Brixton Boy Calling

ROCK MUSIC - The inside story..... I opened my ROCK MUSIC office in 1960. It was in Archer Street, Piccadilly London business was very slow. I then started booking all the beat clubs and coffee bars in Soho. But the business only became a success when I focused my efforts on Colleges & Universities. I then formed College Entertainments Ltd. I was managing director until 1972 when I married the love of my life. I started out with nothing. I was broke and lived on Tulse Hill estate in Brixton. I go into detail about my rock music adventures later. LED ZEPPELIN: Back in 1968 their manager, Peter Grant, phoned me and said that as I had been one of the best agents for The Yardbirds I could be the first agent to book new incarnation, LED ZEPPELIN. Within the hour of Peter Grant's call I had booked them for their very first gig at Surrey University. And the fee was just a few hundred pounds. They became an iconic rock band and Led Zeppelin will live for evermore. PINK FLOYD: I feel proud and privileged to have booked the original Pink Floyd for all those regular resident gigs at the Royal College of Art Students Union, Kensington Gore. Lead singer / Composer Syd Barrett eventually 'retired'; he sadly passed away in July 2006 aged 60. Gone but never forgotten. David Gilmour replaced Syd Barrett in April 1968. MARC BOLAN / T REX I booked Marc as a solo performer for that club in Beckenham. While I was talking to Marc I got a profound sense of loneliness and a touch of sadness. Was I picking up vibrations for his current state or for the future tragedy? I will never know. Marc Bolan born Mark Feld; 30 September 1947 - Died 16 September 1977. The cause? His car crashed into a tree. He was a passenger, his girl friend was driving that fatal day. There is still a ribbon tied to that tree. It's flying in the wind. His music, as well as his original sense of style, helped create the glam rock era. Marc was highly talented. Marc had so much more to offer his ever growing global fan base. THE WHO: They first came into my life as the 'High Numbers' soon after I had opened my first agency, Star Attractions Ltd. I later formed College Entertainments Ltd. This company was aimed at students/colleges/unis and was a runaway success. I had taken over the former jazz club, known as Cy Laurie's, in Ham Yard, Great Windmill Street, Piccadilly. I renamed it 'The King Creole Club' after the Elvis film. I was holding auditions for a resident group and The Who ('High Numbers') were candidates. They were typical no nonsense Mods. Arrived, set up at immediately, played the audition set and then fucked off. A no B.S. Rock Music British institution. I met the group years later at a gig I arranged for them at the London College of Printing at the Elephant & Castle. They really did destroy their instruments. Nobody could believe what they where witnessing. What a waste of really good expensive instruments BUT worth a ton in publicity. ERIC CLAPTON: I booked this superstar many times. In the early to mid-sixties he was always leaving one group and joining another on a regular basis. We now know that he was searching for that perfect 'blues' sound. In his one-year stay with Mayall, Clapton gained the nickname "Slowhand" and graffiti in London declared, "Clapton is God." DAVID BOWIE: The legendary David Bowie A super star and a genuinely nice bloke. I booked David Bowie when I was producing a Melody Maker college music competition. It was held at the Lyceum in the Strand. College Ents presented a rock group competition sponsored by Melody Maker. It was to organize a talent competition for up and coming rock groups on the college circuit. We arranged for groups to audition in colleges throughout the UK. It was called 'Search' and David Bowie hosted the final for me. He was a consummate pro. He helped me make the evening a tremendous success. David is a true STAR.