Alan Gordon

Born in Portsmouth UK December 26th 1950

Me And my gran about 1957

I started playing drums when I was at infant school (Cottage Grove, Portsmouth) I was given the triangle and with a little progress was soon promoted to bashing the snare drum.

Well a few years later a change of schools (Eastney Secondary Modern) I enthusiastic music teacher and i  learning the cello, it was quite a task to carry home from school to practice at weekends, well another change of schools and I lost interest in that subject.

So I found myself in the early 60’s looking and listening at the emerging pop groups of course pop radio had not really taken off, the bbc light program was about it, and ready steady go was the top TV program

    It was not long before my brother graham (he already had a Spanish guitar) myself and a couple of friends decided to form ourselves a group, it was only a mimic for a day in the summer holidays so with a few boxes from mum and dads shop and some home made drum sticks "The Earthquakes" were off and singing  “House of the Rising Sun" by the "Animals”.

The band lasted that whole hot summers day and was forgotten about.

 A couple of years later we moved to Angerstien Road (Portsmouth) yes we seemed to move often, but this move was significant and an inspirational, opposite our house was a large hall belonging to the local church of St Marks, complete with a  stage, local groups often did gigs there for weddings etc. so I was often a spectator from my bedroom window which had the best view.

At school we made a  friend in Ian woodcock who also had a guitar, we now had 2 Spanish guitars all we needed now was a drummer, guess who was the natural volunteer.

A big base drum and a set of bongos borrowed from a man down the road, and we where off to a flying start.

well things progressed and Spanish guitars became watkin rapiers and with amplifiers soon made the need for a real drum kit, well i did some weekend work with my dad painting advertising boards, this financed the kit, a second hand outfit from Bennets in Fratton Road.

First challenge was to set it up, oh i had seen them on the tv, but never done it for real, anyway after a few experiments i got there.

It was not long before we had a few songs that we could play along together, a favourite was "House of the rising sun". The rising sons were born.

We decided to get another guitarist, I happened to know a mate in my class (Ian Seivwright) he had a guitar and he could play a bit, so he joined we now had 2 Watkins rapiers and a bass guitar.

It was not long before Ian woodcock left the band, to be replaced by Lee Norice a more then proficient guitarist

.

We all became good friends and developed as a gigging band we took on a singer Colin **** we did gigs at youth clubs weddings etc.

Our dad was road manager with our Bedford Van which we used to have to push from its parking space to load up before he got in from work, (thanks dad).

England won the World Cup, I was into my apprenticeship at college and thinking about lambrettas and girls

.

I turned 16 flower power was the way , singer Colin was replaced by Glen Miller (no not that one) and "Lee's Angel Cake Band" was formed.

Lee and Glen hit it off and things turned pear shaped, they had discovered a way to make us the next Beatles by writing all the songs, they had also discovered LSD, which was not to my liking but we did however continue through that summer and did a few gigs, even made the local paper, a certain Rickey Martin showed some interest in us and a few bigger gigs followed,

Enough was enough now with the unreliable pair who mostly were out of their heads all the time I abandoned it and although I was asked to join up with 2 members of a band called Coconut Mushroom who's singer was Colin Carter (later went on to front a band called FLASH). I think I got a bit tired of the circle of friends and things changed.

So 1967 closed with me turning my attention to lambrettas full time and i did the odd jam session but nothing ever became a band again that year.

The Drum kit was sold to enable space, and I forgot about playing music.

I re-awakened in 1969 prepared to get drumming again I don't know what the trigger was but it may well have been watching live bands or possibly my workmates who played in local bands namely the Gilson brothers who fronted the then Blackout who soon became Smiling Hard these were talented guys, so I was in good company, thanks to mum and dad I got another Premier drum kit and set about practicing hard with a new found seriousness until i found myself confident to get into a band.

I did join a small skiffle band that played country type covers, we gigged locally, it was during this time that i used to frequent a pub called the Lord Palmerston in Southsea, this was a common place to meet fellow musicians although I think quite a lot of other things got exchanged as much as musical knowledge.

It was here one night that a guy was selling albums, I bought from him the Yes album, he arranged to be there a week later with some more choices of vinyl, his name was John Hammond later that week he told me he was manager of a band called Time Dynasty, I said oh i am a drummer he replyed "great we need a drummer, would you like to come along, for an audition".

 I jumped on the bus on Tuesday with my sticks and bass drum pedal meaning business, just so happened that all the songs that they played were the ones i had practised to, needless to say I was in  TIME DYNASTY.

Time Dynasty became Hector  the rest is history so they say............

I drifted in and out of bands for a few years never really getting my passion to gig back and suffered from a fractured wrist playing local football which never really  healed the pain of which restricted my ability to play.

I  have 3 wonderful children 2 girlies beck 25 and seg 23, and my  son Ben now 18, he asked for a drum kit and i provided  has now done a few gigs, you can sample his band here  >>>>>>>>>>>          www.boxofficebeauty.mypfc.com

I am now working as a project co-ordinator for a local contractor, so not a lots changed, I still play drums but have taken up keyboard and guitar and have been working on some solo projects for a couple of years in my studio at home.

oh HECTOR  is still around

It was, in conclusion a wonderful experience, painful and hard work at times, would I do it again? yeah most of it, with a little hindsite.