Thursday 7 August 2014

From Paddington To Penzance

Julian Henry has been releasing records as The Hit Parade since the early 80s, starting his pop career with possibly the greatest run of 45s in all of independent music (collected here). His latest LP on JSH Records, "Cornish Pop Songs", is a tribute to Penwith; its history, its people and its attitude. It's a terrific album, and one which has recently received positive coverage from -among others- The Cornishman & The Western Morning News. But what's the appeal? Why Cornwall?

Here's why: 

What drew you to Cornwall & its culture? 

I like exploring Britain. I first visited Penwith after reading about it in books. I like the fact that it’s a remote spot with its own identity, and all the flashes I’d seen of Cornwall from afar – Virginia Woolf, Betjeman, Du Maurier – gave me a sense that there was something hidden behind the holiday homes and sandy beaches. When I was young I remember my parents talking about Cornwall as if it was distant land where people ate ice cream all day without a care in the world. It was paradise at the far end of the railway line, and Cornwall still represents hope and sunshine to me today.

 Are you a regular visitor?  

I would say infrequent. I’m an outsider looking in. I know West Penwith well enough to feel comfortable every time I’m there.

Some of the songs have very specific reference points which only locals will "get" (the Garage in Drift, Swordfish pub, the Stevensons etc). Is there a significance of these people/places personal to you, or are they just "vehicles for the idea"?
 
My songs are shaped by what I see in front of me. When I stood outside the old garage in the village of Drift I was thinking about migration, how people had moved from this remote spot over many centuries towards Bristol, Exeter and London to search of fulfilment and gain. The cars that pass the garage today back and forth from Land End still indicate the desire for self-improvement. Everyone wants to move somewhere where the prospects will be better. They want a view. But why not return to the Garage where the dead cars lie rusting in the rain? There’s plenty to do, the people are friendly and the pubs are great. I’m fascinated by the A30 and the stories that this road tells. 
 
Can you make a pasty?
 
No, I’m useless in the kitchen. 
 
Aw, shame. Cornwall has quite a vibrant cultural scene, so did you consider recording the album in Cornwall? using local musicians?
 
It’s a jolly idea. There certainly a lot going on in Cornwall. But I wrote this in my gloomy flat in Paddington and recorded it in south London with Ian Catt. I can’t pretend to be local. I’m an outsider looking in. A friendly face at the window.
 
Has there been much interest from the locals? Any dates planned in the area?
 
Given that most of our records have been greeted by a deafening silence and the occasional cry of ‘you’re bloody rubbish!’, I would say that the early signs are promising. No one has yet called it rubbish.
 
Do you prefer Jelbert's Ice Cream to Roskilly, or vice versa?
 
I’m not much of a foodie. But I do like that Jelbert’s place in Newlyn.
 
Me too. One song on the album, "Ghost of the Fishing Fleet", seems to be quite pessimistic about Cornwall's future. What's the solution?
 
Cornwall should be a National Park with outsiders charged a toll when they cross the Tamar. The fishing industry, those heroic men in boats, the coppermen, the women of Newlyn, as well as the artists, writers and creative community, should all be celebrated. Tourists like me should be frisked at the border and tested on their knowledge of the history of Cornwall. This is about identity. Cornishmen and women must be full of hope for the future.
 
Where is your favourite place in Cornwall & why?
 
There’s an obscure spot up on the cliffs near Lamorna Cove we call the B Rock. It’s a hidden rocky outcrop near the coastal path that was obviously used by the military or something years ago. It’s buried in the gorse but a letter B has been carved into the granite so I go up there with my children for picnics on sunny days ...you can appreciate Cornwall’s history from up there, looking out to the sea. The old granite quarries where they dug out stone to ship up to London, the rocks down below where Laura Knight painted. Tater Du lighthouse is just along the way and it’s great to watch the fishing boats chugging round to Newlyn. It’s a wonderful view.
 
 
Thanks Julian. Here's the wonderful "Zennor Mermaid" from the LP, which you can purchase here.