BIOGRAPHY (cont’d)

Pete Gibson was headlining that night in a blues duo called ‘Bottle in Bond’ and they used to go down a storm, thanks mainly to Pete’s energy and enthusiasm. We had rehearsed Hoochie Coochie Man and we marched in, set up the instruments started playing and the place erupted. We couldn’t play any encores, we only had one song.

Later back at school Pete suggested we join forces and Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts was born.

In 1968 school was over. Keith (aka Keef) and Pete (aka Gibbo) went to the Slade School of Art and I went to Maidstone School of Art but lived in south east London so I could be closer to the blues action that was happening at Studio 51 with the John Dummer Blues Band (featuring Dave Kelly and Tony Mcphee), the Bridge House in Borough High Street and Bunjies which Jo Ann hosted on Sunday evenings.

I used to go whenever I could and play an acoustic set and occasionally with the band, which now included Jim Pitts. Thanks to Jo Ann’s mentoring we took over the Sunday residency at Studio 51 when the John Dummer Blues Band moved on to bigger and better things but not before the occasion when Howling Wolf came down to play, which people that were there talk about to this day. The most mesmerising performance I have ever witnessed.

Also in 1968, I met Nik Perls for the fist time who invited me to record some tracks for him on his trusty Revox. Jo Ann’s friend Mick Hubbard offered his kitchen for a recording session which together with some recordings in Jo Ann’s bed sit about six months later became ‘Bottleneck Blues’, my first release on Blue Goose Records.

The band quickly built up a head of steam and tours with Derek and the Dominoes, gigs with John Mayall and Taj Mahal, and constant touring followed.