COVENTRY Music Museum curator Pete Chambers writes for the Observer.
Nine years at the museum and YNES
Welcome our new featured artist to the Coventry Music Museum singer songwriter YNES.
A few weeks ago I checked her out at The Tin and was astounded by her originality and professionalism, so this Saturday she will be out featured artist as part of our Sounding Off series.
It is set to be a very special one as it will be the museum’s ninth birthday, yes nine whole years, and they said we would never last.
Even Covid couldn’t stop us – myself and the team are just as enthusiastic now as we were all those years ago.
The museum recently welcomed its 34,000th paying guest and we have had visitors from every continent and from 95 countries.
Just as the museum is about to celebrate it finds itself as a timely winner in the Expert ‘Three Best Rated’ recommended Top three places To visit in Coventry, UK.
As ‘Three Best Rated’ says itself: “All of our places to visit actually face a rigorous 50-point Inspection, which includes local reviews, history, business standards, ratings, satisfaction, trust, price and their trading excellence. Only the bee’s knees!”
Praise indeed, oh and kids still go free – it all begins at midday this Saturday, November 5.
The ‘Killer’ In Coventry – RIP
The recent passing of Jerry Lee Lewis signals the end of the living Rock n Roll legends.
Jerry Lee Lewis, or ‘The Killer’ as he was known played in Coventry on various occasions but one night at the matrix on The Fletchamstead Highway is a night which will remain in the mind of sadly missed rocker Graham ‘The Rat’ Rollason.
“The Matrix, May 30,1963 has very special memories for me”, says Graham.
“I had arrived early at the venue and went around to the back of the hall and The Outlaws (Jerry’s backing band which included Chas Hodges and Ricky ‘Ritchie’ Blackmore (Dave would later find fame with Chas and Dave and Ritchie with Deep Purple).
“They were unloading the gear, so I helped them.
“Once they had set the gear up Jerry sat at the piano there was no one else in the place.
“I was sat there. Jerry recognised me because we used to go to every booking he did in the country.”
He asked me what I wanted to hear so I asked him if he could play some classical music for a change.
“He replied that he could play any God damn music you like boy, so he rattled a bit of classical music off – I thought to myself ‘this bloke is unbelievable’.
“I went down to the Fletch pub, my mates had been there an hour, they all asked me where I had been as I was late.
“I told them ‘you’re going to be jealous’ – I have been sat with The Killer for the last hour drinking and he has been playing requests.
“They couldn’t believe it.
“Another well-known face there that night was Rob Woodward who would later have a number one hit himself with Lieutenant Pigeon.
“I went to see him at the Matrix on the May 30 concert in 1963.
“He was tremendous – dynamic pulsating, every inch the consummate rock’n’roller.”
He returned to the Matrix twice more – in 1964 and 1966 – which Graham also attended.
