Leeds Buskers

Off-topic discussions, musings and chat
Bruno
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Joined: Fri 29 Jul, 2011 9:54 am

Post by Bruno »

Has anyone noticed a small elderly Irish busker in Leeds city centre recently, singing and playing either an accordion or an electric keyboard, possibly even selling copies of his (probably remaindered) CD, 'The Street Singer' ? Usually very scruffily dressed. Name Tom, very strong Kerry accent.Reason I ask is that he's my father-in-law, the only time I ever used to see him was when I worked in Leeds and went out for a lunchtime walk.Not set eyes on him since my job was moved out of Leeds 3 years ago.
The older I get, the better I was.

Jogon
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Joined: Wed 21 Dec, 2011 1:28 pm

Post by Jogon »

[quoted- change from the mind numbing stuff in the charts but also a sign Im getting older I guess. Also nice to hear the busker called The Bedroom Orchestra has got a record deal too.my kind of people. Might this be he? That bloke is APP-ALLING! Over amplified (you might like it once as you walk by, spare a thought for poor local workers who suffer it all). Schmaltzy and liable to make a song his own in the style of a duff pub singer. One of my faves who seems to have gone? Was the Polish violinist girl http://youtu.be/Ws7nwvfyW9QSecond fave was, is the smallish black guy with sunglasses who plays the small soprano saxaphone.Third just for showmanship is man+dogs.And finally not seen for many years was a charity collector who looked like Karl Marx, collected commercial st at M&S back door and would 'sing at you'.        

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Leodian
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Joined: Thu 10 Jun, 2010 8:03 am

Post by Leodian »

It must take some guts to do busking. Many I've heard in Leeds in recent years have been good and some were excellent.I wonder what has happened to the man with the dog who was mainly outside Next on Bond Street, as I've not seen them for some while? I've also not recently heard the young woman with a nice voice who had a guitar usually on Briggate, nor the coloured lady with a nice voice who also was on Briggate, nor the young woman who excellently played a violin on Briggate.There is currently the man with the devil puppet on strings on Land Lane.
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

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Leodian
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Post by Leodian »

Jogon wrote: [quoted- change from the mind numbing stuff in the charts but also a sign Im getting older I guess. Also nice to hear the busker called The Bedroom Orchestra has got a record deal too.my kind of people. Might this be he? That bloke is APP-ALLING! Over amplified (you might like it once as you walk by, spare a thought for poor local workers who suffer it all). Schmaltzy and liable to make a song his own in the style of a duff pub singer. One of my faves who seems to have gone? Was the Polish violinist girl http://youtu.be/Ws7nwvfyW9QSecond fave was, is the smallish black guy with sunglasses who plays the small soprano saxaphone.Third just for showmanship is man+dogs.And finally not seen for many years was a charity collector who looked like Karl Marx, collected commercial st at M&S back door and would 'sing at you'.        Your "And finally not seen for many years was a charity collector who looked like Karl Marx, collected commercial st at M&S back door and would 'sing at you'." will be the late Danny Freeman who collected lots for charity. He died in 2004. Though not always getting the right notes he was (at least to me) always welcome to hear singing. Thanks Jogon for the link to the video of the violin player.
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

Bruno
Posts: 331
Joined: Fri 29 Jul, 2011 9:54 am

Post by Bruno »

The man with the dogs always used to be in St Helen's Square in York, before he showed up in Leeds. Perhaps he's gone back there.
The older I get, the better I was.

Jogon
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Joined: Wed 21 Dec, 2011 1:28 pm

Post by Jogon »

LeoThanks for the info on Danny Freeman, I never knew that.Apart from his Leeds centre works he would turn up in Headingley pubs during the evenings when we were students. He became cross with one of our number who tried to put coppers in his collection box."It was heavy" he said "and needed at least silver, if not paper".http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2004/sep ... bituaries1

leedslily
Posts: 152
Joined: Thu 06 Sep, 2007 8:52 am

Post by leedslily »

There's a commemorative photo of Danny Freeman in the Jubilee wing at the LGI.We saw this family of buskers in Leeds last summer - they were great: http://www.flickr.com/photos/leedslily/ ... hotostream

whatdoesthisbuttondo
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri 20 Jun, 2008 9:10 am

Post by whatdoesthisbuttondo »

Does anyone remember the young electric guitarist who used to set up outside HMV in the late 80's/90's?He had what looked like home made pedals to switch effects and was amazing to listen to..

keyholekate
Posts: 211
Joined: Sat 08 Nov, 2008 7:25 pm

Post by keyholekate »

Leodian wrote: Jogon wrote: [quoted- change from the mind numbing stuff in the charts but also a sign Im getting older I guess. Also nice to hear the busker called The Bedroom Orchestra has got a record deal too.my kind of people. Might this be he? That bloke is APP-ALLING! Over amplified (you might like it once as you walk by, spare a thought for poor local workers who suffer it all). Schmaltzy and liable to make a song his own in the style of a duff pub singer. One of my faves who seems to have gone? Was the Polish violinist girl http://youtu.be/Ws7nwvfyW9QSecond fave was, is the smallish black guy with sunglasses who plays the small soprano saxaphone.Third just for showmanship is man+dogs.And finally not seen for many years was a charity collector who looked like Karl Marx, collected commercial st at M&S back door and would 'sing at you'.        Your "And finally not seen for many years was a charity collector who looked like Karl Marx, collected commercial st at M&S back door and would 'sing at you'." will be the late Danny Freeman who collected lots for charity. He died in 2004. Though not always getting the right notes he was (at least to me) always welcome to hear singing. Thanks Jogon for the link to the video of the violin player. He sounded nice in the winter sunshine and I quite like schmaltzy : )Danny Freeman was not my style but what a great bloke to raise all that money for charity.I think he had a daughter that died young. Im sure he used to call in the pubs in the eighties down East Street too.

Jogon
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Joined: Wed 21 Dec, 2011 1:28 pm

Post by Jogon »

Sorry to 'bang on' about them again but please can anyone shed light upon some buskers who I liked but missed.Called the Clash. THE CLASH!They busked in Leeds May 1985.Photo's, etc welcome at [http://www.secretleeds.co.uk/forum/Mess ... eadID=3614]

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