LISTEN TO THE BAND
Steve’s bass playing approach was a sight to behold. He gave a depth and body to the sound such as I had never experienced before. I had never seen nor heard a bass being played in the way he did.
When the gig finished, Richard and I left and went home, talking continuously about the performance we had just witnessed. The following Monday at work, I saw Pete and told him that I was knocked out by the band’s performance.
Half jokingly, I suggested that he give me a call if they ever needed a replacement for their drummer. Within 2 or 3 weeks, Pete asked me whether or not I had been serious about wanting to join the band, as they did now need a replacement! I jumped at the chance and told him that I was seriously interested in joining the band.
He told me that they wanted to hear me play and said that if I agreed, he would make arrangements for Robin and Steve to accompany him to a Tough Childhood gig to meet me and check me out.
I said “Yeah, but does this not mean that my band must be better than your band because we are playing that night and your band is not”? Touche!
The irony was not lost to him and he agreed that he might not always say the right thing. A classic Mac understatement if ever there was one.
On Monday 10th January 1972, Tough Childhood performed at Seaton Burn Social Club and the remaining members of Bullfrog were in the audience. The gig was reasonable and afterwards when the gear was being dismantled, I spoke to Pete, Robin and Steve collectively for the first time.
