Visions of Chas & Dave.

Last night I had a couple of dreams relating to mine and Glyn’s comedy club, Mostly Comedy. In the first the stand-up James Acaster was not a real person, but an actor playing a part – and in the second, the cockney legends Chas & Dave came up to Hitchin to play for us. 

I’m now determined to make my dream a reality (the second one, that is).

I watched an excellent documentary about them (‘Last Orders’) on BBC4 about a year ago. It was one of those programmes that you switch on by chance before bed, only intending to watch a few minutes, then find yourself engrossed. I’d never realized just how far-reaching their careers were.

Did you know that Chas did stints in both Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent’s backing bands? He also jammed with Paul, George and Ringo at Eric Clapton’s wedding in 1983; the only time The Threetles ever played publically after John’s death.

Also, Eminem’s 1999 breakthrough hit, ‘My Name Is’ is built around a sample that features Chas on guitar and Dave on bass. Madness.

(Not Madness; Chas & Dave.)

My earliest run-in with the ‘rockney’ duo was thanks to my parents. They were huge fans of Tottenham Hotspur – still are, in fact – and I suspect they both harboured dreams of me becoming a footballer.

I was born, portentously, on the day of a Spurs v. Man City F.A. Cup Final replay. I think my mum still resents missing it; I recently bought her a DVD of the match, by way of an apology. 

Despite being signed up to the Junior Spurs Fan Club from birth, I never showed much interest in football. I took a book and Walkman with me on my first visit to White Hart Lane - and tutted to myself every time the crowd cheered.

I was a little git even then.

One thing I did like from an early age was music – and thanks to a regular rummage though my parents' vinyl, I would often end up listening to Chas & Dave’s Spurs’ duets, ‘Ossie’s Dream (Spurs Are On Their Way To Wembley)’ and ‘When The Year Ends in One’.

I also knew all the dance moves to Black Lace’s ‘Agadoo’ by heart, thanks to expert tutorage from the dancing pineapple on the back of the ‘45.

Mine was a simple childhood.

As well as touching on their musical careers both together and apart, the BBC4 documentary served to illustrate Chas & Dave's exceptional musicianship. Their live act is exceptionally tight - involving intricate wordplay that would be difficult to replicate – and is jam-packed with humour and musicality.

Their sound is also unmistakably individual; you only need be a bar in before you know who you’re listening to.

My favourite part of the documentary showed them backstage before a gig, discussing their skiffle roots. Within seconds they’d launched into an excellent impromptu version of the Lonnie Donegan number, ‘Lost John’. (Watch it yourself here; it starts about nine minutes in).

Unfortunately today’s blog has a sting in the tail: I sent an email to their promoter this morning, inspired by my vision – and they’re sadly out of our budget.

If we ever manage to entice them along to Mostly Comedy, however, it’ll be one dream that I’d be delighted came true.

...and if they come, I hope they play this: