From: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org (avalon-digest) To: avalon-digest@smoe.org Subject: avalon-digest V3 #61 Reply-To: avalon@smoe.org Sender: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk avalon-digest Wednesday, March 11 1998 Volume 03 : Number 061 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [AVALON] More ex-members [Mark Sturdy ] Re: [AVALON] More ex-members ["Victor Hastings" ] [AVALON] St. Petersberg [jas2347@xsite.net] [AVALON] Paul Thompson [jas2347@xsite.net] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 16:59:37 +0000 (GMT) From: Mark Sturdy Subject: [AVALON] More ex-members I've always wondered what happened to Graham Simpson. In the years leading up to the first album, he would seem to be a key player - he was in Ferry's pre-Roxy band, The Gas Board; he taught Bryan the rudiments of the piano and helped him pull out most of the early songs; and he was in Roxy right at the beginning, before Eno, Mackay or anyone else joined. I really like his style of playing on the first album as well. So what happened? I vaguely heard some kind of rumour about a nervous breakdown and becoming a teacher or something . . . can anyone confirm or deny. Take care, Mark 'Alfie' is to be shown on television on Tuesday night. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 11:54:09 -0600 From: "Victor Hastings" Subject: Re: [AVALON] More ex-members - -----Original Message----- From: Mark Sturdy To: avalon@smoe.org Date: Tuesday, March 10, 1998 11:11 AM Subject: [AVALON] More ex-members >I've always wondered what happened to Graham Simpson (snip) >I vaguely heard some kind of rumour about a nervous breakdown >and becoming a teacher or something . . . can anyone confirm or deny. this is a vague answer because i've never seen or heard anything from simpson himself. ferry has said that he's become "sort of a mystic." apparently simpson converted to sufism, an eastern mystical religion about which i know absolutely nothing, and dropped out of sight. all this happened right after the first album came out. there have been hints that simpson did suffer some sort of a mental crisis that seems to have preceipitated his conversion. you're right that he seems to be a key player in ferry's career since he was the only member of the gas board that also became a member of rm. but i have never heard of simpson performing at all after he left the band. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 13:09:25 +0500 From: "Graham Howard" Subject: Re: [AVALON] More ex-members > Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 16:59:37 +0000 (GMT) > From: Mark Sturdy > To: avalon@smoe.org > Subject: [AVALON] More ex-members > Reply-to: avalon@smoe.org > I've always wondered what happened to Graham Simpson. In the years > leading up to the first album, he would seem to be a key player - he was > in Ferry's pre-Roxy band, The Gas Board; he taught Bryan the rudiments of > the piano and helped him pull out most of the early songs; and he was in > Roxy right at the beginning, before Eno, Mackay or anyone else joined. I > really like his style of playing on the first album as well. So what > happened? I vaguely heard some kind of rumour about a nervous breakdown > and becoming a teacher or something . . . can anyone confirm or deny. Yes, I read somewhere that he had a nervous breakdown after the first album. I agree, his playing was very good; I think he would have been a good permanent bass player with RM Graham. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 22:20:25 -0600 From: jas2347@xsite.net Subject: [AVALON] St. Petersberg From: Maria Subject: [AVALON] new video please be so kind to inform me! ... I'd be so thankful!!.. I live in Moscow, so it would be a great chance to meet Bryan ... Thanks in advance, If you do Maria, please send us a message. Also if you can, get some photos. Jas Maria. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 22:36:53 -0600 From: jas2347@xsite.net Subject: [AVALON] Paul Thompson I don'w know why Bryan would have "sacked" Paul even if his music took on newer shadings. I think Paul would have risen to the occasion. As for British drummers having a lack of "swing", what about Charlie Watts? For my money, outside of Charlie Watts, Paul was/is the best drummers on either side of the Atlantic. Paul's explosive and powerful drumming, gave the early Roxy just that touch that made me fall gaga over them. I don't think Bryan showed good judgement when he replaced him. Maybe he did not want to be overshown (shades of ENO again??)? As for his later drummers, Steve Ferone was good but Steve cannot hit the heights that Paul had seeked. I missed his drumming on Bryan's later tours especially when Love is the Drug was played. None of the replacement drummers matched that tight syncopation. Well I guess we just have to wait for the "reunion" to see Paul again ( if that gun shop story holds up). Jas Freezing in Chicago-brrrrr... ------------------------------ End of avalon-digest V3 #61 *************************** ======================================================================== Please send any questions or comments about the list to avalon-digest-owner@smoe.org