PERCUSSION

Doc Martin is the most recent band member, and because he was so mysteriously strong and silent, we asked him for his biog....

"Born years ago, I was very young at the time...

Didn't have any definate leanings toward music for first 15 yrs of life, I was more into sport and showed promise as a rugby league player. I signed as an amateur with Leeds at 15, before they became Rhinos, but a smashed shoulder brought it to a halt and I started looking for something else to do...

In my last year at school while doing my 'O' levels, three mates set up a band but didn`t have a drummer so I applied. I`d seen drummers on Top of the Pops and thought: I can do that!...so I did.That was my first band,The Neon, and it's been non-stop ever since.

I left The Neon and spent some time as a backing drummer in a local WMC..... I learned an awful lot about percussion and various styles of drumming whilst there so I never knock it. From there I got a gig with Bradford cabaret band Velvet Blue, who worked the big cabaret clubs that were popular at the time such as the Fiesta clubs, Batley Variety Club and Wakefield Theatre Club. We were usually bottom of the bill but we supported some big names at the time, Freddie Starr amongst them.

After Velvet Blue I moved on to Butlins in Clacton on Sea, with my good mate Dave Lawrence, in a three piece band working in the main cabaret bar backing various artistes. That was a great fun summer ,a cross between  HI Di Hi and the Confessions books.

I got back home and worked the club/pub circuit with loads of different bands doing everything including pop, rock, comedy, jazz and cabaret. My next band, again with Dave, took me out to Spain where I spent  three great years on the Costa Brava, entertaining  pissed British holiday makers. One of our band for a short while was a Scottish kid who enjoyed his alcohol so much that he was fired for being pissed once too often. His name was Derek Forbes and he went on to play with some band called Simple Minds (who?) when they were at their world-conquering best. Some guys have all the luck!

Our time went well until we were arrested for leafleting on the beach and when our boss came to bail us out he too was arrested because he hadn`t  renewed our work permits. We were asked to leave before we were deported...
Back home in Blighty, I had to get a proper job but I did meet  up with some guys to form National Average, another club band, but we worked every week and had some great times. It was with these guys that I met Sam Hirst, guitar god of The Erics and Mojo who is still a mate and a leg -end in his own mind. He proves the point that you can still work in a band even  if you are tone deaf and talentless ( Ho! Ho! ).

NEXT: of UNIT FOUR PLUS TWO and HERMANNS HERMITS??!!


 

 

 

 

 

Background: Martin by Allan McKenzie

 
 
Martin by Allan McKenzie
 

 
 

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