Hot Rod Ignited the Folk Scene - Article by Pete Clemons

Hot Rod Ignited the Folk Scene - Article by Pete Clemons

From the Coventry Telegraph March 2014

Hot Rod Ignited the Folk Scene 

Pete Clemons 

YOU know how you are able to retain some of your memories from when you are fairly young? Well an unusual memory for me is being able to recall, fairly vividly even today, an orange and cream coloured transit van that would be parked up in the road (Tennyson Road) just behind the street I grew up in and a few doors away from my best friend at that time. I am guessing that this would have been the late 1960s. So to get the opportunity to write a few words about the van owner, 40 odd years on, is quite a thrill and honour. 

Rod Felton's House - Tennyson Road, Coventry

This was not Rod's but something like it!

The inside of the transit van, I remember, was covered in posters that depicted the names of major folk and blues acts from that time such as Julie Felix. I remember asking the owner of the van what it all meant and he told me that they were names of artists he had toured with. We kids just knew him as Roddy and it was only when I hit my teenage years that I began to realise just how popular, and well respected as a musician and songwriter, Rod Felton actually was. 



Rod began his working life as a commercial artist, or a sign writer as they were known, at Whitworth-Gloster Aircraft Ltd based in Baginton but, after five years there, he was made redundant. At the time of his redundancy in 1964 he had already been folk singing for around two years in his spare time. The redundancy then focused his mind and his thoughts turned to becoming a professional musician as soon as possible. 

To make ends meet, and so that he could concentrate on his music during the evenings, Rod took a on number of jobs that included a warehouseman, a painter and decorator and even a bread salesman. But Rod was, and still is, his own man. He is certainly very strong minded and the type who makes his own decisions and lives with them. 

By 1965, and at 22 years old, Rod was appearing regularly at folk and blues clubs in Coventry, Rugby, Leamington, Birmingham and London. 

And at each venue he appeared at he was always being asked for a return appearance. 

The folk music and blues scene during the mid 1960s was very strong and Rod was proving to be very popular on the circuit within Coventry and around the Midlands and beyond in terms of bookings. Rod was also using his natural artistic flair to create his own advertising posters. 

English Ritual Drama group, The Coventry Mummers, were formed in 1966. During 1967 The Mummers were invited over to Keil in Germany for a series of plays. I am not sure what involvement they had exactly, maybe they were active Mummers for a while, but the invitation saw Rod and fellow Coventry folk musician, Geoff Smedley, travel over to Germany with the group. 

While they were there alliances were built and contacts made. And these contacts would prove useful for bookings in around Keil on a return visit to the city during 1968. 

1967 also saw the birth of 'The New Modern Idiot Grunt Band' who consisted of Rod and fellow fun loving musician Rob Armstrong. Rod and Rob had known each other well from the folk circuit. Rob had been performing as far back as 1963 and was equally well respected on the circuit. For a while Rob had been in a duo with Deserie Meikle who simply called themselves Rob and Des. 

For the return visit to Keil, Rod Felton and Geoff Smedley, were, this time, joined by Rob Armstrong. Initially the trio went out there to give individual performances. But, so popular they became, the trio occasionally performed together and became known as 'The Gentle Idea'. The German folk fans were treated to blues along with a helping of traditional and English contemporary folk music. Rod and Rob would also get the opportunity to perform together and play a rousing 'Grunt Band' set. 

According to Rod, 'The New Modern Idiot Grunt Band' band name came to him in a vision during a dream. But for Rob it was more succinct and a simple case of too much alcohol providing the inspiration. Either way, this was an era when bands could get away with a bit of silliness by coming up with names like 'The Bonzo Dog Do Dah Band'. The New Modern Idiot Grunt Band went out gigging under a variety of names. They used their full band name or were more simply known as as The Idiot Grunt Band, NMIGB and IGB. 

The New Modern Idiot Grunt Band were not a folk group, they were not blues band. In fact they were not anything really. They were, however, a fun loving duo and existed purely to give their audience a good time. And whatever or wherever the gig was, you knew that it would involve much alcohol and general harmless outrageousness. And during those early days of the band the pair would, occasionally, be joined on stage by Sneaks Noise bass player Jon McIntosh. 

Despite their easygoing outlook, Rod and Rob were very professional and very serious about what they did. According to Rob 'we were serious but we were not very serious, we were professional but we were not very professional'. Rob then went on about their time together in the Grunt Band and, despite the great time together, how it was mostly him who took the lead, kept the band in check, and ensured that they both got to the gigs on time. Fairly quickly the Grunt Band became very successful and were very popular in many areas of the country.

Rob remembers well the Rugby Festival of 1969 which involved bands like Pink Floyd and King Crimson as well as the NMIGB. At the end of the festival, and late into night, there was still a sizeable crowd who still wanted more. So, much to the crowd's delight, the 'Grunt Band' returned to the stage and gave the revelers an extra couple of hours of fun. 

A week later Rob got rather excited when he saw a headline on that weeks NME (New Musical Express) that proclaimed 'Jug Band rocks festival'. 

Thinking that the late night festival goers must have included a music journalist Rob eagerly read the accompanying article. However, his joy did not last long when he realised that the article was on about Mungo Jerry who had performed the same weekend at a different festival. 

Live recordings of the Grunt Band do exist as far back as 1967 but the band is barely audible. However, an acceptable live recording does exist from 1969 and from a gig that took place at The Three Crowns in Barwell. 

It was recorded on good quality equipment and stands the test of time today.