The Home of Menacing Banjo
Menacing Banjo cursed with being average from birth was saved by the arrival of punk in 1976 which meant any talent less, non singing, non dancing, half wit could believe him self capable of an artistic life. Unable to play a note it was through words that he first found a voice unfortunately it was probably the voice of a 5 year old. In that spirit it was at this time that he produced a series of naïve crayon sketches which show more clearly than any other document the freedom that he thought the spirit of ’76 was supposed to represent.
Realising that perseverance rather than genius was to be his watch word manymanymany cringe making efforts spilled form his pen until something half decent began to emerge and true self delusion could be born. Thankfully others with even less talent than he possessed provided an outlet for his work and a confirmation of his genius.
All this time, the number of notes he could play on the guitar rose into double figures, while the first experiments in singing where conducted as far away from humans as he could manage. A mind now addled by his new found drug buddies could almost image a future as a singer songwriter – some 30 years later this future has not yet arrived.
But in between having played in any number of terrible bands over the years – The AirtightGarage, The Bittersweets, The Rain Men, Heaven’s Gate and even now the latest incarnation Secretidentity there are a number of basement, front room, cellar….(in fact enough for a three bed roomed semi.)tapes that deserve a digital resting place and this is the site.
The evolution of technology over the decades has made it even easier for the lazy good for nothing to be creative from the comfort of his own computer. Menacing having embraced this spirit turned out the “Nowhere Gone” waxing in CD and MP3 form. It is a cruel irony that his 20 year old song “Mission Over Washington” should find a public outlet as September 11th 2001 arrived.
Having peaked musically Menacing now turned his hand and indeed his eye to photography. Just as the world was embracing the digital revolution the time seemed right to have a darkroom installed in the attic. Inspired by the work of Robert Frank, Lee Friedlander Stephen Shore it was like ‘76 all over again but this time being tone deaf wasn’t a problem. His eye sight in one of life’s little ironies did begin to decay but that just shows God has a sense of humour.
Please find on the following pages 30 years of music photographs words drawings and memorabila
Contact: admin@secretidentity.co.uk