It was early Summer, 1972 and it must have been towards the end of my of my first year at Glantaf High School. All of the pupils assembled for the end of year ‘School Concert’ in the main hall.
I don’t remember any performance content, accept for one act on the bill. I don’t even remember the name of the act but I remember what a seminal moment it was for me.
As the curtains drew back, there, on stage was the first live band I had ever witnessed, remembered fondly, as the ‘school band’. We were, somewhat predictably, talking ‘guitar, vocals, bass and (above all) in this case, drums.
I believe the drummer was from Gabalfa, or Llandaff North, and his name was Colin Ellaway. Colin was slight of build and had fair hair. To me, he was an awesome drummer, especially as he was the first one I’d seen live!
I’d guess that he was the star turn, as the band played songs that highlighted drumming. One of the tracks I remember them playing was Cozy Powell’s ‘Dance with the Devil’.
However, it wasn’t that one that provoked my life-long obsession with music, it was a song that followed, later in the set. I jumped to me feet, shouted, cheered and probably screamed! ‘Sit down Johnson’, cried the teacher, to my left. I was embarrassed but obliged. ‘Yes, sir’. So what was the name of the pivotal act that initiated my love of music? Well, this act had many hits but for obvious reasons, you never hear them on the radio these days.
It was The Glitter Band and the song was ‘Rock And Roll, Parts 1 and 2’. Since that day, I’ve spent a fortune on guitars, amps, PA systems and effects and been in a good number of bands. That first school concert changed my life…