- At a supper party last night, instead of trying to suss out the lay of the land as I normally do, I just asked the man on my right 'What do you do?' He said he was a musician and my heart sank because I can never find anything intelligent to say to musicians. I lament the fact I'm an unmusical, elderly Radio 4 addict with embarrassingly middle of the road tastes. You only have to look at my blog profile:
I sighed a little, apologised and asked if he could kind of put himself 'in a musical context' for me.
He replied 'I play in a band called Pink Floyd'.
And he really does, has done since the beginning. Hard to describe how I felt at that moment.. basically the flight option of the so-called fight or flight response to a situation that is none too comfortable. But I need not have panicked because Nick Mason, the band's drummer, was utterly charming and far from offended. I suggested I lost interest in pop music in 1965 and he teased me for liking Tommy Steele (spot on) and sang me a couple of bars of 'Green Door' by Frankie Vaughan - both British names, lost in the mists of time to everyone else I suspect. We were virtually quits by now and the conversation moved to everything but music. Well, that's not quite true because I found out that Nick Mason loves working with youngsters and encouraging their musical ambitions.
And he really does, has done since the beginning. Hard to describe how I felt at that moment.. basically the flight option of the so-called fight or flight response to a situation that is none too comfortable. But I need not have panicked because Nick Mason, the band's drummer, was utterly charming and far from offended. I suggested I lost interest in pop music in 1965 and he teased me for liking Tommy Steele (spot on) and sang me a couple of bars of 'Green Door' by Frankie Vaughan - both British names, lost in the mists of time to everyone else I suspect. We were virtually quits by now and the conversation moved to everything but music. Well, that's not quite true because I found out that Nick Mason loves working with youngsters and encouraging their musical ambitions.
Had he been to art school as many musicians had? No, but he had a degree in architecture.
I was beginning to realise that this was no ordinary world famous rock star. He's clearly addicted to adventure and admitted - somewhat affectingly - that he loves collecting certificates. 'I got my helicopter's pilot licence but not content with that I became a helicopter instructor. I did scuba diving but had to become a diving instructor. And then I had to qualify as a rescue diver!' This didn't strike me as boasting, just the natural enthusiasm of a terrifically talented and intelligent man. It was only when I looked him up on Wikipedia that I found he has a phenomenal collection of cars, has taken part in the 24-hour Le Mans race and lives in the house formerly owned by Camilla Park Bowles. Oh, and he has a gorgeous wife called Nettie who is also a helicopter pilot. (I didn't bother to tell them that I have got a million plus score at a computer game called Bejeweled.)
By the way, I am labelling this post 'name-dropping'.
Here is Nick Mason as I confess I never remember him:
And here is Tommy Steele. Can you spot me in the audience? Well, it could have been
me.
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