Introduction.....Ahem.....I'm Smudge just turned 41 brown eyes star sign Pyrex (I was a test tube baby!). I'm originally from sunny Wandsworth in Lahndan (pronounced Wondsworff). Married to second wife and saviour Natalie and we have a 4 year old girl called Lily who loves dancing to Cheap Trick.
I've been a copper since 1996 and currently perform a role that is not a suitable discussion subject for this medium. Meet me and ask me and i'll tell you stuff that will shock you.
First heard about FM summer of '87. I was on a cultural break sampling the delights of the Balearics in Majorca for people aged between 18-30 when I was
asked to enter a historical competition based on the legend of Tarzan. My Jane was a fresh faced London girl called Lisa (I think). After she plied me
with the local concoction which I believe was called Sangria she told me she was employed by FM. We shared a love of all things rock and she allowed me
to listen to her walkman (No ipods back then) and sample some FM. We met back in blighty and let her down gently. (I did'nt call her back....Yes i'm
a cad and bounder...but we've all done it!).
Fast forward to 1997 Steve Church walks into my life (and he won't effing leave). I can honestly say we have laughed together cried together and literally fought side by side and back to back together. Steve and I hit it off and remain great friends. He was in Tobruk and I was in the audience.
Fast forward 2005 bit of an enforced absence from the job. Meet me and ask etc... Steve lands a job with Oasis thanks to Jem (they go way back). They need another to help drive the crew around Britain. I'm on
board. While I don't particularly like Oasis it was fascinating to observe the machine in operation.
2007. Steve asks would I like to help out FM for a
gig in Nottingham. Not Firefest surely. We'd been the year before and both remarked what a crack it would be to work on it. Off to Papa Joes in sunny Southall and my own private gig by FM. Why did'nt I follow up the interest from 20 years previously. I felt a complete fool for missing this superb band. What a nice bunch of blokes too....I did scare the shit out of 'em by turning up in uniform once.
Firefest 4 came and my over riding memory of that day was trying to avoid the drummer from one of the bands who kept pinching my bum and inviting me back to his room! And helping Kieran on two small matters of the law. What a set though and i'm so glad it's on DVD.....
Since that day i've been lucky enough to assist the band on two visits to Winstanley College and several rehearsals/writing sessions. I've seen the writing process and heard rough finished product. All I can say is you guys are in for an absolute treat.
I've also been lucky enough to help out Romeo's Daughter which was an absolute dream. Did'nt they do well??
Firefest 6 arrives and FM tear the place
apart again....Gotta say big thanx to Stiv, Merv, Pete, Jem n Jim for involving me. Big huge thanx to my best mate and the man with the biggest feet i've ever seen (mutant) Steve Church for getting me involved. See you all in February and don't forget to introduce yourself.....Smudge. [8-)]
P.S Jim K please remind Tracy from your local that she has offered me free food!!
Bo you definitely got it wrong! I can't vouch for Rachel and Toni in the bad-ass stakes (I think of them as delightfully charming ladies), but I know for certain that I am a practising MOH who only gets worse as the years go by!
Smudge, great story. Fab to make your acquaintance at Firefest, hope to be able to hear more another time!
"Welcome" doesnt seem the right term for some who is entrenched in the bands affairs. So Hi ! Merv told me your real occupation at The Slaves gig (and Warrens which was also a surprising).
I'm Paul, and I'm 36 from Basingstoke in Hampshire. I first saw FM support Status Quo in 1991 in Bournemouth, and was hooked from that day on.
I went out the next day and bought all the FM stuff I could find - but sadly never got to see them live again for one reason or another.
The Status Quo obsession has continued, having just returned from seeing them a couple of times on this year's winter tour with one more gig to go... but I was over the moon to see FM reforming and bought the Back In The Saddle DVD on the day of release - it was awesome!
Looking forward to Metropolis, love Wildside, and am looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the Roadhouse in Feb - tickets have been purchased, hotel room booked - all that remains is for me to beg my boss for the following Monday off work..! [:-?]
