Bulls Head Bob Sep 2021 - Turning Professional in the 60's. Playing in Europe - Its a Jungle. DON EVERLY. ROBERT PLANT.

 Hello Brummies,

Especially to all the Musicians, and Ladies of the Night, of whom I knew a few.   

I am incredibly lucky to still be in touch with the members of the first band I played with from 14 to 17 when we were semi pro and had our greatest fun.  Had our share of screaming girls too!!!  I treasure those days.  Turning professional was always a desire but it came at a price and to think of it as a job was difficult at a tender age

So,  .....  17 almost 18 years old, turned professional.  Rest of the band 7 years older than me.  Music, music, music...strict rehearsals, more rehearsals, new clothes, photographers, acting like a pro..... First gig in 7 days..  Bigger stages with lots more Girls, Screaming, Robbers and thieves, car salesmen, Girls, agents, musicians, Music, music, clothes, parties, crooks for company.   Recording studios, Wide eyed 18... still whizzing along having a ball, loving life, living fast, brilliant tight band dedicated to music, music, Girls, vodka, vodka and lime, Brandy and lime, Scotch and Coke with a slice of lemon for breakfast. Night Club owners, dubious bastards, Red Wine, Jug of Pimms with added Vodka, hohoho! Then on to some small exotic hideaway. Then I did it all again the day after, with occasional food.  It might not have been everybody's lifestyle but mine just happened that way.  I  sure had fun!! Completely irresponsible, naive, easily lead, looking for affection wherever I could find it.  Just One amazing real friend.  Then I woke one day to find I was 21, injured and alone.   

Thousands of musicians have had that same story in the world of Music, others don't, so the message is enjoy it to the full while you can, keeping one eye on your horizons and the other on your back.

I have a friend of many years who I have great respect for.  We haven't physically met but his music life events mirror mine, with minor differences, including being blighted by the same people.  So I know that the description I just gave was true because it happened to him too, although he "enjoyed" life a little more than I.  We are good therapy for each other. 

Tony Iommi joined Jethro Tull for a short while, even appearing on the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus show.  He left Tull for those same 'work like' reasons that turning pro brings, and with that particular band, but he took the work ethic back to play with the people he loved to play with, Black Sabbath and it worked.   

TOURING IN EUROPE.

There has been a great deal of moaning and groaning about playing in Europe and its added expense for Visas since Brexit.   The good news is, since Brexit, 19 of the 26 countries in the European Union that pay the Brussels wages have changed their stance and will once again allow Visa free tours of British musicians.   If you have to buy an individual euro Visa it is £6 and it lasts 3 years which isn't a great strain

The majority of complaining came from Elton John but he wasn't speaking for the small bands, he was spouting off on his Political Euro Remainer platform which I believe was his only motive.  He is not a poor suffering musician, eaking out the takings on the road.   I looked at his 2023 tour which is being booked now and for Me and Mrs Bob to sit 25 rows back from the stage we would have to pay £1002.00 pounds EACH!!!  Meanwhile the majority of his road crew and techies are on minimum wage, I'm sure he can squeeze a little more money for them, even if it's just refunding the £6 fee.

The REAL problem for the many British semi pro bands, holding down a 9 to 5 job, who spend the year finding gigs in European countries and pile into a camper van with their kit and do a "European tour" for a week during their annual holidays is that they will only be gaining experience, they will never come back with dosh, it doesn't happen.  

The French are a real problem, "Ooo what a surprise!!"......because if you arrive off the ferry in France enroute to your final destination the French customs demand that a customs seal is placed on your van to stop you unloading and playing gigs in France.  Its 500€.  In 1966 The Uglys spent a night in a French jail for not doing that very thing whilst en route to Finland.  Two of them, Dave Pegg and Roger Hill, left shortly after they got back.

I imagine that everyone knows about the Beatles Hamburg days sleeping in a broom closet with hardly any money, George being thrown out of Germany for being underage followed by the rest of the band being thrown out too for setting fire to a Durex pinned to a wall and the club owner reported them to the Police for not having a work permit.

Touring abroad always has, and will always be, fraught with difficulty. It's all a rite of passage, so not much has changed in reality.

Booking dates financially in Europe are normally based on ticket sales or "on the door" takings.    So when your mate says "we're playing at a festival with 12 other bands in Portugal" whilst on their European tour, this is often the reality:

With, as shown here, only handfuls of people attending gigs.   Another band I know advertised on their social platform a "3 date Spanish tour"., the first one was inside an all-day breakfast cafe, the next playing outside a furniture store and the last at the holiday home of one of the band members.   

"What's five eighths of fuck all"???

If you want to see European touring in action I recommend you watch the DVD "The Story of Anvil".  You see the ugly side of Euro touring on top of the Song Contest being Shit!

DON EVERLY.  

Don Everly was the last living member of The Everly Brothers who, along with his brother Phil conquered the world with their beautiful harmonies and well honed pop songs of the late 50's through to the end of the 60's, he passed away recently and were it not for the death of Charlie Watts it would have been bigger news.  The Everly Brothers were an institution with a bench mark vocal sound. 

Before the advent of The Everly Brothers harmony wasn't a feature with early British duos singing in unison.  However once you locked yourself into their songs and enjoyed their familial 2 part vocal harmonies you were hooked.   I recall singing the high harmony to "When will I be loved" for the first time at a gig at The Mermaid , Sparkbrook on the Stratford Road and I loved the sound.  I felt like I had made a step forward as I had only concentrated on playing guitar

They had hit after hit and we learned most of them.  They weren't averse to playing

some good rock and roll too with the truly great song "The Price of Love" which was later wrecked by Brian Ferry.  Being brothers there was tension between them and they split up for a few years but got back together.  They recorded a Paul McCartney song "On the Wings of a Nightingale" for their reunion LP in 1984 and did some dates but were never the same before their falling out.

Phil died in 2014 and Don had made his only solo LP which I have but was never knocked out by it.

Graham Nash relates in his book how he and Allan Clarke of The Hollies, pre fame, were well into the Everlys harmony sound and hung around a hotel in Manchester following an early Everlys concert and got to chat to the guys, remarking how nice they had been to them.

Let it be Me, Cathy's Clown, Ebony Eyes, Wake up Little Susie, the list of gorgeous songs with uplifting harmonies was long and taught us all a lesson in the beauty of simplicity.   A lesson well learned by this grateful recipient.

ROBERT PLANT.   

Wishing Planty a happy birthday, 20 Aug. 

He is still out gigging with his band Saving Grace.    Every one of those lines and wrinkles tells a story.  

I knew him when he was pretty!!

Mrs Bob has told me that the Adam's Apple is just an enlarged larynx that all men have.   Robert Plant keeps his in a barn and takes it out for gigs....true! 

So, take care you lovely people, us Brumbeat survivors have had the best of times and it was a pleasure to be in your company.  Well, with a couple of exceptions.

Take Care, be Careful, be Kind.  

Bob

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Contact: Bobsbullocks@Gmail.com