By Steve Perrett
Leicester tenor sax man JOHN BARROW. One of the journeymen of pop music, spends some time on the Songstuff Q&A. In a playing career spanning twenty five years, John has played and recorded with some of the top names of the times.
1/ Was there a reason for choosing the sax as your instrument? Do you play any other instrument?
Originally I wanted to play the guitar, but in the mid 70s, there appeared to be a glut of guitarists and not many brass players. Also I loved the sensual sound of the sax. Both of my teenaged sons are guitarists though.
2/ How did you get started in the Music business? What was your first big break?
My girlfriend saw an ad in the local rag from a soul / funk outfit and phoned to arrange an audition without my knowledge. I was a bag of nerves because they had quite a high profile on the local Leicester scene. I got the job, but only because I was the only sax man that applied!!!!
3/ After moving from amateur to professional, what would you say were the main things you learned about the Music business? Did you find you had many misconceptions?
The first time I quit a conventional job for music the transition was pretty quick. I booked a day off work to record Top of the Pops and the next day I promptly quit. It felt good, I can tell you. I had struggled for a long time
to hang on to a day job. Often I got back from a distant gig late for work the following morning and struggled through the day zombie like, through lack of sleep. Looking back, I don't know how I did it for so long! The second time around, I was a bit more cautious and I waited until I'd signed a Warner Brothers recording contract before I committed myself! The main difference was not having to rush home to make it for work and being able to sleep in after a gruelling late night gig. Also it was a luxury being able to rehearse when ever we felt like it.
4/ What bands have you played with? Which ones are the most memorable?
I've recorded and toured with lots of bands, including :
- BOY GEORGE
- CULTURE CLUB
- THE FUN BOY THREE
- IGGY POP
- MUSICAL YOUTH
- THE SWINGING LAURELS
- JERRY DAMMERS
- LAUREL AITKEN
- THE CLASH
- RHODA DAKAR (THE SPECIALS)
- CRAZYHEAD
- THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH
- BANANARAMA
I played on the FUN BOY THREE hit "The Telephone Always Rings" which reached No.17 in 1982. It was great working with the guys who were all ex SPECIALS members. I was a big fan of the SPECIALS. Also I toured with CULTURE CLUB at the height of BOY GEORGE mania. My band, the SWINGING LAURELS, were special guests on two sell out UK tours in 1983, at George's request. He was a big SWINGING LAURELS fan.
5/ Do you have a favourite recording?
Of mine??? If so, yes. "Peace of mind " by the SWINGING LAURELS. It was recorded at Woodbine Studios in Leamington Spa, where lots of the 2-Tone hits were recorded. It was a No.1 Independent chart hit and was recorded in two days on 8 track in really spontaneous fashion. The way I like to record.
6/ Tell us about your appearances on Top of the Pops. Can you remember the first time? What was it like appearing on such an established show?
Appearing on the show had been a childhood ambition of mine. I remember as an eight year old, sitting glued to a tiny black and white television while bands such as the Kinks, the Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers strutted their stuff.
My first appearance on the programme was with a band called BLACK GORILLA who had a novelty hit called "Gimme Dat Banana" in 1977. We trolled down to the BBC Television Centre in a beat up hire van. After checking in we were given a dressing room next to Blue Peter's and I bumped into Arthur Lowe (Captain Mainwaring) from Dad's Army in one of the labyrinthine corridors. I even sat next to one of the Legs & Co dancing girls in the make-up room. Also making their debut appearance were the Boomtown Rats, fronted by a youthful Bob Geldof. After the show, as we left the car park in our grotty transit van, an even shoddier vehicle cut across our path, causing us to brake sharply. Pressed against the passenger window was a bare backside. The Boomtown Rats were leaving in style!
That week our single was sitting at No.29, but the following week, although selling more copies, the single dropped to No 30. Elvis had just died and the chart was filling up with re-releases of his songs. We had no doubt that if Elvis had eased off the cheeseburgers for just one more week or so, we would have been looking at the Top Ten.
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