nevillehunt avatar

by

Every fortnight he’d be there. In my city, in my stamping ground, in my favourite Orford Cellar Club, a pub cellar music venue famous for the real R&B. All the top R&B bands went there, Alex Harvey, Zoot Money and the wonderful Graham Bond Organisation:- Bond, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Jack Bruce and the inimitable Ginger Baker.

I always consider I’ve had a privileged life, and this was one of my great privileges. Such a brilliant venue within walking distance of home and the music... amazing! And Ginger thrashed those skins like a demonic maestro.

God bless you Ginger... and thanks.

5 comments add one below

  • avatar

    Neville Hunt over 4 years ago

    Mrs H was privileged too. She saw Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton as ‘Cream’ at a tiny village hall in the middle of nowhere a little before she met me. The middle of nowhere, but very shortly they would certainly be somewhere!

  • avatar

    Christopher over 4 years ago

    Man, that is too cool, for Mrs. H to actually have seen Cream. As someone who grew up obsessed with the 60's and psychedelic music I was saddened to learn of Mr. Baker's passing. I understand he'd been quite ill, though. Old Slowhand is the only member of Cream still kicking now.

  • avatar

    Neville Hunt over 4 years ago

    Yep. Also I stood a couple of feet away (literally) from Rod (The Mod) Stewart in a Church Hall in my home city. And much more recently, we went to see, and talked to them afterwards, a whole load of 60s/70s icons, like Manfred Mann, Paul Jones, the brilliant Mike D’Abo, Alan Price and Chris Farlowe, who looked as if he was dead, but belted out his signature tunes without moving. Very nice, modest people all of them. And then a few years ago I chatted to my hero, Wreckless Eric, who told me he would’ve given his right arm to have seen The Graham Bond Organisation! (Glad he didn’t though!🥴)

  • avatar

    Christopher over 4 years ago

    Cool! Man, Alan Price! For someone who's a huge Animals fan that would've been awesome!

    Speaking of Rod Stewart, I read an excerpt from Elton John's new book and he has some funny stories in it about how he and Rod used to play pranks on each other. It's pretty funny.

  • avatar

    Neville Hunt over 4 years ago

    Thanks Christopher. I’ll check out Elton's book. I like a laugh. 🤣

Join the conversation

Sign up or Sign in to leave a comment on this drabble.