RE: Thanks for that brilliantly detailed reminiscence

Hi Pauly.... Sorry but my brain's a little befuddled about exact dates. However, I can tell you that it would have bee arounf the period 1970-1971-ish to around 1976-77ish? During this period I was also in a local (Dover) band myself: "Father Luke" - We headlined at the Leas twice on local-band-nights which were promoted by Andy MacPherson, if I remember rightly? These 'local' nights used to be quite a regular occurrance and featured bands from all around Kent such as: Back Van Nasty; Barnacle; Dead Dogs Don't Lie... We also supported "The Pirates" at the Leas ('post' Johnny Kidd) in their nouvau-punk era, and played in and around London; The Music Machine, Covent Garden; Hornsey Art College; The Cartoon, Croydon and various and many other non-descript pubs etc., as well as in and around Kent in paid and unpaid gigs; like many other local rock bands who were 'chasing-the-dream!' We also won the Southern heat of the Melody Maker Competition at Canterbury, getting through to the competition Final at the Marquee Club, Wardour Street in London (around 1978-79, I think?) where we were 'trounced' by the eclectically brilliant band: "Splodgednessabounds" and their anarchic song: "Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, please!"

Hey-ho! Annother one of life's 'moments' or 'If only!' - Still never mind eh? It was a great period of my life not only for what I did but for the 'time' itself... Fantastic music; amazing bands and musicians and great friends...

Going back a bit to my earlier post and a consequent reply.... Yes, the Skid Row I referred to WAS the one 'a la Gary Moore' - However, Skid Row were NOT the forerunner of Thin Lizzy.. According to Gary Moore, on last week's Planet Rock Radio, he was playing with Skid Row and was asked, during a break from Skid Row, to replace the guitarist from Lizzy who played on the Whiskey in the Jar single who couldn't make (not sure of the reason?) a subsequent American Tour.

Moore rehearsed with Lizzy (he was only around 17 or 18 at the time, I think he said?); was 'picked' and did the tour and then went back to Skid Row upon his return to the UK. It was only some time after this that he eventually joined Thin Lizzy.

There ya go!

Great site and great to see that there are some other old (Prog) rockers still out there... Maybe some younger ones too?

Steve :: 18 Jul :: 2009 :: Comment / reply