It is now quarter of a whole big century since I first wandered into a side room concert where the band playing was "the Humpff Family"
The humppff's played a mix of folk and blue grass with funny lyrics and some real gusto, being around 5 on stage or more at any time. In 86-90 they became regulars at the Glasgow Uni Queen Margaret union, a haven for usually more indie rock musicians of the time.
later I saw them at the Fleadh ( pretentious Gælic name for a pretty good "folk and folk rock on the green gig" )in the wee tent and I think I spoke to them on a couple of occaisions. I could be mistaken, but the guy who ran the wee bike shop on Chancellor street called then and still bearing the name "West End Cycles" , was on the Blue Grass "scene" and maybe was the lead in the Humpfs. He was an affable guy who had mandolins along side chainsets and BMX stunt pegs.
There was something joyful and unpretentious about the Humpfs, while bands like the "smiths", "soup dragons" and the "mighty lemon drops" were all taking it a bit too seriously. The Humpffs are on Spotify, but with a wierd angry sounding albumn far removed from their light headed hey days of the late eighties.
So despite my current downer of general pissed offness, tommorrow is the second time I will be patronising the local, neigh national, Blue Grass festival and enjoying every minute no doubt.
