It’s nice to hear
the old songs,
sung the good old
way…


It’s nice to hear the old songs,
sung the good old way…

Welcome to
Openhouse Studio
Folk Music Legacy

Created by Brian Jones, with daughter; Samantha, this website is a legacy project designed to bring ‘folk up to date.’

Explore the website, listen to the music, Explore folk music heritage UK and read the stories starting from the 60’s revival through to present day.

Welcome to
Openhouse Studio
Folk Music Legacy

Created by Brian Jones, with daughter; Samantha, this website is a legacy project designed to bring ‘folk up to date.’

Explore the website, listen to the music and read the stories starting from the 60’s revival through to present day.

KEEP FOLK TALKING

PODCAST

KEEP FOLK TALKING

PODCAST

We want to ‘keep folk talking’ in our NEW Openhouse Studio Podcast with a new special guest for every episode including stories and songs from past to present.

OUR latestPODCAST

KEEP FOLK TALKING

Brian Jones with Brian Lupton

Join Brian Jones as he sits down with Brian Lupton, a member of our Local Heros Series as a singer, organiser and long-standing figure on the Wirral folk scene. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Brian reflects on childhood singalongs in Wallasey, discovering folk music in the 1960s, forming Kinfolk, and performing from local clubs to an international festival in East Germany – the foundations of a lifetime in music.

KEEP FOLK TALKING

WITH Brian Lupton

Join Brian Jones as he sits down with Brian Lupton, a member of our Local Heros Series as a singer, organiser and long-standing figure on the Wirral folk scene. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Brian reflects on childhood singalongs in Wallasey, discovering folk music in the 1960s, forming Kinfolk, and performing from local clubs to an international festival in East Germany – the foundations of a lifetime in music.

Brian Lupton is a Wallasey lad who grew up on Tudor Avenue, right beside the River Mersey. He was a latchkey kid in those days, when the back door of the house was never locked. Directly behind his home was “Leemo’s Field,” a real playground where children spent their time playing football, cricket, kick the can, and hide and seek. Nearby stood old air raid shelters, some of which were still accessible and added to the sense of adventure for local kids.

The Seacombe street where Brian lived ran down toward the shore of the Mersey. At that time it was a street with no parked cars – hardly anyone owned one – and the neighbourhood was quiet, with very few barking dogs. Instead, scraggy cats ruled the garden walls.

READY TO TELL YOUR story

We would love to hear and share your stories from the folk scene,
get in touch to feature on our next podcast.

OUR song OF THE MONTH

Four years ago today, we said goodbye to our dear friend and wonderful singer songwriter, Ian Chesterman. I’m so grateful we spent all those Wednesday mornings together in the studio, capturing his songs – some of which still haven’t seen the light of day. This one is especially close to my heart. It’s “Travelling Full Circle” the title track of an album he never got to release.

It’s a reminder of the gentle, thoughtful way Ian moved through the world – and of how he’ll always travel with us, in the music he left behind. And that’s how we’ll remember him. Always.

Brian Jones

The Resident

He’s always there week after week he puts up with a lot
He does what’s known within the trade as ‘The Kamikaze Spot’
He’s there to warm you buggers up and try to make you sing
But the highlight of the evening is when he breaks a string!
Folk don’t always listen they’re busy at the bar
Or chatting to each other and drowning his guitar
Sometimes he thinks he’s cracked it
When some open mouths he’ll see
But it’s only some old friends he’s brought
And they came in for free!
Why do we do it? I don’t know, we masochistic band
Maybe one day we’ll find that never, Neverland
Where an audience has ears and sings just like a choir
When you ask them to join in they raise their voices higher
Like some Eisteddfod winners far removed from any pub
Why then I’ll know I’ve really died and hosting Heaven’s Folk Club.

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