OLDFOLKS BOOGIE

 My good friend Chris Prowse (Richard's older brother and the guy who has fired Richard several times from the various bands he has been involved in) has won the 2009 Tui for Best Folk Album of the Year with 'Trouble on the Waterfront'. This is a great concept album well worth listening to and it for me refreshes the idea about 'Folk' and contemporises the stories in the songs. Having a theme that is recognisable and part of my growing up is important. Most folk songs I have listened to in the past have been American or British stories or early nineteenth century New Zealand ones. Richard wasn't in the band for this album but his bass playing may well have suited the song about the blowing up of the Huntly bridge.

It is great seeing Chris get this recognition from the Folk community. Many years ago his credibility may have been a bit weak since he twice invited Richard, Tony, Mike, Roger and I to the Wanganui Folk gathering at a camp in the Para Paras. We of course behaved very badly (and had a great time). I remember on one of the trips  we went for a  day jaunt to Raetahi and Mike drove my car back for many miles with the handbrake fully engaged. When we arrived back at the campsite excited hippies pointed out the smoking and flaming rear wheels where the brake pads had burned away. The trip home back to Wellington was exciting given it is one of the windiest roads in the country and we had virtually no brakes. Several times I nearly rear-ended Chris in his Hillman Hunter.