Posts by Martin Aston

  • Notes & Queries: Breaking Down the Walls…, in reply to Daphne Lawless,

    Hi Daphe, actually, there is, I'm sorry to say, no discussion of Sandy Stone in the book, which I regret now. The thing is, theree are such great stories that went much deeper than I could reflect in my book, given I cover a hundred years, across multiple genres too, and with Sandy working as an engineer and not a musician, I took the decision not detail his experience, But it would have further illustrated the politics of seperatism of the time.. which IS discussed in the material on the Women's Music genre, specifically in interviews with Alix Dobkin, and June Millington. The subject resurfaces in the Noughties, when artists such as MTF rapper Katastrophe and MTF rocker Lucas Silveira (of The Cliks) both told me found their audiences dwindled after they transitioned because their lesbian fans felt 'abandoned'. Still, I wish I'd at least referred to Sandy Stone as another illustration of the heightened struggle at that time.

    UK • Since Oct 2016 • 2 posts Report Reply

  • Notes & Queries: Breaking Down the Walls…, in reply to Mike O'Connell,

    Joe Meek's story is in the book, as well as info about the songwriters for (and managers of) of The Honeycombs, Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, Knowing this, it's obvious what "Have I The Right" is about.. They also wrote "Eyes" for The Honeycombs' (also produced by Meek), a far less well known, but even better, single, with lyrics that describe a bar scene, cruising, loneliness.. but still coded. The pair went on to write for (parallel to Dave Dee, Dozy Beaky, Mick and Tich) The Herd, including the B-side "Something Strange" about a married man on holiday who strays... and the lyrics are much more blatant. They got even bolder on "Do You LIke Boys" for a barely known glam band Starbuck, and only released in Holland, which tells a stroy in itself. Sadly Howard and Blaikley declined to be interviewed for the book: they felt it would 'typecast' them in the TV/film industry in which they currently work.. *sigh*. I guess the aura of growing up in such a closeted era still pervades their lives.It Iwould have been a brilliant interview too. Here's a link to "Eyes"

    UK • Since Oct 2016 • 2 posts Report Reply