It’s a shame,there really aren’t that many rock and roll heroes anymore.It was however, a different story when I was growing up. “Glam Rock” was at its zenith and the music of David Bowie &The Spiders, Marc Bolan & T Rex, Rod Stewart & The Faces and of course Ian Hunter and Mott The Hoople filled the airwaves.
Unfortunately, it would take another 25 years for mine and Ian’s paths to cross, and that happened one night back in 1997 at “The Roadhouse” bar in London’s Covent Garden. Ian was there with his manager (who I had known previously as bass player for The Maggie bell/Chris Farlowe band).The Conversation sort of went,
Q) “Ian’s looking for a bass player are you looking for a gig?
A) “Fuck me mate yeah” !!!
You have to remember that I had grown up as an adolescent in the 70’s and I’d had a deep affection for both the music and the fashion, but it wasn’t until I got to work with Ian,performing those great tunes (Saturday gigs, Bastard, Boy, Memphis spring to mind but the list is endless ) that I truly realised how fundamental he’d been to the history of Rock n Roll as a writer and performer and more importantly as a human being.
Paul Francis Bass Player
Comments