Born in the wrong generation

[Chuffer]

Ah.........Pink Floyd - saw them only once - at Wembley mid 70's (ish) - Dark Side of the Moon days..........

I have very few regrets from those days but not seeing Pink Floyd , Cream and Led Zeppelin live are up there . Did get to see Blind Faith ( the first Supergroup ?) live in Hyde Park though . Imagine getting away with that album cover these days ??
Did get to see The Who though at a one day festival in Swansea in early 70`s for free as me and my mates roadie`d for a while ( 0nly because we had a van !) for mates in a 3 piece band called Tarsus . Their style was very influenced by the Who and they were on the supporting bands list for the gig. A long trek from Northampton and back in our Ford Thames van , but what memories ! I only have this one crap shot from a transparency of our psychedelic painted van with my mates all gooning about on a campsite in Spain during one of several expeditions through France , Spain and Andorra between 1971 and 73 . We ran that old van into the ground !

 

[Corvette]

I spent a morning at Nick Masons storage facility in Islington for his F1 cars. Just Nick a photographer and myself. A great down to earth petrolhead. His company hires the cars out for film work. Memorable day.

 

[Chuffer]

Add Taste to the above list too . What a great guitarist and blues / rock singer Rory Gallagher was and sadly went before his time ! RIP . Saw him several times live after Taste split and he formed his new 4 piece band . Got many of the albums .

 

[Roscobbc]

Yep, saw Taste in their early days (didn't recognise their significance back then) - saw Led Zepplin at the Marquee Club - spoilt really by the small size of the venue and no control of the numbers of people let in. You could see bands in your local pub or village hall that would later become legendary. And probably more importantly bands that didn't become legendary. These bands that were every bit as good (in many cases better) and without the frequent histronics and break-ups of 'big name' bands. Then (as now) less was very much more and many of these bands continued in the same format for many years. Bands (like you mentioed - Wishbone Ash) - they were better live than recorded. Bands like Family - the incredible Sensational Alex Harvey Band - the welsh stoned rockers Man - UFO - The Groundhogs.........so many top acts that even the very best recorded reproduction didn't replace the live experience.
Oddly this afternoon and the TV was on but kinda in the background - wasn't actually watching. The Hairy Bikers were on. Don't watch them (zero interest) but I noticed them playing little recognisable clips of punk era music in between shots on their travels and then I heard a clip so diverse and different from the norm. From a currently existant band, formed in the late 60's, carrying over to the 70's, 80's and currently (and one of my fave bands ever) Gong. Not everyones choice perhaps but still around after probably 50 years........and you hear some of these sound clips frequently being used backing TV adverts......

 

[Chuffer]

I spent a morning at Nick Masons storage facility in Islington for his F1 cars. Just Nick a photographer and myself. A great down to earth petrolhead. His company hires the cars out for film work. Memorable day.

That must have been a real treat ! How did you manage to pull that one off ? I think a lot people are over awed by celebs and rock gods but they are only human at the end of the day and often very down to earth as you say . Having a shared interest often brings out the best in many people I think . Personal experience of time spent with Pete Waterman during my steam loco driving days as well as Robert Plant who is another secret steam train fan proved that . I think it`s a generation thing

 

[Chuffer]

Wow ! Roscob , Led Zep at the Marquee Club , I am soooo jealous Saw Family in concert in front of their home crowd at Leicester De Montforte Hall in their hay day . Awesome gig , Roger Chapman was mental and what a sax player Dick Heckstall - Smith was ! especially playing alto and tenor sax at the same time ! Saw Deep Purple and Emmerson Lake and palmer there too .Also saw the Amazing Alex Harvey Band at Northampton College but he was so pissed it was an appalling gig , me and my mate walked out after about three numbers ! Same as Joe Cocker at the three day Weeley Rock Festival , he was so stoned he didn`t even know what day it was ! Pity because that voice was pure Sheffield steel . Seen Ground Hogs too , was always really into Tony McFee`s blues style . Ground Hog Blues and Cheery Red ! Rock on He was still going at least until a few years ago as I saw him on the same bill as John Mayalls Blues Breakers at Northampton`s Derngate Centre.

So right about talent in lesser bands too , both then and now and I am really missing getting to small venue gigs in our area due to year number two of lockdowns .
Back in the 60`s I went to school with a lad by the name of Mark Griffiths who cut his teeth playing Shadows numbers as a boy then went on to play lead guitar with a long standing local rock band that had a big and loyal following . He would go off into great long virtuoso guitar riffs and throw in bits of classical stuff like Sabre Dance by Love Sculpture . He went off to the States and played with Ian Mathews Southern Comfort and had the hit with `Woodstock` . He went on to do session work with the likes of BB King but never forgot his roots and when ever he came back home he would join his old band mates at pub gigs . Word spread like wildfire when he was back in town and the gigs were packed . I always got the inside knowledge because I played rugby with his brother Shaun at the time and he would tip me off in advance .Can`t say I have heard of Gong though

 

[Roscobbc]

Saw one hit wonder band Love Sculpture at what was then the Kings Head in Romford Market Place. Minimal amps - have still not heard a guitar played as fast as this. Dont care much for Country music but Junior Brown comes close to the above regatding speed - listen to his surf/Apache medley - amazing sounds.

 

[Chuffer]

Saw one hit wonder band Love Sculpture at what was then the Kings Head in Romford Market Place. Minimal amps - have still not heard a guitar played as fast as this. Dont care much for Country music but Junior Brown comes close to the above regatding speed - listen to his surf/Apache medley - amazing sounds.

Yeah Dave Edmonds went largely under the radar as a guitarist but did have more commercial success in later years with his band Rock Pile and solo stuff .
If you want fast , Alvin Lee of TYA was regarded as the worlds fastest guitarist back in those days . The jazz influences had him going up and down the fret board at a phenomenal rate of knots . Their live album `Undead` really exemplifies that as the band always claimed to be at their best live rather than in the studio and Leo Lyons base playing is brilliant . It was a great to see him live again at Silverstone Classic in 2019 for the Woodstock 50th anniversary bash .

 

[Corvette]

That must have been a real treat ! How did you manage to pull that one off ? I think a lot people are over awed by celebs and rock gods but they are only human at the end of the day and often very down to earth as you say . Having a shared interest often brings out the best in many people I think . Personal experience of time spent with Pete Waterman during my steam loco driving days as well as Robert Plant who is another secret steam train fan proved that . I think it`s a generation thing

I was there for a short filmed birthday message from Nick Mason to a celeb I worked for. The day went downhill after that, next stop was Sarah Ferguson.....

 

[Chuffer]

I was there for a short filmed birthday message from Nick Mason to a celeb I worked for. The day went downhill after that, next stop was Sarah Ferguson.....

Can`t get much lower than that

 

[Corvette]

You can, her Husband.

 

[James Vette]

GTA radio stations introduced me to awesome old songs but I never liked modern music anyway.

 

[Roscobbc]

James - old cars 'old' music.......

 

[Chuffer]

James , you are now officially a junior member of the CCCUK old farts rock appreciation society

 

[Roscobbc]

James , you are now officially a junior member of the CCCUK old farts rock appreciation society

Seconded - now you have to turn us on to some weird and wonderful bands that 99% of the CCCUK won't have ever heard of (or like for that matter) - we are in our own 'bubble' - not the Covid bubble but a music bubble - be prepared for weird looks and a total lack of empathy or undrstanding from others.

 

[James Vette]

James - old cars 'old' music.......

Old but gold.

 

[Chuffer]

Seconded - now you have to turn us on to some weird and wonderful bands that 99% of the CCCUK won't have ever heard of (or like for that matter) - we are in our own 'bubble' - not the Covid bubble but a music bubble - be prepared for looks and a total lack of empathy or undrstanding from others.

I love the idea of a music bubble Don`t let anyone even try to burst mine ! I am doing some lap top work whilst playing the Barclay James Harvest remastered compilation from the Parlophone - Harvest Years 1968 to 1973 . Just got to their seminal track ` Mocking Bird`. A prog rock masterpiece IMO .
Saw them live a couple of times , the most memorable being at the Weeley 3 day Rock Festival when they had a symphony orchestra on backing them on stage . Laying on the grass looking up at a star filled sky listening to Mocking Bird was a life defining moment . far out man ! ✌
I remember the roads being jammed solid with cars and streams of hippies walking along on the evening before the three day event started and me and my mates trying to cram in as many hippy chicks as possible into our van as they thumbed a ride

 

[James Vette]

I love the idea of a music bubble Don`t let anyone even try to burst mine ! I am doing some lap top work whilst playing the Barclay James Harvest remastered compilation from the Parlophone - Harvest Years 1968 to 1973 . Just got to their seminal track ` Mocking Bird`. A prog rock masterpiece IMO .
Saw them live a couple of times , the most memorable being at the Weeley 3 day Rock Festival when they had a symphony orchestra on backing them on stage . Laying on the grass looking up at a star filled sky listening to Mocking Bird was a life defining moment . far out man ! ✌
I remember the roads being jammed solid with cars and streams of hippies walking along on the evening before the three day event started and me and my mates trying to cram in as many hippy chicks as possible into our van as they thumbed a ride View attachment 9083View attachment 9084

Thumb for a thumb?

 

[antijam]

Blimey - you lot make me feel positively prehistoric! My recorded music collection (a lot of it on 78's, if you can remember those) dates up to about 1930.
If anyone remembers King Mutt and his Tennessee Thumpers or Tiny Parham and his "Forty" Five you're obviously a music connoisseur - and probably even older than me !
That reminds me - must go and find some sharp blackthorn needles for the phonograph.....

 

[Chuffer]

Blimey - you lot make me feel positively prehistoric! My recorded music collection (a lot of it on 78's, if you can remember those) dates up to about 1930.
If anyone remembers King Mutt and his Tennessee Thumpers or Tiny Parham and his "Forty" Five you're obviously a music connoisseur - and probably even older than me !
That reminds me - must go and find some sharp blackthorn needles for the phonograph.....

Don`t forget the little dog to sit beside it I have a few 78`s too . Diana by Paul Anka and R -O-C-K Rock by Bill Haley and the Comets , probably worth a bob or two now ?