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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:12 pm
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My relationship with Vic by now was hitting rock bottom.
I was rebelling against the constant priority given to the playing of Cliff Richard and the Shadows music. I could see his point of view though.
He played lead guitar on his Strat and had learned all of the instrumentals that the Shadows were famous for. He was the star of the show and he knew that if the group started concentrating on vocals then he would just be a guitarist and I would take prime position, because apart from being the front man, I did all the arranging, working out the notes that each vocal backing member would use, for example while I sang the melody they would just sing ahhhh in the background, only in harmony, and changing key as we went along.
(I don’t know if I’ve explained that properly)
Although it seems a simple thing to do if you are musically minded, none of the others seemed to be able to work it out and Vic was beginning to show signs of resentment.
The rest of the group were absolutely delighted with the new format and our small following (Yes we had one by now) loved the different direction we were taking.
More importantly, the management of the venues we were playing at had begun to take notice and we were slowly beginning to rise from the lower ranks of the Liverpool groups and appearing in the local Merseybeat Newspaper.
Our wages had risen too because people were asking for us.
I thought that with the increase in bookings that had followed, I would eventually convince Vic that we were heading in the right direction.
Imagine my surprise, therefore when I got a phone call from Tony Gaskell, our bass player, asking me to meet him and the rest of the group at a local pub. (Bar)
I knew something was up.
When I arrived everyone was there except Vic.
“What’s up?” I asked
Tony had a copy of the Liverpool Echo and handed it to me. He had drawn a circle around an advert, which read, “Vocalist wanted in local, well established group, Ring this number for an audition”. I didn’t recognise the telephone number so I said, “What’s that got to do with our group”, although I was beginning to be suspicions.
“That phone number is Vic’s best mates number,” he said.
Wow. I was dumbfounded. I thought that he was finally beginning to come around to my way of thinking and all the time he had planned this.
I realised that I needed to find out what the rest of the boys thought so I asked them each in turn what they thought.
To a man they each supported me and swore that they didn’t want to go back to being a shadows look-alike group.
The amazing thing is that he didn’t confide in the rest of the group. He had decided to spring it on all of us. I have no doubt that his parents were involved in the decision. He was their only child and they idolised him. I’m sure he must have discussed it with them, and they had all decided that the only solution was to get rid of the problem.
Me.
I knew that it would be about a week before anything happened while he carried out the auditions so I laid my plans carefully.
We used to practice every week on a Wednesday at Vic’s house, usually learning the latest Cliff Richard songs, or polishing up on our current show,
To no ones surprise, this weeks practice was cancelled due to his Mother having guests at the house.
We were, by coincidence playing at Ogdens Social club that weekend.
That was the first booking I’d had as the Hi Cats front man

By the way guys it is 10pm in the UK so I'll soon be getting ready to have a bath and go to bed.
Work in the morning. See you tomorrow.
Good night


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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:22 pm
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edited


Last edited by fhopkins on Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 3:07 pm
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GREAT episode :)


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:37 pm
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I realised that I was going to have to move fast.
I don’t know if he had pre-arranged it but it would be nearly a whole week before our next booking at Ogden’s Social Club next Saturday so I only had a few days to find a lead guitarist, and one who could play Shadows music because there was no way we could learn a complete repertoire in such a short time, so we would have to keep on playing Cliff and the Shadows and start replacing the songs one by one.
I began to ring around other groups and ask if they knew of any lead guitarists who needed a job. There was no time to go through the usual routine, placing an advert in the local paper and carrying out auditions. That might also have got back to Vic, because he also knew other guys in the industry, and that would have spoiled the surprise I had in store for him if things turned out the way I suspected. I had to pretend to the people I was ringing that my brother was trying to start a group up and needed a lead guitarist.
After quite a few phone calls I was getting nowhere.
I was beginning to toy with the idea of playing rhythm myself and letting Aussie play lead even though Aussie, although excellent with chords, was not a very good lead guitarist, but I was getting desperate.
It was Monday about noon and having parked my car I was walking near to Liverpool’s Soccer ground. I was about to cross the road when a bus went past me and stopped at a red traffic light.
I happened to look into the bus window and to my surprise I saw a guy called Roy Wood I ran up to the bus and banged on the window to attract his attention, much to the surprise of some of the passengers.
Roy saw me and waved. I feverishly gestured him to get off the bus. He looked surprised but nevertheless he made his way to the back of the bus and stepped off just before the lights changed to green and the bus moved off.
I must explain that UK buses in the 60s had no passenger doors on them, just an open platform at the back with a chrome pole from ceiling to floor.
Roy wood was one of the guitarists that I had auditioned in the early days and I was very impressed with his playing but although I had earmarked him as our possible lead guitarist, Vic had offered me the singing job in the Hi cats so the whole deal had fallen through. I had completely forgotten about Roy and it was mere chance that I had seen him that day on the bus.
“Are you working” I asked “No” he replied “Why”
I explained that we would shortly be looking for a lead guitarist in our group and asked him if he was interested.
“Yeah” he said “I certainly would” “Would you mind if a couple of us came to your house and went through some numbers with you” I said.
I knew he didn’t have a car and I did, so I decided to pick Aussie and Tony up and we could go and see what he was made of.
“That would be fine” he said “How about tomorrow” I said. “About 10 O‘clock in the morning”
“Great”
We got to Roy’s house at 9.45 the next day. Aussie had brought an acoustic guitar with him. Roy had already set up his equipment and we could hear him practicing. After we rang the doorbell and he let us in. We sat down and began to go through our repertoire.
Roy was an excellent guitarist and found the Shadows instrumentals an absolute pushover, although he didn’t like them. He said that he had learned them all when he first took up the guitar because they were so easy but had stopped playing them and gone onto something more challenging. This, of course was music to our ears and Aussie and Roy went through every Shadows instrumental in the book.
I sang some Cliff Richard songs and although he didn’t know the correct backing, he was able to provide a reasonably good one to all our list of songs.
His guitar and amplifier was bog standard and cheap. I can’t even remember what the make was but that didn’t matter because his finger work was phenomenal.
We spent the rest of the morning just listening to his party pieces.
One I remember mostly was the sea shanty music that is played in the Popeye cartoons his finger speed was fantastic. We were all very impressed.
I told Roy that the job was his but he had to promise that he wouldn’t let anyone else know about it until after the following Saturday, which was a day I was now really looking forward to.


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:44 pm
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now the day im really looking forward to is tomnorrow, so i get to read another great chapter of this story :P



(and i have a gig with my band in front of like 200-300 people :P)

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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:02 pm
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edited by fhop


Last edited by fhopkins on Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:45 pm
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Now that is interesting. I've known Roy Wood personaly for a good few years since being introduced to him as a kid by Trev Burton who is a friend of the guy who started me playing. I didnt know he ever lived in the northwest. I'll have to pop round his tommorow and find some info. He'll undoubtedly have kept posters and other bits of memorabilia, he's a sod for it.

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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:55 pm
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nikininja wrote:
Now that is interesting. I've known Roy Wood personaly for a good few years since being introduced to him as a kid by Trev Burton who is a friend of the guy who started me playing. I didnt know he ever lived in the northwest. I'll have to pop round his tommorow and find some info. He'll undoubtedly have kept posters and other bits of memorabilia, he's a sod for it.


Hey Niki, maybe you can get ahead of us on this story! Must be a small country over there. Everyone knows someone who knows someone else, a tight knit area! :wink: :)


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:56 pm
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Hi Nik
When you read the rest of the story, I think you will realise that this is a different Roy wood to the one you are talking about.
There was no way this guy was on any posters.
I think the Roy Wood you are talking about was from Birmingham, and was well known. I think he was in "The Move"
JT


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:09 pm
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Thats him. Funny wigs and christmas songs :lol:

A very nice man.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvjWrdt4jlY&feature=related
I must add the snow in turves green birmingham has never been that white. I think it falls grey coloured.

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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:21 pm
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Great chapter ! I can't wait till next day!!! :D


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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:40 pm
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fhopkins wrote:
nikininja wrote:
Now that is interesting. I've known Roy Wood personaly for a good few years since being introduced to him as a kid by Trev Burton who is a friend of the guy who started me playing. I didnt know he ever lived in the northwest. I'll have to pop round his tommorow and find some info. He'll undoubtedly have kept posters and other bits of memorabilia, he's a sod for it.


Hey Niki, maybe you can get ahead of us on this story! Must be a small country over there. Everyone knows someone who knows someone else, a tight knit area! :wink: :)

Fhop, please mail me mate.

nikininja@ntlworld.com

Synk, merseykid please feel free to email me too

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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 3:01 pm
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edited by fhop


Last edited by fhopkins on Thu Apr 23, 2009 4:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 3:57 pm
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Didnt get it mate. :cry:

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Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:45 am
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Saturday night arrived and I made my way down to Ogdens. I had, as I mentioned earlier, bought myself a car, it was an Estate car (Station wagon to you). I found it much more convenient, rather than being picked up by the van driver, and then being driven home at the end of the night. Tony’s mate Roy Cochen had agreed to use his Bedford Minibus as a group van. He removed the back seats and stored them in his garage, to make way for the equipment. For local bookings I preferred to use my own car.
Besides, being driven around by someone else interfered with my romance.
The rest of the group hadn’t arrived yet so I went backstage to change into my stage gear. (Yes, everything in Liverpool was described as Gear in those days. Still does, I think the Beatles passed the word to the rest of the world later on, during the British invasion)
I started chatting to Edie, my current groupie girlfriend, (You know how it is guys). She described her job as a stripper. No not that kind of stripper. Her job in Ogdens was to strip the outer leaves from the tobacco plants. These girls were called strippers.
Beyond the curtains I could hear the hall filling up. I had a peep through the curtains and saw the lads carrying the heavy Vox AC30 amplifiers towards the stage. I saw Vic with his guitar coming into the hall followed, to my surprise, by his Dad who was carrying his amplifier, and his Mum following them. (Translation. Mum = Mom).
The rest of the group were placing the Vox amps on the stage in front of the curtains
As Vic came into the dressing room he saw me, and just nodded. His Dad, who had put the amp with the rest of them, did exactly the same thing.
I knew then that tonight was the night. He had obviously brought his Dad, who was a large man, along as backup. I had done a lot of amateur boxing in my school days and coming from a rough part of Liverpool I was no slouch in defending myself, I kept myself fit, and Vic was well aware of this. Although I was not an aggressive idiot and he really had no reason to have brought his Dad, the last thing I would have done would be to use violence, but he was obviously taking no chances.
(Secretly though I think I could have taken his Dad on, although he was bigger than me he was much older and distinctly out of shape and not very fit).

The night went well and the audience were pleased as they danced the night away. The tense situation had no effect on our performance although I could see that the rest of the group were a bit apprehensive, they still performed professionally and I don’t think Vic noticed anything out of the ordinary.
Closing time at Ogdens was 11’Oclock and we started to play our finishing numbers and saying goodnight to the audience as we played the last dance.
The Compare came on stage and thanked us over the microphone and the audience clapped and cheered as the stage curtains closed.
Roy, by then, had brought the Minibus around to the front of the building ready for the boys to load all the group equipment on. I nipped out, got my car then went to get my pay. Vic, who insisted on handling all the cash, paid everyone out on a Saturday.
(He treated the group as his employees)
After parking my car next to the Minibus I went to collect my wages. (From the boss)
The rhythm guitarist, Aussie had already collected his, Tony was next and Mal Thory (The Drummer) was before me.
As Mal was being paid I saw Vic’s Dad move closer to his son and finally I held my hand out for my wage packet (Yes he put the wages into brown paper envelopes)
He handed the money to me and said, in a matter of fact voice. “ Oh by the way John don’t bother coming to the next booking, we won’t be needing you anymore, I’ve found another vocalist and he will be starting on Tuesday”.
I’m ashamed to say that my next words were uttered with glee, gloating, and triumph.
I said, “Well actually Vic. I’m afraid you’ve got that the wrong way round. You see It’s you who won’t be needed anymore we’ve found another guitarist and he’ll be starting on Tuesday.
There was a stunned silence. Then…………
I thought his Dad was going to explode, his face went crimson and he started to splutter.
“What… What… Who is behind this”? He shouted, then pointing to Aussie He said in a loud voice, “is it you”? Aussie went red “No” he said.
“Is it you then” he yelled pointing to Tony. “No sir” Tony said nervously.
I realised that he was trying to intimidate them, because he knew quite well who was behind the rebellion.
I interrupted the inquisition. “It was me,” I said, trying to remain calm.
“I found out what you intended, and I think it was sly underhanded, and way below the belt, so I decided to do something about it and I asked the rest of the boys if they wanted to come with me, or stay with Vic and now you know how the vote went”.

I could see he was looking me up and down trembling with rage, fists clenched and debating with himself. “Should I or Shouldn’t I” He decided not to chance it.

“Well” he shouted, “I’ll see to it that you never get another booking anywhere in Liverpool.” He said.
I knew that this was an empty threat. There were only two venues he could have had any influence on and they were the Holly Oak and Blair Hall.
The guy who ran those venues, Wally Hill, was his neighbour, and it was possible that Vic’s Dad might persuade him to bar us from those dance halls. But I had already anticipated that move and had made arrangements to book other dance halls if those bookings were cancelled. I intended to ring Wally and see if we would lose the bookings at his venues if we fell out with Vic, and if we did lose them I had plenty of time to fill the blank spaces in our diary.

I will never forget the look on Vic’s face. His jaw had dropped and he seemed to have lost the power of speech. All that came out of his mouth was mumbling.
“Wha, where, wha, what d y’ mean” I almost felt sorry for him…… almost.
I told Roy to start the Minibus up. All the gear was loaded into the space at the back, where the seats had been removed.
Roy asked Vic what he wanted to do about his amplifier and guitar, “I can drop them off at your house if you like” he said.
Vic’s Dad almost roared “ Get them off that F*****g van and put them into the boot of my car. (The trunk).
I think Roy, a quiet gentle man, was relieved to hear that. Although we had let him in on the secret, I think he was a bit embarrassed and just wanted to get it over.
After slamming the lid of the boot down they got into the car and roared off into the night, Vic still stumbling and mumbling and wondering which truck had hit him.
When they had gone, everyone fell about laughing, mainly with relief; Mal was doing imitations of Vic’s Dad. Wavering about pointing and shouting “Is it you” “Is it you”
At last I knew that we could now start learning some real music.


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