Ross Halfin, Photographer, May 2006
Spent the evening reading Star Trippin', Mick
Wall's book. It is a great reminder of touring and shooting
bands for magazines like Kerrang when it was planet rock and not kiddy rock
which it is now - that's not sour grapes, that's the truth...
Jon Hotton's intro is spot on apart from
his description of Peter Makowski, which is stupid and throw
away, and typical of someone from the home counties who still
lives with his parents (he's 52), and who's never had a good
time - never been on tour and never taken drugs. And if anyone
is interested Derek Oliver's floor was reinforced not because
of his records, it was because he was so overweight. And he
couldn't write, he was and still is the biggest crawler and
kiss arse to bands. And we could add Steffan Chirazi, another
eating machine, Xavier Russell, spoilt rich kid - I could go
on... And yes, Dave Dickson is a midget.
Mick and Pete were the best writers, as was
Geoff Barton, but by this time he'd retired to suburbia to wake
up again in 2005. I enjoyed the Rock In Rio chapter. But Mick
is exaggerating how I sounded and acted. Yes, I did fly First
Class and leave him in the back - wouldn't you? Mick had a
habit of singing Irish rebel anthems endlessly when drunk...
And he did get a pool side room, which was well out of order.
He never went in the sun, he liked drugging and drinking - then
again, so did I...
I had completely forgotten about John Sykes
having me thrown off the stage as Whitesnake were going on - I
remember him smiling at me as he went on. I woke up this
morning quite angry! But he was a wanker then and still is now,
and these days looks like Derek and Steffan - I wonder if the
stage has to be reinforced...
Just had an email from Pete Makowski.
"Brilliant diary! It is legal to call John Sykes a wanker
- he was the worst thing that happened to Thin Lizzy."
Mick's intros to Bon Jovi and Metallica
(Lars) are spot on - perhaps they could form a band with John
Sykes...
Go and get the book - it's all true. Here's
Mick's website www.mickwall.com Check out his very fetching and
very camp portrait featuring his Lone Wolf tattoo - I must get
one.
PS. If I ever do a book I'll call it Never
Trust Your Heroes, They Will Only Let You Down. Well, my two
heroes are okay, it's the others I work with...
