The Beginning 1970’s.
An article by Olly, in his words:
Where did it all begin? I can’t claim to come from a huge musical family and I guess it’s more “heritage” on the lady side of the divide! I lived with my grandparents for a short time in Tunbridge Wells, Kent (my birth place) and my nanny Gilbert had an old upright piano in the front room with ivory keys and an iron music stand, where my mum used to sing along with the old war favourites and tunes like “Dream of Alwyn”. Sound familiar? Both my dad and grandad weren’t massively interested in music as such and mostly followed the 50’s & 60’s pop bands, so it was left to me to represent the male side on an instrument!
Early Influences.
In the mid 70’s watching Top of the Pops (Old Grey Whistle Test ,way past bed time!) was my only access to “live” music, other than Christmas pantomimes and that was where I first watched bands such as the Rubettes, Racey, Slik , T Rex, The Osmonds, Bay City Rollers and other pop/rock bands! It was seeing Showaddywaddy and the Glitter Band (apols!) with their twin drummer set ups that awakened the budding drummer inside me. It looked cool (in my eyes) and so coordinated with the thumping drums of “Rock n roll” and the timpani of “Under the moon of love” I immediately had to imitate this sound – I didn’t know what a groove was – with the nearest equipment I could find and yes, you’ve guessed pots, pans and wooden spoons! To say it was a racket is an understatement and I was banished to the back steps to continue playing (or rehearsing as I thought!) on my own. But it was the start of my musical journey.
Proper Music!
1975 we moved to Bracknell, Berkshire and my proper musical influences started to kick in listening to real drummers (rather than miming) like Dr Feelgood (The Big Figure), Yes (Alan White), Santana (Michael Shrieve) and even (don’t LOL!) Stevie Wonder. I was starting to drive my mum mad pestering he for a kit and then in 1977 – it took a while!- my first kit arrived…. A Premier Olympic four drum cream kit with three bashed in cymbals that looked like dustbin lids!
