WHEN it comes to being a tribute act, the more authentic you are, the more success you’re likely to have.

Clearly, my ambition of paying homage to the Walrus of Love himself, Barry White, fell at the first fence, probably due to my inability to play the piano.

But when it comes to London Calling, the Bristol-based tribute to punk icons The Clash, they’ve got authenticity tattooed all over them.

Not only do they have all the right gear: Strummer’s battered and graffitied Tele, Simonon’s low-slung white Precision bass, the military shirts emblazoned with slogans and portraits of Che Guevara and the like, they even sound like the self-styled Only Band That Ever Mattered, with Jones’ harmonies and guitar lines and Topper Headon’s crashing drums.

They also have the heady distinction of being hauled in for questioning by Special Branch at GCHQ in Cheltenham as part of an anti-terrorism probe.

As frontman Reg Shaw, the band’s ‘Joe Strummer’ tells me: “We were working on the song Tommy Gun and were texting the lyrics to each other ahead of a rehearsal.

“Strummer’s lines ‘So let’s agree about the price: One jet liner for ten prisoners’ was picked up at the monitoring station and our bassist was dragged in for a severe grilling by the cops,” says Reg.

(Incidentally, now I think about it, this column goes online, so I’ll be expecting a knock on my door from the boys in blue any second now. Hold on, I’ll just turn the oven off…) “Fortunately, his story checked out and he was released but it was all a bit hairy,” adds Reg.

The band were formed ten years ago for a one-off charity gig at Strummerville but went down so well, they decided to stick at it.

Dates across the UK and Europe duly came along followed by gigs in the States as the four-piece recreated the furious intensity of The Clash during their heyday of the 70s and 80s.

From the raw energy of such punk classics as White Riot and Hate and War from the 1977 debut album, via the fully-formed rock epics of Give ‘Em Enough Rope and the sophistication and variety of London Calling, you can relive the power and the glory of The Clash at Finns in Weymouth on Friday, October 2.

I’ll see you down the mosh pit.

Moving on, it has become a trend for restaurants to ask diners to pay what they think their meal was worth, rather than display the price on the menu.

Obviously, I couldn’t do that at my gigs as I could never afford to pay both punters £50 each as they storm out in tears of disgust, but one muso who has adopted this policy is the charming and lovely Ken Watkins.

You may have caught him busking in downtown Weymouth and, following his recent successful pay-what-you-like gig at Sutton Poyntz, he’s doing another concert , this time at Frampton village hall, conveniently situated in the village of Frampton, next Saturday, September 26.

The evening promises to be a relaxed and cordial affair and the audience will have the chance to listen to Ken perform some of the songs from his extensive and eclectic repertoire. You can reserve tickets by calling 01305 837299 and you can pay at the end of the gig.

Till next time…

TONIGHT (18)

TBA (Finns, Weymouth)

Seabass (Lazy Lizard, Weymouth)

Finnian McGurk (Little Ship, Portland)

Allen Howard (Weymouth WMC, Weymouth)

Charlie (The Park, Weymouth)

The Remedy (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Darren H (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

The Mighty Fine (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Dave Griff and the Trouser Band (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Jolly Boys Outing (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Mark Stacey (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Surfin Birds (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Dakota (Golden Lion, Weymouth)

The Big Boys (Ropemakers, Bridport)

SATURDAY (19)

Fuzzy and the Grooveriders (Finns, Weymouth)

Blue Rock (Sailors Return, Weymouth)

Mike Walker (Conservative Club, Weymouth)

Jilly Ann (Weymouth WMC, Weymouth)

Southern Sinners (King’s Arms, Weymouth)

Magic (Wyke Regis Working Mens Club, Weymouth)

Johnny King’s Elvis tribute (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

The Skones (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Party Animalz (Centenary Club, Weymouth)

The Unpredictables (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

Diva Lea (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Gut and Steel (RBL Club, Portland)

Diane (Bridge Inn, Preston, Weymouth)

Speedway Snails (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

Left Right and Centre (Eight Kings, Portland)

Matt Taylor (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Kara (Bridport Arts Centre)

Tripod (Red Lion, Gillingham)

Black Water County (Ropemakers, Bridport)

SUNDAY (20)

Andy Matthews (The Park, Weymouth) 4pm.

Matt Lock (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Sailor’s Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) From 3pm.

Jam Night (Sailor’s Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth) Mark Stacey and friends host this regular Sunday acoustic jam session. Music from 8pm.

Open Mic Surgery (George, Dorchester)

Six String Steve (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

Dougie Cooper Quartet (Royal Exchange, Portland) 2.30pm.

Skint Imperials (Three Compasses, Charminster)

Gut and Steel (Crown, Bridport) 4pm.

Karen (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

MONDAY (21)

Powelly, Surfing Birds (Rendezvous, Weymouth)

Sunset Cafe Stompers (Ropemakers, Bridport)

TUESDAY (22)

Open Mic Night (The Park, Weymouth)

Martin Freed (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth) Open mic night

WEDNESDAY (23)

Danx’s Open Mic (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Billy Hutchinson (Rendezvous, Weymouth) From 8pm.

Wessex Folk Night (Sailors Return, Nicholas Street, Weymouth) Acoustic folk, here every Wednesday.

Open Mic Night (Little Ship, Portland)

Jonathan Cotton (Duke of Cornwall, Weymouth)

THURSDAY (24)

The Harvesters (Sunray Folk Club, village hall, Broadmayne)

Leggomen (George, Weymouth)

Ricky Solo (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Open Mic Surgery (Tom Brown’s, High East St, Dorchester) All backline provided, come on down and have a play.

Steve’s Singalong (Duke of Cornwall, St Edmund Street, Weymouth) Steve hosts this session, with guests joining in.

Traditional Tune Session (Cove House Inn, ChiswelI, Portland)

Ukulele Sessions (Sailors Return, St Nicholas St, Weymouth) Strum on down from 8pm.

FRIDAY (25)

Pressure Point (Finns, Weymouth)

Jo Jo (Weymouth WMC, Weymouth)

Remix (The Park, Weymouth)

Swamp Grass (Royal Portland Arms, Portland)

Paul Gibson (Edinburgh House of Sounds, Weymouth)

Stereoironics (Wyke Smugglers, Weymouth)

Billy Solo (Wellington, Weymouth)

Tripod (Lugger, Chickerell, Weymouth)

The Skones (Chalk and Cheese, Maiden Newton)

C Sharp Blues (Royal Exchange, Portland)

Leggomen (Royal Oak, Weymouth)

Guns of Navarone (Ropemakers, Bridport)