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Post subject: Anyone want to hear my sad story
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 3:04 pm
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Location: Liverpool UK
I was born in Liverpool UK.

I was the eldest of six children,
John, Joe, Dave and Michael, and two sisters Mary and Angela.

In 1959, with my brother Joe and my eldest sister Mary, I decided to form a skiffle group. I was to play the guitar (just a three cord novice)
My brother on a cheap set of antique drums and my sister, who was singing and playing the washboard by strumming the serrated metal ridges with a thimble on each finger.
A workmate of Joe, Eddy, played on a homemade bass, using an old tea chest and a wooden arm with a strong piece of cord as a guitar string. Very technical.

The skiffle King in those days was a guy called Lonnie Donegan.

We began by learning his ballads, which had been hugely successful in the British charts.
Songs like Rock Island Line, Midnight Special, The ballad of Jessie James, and many others.
American Rock and Roll in the late 50s had dominated our music charts

It was later on, in the 60s, that “The British invasion” was to have such an impact on the US music scene

My story started well before that invasion.
I lived, with my parents, three brothers and two sisters in a rough part of that war torn city. Liverpool

My interest in the guitar had started when my sister’s boy friend had brought his instrument one night, and sang some country and western songs while sitting on the steps of our house.
He soon caused a small crowd of children, of all ages to gather.
It was very unusual in those early days, for anyone in our community to be able to play a musical instrument.

I was so impressed by the impact he’d had, that I decided there and then that I would save some money and buy myself a cheap acoustic guitar.

I soon realised that buying and playing were two completely different things.
Fortunately, a guy at work, Bob Newport, who was a reasonable guitarist, had promised to start me off with a few lessons.

Within a couple of weeks I had mastered my first three cords although I very nearly gave up when the steel strings of the cheap instrument caused so much pain by digging into the soft tips of my fingers.
It took a very determined effort to carry on trying, until small hard calluses had developed and the pain soon disappeared.

We used our house to rehearse, but whenever we practiced, a small crowd of children would gather outside the window, much to the annoyance of my parents who were always chasing them away.

It took about six weeks constant practice before we felt that we knew enough songs to go to the next step and perform before an audience.

My parents often went to a social club not far from where we lived. They asked the club compare if he would allow us to play on the stage to give us some experience in front of a live audience.
He had no objections so long as it was free.

That was the most nerve racking experience I had ever had, having to perform, with a couple of hundred faces looking at you.
I made quite a few mistakes on my guitar that night but the audience were very kind and gave us a good round of applause when we had finished our gig.
All of the songs we had chosen were not very challenging and only required me to know three chords, although by that time I was able to play three chords in several different keys.

The compare was very helpful and gave me some telephone numbers of other local social clubs, we could ring to try and get some paid bookings.

After getting a few bookings at local Bingo Halls and playing to the over 50s, we were starting to learn the ropes.

My sister then decided to drop out (Boyfriend trouble) and my younger brother Joe who was fed up with his ancient drum kit, decided to follow.
Eddy also left, because he wasn’t really interested.
He was only there for a laugh, and without his mate Joe, there wasn’t any point in staying
It was just as well, because he wasn’t very good on the homemade bass anyway.

There was no option but for me to start from scratch.

I advertised in the local newspaper (The Liverpool Echo) for musicians to form a group and was surprised by the response I got.


Last edited by Merseykid on Sun Jul 12, 2009 11:30 am, edited 8 times in total.

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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:54 pm
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yeah, keep it going, i want to see where this leads :P


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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:58 pm
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But what we really want to know is...what exactly does this have to do with a P-bass? LOL!


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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 6:52 am
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I want to hear more. Please continue.


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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:39 am
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Don't tell me........................you're Sir Paul himself :lol:


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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:49 am
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I've got to hear the rest of the story now! :wink:


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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 3:28 pm
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c'mon! we wanna hear more!! :D

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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 4:36 pm
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Location: Liverpool UK
Remember I am talking about a time when I was a young virile teenager, not an old crock as I am now.
The 60s were a fantastic era for teenagers in the UK (and probably in the USA) and Britain was beginning to make her way in the world with regard to fashion and music. The British fashion designer Mary Quant had designed the mini skirt. Carnaby Street in London was the fashion center of the world. (Much to the annoyance of the French)
The Mini car was fast becoming one of the most popular cars on the planet.
And the country was finally beginning to drag itself out of the leftovers from the remains of the Second World War and becoming prosperous.
But to get back to the story,
I got about twenty replies to my advertisement in the Liverpool Echo with people bringing their instruments to my house to be auditioned. Fortunately my parents were used to the coming and goings of their six children, four boys and two girls. (Three children were teenagers) so there was no problem using our sitting room for the evening auditions.
I must admit that some of the applicants didn’t have a clue. One guy arrived with an accordion. Another arrived with a xylophone. I realised I should have been more explicit in my advert. But it gave us all something to laugh at later.
I was beginning to get a bit despondent (look it up in the dictionary) and thinking I was never going to get started when there was a knock on the door and a guy introduced himself as Vic Grace, explaining that he had a group called the Hi Cats and he was looking for a vocalist to front the band. He asked me if I was interested. Apparently he had been at one of the gigs where I had sang with my brother and sister and liked what he heard. His original singer had decided to give the business up.
The outcome was that I ended up being the one who was auditioned.
I was offered the job and became front man, Johnny Templer of the Hi Cats.
The Adventure was just about to begin.

http://www.beatlelinks.net/forums/showt ... hp?t=17193


GO TO PAGE THREE FOR THE REST OF THIS STORY.

Unless you want to read the comments and arguments.
(which are interesting as well)

.


Last edited by Merseykid on Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:34 am, edited 4 times in total.

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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 4:49 pm
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edited by fhopkins


Last edited by fhopkins on Sat Apr 18, 2009 6:13 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:12 pm
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GO GO GO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!! we want more!!! :D

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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:13 pm
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Sorry I would have to set aside some days to write the whole story. Would probably run into about ten pages, maybe more.
These two submissions took an hour of word processing and editing. I only have the evening time to sit at the computer.
As soon as I think no one is interested I will obviously stop.


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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:22 pm
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edited by fhopkins


Last edited by fhopkins on Sat Apr 18, 2009 6:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 5:44 pm
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Go to page three


Last edited by Merseykid on Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:36 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 8:05 pm
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And What does it deal with a Fender P-Bass :? ?

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Post subject: anyone want to hear a sad story
Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 11:11 pm
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Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 2:45 pm
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Too long im a littke dispondent wright now.


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