Introduction by Steve Thompson
This is Jim’s story but he has kindly allowed me to write this part of the Band’s story that predates his joining. I was born in Consett in 1952 and Bullfrog was born, also in Consett 1969.
If you’d like to know what I’m up to now take a look at my website here: www.steve-thompson.org.uk. I’ve been writing a book and have released the first 4 chapters which tell the story even before this story begins. You can download a free PDF here.
Robin Hird and I attended the same secondary school. He was in the year above me but most people who had an interest in playing music; particularly the guitar, kind of knew each other. Upon leaving school I did what most people in my area did, I went to work in Consett Steel Works. I had a few stabs at getting a band together but never got beyond the rehearsal stage.
I was in the apprentice-training centre where I was to spend my first year. Second year apprentices came back for a three-month stint after they had a taste of life in the steel works.
Robin, who by now was a second year apprentice, returned to the training centre and we re-made our acquaintance. At some point Robin said to me, “I will give you a bass if you join our band on bass”. I agreed, all I wanted to do was to get into a band. Robin came to my parent’s home with Mick Simons one night and asked me to play some of the songs I had been writing. Robin said something like “see I told you he was talented” so I guess I was in. Nobody thought to check to see if I could play bass. I later met our vocalist to be, Mick Glancy, and the line up was complete.
I don’t have any pictures of this line up other than when we gave an impromptu performance one afternoon on Eldon Square. The main picture has appeared many times in newspapers and in books. The main reason for this is that Eldon Square was soon to change drastically and the pictures form an important reference to the architecture of the day. So we have gone down in history but for buildings, not our music.
