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THE MEET ON THE LEDGE STORY, 1992 - 2008

1992-1997 The Duo Years


 
It all began in late 1992. Ron and Al were playing in a rock band called Thud and Blunder (with Phil and Paul), doing cover versions of Bryan Adams, Thin Lizzy, Santana, Toto, and a host of other West Coast rockers. Ron, however, was keen to explore his love of folk music, and began doing some solo acoustic gigs, mostly on Sunday lunchtimes at The Bridge in Leamington. He asked Al if he'd like to join in one day, and Al - never one to pass up the opportunity for a Guinness or three - jumped at the chance. He even went out and bought an electro-acoustic guitar specially for the occasion. It was at this point that Al realised he had never played an acoustic guitar in public before! Despite having made a living playing rock, jazz, and Greek music in bars, hotels and restaurants, this was his first "unplugged" experience.

When Thud and Blunder folded a short time later, Ron and Al began taking on more gigs as a duo, but they still didn't have a name. Moose, the landlord of The Bridge and a long time chum of Ron's, took out an advert in the local paper which announced that "Big Ron and Al with the long hair" were playing in his pub on Sunday lunchtime. It was at this point that they decided to get a name. After the gig as B.R.A.A.W.T.L.H. they sat down to work out a name. The meeting lasted precisely thirty seconds. It went some thing like this:

  • Ron: What shall we call ourselves then?
  • Al: Dunno. Let's name ourselves after a song.
  • Ron: Good idea. What was the last song we played?
  • Moose: Meet On The Ledge.
  • Everybody: That'll do then. Whose round is it?

The rest, as they say, is geography.

KEY DATES> December 1992: MOTL formed at The Bridge Inn, Leamington Spa.
KEY DATES> August 1995: If Things Don't Change They'll Stay As They Are  released.
KEY DATES> June 1996: The Queen Of Spain's Beard  released.

1997-1998 Mark On The Fiddle


 
The band continued as a duo for four years, building up a strong following all over the Midlands. They were joined in April 1997 by fiddle player Mark Ashley, who gave MOTL a new dimension with his jigs and reels, not to mention his Ann Summers electric violin. Mark appeared on the Portugese Handshake  album, released in April 1998, but left soon afterwards, only days after the band's first triumphant appearance at The Black Horse Festival in East Sussex.

KEY DATES> April 1997: Mark Ashley joins MOTL.
KEY DATES> April 1998: The Portugese Handshake  released.
KEY DATES> June 1998: Mark Ashley leaves MOTL.

1998-1999 Starting To Get Rocky


 
Mark's replacement was Leamington Spa's answer to Stephane Grappelli, Mick Shaler. Mick's "individual" style gave the band yet another dimension - more jazzy this time with lots of gypsy thrills and spills thrown in. Mick struck an imposing figure with his home made electric fiddle, his swaying ponytail and a red sash wrapped around his waist. ("I'm not going on stage with you dressed as a bloody Greek waiter", Al was once heard to remark.)

Sadly, Mick's other musical ventures forced him to leave in late 1999. He remains a dear friend to this day, and the band still hold a copy of his resignation letter and may well use it for extortion purposes at some time in the future.

For a couple of years bassist Phil Dipple and drummer Paul Johnston (the Dangerous Chemical Brothers) had been appearing sporadically with the band, and this was about the time they started becoming integral members of the MOTL phenomenon. With Mick's departure and the imminent recruitment of a new fiddlist, the chaps decided the time was right to start promoting MOTL as a full-on five-piece folk-rock band.

KEY DATES> July 1998: Mick Shaler joins MOTL.
KEY DATES> December 1999: Mick Shaler leaves MOTL.

1999-2008 The Definitive Line-up


 
The search for a new fiddler came to an abrupt halt in December 1999 when Al spotted Mabel playing with Stratford folkies The Ragged Ferrets at The White Swan in Stratford. Al, extremely impressed but paralysed by ten pints of Guinness and his debilitating fear of rejection,  was unable to speak to her, so he rang Phil, who went along to her next gig and introduced himself.  The MOTL chaps were immediately impressed by her effortless style and her ability to drink more than the rest of the band put together. A suitable transfer fee was agreed, and the Scouser with the fiddle (and the voice) cast her loyal old colleagues aside like the shameless hussy that she is, and hot-footed it over to Planet Ledge as fast as her fickle feet would carry her, where the promise of fame and fortune awaited. She quickly won the hearts of the band's followers and became a cornerstone of the MOTL experience. She also realised quite quickly that they had been lying about the fame and fortune.

2002 brought the news that the Portugese Handshake  album had been voted Best Folk Rock Album of All Time by mandolinking web site. Which was nice.

2003 was undoubtedly MOTL's finest year, with appearances at the Cropredy Festival and Birmingham Symphony Hall, to name but two. Somebody commented at the time how encouraging it was to see a band of mostly-self-taught musicians progress from the bar room to Birmingham Symphony Hall in just ten years, playing the MOST unfashionable music on the planet, with no manager, no agent, no big record company behind them, no radio airplay, no television exposure, and very cheap haircuts. How does that happen, then?

Over the following years the band reaches that tricky "levelling out" period. Seventeen thousand album sales, over a thousand gigs, over 30,000 visitors to the web site, countless items of underwear thrown on the stage, several items of underwear thrown FROM the stage. As ever, WORLD DOMINATION IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER...

In late 2005 the band approached its fourteenth year, the time became right for a rest. The big noisy boxes got packed away, and a few low key acoustic gigs were embarked upon. 

April 2008. MOTL decide to call it a day. At the time of writing this, the band members are putting together their own reflections for inclusion on this site. Call back soon for more.

KEY DATES> December 1999. Marion Morgan joins MOTL.
KEY DATES> February 2000: Duck Soup  released.
KEY DATES> April 2002: Decoration Day  released.
KEY DATES> August 2003: Cropredy.
KEY DATES> September 2003: Birmingham Symphony Hall.
KEY DATES> April 2008: The band decide to have a rest for an indefinite period.