thank you to the steephomers who invited us along.

And it was great to see our community of shanti singers around the region, and of course, from far afield, who came along to take part in this year's Shanty Festival.

So next up, we've got our sporadic spontaneous segment, which is called Ahoy there, Matey, where we get to hear from another shanty crew within the United Kingdom or further afield who are promoting what they're up to.

Ahoy there, matey Men of Cornwall, one and all are we and here we stand together to bring you greetings from our Celtic land.

We have brought our wives and friends with us across the west and waters to sing, to drink, to talk and shake your hand.

The wait's over, me beauties.

The press gang are back.

Oh, when I go aloft in the middle of the night I'm gonna board a steamer as a stoker.

Bloody right.

Their brand new ep Tin and Tide is out now.

Eight tracks of Cornish folk and sea.

Shanties that will have you stomping your feet, clapping your hands and singing along.

Bury me when I die upon hillside high so that I can look down from above to the meadow and the moor and craggy Cornish shore that surrounds this granite county that I love.

Recorded at Cube Recordings, Tin and Tide.

Is a lively tribute to Cornwall and its maritime spirit.

When the fishing blows go out to sea from the shores of my homeland God, do me a favor Guide them with your land Protect them from the dangers and the fury of the sea Cause the fishing boats of Bever Gizzy mean the world to me.

The press gang Tin and Tide is.

Available now on all streaming platforms and in CD format at any of their future gigs.

When I have crossed the bar When I have crossed the bar I hope to see my pilot face to face When I have crossed the ball Ahoy there matey.

So that's it for this month's episode of Shipshape and Bristol Fashion.

I hope you've enjoyed all of the content and if you did, then please do.

If you can rate or review this podcast on your podcast app, it really does help and it keeps us motivated to keep moving forward and producing episodes for you.

If you are a fan of the Port of Bristol Shanty Crew, then you can find out how to engage even more on our Facebook page.

So do search for us on Facebook Port of Bristol Shanty Crew and you can join our Facebook crew and get.

To hear about what we're up to.

Pretty live and also get to see some of the material that we produce.

We do produce a monthly newsletter that's a really easy way of accessing that.

The link for that is in the show notes or go to your normal Internet Browser and search shipshapepodcast.co.uk newsletter.

You will then be able to just tap in your email address and once a month you'll get to hear about what we've been up to.

We do the newsletter because we know that Facebook has algorithms and no matter how much we put stuff on there, sometimes Facebook doesn't want to show you everything.

So at least with the newsletter you can catch up with all the really important stuff.

And of course if you are a superfan and you just love to come on hear us and you want us to spot you, then one great way of doing that is of course is buying yourself a T shirt and we have over 30 different designs and in fact to be honest, the doc, who is the most creative person in the crew is designing them as we speak.

And so actually, when I say 30.

There'S probably even more now.

But if you are keen to buy a T shirt, then do pop over to our website, pobshantycrew.co.uk and in the top right hand corner, you can click on a button called merch and that will take you to our T shirt website.

And the good news is that it's £20, which.

But a small proportion of that goes straight back to the Teenage Cancer Trust.

So not only you can you look amazing in a T shirt, but, you know, whilst you're wearing that, you've actually actively donated towards our kind of prominent charity that we support here within the crew.

So on that, thank you once again for listening and we look forward to entertaining you again next month on Shipshape and Bristol Fashion.

So fair winds and following seas and.

Take care Shipshape and Bristol Fashion boys Along the harbor side from even gorge to underfall we'll even haul the line Secure the barrels down below this vessel she is certified ship shape and Bristol fashion so haul away me laddie boys Haul away, you're free Haul away me laddie boys and save a drink for me Haul away me laddie boys Haul away, you're free Haul away me laddy boys and save a Dr.