Category Archives: music

Desert Island Books

Posted on 31 Oct 2016 by

The following is a piece I wrote for the ACCU’s CVu magazine in April 2010 as part of the Desert Island Books series. The ACCU is an organisation that promotes a professional approach to programming and the brief was to … Continue reading →

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Band For A Day

Posted on 28 May 2015 by

Back in the early seventies when I was at university and trying, with limited success, to learn the bass guitar I was introduced to another student who was a drummer. I’ll call him John, not because I want to protect his … Continue reading →

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New Music Blog

Posted on 12 Jan 2015 by

Yesterday I created a new music blog, Crotchety Man. From now on anything I have to say on the theme of music will go to the new blog rather than here.

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Band On The Run

Posted on 3 Mar 2012 by

Our drummer struck a deal with Mick, the Irishman who ran the Sydenham Conservative Club. The band needed somewhere to practise and the Conservative Club was looking to put on some entertainment. Mick offered us the use of an empty … Continue reading →

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Guillemots at Nunnington Hall

Posted on 14 Jun 2011 by

I couldn’t sleep last night. Mary and I had been to see my favourite band, Guillemots, at Nunnington Hall. When I saw the concert announced in the Local Events leaflet that came with our National Trust magazine I thought they’d … Continue reading →

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A Tale of Two Winters

Posted on 11 Jun 2011 by

It was February (1970?). About eight of us had cheap tickets to see Johnny Winter and support band Keef Hartley at the Royal Albert Hall.1 When the doors opened we were ushered up the steps around the edge of the … Continue reading →

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Inappropriately Dressed

Posted on 5 Jun 2011 by

I moved to York on the day of Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997, but I grew up in a south London suburb. My parents came from a working class background. One of my grandfathers worked in a biscuit factory for … Continue reading →

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Fans and Groupies

Posted on 15 May 2011 by

Paul looked at Andy and said, “I think it’s time, don’t you?”. Andy nodded, grinned and took off his jumper to reveal a black T-shirt emblazoned with white letters spelling the word “Ando” (his nickname among close friends). Paul, who … Continue reading →

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In Heaven’s Name

Posted on 2 May 2011 by

Playing bass in a band was easier than I’d expected. You just put your fingers in the right place at the right time and twang the string. Agreeing which songs to play was harder. And the really difficult bit was … Continue reading →

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A Musical Genesis

Posted on 27 Apr 2011 by

“I’ve got a good idea”, said Paul, “Let’s start a band”. It must have been early summer 1970. My brother, Lawrence, and our friends Paul and Howard were relaxing in the living room. It was true that I played the … Continue reading →

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