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Here The PPCO Picks Kev Saunders Brains on all things music...

PPCO: Hi Kev, thanks for sparing time in your busy schej to talk to us pre another exciting weekend of live music in Hertford! Let’s start at the top. What is the Kevolution?

KEV: It’s kinda tongue in cheek. But also not… I’d been resisting getting involved with The Hertford Club because it’s always been synonymous with the enemy for me: in the 80s a few of us used to plot its overthrow… going undercover in blazers and sensible shoes to subvert from within. When they persuaded me they’re no longer a Conservative Club, I agreed to put some music on there… Hence the Kevolution… And since we’ve had to abandon the Musical Mystery Tour and Hertford Music Festival is no more, I’ve re-branded the whole thing. Promotions… Events… PA hire… Remember Citizen Smith? The Kevolution is PA and Party Power to the People!

PPCO: How did the Musical Mystery Tour all begin and why did it stop? It was such a successful and vibrant event? When we first played it in 2017 with The Tuesday Club and Reverse Family, we couldn’t believe how busy, ecclectic but also how relaxed it was, there was no hint of trouble despite the whole of Hertford being out on the streets supporting it?

KEV: How did the Musical Mystery Tour begin? Well, as instigator of Hertford Marquee I was very visible and I think Hertford Music Festival in its original form thought I might be able to kick-start what was, I thought, a very staid and uninspiring (non) event. Faced with increasing insurance, risk assessment and other costs and very little sponsorship or council funding, they couldn’t afford venues like Hertford Castle grounds and the Castle Hall (now theatre). And the

MMT was my proposal. We’d give local artists an audience and a stage, take the event into the heart of the town, and facilitate a day of live music in as many places as would get on board… I know I’m being smug, but I am still proud of this. I had the contacts with loads of musicians, sound engineers, DJs and so on… The pubs, clubs, shops, library, and museum had the space, the licences, the capacity to serve food and drink and – crucially – their own public liability and employer’s liability insurance. I would bring the talent and the audience. The ‘Mystery’ bit was the map – directing you to places you wouldn’t usually got to and music you might not usually listen to.

I’m not a great salesman. Pubs hated the idea of live music –especially people playing their own stuff! Bloody weirdos! The first one in 2006 (or was it 2005?) comprised 3 venues. One of which was easily persuaded because I was in charge. Another was a few pallets stacked outside WH Smiths on a rainy May Bank Holiday. Nuala O’Halpin played. And she’s played every single one since. We only had one PA so I trundled and humped the thing around…

By 2011, I think I had about 15 venues. No way I could manage more on my own, even with help from a few mates… So one of those mates, Rob Guinn instigated a pub crawl/ recruitment drive. We were going to get every single pub and club in town on board. And we did. By 2014 we had 40 venues – all at once, from lunchtime to bedtime and all for free. Something like 300 performances from over 200 acts comprising more than 700 individual artists…

PPCO: So why did it stop?

They were saying it had got out of hand… OK we reckon over 20,000 were there last time… With not one single arrest. Compare that with a normal Friday night in Hertford… We weren’t ‘closed down’ – exactly. The SAG (Safety Advisory Group), comprising East Herts Council and the police gave us a list of things to do. Not compulsory – but they made it clear that if we didn’t comply, we’d be personally liable. At its height the MMT was still basically 5 or 6 people – all volunteers – and we made the whole thing happen for less than £10K in sponsorship, venue contributions and Hertford Town Council’s annual community grant of £1200. Among the ‘suggestions’ were an evacuation plan for the entire town in case of terrorist attack, fencing off roads from pavements, traffic marshals and many other measures far beyond our reach. My ‘team’ – my friends – had to step down. Their homes and businesses were at risk. And so were mine.

So that was that.

And that thing about the vibe… I’m so glad you mentioned that. I think the reason that vibe was always almost palpable is that everyone, artists, venues, and audience alike, always knew that this was created by Hertford people for Hertford people – and kindred spirits like you lot! It’s about inspiration and attitude…

PPCO: You’ve been in lots of bands over the years, which was your favourite?

KEV: What was my favourite band (of the ones I’ve been in)?

That’s tricky. Helium Brothers because my first proper band… Takashi O’Hashi Project because I found myself in New York recording at The Power Station… Marden Hill because it’s cool as fuck… and Los Ladrones, my most recent, because we wrote the song for my funeral: I Wear Black.

PPCO: What Keeps you keepin’ on Kev?

KEV: What keeps me keepin’ on?

Bit of a Strummer thing. He used to say ‘Never give up’… And also, it becomes who you are…. It’s certainly not about money… It’s a groove you get into – and I’m happy as long as the groove doesn’t become a rut.

PPCO: How has gig promotion changed over the years?

KEV: How has it changed?

To be honest, I’m not really a promoter. The MMT was great because it was a collaborative thing. When I was running Hertford Marquee, there wasn’t any social media (well, MySpace) and in some ways that was nice. On a personal level, things have changed because I started doing this because no one allowed you to put original bands on anywhere – or any bands. Pubs associated music with trouble a couple of decades ago. Now, though, every bar has watered-down live music – always covers, always too quiet and usually early in the evening before the ‘real’ audience shows up for the DJs. Which is fine – but it makes it hard to get anyone but people like us (you know who you are!) to actually turn up for the real deal.

PPCO: What’s your ultimate main stage line up? Dead or Alive, 5 bands or artists?

KEV: Ultimate Main Stage Line-Up – dead or alive... hmmm 5? Only 5? Well…

The Clash, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Bob Vylan (Oh…. Hang on… Rip Rig and Panic, The Stray Cats, Gil Scott-Heron, Massive Attack, Pulp, ADF)

PPCO: What’s the last band you paid to see?

KEV: Last band I paid to see, Alabama 3, I think

PPCO: What’s your best venue/festival? Apart from the MMT ;-)

KEV: Best venue/festival

Best festival for was the Strummer of Love – for the 10th anniversary of Joe Strummer’s death. We (Los Ladrones) played the little campfire stage and Lucinda (Joe’s wife) came to see us and say hello (we’d met before). Venue-wise, I miss my own thing Hertford Marquee – but among the ones still going, Brixton Jamm’s great

PPCO: What’s your next musical venture after the bank hols?

KEV: My next musical venture after the Bank Holiday...

Well there’s my ongoing Kevolution nights at The Hertford Club (first and third Thursdays usually) … And I’ve got ideas about shows at the White Hart and McMullen’s Brewery Yard next year. Acid Jazz records have just re-released Marden Hill’s seminal acid jazz/trip hop album Blown Away on vinyl (featuring yours truly) and in terms of recording/ performing… I’m working on a reinvention of my band Los Ladrones… Tentatively called KING ANGRY.

PPCO: How can you find out more about Absolutely Not the Musical Mystery Tour

KEV: Funny enough, this is nothing to do with me at all (officer). After the demise of the MMT a few publicans came to see me and I mentioned that idea. I was kidding. But anyway, although there is no MMT almost every venue in town is staging its own individual live music thing. Of course without me and my team there’ll be no Green Party litter-picking volunteers, no St John Ambulance paramedics, no extra security teams, and no overarching programme… Search Facebook for ABSOLUTELY NOT THE MUSICAL MYSTERY TOUR for the page with all the pubs’ line-ups. I’ll probably share it all on my KEVOLUTION page too… Although it has nothing to do with me. Nothing guv. Honest.

Coincidentally, McMullen’s have asked me to book acts for their pubs, as have the Shipton Group, whose venues include Hertford House Hotel, The Quiet Man and The Store House, These are not part of the Absolutely thing though…

PPCO: Haha love it, your secrets safe with us ;-) Maybe see you there anyway?! So there you have it folks, if you’re in Hertford on the afternoon of Sunday 27th you are bound to come across some excellent live music... but it’s nothing to do with Kev, OK!?!