A man, a horse and a gnu? Not at all really. Fravellist is a word created randomly on a typewriter in 1986; the original intention was to write
‘frivolity’ but something else came out and stuck as an original word. The Fravellist became the subject of a poem and involved, “The man with bacon eyes, the man with the pork disguiseâ€, and seemed to make a strong impression on those that read it. 'Bacon Eyes' was actually an old geezer in the mid-80's who took money-for-balls in a Tyneside snooker hall, but that's another story of suited-and-booted teenagers' pre-club antics, later reflected in the surprise production of cue chalk in unlikely scenarios.
So, what of me? I play drums, guitars and keyboards and write/play music for recording/touring bands past and present. 'Tis worrying sometimes when I think of all the days spent crammed into vans for hours on end, day-after-day, often in early European winter time. Long stretches of asphalt punctuated by service stops of varying national characteristics; I'm convinced the German government employs mullet-haired guys to sit in each service stop munching on frankfurters and mustard... they seem like 'living furniture'. An upside of the 'asphalt-watching' was the opportunity to partially damage the hearing of the paying public in over 20 countries, many places which I'd not really given much thought until I arrived there. I suppose my travel-bug was spawned in those days.
I’ve been involved with many a huge pyrotechnic show in the UK, so sudden, loud misplaced bangs don’t bother me too much anymore, though I nearly got blown-up during a famous, Scottish golf tournament and subsequently rearranged an 'area of scientific interest' in the chaos.
I get paid for meddling about with computers and making things up as I go along, and also point cameras at things in foreign climes when possible.
