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More on Sean McLusky
Sean: I HEAR THERE'S A BIG ONE GOING DOWN
I was working in a DIY store in Bristol, playing with a few punk bands, just finished Art College, things were looking grim. Local kid Johnny Britton was being managed by Bernie Rhodes the Clash's manager up in London and he needed a backing band, that was it, I told the boss where to stick his pension plan, got in my 67 Humber Scepter and drove. First stop, pick up Chris Bostock the best bass player in Bristol, next stop Rob Marche the hottest guitarist in town, got on the M4, no coming back, never coming back.
Worked with Johnny Britton in London on one single, sleeping on a mattress in the Clash’s studio in Camden Town, one thing led to another and we started playing with Vic Godard as Subway Sect (another story) recording one album and doing a few tours round the UK, Vic had other interests by then, so Bernie hooked us up with this singer from NYC called Dig Wayne and JOBOXERS were born,
POVERTY AND LIMOS
A few months writing and rehearsing, and we had a deal with RCA. I'm living in a squat in Queens Park, first single comes out, in at number 85 front cover of NME, number 73 landlord trying to chuck me out, number 62 play live on the Tube, number 55 bailiffs remove the gas meter, number 47 on tour with Madness, number 35 car to Top of The Pops, number 25 the roof is leaking, number 19 front cover of Smash Hits, number 11 one electric socket for the whole house, number 7 nail up the front door, number 3 catch a plane to new York, and through the clouds I see the city disappear into the distance.
The next 2 years were the most perfect adventure a young man could ever want for, a beautiful blend of success, entertainment, danger, and speed, and like a car crash, when the vehicle stops the one's who are not strapped in keep moving forwards through the windscreen. If you're lucky you wake up alive in a ditch.
I loved my Rock & Roll Brothers, I wish I had talked to them more at the time but I think I was having too much fun to stop and chat. I look at our faces now in low res clips on YouTube and see determination and serious commitment manifest in solid musicianship, made more incredible as I remember the amount of good times that were had by all of us, stretching even the most youthful physiques to their limits. Most of all I am proud to have survived the 80's in a band with good haircut.
NOW
The things I never knew I had learned from that adventure have formed my whole life, phases and fads I now know as patterns that can be ridden like waves.
I now manage bands, promote gigs, run clubs and put out other kids records on my own label.
I thank Rob, Chris, Dave and Dig for a fantastic time, and I also thank everyone who bought our records and came to our gigs, you had ####### good taste.
Love
Sean.
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