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HISTORY PAGE 1

Stanley emerged from full obscurity to almost total obscurity in the last dark days of the 1970’s.

After a decade of secretly writing songs that even he doesn’t want to hear, he finally plucked up the dutch courage to perform in front of real people in August 1979 at the Buffet Bar at Stalybridge Station, a local live music venue. No one heckled and some applauded, so he knew he was on the right lines, as it were.

Visits to other local folk clubs and sessions produced a realisation that humorous songs have an immediate impact. Out went the earnest 16-verse introspective ballads, and in came a raft of silliness and a rake of sarcastic and satirical songs. Not to mention hats and other props.

In December 1979, he got his first paid booking, at the Ring O’Bells at Middleton (north Manchester), a folk club run by Ken and Mags Whiting. The following day, he was playing live on local radio where the presenter, Harry Ogden, decided that Stanley’s medley of songs about disgraced politician Jeremy Thorpe might lead to legal attention. Two gigs in, and banned already!

Stanley realised that he would have to put in a lot of work to build up a performing career, so he set about it. The song writing came easily – a conveyor belt of songs inspired by current events or the style of artists he encountered on his travels. He therefore embarked on a series of visits to folk music venues in nearby West Yorkshire and built up a bedrock of bookings and a growing reputation as an oddball performer.

The hard work paid off and in 1982 he got his first Folk Festival booking, at Wath (the prize for winning the Festival Singers competition the previous year). No matter they spelled his name wrongly in the programme, he had arrived. While still supporting local clubs (notably the Directors in Castleton, the Waggon at Milnrow, the Gallows also at Milnrow, and the Star at Salford), Stanley was in increasing demand beyond North West England. (At this time he also did a lot of work on the local PTA circuit and other non-Folk venues.)

The song writing and playing was taking over Stanley’s life. This was only possible owing to his lack of domestic responsibilities (how sad) except for a patient dog called Pheido (how sad) and a day-job with the late (usually) British Rail that allowed flexibility and some free travel.

In summer 1982, a promotional job-seeking tour of the Midlands brought Stanley to a small club near Kidderminster. The guest for the evening happened to be Folk Agent Alan Smith (Highway Agency). He snapped up Stanley and the work mushroomed. Gigs and Festival appearances all over the UK followed.