Hobo - Press Coverage 1973 / 4.

Hobo came out in June 1973. These are the press cuttings 1973 - 74.

The first interview with Lynne Greenwood of the Coventry Evening Telegraph featured Co-editors Trev Teasdel and John Bargent (Bo) in June 1973 for their Saturday On the Scene supplement.

This appeared earlier on June 23rd, also in On the Scene supplement with a paragraph taken from one of the articles in Hobo.

Virgin Records in Coventry were going to have Gong play in the loading bay behind the store but were refused. The quote from Hobo is marked.

This is the letter from Coventry Evening Telegraph in response to a letter about the RU18 squad (mentioned in another article here) that started Hobo and in response to us then creating Hobo and dropping off a copy.

The Coventry Review was a long standing free newspaper that was delivered house to house in Coventry. Brian Weeks did the weekly music column and  hobo was featured in it a couple of times in 1974.

Coventry Review February 1974

Another letter from the Coventry Evening Telegraph March 1974 after dropping off the blue copy of Hobo - No3. The journalist addressed it to Dave Thomas by mistake. Dave's address was on the same page as mine as he ran Golem Disco. Luckily Dave passed the letter on to me!

There are more Hobo cuttings related to the Hobo Workshop and the Shut Down Precinct Concert in other posts on here.

Magna Carta - Lord of the Ages (Hobo Review 1973)

This is from the brief review section of Coventry's Music and Arts magazine - Hobo 1973 - 75, edited by Trev Teasdel.

The review was done by a guy called Dave,whose surname I've forgotten but was a roadie with Bob Jackson's first band in Coventry - Indian Summer. Bob of course went on to play with many name bands including Badfinger and the Fortunes.

Lord of the Ages - Magna Carta

It's hard to capture the beauty of this album in words. It's the kind of album to play when you've stopped rushing about and wanting to relax. Lyrics are poetic but not corny, blending nicely with the haunting melodies, not unsimilar to Crosby Stills, Nash and Young, or Simon and Garfunkle. The mood shifts to a funky sound in the second half and then back again. What the hell are you reading this for? If you are going to get into this type of music, go and grab a listen and let it speak for itself.

Dave - October 1973 for Hobo Magazine.

Magna Carta are still touring in 2017 - you can catch up with them on facebook here https://www.facebook.com/pg/MAGNA-CARTA-acoustic-folkrock-band-148497901882158/posts/

Hobo - Coventry Music Magazine issue 1 - June 1973

This is Issue one of Hobo - Coventry's Music and Arts Magazine (Promoter) published June 1973, printed on Offset litho at The Left Centre, Coventry on an offset Litho donated by History and Warwick University Professor - E.P. Thompson. The magazine was produced by Trev Teasdel and John Bargent. It's available free here on PDF.  It was typed by Maz and the layouts were done by John and Maz. The intention was to produce it monthly but John Bargent (who ran Rouguestar Promotions and disco) left after this issue to road manage Coventry jazz-rock band Khayyam on their European tour. as John had largely financed the first issue,  it actually came out when I managed to raise enough for the printing. Issues were produced that weren't printed therefore owing to lack of finance but what i have left of those issues that never made it to print will be uploaded here too for research and archive purposes.

 Here is the link to the first issue on PDF - https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B86kZ7RP6OWKSVB3cE9PcncwMEU

Hobo began with a campaign against the RU18 squad who were kicking young people out of pubs without anyone providing alternative places for young people to hear live music. In getting a petition together to send to Coventry Evening Telegraph, i met John Bargent who helped to get Hobo started. That story will be on this blog in another post. Meanwhile here is the press coverage we got in the 'On the Scene' supplement in the Coventry Evening Telegraph June 1973.

Editorial for - Issue one - Published June 1973 

Hi!

This is the first edition, which comes completely free, of an attempt at supplying the musicians and such likery of Coventry and surrounding districts, with a form of music paper, crude as it may be, in which people can make known their wares by advertising them in these columns, or contacting musicians and groups etc. it is intended to cover not only musicians but discos, poets and artists etc. Interviews with groups and artists will be carried out, also information, news and views.

We will be pleased to hear from anyone who has any suggestions, information, news and views.

The money made from the adverts will be used to finance and improve this monthly mag, so that it can be distributed free. I’d like to point out that  the idea is to make this as comprehensive as we can musically and is therefore not restricted to Rock groups, it is open to any form of music or art. It is strictly non-bread-head, non-profit mag.

Love and Happiness to all

Trev Teasdel 1973

On the Scene supplement in which the above article came from -

Letter from Coventry Telegraph prior to our interview -

A fuller view of the article

There will be more about John Bargent's Roguestar Promotions in the Cov Discos blogspot listed on the top post. (Below - John and his wife Rachel as they are now).


John had worked for release and one of his ideas was Central Spot (Mentioned in the magazine) - a drop in centre for young people with problems. John left Hobo after the first issue but that option got taken up later by Bob Rhodes, a detached youth worker from Coventry Voluntary service council who facilitated the Hobo Workshop at the Holyhead Youth Centre summer 1974. More about that on a post on the Hobo Workshop.

Hobo Issue 2 August 1973

This is a pdf copy of Hobo Issue 2 published in Coventry August 1973.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B86kZ7RP6OWKdXJnZmpLVlNzdTg/edit (Click link to download it.)

Hobo was intended to come out  monthly but when John Bargent ( who funded the first issue) left to roadie with a band it was hard to raise the cost of printing on such a regular basis, and so the magazine came out as when funds were raised.

Issue 2 was published thanks to Babs Wainwright who got the layouts duplicated. Not as good as offset litho but at least we got an issue out a month late. This issue was written and produced by Trev Teasdel and re-typed and printed by Babs.

Virgin Records Coventry supplied the Virgin chart and Mike O'Hare of Virgin records did the LP reviews and placed the advert (Who's Moses).

Pete Waterman (who at the time was running the Soul Hole - in the basement of I Am Boutique and then above Virgin records, supplied the Soul Hole Charts.

Editorial No 2 August 1973

Hello,
Hobo is back on the road after lapsing a month due to printing difficulties and many other hassles. Out of necessity a small fee (2p) is being charged for the mag. (Money certainly doesn’t grow on trees!).

Briefly the aims of the mag are to supply the the musicians / poets / artists of Coventry and district with a music and arts mag that everyone can afford. It aims to give news / info / articles of interest/ classifieds / and a central point for inspiring and promoting activities in the city.

We’re interested in in any articles / poems / news / views / info / ideas / criticisms or any help you can offer. Please don’t be shy about responding as it’s your response that we’re relying on. This is the framework, it’s your ideas that will clothe it. We hold no prejudice musically and are open to any form of music or art. Though the underdog (ground) activities are given priority. Leastways we do our best.

Trev Teasdel August 1973

Trev Teasdel - Editor / Layouts / Reporter
Barbara Wainwright  (Babs) - Typing / Sec. / Duplication / Collation
Assistants - Bruce Norris (Poetry Editor) / Johnny Adams (Band Info) / Andy / Bo / Bill / all the Daves
Mike O'Hare (of Virgin Records) - Reviews / Virgin Album Charts
Pete Waterman - Soul Hole Record Chart.
Support - Coventry Arts Umbrella Club /& Lynn Greenwood - Coventry Evening Telegraph

....................................
Here is the unpublished July 1973 version of Issue 2 - or at least some of the draft pages.

Hobo (Coventry Music and Arts Magazine) was first published June 1973 – edited by Trev
Teasdel and John Bargent (Bo) and printed at the Left Centre, 65, Queen Victoria Rd, Coventry
(now demolished but located somewhere behind the Town Crier). It was printed on an offset litho
supplied by EP Thompson (author of Making of the English Working Class) while he was a
Professor at Warwick University.
Towards the end of June, we started to put together the draft copy of the Issue two for release in
July 1973. However, John Bargent, who was paying for the printing (along with any adverts we
managed to get) left the magazine to roadie with Coventry Jazz Rock outfit Khayyam on their
European tour. The original Issue two therefore never got published in July. However Trev managed
to get a second issue published in August 1973 via Babs Wainwright, who managed to produce via
her workplace duplicator. Some of the articles were pulled from the original unpublished issue two
along with fresh up to date material.

HOBO - ISSUE 2 (UNPUBLISHED VERSION) JULY 1973.
This, then, consists of fragmented and surviving pages from the draft of the original issue 2 of
Hobo, that was in preparation at the end of June 1973. It was an unfinished mock up and bits of
material were pulled from it for the August edition.
Graphics mainly done by John Alderson – Guitarist with Wandering John

EDITORIAL OF THE ORIGINAL HOBO NO 2 JULY 1973
Copies of Hobo can be obtained from Virgin Records, I AM boutique, The Sound Centre, The Left Centre, various music and record shops and the central libraries, not to mention the merry men and women of Hobo who will be distributing them here, there, near and far.

As always, we are interested in any articles you have written, poems, news, comments anything going on, things you'd like to go on. Help of any kind you can offer. Write to us or see us out and about - don't be shy - the worst we can say is no - which is doubtful!

Please pass it round, show / tell your friends, help support our raffle and concerts,  if you can so that we can continue and improve the mag and facilities in Coventry and help people trying to get things going in Cov.

Please return beer glasses to the pub when used outside as policemen keeping an all night vigil is a drag and for God's sake don't throw them! There are otherways of using up energy and killing time. Have a sing song or anything but try and keep things peaceful otherwise it's going to be useless trying to get through to anyone to aid us and get anything done. The Police funds are low , so keep cool and keep clean!.
Trev and Bo (John Bargent) July 1973

Additional Editorial
Hello again! For those who haven;t seen the first issue, I'll explain briefly the purpose of this monthly magazine. It is to help promote and revitalise the music / art scene in Coventry and is distributed free. It is (or should be) sponsored by ads. So far we've had little help and consequently our pockets bear big holes! So groups, discos, shops please help as we don't wish to have to charge for this magazine, which is non-profit making. In fact we just want it to support itself but at the moment it's completely the reverse. Anyway - details of the Ad rates later in the mag.

Hobo (Coventry Music and Arts magazine) Issue 3 1974

Hobo No3 February 1974 Two Tone Blue issue.
Features - an early small add for a band by Horace Panter (later of the Specials) in the small ads pages. Advert for Willow, Jazz rock band featuring Joe Reynolds sax player who later played on The Selecter's Three Minute Hero, Advert designed by Rod Felton for his Rude Bare folk Club, on the back page. Advert for Silk Disco. Adverts for some of Pete Waterman's early discos under Entertainments.

Issue 3 of Hobo (Coventry Music and Arts Magazine) February 1974. The magazine was originally planned to come out each month but lack of funds and rising printing costs meant some issues weren't printed and published. There was therefore often a gap before the next issue came out. That's not to say the work of the magazine, the networking and promotion didn't go on anyway, far from it and some of the remaining pages of issues we weren't able to publish are now being archived here to reflect that. However - this is the Published version of issue 3.

Trev Teasdel - Editor / Reporter / Layouts
Mike O'Hare (Virgin Records) - Virgin Album Chart
Support - Sunshine Music Agency (SAM) (Typewriter / office space / encouragement and
contacts)
Rod Felton - Art work (Rude Bear Folk Club)
Printing - Broadgate Press (offset Litho)
Support and Help - Sue and Mike Pearce / Colin Cripps / Lynda Hardcastle.


Coventry music news / poetry / free music ads / Virgin album charts for Coventry 1974 / etc.

Issue 3 Editorial
Hobo is a media for the music and arts scene in Coventry and near by. It welcomes your opinions, help, poems, information, articles, graphics, ideas etc. It is a framework to be clothed with your ideas and activities. It needs feedback - don;t hesitate as we are friendly. Money made is used for the mag, to keep it going and gradually (if the country doesn't collapse) to improve it. Hopefully Hobo will continue on a regular monthly basis, previous delay was owing to printing hassles, paper shortages and money shortages and God knows what. Hobo can be obtained from Virgin Records, I Am boutique, Sunshine Music Agency, The Sound Centre, Cranes Music shop, Rude Bear Folk Club, Silk Disco, Student Unions and various music shops etc.

From original layout in Black and white.

Willow was a Jazz rock band featuring sax /flute player and poet Joe Reynolds who later played on Selecter's  Three Minute Hero,both in the studio and on Top of the Pops.

Below area few surviving pages from issues that didn't come out - some are hard to date precisely - but I think November 1973 and January 1974 and some after feb 1974 but before the summer issue.

Virgin records - Coventry Store album chart - c end of 1973

Hobo No 3 was printed at Broadgate Instant Print in Exhall, Coventry.

Hobo (Coventry Music and Arts Magazine) No 4 1974

This is a pdf file version of  issue No 4 of Hobo Magazine, charting the Coventry Music scene in 1974.

This edition was produce in the summer of 1974, produced on a duplicator - much of the work was typed at Sunshine Music Agency in Gulson Road Coventry (Thanks to Co-director Craig Ward) and other wise at Coventry Voluntary Service Council. This edition features a Soul article by Pete Waterman who at the time ran Soul Hole Records above the Virgin record store in Coventry and also placed an advert for the Soul Hole in the magazine. His article focused on the Three Degrees who he saw in concert along with David Bowie and other. Pete wasn't world famous at this point but was on the way!

There are two versions of the magazine here - the second one was produced first but was withdrawn owing to the printers having made a hash of the magazine - reducing it (to save costs) but making it largely unreadable and the graphics looked messy. We re-did the layout and content and had it duplicated. I've cleaned up the issue and tried to make it readable but the graphics are still indistinguishable. It does contain information on bands that wasn't included in the second version - obviously as time had lapsed but might be useful historically. The cover photo show Mark Rider and Ray Barrie in a 1974 due called Sasp'rilla. Mark Rider is now in Skawaddy. John Alderson of Wandering John did some of the cartoon sketches.

EDITORIAL FROM ISSUE 4 (Published version) summer 1974
Once again I am apologising for the late arrival of this issue, owing to the difficulties in getting it printed, but i think possibly we are now able to overcome them and produce HOBO monthly, so keep your fingers crossed. For those not familiar with the magazine, it is a non profit making mag being a media for the music and arts scene, with the purpose of promoting and encouraging activities and facilities. Your ideas, poems, articles, information, letters, ads etc. etc. are very welcome, so do not hesitate to contact us.
Trev Teasdel 1974

Hobo Issue No 4 - Summer 1974 Coventry Music and Arts Magazine.



Hobo - Issue No 4 (Unpublished version - early summer.)
Editorial of the unpublished issue of Hobo No 4
Hobo is a non-profit making magazine. Briefly the aims of the mag are to supply the musicians / poets / artists of Coventry and district with a music and arts mag that everyone can afford, giving news / info / articles of interest / classified ads and a central point for inspiring and promoting creative activities in the city. We are interested in any articles / info / ideas / criticisms or any help you can offer. Please don;t be shy about responding as its your response that we're relying on. This is the framework, it's your ideas that will clothe it. We hold no prejudice musically and are therefore open to any form of music or art. Although  the underdog activities are given priority - least-ways we do our best.
Trev Teasdel 1974 

Trev Teasdel - Editor / Reporter / Layout

Arthur Brown - Coeditor / distribution manager.

John Alderson (Of Wandering John / Last Fair Deal / Just Jake) / Justin Guy (Roadie with A Band Called George) / Steve Brimson (Derek Brimstone's son) - Graphics

Pete Waterman - Article / advertising / info

Support - Sunshine Music Agency (SAM) - typewriter / office space / contacts / info / 

                 reviews. Coventry Voluntary Service Council (Bob Rhodes - Detached Youth 

                 Worker)

Mike O'Hare (Virgin Records) - Virgin Album & Singles Chart

Also help from Lynda Hardcastle / Greg / Colin Armstrong (Singer/Songwriter) / Colin Cripps / 

Duplicating and Stencil Bills

Hobo 5 - Nov 1974 (Unpublished)

Hobo kept going between June 1973 and Nov 1974 as a magazine despite a series of set backs both

financial and in terms of printing costs and resources. We had no core funding back then, reliant on ads which were sometimes difficult to get and rising printing costs and so, while the intention was to produce a monthly magazine, it in fact came out whenever money allowed. Hence some of the issues / material on here never go finally published back in the day but is presented here as historical source material.

The work of the magazine wasn't just the production of the magazine however, a lot of networking, puting out ideas and sharing of information and keeping material from the period for posterity was all part of it along with the campaign for a venue for bands starting off.

This issue - which never saw the light of day - was the last attempt to keep the magazine going and production began about November 1974. By June 1974 Hobo had evolved already into a venue / workshop described on other posts on this blog. The Hobo Workshop based first at the Holyhead Youth Centre and then upstairs at the Golden Cross fulfilled a lot of the wider aims of  Hobo and many of the musicians who played for us later went on to better things.

What remains, in terms of layout drafts of issue 5, is displayed here with any other articles / information i can find in my archives.

THE HOBO WORKSHOP - LETS GET IT ON

(Draft article earmarked for Issue 5 Nov 1974)

Where is it?

The Hobo Workshop, which began in June 1974 at the Holyhead Youth Centre in Coventry, has moved recently to upstairs at the Golden Cross, Hay lane. The workshop operates every Monday night and is free to get in, although we sometimes pass the 'hat round' to help cover petrol expenses of the bands that play and your contributions are therefor appreciated.

What is it?

It is a creative workshop - as opposed to a straight concert scene - where not only bands (newly started or more established) can come and play their brand of music but at which anyone can come along do their particular 'thing', whether it be in the form of music / poetry / street theatre / fire eating (!) or whatever. If you'd like to come along and try something out or if you have any ideas about what you'd like to see happening at the workshop or if you'd like to organise a jam session or anything - then get in touch. The object is to provide a place where you can do or get together whatever you want (within reason of course!).

We've made Our Effort - It's Now up to You to Make Yours!

So come along and take advantage of it or just come along and enjoy it - come in fancy dress if you like - use your imagination and help us break down the "Them and Us" scene between performers and audience. There is a basic coordination at the workshop to avoid chaos but it is loosely applied to accommodate whatever you want to do.

So come on and put away your 'do it yourself concert critic', kick away your jams and come and help us get a creative and friendly scene going.

Anyone wishing to know anymore, write to Hobo or come up to the Golden Cross on Monday night and ask for Trev Teasdel; Liz Scott; or John Bargent (Bo).

We'd like to thank all those who have so far supported us, participated or helped us organise the workshop in any way. Special thanks go to Singer songwriters Colin Armstrong, Dave Bennett - bands including Fission (Johnny Adams / Al Varney), Midnight Circus (Neil O'Connor), Khayyam (Chris Jones), Analog (Steve Edgeson), Trigon (Paul Sampson), Phoenix (Dave Pepper), Memories (Ray Barowski), Just Before Dawn (Jim Pryal), Radio Moonraker Disco, John Alderson, Colin and Lyn Cripps. Phil Knapper, Ann Barton, Andy slowhand Cairns, Horace Panter, Neol Davies, Charley Anderson, Julian Adams, John Rushton (Analog), Tony Unwin, Arol, Bob Rhodes and Kevin and oh too many more to name.

................................................................

HOBO THOUGHT FOR THE YEAR!!!

Why don't more people skip instead of walk!! It is healthy, fast, fun and doesn;t wear your shoes out if you roll on your feet instead of scrape! Hobo wants to see everyone skipping to work / college or the dole - you can even skip to the loo if you like...!!

...................................................................

THOUGHT FOR FOOD

Vegetarian recipies - Economical - Filling and Nutricious - by Lyndie B.

Baked Cauliflower Cheese

Cook cauliflower in the usual way (steaming is best if possible) then place in an oiled casserole dish. Alternate the layers of cauliflower and breadcrumbs (Whole meal please). Sprinkle each layer of crumbs with grated cheese and a dot of margerine and end up with breadcrumbs on top. Pour over it a cup of milk, mixed with an egg (or just milk if times are hard!) and then bake in a moderate oven until browned. A little black pepper adds an interesting touch.

Drumlanrig Pudding (Scottish)

Stew fruit (any variety but rhubarb is favourite) until pulpy (adding brown sugar or honey to taste) and then alternate the layers of fruit and wholemeal bread in a pudding basin. Stand in a cold place for 24 hours, then turn upside down and gently remove bowl. Yoghurt makes an incredible topping.

........................................................................

Adverts for the Shanty Folk Club and Pat Garcia

Folk Club directory from Pat Garcia 1974

Coventry Folk Singers Society presentations at -
The Jules Verne Folk Club, Grayswood Ave, Coventry 8.pm every Sunday.

Coventry Folk Singers Society presentations at
The Cliffton Hotel, Cliffton Road, Rugby.
The Lobster Pot Folk Club 8pm Thursday nights.

Hobo Magazine - Poetry Pages 1973 / 5 (Part 2)

Continuing from Part one, further contributions of poetry or connections to the local or regional poetry scene.
These have been transferred from the original Hobo Vox blog from 2006 / 7

SADNESS by Gina Grunskis
(Willenhall Wood - Coventry)

Piercing tears from cold grey eyes,
Falling gently, forming pools on
once dry ground.
Arch your body, cover your
feelings in pride.
Swell out your chest to show
your thumping heart,
looking round for a place
to hide,
to lie in a dark corner and
sob yourself to sleep.
To toss and turn out nightmares.
Wake up cold and shivering,
all alone.
Wonder how long this never ending
friendless night would last.
If only I could catch your sadness -
take away, dilute it in sugar'd water,
to form a floating reed on
a silent flowing river
going far away
Rippling happy water on
the pebbles of your broken heart.
..................................

Poems by Lyndie B.

This one appeared on the front cover of Hobo No 3 February 1974

The blinds are up

daylight hurts
The sun is cold
I've an empty cup
The trees are bare
Winter lives
The birds are dead
I see and care.
Lyndie B
.................

What is there without you?
The milk bottles on the rain washed step
A cat with fleas and kittens due
The same old alarm clock without a bell
and a bed that has grown too big.
Strawberry jam in the making
making an effort without you.
A new dress in crinkle brown paper
But there isn't a mirror without you.
What is there without you?
The same old tomorrow morning
with its middle in yesterday.
Homemade bread to be be kneaded.
I needed and now I'm without you.
Tussled hair blown in the wind
No need for brushing without you.
What is there without you.?
Lyndie B - 1974
...................

Four to a square
Three to a triangle
Too many to each person.
At least two
in an argument.
But One in a marriage.
A coin goes both ways
A sperm splits the egg.
Life has one end
Birth is the beginning
Life is the end
Death the resurrection.
Birds have fans
Dogs have tails,
Men have only stories.
Lyndie B - 1974

........................................................

At Peace in a Wood

I am ageless
My roots are in the earth
With the trees
And I too have grass
Between my toes.

I am nature
My mind is in harmony
With the trees
And I too have leaves
At my fingertips.

I am peace
My form moves with the wind
With the trees
And I too live on
For eternity.

I am strong
My death is not real
With the trees
And I too die at the sharp axe
Of society.

Lyndie - 1972.
..................................................

Poems by Dave 'Byron' Reid

Tell me once again Malcolm
About the magicians.
What spells are they into now?

David (Byron) Reid by Jackie Finch 1972

It’s true Malcolm
they never could teach me magic.
Yes Malcolm I was lost
way lost and all they were
doing was showing me the simplest spells
all they were doing was 

arsing about.and I was 

looking on with my sternest 

eyes what a laugh Malcolm, 

they were laughing tell me 

once again Malcolm 

how we arrived you and me
on the same day.
at this asylum reception desk.
you with your luggage full 

of magic and me 

empty handed?

David Reid (Known as Byron in Coventry) 1972
Published in Hobo No 2 Aug 1973

.............................................

My father Who I hadn't seen for donkey’s years And who hadn’t spoken to me for so much longer. Came to piss in a toilet where I was already pissing. We looked across the crashing water. I saw his red face ...his lovely tyrant eyes. I looked down and saw.. he held his prick Like I held mine. If only we'd known this Earlier! David Reid (Known as Byron in Coventry) 1972 ........................................................ If  I got Somehow Paralysed Would you stay With me? Don’t talk wet,   He said. He shook his head Why do you fuck evenings Up with asking Me such things? Me, who paid for your Cherry B! Who’s given you more than one ‘Players’   This night. He then pulled her close Gave her mouth a jawbreaker Band with his. She sprang away as if his lips Were drawing pins. I've got to know!  she screamed. The pub suddenly had faces. He went bright red. That night In lover’s lane He beat her up. He’d done it before And this time he spat ‘Paralysed’ as he clobbered. David Reid (Known as Byron in Coventry) 1972 ........................................ they tell me the pretty pop star is god almighty they believe it if you could hear them praise him you'd believe they believe it the pretty pop star says to the world I certainly don’t believe I’m god almighty I’m no angel says pretty pop star one eye on the mirror the other on his belief that he can make ‘em scream like no one can make ‘em scream no hero no a-bomb no acrobat no dracula can make ‘em scream like he can ugly fat sweaty man called manager pats his bottom and says ‘go make ‘em scream’ pretty pop star sayeth ‘ hey! I feel pretty good!’ leaps up to the mirror so his nose is against the glass and winks at himself ‘tomorrow, it’s a sauna bath for you,’ guffaws the manager signing something or other with gold plated biro ‘hey! I feel pretty good!’ says pretty pop star and well he might so many cute little eyes so many tingling little thighs are about to tell him he’s god almighty tremble and scream a massive wave of worship over his little body attempt to sink their souls into this pretty god almighty. David Reid (Known as Byron in Coventry) 1972 .......................

They
The baldheaded ugly men
In morbid suits
Blood red ties in
Colourless department of
Employment offices
Chat to me.
‘and why haven't you got a better working record?’ 

'Why you?'
And I bow my head
And weep 

I..... suffer.....from...... tired......tiredness.

and
In the streets by the January
sales shops 

filthy with bargain hunters
Christian hunters 

David (Byron) Reid by Jackie Finch 1972

hunt me down
Shove 

salvation passports into
My eyes and squeal the
'end – beginning – beginning - end

is nigh, why haven't 

you saved yourself?' 

And I bow my eyes 

to the slush choking the gutter 

and weep
I suffer from......tiredness.....tiredness

and

in my bed
The girl rubs the ointment
of her limbs 

into the sore of my need 

and I hold 

on to her like 

one holds a leaf
In an autumn wind

And she

cries 'why d'you stranglehold

my flesh?'

'Why d'you pin me to your rotten life?'

And I 

Bow my heart and

Rage I  I  I  I

David (Byron) Reid by Jackie Finch 1972

SUFFER

suffer from tiredness

Tired....tiredness.

And she dresses

Hurriedly

And when she's

Gone I

Too tired to sleep

Watch the darkness from above

Till it suffers from tiredness.

And bowing my mind

I squeeze

Out a poem that shouts

brag of tiredness

Tired..ness

So i shout till the poem

is happy

with tiredness...tiredness....

David Reid (Known as Byron in Coventry) 1972

Dave (Byron) Reid also wrote plays, submitted to the BBC

................................


Poems by Jackie Finch

15 HOUR JOURNEY by Jackie Finch 1972

Giggling madly, I had to turn away

The sad pathetic face and distorted limbs

Lino cut print by Jackie Finch

Hilariously sad.

My body was floating on a millimetre blue cloud

But as long as I acknowledged this, I was ok

Complicated thoughts – turmoil

Sudden fear – distorted time and motion

Badly did I fly

Reality turned its arse on me

I stretched out, all gone

Father was alien so was cat

Oh, Christ,

Hospital gushed out sores and blood

On my body, on my brain

Complete ignorance on their behalf.

Shaking, trembling long through the night

Reality had really travelled far

Three days, maybe four and finally I stopped

Questioning, grabbing, testing for materialness

Normality?

............................

A POEM by Jackie Finch 1972

Peaceful drops of me and silence

Wound together in hazy gestures of

Shining eyes. Together we-us-now

Are

A swirling, churling, Furling mass of

Landscape, handchase, day dream dissolve

Around you I loved, we shared-changes

Into a loud quack – duck fear realization

Wings in water – beating, sweating rhythm

Black,bright your eyes are shining now my love

Only we can ever know

But oh such disaster; Great gigantic lumps of metal,

Brick,

Shit, mess,

Rubble, dirt,

Noise, being, people shattering, crashing, crushing us. If I

Had a bomb –

Ho peaceful drops of silence flowing from your brow

I’d kill us all.

............................

By Jackie Finch (written in the Golden Cross C. 1973)

Strangers

Self, forceful beliefs

Breaking the fibres of warmth

Intolerance causing an anger

You do not feel

Smile without contempt

Smile on your friends and give way.

.......................................................

Poems by Ian Gage

Some of the poems contributed to Hobo Magazine by Ian back in 1973.

HONESTY LOVE AND YOU

Honesty is a concept,

And we use it to condemn each other.

It is an opinion

Just as right and wrong.

Love is a goal

Which sometimes gives peace.

It is expendable

As everything else.

You are my friend

But it’s only society that’s thrown us together

We could’ve both been

Quite different.

....................................

For an oak tree you have

The princely stance of a guardian,

As if in your silence, you

Guard the door, to the house

Of light.

Endless pages I see tortured,

By the pen of thoughts.

Unfounded theories, which,

Though kind, cannot break

Through my brain.

Yet in your wooded suit,

Surrounded by friends and visited

By timeless magicians of skies,

No books can lead me through

The storm, as you,

Unto the presence of the holy man.

.........................................

O God,

so greatly garrisoned

By your guardians the stars.

You live hermetically hidden

So eoen Thomas, one of the

Learned, could not see you

As you are.

You are far

As a mountain,

O God

Who can climb your mind

And look down, lovingly

On it all?

Like a lake is your heart

O but you are an ocean,

How can I drink you all,

To stop my drowning.

.............................................

I planted a root,

her barren soil arose

And fled.

....................

I wear a ring, which holds my hand,

Comforting and clasping maternally.

It carries zodiacs and tales of ancient

Myth, attracting faces wherever

It guides me.

It’s a companion, that was lost

For such a time, and now

I can hold it in my arms and love it

Or let it roll.

My ring is a pride, a descendant

From the apple tree

A giver of patience and sight

Into all hearts a guiding light,

It tempts me

And I with bleary eyes pursue.

..............................

IN THE SKIES OF YOUR EYES

I never hurt you, but because I’m 

like me….

Don't conceive, it’s sadly blind, an 

injured mind

Like the wind my heart is here 

to find

Your friendly soul, O that you would

Give it all you could to reach me.

And I'd teach you how to lay

With the clouds, above our guilty shrouds.

O your worry, I see it all a lie

As we dovely fly through the woods

Of your stormy past

Now explained away by my dictionary tongue.

I lead you through a path

Of your long and winding mind

They call it peace to find.

And I found it in the skies

Of your eyes, cavern-hearted.

...............................

House of humble, beseech me

a space in your darkest corner

of your darkest room, on your 

blackest floor.

So is my person shameful, and

I crawl, my chin drooped and

hair all dripping sadness,

away from the world.

Out of this blinding light

of confusion and into the security

of myself.

Punish and wreck me for my wrongs,

gorge my eyes, but then,

let me crawl away to love.

.............................

Wish each night your

together shines

bright.

Hope each path that

you walk

is love.

And if ever you feel

that you're 

lonesome

May his face

brighten

your mood.

If ever you feel you're

dreading the tears

at the parting of ways

Then may the thoughts of 

the good times 

together

Enlighten the cloudy haze.

.................................