Page 4 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 104

BV104 pg04 column_BV104 pg04 31/03/2020 23:24 Page 1

BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 4

A (Musical) Note From...

Tim Emery (Last Great Dreamers)

ewind just a few weeks and Last greater risk and working more than they would I was diagnosed and beat cancer back in
RGreat Dreamers were gearing up for normally. I also appreciate that the phrase 2009. I can tell you what was playing on the
a 10-day run in Spain and following that with a ‘Emergency Services’ in today’s current cli- car stereo when I was hanging out with friends
25th Anniversary UK tour to celebrate the re- mate can actually extend to the shelf stackers back in the day and pretty much map my life
lease of ‘Retrosexual’. Those few short weeks at Tescos... And we really appreciate them too with what was my soundtrack. That’s not a
already feel like a lifetime ago. Covid-19 was right now! major revelation; I’m sure we’re the same
not part of our daily vocabulary, or even part of For many rock fans the idea of self-isola- here.
any vocabulary. tion may initially have a certain appeal. I was I like Elvis and I like The Stones. I also re-
Fast forward to today and of course, those at school in the 1980s, making my own at- ally like the latest albums by The Spangles and
tours have been postponed, pending new tempt at social distancing from my peers by The Speedways. A lot of music is actually
dates when venues / promoters will be in a po- adorning eyeliner, growing my hair out and pretty underground. As a listener, before I even
sition to know when we can safely offer any- amassing so many bangles that I could have picked up an instrument, I didn’t really give it
thing. Other standalone shows are getting unintentionally added several pounds when on any thought. Dogs D’Amour were just as ex-
pulled and we can’t even get together in a re- the scales (albeit still weighing in at under av- citing and unreachable as Guns N’ Roses. I
hearsal studio right now. Walking around erage). Of course, the reality is very different didn’t think it through but I assume I would
where I live, it now looks like a scene from the in 2020. Like many of you I suspect, I ignore think they earned the same. Seems crazy now
1971 Charlton Heston film ‘The Omega Man’, trends and have become unintentionally back but I was just 14 when both those bands re-
only in the movie the supermarkets are better in fashion with my LP records (if I were ‘mod- leased debut albums. If you are at home, I
stocked! Younger readers may wish to substi- ern cool’ I would say vinyl) and actual books. would ask that you stream albums by those
tute that film for ‘I, Legend’ and older readers, Yeah, self-isolate me with all my vinyl, a glass underdog bands that you like. It’s not much but
the 1964 Vincent Price ‘Last Man on Earth’. of wine and I’ll see you on the other side! If it generates a tiny bit of revenue for that artist,
Thankfully, nobody is panic buying those only it were that simple!?! I’m not alone, I too at no cost to you. Hey, crazy idea, but check
vegan cheese slices that I like but sadly, the have elderly relatives that I am, of course, con- out Last Great Dreamers! In these darker
same can’t be said for the tins of chopped cerned about, from the frail mother to the bel- times many bands simply have zero income
tomatoes. ligerent father. and sizeable debts to pay. On a final note, if I
Lots of uncertainty and a degree of panic. Right now, I suspect the theme in many could quote Spike from Quireboys – ‘Let’s
Self-isolation and social distancing are now a people’s minds is one of self-preservation and keep rock n roll alive’! And ourselves. Stay
thing, and only the stupid would ignore. Sadly looking out for their own. There isn’t going to safe everyone.
there do appear to be a few of those. Things be a single person reading this who hasn’t got Cheers,
are changing daily and I realise that a few concerns or a tale to tell. Certainly, right now, Tim Emery
thoughts written on 23rd March 2020 may look whinging about how I was looking forward to
woefully naïve or out of date in even just a few Spain seems furthest from my mind, and I Visit www.lastgreatdreamers.com for more
short days. Many musicians (and other doubt I’d find the audience for that now! What info.
friends) are self-employed so they have their I would say is that, when I look back at the low- Last Great Dreamers Photo By Leon Ball
worries. Equally, I have friends in both teach- est points of my life or indeed, the best mo-
ing and the emergency services who are very ments, for me, music was always there. I can Want to write a column for Black Velvet? Email us
much going to be putting themselves at recall the albums and songs I listened to when at editor@blackvelvetmagazine.com

LAST GREAT DREAMERS