Now there was a new development in The Dave Howes Band House this week. We got a letter from a reader! Sparky from Brixton writes: “Hello boys, I’ve been reading your adventures and have a question. Your drummer, Ian “Sticks” Flashman, is he by any chance related to the late and legendary Stan “I can get you tickets for anything” Flashman?”
Well Sparky, thanks for your question. Allow me to relate this little tale which I think will serve as an answer.
The second rule of Rock and Roll is: never volunteer… for anything… ever.
Sticks was going through a “wanting to do more than being just a drummer” phase. He volunteered to get us a gig, organise the arrangements for said gig, sort out flyers and make sandwiches. So we had a band meeting, and all agreed that it couldn’t hurt to let him have a go.
It was to be after the Easter Bank Holiday weekend which complicated things rather as we were all away from the house visiting family, and would have to be organised to be at the same place, same time, for the gig.
Easter Sunday, and the phone calls began. Sticks told Fingers that the gig was at the Barry McGuiggan’s Arms in Penge on the evening of the following Tuesday. He told Howesey that it was at The Frog and Lilliputian in Penge on Wednesday. He told Bassman that it would be at Uncle Tom’s Cobblian Hall on the Thursday. He printed 500 flyers, 150 posters and paid for advertising on Penge FM, and he told them that the gig was on the Friday in The Flying Trousers in Penge. He was, apparently, a little confused under all the pressure and had consumed a large amount of easter egg and gin.
As you can probably guess, the whole thing was doomed from the start and a complete embarrassment. We may never be able to show our faces in Penge again, not that they’ve ever actually seen us but that’s not the point.
But it was our fault for ignoring the first rule of Rock and Roll: Never, whatever you do, give the drummer more responsibility than looking after his kit and playing it.
But there you go Sparky, Sticks is in no way related to Stan. He couldn’t even organise tickets for a gig he was supposed to be playing at.
Back soon,
Love and hugs, TDHB
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4 comments:
He told me it was at the Cheese and Foreskin pub (Penge) on Easter Monday.
I turned up and there was no-one there.
I was furious!
I'm not surprised. What can I say but we're sorry and you can have your banjo back.
Ugh - Combat 18?
oops - that was the other post wasn't it - oh well - nevermind.
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