Having lived and breathed every incarnation of Liverpool’s music scene since the 1970s, BERNIE CONNOR’s knowledge of music is encyclopaedic to say the least. From the heyday of Eric’s through the post-punk psychedelia explosion onto the baggy psych of the 90s right through to now, he’s seen Liverpool’s music thrive from the inside.
Given his unrivalled knowledge we felt he was exactly the right man we needed to host the talks at our SUPER WEIRD HAPPENING with Greg Wilson, Kermit Leveridge and the seminal counterculture writer John Higgs.
Although his new Sir Henry’s Hi Fi sound system unfortunately won’t be ready for the happening he will be spinning us his usual eclectic mix of anything and everything, so we thought we’d catch up with Bernie to find out the thinking behind his new venture, whilst obviously going off on a few tangents….
Who is Sir Henry?
Sir Henry Rawlinson is a fuddled member of the british aristocracy, created by Vivian Stanshall. It’s a film, a radio show, LP and social phenomenon. Vivian died some years ago.
How is the sound system coming along?
It’s almost at ‘production level’. It’s primarily the labour of love of my good friend, Andy Eastwood, he decided in his old age that he wanted a Jamaican style sound system, so he acquired one. It’s amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it. Andy knows his shit, he knows where to get things from. He’s that sort of fella.
What kind of stuff are you going to play out through it?
Music. Of all types and descriptions. We’re not the sort of people to restrict ourselves to one specific type or genre, that’s a life half-lived. We are gonna do a Sir Henry’s mix through my Soundcloud page. When we have the time. Soon.
Do you have anything planned for Sir Henry’s Hi Fi?
Our mate Angus lives in a yurt in a field in Hebden Bridge, we’re gonna take it over there at some point soon and let it rip right across the valley and illuminate the locals for a brief period.
What did you make of this year’s International Festival of Psychedelia?
I thought this year’s festival – like last year’s – was an absolute trip – if you excuse the pun. It’s something Liverpool can be truly proud of. I’ve played it every year and seen it bigger and better with every year, it has a unique place in the music calendar. And I’m dead proud to be associated with it, no matter how small that association might be.
Do you see echoes of 1970s Matthew Street in what’s happening in the Baltic Triangle at the moment?
Not at all. The Matthew St. scene of the 1970’s was based around one club, one tea room and one record shop, catering for a few dozen ‘in the know’ people. The Baltic Triangle is a mass participant area that caters for hundreds, if not thousands of people each week. The Matthew St. thing was very parochial and horribly cliquey, often to its own detriment. I feel that, although a lot of stuff was created, a lot more would have got done if the protagonists had been a lot kinder to each other.
Which was more culturally significant? 1960s Cavern Club or 1970s Eric’s Club?
They were both as equally as important to their patrons as the other. It would be disingenuous of anyone to say that their experiences of youth were more important than others.
But 1970s Matthew Street was fuelled by more than just music. What did Aunt Twacky’s bring into the equation?
Tea and a place for people to congregate with their peers. People – particularly young people – always need a place to congregate and infect their peers and contemporaries with their mad ideas.
What was the atmosphere like back then in the Liverpool School of Language, Music, Dream and Pun?
I can’t really remember, to be honest. Aunt Twacky’s was pre-punk and whilst it was the springboard for many things, it was its successor, the Armadillo Tearooms that was the real meeting place for the burgeoning punk and post-punk scene. Its proprietor, Martin Cooper doesn’t get enough credit for his contribution to all that.
How do you normally go about discovering new music?
I still hang round in a record shop (Probe) all day, most Saturdays. I still love the thrill of hearing new music, it still makes me giddy with excitement. Often the bus journey home is unbearable, I get a bit too excited. I am like a fourteen year old sometimes.
What was the last album you listened to that was incredible from start to finish?
Apache Dropout – Heavy Window
Ex Hex – Rips
Peaking Lights – Cosmic Logic
Various Artists – Justice Dub
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