A Blast From the Past – By Motor Mule Founder, Paul Kennedy
The memories of magic live music stay in the mind longer than most. The places, the people and the performances stay vivid through the fog of time as years pass.
So it is that I remember an evening at a festival on the Romney Marsh, owned and operated by the Hells Angels who had gathered in number from all over Europe.
Together with the Hell Angels, the event welcomed mere mortals like me and as I waited in front of the stage for the MC to announce that year’s surprise, mystery act you could feel the anticipation in the air.
When he finally shouted out, ‘….all the way from California in the United States of America, please welcome on stage, The Blasters I had a double take, fate had delivered one of my all time favourite bands to a field a mile from where I grew up deep in the Romney Marsh countryside.
Looking back, I had no plan to become a music promoter, in fact I had no plan at all. I would still not class myself as a promoter even now, but just someone who has felt the power of a mystical experience through music in a particular time and place.
I feel that when you add it all up and as time rides us down, it is the music and the performance and the occasion that give us meaning.
It just so happens that I also believe you can’t come closer to living than through country, soul, blues and rock ‘n’ roll. So the Motor Mule was conceived and I hope to share some magical time with you at this festival of Americana at Betteshanger Park this July.
Let’s make some memories
P.S If anyone can name the year that The Blasters played at that Angels festival, I’ll buy them a pint at Brock’s Bar – The Motor Mule 2026.
Would be great to hear from you and see you down the trail.
Paul – info@longtallproductions.co.uk – 07944 599 165
Photo Credit: Paul H Photography