My Mum used to say "Youth is wasted on the young". I never really understood what she meant. In 2022 I turned 60 years old. It never occurred to me that I'd live that long. It was a strange period of my life. The country was emerging from lockdown. The band had gone through a massive change. In January 2021, our drummer Graham's son had taken his own life. The country was in lockdown. Our singer was not prepared to rehearse, for reasons related to the pandemic. I knew it was vital to get Graham out and playing. The band had a set full of songs written for our former singer, which were not in a range or style that suited me. But needs must. We started rehearsing as a three piece with me singing. I started frantically writing new songs, that I could perform properly. The last thing on my mind was gigging and recording. It was just about playing together as a band and supporting Graham.
The songs came together pretty well and in December 2021, we released a video of Sunday in the 70's, one of the new numbers. I managed to get some footage of a commercial I appeared in, back in 1968. I spliced it in, which got some interest.
It got a great reception and gave us some encouragement. By June 2022, a couple of months before my 60th, we had a set that we felt we could play publicly, without embarrassing ourselves. We did a short set at the Mill Hill Music Festival, premiereing the new set. It was really well received. I booked a party at the Bohemia in Finchley, for my 60th in August. The band played and again we got a great reception. It hadn't really occurred to me that we'd get such a good response to the new set. A couple of weeks later, Tony from The Dublin Castle got in touch. He'd had a blow out from some bands he'd booked. Did I know anyone who might want to do a Wednesday night gig in September. I said Yes, Me!". I hurriedly hacked a video together for The Burnt Oak Boogie, to help us promote the gig.
I expected ten people to come. It was really well attended. The video went viral and got 5,000 views. Tony asked us to do another gig. More gigs at the Dublin Castle and other London venues followed. We went to Portugal and recorded an album "A finger in the Sun" with Boz Boorer. It was a real blast.
In September 2023, I asked Tom Hammond, who I knew from Hadley FC to add some trumpet to a few tracks. He came down and the whole thing just really came together and went up a notch. More gigs followed. This year, the highlight, so far, has been playing the London International Ska Festival at the 100 club. I turn 64 this year. I am having more fun playing now than I ever have. Age has mellowed me. Our band is a complete blast to play in. We have built up a bit of a following and people are asking us to play.
When we first started rehearsing again in 2022, I had no idea that it would lead to any of this. When I was a teenager and the band really were working hard to make it, I never particularly had fun. I was far too serious. I am still serious about our music, but it is a blast. The only problem is that after I play, I am completely zonked, as I put everything into the shows. Mum was right! "Youth really is wasted on the young". It seems that life really does begin at 60. I always thought that the story of how The False Dots got together leading up to our first gig would make a great film. I am starting to think that the Phoenix like rise of us since Covid would make an even better one.
While you can still boogie, never give up!
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