When Reggie King died in October I was privileged to be asked by Shindig! to write an obituary. The result was more well meaning than well written but is published in the January/February edition. Despite the sub-heading claiming I was a “long-time friend and fan” I should clarify that although we met on a number of occasions I’m certain he never remembered me from one time to the next. I had planned to interview him again for a forthcoming project and am now kicking myself for dilly-dallying. A lesson learned. For The Action to lose both Reg and Mick Evans during 2010 was especially cruel.
The other 83 pages are filled with folk with great hair who weren’t afraid to experiment with music or fashion. I direct you to the photograph of 60’s chancers The Nerve in their suits of polythene and Sellotape. Wear your best underpants. I’ve never really got The Soft Machine but will give them another shot purely on account of how wonderful they look on the cover.
Shindig! is available from good record shops, discerning newsagents and via their website. Priced £4.95.
Discerning newsagents AND W H Smiths Enfield. Who the hell else apart from me buys it from there I don't know.
ReplyDeleteI know I bang on about how bereft of culture my current domicile is, but when the roll call of local celebs include, if not totals, Stavros Flatley, the singing dustman who finished last in Eurovision and Reg Varney, you can't help but despair.
I did give The Soft Machine another try. They're still rubbish.
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