Episode 11: Gary Brooker

I went to school with Gary; Westcliff High School for Boys. He was a couple of years senior to me. My favourite school memory was playing the school’s grand piano in our Main Hall The headmaster, Henry Cloke would rush in with his cloak billowing behind and say: ‘Get off that piano Brooker, we’ll have no boogie woogie in here! A few years later we would support him in The Paramounts as they played their gigs in local halls in Westcliff and Southend. My mate Paul Hughes and I were mesmerised by their guitarist. Late found out it was Robin Trower The interview was 13th March 1975 after Procol Harum’s gig at the University of Nottingham. It was a bad atmosphere. I though he’d welcome me as a fellow Old Westcliffian. Deflated I was soon to find out why he was in a bit of a strop. So neither of us at our best!

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