About Me
Does anybody really want to read all this? I doubt it. Well needs must as they say. Here I am, old f... 50 something ex-bass player, rock muzo that survived the 60's-70's and just about made it into the 80's. Yeah, did all that, sex, drugs, rock n' roll and survived............. Born a Londoner, from a middle class family, say no more. BTW, I am not dead, Wayne Manor (aka Del C) lives, it was just a "slight" mistake on the Hollywood Brats site, probably mistaken identity!Muzak (note spelling) started when I heard my big bruvver (spelling again) playing Shadows records, Apache and Man of Mystery! Anyway, I got hooked, next thing, I needed a guitar. the rest would come later…………. I persisted in pestering Mum and Dad long enough, they eventually gave in and I got a guitar, an acoustic six string, paid for with my own hard earned milk-round cash in easy weekly repayments (thanks to Mr Blank of Kilburn). Learning to play was not so easy, I bought a teach yourself book and listened to various records trying to copy what I heard (we have all done it,right?). I also had a few lessons with a man called Geoff Sisley but had to stop as I could not afford the cost. Later on I met up with other aspiring musicians at school and we regularly met up, swapping ideas, chords and riffs. At that time just about every street in London had at least one pop star wannabe, influenced by The Beatles, Stones, Yardbirds, Animals, The Who and American Soul music. I also got into Blues music, a rare thing, it was almost unheard of and many people thought that I was weird listening to John Mayall, Muddy Waters and BB King. When Cream and Hendrix emerged I knew I wanted a piece of the action.My secondary school spawned a number of rock musicians, the most notable being Paul Kossoff, lead guitarist of Free. Paul or ‘Kossy’ as he was known was in my class and we used to jam with one of the teachers that played saxophone. Somewhere along the way, I was persuaded to take up bass, probably something to do with the fact that I was not cut out to be a lead guitarist! Anyway,Paul K and I did a few gigs too, before he moved on to greater things. I kept in touch with Kossy in later years, we often travelled on the same Tube train in the mornings. He worked at Selmers on Charing Cross Rd. I recall his first blues band, Black Cat Bones. A great bloke!MEMORIES: Playing the Railway Hotel Wealdstone (The Who's stomping ground), Klooks Keek, John Mayall and a brilliant guitarist called Eric C. Hendrix' first gigs in London, all night concerts, Friday nights at the Lyceum. The Speakeasy, mingling with wannabes, hangers-on, groupies and names from the music business. Gigs with BULLDOZER, starving, freezing in the back of a transit van. Playing the Cavern Club, The Marquee Club and Cafe Des Artistes (Cafe Disaster). Supporting Supertramp at Ealing Tech and blowing The Pink Fairies off stage at Cambridge! A recording session at Escape Studios, Jeff Beck walks in, a jam session follows and Doug is left awe-struck! Sleeping on a cold damp floor somewhere in Nottingham, running for our lives in Liverpool. I recall Freddie Mercury selling footwear for Alan Mair in Kensington Market and hanging out with Mott, Edgar Broughton, Mud, Babe Ruth and the ultimate party animal, Keith Moon (RIP)BTW the asparagus tips were superb!David Bowie supporting Edgar Broughton at The Dome in Brighton (yes that happened). Joining The Hollywood Brats, the United Nations of Glam, later hailed as the Godfathers of Punk!?? Meeting our manager Wilf Pine (One of the Family) and the showcase at The Penthouse Club. The Brat Pad on Fordhook Rd., Ealing, wild parties inter-dispersed with no rules football on Ealing Common!Last but not least, selling our furniture to Mrs Townshend, mother of none other than Pete Townshend (claim to fame I think not?). Lots more, read my memoirs.............
