If you like what you have heard here’s how to make the music, but first, here’s a very brief history.

The music came about with the arrival of the slave trade in America when the peoples of The Caribbean and Africa found themselves in a strange country, carrying nothing with them, except the clothes on their backs. They were worked hard and led miserable lives and their only relief was turning to music. They craved for their Homeland. They craved for Freedom. At first they sang their own songs then, later, they took songs and hymns from the church and brought about the ‘Gospel’ choirs.

Hearing Jazz all around them they were influenced by this and brought about ‘The Blues’. They were too poor to afford instruments so, they made their own and The Jug Band was born. They would play on the streets of the small towns and the ‘Locals’ would give them money as they played.

A guitar was made from a gallon can with a neck attached and strings added. A base was a large stone Whiskey jug blown across the neck or a wooden wash-tub turned upside down with a broom handle and a single string attached and plucked. A comb with tissue paper was blown across or a Kazoo which used the same principle. A Jaws (or Jew’s) Harp was used. It was metal and shaped to fit between the jaws and a sprung steel pin was ‘twanged’ with a finger. Tanned hide was stretched across a hoop and a fretted neck was added with four strings and this was the first Banjo. (a fifth string was added by the ‘Hillbillies’ and ‘Bluegrass’ was born!) A tin can was part filled with grit and this was a ‘Shaker’. Beer bottle tops were loosely nailed to a stout staff and banged on the ground as a rhythm stick. A funnel on the end of a hose made a good trumpet and a washboard scraped with thimbles was a good drum kit if old pans were added as cymbals. Later they converted American folk songs and Shuffle was born, named after the way the Players moved along the sidewalk to their music. Shuffle got changed to Skuffle and later on, Skiffle.

After your very rough history lesson, a lesson in fashion!

The 50s Skiffle line-up would be wearing brown leather sandals (no socks!), faded blue-jeans with frayed bottoms, and a thick-knit baggy woolly jumper with too-long sleeves. A scruffy haircut also helped.

Accessories are:- Hand rolled ciggies, loads of Groupies and loads of Real Ale! (preferably home made) These accessories are very important as they help you to perform better.

A typical venue would be Dad’s garage. Get him to move the car out, sneak in some old armchairs (for the Groupies) and get a lockable cabinet to keep the beer in. (otherwise Dad and his mates will nick it or Mum will pour it down her sink!).

A typical Line-Up. A guitar (or guitars) Banjo, Auto-harp, Mandolin, Base or Tea chest, Stone Whiskey Jar, Washboard, Kazoo and a Shaker or Rhythm Stick. The more Singers, the better. No Amplification is required! Just sing LOUD! This is where the Real Ale (also known as Loud Mouth Soup) comes in. It lubricates your pipes and numbs the soreness in your throat and everywhere else too!