Firstly, we survived being born to Mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after all that trauma, our cots were covered with bright coloured lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention hitchhiking.
As children, if we were lucky ....... we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.
We sometimes shared our soft drinks with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate buns, white bread and real butter, but we weren't overweight because......we were always playing outside!
Who remembers ever washing an Apple before eating it?

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day and guess what! .....we were actually O.K.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scrap prams and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes.
We didn't have Play-Stations, Nintendo's, X-Boxes, no video games at all, no video tape movies, no surround sound.

We had no Mobile phones, Text Messages, Personal Computers, Internet or Internet Chat Rooms..........

However we did have "FRIENDS" and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no Lawsuits from these accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them!
Football teams had trials and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
 

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors of all time!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had the freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we just simply learned how to deal with it all.

And if you are one of them!
"CONGRATULATIONS!"

Cos ......   You Survived The Sixties

My Introduction  "Memory Lane" Sixpence - the gateway to success ?

Well for me the early Sixties to the mid Seventies were mostly about "The Music Scene" but also the local characters. The local Groups were mostly "Showbands", dressed in colourful suits playing the current hits of all the popular artists. Groups like Cliff and the Shadows, Gerry And The Pacemakers and the Beatles had only started to emerge and they also wore suits. In 1963, at the age of 12. Almost every Saturday morning, with my sixpence safely in my pocket together with my modest 6 string acoustic guitar which I bought in the Arcadia Book and Card Shop, High Street, Newtownards. Off I went to the minor's matinee talent competitions at  the Ritz Cinema. I still remember standing centre Stage singing "I like it" which was at that time a No.1 hit for Gerry and the Pacemakers. Finally after weeks of knockouts, I got into the Finals that year. 1st. place went to Margaret Brown, 2nd. place to Fred Benson and 3rd. [last] place to me. Long before I started buying Albums/Singles, vinyl records as I recall, most of the time I usually just sat around listening to Radio Luxemburg and later Radio Caroline, picking out the chords and learning how to play my favourites. It wasn't long before I realized that I wanted to become a musician. What could be easier {Not} and at this time I still hadn't even seen a live Group/Band other than the great "Brian Rossi [RIP.] & The Wheels" at the Ritz Cinema - Minor's Matinee. I guess that I was just too young for the Young Farmers or the Queens Hall at that time.

"Now for the Choice: - Pop - Rock & Roll - Soul - Blues ?"

 In my Ben Sherman shirt and best pair of jeans, I was almost ready, but what about the Mods & Rockers! In England, you had to be one or the other during the Sixties, otherwise you got a hiding from both groups. Mod's on their Lambretta or Vespa scooters and extra mirrors and the Rockers - also known as 'ton-up boys’ with British-made motorcycles, they were all part of the macho culture at the time. So I opted out and hung out with my School friends around Scrabo estate, not with the cool guys at Cafolla's in the square. The first complete song that I ever learned was "The House Of The Rising Sun" by the Animals and for those who know it, this meant using everything but bar chords. So from that moment on I just listened and learned songs from the masters otherwise known as "The Beatles".

During my early years at Scrabo Secondary School, I teamed up with Fred Benson who also had a guitar and we rehearsed lots of songs with harmonies. After a short while I then started rehearsing with Bobby Hastings and Dennis Boyle etc: at the Old Scout Hall - Nursery Road - {Near Newtownards Shopping Centre} and along came our first gig."........" I don't remember ever receiving any money. At 16, I even played acoustic on Saturday Nights - Solo in the back room of  the "Royal Bar" Francis Street...but my career really got started in August 1967 when I met Lawrence Thomson-Guitarist {RIP.} Philip O’Connor-Drummer and Michael Richmond-Guitarist. By that time I had just recently switched to Bass Guitar. We all liked Hendrix, Cream, Fleetwood Mac and John Mayalls’ Blues Breakers so "1066BZ "  later to become “Virtue” was born. As I recall we only played one gig, without Michael Richmond, It was at "Greyabbey Village Hall" We played the first half, mostly Hendrix & Cream material and then on came the Suburban's, a Donaghadee based group featuring the one and only "Gary Moore" on Guitar - what a player ! Our first real paying gig was to be much later. So on the 10th January 1969 "Cloud 9" - in the "Co-op Hall" Bangor, when we supported “The John Smith Band” Other great local Blues/Rock & Soul Groups at that time were Sk’boo, Creative Mind, Sam Mahood {RIP.} and The Method who we saw many times.

By that time Michael Richmond had already left the Band and sometime later moved to Australia, he's been in touch and is still there to-day. So as a three piece and without an Agent or proper Management we really struggled to find Gigs. Lots of the other local groups had bigger line-ups with Keyboards, Sax and a lead Vocalist. So most of the time, we simply ended up supporting these Groups, gaining experience along the way. Philip O’Connor also left and was replaced by Jim Doak on drums, now living in Spain,  and to attract more interest from Promoters and Venue’s we changed our repertoire to include some Soul and Current Chart material. Following these changes we then started playing some of the popular Belfast Venues:-Betty Staffs - Cecil Clarke’s” and of course Bangor's Cloud 9.

This continued until 1971 when Alan Mawhinney who was at this time already playing professionally in Germany with a well known Ballymena Band called "Tapestry" asked us to put together a Band replacing most of the original line-up, who were returning home. We had to be capable of playing the German Clubs. It was at this point when we had to make several changes to the line-up.

So “Tapestry Mark II” was created:- see picture in Band Info Section

Alan Mawhinney – Keyboards & Vocals {Band Leader}

Robert Apps {RIP.} {Formally with the Suburban’s} from Donaghadee - Drums... replacing Jim Doak who had other career plans.

Noel Fee {Formally with the Bangor Group - Mood & Jargon Junction} – Hammond Organ & Vocals

Lawrence Thomson {RIP.} Guitar & Vocals

Myself – Bass & Vocals 

It’s worth noting that from the original "Tapestry" line-up that both Irene McElroy {Singer} together with Shaun Magee {Bass Player} where to move on and eventually form “Sunshine” together with Stuart Bingham, Bryce Norrie and then a little later join “Chips” 

So, on Alan’s return from Germany he then joined us in the final stages of the rehearsals at Blair Maine’s House, Mount Pleasant, Newtownards, in one of the Out-House’s. There we polished off the set and headed off to Germany via Denmark where we did a 15 Tour to prepare us for what was ahead. Other Groups/Bands playing similar venues at that time where Rory Gallagher [RIP.] and Procol Harum. On our way from Denmark to our first club in Germany, we stopped off at the “Top Ten Club”, 136 Reeperbahn, Hamburg, made famous of course by “The Beatles” where Alan convinced the owner to give us an audition. Sadly we didn’t impress anyone with our looks, charm and choice of material. Although Lawrence did get lots of appreciation for his guitar solo’s in Chicago’s  “25 or 6 to 4” and Free’s “Alright Now”  All the Clubs in Germany required Bands to play for 9 hours – 45 minutes onstage and then 15 minutes off [Break] not for the faint hearted!. However we did mature, the Band got a lot tighter, the Show was slicker and looking back, it was a great experience to be very useful for me, later in my personal music career.

Immediately on my return from Germany, Harry Filmer asked me if I would consider joining “Spring” formally known as “Gumm” who at that time where a well established Pop Band with a great repertoire and previously had a record deal with Decca. The existing Bass Player, Paul Menown was leaving and I really needed the work. So I gladly went along to a rehearsal/meeting and I was very impressed with their sound, professional approach and an impressive line-up. Norman Keenan {Vocals] Harry Filmer {Guitar] Raymond Donnan {Keyboards & Sax] Billy Bell {Drums} and Sammy Waddell [RIP.] {Sax}. The Band where managed by Damien McIlroy, who was at that time the guitarist with the “Freshmen” so the opportunities looked very promising.  Following the meeting I was offered the position and naturally I accepted. Their stage presence was great and material was a real challenge “Blood Sweat & Tears” “Ides of March” “The Stones” etc: and the audience reception was terrific. So I soon settled in and it felt great playing the big Belfast and Dublin Venues in a very good Band. It was a really exciting time for me, without the pressure of taking lead vocal, it gave me the opportunity to develop my Bass style, increase my vocal range and work on balanced harmonies.

"To Be Or Not To Be ?"

"Quote" - A semi-professional Musician is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom Music is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the musician not fully professional”. So with all Semi-professional musicians, it’s always a very fine balance of doing what you really enjoy and at the same time managing to pay the bills. Holding down a day job, rehearsing and working nights with a Band isn’t easy. I still have vivid memories of racing home from work - getting changed - grabbing something to eat - jumping into the Transit Van and travelling to Dublin. Then unpacking the Van - setting up the gear - playing for 3 hours - stripping down the equipment - packing the Van and driving home.   On several mid-week gigs it was simply a case of “Falling out of the Van at the Factory Gates”. It’s difficult to explain why you do it and virtually impossible to share the memories with someone who has never done it. Most certainly, it isn’t for the money!.

I firmly believe that most musicians really struggle to make the jump from "Semi-Professional" to the Professional level, mostly due to the lack money and support - not the lack of talent. During the Sixties and early Seventies it was never considered by the Parents or the Establishment as being a "Real Job". It was always seen as something that you would grow out of. A hobby or a past time but never considered as a real career and sometimes frowned upon by so many others. For many years, like most other local Musicians I lead a double-life, holding down a full time day job and gigging as much as possible. Sadly the life style didn’t always work for everyone and perhaps that partly explains why there have been so many line-up changes in many of the local Groups/Bands over the years.   

At Long Last....Artists - Musicians are now taking charge of their own careers. There is still good music being created, you just won't hear it so often on the radio anymore. Unless of course, they are still managed by a board of Directors. 

"Groups & Bands that I've played in"

1066BZ - System - Virtue - Tapestry II - Spring - Cosmo - Splinter - Waveband - City Sound - Fresh - Fresh Boogie Band Berlin - The Dusty Hagan Band - Variety - Flip The Lid - Freestyle - FX - Sunshine - Tours De Force - Groucho. 

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