A shout out to an old, passed friend.

OilCityPickups

I'm long passed the point when I'm coy about the influences on my music or the true friends I owe so much to along the way. 
I look back at the people who changed my journey ... and the biggest 'name' is Smilin Pete Hogman. 
Who the fuck is he you may ask ... well I didn't know who the fuck he was when I met him ... but a man who was a side man of choice for Charlie Watts on solo projects and no less than Chuck Berry has to be a bit special. A man who was given a blues harmonica by Little Walter, and had his acoustic signed with a rusty nail by Howlin Wolf. 
Pete was the real deal ... he introduced me to (and got me playing with) Dick Taylor, founder member of the Rolling Stones and guitarist of the pretty things ... and allowed me to be part of supporting both The Blues Band and Dr Feelgood, which lead to many other good things in my own personal journey. 

Pete was the harmonica behind Millie's My Boy Lollipop ... but far more than that he was a blues legend in the UK and I was privileged to play with him. I mean ... he hated both Punk and Metal ... which I had my normal gigging bands for ... and ignored that enough in me to see  my potential to play in his brand of jump blues. He was opinionated, bloody minded and wonderful. 

Pete wasn't a superstar ... he was just one of thousands of hard working pros who made the 60s and 70s amazing ... he was a grumpy old sod ... a stunning slide player ... a great mate, and part of what music is all about. 

Miss you dude
(Pete is centre back row) of the 60s band Jimmy Powell & the Five Dimensions - Rod Stewart replaced him when he left. 
 


I was reminded by a mutual friend on here about him ... so remembering you pal. 

bobacco

Sounds like a great bloke - love hearing about people who enrich the lives of those around them. Thanks for the story!

OilCityPickups

bobacco said:

Sounds like a great bloke - love hearing about people who enrich the lives of those around them. Thanks for the story!

He used to say to me ... 'you pay it back and you pay it forward'. He was well known for taking total unknowns like me and allowing us to play at least 'with' if not 'in' the big league. But likewise he liked the idea that we'd do similar in our turn. 

paulnb57

A most modest man, with huge character and massive talent, I feel, privileged to known him as a friend and colleague, we both worked in Parkhurst Prison in the late 80’s early 90’s, him as an Instructor in a craft workshop and me as a Parison Officer both working in a Special Unit for the worst of the worst. His talent and humour got through to many a nasty bastard…

His Guitar/Slide and Blues Harp playing were always just right for each number played, he never showed off or was gratuitous, his wife Jilly sharing vocals…..sadly long gone, a great loss to the local IOW Blues scene

JCA2550

Wow, I saw him perform at the Black Bull Folk Club in Whetstone in the late 70s (where I was an underage regular, cough!). I didn't  have a clue who he was, but was completely captivated all evening by 2 sets of brilliant singing, harmonica, guitar and slide guitar playing all the while self-accompanied with a small bass drum and hi hat. It was the most amazing "one man band" I have ever seen. 

paulnb57

JCA2550 said:

Wow, I saw him perform at the Black Bull Folk Club in Whetstone in the late 70s (where I was an underage regular, cough!). I didn't  have a clue who he was, but was completely captivated all evening by 2 sets of brilliant singing, harmonica, guitar and slide guitar playing all the while self-accompanied with a small bass drum and hi hat. It was the most amazing "one man band" I have ever seen. 

I had forgotten his one man band talent…..

We used to have an old acoustic guitar in the craft workshop where we worked, he used to play amazing slide using the side a pair of scissors as the slide

RichAC

That’s a lovely post @OilCityPickups / thanks for sharing your memories. 

Also, what a great photo of him in action.

thebreeze

It’s really interesting to hear about Pete and I’m sorry you’ve lost your friend OilCity.  Also interesting to hear some snippets about your musical journey and influences too.  Thanks for posting - a refreshing change from prices, string changes, relics etc.

NelsonP

OilCityPickups said:

bobacco said:

Sounds like a great bloke - love hearing about people who enrich the lives of those around them. Thanks for the story!

He used to say to me ... 'you pay it back and you pay it forward'. He was well known for taking total unknowns like me and allowing us to play at least 'with' if not 'in' the big league. But likewise he liked the idea that we'd do similar in our turn. 

That's awesome advice. Top chap!

Neil

Sounds like a really great bloke.

guitars4you

Thanks for sharing a few special moments - I dare say such few words can never do justice to the life he led, the memories he created and left behind, but thanks for sharing your thoughts - He sounded like a cool dude - RIP Pete

p90fool

I never met Pete, but know the name well as I was lucky enough to play with Alexis Korner when I was a teenager and he really rated him. 

Electric blues was a small scene in this country pre-SRV and everyone knew everyone else. 

OilCityPickups

p90fool said:

I never met Pete, but know the name well as I was lucky enough to play with Alexis Korner when I was a teenager and he really rated him. 

Electric blues was a small scene in this country pre-SRV and everyone knew everyone else. 

Pete's 'contacts book' was something to behold ... he regularly jammed with Charlie Watts and in fact appeared as a guest on one of Charlie's solo outings. Paul Jones was another mate of his, and through Pete I met Mick Green. It was indeed a small scene!
And so completely different to the JoBo style, widdly widdly blooze-rock scene. 
As Pete would have said 'smile yer arse off and play 9ths - and try never to play turnarounds son ,... and you'll be alright.'   

Offset

p90fool said:

I was lucky enough to play with Alexis Korner when I was a teenager and he really rated him. 

Not only am I suitably impressed, I'm also extremely jealous.  What a fantastic memory that must be.

pumkin

OilCityPickups said:

And so completely different to the JoBo style, widdly widdly blooze-rock scene. 
As Pete would have said 'smile yer arse off and play 9ths - and try never to play turnarounds son ,... and you'll be alright.'   

Thanks for sharing your memories… 

Had similar experience with a guy I did my Rocknroll apprenticeship with ….. His name was Ray Neale and had played with Lord Sutch etc … and been part of the South London Rock a Billy scene…. He was the real deal.. 

We went out as a duo and I just played rhythm … if i ever asked at the beginning of a number ‘what keys this in ?’ … He’d just shout ‘Watch my leg !’ and proceed to stamp out the beat ! 

SlopeSoarer

It's great to have those sorts of connections and memories, thanks for sharing Ash.

p90fool

Offset said:

p90fool said:

I was lucky enough to play with Alexis Korner when I was a teenager and he really rated him. 

Not only am I suitably impressed, I'm also extremely jealous.  What a fantastic memory that must be.

It was pretty exciting, as I was only introduced to him because I was obsessed with and pretty knowledgeable about Chicago blues, which a rare thing for young players then. 

Being on the same stage was a joy, he was such a lovely, generous spirit.

Lawriejones1

Wonderful stories 

imalrightjack

Love it. Such good memories. 

A former colleague has just died. He photographed Hendrix in the 60s, promoted gigs and roadied back in the day. Certainly lived more a rock and roll lifestyle than I ever have or will. 

NelsonP

The paying it forward thing reminded me of this thread, which was basically started by @andy1839 ;;
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/206073/paying-it-forward

A valuable lesson for all of us. Your mate sounds like a legend @OilCityPickups ;;

OilCityPickups

imalrightjack said:

Love it. Such good memories. 

A former colleague has just died. He photographed Hendrix in the 60s, promoted gigs and roadied back in the day. Certainly lived more a rock and roll lifestyle than I ever have or will. 

Sorry for your loss...
speaking of Hendrix ...
The Isle of Wight was a very special place in the 70s: there had just been the great Pop Festivals, culminating in the 1970 one where Hendrix plaid ... and where the 11 year old me was smuggled into by my hippie older female cousins who were supposed to be looking after me ... anyway that's another story.

The whole place was jam packed with holiday makers in the summer season ... I mean totally rammed ... and it seemed that live music came from every hotel and pub. If you formed a band there were no shortages of places to play. Many like me wanted to be rock musicians, but we cut our teeth playing 'granny music' like the St Bernard's Waltz and the Gay Gordons in hotels and Holiday Camps (where you really did end the evening by playing 'Goodnight Campers'.
I learned to read music because you'd get 'the dots' thrown in front of you ... and you just had to play. 
However on my off nights I had first a little rock covers band ... that turned into a punk band as the seventies wore on, then into a NWOBM band. 

The Isle of wight posed many unusual problems for musos ... firstly you worked from the first SAGA grannies arriving in late April, till late September ... then there was practically no work at all till the next April. This lead to the saying Middle of the road Summer Rock and Roll Winter' ... on the Rock and Roll being slang for dole!
 Of course you could buy an ex post office J4 van like my band at the time did - and do 'mainland gigs' but chances were that the ferries would stop running before you could get back ... and you'd have to spend a cold night in the van at the Limington car ferry terminal. Did that many times.

And the Hendrix connection? I saw him when I was 11 in the early hours of a Monday, morning, taken there with my cousins and their boyfriends because they couldn't leave me at home alone (they were supposed to be babysitting me).

I instantly wanted a life immersed in guitar :-)