HOW ABOUT A GUITAR FESTIVAL?

By Bob Hardy

INTRODUCTION
AUTHORS NOTE: The 'Euro-Wirral International Guitar Festival' is the festivals current title. However
from 1989 (the first year that it was staged), until 1992, it was known as the 'Wirral International Guitar
Festival'.

Relevant information about other musical events in the Merseyside area which have taken
place over the past 21 years or so are also included in this study.
Broadly speaking, I have attempted to place my area of investigation between the O.E.D.
definition of policy',
5. A course of action adopted and pursued by a government, party,
ruler, statesman, etc.; any course of action adopted as advantageous or
expedient. (The chief living sense.)
and the broad aims and objectives contained in the paper Music Policy, The Music Industry
and Local Economic Development, which is quoted at the very beginning of this study
The 'Conclusion' of this study will attempt to summarise those major aspects of music policy
which are contained in the following interview material.
It is my hope that this study might prove to be useful to other organisers engaged in the
production of an effective (in the sense of successful) music policy for similar events.

NOTE: The bulk of this paper takes the form of transcribed interviews between myself, and
Merseyside guitarist Brendan McCormack. These transcriptions were then checked, and
subsequently amended where necessary, by Brendan. I have known Brendan since the early
60s and we have worked together since on many occasions, the last time being at Montreux
in the mid-nineties when I was working at the festival as a member of the production team,
and he accepted my offer to work as Quincy Joness Personal Assistant for his 50 years in
Music concert.

INTERVIEW
" the [Guitar] festival was merely a reflection of my
own interests" ".there were no models.
Brendan McCormack

The brochure for The 10th Euro-Wirral International Guitar Festival of Great Britain, held
between the 13th-22nd, November, 1998, begins with the paragraph:
It is only ten years since Brendan McCormack spoke those
five important words - How about a guitar festival?...
There was of course considerably more to it than that, and I hope that the following
transcribed interviews between Brendan McCormack (the original Festival Director) and
myself, which took place during the period, early December 1998 to mid-January 1999, will
provide some understanding of the process of formulating the music policy for this
particular festival - which now enjoys an excellent local, national, and also international
reputation.
The Euro-Wirral International Guitar festival (as it is now known), is a yearly event held
sometime during the month of November. In the past ten years, it has presented almost two
hundred concerts, utilising guitar players from a variety of musical backgrounds. These
include Chuck Berry, Bert Weedon, Louis Stewart, Charlie Byrd, Paco Pena, Woody Mann,
Barmney Kessel, John Duart, Stephan Grossman, Catfish Keith, Jan Ackerman, Bert Jansch,
Martin Carthy, Steve Howe. To say nothing of Willie Russell and Roger McGough! As well
as a host of local players.

As Brendan McCormack explains in the following interview(s), he began with a clear policy
- and then looked around for the most efficient way of putting that policy into practice.
BOB
From previous conversations with you, I believe that your ideas concerning the organising
of music festivals are particularly succinct, and that you have now evolved a clear musical
policy in this area. I would also suggest that your policy with regard to the Wirral Guitar
Festival was not conceived as part of some Political, Tourist, Heritage, or Inner-City
Regeneration Policy, but rather as a 'stand alone' musical event. Do you agree? And if so,
how did your ideas for the staging of this particular guitar festival come about? Why
have one at all? .. And finally, did you perceive any other particular music festival as a
model?
BRENDAN
Yes I would agree. . And no - there were no models!
But to answer these questions in any detail, you would have to understand something about
my background, and also some of the particular experiences I have had which have shaped
my thinking.
Around 1957, I went to see Lonnie Donegan at the Liverpool Empire. The theatre P.A. in
use at the time consisted of one 'in-house' microphone. I would guess that its power rating
was in the region of 30 watts. The theatre was packed, and in performing terms Lonnie
Donegan and his group delivered a very 'high energy' show. What I want to stress here, is
that this concert was very clearly presented, in that we the audience could hear all the details
of this performance without effort.
If we now move on 40 years or so to the last time that I was at the Empire, it was for the
'Roy Castle Appeal' and I was the musical director. I employed an eight-piece band, which
was there essentially to provide musical backing for the performers who were appearing on

the bill.
During the afternoon, the rehearsal was delayed for half an hour while a member of the
'sound-crew' worked at miking the bass drum. I told him that they would have to stop as
we needed to rehearse. He insisted on continuing, remarking to me that, "Weve got to do
this!"
In the evening I went out to the front-of-house during the actual show to listen to one of the
self-contained acts, and thought how poor the P.A. sound was There was a drizzle from
the tweeters .. and the bass drum sounded as if it would wreck havoc on the walls of Jerico!
It is interesting to me that one of the major justifications presented for the use of large P.A.
systems (which appear to dominate many performances) is that the size of venues has
changed since the 1960's and in some cases this is certainly true. But what we have in the
example I have just presented is the same theatre with the same number of bodies in it!
To me the support-structure industry has influenced the whole concept of performance, and
in my view, in the musical areas that I am involved in at least (theatre, solo concerts, etc), it
has got completely out of hand.
This reinforces an opinion that many professional musicians hold. This is that people
involve themselves in situations in the music-making business in an ancillary capacity; and
later present themselves as essential and important. In other words they will appropriate the
situation for their own purposes and by their subsequent re-interpretation of what is taking
place - Surprise! Surprise! - they end up claiming to be 'essential' to what is going on often
producing situations like the one I describe here at the 'Empire'.
The very important point that I should like to make here is that most people accept what is
going on today as 'the way it is'. They are completely unaware of the situation that I
witnessed in 1957, and thus cannot use it in formulating a judgement about the quality of
concert sound-production today. .

We now inhabit a world of 'audio-drizzle'. I remember in 1975 seeing Barney Kessel in

concert at Liverpool University. Just before he was due to perform, the organisers played
tracks from a Django Rheinhart recording at full volume on the house P.A. . I need say no
more!
BOB
I see what you mean, but how does this relate to your concept of a guitar festival?
BRENDAN
The fundamental viewpoint I am trying to elaborate here specifically is one of LISTENING
to music; of hearing the detail. The snap, crackle, and the pop that we all love in live
performance.
Working 'solo' for the past 35 years has profoundly influenced how I perceive the whole
field of performance, and its relationship to an audience.
In observing the organising of concerts by inexperienced people over this time period, it is
clear, to me at least, that decisions are taken which are often ill-conceived, or at best
irrelevant.
I should also point out that it is extremely naive of organisers to seek the advice of soundengineers as to whether or not P.A. equipment is needed for a concert. These people
obviously have a vested interest in making sure that venues use as much 'outboard gear' as
possible.
BOB
So one of the major aims of your policy then, is to present music to a 'listening' audience.

BRENDAN
Precisely! And my experiences with P.A. equipment are pertinent to this. People have
reached a stage in their concert going experiences today where problems with the P.A, such
as 'feedback' etc., are considered to be almost part of the spectacle!
However, my organising of the Wirral Guitar Festival was conditioned by other, equally
important, elements. Some of which are local in character (in the geographical sense), and
others peculiar to me as an individual.
To illustrate what I mean by this, I will describe the events which prompted me to organise
the first 'International Guitar Festival'. Which was held not on the Wirral, but in Liverpool,
in 1977!
I had been teaching at a number of college sites on Merseyside since the mid 1960s - about
six or seven sites in all. These included: Liverpool University Music Dept; The Mabel
Fletcher College; C. F. Mott; I. M. Marsh; St Catherine's; Edge Hill; Christ College; and
Notre Dame.
During the 1970's, the James Report was issued, and this report changed the nature of
college teaching. Up to this report's publication, there had been training colleges for
teachers. Their courses were now to be scrapped, and in future would-be teachers would
study for a BA, or B.Ed. etc.
There was a national concern, as colleges like C. F. Mott; I. M. Marsh; St Catherine's; Edge
Hill; Christ College; and Notre Dame, had to now write new courses from scratch, and
although these colleges had very good teacher training programmes in place, they found that
they were now required to structure community-centred ideas into the new BA's.

This was the case at I. M. Marsh College, where I was working at the time. I realised that I
was the only person working on that site who was knowledgeable in all three areas of Music,
Dance, and Drama. This college had been trying for four years to get a new BA in
Performance Arts course off the ground, and the cut-off point for putting these courses in
place was fast approaching. So I went to the course leader, drew a diagram on a piece of
paper and said. "Look! This is how you do it". He arranged that I got paid as a course
consultant - so I produced the necessary document All this is leading somewhere
Bob!..
This experience led me to be wary of projects involving committees, as usually this meant
that nothing was ever really done quickly, or in a clear and positive way. This was an
extremely valuable lesson. Here were professional people who had a clear goal in view (in
this case the production of a BA in Performing Arts course) who appeared completely
unable to function as a team. It was a situation that I was to encounter many times, when
dealing with other decision making bodies.
BOB
You are saying then that your experiences in the field of music education led you to distrust
the idea of music committees and the like?
BRENDAN
Yes. So when it came to the organising the first guitar festival in 1977, I felt that I would be
better working on my own; that I could work faster, more productively, and more efficiently,
in the areas that I wanted to cover; and as a professional performer myself, I was confident
that I could locate any prospective festival artist that I wished, by simply phoning the right
people!.

BOB
I have heard you say on many occasions, "Any normal problem can be solved with one
phone-call. However, really difficult problems may require two!"
BRENDAN
Exactly!
We must now add another essential ingredient my connection with Mathew Street and my
organising of the first two Mathew Street Festivals in 1976 and 1977
Also the pivotal role at that time played by 'The Liverpool School of Language, Music,
Dream and Pun', which had been set up in Mathew Street by Peter (O)Halligan, in January
or February of 1976.
BOB
Was that the person I knew as Pete The Papers?
BRENDAN
Yes .that was his nick-name. But perhaps I should add at this point that he was in fact
my cousin!
I was actually the 'music master' at the above establishment, but there were all kinds of
performances taking place in the building.
Pete was virtually on his own when it came to this kind of thing, and at that time there was
nothing much else going on in the area.
AUTHORS NOTE: The old Cavern Club had its last concert on May 27th 1973. Roger Eagle maintains that
'Erics' opened on the 13th October 1976- phone conversation with me on 16. 1. 99; 'Probe Records' moved into
the area two weeks previously, in the beginning of October, to their 8-12 Rainford Gardens premises,

according to the (then) owner, Geoff Davis - phone conversation with me 16.1.99.

Pete moved into Mathew Street because the rent was very cheap. His idea was not to run a
school as such, but to provide a space for various kinds of performances. He made available
a number of workspaces where sculptors, poets, painters, and musicians could work. He also
ran a vegetarian restaurant - which later moved across the road and became the 'Armadillo'.
He would feature events like the twelve hour play by Ken Campbell ('Illuminatus'), and even
a happening - which took place over a period of one week, where Pete and another cousin
set up their beds and slept on the stage in the caf. People would come in for breakfast and
these two would be in bed! It was a period of 'great artistic productivity', as they say! The
school held two Jung Festivals' in 1976 and 1977, which were the original 'Mathew Street
festivals'. My close involvement in both of these was to give me valuable experience in the
fields of promotion, administration, and marketing.
I am sure you will recall that the 'school' had a bust of Jung attached to the side of the
building on the Mathew Street side. I know you were very interested in his work at that time,
and I remember that Pete was very impressed with the fact that you had read the Collected
Works Of C.G.Jung! There was a piece of stone sunk into the wall, with a quote by Jung
from one of his dreams carved on it, "Liverpool is the pool of life."
BOB
Yes I do remember it very well, in fact I have a photo of it somewhere
BRENDAN
Actually, O'cean, my other cousin, went to Switzerland to the place where Jung had his
'tower' to get that piece of granite. He had a heck of a time explaining to the British customs
what it was that he was going to do with it when he drove back!
During this time (since 1970 in fact) I was also involved in a number of Playhouse
productions; and in my college work I was constantly involved in theatre productions which

10

we would take out on the road. In fact we came joint-first in a Sunday Times Student
Drama competition -I think that it was the first one that they held - around 1970. So you can
imagine that I was used to organising things. I was also doing many solo guitar concerts, as
well as holding down the resident bass players job at that theatre club you used to manage
The Wooky Hollow.
However, the conviction was growing in me that I should attempt to organise something a
little more in line with my own particular interests, and so in 1977 I decided to present the
first 'Liverpool Guitar Festival' .
At no point during my planning did I consider approaching either the local council, or the
Merseyside Arts Association, for funding. It took me one weekend to organise, and there
were 21 events!

BOB
How on earth did you get to manage all that in such a small space of time?
BRENDAN
The festival was merely a reflection of my own interests.
I wanted to go from a position where there was absolutely nothing going on, to the
realisation of these 21 events as quickly and efficiently as possible.
The central geographical location for this festival was the Liverpool School, and the overriding consideration for this was that it wasnt going to cost anything. But also that the
intimate nature of this venue would create the right kind of atmosphere for the solo
performer the audience would be in the performer's breathing space, so to speak.
I had no money, no funding, and so I simply called the players up and asked them if they

11

would play for nothing! All of them agreed. I said "I wanna do this man!, and they all
agreed!
Although I had no intention of looking for any funding, I went to Merseyside Arts office, in
Bluecoat Chambers, because at that time they were producing a monthly magazine, and I
wanted to get some publicity. The people who produced the magazine told me to go to see
an old friend of yours,

Pete Bevan, about the possibility of funding. He was very

supportive, and gave me financial help mainly towards the cost of the festival posters.
As it turned out, the festival was a great success! The advertising on the front of the Arts
magazine was of immense help and I made it central to my advertising campaign. I even
taught myself to screen print so that I could produce the large advertising posters!
Even though I was not being funded as such, because of the fact the festival was advertised
on the front page of the Arts magazine, I believed that the reader would draw the conclusion
that at least we had the tacit support of the Arts Council.
But I have to say that the most important people were the performers themselves. They were
the real ambassadors. They simply agreed to take any gate money as a fee.and thats what
happened! Luckily the festival was a success!

BOB
What about the location of these twenty-one events. How, and why, did you select them?
BRENDAN
The principal site was the Liverpool School two thirds of the concerts were held there; the
'Bluecoat' was involved; as were various college sites, and also the church at the Pier Head St Nicks! Pete Halligan had just got married there - and also St Nicks had a tradition of
holding lunchtime concerts.

12

BOB
So wherever you perceived a venue opportunity, you attempted to make use of it!
BRENDAN
Of course! We used the courtyard of Bluecoat Chambers, and this was the first time it was
used to stage concerts. The Geographical extent of the festival extended from the Pier Head
with St. Nicks, to Aigburth - where I used the I. M. Marsh college.
BOB
So this was your 'prototype' as it were, for subsequent festivals. Although at the time you
had no intention of taking it further. And you organised it in one weekend with no funding!
Was there any other deliberate policy that you managed to realise in this first festival?
BRENDAN
Yes. If you look at the programme you will see that it contains a combination of local, and
international performers. This was another of my deliberate intentions.
BOB
Could you describe in a little detail, your policy for your choice of artists?
BRENDAN
It's contained in the idea for the design of the poster. There are four drawings of the
fingerboard of a guitar, which I used to represent four faces of the instrument. That is: the
Classical; Jazz; Flamenco; and Blues faces. (This poster design is still being used 21 years
later on the Internet for the EuroWirral Festival home page!).
These four aspects gave me a sort of 'mental-matrix approach', so I could work out the
festival programme very quickly. If I wanted a Flamenco player then I would just think of

13

one that I knew; and for Blues (say) I would do the same thing I went through the whole
programme in this way.
I would then have a list of international players that I knew personally, and after this I would
consider the 'strictly local' players. I thought the inclusion of local guitarists was of
paramount importance, because when I began performing classical guitar, I was never
approached to perform locally.
In the 1977 festival, you can see that there is a balance between local players and players
from outside the area, I have made this one of the corner stones of my festival policy ever
since. I believe all locally based initiatives, especially funded ones, should favour local
performers, otherwise, in my opinion, you have an event which belongs rightfully in the
private sector. (The Lennon Memorial concert at the Pier Head told us all something about
this, I believe).
Another deliberate policy of mine was to broaden the experiences of the interested public.
So that not only was there an opportunity to view performances, but also to learn more about
them. I arranged seminars, so that the public could see players demonstrating how they
work in the fields of composition, technique, as well as in performance. I continued with
this idea, broadening it for the Wirral Guitar Festival to include exhibitions of Instruments,
Manuscripts, and Photos.
BOB
The obvious question now, is that having been involved in the first two Mathew Street
festivals, and then setting up the first International Guitar Festival in Liverpool in 1977, why
the long gap between these and the start of the Wirral Guitar Festival in 1989?
BRENDAN
You have to see, with hindsight, what I was involved in. The next festival I helped to
organise was actually in 1978 and was called Logos. This took place in Southern Ireland at

14

a place called Cashel at the 'Archbishop's Palace' and involved improvisation with words
and music. I was officially the co-director for that, along with my cousin, O'cean Halligan.
Then in 1979, I organised an 'Early Music Festival' at Christ's College in Woolton.
In 1980 I became involved as musical director in a project for UNICEF, which involved 120
children travelling to Cologne to perform a play set in the twelfth century, called the
'Childrens Crusade'. This was a twelve month project. Straight after that, I worked full time
for twelve months in the Chinese community as a musician/teacher with the Chinese Theatre
Group. So running another festival just didnt enter my mind, as I was so preoccupied with
other things
BOB
It is very interesting to note here that neither the Arts Counsel nor the Local Authority saw
fit to continue with the Guitar Festival at this time. What happened next?
BRENDAN
The Liverpool School finishes and I work a lot more in the theatre. I do 'The Hank Williams
Show' at the Everyman Theatre during this period.plus numerous other projects.
BOB
So what about the events leading directly to the Wirral Guitar Festival?
BRENDAN
In 1983 I moved to Oxton, and the following year in 1984 I conceived and initiated a series
of music concerts in the summer called Sunday Serenades These took place in the
Williamson Art Gallery and Museum, and are still going now, 15 years later! These concerts
were very wide ranging, and took place over a period of twelve weeks. The reason for the
choice of the venue was that it was reasonably close to where I lived, and when I visited it I
immediately thought that this would be a great place for concerts. I ran these successfully
for seven years, when my good friend, the pianist Jules Waring took over.

15

In the 'Williamson', once again there was no funding, but the audience would contribute, and
we had a couple of local sponsors like 'Cadburys' and 'Champion Spark Plugs'. There was no
question of leasing the venue from Wirral Council, as all arrangements were made through
the curator of the Williamson, Mr. David Hillhouse.
My idea was to provide a venue which was suitable for use without microphones.
Interestingly enough there were no microphones at all in that first guitar festival in
Liverpool either .. we were 'unplugged, decades before MTV!!
Concerning concert policy, I feel that in terms of family concerts it is very difficult to attend
any if you have children. Most concerts are far too long. So we limited the 'Summer
Serenades' to exactly 30 minutes, including encores. We would then finish off socially, as
it were, with tea and biscuits - which were provided by Cadburys! The curator, David
Hillhouse, was responsible for setting that up.
In a very short time we had a regular family audience, and we didnt mind if the children
present made some noise - as long as it was within reason. Fifteen years later, we have a
weekly captive audience of about 100 people, and the basic policy hasnt changed, except
for the fact that we now use The Priory, in Birkenhead.
This additional venue was added in 1987, and was used during the mid-period of the
concerts during high summer that is.
What I had done is realise two regular venues, and then provided them with a captive
audience as you know Bob, the two essential requirements for a successful gig!
Because of the fact that many members of the audience became Friends of the (Williamson)
Gallery, it meant that they were automatically on the mailing list and were thus kept
informed about the actual programme of the 'Summer Serenades'.

16

You can see from the first 'Summer Serenade' programme, that we had Chinese music,
Celtic music, guitar trios, Renaissance music - a wide range, once again reflecting my own
interests.
You asked me in the beginning, "Is there an element of selfishness involved in the
organising of these events?" .. and I would say that in a way there is; but more importantly,
it isnt perceived by the concert-goer in that way.
At the beginning of 1989 I found myself performing at Birkenhead Priory. The director of
Wirral Leisure Services, Mr Andrew Worthington, was present and he happened to be a
guitar player! We got to talking about the guitar, and also the concept of the 'Wirral Leisure
Peninsular' - with its speed-boating, and water-skiing, on the river.
I suggested that if he wanted to really put Wirral on the map, then I would organise an
international guitar festival. He said, "Come and see me", I went - and the result was the first
Wirral International Guitar Festival in 1989!
BOB
Tell me a little more about this first Wirral Guitar Festival
BRENDAN
We received some funding, because the director of Wirral Leisure Services, Mr Andrew
Worthington, being a guitarist himself, realised that if we were going to have Charlie Byrd,
Paco Pena, John Renbourn, and Stefan Grossman performing at the festival, then funding
was essential
BOB
How did this work? Did you present the department with a list of fees, or was there an over-

17

all budget?
BRENDAN
There was no over-all budget figure.
As a viable event in the beginning, the festival of course was unproven, and Andrew
Worthington had a healthy scepticism, but was supportive of the whole idea.
Although I cannot remember what the total cost was for the first festival was, I do remember
that I did cost it out for the Leisure Department in advance. I also charged them a modest
fee.
BOB
How did you select the venues for this first festival?
BRENDAN
It followed my unplugged model, that is, with the audience being close to the performer.
The biggest venue in the immediate area was the 'Floral Pavilion', which held about 900
people. But in that first year I didn't use it, as I didnt feel at that time that I could fill it.
Also, 'The Priory' was not suitable because, at that time, there was no heating or toilets.
Remember the festival was scheduled for November, and not the middle of summer! But I
had a number of smaller venues in mind. These included the 'Assembly Rooms', in
Birkenhead Town Hall, the 'Glenda Jackson Theatre' - which holds about 300 people and
didn't need P.A. equipment, the 'Gladstone Theatre' in Port Sunlight (which is now no longer
used as a venue by the Guitar Festival); and the 'Park Bar Caf' at Charing Cross - which
was used for the jazz guitar performances!
BOB
And all these venues were known to you as a player?

18

BRENDAN
Yes. And of course the number of venues in use has increased over the years because the
festival promotes more concerts - and I would naturally seek them out.
The venues would normally not be required to pay the artist's fee, and they would get
publicity from the festival organisation. .
In the second year, the number of venues doubled from 4 to 8,, and we could now use 'The
Priory' (incidentally the oldest building on Merseyside) as it now had toilets! The Gala
Concert with The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra on the Sunday evening meant
that we had to have a venue with a larger stage (I was not thinking of larger audience
capacity), and so we used the Floral Pavilion for the first time.

BOB
I notice from the brochures that you have some local sponsoring during this second year,
from organisations such as the Wirral News Group.

BRENDAN
Yes, but I must make it clear that we received no financial help. Sponsorship was in the area
of 'Goods and Services'. Free publicity, and that sort of thing.
BOB
I see in the programme, for the first festival at least, that you are the Festival Director.
Although, to me at least, there seems to be some confusion about this from year to year!
Are you still the festival director now?

19

BRENDAN
No.
BOB
What happened? Did you decide to drop out once the thing was up and running?
BRENDAN
Not quite! But I was the festival director up until 1994 - for the first six festivals in fact.
In the Leisure Services itself, there were two people that I worked with. One was Rob Smith,
and the other was Paul Holliday. Both of them were officers, and they had an incredible
amount of other work to do.
My function was in the programme planning: arranging artists; fees; copyrighting; texts;
logistics; all the flights, I would complete the whole thing in every detail, and I would
then hand all of this information over to Rob and Paul.
Paul left to take over the management of the Floral Pavilion in early 1994, and was not
replaced at Wirral Leisure Services. This left Rob responsible for the whole of the Wirral
Arts scene, and although I believe it was agreed that he would be given extra staff support in
very specific areas in the two month run-up to the festival, this did not happen. Due to
illness in October 1994, he was unavailable to co-ordinate the festival in the usual way..
The assistant-director of the Arts and leisure department, Mr Ian Coles, now takes Rob's
position as festival co-director and I was forced to enter into a great deal of unnecessary
correspondence. After the 1994 festival Ian wrote to me, saying in effect Thanks very
much, we can't afford you- thats it!
I found it interesting that he didn't take over the job himself, but passed it on to Rob on his
return to work.

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So now I only assist on the classical side of the festival and this is due mainly to the fact
that these players contact me for gigs. And of course I still perform myself at the festival.
It is clear to me that the festival is part of the local calendar now, and is in fact recognised all
over the world.
Yes! I'm sure it would not have happened without me, but it did take up a great deal of my
time!
BOB
The festival is now being controlled essentially by the local council. Do you see the basic
nature of the festival changing?
BRENDAN
Yes. But I believe it is in the nature of things that they continually change. After all, my
ideas reflect mainly my own concepts and experience.
Most people when speaking to me about the festival ask "Why dont you get (say) Eric
Clapton?" Rob, Paul, Andy and myself would cover this same area each year in considering
new ideas and the conclusion was always the same:

Wirral does not have a large enough venue for this kind of event.

Tranmere Rover's ground would be a poor option for a November gig. Using it would
mean that we had lost sight of my original policy for the festival. That is, with large
audiences, (typically stadium events) it is almost as if the performer is secondary to the
occasion. Plus the fact that obviously the relationship between the audience as
individuals on the one hand, and the performer on the other, would be virtually nonexistent

Clapton performing at a massive venue without a packed house, would be a failure in the
'ritualistic' sense; but I'm sure that the same artist performing in 'The Priory' would
provide a memorable occasion.

21

It is just unfortunate that the fees which many excellent guitarists charge prohibit any
possibility of pursuing my policy of intimate performance.
You must, "Always cook with fresh herbs." By this I mean that even established events
benefit from fresh input from contemporary trends connected with the guitar: new players;
new composers; new videos; audio recordings; new moves in music education; changes in
the music industry; instrument design etc - things that, in my opinion, a guitar festival
organiser must know about.
Without this kind of approach, what I believe happens is that you will get a sort of 'Butlins
Jazz Festival' - which will be about entertainment, and not jazz. The equivalent in musical
terms of Bungee Jumping - without the elastic!
I believe that the music comes first. .. Try to use the best players in their field that you can,
bearing in mind that these may not necessarily be 'cult' figures. Use local players in small
venues. Ensure the production of a good sound, and it will follow that a 'good time will be
had by all'!

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CONCLUSION
I have attempted below to summarise those major aspects of music policy contained in the
above interview. In my view, they consist of:

The purpose of concerts as performances - that is as events that are there

primarily to be listened to.
Concert production is focused on the natural acoustic 'musical dynamics' of the
performance. Ancillary equipment can therefore be kept to an absolute minimum
- with obvious cost-benefit effects.
Re-enforcing the intimacy of the relationship between performer and audience by
deliberate venue selection venue size is thus critical.
The realisation that music involves education i.e. workshops, etc. Thus hopefully
leading to the broadening of peoples musical interests.
The deliberate policy of working alone to produce a coherent programme, linked
to a deliberate decision not to become involved in 'committee type' organising.
The use of personal contacts (net-working)
Use of official bodies, such as Local Government Departments, and regional Arts
bodies (M.A.A.) for specific needs - such as providing assistance with
promotion. Thus clarifying requests for funding.
The conceptualising of the family as a concert going unit.
The insistence on the involvement of local artists
The broadening of the festival's agenda to include workshops, and related events.
Maximising the resources of the Local Government Arts Dept. by presenting
them with as much detailed information about the forthcoming festival as they
will need.

The effect by the festival on the local music scene seems to be an extremely positive one.
The number of sell-out events every year is an indication of its local popularity. However,
most of the audience members were mainly from the Wirral area. At least that is, at the
concerts I visited.
In my opinion, Euro-Wirral Guitar Festival policy has changed significantly over the past
few years and is now almost entirely the responsibility of the local authority. The result of
these changes is that we now appear to have a series of discrete concerts, as opposed to a

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cohesive festival. If you view the two five minute promotional videos from 1992 and 1998
you can see this difference in approach immediately.
The 1992 video clearly reflects the policies of Brendan McCormack, while the 1998
appears, (to me at least) to be more like an advertisement for a compilation CD.
There also now seems to be a focusing of attention on the relative size of each successive
festival, and one could justifiably ask the following question, "Would the organisers please
make up their mind which festival is 'the big one'". Indeed, it would be interesting to know
why it now appears to be so important to local government officials that the festival is
viewed in this way i.e. Big, Small, Medium, etc.
There seems to be a great deal of confusion as to who writes the programme's introductory
notes from year to year, and could indicate the presence of yet another committee-type
problem alluded to by Brendan.
FOOTNOTE.
If you examine the design for that first 'Liverpool Guitar Festival', held 21 years ago in
1977, with its four drawings of the guitar fret-board, you will see that it is identical to the
design used on the official web-site for the 1997 and 1998 festivals. One would hope that
these 'four aspects of the guitar' will continue to be given equal prominence. This policy was
conceived and instigated by Brendan McCormack, and has done much to give the
'(Euro)Wirral International Guitar Festival' the unique character that it possesses today - and
which, perhaps, it is in immanent danger of losing.

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