I heard yesterday that a musician I used to play (and drink!) with has died.
Ben was the drummer with Legend, a band based in Frome, Somerset some thirty years ago. The band also included Martin “Gil” Gillian (keys), Ken Lush (bass), Bob Cullen (lead vocals/ gtr) and Howard (gtr).
I joined temporally when Howard disappeared abroad in his East German car with a woman and they were stuck with no lead guitar player.
Ben and his then partner Mandy used to put me up when I went down to play and a lasting friendship developed. It was Ben who introduced me to the joys of cider in pubs like the First & Last and the Globe in Frome.
He also played in the occasional band led by Bob Hawkes called Albert Tatlock Experience. I had the strange pleasure of gigging with them many times! Ben’s strong sense of humour suited their jammed and ad-libbed approach very well as did his rock solid drumming.
Last time I saw Ben was about 1990. He was gigging in a duo but playing guitar and singing!
He was a fine drummer, a fab drinking mate and all round geezer and although I haven’t seen him for a long while feel the loss.
Let’s lift a glass of cider to him!