The Dodge Brothers at The Fly near Tottenham Court Road. Photograph: Alicia Canter
To many people, particularly in the UK, the word 'skiffle' is something of a joke, conjuring up images of Lonnie Donegan's gor-blimey-trousered old man being a dustman, and chewing gum losing its flavour on the bestpost overnight.
Yet for the last 20 years I've been proudly flying the flag for this most unfashionable form of music, championing its anti-elitist ethos, and attempting to reclaim it as the true predecessor of punk. For two decades I've plied my trade in bands like The Railtown Bottlers and The Dodge Brothers, from the streets of Edinburgh to the concert halls of London, playing cat-gut slap bass to washboard accompaniment with raucous results.
To me, skiffle is the greatest and most enduring of all musical genres. And I am not alone in this belief - no lesser musical deity than the great Billy Bragg himself concurs wholeheartedly about the timeless appeal of skiffle, of which he says; "It's viral - three chords and the truth!"
Far from being a mere fleeting British novelty, the roots of skiffle date back to turn-of-the-century jug and string band traditions of the American South. Its galvanising 'you hum it I'll play it' ethos has echoed throughout twentieth century popular music, encouraging the likes of Jimmy Page and Lennon and McCartney to pick up guitars and play, and giving birth to modern rock and roll.
You can read about my washboard-based adventures in this most indestructible musical genre in Observer Review this Sunday, and listen to my band The Dodge Brothers by clicking below.
Brimstone Blues Oh Death Church House Blues
· The Dodge Brothers play The Borderline in London on Friday 3rd October 2008. Click here for tickets
