Musical Memories

[Andy]

Hi Simon. My musical memories are a mishmash of 50 years of music meandering through my skull, from Cliff Richard singing "Batchelor Boy" to the delight of my then teenaged sister, through Jackson Browne delighting me and a small Boston audience with "Doctor, My Eyes", bopping to The Weavers Reel at the Millennium Dome & the Decemberists sending an audience nuts with The Crane Wife.[That's a small selection, obviously]

What are the most evocative pieces of music for you (your own or that of other artists)?

[simon emmerson]

Hi Andy,
A few memories before I go off to glasto. My very 1st memories of music involved sitting around a camp fire as a 6 year old on a Forset School Camp and singing what was basically the Woody Guthrie/Pete Seeger/Ewin MacColl song book. Something I still do and love. The 1st bit of music that had a life changing effect on me was the score to the Ipcress File by John Barry when watching the film as a kid in 1965 (I was 9). Harry Parmer (Michael Cain) was for me THE ultimate working class hero. He was just the coolest of cool. Infact he was so cool I actually wanted to wear Glasses like him. Here's a few more:
1: My dad used to manage a psychedelic blues band called, believe it or not 'Screw' with Sam Cutler who went on to rip off my dad, make him bankrupt, tour manage the Rolling Stones and organise Altamount (the Stones free festival where the Hells Angles killed a punter). Sam Cutler taught me guitar. Screw opened for the Stones at their free concert in Hyde Park, July 1969 and their amazing Harmonica player Chris Turner, who I am still in contact with, can be heard playing on 'Slow on the Up Take' on the IV album. As a kid I was taken to the Church Hall in Powis Square, Nottinghill Gate, West London (next to were the film Performance was made) to see and hang out with the very early Pink Floyd, Third Ear Band, Edger Broughton Band, the Pink Faeries, The Deviants (Mick Farron 1st band), a group called Quintessence and various other acts with names like the Amazing Exploding Sausage Dream Factory. Quintessence  had a song with a chorus that went:
"Getting it straight in Nottinghill Gate, We all sit around and meditate". Far out.
As a kid I got the 1st Floyd album (Pipers at the Gates of Dawn) signed by the whole band including Syd, I still have it if any one is interested in making me an offer in excess of £100,000. Joke.
2: Going to the Middle Earth club at the Round House, Camden Town with my Dad and brother and seeing Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. The guitarist had a vacuum cleaner draped around his body and I remember the Captain saying: "My guitarist is cool but his vacuum cleaner sucks". As an 11 year old I found that very droll. My brother swears a very early version of the Fairports were on the bill too, but I don't remember. Maybe a keen Fairport gig archivist can help here?
3: As a 12 year old watching Hendrix set light to his guitar at a Royal Albert Hall gig but being more impressed by Keith Emmerson from The Nice sticking knives into his Hammond organ and burning the American flag as they played America from West Side Story. The Floyd were also on the bill, along with Amen Corner and a few other acts.
4: Watching John Lennon and Yoko Ono climb into a bag for world peace on stage at another Royal Festival Hall 'happening', which was not that cool, then to my horror another member of the audience stripping naked, which as a 12 year old REALLY was not cool at all.
3: Much later in life going to the Hammersmith Odeon and watching the full Bootsy Collins Mothership connection tour with George Clinton, Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley from the James Brown band. The climax of the show was a huge flying saucer descending onto the stage, with a florescent step ladder leading up to the door. When the door opened and  the dry ice cleared  Bootsy Collins emerged with nothing on but a massive man sized nappy, a knee length blond wig, huge star shaped shades matching his star shaped bass and pink thigh length boots. He walks to the front of the stage and announces: "One Nation Under a Groove" which the band then jams on for the next hour whilst the audience get down on it. Now THAT WAS COOL and that band could really groove....
4: 1st time I went to Wigan Casino  for a Northern Soul all nighter with a group of soul fans from Lancaster University.
5: 1st Clash Tour/Gig at the Electric Circus in Manchester.
6: Watching Art Pepper play live just before he died. And all the other jazz gigs I used to go to at Ronnie Scotts in the 80's (Art Blakey, George Coleman, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones).
7: Paul Weller falling over on stage at the 1st really muddy glasto after my band Working Week had played (1985), the Battle of the Bean Fields had just happened and Stonehenge was surrounded by the Police....AND Paul Weller had got mud on his white Levy Stay press trousers....A tripping fan  next to me turns round and says:

"Brother be vigilant, the forces of darkness are upon us, the sacred stones are circled by the agents of Babylon and now Weller has fallen"

Still it's turned out nice now so I've got my camper van pimped, my thermos of tea packed and I'm off to Glastonbury to join with the forces of light against the forces of darkness. We will talk on my return assuming I haven't fallen over.

[Goaty]

Thanks for doing this Simon, it's been very interesting so far.  I have to ask why aren't you at Glastonbury this evening wandering about (or are you courtesy of on site net access ?) & generally acclimatising before tomorrow's show ?  What do you normally do before a big gig by way of relaxation / preparation ?

[simon emmerson]

"What do you normally do before a big gig by way of relaxation / preparation ?"

you don't want to know.......

[Nick]

I know what he does... I've seen him!

[jude]

 As a kid I was taken to the Church Hall in Powis Square, Nottinghill Gate, West London (next to were the film Performance was made) to see and hang out with the very early Pink Floyd, Third Ear Band, Edger Broughton Band, the Pink Faeries, The Deviants (Mick Farron 1st band), a group called Quintessence and various other acts with names like the Amazing Exploding Sausage Dream Factory. Quintessence  had a song with a chorus that went:
"Getting it straight in Nottinghill Gate, We all sit around and meditate". Far out.
As a kid I got the 1st Floyd album (Pipers at the Gates of Dawn) signed by the whole band including Syd, I still have it if any one is interested in making me an offer in excess of £100,000. Joke.
2: Going to the Middle Earth club at the Round House, Camden Town with my Dad and brother and seeing Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band. The guitarist had a vacuum cleaner draped around his body and I remember the Captain saying: "My guitarist is cool but his vacuum cleaner sucks". As an 11 year old I found that very droll. My brother swears a very early version of the Fairports were on the bill too, but I don't remember. Maybe a keen Fairport gig archivist can help here?

Good grief Simon, I knew all of those bands at that time, Quintessence in particular were very good friends of my husband and most of those bands were to be found in small smiling heaps in our flat, in Elgin Crescent at one time or another... Are you sure I didn't trip over you in those days?
And I wonder if it was 'my' early Fairport that played at the Roundhouse. It's quite possible....
Small world and getting smaller by the minute

[davidmjs]

As a kid I got the 1st Floyd album (Pipers at the Gates of Dawn) signed by the whole band including Syd, I still have it if any one is interested in making me an offer in excess of £100,000. Joke.

Joke yes, but not quite as funny as you might think.  A provenanced one owner signed album by the whole Mk I band would be worth a tidy tidy sum....

[Tasha]

As a kid I got the 1st Floyd album (Pipers at the Gates of Dawn) signed by the whole band including Syd, I still have it if any one is interested in making me an offer in excess of £100,000. Joke.

Joke yes, but not quite as funny as you might think.  A provenanced one owner signed album by the whole Mk I band would be worth a tidy tidy sum....

the original floyd autographs went recently for £1,000

[simon emmerson]

£1000 for Syds autograph with the rest of the band...you're avin a laugh aren't you. As I said any offers in excess of £100,000.
Does the fact it's on an album boost the price up by £99,000??
simon

[davidmjs]

£1000 for Syds autograph with the rest of the band...you're avin a laugh aren't you. As I said any offers in excess of £100,000.
Does the fact it's on an album boost the price up by £99,000??
simon

You could sell it for a lot more than a grand.  A decent auction sale, with, as I say, strong provenance all well documented...I'd estimate 2.5-5k.  And it's only going to go up....

[simon emmerson]

you r joking aren't you?
simon

[davidmjs]

you r joking aren't you?
simon

Not intentionally, Simon.  You reckon its worth a shed load more then?  

I'd put his signature in a similar kind of level as Hendrix's.  Which goes for around that level...sometimes for more.  The trouble with all of these things is the provenance...at least 75% of all rock and pop autographs, and probably a lot more than that, are forgeries, and that includes a lot of ones sold as genuine by major sellers.  I know of someone who can and has created Beatles autographs that major auction houses will authenticate and happily sell.  He's not short of a bob or two....If I told you he was also a used car salesman, you might think I was making this up, but I'm not!  The market will - always - decide  

[simon emmerson]

I am really, totally amazed it's worth that much, I suppose I can get it authenticated by Pete Jenner who was the Floyd's manager at the time (he now does Billy Bragg). To be honest we could use the money to fund the next IV album as I am labeless and broke at the moment and we are seriously thinking of doing a self funded album. That way there's some kind of 'karmic payback' and I am sure Syd would have approved. My dad is unfortunately dead, so he can't authenticate the story. Sam Cutler, who got the album autographed for me, is in prison (I think), but I can check through old links of my dad. God knows if he can remember anything that happend to him in 1968. I did meet up with Nick Mason when the Afro Celts were based in Britannia Row (the Floyd's old studio that he still owns) and showed it to him in a genuinely friendly, non hustling way and he gave me a very strange look and said very quickly:
'yes that's Syd's autograph I remember it well' then left the room very quickly! Looking back I guess he may have thought I was about to hustle him for authentication! Now here's a thing: when we moved in to Brit Row Studios some one claimed they found the large inflatable pig the Floyd flew over Battersea Power Station stuck in the corner of a tiny damp basement room we wanted to turn into a vocal booth. I was away at the time. However, the studio reception were told about it and it was left out in the corridor. It then disappeared! Has any seen a very large inflatable pig for sale on a rock and roll memorabilia web site recently??
simon

[davidmjs]

The provenance is partly the story.  If the story adds up, that's half the battle.  A letter stating authenticity from PJ or NM or anyone else intimately connected from the band would be the ultimate thing that removed any doubt.  It would probably quadruple the amount that you'd get if you sold it, for instance, on eBay....  I'd get in touch with Bonhams, start pulling everything together...there are Floyd collectors around with a LOT of money who will pay big money for decent products.  This is a decent product.

The alternative of course, is a quick buck on eBay, but get some help with putting the listing together...happy to help if you want any.

[Andy]

Er... I have the picture disc of "The Frog Song" by Paul McCartney....

Thanks for the reply, Simon.

Many years ago, I went along to Staines Town Hall to see a "pub" band, "Brewers Droop", who had had a minor hit with a song called "I can see your public hair", which the BBC bowdlerised into "I can see your public bar" (bizarre or what?). They were basically a good time band but the guitarist was quite good.

Some time later, I switched on ToTP to see the same guitarist singing the vocals and playing lead on a song called... "Sultans Of Swing". Yup, Mark Knopfler. I've often wondered if he's embarrassed about those early days....

[davidmjs]

Er... I have the picture disc of "The Frog Song" by Paul McCartney....

Everything has a price, Mr Leslie...everything has a price...

[Tasha]

£1000 for Syds autograph with the rest of the band...you're avin a laugh aren't you. As I said any offers in excess of £100,000.
Does the fact it's on an album boost the price up by £99,000??
simon

You could sell it for a lot more than a grand.  A decent auction sale, with, as I say, strong provenance all well documented...I'd estimate 2.5-5k.  And it's only going to go up....

I'm not wholly convinced you're right there David- although i'd love to believe you!
here is an example of the groups plus syd, autographs for sale for £850.00
http://www.memorabilia-uk.co.uk/product_desc.php?id=2902

or this
http://popculturesignatures.com/piflwisydba.html
£608

mindyou neither is on an album that does make a difference I'm sure....
I mean Mick rocks book of pictures autographed by Barrett goes for about £2,500

[simon emmerson]

So where do I start to get the word out once I have Pete Jenners certification??
simon

[davidmjs]

I acknowledge that other autographs are available, but I don't think I'm that far off the mark, particularly with the provenance we were talking about...it's that which would make all the difference.  But as I also said, the bloody market always decides....

Bonhams, Simon...they're the ones that do the annual Rock Memorabilia auctions...or DIY, on eBay or the like....

[jude]

Bonhams will give you an idea of how much they think it is worth and if you do go down that route, you can put a reserve on it.

You can also put a reserve if you sell on ebay.

Just be a bit careful if you speak to dealers, some can be not terribly truthful.....