SWAMPROOT ROCK BOOGIE 'N' BLUES |
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Larry's'
Odyssey |
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.Originally
interested in Cello whilst at school, drifted towards violin as pushed into Reading Youth
Orchestra, that didn’t last long as I was only ever really into the Cello and Bass
parts. In ’62 I joined in with a ‘group’ called “Group
‘62” at St Peters Youth Club in Church road Reading playing a Tea Chest Bass
with Snare drum fixed to its side.. Invited to join “The Red Squares”
whilst in my final year at school by a Guy called John Froude, one of Reading’s
up and coming guitarists. The Red Squares became just “The Squares” late in
’63 after some personnel changes and taking on Gus Russell (rhythm guitar) and Dave
Lee (drums) . By ’64 we were working regularly around west London and the South,
playing Blues in the style of the Stones, Pretty Things, Animals and Yardbirds, backed
many ‘names’ of the time (Arthur Brown – the ‘Fire’ guy) and
supported a few well known acts, told to F*** off by Lulu at the Olympia ballroom, Reading
– all good fun! The band carried on with minor changes until ’66 when Dave
and Gus went off to join the Merchant Navy, playing in ship’s bands as a ploy to see
the world. Going away and being a student for 4 years stopped my musical career in
its tracks – exactly why I was sent !! Total recording history one
‘Reading Rag’ acetate and a session job for a band who’s Bass player was
entertaining her majesty for a while. Biggest thrill was playing with Davy Graham and Bert
Jansch in ‘The Shades’ – a well known ‘beat café’ Married in ’70 and later started a band playing ‘Electric
Folk’ (as we called it) in the style of Bread, The Eagles, a smattering of
‘pop hits’ chucked in – called the band “Oakridge” after my
favourite laboratory (!) Oakridge trundled along for a few years but John was playing with
better (and better paid) bands so that died a death. Got into a ‘Doctor Feelgood
‘cover band and then Rock n’ Roll covers bands. Ended up as an Engineering Consultant to the UKAEA in 1986 and packed
off to Dounreay - Maggie didn’t trust the UKAEA to run Reactors after the
Russians had their incident. So the idea was to take expertise from the CEGB and
‘assist’ the UKAE A. Enough said! Whilst up in Caithness I played with the
“Caithness Blues Band” and did a couple of Celidh’s with a band called
“Grey by the Gun”. Also spent some time with an old mate (John Saxon ) in
his Studios in the old EMI building in West London. CEGB sold out by Maggie. As soon as I had enough years in
the Final salary scheme, I was off and joined a ‘Pub band’ (Slink) for a couple
of years. Then Joined “Union Revival” one of the best Country bands in the UK,
spent a few happy years travelling around. We had a number 4 in the ‘Country
chart’, CD with Joe Brown on ‘Hotdisk’ and had regular airplay in Europe,
The USA , and Malta (very popular there for some odd reason!) Playing with various people who I have a lot of time for musically,
down around the South coast and Surrey areas. Back to the Blues now, back in the Pubs – the wheel turns
round…. |
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