YOU’RE A BRIGHTON BOY AREN’T YOU?

Well here we go, Brighton in '48, Mum had six miscarriages, myself given 48 hours to live, pulled through by Caesarian and Mother's belief. Dad, a drummer, racing car driver at Brand's Hatch and one for the ladies, but a gambler as well re-appeared when I was seven and managed to lose all of the money by the time I was twelve.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN MUSIC, WAS IT ALWAYS THE DRUMS FOR YOU? ?

I was sent to a crap catholic school, beaten every day while my parents went without holidays to keep me there. I was expelled twice, but in the lunch hour, as I lived close by the drums got an almighty bashing as I let out my fury in the bathroom.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR TIME WITH FOX?

Started playing with bands when I was fifteen, all the guys were a few years older, so their taste was mature, they turned me on to MILES, JOHN COLTRANE, ROLAND KIRK, etc, but I was never a jazz nut, prefering R'n B, OTIS, MARVIN, SAM COOKE, SUGAR PIE DE SANTO. HOWLING WOLF scared the shit outa' me. Brighton was an amazing place in the early 60's, all the bands came to play, THE WHO every weekend for one and six, DAVID BOWIE, SMALL FACES, and London being only an hour away, access to the Flamingo all-nighters, GEORGIE FAME and all the visiting black artists who played there. We had our own great clubs and bands, THE STARLITE ROOMS, THE AQUARIUM. THE FOX were a great band that the SMALL FACES said should have been huge, bad management, ripped off, the usual crap. In those days, a three month tour of the American Bases in Germany was riguere for young musos cutting their teeth on black music, had some scary adventures there, playing the day that MARTIN LUTHER KING got shot was memorable!

YOU ALSO PLAYED WITH OCTOPUS DIDN’T YOU?

Fixed up my own tour of Sweden with band, all those things were possible in those days. After removing myself to the country to get it together, only to find the opposite, decamped to of all places - Hatfield in Hertfordshire to join OCTOPUS, they were impressed that I had passed an audition with YES, only for drummer BILL BRUFORD to change his mind and return to the group. OCTOPUS did some very strange gigs in working mens clubs, it was, as a soft middle-class boy from the south a new and not particularly tasty experience. That is where I first met JOHN COOK and NIGEL GRIGGS.

EVEN T. REX AND THE FINN BROTHERS, TIM AND NEIL?

T.REX was another band that I had auditioned with, but taking an almost instant dislike to the flash git, MARC 'BOLLOCKS' did not bode well for my future. The FINNS came further down the road owing to my continued friendship with NIGEL GRIGGS who had joined them after spending three crazy incredible years in Paris with me and an amazingly good band called ILL BIARRITZ (which included, musos who went on to work with KATE BUSH, 'THE POUGHES',sic, IAN DRURY, SPLIT ENZ, did gigs in the legendary Olympia in Paris, etc.)

YOU BECAME THE FIRST (PERMANENT) DRUMMER WITH MUNGO JERRY, HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?

My audition for MUNGO was held in some school I seem to remember, I took along both my keyboard friends, JON POPE and JOHN COOK. Mr Pope got the call first, a funk player more than John being a rock'n roller. We set off for exotic places such as Hungary, Brazil, etc and had a ball checking out the incredible music and musicians in Rio and San Paulo for example.

CAN YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST MUNGO GIG?

My first gig was at a Uni' in middle England - went well, but the third at Goldsmith College in London was a shambles, could not hear anything, rowdy angry crowd including some angry squaddies from the Army who did not take kindly to Ray's song, 'YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THE ARMY TO FIGHT IN THE WAR'. I had some old friends come to the gig, and I remember being really down about the show afterwards - so much for Tim's new found fame!

YOU’RE DEBUT RECORDING-WISE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE EXCELLENT ‘BOOT POWER’ ALBUM, WERE YOU PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME, ANY FAV TRACKS AND DO YOU STILL PLAY IT?

'BOOT POWER' was a nice album, 'MY GIRL & ME', I liked JON POPE's organ on that - if you get my drift - and I would play it if I could get a copy! Thinking of the cover art, I remember the first time I held the album in my hand was driving into Rio, passing feavalors on either side of the road. That was a great trip, playing live to 250 million on T.V, Tim managed to break one of his drumsticks and having no spares, dashed backstage and grabbed from the hand of a waiting percussionist, his pair of sticks!

YOU LEFT THE BAND AND THEN RE-APPEARED DURING 1973?

I left the band in '72 before Christmas,'cos I had fallen in love/lust with a Finnish girl living in Stockholm. The way the management treated the rest of the band was a joke, so I just decided not to return, having hated English Christmas's since birth, in Sweden it was like a fantasy! I was living in Muswell Hill with said girlfriend about a year later when I had a phone call informing me that the drummer had broken his ankle. MUNGO called again urgently needing a drummer for a Scandinavian tour...took me the time it takes to blink and I was back, now with JOHN COOK on keys and was introduced to Bob (DAISLEY) who I took to on first sight. The tour was heaps of fun, the boys took advantage of every chance for a 'lerf and flunder'. It would be fair to say that Tim and Bob went through a lot and shared many a story, we were 23 or so, cute and confident and very cocky (pun intended)! I, at that time in the '70's was very much into the KEITH MOON 'school of demolition' and firmly believed that it was the drummer's duty to play up and be insane. I have always drunk to be drunk, and my consumption - one bottle before, one during, and a few more Blue Nun Whites after, inflamed a massive energy.

WHAT DO YOU RECALL OF THE 1973 TOUR OF IRELAND, I BELIEVE IT WAS A ‘BIT’ WILD?

Ireland was indeed crazy! Even PHIL LYNOTT, who I shared a piss with at the Speakeasy was impressed with the various shenanigans. What can I say now, as a 60 year old sober man about those times? Well apart from a few times when others got hurt...I would not change a damm thing! Having the time of your life, if only I had realised that the music, and the drums were more important than the shaggin' an' crashin'!

SO YOU WERE CUTE WERE YOU?

Well that brings up my 'oppo BOB DAISLEY nicely. Yeah, a dude, a great laugh, and funky as hell. We both were fans of THE METERS, WILLI WEEKS, LARRY GRAHAM, black funk!

BOB TOLD ME THAT HE WASN’T ENTIRELY HAPPY WITH THE TYPE OF MUSIC MUNGO PLAYED, A BIT TOO POPPY FOR HIS LIKING. WAS IT THE SAME FOR YOU?

I can dig what he says about the MUNGO music not being his bag. I have always enjoyed rockin' and bashin' away, whereas he was more, at that time, more laid back.

HAVE YOU SEEN THE FOOTAGE OF THE RAGNAROCK FESTIVAL IN NORWAY IN ’73? IT’S FABULOUS FOOTAGE AND BROUGHT HOME TO ME THAT MUNGO JERRY WERE NOT PERHAPS THE NICE, POPPY OUTFIT SOME WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE?

Ragnarock'73, what a blast that was to get it in the post, I did not even remember it being filmed, but remembered the gig as I have a favourite photo of me at the gig. I also remember thinking that I was going up to the most beautiful girl I could see, and talk to her! I did, and this wonderful creature took me to her house and played me all her favourite records, introduced me to the midnight sun, sang me 'NORWEGIAN WOOD' and played 'HAVE YOU SEEN THE STARS TONIGHT' by JEFFERSON AIRPLANE...and there was only a kiss on the cheek and a hug, and I was gone, back on the road by early morning. Ah, so much cooler than havin' ya hairy arse pumpin'up and down all drunken night with a fat slapper - not that I ever did you understand! My playing is somewhat laid back on the tape, I think that Ragnarock was my second gig with Bob, also I had not had a chance to DRINK! Would love (I think) to see some alcohol action with MUNGO, like the time I climbed up some iron sculpture and nearly brought the whole wall down (during the gig) in Ireland. Then we all played each others instruments, me on piano, Ray on drums, etc. Outrage, insane, but my God it was fun! So, after me taking things too far, returned to my Finnish partner and we set up a stall in Kensington Market selling her great, way ahead of their time, designer gear.

WHAT DID YOU DO AFTER THAT?

JON POPE bless him, put my name forward for the PAUL McCARTNEY's WINGS auditions. Sixty-eight or so names were on the list of drummers to play with a session band at I think the Wyndam Theatre over 2 days. On the list, MITCH MITCHELL, AINSLEY DUNBAR, ROB TOWNSEND, the guy from JETHRO TULL, etc, etc - some of my favourite players. I met MACCA the first time coming down the stairs of the Gents toilet, he held out his hand and said, "Welcome Timmy, I hope you enjoy it", or something. He wanting a slash and to recover, sorry me wanting a slash, I went upstairs to the use the Gents to be greeted, nay, overwhelmed by the mixture of last nights vindaloo, an' Gandja...wow! Finding that I was second on, I could see the first guy go through his paces. They started with a Bossanova, then a rock blues, and jazz tunes, obviously testing the drummers versatility and feel for different styles. Having not even picked up the sticks for over 18 months, I was understandably nervous. Got me through, and knowing MACCA's love of the tom-toms, did OK. In the front stalls, Linda videoed, Paul watched with DENNY LAINE. I know they clapped, but that can mean anything! Two days later, MACCA's main man from the office phones saying that Paul has short-listed three, and I am one! Far out! At the deserted Irish ballroom in Kentish Town, the whole WINGS back line was set up, Paul's Rickenbacker, damm...I was dreaming of the Hoffner, a Gretch kit, Fender all over, the back door opens and down comes MR.McCARTNEY, hands in the air with another, "Hello Timmy, sorry to keep you waiting". Next is Linda, who kind of glows, "where ya livin'now", she kindly enquires, asking like an old friend? JIMMY McCULLOCH is behind relector shades, but the aviators can't hide the fresh bruises on both cheeks, or the cut forehead. Sweet Denny gives me a hug, as Paul settles behind the drums for a jam on a fast blues. Soon as I sit down and he picks up the bass, it's straight into 'ALRIGHT ALRIGHT ALRIGHT'...MUNGO JERRY!!! Ha, ha...he throughs me a grin, as the great bass player thunders through Bob's line. Yeah! It's beyond cosmic! When, at the age of fourteen playing along to the 'AIR-BEATLES' in the bathroom, imagining I was RINGO, while JOHN, PAUL and GEORGE went through whatever was shaking the music world that week, to looking to my left and their he was! If only I had been playing over those 18 months, if only, blah, blah, blah! We had fun, we did JUNIOR'S FARM - 5 TIMES! It went on a very generous 3 hours, I was not gig fit, the whole MACCA crew were great , what can I say? I had my camera and did not use it, Paul cadged my Rothmans all the way through.

SO CLOSE YET SO FAR, I WOULD HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED, HOW DID YOU PICK YOURSELF UP?

The ever resourceful JON POPE put me in contact with WALLY WALLER (THE PRETTY THINGS) about this band being put together in Biaritz, Southern France for this playboy who really wants to be a singer in a rock'n roll band, all expenses paid, return ticket first class, wage, but French playboy? I could spend the next week raging on about the high time the next 3 years was, living the life of the super-rich, as Philippe became a soul brother on the trip of my lifetime. The band was incredibly good, so was the smack, (we had THE STONES dealer), seven folks connected to the band 'carked it' (died). Once in a lifetime and I was very lucky to get out alive.

SO WAS IT THEN BACK TO BLIGHTY?

So down to earth in Brighton'77, band dead, Dad dead, girl of my dreams, baby and love of my life finished. I started work on the night shift at Sunblest Bakeries, living back home in the same bed I had as a kid dreaming of the wild and crazy life to come. One could say the Universe was saying that there needs to be something looked at? Ha, ha! And I found a man that turned my head around, by reading, listening, and above all, the nature and value of being humble. After the horror of the bread factory, fate intervened and I got a gig as a Brighton lifeguard, a fluke if anything. I was more of a threat than an asset, however it was a lifesaver for me.

YOU GOT INVOLVED WITH THE FINN BROTHERS OF SPLIT ENZ AND CROWDED HOUSE FAME?

During this time, my mate NIGEL GRIGGS from OCTOPUS and the French band, had got a gig with SPLIT ENZ, so I started seeing these extraordinary looking cats from New Zealand. Great band, and they had lucky ol'MAL GREEN on drums, the guy I replaced in OCTOPUS in '71. By this time Pablo, my lady from Finland got me a squat in London's Kensington. I went on tour with the ENZ, got the first airplay for, 'I GOT YOU' (working for Capitol Radio), became close to TIM FINN, during his time with GRETA SCACCHI and it was those two who asked over dinner, when am I going to stop talking and get over to Australia? As I had a proper job, working with battered mothers (that's another story). What if I save X amount in a year, and it would be double in dollars, get ya arse in gear, save, get rid of your hectic Israeli wife from hell (another story). So I arrived in '87, first day in Neil's pool in Melbourne, second night in Sydney sitting on a two person sofa with BARRY HUMPHRIES, I had to leave however, ran outa time, returned in '88, managed just in time (thanks again to the Universe) to get a genuine at the time, de-facto, and have been here ever since. I have played with some great guys and girls here and have my pride and joy, step daughter Shanti, my step son Alexi, partner Trish, who has helped me beat the grog, and healed this ol'thing.