21.44
Chateau Minx, Chiswick.
A morning beginning in Bredonborough.
Then to Ken & Alice’s Anniversary Party near Wokingham, to celebrate their 60th. wedding anniversary of 1st. January. This was a warm, friendly event with lotsa tasty food & hospitality. I felt honoured to be invited and presented apologies & congratulations on behalf of T, who was onstage in Milton Keynes. Ken & Alice were at the Fripp-Willcox wedding almost 20 years ago, by which time they had been married for 40 years already. There was a good presence of GC people within the partyers
Then to Chez Trowers, Robin & Andrea, only 25 miles away, for tea & apple pie.
Robin & I became friendly while we were touring the US in 1974. The roster was Ten Years After, top of the bill, King Crimson, in the middle, and Robin Trower, in support; in inverse proportion to our chart positions at the time. Bridge Of Sighs moved into the top ten album chart as the tour progressed. When we got back to England, Robin taught me bends & wobbles, and even gave me a 1957 sunburst Strat in flight case; exceptionally generous, even for a Good Guy. But I was never quite a Strat player, never used the instrument professionally, and never played it enough to justify owning an instrument of this quality. So, around 1991, I determined to make a gift of it in return. Around the time, Robin had all his vintage guitars stolen (he now plays Fender RT signature models). Endless Grief, two house moves, Robin’s seasonal Devil Bug two years ago, plus Stuff, all combined to delay our reconnection – and the delivery of a long-planned & long-promised Christmas Present. Both Strat & original flight case were cleaned & re-vibrated by Ben Crowe at his workshop in Tincleton…
Christmas Present – A Long Time Coming I…
ALTC II…
ALTC III…
ALTC IV…
ALTC V…
ALTC VI…
RT, RF & Fender Signature Strat…
Lotsa fun catching up & hearing the news & plans for the future. Robin gave me his latest album Another Days Blues & I drove to London, powered up by it playing in the car. The boy is playing better than ever.
http://home.ca.inter.net/~suth/trower/menu.html
Now to settle & gentle with the Minx, recently arrived from being very very nasty indeed in Milton Keynes.
