After the international day of events that marked the centenary of Ewan MacColl on 25th January, Salford is finally to get its own tribute to one of our most famous sons, with an event called His Life, His Words, His Music on Sunday 10th May.
For anyone who might not know about Ewan MacColl, he wrote Salford anthem Dirty Old Town and the love anthem The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, amongst hundreds of traditional songs baring the experience of the working class. He also pioneered agitprop theatre in the UK, wrote poems and took part in loads of protests including the Battle of Bexley Square (to know more, see the Salford Star three part centenary article – click here).
The Ewan MacColl: His Life, His Words, His Music show is to feature former Smiths maestro and radio presenter, Mike Joyce, and former Shameless favourite Gerard Kearns (Ian Gallagher) playing the old and young MacColl, reading from his autobiography, Journeyman; and singer/songwriter John Conolly performing the songs. All proceeds will go to the Working Class Movement Library (WCML) which holds much of MacColl's work plus the red plaque commemorating his birthplace in its foyer.
"All the readings are in Ewan MacColl's words, chunks taken from Journeyman, interspersed with eight or nine songs" says Royston Futter, Secretary to the Library Trustees "Mike Joyce did our Radical Readings event last November and he was excellent, while Gerard Kearns is a big fan of Ewan MacColl's work. John Conolly actually looks a bit like Ewan MacColl, and in the 1960s he sang alongside Bob Blair who later became a member of MacColl's Critics Group."
Mike Joyce is certainly looking forward to performing at the event...
"I was first introduced to the Working Class Movement Library last year when I was invited to Radical Readings, featuring Maxine Peake and Sheila Hancock" he says "I was treated to a tour of the WCML while I was there, which was not only fascinating in terms of the artefacts on display but I found the building itself really added to the whole 'stepping back in time' experience.
"This year I'm delighted to be invited back by the WCML to feature in the centenary celebrations of Ewan MacColl's birth and I'm really looking forward to working with Gerard Kearns and folk music legend, John Connolly" he adds "...Sounds like a good 'un to me!"
John Conolly, too is proud to pay tribute...
"The songs of Ewan MacColl, with their drama, compassion, poetry and splendidly singable tunes, have been a source of inspiration to me for many years" he explains "Back in the 1960s, my old friend and songwriting partner Bill Meek and I attended a memorable Songwriters' Workshop given by Ewan and Peggy at Loughborough Folk Festival. Ewan advised us, and the other budding songwriters present, to `Go back to your home town and look at how your community earns its living - weave your songs around these basic industries - in other words, write about what you know'.
"Fifty years later, we still take pride in producing songs which celebrate the lives and labours of the fishing community which is our home town of Grimsby" he adds "and I'm delighted to have the opportunity to pay tribute to Ewan, on his home ground of Salford."
Ewan MacColl: His Life, His Words, His Music
Sunday 10th May 2pm
Salford University Peel Hall £12/£8
Tickets £12 (£8 students) are available from the University online shop http://shop.salford.ac.uk (NB tickets are not available from the Library).
Ewan MacColl graphic by Steven Speed
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