Taxi for Mr Fantastic / September 22 2007
Slaughterhouse 5 were playing a gig at Falmouth College of Art a few years ago when a man in the audience died.
Every night on tour, in the dressing room, just before we took to the stage, I would say to my fellow band members: ‘Gentlemen, guitars on stun.’ I do not think, however, that our playing contributed in any way to the man’s death on that particular winter’s evening in Cornwall.
The show was called to an immediate halt, and standing there watching the shocked audience file out of the fire exits, I could not help but reflect on how unlucky we were as a band at times.
(Not as unlucky as the dead guy – Ed.)
I stood there on the edge of the stage watching three ambulance men – who were delightfully lit by a powerful, red follow-spot – try in vain to revive the poor chap. I could see my life stretching in front of me. And what I saw seemed rather pathetic and depressing.
‘I am staring into the abyss,’ I muttered to myself.
My reverie was broken by John ‘Fat’ Beast, the band’s erstwhile manager. John was a very odd fellow. He weighed about 20 stones and had a rather unhealthy obsession with collecting photographs of prolapsed hernias in Greek men. He had had a difficult childhood: he was dropped on his head when he was a baby and was later penetrated in Blackpool by an organ grinder when he was twelve. ‘Come on, Napoleon,’ he said. ‘We have to put the amps in the van.’
‘Problem solved,’ I thought. ‘I can fill the abyss by carrying musical equipment into vans.’ I found this prospect, if prospect it was, oddly comforting.
Filed under Bands / Fun On Tour / Gigs / Rock'n'Roll Excess / Slaughterhouse 5
Comments
2 comments on “Taxi for Mr Fantastic”
Graham Boffey / September 23rd, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Yes I remember that gig, in Falmouth.
How sad it was.
Napoleon Fantastic / September 23rd, 2007 at 3:02 pm
R.I.P. that guy, whoever you are. Were.
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