Heinz
says that sometimes the audience were chanting “OFF” before he even got onto
the stage and from there on things got worse: “I was playing Birmingham and
getting blokes running down the aisle wanting to jump onstage to thump my head
in, throwing cans of beans and covering the group in beans. On that same tour
we played Colston Hall, Bristol and my mother came down from Southampton. She
was sat upstairs. She came backstage in tears. She could hear the blokes behind
her: ‘We’re gonna ’ave ’im now, the bastard, we’re gonna ’ave ’im. Wait round
the back.’ My mother’s sitting there listening to it! Imagine how she felt with
Teds running up, grabbing the microphone stand off the stage, trying to pull it
off me and hit me with it. And Gene Vincent came up to me before that tour
ended and said, ‘You’ve got some bloody guts, I would have walked off after one
number.’”

This is a really great read, and puts a lot of flesh on the bones of this remarkable producer who was way ahead of his time. While I'm here, I don't suppose you have anything to post on Sandy Denny, Fairort Convention or Nick Drake. I guess not! But thanks anyway, and keep up the work on this great blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Terry,
DeleteThat stuff's not really my scene but I'll keep my eyes open for you. Meantime this issue of Shindig might be of interest if you've not seen it. http://www83.zippyshare.com/v/AJsjcgsf/file.html
all the best,
Johnny
I've tried twice to download this book (in ePub) and each time it has been blank - just the front cover and no text whatsoever. Any chance of a re-upload, please?
ReplyDeleteBrent,
DeleteTry here: http://www81.zippyshare.com/v/kvXUpzCX/file.html
all the best,
Johnny