From Aces to Angels

Update

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It is now late July 2001, so after weeks of editing, amending and general re-writing (people keep phoning me all the time with new information. Unfortunately I can't use it all), hopefully this book is now finished. It is now all down to my dear friend the publisher whether you ever read it or not. If you are reading these words, then obviously my publisher has once again smiled benevolently on me. But before I finally bow out I feel I must bring the reader up to date with events.
  The Mc Menamin brothers Colm and Frankie haven't been active in the music business for a long time now and the same applies to Billy Campbell and Jimmy 'Johnny Starr' Campbell. The last time I saw Seamus Quigley was out the Coshquin road where he was walking greyhounds. But Rocky Henry and a few others, as far as I know are still gigging away. Like myself, a few of the above mentioned are getting on a bit and suffering from various health problems, but hopefully they'll all recover. Jackie, I'm glad to say, had his operation in early March and is doing very well.
  On a sadder note, Jim Doherty (who was doing Cabaret and had adopted the stage name 'Jim Kent') died very young in England a couple of years ago, and Danny Mc Gilloway, one of the contributors to this book actually died before I had it finished. Numerous other musicians from that era whom I knew quite well, but not mentioned in this book are also now deceased. A lot of them lived long lives but quite a few died prematurely. Actually I was alarmed by the number of relatively young musicians (i.e. my generation) who've departed this world.
  There are far too many to name individually but named or not, they indirectly contributed to this book and I mourn they're passing. A couple of the more recent that immediately spring to mind are Dessie Dillon (1992), Christy Mellon (1993) and Ray Jordan (1996), all an integral part of the sixties scene. Unfortunately there were two more deaths around this time that affected me badly. The first was my sister Liz (remember the talent contest?) who, after a life of serious medical problems, died from a brain tumour on June 19th. aged fifty. The other one was that stalwart of the blues, John Lee Hooker, who also died in June at an uncertain age (they think he was well into his eighties). He'll be sorely missed by the purists.
  The Embassy has gone through many changes and musical phases but today it's still going strong. At the moment it is the 'Fusion' night club but the kids there are now dancing to a different tune.
  Fort George which used to house the Royal Navy's Foyle Club, is now completely demolished and god knows what they'll build there. Ebrington Barracks (Sea Eagle) and Ballykelly Barracks (Crossed Keys Club) will soon follow suit. Just recently one of the most famous venues on the circuit, the Castle Ballroom in Dungiven, was burned to the ground.
  The American base also closed down in 1977, but there's a big reunion planned in 2003 for ex-personnel and civilian workers. They even have their own website, so in case anybody out there is interested, here it is;
www.navcommsta-Londonderry.freeservers.com
  Ken and Peggy Gallaher are still in the good old U.S. of A., and as far as I hear are doing all right for themselves with a couple of bars in Boston or some other major American city.
  At the moment George Jones has a series of T.V. shows running (entitled 'Ireland Swings') but still no sign of any Derry Showband heads. Recently I was watching an R.T.E. series called 'The Showband Show' when it suddenly struck me that something just wasn't right about the sound. Then it dawned on me that the band was sounding too good, the reason being that they were using modern equipment. I felt that the raw, rather thinnish sound of the original showbands was missing because in part it was created by the use of primitive amplification. Oh well, I suppose that's the price of progress.
  A short time ago the Undertones reformed and played a few gigs. On each occasion it was a sell out. They were supposed to play a gig to celebrate Bob Dylan's 60th birthday but for some reason that was called off. The concert was scheduled to take place in the Nerve Centre on May 24th. I'm certain they would have had a full house on this occasion as well if it had have come off.
  The Rossville flats were mercifully demolished in 1989, and in spite of their violent history it was a strangely emotional feeling I experienced as I stood among the crowd watching them being pulled down. I was so moved by it that once more I was inspired write a song about the flats.            
  Now that I'm in the situation where I've more years behind me than in front of me and have to come to terms with the fact that the girls no longer throw themselves at my feet, I confine myself mostly to songwriting and composing. By day, by way of relaxation, I spend a good deal of my time in my small home recording studio. By night I pursue my hobby of astronomy, a subject I've been interested in since an early age (I'm an avid viewer of 'The Sky at Night' hosted by that monocled maestro, Patrick Moore).
  Although there are a couple of bands who include a few blues numbers in their programme, at the moment, as far as I'm aware, there are no real blues bands in Derry and very few in Ireland (or England for that matter). The majority of the young folks these days aren't interested in the blues but apparently only in three things, dance music (and I don't mean ballroom dancing), computers and mobile phones. While I won't hold my breath waiting, hopefully that all might change in the future.
  Not only are there no blues bands in the town but even if there were, with literally the exceptions of one or two places like Sandino's in Water Street, they would be hard pressed to find a suitable venue. Please come home Ken and open up a wee club in the town. 
  I watched the T.V. enthralled as the May Day protests took place in London and other cities around the world and just for a moment I was back in the sixties for it was so reminiscent of that era.
  Finally, after over thirty years of waiting, I was recently informed that John Mayall was due to play a concert in Dublin with Elton John in August. In a state of high excitement I phoned up 'Soundsaround,' one of our local music shops, to get more details and possibly a couple of tickets. You can imagine my disappointment when I was informed by the proprietor, Dessie Fisher, that the concert had taken place the previous night. Oh well, as Peter Green once sang, I suppose that's life.
  As I put pen to paper, or more precisely, two fingers to keyboard, I hear on the radio that another sixties cover has just been released, albeit lyrically and rhythmically altered. This time it is the 1968 P.P. Arnold hit 'Angel of the Morning' recorded by some rap band called 'Shaggy.' I call out to my wife, who is a few years my junior, 'Didn't I tell you that the old songs are the best?' I can't see her but I know she's smiling in exasperation as she continues to prepare my medication.
   And finally, I have to ‘update my update’ so to speak. In 2002 when I hoped to have this book completed, I once again became seriously ill and my old manuscript was shelved for a few more years. In the interim a few more of my friends and musical colleagues have kicked the bucket, but I’m still holding on by the skin of my teeth. Sadly on the 20th. February 2008 my darling wife, Maeve, while heavily involved in the preparations for Rachael’s forthcoming wedding in June, died which shattered completely Rachael and I’s whole world. It took a while for me to pull myself together, so just in case you’re wondering, I hope that explains the gap. Now that it’s finally finished (and I mean it this time) at least I hope you read it before you tear it up.        

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