Archive: Meet the Morris

Name: Fi Nutbrown


Occupation
For money – Sales Administrator at ComputaCenter (sic)
For no money – Associate Director, Oxford Folk Festival

Special morris skills
I don’t think I have any!

Special drinking skills
An ability to drink tea in quantities other people would balk at.

Instruments you play
Melodeon. I have tried the penny whistle but I run out of puff really quickly

How long have you been a morris person?
Ohhh…about four years now, I’ve lost count!

How did you become one?
I joined Havoc in 2006 as I’d moved from Reading to Abingdon, and I knew Ed via his friend Pete (this could get like ‘Folk Family Tree’ if I’m not careful) so he suggested Havoc would be the one for me (or us, as my friend Vikki joined at the same time).

Any previous convictions?
I got to know Maggie Tarrant from Fleet Morris (Hampshire) on the Spiers & Boden messageboard, where I happened to mention I’d got my first melodeon. She said why not come along and play with their band as a way of getting me started, so I did! They are a lovely side of complete madwomen (and one chap and a chihuahua). I fitted right in.

Why did God invent morris dancing?
I think People invented morris dancing, and why? Because they could!

Are you a ‘folkie’, and if so, is there a cure?
I should say I am, and I should hope not!

Has morris changed your life?
Only for the better.

Reasons to be morris
It’s fun, it’s great exercise (I ask you, choice of exercise location: a stinky gym with BAD music blaring out, or a nice country boozer of a sunny summer evening? not difficult eh?), there is beer quite a lot of the time, and the people are all lovely. Also I just love the look on peoples’ faces when you say you are a morris dancer.

Morris turn-offs
The white trousers. And the tucking in of the shirt. Does my bum look big in this?

Best morris moment(s)
Finally getting Bampton Capers right

Most embarrassing morris moment
Playing for Fleet all on my own when Maggie didn’t manage to get out one night. It was more terrifying than embarrassing really. It’s hard to play when you’ve forgotten to keep breathing.

Favourite dance or tune
Side Steps is my favourite dance, I love so many of the tunes, but particularly Banks of the Dee and Laudanum Bunches.

Least favourite ditto
Dance: Jenny Lind (I always get it wrong) and tune: English Country Garden (I don’t know why, it just makes my skin crawl!)

Best place to do morris in
Outside a pub, obviously!

What is ‘cool’?
Something at a fairly low temperature, but not so low that it’s ‘cold’.

Tell us one thing about you we don’t know
I can waggle my second toes as if they were my index fingers. Really, my yoga teacher was dead impressed.

Best piece of advice you’ve received
If you’re playing, try to keep playing if you go wrong, as the dancers can’t really stop halfway through a dance! (easier said than done). Don’t fall over, and don’t drop your hankies!

What question should I have asked you that I didn’t?
I think you’ve been pretty thorough. Now could you possibly turn that lamp off because it’s right in my eyes and I’m getting a bit headachey…



Name: Barbara Payne

Occupation(s): I’m a potter, by training, and for many years that’s what I did all the time. Now I’m 25% of J C Payne Engineering Ltd (this involves letting some business units, and until recently, soldering up the wiring for Quick Step Mills©!) but I still pot a bit, and I also paint.

Special morris skills: I am very good at being on the wrong foot, leading to tripping myself up doing back-to-backs and galleying round in the wrong direction. I am quite good too at trying to put Adderbury Heys into Headington dances (this works surprisingly well if your oppo is up for it). I am also a leading exponent of Introvert Morris: you take small steps, never raise your arms very high, hit very gently with the stick and look worried throughout.

Special drinking skills: I usually get most of it in my mouth.

Instruments you play: Guitar (a bit) and bouzouki (a bit more) and the bootstick (with the royal philharmonic).

How long have you been with Cry Havoc?... I joined in Sept 03.

How did you come to join CH?... Pete and I had been watching morris for years and years and thinking it looked fun and we always enjoyed the music in the pub afterwards and hung around in the doorway listening and singing choruses. So when we saw CH at Appleton we volunteered. (Alison said ‘oh good, we need some more men!’)

Any previous convictions?... I had a friend in the 70s/80s who danced with Mr Hemmings (actually he still does! I saw him at Duck Ale!) and I used to get put in the middle to be lifted up at the end of the dance or have my backside walloped with a bladder. Sad but true.

Other hobbies/interests?... Bellringing, Morris Minors, glow-worms, shed-mending, art, folk music, family history, walking, writing poems, making wine, making chutney, driving the tractor, vampire slaying …



Has morris changed your life?... Of course it has. We always did folky stuff, but we do much more of it now, to my great satisfaction, and it’s lovely to have an active part to play and not just be a spectator. I enjoy the dancing very much now I’ve got over being terrified, and I love the pub music sessions. And it’s fantastic how Havoc makes you welcome. It’s a great thing to be part of.

Why did God invent morris dancing?... To provide employment for the hundreds of impecunious artists at our large factory at Rockley engaged in painting the ends of sticks purple.

Sticks or hankies?... Hankies, on the whole. I know, sticks are more macho, but I like hanky dances. But I really don’t like bunched hankies. What’s the point in having a hanky to flourish if it’s all bunched up?



King of the Fairies or Harper’s Frolic?... Oh Harper’s is a sweetie. The bouzouki will play this on its own with very little interference from the musician. King of the Fairies starts off harmlessly in Em, but rapidly leads to those embarrassing moments when none of the chords you try seems to be the right one. When it starts up I suddenly remember I left something in the car or I urgently need to buy some beer.

What’s so great about a Morris Minor?... No other car is so endearingly poached egg shaped. Travelling at 45 mph but not being able to stop suddenly is strangely exhilarating. And trafficators are the biz.

Favourite dance/tradition/tune, and why?... My favourites are the ones that don’t tax my brane! I like Bampton dances, especially Sidesteps. On the stick front I enjoy Rigs and Young Collins.

Least favourite ditto?... Laudnum Bunches … I know, it’s supposed to be a lovely dance … can’t stand all that flapping your arms up down down up down and galloping off round corners.

Favourite morris pub?... Well … the Rising Sun at Stockcross is good … the Bell at Aldworth of course is brilliant, haven’t been there though for a while … the North Star is a lovely pub …and the General Elliot is good too …the Plough at Appleton is our much loved local … so is the Eight Bells … but my heart belongs to Henry at the Watermans.


Favourite beer?... The King’s Head and Bell in Abingdon in the late 1970s served Bass to die for. Bass was quite different in those days, it was wonderful. I was quite often full of this when being lifted into the air by Mr Hemmings, it’s a wonder there was never an accident. Nowadays I am enjoying Mr Chubbs, Brakspears, Hook Norton … generally I like lightish hoppy bitters. Or whatever there is going.

Most embarrassing moment?... I am very shy, and I was terrified the first time we really danced out in public, in Cornmarket Street for Oxford FF, and I not only danced very badly but found at lunchtime I had had my flies undone all morning…



Give us five non-morris uses for a morris stick.... Well, if you had one short stick sharpened on one end you could slay vampires. If you had one long stick and one short one and tied them together in a cross you could ward off vampires. If you had several long sticks and some tank tape and a tarpaulin you could make a rough but useful pointed shelter for sleeping under at Towersey. If you had lots of long sticks and some bell ropes you could make a bridge for crossing treacherous ravines. In Scotland short morris sticks are sometimes used as rudimentary porridge spurtles. But by the time Ben’s finished with them, the only use for morris sticks is firewood.

Would Buffy the Vampire Slayer make a good morris dancer and if so why?... Well, she’s a nice little mover. It would be good to see her with bells on. But she’s got Slayer Strength, she’d break a lot of sticks.

Best piece of advice you’ve received?... I don’t know, I obviously wasn’t listening.

Tell us something about yourself we don’t know. ... I was once asked to make ceramic beer pump handles for the brewery in Cerne Abbas. I expect most people are familiar with the attributes of the Cerne Abbas Giant … well you can imagine the shape they wanted those beer pump handles to be.



What question should I have asked you that I didn’t?... Are those both your left feet?

Sum up morris dancing in three words. ... Folk and beer! (What more do you want?)




Name: Emma Gardner

Occupation: Student

Special morris skills: ... Not sure I have any – possibly the only person who can spend an entire practise session standing on one leg!

Special drinking skills: ... Probably the slowest drinker ever: I don’t like beer much but I can make one small orange juice last a whole evening.

Instruments you play: ... I started the piano when I was about six, and then the flute and it sort of expanded from there. Now I play the concertina, Northumbrian small pipes (when the neighbours are out), guitar (a little) and I did for a while try to play the Irish pipes, but they’re no good for morris tunes!

How long have you been a morris person? ... About 18 months.

How did you become one? ... I had been playing the concertina for about two years and it was getting boring just playing on my own. I was looking through the lists of dance teams in ‘Shire Folk’ and just picked Cry Havoc since it was nearest to where I live. I think I made a good choice!

Inspirations and influences? ... I’ve heard some recordings of William Kimber’s playing and they were amazing. No one plays like that any more and I don’t think I ever could! I did a workshop once with Robert Harbron who plays English concertina and his style is completely different from Bill Kimber’s and also from Dave Townsend who I’ve learnt most things from. You don’t see many people playing English concertinas for morris dancing around but in a way that doesn’t matter. There are a lot of techniques people use on melodeons and fiddles that you can imitate on a concertina (or at least try to) anyway. I think I’ve learnt a lot in these last 18 months just by hearing so many different people play.

Why did God invent morris dancing?... Probably for three reasons: to keep musicians out of trouble, to make sure pubs sell enough beer and to keep bell manufacturers and people who sell white jeans in business.

Interests outside morris: ... I like walking and photography (trees and things that don’t move) and playing music, of course.

Are you a ‘folkie’, and if so, is there a cure? ... I think I probably am a folkie. I’m not sure I would want to be cured but if you did, listening to ‘Shooting’ on a loop for six hours would probably do the trick.

Has morris changed your life? ... Before I didn’t know any English tunes and now I know more than I can remember. It’s like a window into a whole parallel musical world – for me anyway, plus I’ve seen the inside of more pubs in this last year than I have in my entire life!

Do your non-morris friends think you are strange? ... I think they thought I was quite strange before so I’m not sure morris dancing made much difference!

Reasons to be morris: ... Everyone is so friendly and it’s good fun. Also I think it’s important to look after the tunes and the dances, when you think of all the people who have done them before. They belong to us now and I think we should keep them going and pass them on.

Morris turn-offs: ... Playing outside when it’s really cold and I can’t feel my fingers.

Best morris moment: ... The procession at the Oxford Folk Festival last year and causing a nice big traffic jam by stopping in the middle of the road to do the sticking.

Most embarrassing morris moment: ... Probably last May day when we danced Constant Billy; I played perfectly well for the dance but when it came to the ‘outro’ I managed to play two bars of Balance the Straw followed by a very loud ‘Hang on a minute…’ I still swear Constant Billy and Balance the Straw are basically the same tune!

Favourite tunes: ... Banks of the Dee, Step Back or Dearest Dickie because they’re such good tunes to play and the dances are nice to watch.

Least favourite ditto: ... Ring o Bells – it’s just a bit dull.

Best place to do morris in: ... Somewhere with a nice pub and a nice garden where it’s not raining.

What is ‘cool’? I never did work that one out. As an Allegro-driving, bagpipe playing morris musician I’m sure I’m not the best person to ask!

Do you go clubbing? ... No, the music is rubbish and the orange juice is far too expensive.

What’s so great about an Allegro? ... You don’t have to worry if you scratch it ‘coz they’re not expensive and even if you leave them unlocked (which I have done) no one will steal them because joy riding in an Allegro is no fun – for a start you can’t get above 50mph.

Tell us one thing about you we don’t know: ... If you thought Allegros were bad, I am also the proud owner of a pea-green bubble car.

Best piece of advice you’ve received: ... Shape the tune to what the dancers are doing and give the music plenty of lift – or at least try to!

What advice would you give someone just starting playing for morris? ... Don’t worry about having a go. If you can’t remember the B part now, you might remember when you get there. Watch the dancers and keep listening and you’ll be surprised how the tunes seem to get inside your head without you even noticing.

Sum up morris in three words? ... Daft but fun. Having said that, I do think people generally should be a bit more proud of our ‘national dance’ – I’m just waiting for Strictly Come Morris Dancing. That would do it!

Name: Ben Fisher

Occupation:
Trainee Actuary (I'm sick of trying to explain what an actuary is, so look it up in a dictionary).


Special morris skills:
Breaking sticks, getting chased off bouncy castles and long distance Bampton capering.


How long have you been a morris person?
Two years

How did you become one?
Emma and I had seen some morris dancing over at Bampton and we both commented how everyone seemed to have a good time. We thought it would be a good way to meet a few people around Oxford and would provide ample opportunities to visit the Pub. We then met Geoff through the local theatre group (see link below) who persuaded us to come along to practice. The rest as they say is history.

Interests outside morris:
Pubs, travelling, listening to music, murdering Emma’s favourite songs on the piano, complaining about mobile phones.

Do your non-morris friends think you're strange?
I still don't think they really believe we're morris dancers.

Reasons to be morris:
A chance to get out and visit some of the wonder pubs that Oxfordshire has to offer - and then get drunk at them!!

Morris turn-offs:
Sides that take it too seriously

Best morris moment(s):
Dancing “Step and Fetcher” on Gloucester Green at last years Oxford folk festival. We made loads of mistakes, but we all capered with gusto and the crowd loved it. A victory for artistic impression over technical merit!!

Most embarrassing morris moment:
Making a complete hash of my first dance at my first Cry Havoc Ale. I ended up in the wrong corner during Shave the Donkey. (We’ve all done it – Ed.)

Favourite dance?
Like your favourite record it always seems to be changing – often depending on your mood. Currently enjoying Skirmish and Balance the Straw. Always enjoy Dogs of War and Shave the Donkey.

Least favourite ditto:
I could live without Sidesteps.

Best place to do morris in:
In general any pub garden is pretty good. A few standouts for me over the past two years have been: The Three Horseshoes at Bennet End, Rising Sun at Stockcross, Six Bells at Warborough, and The Plough at Finstock. My favourite though has to be the Waterman's, if for nothing more than Henry's Egg Mayo Sandwiches.


What is ‘cool’?
Not Me!!
Liquid helium maybe.
Being yourself.
Not owning a mobile phone!


Do you go clubbing?
Only on the golf course

Complete this sentence: The peanut song is ...
A social comment on the repetitiveness of modern suburban life and a damning indictment of the disgraceful food hygiene standards present in the global peanut industry. (Or is it just rubbish?)


Tell us one thing about you we don’t know.
I once professionally modelled sportswear for Nike.

What advice would you give someone just starting morris dancing?
1. Be patient - it will all come together eventually.
2. The only person who notices your mistakes is YOU, so don't let them put you off.
3. LISTEN TO THE MUSIC

Three words for morris dancing:
Hop, skip, and jump.


Name John Creber
Occupation: My job is mainly to do with IT and corporate governance, which basically means stopping grown-up people doing daft (not grown up) things. Remember Enron ?
Special morris skills: My special morris skills revolve around playing the melodeon, which is (rising choral music) the ultimate English dance instrument, created for the sole purpose of annoying large numbers of people whether indoors or outside.

Instruments played:Hmm – electric guitar (black Fender Stratocaster with maple neck – very sexy), bouzouki, fiddle (very badly), saxophone, whistle, melodeon(s) and spaniels ears (very quietly).
How long have you been with Cry Havoc? About 18 months. Seems like yesterday…..

How did you come to join CH? Oddly my family camped at the Towersey Festival in 2004 and Ed and Jackie camped next to us. I then bumped into Ed in the gentleman’s toilet and asked whether CH were looking for any melodeon players.

Did it seem like a good idea at the time? Yes I had been playing the melodeon for about two years and felt a strange yearning to play for morris dancing, like salmon migrating to the Sargasso Sea to spawn, or penguins flying south for the winter, or herrings rolling mops.
Any previous convictions or other offences you’d like to be taken into consideration? In terms of musical activities I do have to admit to singing in the shanty band ‘Short Drag Roger’ who are world famous in Chalgrove, and a ceilidh band called ‘Pigzear’, who’s main claim to fame is having played after The Animals at the Great British Beer festival in 1999. Introduced by Eric Burden even…
Has morris changed your life? I now have the chance to wear white trousers which is quite unique for me, generally preferring black. I have also never had bells tied round my legs (at least not in public).
Why did God invent the melodeon? God didn’t invent the melodeon, the melodeon is actually reverse-engineered alien technology that fell to Earth in the famous 1833 Rhondda Valley mining disaster (near Wales). It was actually a cooling system from a Vogon warship which was copied by the local instrument makers who managed to convince the local populace that it was actually a musical instrument. We’ll keep a welcome etc etc…
Let me throw a few titles at you. ... Constant Billy... Nice tune with an erratic B section that sometimes doesn’t come out the way you intend. Same problem Hendrix had with Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) – normally during the chorus.
...Banbury Bill... This is a tune that was never intended to be played on a melodeon, it must be a fiddle tune (Or maybe a sousaphone).
...Adderbury Shooting... Unfortunately there are some tunes that don’t know when to stop. Adderbury Shooting is four of those tunes rolled into one. My own belief is that this tune is some kind of Cotswold Morris meets Ibiza Trance without the eighteen pints of warm lager, and a girl from the Wirral called Sharon.
Desert island instrument? I think my desert island instrument would have to be an electric hurdy-gurdy. I would imagine that being consigned to a small, restricted land mass (or promontory) with such a device would provide maximum motivation to find a way to leave the island as soon as possible.
Favourite morris pub? Not sure about this one, having only done this for a year, some of the Ducklington Day of Dance pubs were good. I am normally happy in any pub with a roof.
Ditto beer? Current favourite is Adnams Broadside which is available in the Red Lion Chalgrove. All time favourite would have to be a Hall and Woodhouse (Badger) winter warmer called ‘Newe Timer’ that doesn’t exist any more. A dark winter warmer ale flavoured with cinnamon.
What is your idea of the ideal way to spend an evening? Playing the melodeon, drinking beer, stroking spaniel’s ears, eating Chinese food and playing the melodeon.
Advice for a new morris person? If you’re a musician - throw yourself into it, make mistakes, drink beer and don’t worry. A tune is just a collection of notes that sometimes arrive in different orders. If you’re a dancer - throw yourself into it, make mistakes, drink beer and don’t worry. A dance is just a collection of steps that sometimes arrive in different orders. As Angus Grant (Shooglenifty) said ‘A cheap couch is a false economy’.
Tell us one thing about yourself we don’t know: Up until the age of six I was raised by dolphins.
What question should I have asked you that I didn’t? Which is your favourite scene in the classic 90’s ‘rockumentary’ film ‘Spinal Tap’.
Sum up morris in exactly twelve words: English traditional dance, performed for hundreds of years by men with big


Name. Pete Day.
Occupation. Minerals and Waste Planner for Oxfordshire County Council.
Special morris skills. Bampton Capers (‘I thought Pete’s Bampton Capers were particularly exhilarating’ – Ed, after Ducklington Ale); I once practised them on Hot Water Beach, Coromandel, NZ.
How long have you been with Cry Havoc? 1 year 5 months.
How did you come to join CH? Made the mistake of talking to Geoff when CH were dancing at our local (The Plough, Appleton).
Previous morris experience? Press-ganged (I think by Debbie) into joining CH in (probably) Bonnie Green at the Eight Bells, Eaton, some years ago. Otherwise, only watching with rather envious interest and joining in post-Morris singing.

Other hobbies/interests? Playing trains; ringing bells; walking up hills; watching Bristol City lose.
Has morris changed your life? Definitely. I now spend most of my spare time dancing and going to sessions instead of ringing bells, and the beer consumption has gone up quite a bit. (Not that ringers don’t drink, but you can’t ring and drink at the same time these days.)
Do you have an anorak? Of course – several – in various colours.
Highs? Dancing down Burford High Street on Levellers’ Day; dancing inside the Far From the Madding Crowd at Oxford Folk Festival last year; winning the handbag at Masons Apron Ale.
Lows? Dropping my stick in Shooting at Masons Apron Ale.
Sticks or hankies? Hankies – less embarrassing when you drop them.
What has inspired you recently? Very little. Both Bristol City and the England rugby team have been crap; but I did have some very good beer brewed by a friend in Burton on Trent; and when in Scotland recently I did a beautiful walk along part of the West Highland Way.
Favourite dance/tradition, and why? Dance: Sidesteps – it flows so nicely. Tradition: Bampton – simple but looks good
Favourite morris pub? The Plough at Appleton – it’s our local! and it sells Mild; and it’s only £2 a pint; and Bill is an excellent landlord.
Favourite beer? Very difficult to decide – so many excellent ones around – but definitely not Greene King IPA. It used to be Highgate Mild (from Walsall), but I haven’t had it for ages; now perhaps Maggs Magnificent Mild.
Advice for a new morris person? Don’t be put off by the slow progress made by old farts like us; look at Ben and Emma instead.
Tell us something about yourself we don’t know. I have many older sisters, one of whom is a Buddhist monk in Bethnal Green.
What question should I have asked you that I didn’t? What was I best at, at school? (It was the lunchtime egg sandwiches that did it.)
Sum up morris dancing in one word. Ale!



Guest interviewee, autumn 2004

Name: Graham Hubbard
Occupation: Development chemist

Special morris skills: Dancing energetically, jumping high in the right places, making traditions distinguishable. Playing in a way that encourages the dancers to dance more energetically.

Morris sides you dance with: Icknield Way Morris Men, Ebor Morris (York), Man Friday Morris Men (Leicester), sometimes Kennet Morris Men. (Phew! – Ed.)

Instruments you play: Fiddle, melodeon, concertina.

How long have you been a morris person? Since I was 5 or 6.

How did you become one? My Dad is a founder member of Man Friday Morris Men up in Leicester where I come from. I used to pester him to teach me how to dance.

Inspirations and influences: My Dad, Ring Jigs Instructionals (where I learnt most traditions), several individuals from Icknield and other teams I have danced with - it would be unfair to name names as I'm bound to leave someone out.

Playing or dancing? Both.

Interests outside morris: Folk music, if that counts as outside morris. I go to as many folk sessions as I can fit in and I'm in two ceilidh bands - The Mad Hatters Ceilidh Extravaganza and 'Scratch 'n' Sniff'. Erm, walking the dog – does that count?

Are you a 'folkie', and if so, is there a cure? I guess I've been a 'folkie' for about four years now. I was dragged along to sessions in York by members of Ebor Morris during my last six months at Uni there and have been obsessed with learning new tunes and instruments ever since. When I joined Icknield the younger guys told me I should be going to folk festivals playing more, so I have, and wish I'd turned 'folkie' earlier! (Don’t we all? – Ed.) I used to play the violin in orchestras until I left Uni – that seems like all pain and no gain now that I've discovered the folk scene.

Has morris changed your life? I don't remember ever not being involved in the morris - at the moment I'm battling to stop folk and morris from taking over my life, especially as I'm currently IWMM Bagman, but it’s all good fun.

Do your non-morris friends think you are strange? Probably. Many wouldn't do it themselves but have respect for the opportunities that the morris gives me.

Reasons to be morris: When you join a team anywhere in the country they take you in and treat you as part of the family. I think it broadens your character in many ways, socially, physically, gives you more self-confidence, allows you to meet other like-minded people. Its an activity for people of all ages and backgrounds, there are single-sex and mixed teams out there - something for everyone.

Morris turn-offs: Practices can go on a bit - everyone always has much more fun when dancing out in front of a crowd.

Best morris moment(s): Probably involves dancing with the younger members. The first two Morris 18-30 weekends hosted by Icknield were excellent (see www.morris18-30.freewebspace.com). It was great to pull together twenty young guys from all over the country and to dance traditional dances at such a
good standard with one practice on the Friday night.

At the 2004 Icknield Ale we had six dancers and a musician on a unicycle all under 25!

Icknield Way also have some magical events like a Dickensian evening in Wantage - we set the sticks alight last year.

But I've had some great times over the years and mustn't leave out Ebor who looked after me through Uni and of course Man Friday.

Favourite dance and/or tune/song: I like the dances I don't get to do very often i.e. the ones done at Ales that Icknield don't do like Queens Delight Bucknell, Orange in Bloom Sherborne, Swaggering Boney Longborough... the list goes on! But Icknield do have some good dances, especially the jigs like 3-man Bonnets so Blue from Bucknell and of course Princess Royal Bampton.

Least favourite ditto: Only the ones that come up all the time and you get bored of doing - nothing in particular.

Best place to do morris in: It’s important to interact with a crowd. They need to be close enough to react when you jump towards them but far away enough not to restrict the size of the set. Anywhere where there is an appreciative audience is good, whether it is the public or fellow morris dancers.

What is 'cool'? It would be really cool to recruit more people into the morris who have never danced before. I have an ambition to establish a local 'feeder group', perhaps aimed at cubs, building a team that gets older but is continously fed by the younger ones. When they get old enough they'd join Icknield (or another local team if they really wanted to). That'd be cool. A local team of people all my age would be even cooler!

Do you go clubbing? Don't have time.

What advice would you give someone just starting morris dancing? Jump into as many dances as you can, enjoy yourself, learn by copying other dancers, be spacially aware of where you need to be in the dance, do plenty of massed dancing and go away with the side on lots of morris weekends!

Sum up morris in one word: Fun.





Summer 2004
Now in her second season with Cry Havoc, Nancy is by some distance CH’s youngest member. I’d have to say that in her unofficial capacity as Youth Development Officer she has to date proved sadly ineffectual. But we love her anyway.

Name>> Nancy Aitken

Occupation>> Chainsaw-operator extraordinaire and purveyor of fine ales (i.e. trainee conservationist and bar maid)

Special morris skills>> The ability to break or otherwise damage my limbs. And I'm going to be cheeky and say youth, in Cry Havoc at least!

Morris sides you dance with>> Cry Havoc and Armaleggan.

Instruments you play>> Guitar and mandolin.

How long have you been a morris person?>> I did a bit at school, about 15 years ago, but I'm not sure that really counts. I joined Cry Havoc autumn 2002, and Armaleggan in autumn 2003. I'm ever so glad I joined, and now I just wish I'd started a bit earlier! (Don’t we all – Ed.)
>
How did you become one?>> Well, like I said, I did a bit at school, and I guess after that I was always interested in it, just afraid to embrace it.... When I started at uni, I got more into folk music, and I did an internet search for local morris sides...one which came up was Cry Havoc, but I was always too busy rowing or getting drunk, or (occasionally) working, to actually join. The autumn after I finished my degree, one of my friends saw an advert for Rogue morris, who were looking for new members. I went along once, but they didn't go to the pub after practice, which put me off a bit, so the next week I tried Cry Havoc, and you've been stuck with me ever since!

Inspirations and influences>> Chris Leslie, cos he's lovely, and one of the reasons I wanted to dance. Anyone who dances well, leaps high, gives 100%, and most importantly enjoys it.

Why did God invent morris dancing?>> Because he wants us to have fun and drink beer. And I also wonder if he sits on his cloud and has a bit of a chuckle at a load of grown men and women capering around with bells round their legs!

Interests outside morris>> Well, I like chainsawing a lot. And drinking beer. I'm not allowed to do the two at the same time sadly. I also like folk music, being outdoors, and attractive young men....

Are you a 'folkie', and if so, is there a cure?>> I guess so...I listen mainly to folk music, I try to play it on my mandolin, I morris dance and I drink real ale. There might be a cure, but it probably involves Pop Idol and lager, so I'm not that interested.

Has morris changed your life?>> Definitely, for the better. For one, I have many more excuses to drink beer and visit nice pubs.... On a more serious note, aside from the beer, I very much enjoy the friendships I've made over the past 18 months, and being involved in something very traditional and very English. I'd be lost without it these days.

Do your non-morris friends think you are strange?>> Yes, but I think my morris friends think I am too!

Reasons to be morris>> I'd love to be able to say 'because it's really cool'. It's not, but I'm planning the revolution......

Morris turn-offs>> People who take it too seriously....I like to dance well, but I only dance well when I'm having fun. I see the traditional aspects as very important, but I feel it's a tradition designed as a celebration and to have fun. Dancing somewhere with no beer.

Best morris moment>> I'd say most of my morris experiences have been good ones, but May Day this year was pretty high up there for me - it was something special to be up so early, be with so many wonderful people, and to drink for 15 hours pretty much solidly and still be (just about) standing at the end of it.

Most embarrassing morris moment>> I can't really think of many to be honest, but maybe I'll come to regret the 'purple G-string on head' incident in years to come.... (Whatever makes you think that? – Ed.)

Favourite dance and/or tune/song>> Laudnum Bunches, anything with Bampton capers in, and (song) The Happy Man.

Least favourite ditto>>I hate dancing Banbury Bill, but it's a good tune. That's about it really.

Best place to do morris in>> A country lane outside an old pub, sun going down at the end of a warm sunny day in late June, good beer (maybe Old Hooky, Summer Lightning, one or two others), a couple of other sides with us (including Chris Leslie and a couple of young attractive single men....well, I'm allowed to dream aren't I?)

What is 'cool'?>> You could ask my sister and get a long list of clothes, music, films, etc. But I'd say cool is when people don't follow the crowd, but live their own life and do what makes them happy. That's what I aspire to anyway.

Do you go clubbing?>>I do sometimes, yes, and when I do I like to throw in a bit of morris dancing wherever possible! Remember what I said about the revolution.

Best piece of advice you've received>> I've not had the chance to test most of it out yet, but what works for me right now is honesty...with myself and with those around me. Oh, and whoever first took me along to the Turf for a pint knew what they were doing!

What advice would you give someone just starting morris dancing?>> Keep smiling, go for it, and have at least one pint before you dance out for the first time.

Sum up morris in one word>> Ace.


Spring 2004.


Name: Steve Griffiths

Occupation>> Estates' Manager of an Oxford College

Morris side(s)>> Musician of Mason's Apron (northwest clog morris).

Special morris skills>>Well clearly music, but as a dancer Bledington capers and hook-legs and getting the beat about right on the Bampton anacrusis (arm movement).

Why the accordion?>> I had piano lessons from around the age of 8 or 9, so I have always graduated to keyboard instruments. When I became interested in Trad Folk music at 14, the piano accordion seemed the natural direction; also Jimmy Shand was a hero of mine (along with Pink Floyd, The Beatles and, curiously, Ralph Vaughan-Williams). I bought my first box (a 32 bass Hohner) for £32 from Taphouses' Music Shop in Oxford in 1968. I tried the melodeon and the anglo concertina, but they really are a different science!

How long have you been with your current side>> I believe it to be 18-19 years.

How did you come to join them?>> My wife Liz was already a dancer with Mason's Apron when I joined. I had been dancing and playing Cotswold morris with another side and fancied playing different tunes and a different style.

Any previous morris experience?>> I was a member of Oxford City Morris for seven years, followed by a spell with Charlbury for around three years and Wheatley for a year. (I have 'guested' as musician at odd times for various local sides, including Queen Emma's, Corn Dollies, Eynsham, Green Lentil Clog, and others).

Why did God invent morris dancing?>> To give 'Line' dancers something to laugh at of course!

Inspirations and influences?>> The biggest morris music influence was definitely John Graham, musician of Headington Quarry Morris. We both played for Mason's in their early years and he taught me a great deal about playing for dance, on morris tempo and expanded my knowledge of the accordion. He is a superb morris musician. In dancing, the biggest influences were my two main teachers of dance, Roger Jenkins and Alan Kimber-Nicholson, both at the time members of Oxford City. For inspiration I would choose the morris tunes collected from Charlie Benfield, morris musician, at the beginning of the 20th Century. Although an uneducated agricultural labourer, he was a wonderful natural and inventive musician, with probably no formal tuition. And finally, I have never forgotten being fascinated as a young child seeing William Kimber playing an instrument I did not recognise at the time, (concertina) at our local school fete.

Has morris changed your life?>> I don't think you can be involved in morris, both dancing and playing, for around 25 years without a significant effect on the direction of your life. I have a large folk/morris/barn dance circle of friends, and these are long established now, some for over 20 years. Before morris I was playing mainly Scottish and classical on the box, so I simply do not know what I would be doing now, except to say that that I am certain it would be folk related. I also discovered folk festivals through the morris.

What is morris heaven?>> I have been researching morris music for some years now and to discover a previously unknown tradition complete with dance notation and music would be pretty close. Sadly as the 19th century recedes from us ever further back in time, it's not likely to happen.

And morris hell?>> Bad border morris sides, where no one is on the same foot, the kit worn is not the same for all dancers and the musician can't play. Border done well is a wonderful spectacle and I enjoy it, but done badly is just a turn off for the audience.

Most embarrassing morris moment?>> In my early morris days, arguing with my dance teacher about the finer points of Headington, only to be quietly told that the teacher had himself been taught by William Kimber!

Greatest morris high?>> Either completing my first solo jig in the Oxford Westgate in the 1970s, or as a nervous young musician about the same time, accompanying my first dance (solo) at a packed Reading Morris Ring meeting over the PA. In the case of the jig it was Bampton Nutting Girl, which I got almost right except that I did the rounds to the left (Abingdon style) instead of to the right.

Favourite dance/tradition?>> Without a doubt Bledington; sadly few stick dances within the tradition, but a good range of different dances and a full range of capers, and not as over-fussy as Sherborne. The music may not be as sophisticated as Fieldtown (where a few of the tunes seem to me to detract from the dances), but the repertoire is composed of good sound Cotswold dance tunes. I also enjoy Upton-on-Severn and, for Northwest, Preston Carnival. To simply watch morris, I would choose Chipping Camden because it is so unusual.

Has anything inspired you recently?>> Watching the dancing recently of two of your previous contributors, Louise Bush and Jessica Marshall, and also watching the young dancers with Dogrose Morris (who tour with The Demon Barber Roadshow). All of these young dancers perform Cotswold as good as I have ever seen it and it gives me hope that Morris will not die upwards.

Best pub for morris dancing?>> In Oxfordshire I would choose The Falkland Arms at Great Tew; a good selection of real ales in a superb setting. My all time favourite is in Herefordshire, the Hop Pole Hotel at Bromyard. On Folk Festival Sunday they close off the little square outside and you see all styles of morris dance, all day. The pub has good beer and there are little cafes with outside tables if the weather is good (and it usually is).

Have you got a morris/folk-related anecdote for us?>> Playing Adderbury Black Joke for a visiting side with another accordionist and realising that something was dreadfully wrong with the music. It began to dawn on me that the other box player was playing the Irish Washerwoman in an entirely different key and at a slightly different tempo, at the same time as my Black Joke in 'G'! I have never forgotten the looks on the faces of the audience and dancers. This could also be Morris Hell (see above) and it really happened at a pub at Minster Lovell in the 1980s.

Any advice for a new morris person?>> Just ENJOY it. I have never been entirely happy with the Morris Ring types telling me about sobriety of expression and warnings that the Morris was solemn and dignified. The largely agricultural labourers who danced the collected form of morris we know today, wanted a bit of fun (and extra cash), and a break from their mostly hum-drum lives. I think that they morrised for enjoyment too.

Sum up morris in one word.>> 'TERPSICHOREAN' (look it up), because it's a great word. Or how about this gem from the OED; 'FLICKET-A-FLACKET' which is an onomatopoeic word from about 1710 meaning the noise of flapping and flicking, possibly from really long hanging sleeves. It is almost as if the person that coined the word had been watching Cotswold morris, especially as one theory of the origins of handkerchiefs in morris was to replace over-long sleeves. (Er, that’s two words, or possibly four – Ed.)


February 2004. Ducklington Morris can boast not just one but two exceptional young dancers. A few months ago we met Jessica; now it is the turn of Louise, who also plays with Jessica and Bob from Ducklington in ceilidh band Lost Marbles.

Name>> Louise Bush

Occupation>> Happy-go-lucky student.

Special morris skills>> High jumper, the odd twizzle, very alert.

Morris sides you dance with>> Ducklington morris and Mason's Apron
north-west clog.

Instruments you play>> Recorder - very well, ocarina - sometimes, sing - extremely
well.

How long have you been a morris person?>> Since April 2001.

How did you become one?>> My elder sister Michelle used to dance for Queen
Emma's morris when she was 12 and she left when she was 15. When she used to
dance out, I would've been 5 years old and I used to wear my ‘Morris Dancing
Dress’ as I would call it, disappear down sides of shops and have a go at the
dancing. When I was 15 I joined Queen Emma's morris and
danced as a hobby. After watching other teams from around the area, I
decided that I wanted to join a livelier side and that's where Ducklington
Morris came along. I joined Ducklington in December 2002 and since then
nothing and no one is going to tear me away. I have made some truly amazing
friends and my social life has entered overdrive!



Interests outside morris>> The gym, to get rid of built-up tension, and
swimming to increase my stamina. I have been having folk and classical
singing lessons since March 2002 and I am now on to grade 5. If all else
fails and I find that I can't follow my chosen career for a while, then I
hope to study opera at the Birmingham School of Vocal and Operatic Studies.
Finally, I admit it, I'm a Christian/bible-basher, whatever you want to call
it, and I have been all of my life!! Because of this my biggest outside
interest is in individuals - their personalities and feelings. I especially
enjoyhelping others. Any probs? Just call on.......(calls charged at
local rate!!)



Are you a 'folkie', and if so, is there a cure?>> To be honest - I'm not too
sure! Seeing as I have only been involved in folk culture for two years, I
find it difficult to class myself as a ‘Folkie’. However, over the two years I
have noted and concluded that most ‘Folkies’ are carefree, don't mind/really
care what you wear and, in general, are LOVELY. Therefore, seeing as I am/do
all the above anyway, I feel that I'm not really a ‘Folkie’ but a ‘Me’ (stuck
somewhere between various cultures and not wanting to move because you love
them all!!). If I WAS a folkie, then I don't think that there would be a
cure because there's no need for one - you're doomed from the start!!

Do your non-morris friends think you are strange?>> Yes, although the
majority have got used to my strange antics and ways of life. Those that
haven't are receiving trauma counselling!

Reasons to be morris>> It's great fun, fantastic for meeting new/known
people, alcohol, music, the wearing of ribbons and bells and the general
atmosphere.

Morris turn-offs>> Women being ‘afraid’ of really whacking sticks. This
could turn into a debate but it is one of my personal turn-offs. Fools,
although I haven't FULLY decided why yet, and the general idea of ‘no effort
needed’. When performing, in my world, hankies are classed as individuals;
for them to express themselves fully they need a damn good deal of
flicking!!

Best morris moment(s)>> Being lifted up in Eynsham's Maid of the Mill at
Thrupp on my 17th birthday, dancing out for the first time ever with Ducklington
at Cry Havoc's ale-YAY! and sharing a wonderful 2003 May morning in Oxford
with Jessica. If only time could be wound back.

Most embarrassing morris moment>> When we were practising at The New Inn at
Crawley. We were dancing Shepherds Hey which requires no hankies so I
attached them to my trouser waist. When I went to do the chorus my ascending
right hand caught one of the hankies, sending it flying. Luckily it caught
only a slight breeze and landed prominently on the face of one of the
musicians - sorry Roger!!!

Favourite dance and/or tune>> My favourite morris dance has to be Travel By
Steam as it is quite an expressive corner dance...with a great name too. My
favourite tune is Handell's Gavotte/Sydney Smith's March because it has been
quite a challenge learning it on the recorder.

Least favourite ditto>> My least favourite morris dance is The Blue Eyed
Stranger as it is non-stop and when you eventually get to the end of the
dance, whatever dignity you had has fallen by at least 80% due to the
sheer bloody effort required!! My least favourite tune is The Barren Rocks
of Aden because I just CAN'T play it and it can be a bit grinding after a
while.

Best place to do morris in>> Anywhere with an audience! The best place has
to be in the street via processionals, although pubs are a great place too
(a) because of the obvious alcohol situation and (b) great session music
available at discount prices!!

Tell us a bit about your experiences at Sidmouth>> It was fantastic. I
stayed in Seaton, Axmouth with my Dad and we drove into Sidmouth every day.
Day 1 - Got to Sidmouth, got our bearings, admired the sites, bumped into Jess
and her Dad, admired more sites, got sunburn, retired to bed. Day 2 - Psyched
myself up for jig competition, admired the promenade people, got sunburn
again, did jig competition (didn't win), busked on promenade raising £1.50
each, very sleepily retired to bed. Day 3 - Visited the main arena, said our
goodbyes and travelled back home. Apart from going to Hastings earlier in
the year, Sidmouth was a real buzz. There are a lot of intriguing
individuals out there.

What is 'cool'? >>The first possible explanation is ‘slightly or moderately
cold’, otherwise, in terms of morris dancing, the whole camaraderie and sense
of ‘I'm with others who are just like me!’ seems to strike a chord on the
heart strings. To me, it feels like a second family reunion.

Do you go clubbing?>> No because I hate clubbing with a passion. Apart from
the odd disco, I see no sense in killing off perfectly formed, intricate
little hairs located in the cochlea, to a dismal, over-repetitive pulse of
machine-originating ‘music’!

Tell us one thing about you we don't know>> I GIVE BLOOD!! and I think those
3 words sum-up everything about how precious life is (I passed out the first
time but it hasn't stopped me going!).

What does the next year have in store for you?>> Exams and more exams, dancing
out with Eynsham morris!, numerous dances out with Ducklington, my precious
life fluid being drained three times and lots of 18th birthday parties!

What advice would you give someone just starting morris dancing?>> Don't ask
for help from our squire or you'll end up with "Phobia-Kitchenalia"!!!

Sum up morris in one word>> Panopluos.


November 2003
Name>> Jenny Saffrette

Occupation>> Child Care Inspector

Special Morris Skills>> Taking my turn at organising the Cry Havoc Christmas meal 2002, and our Ale 2003 - greatly helped by friends - and Alan deserves a special mention here...Thank-you Alan!

How long have you been with Cry Havoc?>> This is my fifth year.

How did you come to join CH?>> I have links with several founder members through my old job as a nursery school teacher in Botley. Paul and Ruth's children came to Elms Road Nursery and I taught their eldest, Tim, so I got to know the family. Paul often asked me when I was going to join, but although I wanted to, I lacked the confidence for many years! Shame! I worked alongside Kate Keen and knew Bev, Debbie, Mark and others so I was regularly exposed to the temptation to join, finally doing so in September 1999.

Previous morris experience?>> Watching morris dancers in Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds as a child and being entranced. More recently, in 1996, I saw morris dancers outside a pub in Dorset and was magnetically drawn to watch.

What did you do before you were a morris person?>> When was that? It kind of takes over! Well....other than dancing, walking has always been my favourite thing. I love wild moors, hills and mountains.

Has morris changed your life?>> Certainly - I now have a social life second to none and have met my lovely Geoff, a unique morris fella also second to none. AND he likes walking...fantastic.

Why did God invent morris?>> To spread some joy and happiness of course!

Highs?>> Meeting Geoff, making new friends, taking part in our day of dance in Oxford city centre this year. It was great to have such an appreciative audience and be photographed by all those tourists. The day had a real buzz all through.

Lows?>> Injuries/illness that prevent me dancing.

Sticks or hankies?>> Sticks. But more and more I'm appreciating the finer points of hankies (I love Haste to the Wedding and Black Joke), so it's gettting to be a close run thing.

What has inspired you recently? >> Geoff and I went on holiday to the French Pyrenees and the scenery was stunning and very uplifting. One day we walked to the foot of the largest waterfall in Europe - Le Grande Cascade in the Cirque de Gavarnie, which was hard to get to but incredibly exhilarating as the water pounded down and splashed all over us! On a sadder note, as a cancer patient, I am fighting to live and am tremendously inspired to keep it up by Geoff, my family and friends. Thank you to everyone that cares.

Favourite dances and why>> Young Collins (Bledington), Dogs of War (Botley), Ring of Bells (Lichfield) and the two hanky dances above plus Sidesteps (Bampton). Quite a mixture!

Favourite morris pub?>> Ooh...um...the one we went to in Appleton this summer! (The Plough – Ed.)

Favourite beer?>> Guiness or lager. Sorry chaps and chapesses, but I can't get to really like real ale, except for the odd half of Hooky! (Nowt wrong with that – Ed.) These days I tend to drink soft drinks more than anything.

Have you got a morris story for us?>> I found myself excitingly sandwiched between two cross-dressed fellas at Eynsham Carnival this year! Namely the luvverly, delectable Dorris (AKA Geoff) and the equally luvverly, hairy hula girl AKA, my mate Gavin!.

Ambitions?>> To get fit and healthy again and keep on dancing.

Advice for a new morris person?>> Stick with it. Or hanky with it if you'd rather.

Tell us something about yourself we don't know?>> OK. 1) Pictures of my internal organs have been on TV (due to Sheila Hancock coming to officially open the Churchill Hospital's new MRI scanner just after my scan), and 2) As a teenager, I worked under Magdalen Bridge, hiring out punts to people.

What question should I have asked you that I didn't?>> What made my hair curl?

Sum up Cry Havoc>> Eclectic, vibrant, friendly, fun.


September 2003, a Ducklington guest interviewee.

Name>> Jessica Marshall

Occupation>> Slacker

Special morris skills>> Twizzles, leapfrogs, triple backward somersaults, you know - the usual.

Morris sides you dance with>> Mostly with Ducklington Morris but I have also been performing with Morris Offspring put together by Laurel Swift as part of a larger performance called 'Flame' for Sidmouth festival. It's not a permanent side as we come from all over the country but there are rumours of some sort of tour.

Instruments you play>> A fiddle called Eliza (made by Jessica’s father, Chris – Ed.), mandolin (very poorly), and sing (mostly in the bath).

How long have you been a morris person?>> Well my mother danced the morris when I was but an embryo in the womb but I'm not sure what that counts for. I can't actually remember not knowing how to morris dance but my first dance with a team must have been when I was
about nine or ten. Queen Emma's Morris were short of people for Adderbury's day of dance. My mother was foreman at the time so she stuck an old kit on me and dragged me out. I learned the dances on the hop (having watched my mum dance them so many times it wasn't that difficult) and they made me a member from that day.

Interests outside morris>> I really enjoy drama. This is of course because I'm never happier than when everyone is looking at me (honestly, the things I'll do for attention!). In fact acting is my back-up plan if (God forbid) my career in morris dancing should fall through... Well we can all dream can't we? I'm also interested in flying. It's more a theoretical than a practical interest but I have been up a few times (gliders, little zippy planes) and loved every minute. And of course I have a keen interest in wild nights and crazy days!

Are you a 'folkie', and if so, is there a cure?>> Yes and proud! If there is a cure I don't want to know. Reality's too harsh, to cure me of my folkiness would be cruel.

Do your non-morris friends think you are strange?>> Yes. But they're all very understanding about my condition. There is actually a lot of interest amongst my friends concerning morris dancing but they see it as a subject to be approached with caution and my antics are viewed with polite bemusement. Having said that, I have made a number of keen ceilidh converts amongst my friends. Morris dancing is just the next step.

Reasons to be morris>>
1. It's in my blood. My whole family is involved in morris, I don't consider myself to have had a choice.
2. Solo jigs mean I get to be the centre of attention (yippee!).
3. Some of my closest friends are morris dancers.
4. Great way of meeting the best sort of people.
5. There's so much to do. It's not just morris for me, it's a whole way of life. The music, the people, the ceilidhs...the list is endless.
6. I like a man in whites.
7. No one else can party like a folkie!

Morris turn-offs>> Fools. Unless they are exceptional dancers and really add something to the dance I can't stand them. So many seem to think they can get away with just whacking a few buttocks with an inflated bladder and are just there to distract people from messy dancing. I have no one in particular in mind while writing this and there are fools I admire but a thump on the arse can only be funny so many times.
Teams that dance too fast. I'm not saying all teams should dance as slowly as Ducklington but it shouldn't look like a competition to beat the musician and get to the end first. The rate some m