A Message from LJR
Obituary
I sit writing this on the 6th Jan 2010. Today should have been Silvers' birthday, but
as some of you already know he tragically took his own life at the end of last year.
Silver (to us, Colin to others) was one of two song writing guitar players in
Little John Rocket. LJR had already musically parted company perfectly amicably.
This fact thankfully had no effect whatsoever on our shared friendships and love for
each other. It also had no affect on lessening the devastating shock that is losing
someone close to you in such a sudden, horrid and confusing manner.
Since LJR were no longer together I did not see the point in writing on old band websites, in fact, I allowed the official band's website hosting to lapse.
This is why when asked by the bold Framingo Boys if I had a photo and a few words I found it appropriate for LJR to put this note up here.
The connection between LJR and Framingo is an obvious one, this is why I'm writing briefly about music and Silver here, I have no intention (or talent) to write a suitable obituary.
We released two singles with Framingo, Basement (our own) and At An End (our split first single). At An End was especially cool for Silver and LJR since it was on vinyl and we never thought we would get our own 7” black plastic (with secret run off message!)
It was Silver's idea to work with the artist and producer Rico. When Rico agreed to produce our first single, Silver was like a kid at Christmas, he knew how Rico would develop our music. He also went on to produce our second single Basement and we all became very close friends indeed.
Rico said when Silver stood on stage and picked up his guitar he seemed to transform into someone else. He never saw anyone that looked more like they were born holding a guitar.
Playing King Tuts more than once and supporting The Dead Kennedys at their only Scottish gig were serious highlights for Silver and the whole band… but so were the hundreds of hours just messing about in the studio and further hundreds of hours song writing in our homes.
We always seemed so serious on stage, so focused and a little imposing. It did in fact mask the reality that in the studio we were just kids, messing about, often drunk, pulling pranks and even having birthday picnics!
Yes we had our own music, vinyl, t-shirts, logos, etc etc… but like so many other bands, we had our own gang, and we loved it.
So many think it's the transient records and the stage shows that are the most important things. But if you are working it right, then the natural by-products of all of that are really the friendships, your sharing of everything good and bad and the weeks/years of unspoken support for each other.
These are the things that are ‘supposed' to last forever!
The line up of Geek (other guitar/writer), Silver and myself (the frontman) always over rehearsed everything, we had to be forced to play our first gig by our frustrated and desperate to gig rhythm section, ‘The Cob' (The Cub, drums and Bob, bass). I'm glad they did, we would still be doing 3 till 6 twice a week rehearsing ‘We Became Them'!
Silver said to me that in a year it would be cool to get back together again and do an LJR gig, so was the affection for each other and ‘most' of our songs.
I replied along the lines of, well we will all have to do a lot of rehearsals, has to be perfect, he agreed! We laughed knowing how long our definition of perfection would take.
Unfortunately that gig will never be…
We consider our lives all the richer for having met, loved, shared our circles of friends, written with, performed with and gotten pissed with Silver.
You are painfully missed by us and the ones closest to us.
Once again and for the last time I would like to sincerely thank Framingo Records on behalf of Silver and the whole band for supporting Little John Rocket.
There are so many bands out there especially in this industry's current climate that will never get the support of any record company. We consider ourselves lucky to have had your support and the luxury of complete creative freedom.
Thanks Aldo & Andy for giving this gang its own records!
You can still hear Silver at http://www.myspace.com/littlejohnrocket or bust a couple of quid on this site for the single or our cool piece of vinyl.
Thanks for listening.
