It is with Great regret i have to inform you that Mick Ohara, better known as Shamus O,blivion has sadly passed away on Sat 4th. Shamus became a member in 1993 after sharing a charity gig with Sutchy in Staffordshire.. Our condolances go out to his family and friends.. he will be missed..
This Halloween, Sidmouth’s own sonic conjurers Ghoul & the Gang return with a double-barrelled blast of graveyard glam and monster mayhem. District Councillor and creative campaigner Stuart Hughes leads the charge, blending vintage horror, comic book swagger, and theatrical rock into two unforgettable tracks.
Shock Rock Séance
“It’s a shock rock séance a graveyard jam
Where monsters and heroes all say Hot damn!
They came to class but now they groove
To a haunted beat that makes tombstones move”
This was our 41st annual conference and was held 25-27 September in The Barn, High Street, Ledbury, Heredfordshire.
It was a great success, a special thanks to Robin Oakey for inviting us to use this venue, a little rustic, but a great atmosphere. A ‘Barn is a Barn’ I suppose, whether in a field or in the High Street as this was. The Barn staff were very amiable and enjoyed every moment.
Some of us assembled on the Thursday to be entertained by some local musicians, the venue is also an Art Centre, so various musicians just
drop by.
Friday, more party members arrived willing to carry on where we left off last year, discussing various party proposals and ideas. Ably entertained
by Jesse Rivers a Screaming Lord Sutch tribute act, plus a great selection of his own self penned songs. Followed by ‘Loony Lady Lux D-lish’ with
her own brand of luxurious entertainment.
Saturday noon, went as planned and the afternoon town and pub crawl was its usual success, all the landlords and towns folk were up for it, we made a lot of
new friends and acquaintances. This year though we only had a ‘One Man Morris’ instead of a whole team, and our party leader was ‘showfer’ driven
in a wheel chair, just for fun. Our world famous Cabinet reshuffle came next, no cabinet splits, and no doors blown off, which is quite unusual.
Followed by ‘The Party Leaders Speech’ to triumphant applause.
Evening time lots more locals arrived with The Unregistered Chickens playing their own brand of protest songs, plus a great set from Ian Drury.
Perhaps one of the highlights of this conference was the fact that Mad Mike Young from Kent turned up with a box full of pears, so the whole meeting
opened with us all chewing on a ‘Conference Pear’!!!
Once again thanks to the Barn Team our own Team and Members and everyone else who joined in. Without you it wouldn’t happen.
See you all next year if not before.
Howling ‘Laud’ Hope Loony Party Leader
We are holding our 41st annual party conference in ‘The Barn’, High Street Ledbury. Thurs 25-26-27 September. All invited, no matter what political persuasion you may be, we are on everybody’s side.
Don’t look out of place, wear your silliest hat, and dress for the occasion.
Bring along your daftest policies for discussion. You may be surprised how many of our ideas over the years have come into being.
Lots of fun, music and shenanighans. Join in on our town walkabout 12 noon on the Saturday meet at the Barn, plus be part of our world famous Cabinet Reshuffle. We always try to have a guest of honour. In the past – Adam Ant, Captain Sensible, Dave Berry, Ruby Murray, Nigella Lawson, and many more, this year it will an old friend of mine PJ Proby.
So there it is, come along and meet Britain’s longest serving Party Political Leader of 26 yrs Howling ‘Laud’ Hope. Once met, never forgotten. You may even want to join, I bet you will, when you stop laughing, and you would be most welcome.
I shall be in Ledbury as from Thurs 18th Sept, if you should need any more info, or want to meet up before hand, call me 07946292557
Howling ‘Laud’ Hope Loony Party Leader
After nearly a month of reflection on the recent sad passing of Lord James Whale on the 4th August, I have decided the most fitting loony tribute to pay him would be to confess to a deed that occurred back in 1988, a confession that I feel, nay hope, will be cut off mid sentence by Lord Whale in whichever part of the spiritual loonyverse he now resides.
Like his friend, Screaming Lord Sutch, Lord Whale was the first presenter to introduce shock & controversy tactics in his performances in his late 1980’s phone call show, ‘The James Whale Radio Show’ which was broadcast on ITV. This initially resulted in several warnings from the TV Watchdog, that they might censor the show due to some bad language from callers, despite it being aired at 1am. It was during one of these under threat shows that the following phone call came in:
Lord Whale (who has just cut off a viewer for swearing & their inappropriate subject call) “ok next caller”
Caller – “Hi James, I’d like to talk about the press”
Lord Whale – “Good, that subject shouldn’t get us into any further trouble, what do you want to say about the press?”
Caller – “I’d like to press my k**b right up your a**e”
(after a very long 10 second silence) Lord Whale “I think we will go to a commercial break”
Long overlooked by those running the gong system, in January 2023, James was made an official Loony Minister & put in charge of ‘Saving all the Whales in Wales’
https://youtu.be/LooWNwUBD00?si=i4d5OQA8hpjpVbIf
As is often the case, other bodies soon followed our lead & he was awarded the MBE in the 2024 New Year Honours list for services to broadcasting & charity.
Meeting Lord Whale on his final Christmas Day show last December was a personal highlight of my loony career, even thou I forgot to tell him that the 1988 caller… was me!
A Gent Chinners
Dutchess Dino-mite is roaring into the Loonyverse! She is our ‘Minister of Sarcasm, Satire & Extinction’ and has been touring Earth and the intergalactic cosmos seeking out the Loony Party faithful for inspiration. There are a wide range of family pets for her to travel on, but she’s seen here on Clifford who when not out and about sleeps under her bed where he finds his ‘quiet space’.
T-Shirts are for sale and the Dutchess is available for commissioned work in her den at Slimeball on Etsy.
If you’re in or around South Manchester this bank holiday weekend. Then why not call in and watch the Northenden Boat Race? Taking place for the 19th year, the boat race is the brain child of Lord Cameron and Captain Chaplington-Smythe. Also in attendance will be Johnny Disco, Sir Oik-a-lot and Professor Memory Muddle. The race itself is a 2-man dinghy race on the River Mersey in Northenden. All proceeds raised goes to the Christie Cancer Hospital in Manchester. The Lord Mayor of Manchester will award the trophies and there will be tea and cakes on the village green! Hurrah!
Lord Cameron
