FOG is playing at Avoncroft Museum this Saturday

Put Saturday 25th August in your diaries.

Yes, we're back in action. Playing all evening at the WI "SOUNDS AMAZING" festival at Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings (that's at Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove, B60 4JR if you're coming to support us).

We've a bunch of old favourites, and also a bunch of new stuff that we've been working on.

Tim's just about settled into the band now - so much so that we've all chipped in for a new skin for his drums that will get it's debut on Saturday.

The evening runs from 6pm to 10pm and will feature all kinds of acts, mostly musical, around the grounds together with some stalls selling food and drink. The idea is generally you take a picnic and move around between the acts (always coming back to FOG!)

It's to celebrate 100 years of Worcestershire WI (formerly Women's Institute).

Please come and support them (and us). Tickets £12 (£10 for WI members, bring your membership card).

Venue packed out for FOG comeback GIG!

There wasn't even "standing room only" on Saturday at our comeback GIG at the Piesse of Pidele Hotel in Wyre Piddle on Saturday 29th July, guess people forgot just how bad we are after over two years since our last Gig there.

The audience were fantastic - really encouraging (thanks folks) and really noisy (excellent, no one could hear our mistakes) and sang along to everything (even better, didn't matter that we couldn't remember the words).

Tim, our new beat machine, kept his nerve and didn't once loose his sticks even if he lost the beat. After a popular vote in favour of Tim, we gave Tim his apprenticeship certificate - but warned him of the consequences of forgetting to bring biscuits to the rehearsals again.

Thanks to Graham for hosting us at the Hotel (he serves a mean pint - has Abbott ale at the moment)

Our guest Photographer (John Kellett) took these photos (thanks John)

We did pick up a couple of requests from folks for us to go and play for them at parties. We hadn't the heart to point out that their hearing aid batteries must have run out.

We're in the Piddle Post!

THE NEW FOG CHARITY GIG as above – FOG WARNING – The FOG is about to descend upon Wyre Piddle again… so look out everyone… Having lost Dear Old Chris, they have had to start at the bottom with a young apprentice (hope he can keep up with these old timers…) FOG’s first outing will be to raise money towards the restoration of St Anne’s historic window. Not without reason, therefore, FOG is desperate for your support. Give the Four Old Geezers some much needed encouragement. They will have a bucket (ideally for your contributions) ((and if you give them enough they may go home early)) – If this outing wasn’t enough, they will be the headline act at the the Harvest Supper in the Village Hall on Saturday 30 September, so pop this date in your diary now…

Tim (bang, crash, wallop) Willis

Tim's our new drummer.

He's also the new youngster to the band, reducing the average age of the band by some considerable amount as he has only recently qualified for his senior citizens railcard, whereas the rest of us can't remember what a railway is half the time.

Tim's trying to recreate his misspent youth, recalling the days when he played in a 1970's show band called "The Brass Syndrome" and doing all the clubs in South Wales. That was until the Welsh got their devolution and the first thing the Welsh Parliament did was to vote to deport him.

The highpoint of his musical training was lessons from Pic Withers of Dire Straits fame. Shame Tim can't remember anything he learned from Pic.

All this semi-professional background means that Tim joins Ken as another member who has actually done some serious music in the past. Makes Malc and Peter feel overwhelmed!

Welcome Tim.

FIRST GIG with FOG II - Piesse of Pidele - Saturday 29th July

FOG is back - and we are doing our first proper GIG at the hotel (Piesse of Pidele) in Wyre Piddle on Saturday 29th July.

Come along and hear us and introduce yourselves to Tim, our new drummer.

Especially bring your wallets, because we are doing the GIG in aid of the St. Anne's Window Appeal - to restore the historic medaeval window in St. Anne's Church in Wyre Piddle.

FOG is back

Nearly two years after Chris' tragic death, FOG have formed up again with Tim Willis as our new drummer. Tim is a bit of a foreigner, being as he comes from as far away as Fladbury. He also makes it into the band as the new youngster as he has only recently acquired his bus pass and senior citizens railcard.

The Wyre Piddle Blues

I've been asked for the words to the Wyre Piddle blues by many of you. Not because you liked them, but because you couldn't hear what Peter was singing.

Well - here they are - First sung at Piesse of Pidele on Friday 13th December 2013

Listen everybody, I'm gonna sing you the blues
Bout livin' near the river, and it ain't all good news
Since Squire put the trees there, it's ruined all the fun
Boats used to sail here, now there isn't one
That's why I'm singin' you, I'm singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues

We used to have a sailing club, but now the club is done
We used to have a view, but now the view is gone
Now let me tell you out there about what we could see
We used to see Bredon, but now it's only tree
That's why I'm singin' you, I'm singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues

A village in the making, was what we had right here
Lorries used to pass thru, thousands every year
Bypassed now they're all gone, people power has won
But now they're building Keytech Two and the country's nearly gone
That's why I'm singin' you, I'm singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues

The Anchor was the place to go, for good food and a beer
But alas the owner changes, nearly every year
Just when it's doing well, it's time to say goodbye
But Ian and Andrea newly here, again we're on a high
(Originally: Cos Enterprise just pulled the plug, and once again we're dry)
That's why I'm singin' you, I'm singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues

I'll finish on an upbeat, the folks all here are great
FOG proves there's an afterlife, they're past their sell-by date
Carrie keeps us on the go, Graham's real laid back
WYRE wins all the local games, we're right along the track
So why am I singin' you, singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues?

Other verse added from time to time:

At Piesse on 24 October 2014

We've heard about Ebola and how they're a coming our way
We've had the Poles and  Latvians, Lafarge is quick to say
Just send them back to Europe,we don't want Ebolans here
And give us our two billion back, then we in Wyre will cheer
That's why I'm singin' you, I'm singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues

And Rosier's surprised us all with the strangest request you'll hear
He's telling everybody and he's talking christmas cheer
A hedgehog's what he's after and that's for Christmas day
The rest of us want turkey, but John he say's "no way"
That's why I'm singin' you, I'm singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues

At Tony Peachey's 70th Birthday Party on 26 July 2014

So Peachey's hit the seven- oh, and got his friends around
His garden's full, it' s overflowed, that is what we've found
And Dorset Lady's sitting there, ignoring all the noise
Calling "it's cooler in the river here, come on and jump in boys"
That's why I'm singin' you, I'm singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues

And Smithy's taken himself a huff to home he does revert
"A meal is not the same" he says "without the right desert
Fruit and cheese doesn't do for me, I need my choccy fix
At home my fridge is full of it be back in a couple of ticks"
That's why I'm singin' you, I'm singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues

At the Wyre Summer Fete on 15 June 2014

The Squire's up to tricks again, this time he's at the mill
A generator now he wants, and we're all payin' the bill
He's taking all the water, there's none there for canoes
Once more he's killin' fun, and the kids again will lose
That's why I'm singin' you, I'm singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues

In May 2014

All being over fifty, we note SAGA is to float
We thought they always did so, but in an ocean going boat
FOG, we do our cruising on the river Avon here
Stuff fancy food and dancing, all we want is beer
That's why I'm singin' you, I'm singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues

There's problems at the Co-Op which is the latest news
Don't bother us with banking, unless you want our views
There's not a single shop here, so we have no use for cash
Just chuck em in the river, let's enjoy the splash
That's why I'm singin' you, I'm singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues

In August 2014

The Russkies have invaded, were all worried about Ukraine
The Scots are soon to vote about taking the last train
But this in Piddle passes by, like the A fourty-four
Cos too much talk of politics to us is just a bore
That's why I'm singin' you, I'm singin' you, the Wyre Piddle Blues

(c) Copyright Peter Gardner, 2013 and 2014
You may use this material, especially for campaigning for the
restoration of the river at Wyre Piddle to its original beautiful
openness. Please acknowledge this source.