Sad news; John Maxwell
Ian Anderson
evening. John was our wonderful drummer in Tiger Moth, before that in
Cock & Bull and briefly the Albion Band (which he always seemed proud
to have been fired from!) and later Robb Johnson's Band. He played like
nobody else, splendidly unruly, happily picking up influences from
anywhere and everywhere. He was also not bad at fire eating and telling
outrageous stories and being all-round great company.
John's recent years were dogged with misfortune. First he had an accident
which stopped his drumming career; then he was diagnosed with terrible
cancer of the throat but survived a major operation against all the odds
and medical prognosis. Just a few months ago he was saying that he hoped
to go to some festivals this year, for the first time since his operation, but
sadly it's not to be. I'm told he died peacefully in his sleep in hospital in
Milton Keynes this evening.
Mix a glass of Victor for one of life's great ones.
--
Ian Anderson
fRoots magazine
fro...@froots.demon.co.uk
http://www.froots.demon.co.uk/
remove anti-junkmail .off to reply
mikeandhilary
<fro...@froots.off.demon.co.uk> writes
>I'm very sad to bring the news that John Maxwell passed away this
>evening. John was our wonderful drummer in Tiger Moth, before that in
>Cock & Bull and briefly the Albion Band (which he always seemed proud
>to have been fired from!) and later Robb Johnson's Band. He played like
>nobody else, splendidly unruly, happily picking up influences from
>anywhere and everywhere. He was also not bad at fire eating and telling
>outrageous stories and being all-round great company.
>
>John's recent years were dogged with misfortune. First he had an accident
>which stopped his drumming career; then he was diagnosed with terrible
>cancer of the throat but survived a major operation against all the odds
>and medical prognosis. Just a few months ago he was saying that he hoped
>to go to some festivals this year, for the first time since his operation, but
>sadly it's not to be. I'm told he died peacefully in his sleep in hospital in
>Milton Keynes this evening.
>
>Mix a glass of Victor for one of life's great ones.
How very sad. I remember meeting John in the late 80's when Artisan was
relatively new and wet behind the ears. John was one of the established
stars who was fun, very talented, and extremely helpful and supportive
to us "new chaps".
We hadn't seen him over recent years and were sorry to hear of his
accident. His battle against the cancer has been sustained and brave
and we shall miss him.
Hilary Spencer
P.S. John, along with Simon Loake, introduced us to the efficacy of
Victor - make it a pint.
--
Mike & Hilary Halpin
http://www.hilaryspencer.com
Mark
...
>
>Mix a glass of Victor for one of life's great ones.
Dave Hunt responded
>A glass of Victor in memory!
...
And Hilary Spencer commented
> P.S. John, along with Simon Loake, introduced us to the efficacy of
> Victor - make it a pint.
I have to ask "What is Victor?", "Where can you get it?" and "What
voluntary organisations exist to help you recover?".
Mark
PS I trust I'm not seen as unfeeling - I didn't know John, but I knew
and greatly appreciated some of his work, especially with Cock and
Bull. I know he'll be missed.
Ian Anderson
> Ian Anderson wrote
> ...
> >
> >Mix a glass of Victor for one of life's great ones.
>
> Dave Hunt responded
> >A glass of Victor in memory!
> ...
>
> And Hilary Spencer commented
> > P.S. John, along with Simon Loake, introduced us to the efficacy of
> > Victor - make it a pint.
>
> I have to ask "What is Victor?", "Where can you get it?" and "What
> voluntary organisations exist to help you recover?".
>
A concoction of port and ginger beer in pint glasses. Can't remember
the proportions - the only expert still known to be standing is big
Simon Loake. One of those drinks where you thought you were
completely sober until you tried to stand up, upon which you realised
your legs had left the building. If you thought Tiger Moth were too loud
it was because you hadn't been drinking it . . .
Jacey Bedford
<bw...@pobox.com> writes
>Ian Anderson wrote
>...
>>
>>Mix a glass of Victor for one of life's great ones.
>
>Dave Hunt responded
>>A glass of Victor in memory!
>...
>
>And Hilary Spencer commented
>> P.S. John, along with Simon Loake, introduced us to the efficacy of
>> Victor - make it a pint.
>
>I have to ask "What is Victor?"
bit of a kick in it) mixed in equal quantities and drunk in pints if
you're brave enough.
>, "Where can you get it?"
> and "What
>voluntary organisations exist to help you recover?".
wear off eventually. Actually, in smaller quantities, it's very good in
an emergency if you've got a rough throat and need to sing. (But that's
very bad advice in the long-term.)
Victor was the staple form of sustenance for the Butlins (or should that
be Butlitz?) sound crew at that rather strange festival where they
locked the sea out at ten p.m. every night and wouldn't let it in again
until 8 the next morning. Guards with machine guns on the towers and
Dobermans walking the perimeter kept the punters in and the world out. I
never saw 'em myself, but IAA, himself, told me they were there.
:-)
There were three festivals happening all at once: folk, jazz, country
and western (and - at least once - a drum majorette fest as well with
hundreds of little girls in American-tan tights and skirts that barely
covered their bums.) Some folks came for their particular brand of
music, but others, who thought they'd have a nice quiet week in Butlins,
Bognor, were walking round in a state of shock as folk dancers and
cowboys and indians in full dress kit passed each other on the way to
take their kids for a ride on Muffin the Mule (yes - really!)
It's the only fest I've ever been to where you could go and do a
workshop in the morning and spend the afternoon in the flashy new pool
braving the Black Hole waterslide. The first year we went we got
accommodation in the 'old camp' in a cabin with no electricity (because
the previous occupant had wrenched the meter off the wall to nick the
50ps) and either plastic-covered foam mattresses with slit covers that
farted every time you got into bed, or, worse still, just foam with the
plastic covers ripped off and unnameable stains under the barely fitting
over-starched cotton sheets. The following year we got much better
accommodation...
Ah, I find myself getting a trifle nostalgic... I'm not really sure why,
except everyone seemed to be in such a good mood all week that it made
up for the weather (April) and the surroundings. Dr Sunshine and Wingnut
fire-eating in a satin-draped room was one of the highlights. And
overhearing some poor befuddled woman standing at the edge of a large
crowd, watching Mysteries of the East belly-dancing, saying, "Oh, come
away, Edie. It's just them morris dancers again." And having to lean
across the noisy slot machine in one of the venues to stop lager-louts
playing on it while Janet Russell did her set, because the bar manager
had been threatened with the sack if he turned it off again.
And, of course, John Maxwell.
:-)
Jacey
--
Jacey Bedford art...@artisan-harmony.com
ARTISAN http://www.artisan-harmony.com
10 Park Head, Birdsedge, Huddersfield, HD8 8XW. UK
Phone UK 01484-606230 Fax UK 01484-606290
Chris J Dixon
>Mark wrote:
>
>> Ian Anderson wrote
>> >
>> >Mix a glass of Victor for one of life's great ones.
>>
>> Dave Hunt responded
>> >A glass of Victor in memory!
>>
>> And Hilary Spencer commented
>> > P.S. John, along with Simon Loake, introduced us to the efficacy of
>> > Victor - make it a pint.
>>
>> I have to ask "What is Victor?", "Where can you get it?" and "What
>> voluntary organisations exist to help you recover?".
>>
>A concoction of port and ginger beer in pint glasses. Can't remember
>the proportions - the only expert still known to be standing is big
>Simon Loake. One of those drinks where you thought you were
>completely sober until you tried to stand up, upon which you realised
>your legs had left the building. If you thought Tiger Moth were too loud
>it was because you hadn't been drinking it . . .
It was, of course deployed to great effect at Tiger Moth's final
ever gig at Bracknell festival. The bottle of something else
rather well-matured which was also circulating may have been
partly to blame. In the middle of a dance we noticed that
bystanders were all much amused by goings on on-stage. It soon
became clear that the only reason that John hadn't fallen off his
stool was that Simon was behind him propping him up, and playing
the kit at the same time.
Chris
--
Chris J Dixon Nottingham UK
chris...@easynet.co.uk
Have dancing shoes, will ceilidh.
Ian Anderson
Two drummers better than one ;-)
90 minutes into dance: John - "only half an hour to go then". Me - "er no,
it's another hour yet." John - "oh shit, I thought I'd calculated my drinking
perfecty so I'd be pissed by the end." Another great Victor experience. And
we have the video to prove it ;-)