I attended Roman Catholic boy-only boarding schools from the ages of seven to sixteen, and look back very fondly on those years. We only had one “dodgy” priest, and he was sent away to Africa, presumably to abuse black boys for a change. Thankfully he showed no interest in me.

In 1973, at the age of sixteen, I was given the choice of remaining for another couple of years at Princethorpe College near Rugby (sadly no longer a boarding school, it’s a co-ed and hopelessly gynocentric, I may write a post about that one day), or transferring to a co-ed state school in my mother’s home town, Leighton Buzzard. I opted for the latter, and spent the next couple of years acquainting myself with young ladies and real ale, the latter often at The Black Horse pub.

In common with many pubs at the time, The Black Horse had a weekly folk evening, and the artist who remains strongest in my memory, 50 years on, was John Otway. To say he was a character would be an under-statement. His act included periods lying on his back on the floor, thrashing away manically at his guitar. Of course we youngsters worshipped him, while the old folkies (sweating heavily in their Aran jumpers) muttered darkly into their beer.

Otway was not long afterwards to become better-known for his partnership with Wild Willy Barrett. Their biggest hit was (Cor Baby That’s) Really Free – in 1977 they appeared on The Old Grey Whistle Test performing it, here (video, 2:58). YouTube has a video of him in 2008, singing House of the Rising Sun (4:37). I don’t think I’ve ever seen more impressive (or hilarious) audience participation at a music gig.

Many years later, I greatly enjoyed a gig – with ill-fated wife #2 – at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, where Otway was performing with (among others) the legendary guitarist Wilko Johnson, formerly of Dr Feelgood, who I first saw when I was reading Chemistry at university (one of the “big three” – Oxford, Cambridge and Reading) in 1976. Sadly I can’t find a video of the Cambridge Corn Exchange gig, by way of compensation I offer you Dr Feelgood playing their hit Roxette (video, 2:42), also on The Old Grey Whistle Test (1975). OGWT had a tiny stage. When Wilko did his “duck walk” on a larger stage, the crowd went nuts.

Wilko and the band’s singer Lee Brilleaux are no longer with us, I’m sorry to say. Wilko died in 2022, at the age of 75, Lee in 1994, at just 41.

Happy days!!!

The Times published an article three months ago, The 21 greatest guitarists in rock history – ranked by our experts (£). In line with the paper’s feminist compliance policy, several were women:

#8 Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915-73) (who?)

#15 Joni Mitchell (a rock guitarist?!!!)

#17 St Vincent (Annie Clarke) (who?)

Excluded guitarists included Mark Knopler of Dire Straits (1977-95), Wilko Johnson, and so many other great rock guitarists, all of them men. The comments section was full of critical comments about the inclusion of the women.

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