[PaulAds]

Anybody know anybody famous?



My dad, Colin, is 87 now...and he used to be very good friends with a guy called Maurice Murphy...they grew up together playing in brass bands in north-east england... Maurice, in about 1977, became principal trumpet in the London Symphony Orchestra and was the fella who played lead trumpet on the movie soundtrack of “Star Wars” and the Indiana Jones films...and many more...it was said that once John Williams heard Maurice play, he wrote parts with him in mind...this photo is of my dad (in front row, 2nd from the right) and Maurice (in front row, 2nd from the left) outside the Royal Albert Hall in London back in the 1950’s with Crookhall Colliery Band...behind my dad - to his left - is my grandad, Richard.

Maurice’s dad used to drive the coal wagon around Stanley, County Durham...some years later, Maurice flew to New York on Concorde at the invitation of the conductor, Andre Previn. My dad once said to Maurice that he’d come a long way from King Street in South Moor (where they used to live) and Maurice said he didn’t like to talk about those days. I thought that was really sad.

Sorry...I’m rambling...anyone else have any tenuous links to (arguably) famous people?

[PaulyX]

Great story Paul.
I can't really compete, but continuing the tenuous-movie-link theme, the father of one of the lads in our band was the singer in the Pearl and Dean theme (you know, "Pa-pa pa-pa, pa-pa pa-pa, pa pa pa..." - that's him).
Oh, and I once saw Keith Chegwin in a lift.  Does that count?

[PaulAds]

Cool! Keith Chegwin...no way! When he came out of the lift, was (s)he Janice Long?  You never see them in a room together

[PopTodd]

My father used to do Transportation on films shot in Chicago, and so he got to know quite a few movie stars. Became very friendly with a few of them (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Kelly McGillis, David Duchovny). Of those folks, Dan Stern was the only one that I've met, personally. Seems like a really nice guy.

Other than that, Dave Draimain (Disturbed) is a guy that I wouldn't really say that I KNOW, but he grew up and is really close with a friend of mine. We've hung out a couple of times and, from what I can remember, he's also a really nice guy. Haven't seen him since before his band made it big, though.

[CaliaMoko]

I don't know any famous people, but I've met a few...Vincent Price, Leonard Nimoy, Jimmy Seals, Dash Crofts, John Denver (actually I met him before he was famous). Vincent Price was very sweet, Leonard Nimoy was quick to agree to something but you had to catch up with him to get him to follow through, Jimmy Seals was quite chatty, Dash Crofts was asleep, and John Denver was friendly.

[Viscount Cramer & His Orchestra]

I've had a couple of beers with Jeremy Irons at a pub in Henley back in the early 80s. Had a cup of tea and a bit of cake in his kitchen too years later. I don't know him though really. A friend worked on his place in Watlington and they were quite pally.

I did know Steve Redgrave. Come from the same town. I used to have driving lessons with his mum.

Had a go on Jim Capaldi's piano once.

I've faded into obscurity now.

[PaulAds]

These are great...thanks, everybody!

[Viscount Cramer & His Orchestra]

Sorry had to come back to say I love the photo Paul.

And Pauly we definitely ought to have sightings like your Chegwin one...they're better really.

I saw Douglas Hurd going into a grocers in Lechlade.

[Neil C]

I know Tom Bradby ITV news anchorman, met Lenny Henry once but to excited return to the subject of Cheggers - 80's UK TV presenter - We played a bash in a local pub, and the landlord was good mates with him. Anyway my brother in law came up excitedly to me halfway through the night saying hed had a long chat with a bloke that was the spitting image of Keith, and that he'd told him so, not knowing that it was....
 
Neil

[Wicked Deeds]

I don't know anyone famous, though a couple of guys that I went to school with went on to play professional football.  I met my favourite songwriter quite by chance at the Gateshead metro centre..  My first house was burgled more than twenty years prior to meeting Paddy McAloon. I lost the album "Jordan The Comeback" by Prefab Sprout.  When it was replaced the booklet was in black and white and not coolour. I looked everywhere for the original album but couldn't find it anywhere.  Fast forward to the morning that I met Paddy McAloon and I found a copy of the original album perhaps 10 minutes before meeting Paddy.   The experience was surreal and he was an absolute gentleman taking about 40 minutes out of his day to talk.  

Paul

[S.T.C]

I've worked at places where we cooked for the famous. Prince Charles, Edward Heath, Richard Attenborough .I did room service for Take That in London, Ian Botham.There's others but can't recall at the moment.
My brother invited Mark Little(neighbours)  to his wedding , so had a meal with him and his family..nice guy.

Used to work at a hotel where we had the footie teams for the F.A cup..i know i made a salad for John Barnes.
And generally i've seen a bunch of celebrities out and about in airports etc..but can't say i've met a major star personally...i was working in a shop which closed half day on Wednesday, i was out the back and Liam Gallagher had knocked to get in (Oasis were recording in the area) i never heard him...would have been interesting.
Viscount...i guess your a Marlow lad then?  i know Jim Capaldi's house i think near the bridge?

[pompeyjazz]

Interesting thread.

Coming from Coventry, I jammed with most of the Two Tone crowd at open mic nights we used to run. My mates mum used to give Dammers piano lessons when he was a kid, and I used to work with Paul King (King) at Rolls Royce before he made it. I've also got some demos we made with Tracy Tracy from The Primitives doing backing vocals, again before she hit the big time.

My fave though was when I was working for a holiday company in France in 82 and John Miles (Music Was My First Love) came to stay and I ended up doing a gig with him 

Keep em coming, fascinating

[PopTodd]

If we're mentioning just having a beer with folks, Chicago in the 1990s was a pretty small town big city. Everybody knew everybody, or knew somebody who knew them.

One night when I was having a beer at my local pub (where I would later meet my wife), Nash Kato (Urge Overkill) walked in with his friend Jim Ellison (Material Issue). The girl I was sitting with (just a friend) called them over, because she was friends with them and we all had a nice, friendly pint together. Talked a bit about music and about how much of a struggle it was to get to where they were at the time, even in the middle of the charts, eekeing out a living as a working musician in their own rock bands.

A memorable night for me, if not for them.


Also, earlier this year, I played a gig at the tea house that Billy Corgan owns in the town where I grew up. He actually showed up to spin records after my set was over. We chatted for a little bit. He was nice enough.

But to get back to the topic at hand: I don't really KNOW any of those guys. Just met 'em.

[PaulyX]

Great thread but...
Oh my crikey!
I've just seen the Keith Chegwin news.
Poor guy died today!
I'm a bit spooked. RIP Cheggers.

[pompeyjazz]

Bloody spooky - Just heard the news

RIP Cheggers