The Golden
AppleThe Golden
AppleThe Golden Apple started making noise in the summer of 92.
Having
previously attended a Summerfest 91 (A live role playing event if you are not
familiar), they decided to put their talents along side some of the entertainers
that graced that fest. With 3, no more than 4 songs a tambourine and some loose
guitar playing, they rocked the entertainers competition of 92 and came away
with 1st prize (A pot dragon £50 and free life time entry into the bards
guild) "Fifty quid, fifty quid, fifty quid" was their victory cry.
Using
that and some money kindly donated (or laundered) by a Mr S. Courtney, they
put their earthy, ramshackle, folksy music on to tape "KALLISTI",
dedicated to the prettiest one (That will be me then. No it's not, it's me,
ugly! Hang on, I think you'll find I'm the looker. F**k off... you! When was
the last time you got some. Now just a minute!!!).
This happy band of 3 (yes 3) squabbled, drank, sang and played their way to summer, spring and even winter-fests. (Remember Chiggwell?), gathering support and more material on their way. Yes in those days there were three members of the band. Chris Kennish, Mike Crook, and Guy (Biggs) Hepworth.
After
only 2 years the band came to it's 1st fork in the road. Life got in the way
and the band split. Chris moved away and eventually created his own musical
platform by the name of dubkore.
And well Mike and Biggs just got lazy. However after a break of about 6 months
"the apple" re-formed as a Duo Mike & Biggs, Biggs & Mike
and went straight into recording the 2nd collection of songs in 1994, "PI".
This
brought about a more industrious period for the band. They began to play a lot
more frequently and at more diverse venues/ events. From weddings on mountaintops
to bouncy castles. Pagan rituals to back street pubs. Banquets, market squares,
even Glastonbury (next to the bins).
One of their prouder moments was to play the minstrels gallery at Hogton Tower in Preston, where Shakespeare used to teach pupils how to write. These Bards had been truly blessed.
The articulate writing skills of Mike and the Dynamic performance skills of Biggs was the basis from which both of them grew as artists. They were a unit now and were writing and performing as a tight, energetic, duo with the presence of a whole band. At one point they shared a beard they were that symbiotic. However they were not without outside influence. Some of the lyrics were written by a chap called Jake Wilson and put to music by "the apple". And like Bernie for Elton, he still submits words of influence.
Two
years later (1996) still writing, still playing, The Golden Apple set themselves
a challenge. They wanted to record a live gig. Now usually a live album derives
from the splicing together of the best parts of a tour, recording several nights
from the mixing desk. This was not financially possible so they decided to mic
a pub up (Tommy Ducks M/cr.) and do the gig in one take, no mistakes, no repeats.
To
deliver a near perfect performance for any performer is daunting task but Eris
smiled down on the duo that night and they came away with the material for half
their 3rd album "ALIVE BSIDE".
From here, The Golden Apple; for want of a better phrase; coasted on the success of their tapes and the regular, round the year, events that they played at. It became staid and tiring for the band. So as sure as eggs is merely eggs, they broke up in 1998 to pursue different interests.
Biggs
pursued his much loved passion of acting and landed several parts on T.V. and
enjoyed a stint at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. Mike wrote and
recorded a solo album, under his last name CROOK
and called it "Heart & Mind".
Although, as a band, they were apart for almost 4 years, this was not a split
through animosity and the doors were always open to be entered again. And entered
they have been.
Flung
back together by chance, magic and other forces of nature the duo rekindled
the puruit of wine women & song. With very few women in pursuit and the
wine seeming to sort it’s self out Mike & Biggs focused on putting
all the songs they play; but had not as yet recorded; onto another album. This
materialised in 2004 in the form of “Any
Excuse” (available at no good record shops).
Biggs
has continued to focused on Adhoc
(the theatre company he set up) and regulally appears on TV in various guises.Mike
writes and performs solo material as CROOK,
working along side ex Apple member Chris Kennish to produce a second solo album
“Still Life“. Still
the boys manage to balance their time and energy to perform The Golden Apple
Thing. With almost a life of its own the Apple has been revitalised. Celebrating
nearly 14 years as a band the origional Trio recently performed at Drum Hill
at a Maelstrom event bringing back great memories of that summerfest 92. Long
Live THE APPLE. Hope you have been entertained and educated it only leaves the
band to say one last thing...
“Are you lookin at my Finger……Why not. Not Big enough!!!