Moselele

Thanks to everyone who made it last night. It was reduced numbers this week (damn you sun and your world heating ways) but we got through just about every song in the book.

There seemed to be quite an improvement with some of the older songs. Though our stumbling version of True by Spandau Ballet was a mostly beautiful thing to behold.

We had a bit of a discussion about it last night and came to the conclusion that it might be an idea to make meetings every two weeks rather than monthly. This should give more people a chance to turn up and means we don’t have such a gap where we can forget how to play things.

So the next meeting will be in Thursday 17th June. Remember all meetings are at 8:00pm and they are upstairs at the Patrick Kavanagh.

I will remind everyone a bit closer to the 17th. I’m intending to not add more songs as we have enough to be getting on with. I am planning on going back through the book and correcting all of the obvious errors, like Sweet Home Alabama just being wrong.

We hope you can make it on the 17th and remember we’re always keen to see new people.

It’s very nearly Thursday, the 3rd, and that means it is our third meeting.

Once again it will be at 8:00pm at The Patrick Kavanagh.

I’ve updated the Songbook with more songs.  We’ve got quite a few now so I think it might be an idea to work on the ones in the book rather than adding to it each month. We have more than enough to be getting on with.

So, this month I have added.

Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Urban Spaceman – Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band

Paint it Black – The Rolling Stones

Only You – Yazoo

True Spandau Ballet

That was the second meeting absolutely completed and in only a few short weeks I reckon we’ve all improved quite a lot.

As you can see from the picture we’ve even diversified into Kazoos as well as Ukueleles.

We’ve now managed to play all the song book, which is an achievement as some of the more recent ones are a bit more tricky. I was especially pleased that we managed to make it through a whole run through of Walking on Sunshine.

I  was  actually a bit of surprised  that  Livin’ on a Prayer managed to work out so well. I’d only put it in as some sort of twisted joke. It certainly pointed towards the best songs being ones that people can shout/sing rather than ones that people necessarily like. Though I’m not suggesting including unpopular songs just for the sake of it. That would be ridiculous.

The Patrick Kavanagh was a much better venue as it sells beer and a room with a lower ceiling is less acoustically challenging.

We’ll be back there again on the 3rd June so it will be great to see you all again and we look forward to all those new people that haven’t quite persuaded themselves that this is what they want to do with one Thursday a month.

As always, keep the song suggestions coming in.

I know there’s no need for it. Humour me.

Just a reminder that the next meeting is on Thursday (the 6th) at 8:00pm upstairs in the Patrick Kavanagh.

There will be biscuits and surprise presents for everyone.

There are new and exciting songs in the song book but don’t worry too much about knowing them.

See you on Thursday.

I’ve added quite a few new songs to the songbook.

Some are easier than others, some we might just aim to do eventually.

So, first off is the pomp rock classic, Livin’ on a Prayer. A song that I think it is fair to say speaks to all of us. Though  it probably says slightly different things to all of us.

Just in case the generalist ukulele plan doesn’t work out I think it’s handy to have an alternative plan. My alternative plan is to a be a travelling Johnny Cash cover band….with Ukuleles.

So I added Ring of Fire.

Somewhere in my mind I’ve come to the conclusion this was a request.

Creep by Radiohead.

Finally, and this is just because I really like it, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots by the Flaming Lips.

I am working on some others that were suggested but a few turned out to be much more complicated than they should have been. Generally difficult from a copying and pasting point of view rather than playing on the Ukulele.

I’m very pleased to be able to say that it looks like the long term future of Moselele has now been secured.

I have been able to find a new venue to host us and from now on we will be using the upstairs room at the Patrick Kavanagh on Woodbridge Road.

The upstairs room isn’t too obvious but there is a door at the end of the front bar with a sign above it. Just go up the stairs until you find us.

As I said before, from now on this will be the first Thursday of every month. So the next meeting will be on May 6th from 8pm until 10pm.

I realise this is the election night so I’ll try and find some electioney songs.

Suggestions will be welcome.

Between now and then I will be adding some more songs to the songbook so keep an eye on it.

People said it wouldn’t happen but the first meeting went ahead on Thursday and I was very surprised at the excellent attendance. I’m not completely sure whether it is a shared love of tiny stringed instruments or the free biscuits that swung it.

Eleven brave Ukenauts (®Hanuman) ploughed through all of the songbook in just over an hour and a half. I think we had pretty passable versions of four songs by the end of the evening.

I reckon Eight Days A Week was probably our crowning glory (it’s about the fun rather than audio fidelity).

Eight Days a Week – Moselele

I think there was quite a bit of enthusiasm for doing this again so I’m going to try and make this a monthly event . It will probably be the first Thursday of the month. I will be looking for somewhere else to host us so keep an eye on here for details.

If you do want to be kept up to date then you can always email me at daz@moselele.co.uk and I will let you know as I book things or arrange things. Though I’ll probably end up writing it on here as well.

It’s not too late to get involved so please feel free to come along to the next meeting.

I’m also looking for suggestions for the songbook. If you have anything you’d like to play then let me know and I’ll try and track down the chords.

Thanks

Giddy with excitement at the prospect of the very first meeting on Thursday and with a definite feeling of Spring in the air I’ve added another song to the Songbook.

Many people have been asking me for songs that involve a lot of C chords. Although this has an F and a G thrown in it does use C a lot.

It’s also a song that absolutely everyone knows.

So my I present Walking on Sunshine as stolen from I Love Fizzy Pop?

So either look at the link above or download another version of the Songbook and be amazed at how it is one page longer.

Hello again,

I’m very please to say I’ve managed to sort out a date and venue for the very first meeting of the Moseley Ukulele Group.

We have booked the Moseley Exchange for the 1st of April between 7:30pm and the 9:00pm.

If you don’t know where the Exchange is, it’s here.

This is an opportunity for anyone to come along. Even if the 1st April is the very first time you ever pick up a Ukulele then come along and give it a try.

Oh, it’s also free.

We’ll be having a look at the song book and getting idea for things people would like to include.

We really hope to see you in a couple of weeks.

Frequent reminders will be made on here.

Welcome to Moselele, the home of the previously non-existent Moseley Ukulele Group.

This is a group for beginners and people experienced in the ukulele. In fact very much focussed on beginners at the moment though getting people who can play would be handy.

In the coming months I will be arranging a time and place for people who are interested in learning to play the ukulele to get together and give it a go. To make this process a little bit easier I’ve begun putting together a book of songs. At the moment there are only four songs in there as I don’t want to overwhelm people. They all use fairly basic chords and are quite easy to play.

Songs in the book at the moment are:-

Hold Me Now – The Thompson Twins

Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash

I Wanna Be Like You – The Jungle Book

Eight Days A Week – The Beatles

As you can see it’s a bit of a strange mix of songs. I’m very much open to suggestions for songs so please get in touch if there is something you’d like to have a go at.

If you’re interested in joining us then contact us through the form on the about page or send an email to daz@moselele.co.uk.