The Pentangle - Pentangling

OLD PA'S WEDNESDAY CLUB

Dr Robert

Hughie and Me!

THE PENTANGLE - Pentangling (1968)

When I first heard this, it totally freaked me out...I was already a fan of Bert Jansch and John Renbourn and this was a marriage of the best to me.

This is a bit of a strange story really, but part of me growing up and is absolutely true.

My friend Hughie was invited round to the brother of a next door neighbour whom he knew and asked me to come along. It was a great night, Robert lived in a bedsit and it was perfect. It was littered with books and LP's, there were interesting pictures and paintings on the walls. We had plenty interesting concoctions to drink and as we were, I would say around 16 or 17, we felt grown up and alive.

Robert had always the latest music and when I told him I was a Dylan fan, he said he had a friend who was also a fan and would get some albums for me. True to his word he popped into the chemist shop I worked in after school (great for my supply of johnnies, shame I did not know what to do with them apart from pinning them to the back of unsuspecting guys in school) and gave me the missing albums, at that time I had only 2 Dylan albums, The Freewheeling and Blonde on Blonde. Robert completed my set.

I was in Zimmer heaven.

The people in the chemist shop gave him and me some strange looks and it did not register, until I found out a few days later that Robert was 'Queen of the Queens' in Inverness. I was told that I should not be seen with him because I would get a 'Reputation'. It did not bother me and I still visited Robert occasionally, he never did try anything as I made it perfectly clear I was straight, well sort of straight. He did make hints of course.

One day Robert gave me an album to hear as he knew I liked Bert Jansch. It was the first album by the new 'Super Folk Group', the Pentangle. I loved it, especially Pentangling, a complete showcase for the great talents that made up the Group. I later found out not too much later that Robert had passed away. I liked Robert, I found him interesting and great company and even at that young age, his sexual orientation did not bother me.

He poured a mean Martini.

Watch out for another Old Pa special about the Pentangle reunion Concert.

More Wednesday club classics? or more on Bert Jansch here....