‘What is life without music?’
Adrian Watts and Sara Yirrell talk to Julia Thorley about Burton Latimer Ukulele & Drum (BLUD) Group and their mission to share their love of music and ukes to anyone who’ll listen.
Go along to Burton Latimer Community Centre on a Monday evening and you’ll hear some amazing rock and pop music being played by around 30 keen ukulele players. What you won’t hear is any George Formby songs. The group has been going for about seven years, under the guidance of Adrian Watts and Sara Yirrell.
“It’s about getting together and playing songs we all love,” says Adrian. “Mostly music from the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s, but we also have songs from the Noughties and more recent years in our ever-growing repertoire.”
BLUD offers no tuition; people simply turn up and play, though the group will help each other with new chords and tricky picking, if needed. They play varying sizes and pitches of ukulele and have a bass player, too. Sara believes that this informal approach is much more fun than anything formal, because it’s less rigid and open to all levels of ability.
“Formal music participation and the structure it brings can lead to being part of a group,” adds Adrian, “but we have proved with BLUD Group that the punk method of ‘learn three chords and form a band’ works, too. No one should be afraid to pick up an instrument and give it a go. There is no failure in music if it brings you pleasure.”
There is a perception in some people’s minds that the uke is a simple instrument, but Sara is quick to defend it.
“It offers limitless possibilities. You can be as basic or complicated as you like. Anyone can pick one up and play something, but most of all it can bring people together and make music accessible to all. We have great fun.”
Adrian agrees:
“It’s a happy instrument that makes you and others around you smile. It’s easy to travel with, easy to learn some basic chords and you can be singing along in a few minutes, but it has the potential to be played at world-class standard if you put the effort in.”
Music was a huge part of Sara’s childhood. She was a classically trained pianist and also played saxophone and the drums. She has also dabbled, she says, with the guitar and mandolin. Now she plays with BLUD, as well as four-piece band Short Straw, which plays in pubs and at festivals and functions.
Adrian provides the ‘drum’ in the group’s name. He has taken a different musical path, beginning in the Salvation Army Youth Band, where he started on the cornet then progressed to the E♭ tuba. He has sung and played with various groups over the years, mostly with rhythm instruments, such as African frame drums like the djembe, as well as harmonica, didgeridoo, Native American love flute, lyre, various tongue drums and a hand pan.
“If you can hit it, shake it, rattle it, strum it, blow it or vaguely find a way to make a noise with it I’ll give it a go. Over the years, I have played and chanted in halls, on sacred hill tops and in burial chambers at Avebury, and I’ve even led a Beltane circle dance at Flag Fen.”
The members of BLUD play primarily for the sheer joy of it, but also love performing at festivals and charity events. In keeping with their relaxed style of playing, they don’t have a uniform, but never miss the chance to dress up to fit a theme. Adrian explains how he has become a performer, despite having Aspergers.
“I have a dislike of crowds and large gatherings, but over the years I have managed to mask and manage that issue. Being on stage allows me to flow with the sound and react, rather than concentrate and work at it. My favourite BLUD gig was at Kelmarsh Hall for a charity event where we had over 100 people rocking on the dance floor for two hours.”
Adrian and Sara are both passionate not only about the place of music in their own lives, but also its value to society and the world at large.
“Music is everything to me,” says Sara, “whether listening to it, watching live bands or playing it. “Without music the world would be a very sad place. My school was quite elitist when it came to music; only certain pupils were given opportunities once they met certain criteria. I was lucky that my parents could pay for private music lessons. Everyone should be given the opportunity to learn an instrument or to sing in a choir or group. Music and the arts aren’t given enough priority or focus on the school curriculum.”
Adrian adds:
“There’s too much focus on teaching certain subjects to pass exams. For me, music is an exploration of sound, rhythm and awareness. I’d like to see the ukulele and rhythm used as the basis for all music lessons – don’t get me on to the recorder! – and allow some free-flowing inspiration to guide young people, helping them free the voice and the mind to add to the symphony.
“What is life without music? Sound and smell have a direct connection to my soul. The memories that are evoked from even single chords can lead me to travel through time and revisit past events, and connect on a deeper level to the heartbeat of the earth.”
Find out more on the BLUD Group website.
Interesting article. I agree music is very much understated especially in school today. It is a shame as it has been proven that children benefits from it in every domaine. In my opinion all children should sing every day at school. You feel so energise and happier. An excellent tool to improve your wellbeing.
Well there's a grand bit of Information from Adrian and Sara, and I must agree wholeheartedly with every word, i have similar thoughts here in St Ives every Monday eve when Ukulele's and drums are played in the Seven Wives public house ,We use the "Musical Mayhem Method" and it's great