April - A Mix For Fools

To celebrate April Fools and Easter Day conjoining in disharmony enjoy the April  mix that contains extracts from "Chasing the Gowk" the April story for Wyrd Kalendar and explore some of our April discoveries here...

Beware the Fool.

As you wander the Kalendar Heath this month do not let the fool lead you astray. He will lead you a merry dance as you, the Gowk, lose yourself in a mysterious maze of musical magic.

Whilst Jon Neill and Chris Lambert bring to life extracts from Wyrd Kalendar story "Chasing the Gowk" you will be tricked and delighted by the likes of the Cocteau Twins, June Tabor, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Tim Hart and Maddy Prior, Frank Churchill and Larry Morey’s “Bambi” soundtrack, David Cain and Ronald Duncan, Fiona Shaw and T.S. Eliot, Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66, Patti Smith, Simon and Garfunkel, Aretha Franklin, The Divine Comedy, The Stone Roses, Prince, George Michael, A-ha, Supertramp, Genesis, Pat Boone, Sandy Rogers, Frank Zappa, Tom McRae, Loudon Wainwright III and Rufus Wainwright.

Countdown to Publication of Wyrd Kalendar - April

As we prepare for the publication of Wyrd Kalendar later this month enjoy the April  mix that contains extracts from "Chasing the Gowk" and explore some of our April discoveries here...

April 6th is "Fool Release Day" - Don't Forget To Pick Up Your Fool!

Everybody knows that it is bad luck to commit trickery or mischief after noon on April Fools Day. What is less well known is the practice in certain counties to incarcerate those who have committed this particular sin.

 In Shropshire, for example, (according to the records of All Saints Claverley), in 1672 the county sheriff Michael Scott, issued warrants for Bernard Treaching for "salting hif wife's tea at half paft the noon"; for Sarah Trentwise for "faying the 'moon if gone for good' at one of the clock" and most notably for farmer Patrick Ostler who "haf painted hif neighbour's entire herd of sheep in huef of woad and that at four of the clock on April the firft." These travesties did not go unpunished and the miscreants were held for 6 days before their release on the 6th April.

These traditions continued for several centuries and may be celebrated still in certain quarters if only in a ceremonial sense. For this reason April 6th is often known as "Fool's Release Day" or "The Feast of the Emancipation of the Mischief-Maker".