Once I'd published my last post, I began to see an interesting pattern in my life - with "I nearly made it!" emerging as my motto.
Check this:
I'm 14 with my first band, The Offbeats, and signed to Capital records. We've performed two original songs on Shindig - the most successful coast to coast music tv show in America, even bigger than American Bandstand - in the company of James Brown, Booker T and the MG's, Glen Campbell and the Kinks. The co-producer of the show, David Mallet, has become our manager/producer and we have a single Mary,Mary beginning to chart. ( David Mallet went on to produce/direct the Kenny Everett show, Cirque du Soliel and music videos for Bowie, the Stones, etc.)
My band is now opening for the likes of Chad and Jeremy, The Buffalo Springfield and The Osmond's.
By the following year I'm writing songs for Mae West and my band - now called Somebodies Chyldren - become her recording musicians and are photo featured in Life Magazine.
Then I fly to London with my musical partner, Dennis T., and record at Abbey rd. while the Beatles are finishing up the White album in the studio room next to us. I meet Lennon in the loo, we chat and piss together. He invites me to come listen to an unfinished version of 'Blackbird'. Paul McCartney's there.
Again, one of the singles from those sessions almost goes top 10 in the British charts.
Then D. Mallet decides to leave LA and returns to England. At 17, my career is over . . . and a pattern begins to emerge.