42 Sound of the Thames Delta estuaryfestival.com 43

Acclaimed writer Roger Deakin (d.2006) best known for his ‘passionate, magical and meditative’ writing about nature Sound of the (Waterlog, 1999, Chatto & Windus, Wildwood, 2007, Hamish Hamilton) also loved music. In 1992 he wrote, produced and directed a documentary for Anglia TV called Thames Delta Southend Rock, narrated by , which likens the blues sound, the flood plains and the pre-planning law ‘shacks’ of south Essex to the Mississippi Delta, giving rise to 1 & 2 October the now well used term the ‘Sound of the Thames Delta’.

Architecture, landscape, industry, politics, economics? What is it about the specifics of place that gives rise to Venue: The Royal Pavilion, Southend Pier, unmistakable sounds and attitudes in the invention and Western Esplanade, Southend SS1 1EE creation of new music? What role do venues play?

Time: 11am–10pm (both days) Sound of the Thames Delta brings together musicians, writers, artists, film-makers and broadcasters to examine FREE (except evening gigs) the relationship between place and music, at the end of the Booking Essential: estuaryfestival.com world’s longest pleasure pier in Southend-on-Sea.

Resident DJs, on the spot photographers and those who were there, discuss Crocs, The Goldmine, Blow Up, Sound Systems, Junk Club and more. Key figures from different music genres and subcultures that have grown out of the marshes of South Essex, spanning five decades, form a series of panel discussions with live music, film screenings and guests from further afield.

‘Southend’s never been a quiet seaside town, there’s always been too much music and entertainment going on for that. So when Rock ‘n’ Roll came along, Southend rolled up its sleeves and gave the nation a special flavour of Southend Rock.’

Billy Bragg – narrator for Southend Rock, written and produced by Roger Deakin.

Image: Dean Chalkley 44 Sound of the Thames Delta estuaryfestival.com 45

Saturday 1 October The Death of Popular Music Southend: Locations that make the Music 11a m : D o o r s Countercultures? Dub Capital of Europe? 4.15–5.15pm 1–1.35pm 2.45–3.15pm Lee Brilleaux: UEL academic Andrew Branch talks to Rock & Roll Gentleman visual artist Scott King, cultural historian 11.15 –11. 45 a m Matt Worley and writer Taylor Parkes about the erosion of radicalism in Writer Zoë Howe (Lee Brilleaux contemporary music cultures at the biographer and co-author Wilko expense of a moribund nostalgia. Johnson - Looking Back At Me) and author and DJ Daryl Easlea take At the Discotheque us on a jukebox journey through the life 1.35–2.15pm of the legendary Dr Feelgood frontman with readings from Howe’s recent book, music and conversation. Music writer and broadcaster, Pete Archive material, music and the story Paphides talks to Chris Watson (Cabaret of the Sound Systems of Southend Sound of the Thames Delta Voltaire and Experimental Sound from the 60’s to the present day. 11.45am–12.30pm Recordist) and Martyn Ware (Human With TDK Partnership, Derry Hall and League / Heaven 17, soundscape The sound of the academic Dr. Kenny Monrose talking designer/composer) about the early 70’s is inextricably linked to the to Nick Manasseh, pioneering UK relationship between place and music. title of our event. Music giants of the Dub producer/selector, and Malcolm genre, Dave Robinson (Stiff Records), Goldmaster of Goldmaster Allstars. harmonica player and vocalist, Lew Beach Huts; Lewis (Eddie & the Hot Rods), John Busking and festival activities The Club that Changed the Martin aka The Big Figure (original Dr 5.30–7pm World: from Monkey House Feelgood drummer) and Chris Fenwick An evocation of the mainstream to Blow Up At the shore end platform in the (Manager, Dr Feelgood) talk to writer Essex from the 60’s to the 3.15–3.45pm performance hut designed by Zoë Howe. N.B. Join Chris Fenwick on present day. Film, music, photos and Sam Duckworth. a guided walk around Canvey Island With Blow Up club founder Paul Tunkin the recollections of those that were on Friday 30 September 10am–1pm. in conversation about his roots and there. DJ and percussionist Snowboy Meeting place: Lobster Smack. FREE involvement in the 80’s Southend club Leigh Folk Festival presents and Southend nightclub legend, Dick scene that lead to the launch of the The Estuary Songwriting Project de Vigne, talk with DJ and author of legendary club, centre of the (in tribute to Jack Forbes) Southend Scenes in the Sixties Everybody Dance: CHIC and The scene. (Title taken from a quote 7–10pm 12.30 –1pm Politics Of Disco, Daryl Easlea. from ). Following a recent residential song- writing LAB at Metal, eight eclectic We Remain Faithful Hedonistic Haunts musicians, songwriters and composers, to the Alternative for Wild Youth who share a passion for the folk 2.15–2.45pm 3.45–4.15pm tradition, come together to perform A look at the early 80’s alternative original material inspired by the Marking ten years since the last iconic Essex club scene that spawned landscape, histories and people of the night at Southend’s Junk Club, meet Depeche Mode: ‘Places like Crocs are Thames Estuary region. In celebration those involved to talk about the impact the unofficial heart to the artistic life of 25 years of Leigh Folk Festival. of underground music venues. With blood of an area’ (Phill Jupitus). With Ciaran O’Shea (Junk Club founder); Featuring: John ‘Fatman’ DJ, Richard Sharpe (The Dean Chalkley (photographer); Luke Hazel Askew, M.G Boulter, Lucy Farrell, The 50’s and 60’s club and coffee Shamen, Bas), Robert Marlow (The Branch (The Asylums); Danny White Piers Haslam, Roshi Nasehi, Nick Pynn, bar scene that gave rise to the local Vandals) and Jon Foster (Bronski Beat). (Youth Club), Rhys Webb (The Horrors) Alasdair Roberts, Kate Waterfield rock and rhythm and blues explosion and Rosalie Cunningham (These New and the role of The Kursaal as iconic Tickets: £11 Puritans, Ipso Facto, Pursun) with panel music venue. With musician Will Birch To book: estuaryfestival.com host, journalist Tim Burrows. (Kursaal Flyers), record producer Peter @estuarysong Eden, music writer John Howard and Sandra Donnelly. 46 Sound of the Thames Delta estuaryfestival.com 47

Sunday 2 October The North For one night only: 11a m : D o o r s (and Almost Everything in it) Recreations and Friends 2.15–3pm 7–10pm Below Sea Level Rock journalist, Paul Morley reads from 11.15 –11. 45 a m his 2013 ‘breathtaking tour de force’ (Stuart Maconie) and sets the book in Simon Scott, sound ecologist and multi context with how music has informed his instrumentalist talks about his project, sense of the northern identity. Below Sea Level, with Mike Harding, the creative producer and co-director of audio visual label, Touch. The Importance of Music to Girls Chronicles of a 3–3.45pm Bohemian Teenager Writer and artist Lavinia Greenlaw reads 11.45am–12.30pm from her memoir The Importance of Music Prior to his 10th anniversary show later to Girls (Faber & Faber 2007) of country- in the day, singer-songwriter, Sam dancing, piano-playing, Essex village-hall Duckworth aka Get Cape. Wear Cape. discos and the coming of punk. Fly talks to author Lee Rourke (Vulgar Things, Fourth Estate 2014) about coming The Wilderness is Much Closer home to finally play Southend Pier. Than You Think 4–5pm Unknown and Unsigned 12.30 –1.45pm An opportunity for discussion with a number of provocations made by artists and musicians.

Disruptive Influences 1.45–2.15pm

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. performing For his rebirth, Sam presents Baby The Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager. Boomers 2; a self-produced collection Musician Karl Hyde (Underworld /solo Support from Recreations, performing full of wide-eyed, big-dreaming, album Edgeland), director Kieran Evans Baby Boomers 2. conscientious pop songs that are (The Outer Edges) and poet Michael undeniably him, but delivered with Symmons Roberts (co-author with Paul For ten years, Sam Duckworth looser funk, crisper electronics and Farley of Edgelands) in discussion about performed as Get Cape. Wear Cape. notably less tubs to thump on. those familiar yet ignored spaces which Fly. It was an alias that served the Ruth Barnes, broadcaster and Women are neither city nor countryside. Southend native well, taking him from Tickets: £10 in Music advocate talks to music major-label chart-raiding to the frontlines To book: estuaryfestival.com journalist, Jon Morter, ‘social media of activism, live music grassroots and, at Beach Huts; hellraiser’, and Trans* recording artist, one point, a guest spot on Hollyoaks. Busking and festival activities activist and Voice UK semi-finalist, Jordan 5.30–7pm Now, Sam is back as Recreations, Gray about their personal activism cheerfully admitting the new moniker within the music industry. At the shore end platform in the Recreations is down to nothing more performance hut designed by profound than a deep-seated affection Sam Duckworth. for big-hearted US sitcom Parks and Recreation. 48 Sound of the Thames Delta estuaryfestival.com 49

All weekend Infinity: Iain McKell Our Hobby is Depeche Mode: Billy Childish in Print (A Survey) 17 September – 2 October Jeremy Deller and Nick Mon–Fri 8.15am–6pm The Medway-based painter, poet Abrahams Sat & Sun 8.15am–8pm and musician exhibits works from his extensive archive in a variety of media in An exhibition that spans four decades our Beach Hut gallery. From early punk of extraordinary photographs, fanzines to recent print editions, many from the music and street culture of books, woodcuts, etchings, monoprints Southend in the 80’s to more recent and posters spanning Childish’s eclectic work documenting radical people career have been included. over 50. Large-scale images will punctuate the mile long walk into the heart of the Thames Estuary on Film Southend Pier, accompanied by a A rolling programme of artist’s films and podcast of Iain’s recollections and cult documentaries show in our bijou insights into his work. Installed in a Beach Hut venue on cinema in a Beach Hut on Southend Southend Pier, make sure you catch Southend Pier, Western Esplanade, Pier. Includes: Julian Temple’s Oil City the acclaimed documentary by Turner Southend SS1 1EE Confidential; Southend Rock; The Outer Prize winning artist Jeremy Deller and Edges by Kieran Evans; A13 – The Please Note: £2 fee to walk onto film-maker Nick Abrahams chronicling Road to Somewhere by Neil Rawles Southend Pier ‘how Basildon ended the Cold War and more. and other stories…’ following the fans of the South Essex band in Mexico, the US, Wish You Were Here Germany, Romania, Brazil and Canada. Busking Beach Hut 17 September – 2 October Live, acoustic music, DJs and spoken Mon–Fri 8.15am–6pm Sat & Sun 8.15am–8pm Cover Versions word throughout the weekend from our Busking Beach Hut that has Artist Heidi Wigmore exhibits work been painted with a design by inspired by both iconic and the not-so- Sam Duckworth. well-known LP album designs.

Image: Simon Fowler simon-fowler.co.uk

An installation of ten Beach Huts Participating artists include: Richard on Southend Pier takes audiences Argent, Ruth Catlow and Marc on an artist-led journey through the Garrett, Louisa Chambers, Andy heyday of the classic Estuary seaside Delaney, Sam Duckworth (aka Get. experience to the present day. Cape. Wear. Cape. Fly), Chris The exterior of each Beach Hut is Fenwick, Rachel Lichtenstein, Fraser designed by an artist – and inside, Muggeridge, Kitty Guthrie, David each acts as a small cultural venue Watkins and Sarah Kate Wilson. for ideas, exhibitions, sound works, Southend Pier, Western Esplanade, performance, film and even a Southend SS1 1EE sea-themed library. Please Note: £2 fee to walk onto Southend Pier Image: Iain McKell