| Derek Taylor |
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Debbi said to us ‘I want
you to meet this really cool guy I know'. |
|
| Our introduction
was arranged by an infamous American astrologer to the rich
and famous, Miss Debbi 'Pizza Das Seagull - Ark-Ark' Kempton-Smith,
who was also our biggest fan at the time, as well as our acting
manager. My brother Baron, aka DJ Lazer and I, were in our heyday
as acoustic duo 'A Phantasy Circus',
featuring music, poetry and performance art, at all the best
parties. Debi was getting gigs for us and one day arranged a
special meeting and audition with this 'cool guy' she knew from
Hollywood .. |
| Debbi got
her additional names from one of Phantasy Circus's earliest
songs called 'Wish You Were Here' ... a classic psychedelic
song about a postcard from the seaside - and a title which made
pots of money for a band called Pink Floyd a few years later,
and to which, Debbi contributed some most excellent seagull
impressions |
| .. Debbi
said to us 'I want you to meet this really cool guy I know'. |
| Debbi
was his astrologer . |
Sgt DW Taylor in his Apple office : 1932 - 1997 |
| When I was introduced to handsome
mustachioed mister Derek Taylor upstairs at Ronnie Scotts,
London's most famous nightclub, for a private performance
one lunchtime in 1974, I have to admit I wasn’t aware
at the time of exactly who I was meeting. So for the benefit
of those who also don't know who he was, Derek was the
guy standing next to John & Yoko at the Amsterdam
Hilton, directing the press conference |
|
Derek Tayler on the Magical Mystery
Tour bus |
.. the guy sat behind Paul
McCartney on the Magical Mystery Tour bus, seen clapping
and singing along to the live recordings of 'All you need
is love' and 'Give Peace a Chance'. |
| He was THERE .. 'Derek Manchester',
the character played by Eric Idle in the Rutles cruel
Beatle spoof, as interviewed by a barely disguised George
Harrison, as the Rutle Corps offices were being ransacked
behind them .. that character was Derek Taylor. One of
several alleged Fifth Beatles |
| |
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| Brian Epstien's
personal assistant from 1964. Later setting up office in California,
where as a publicist he represented The Byrds, The Beach Boys,
Captain Beefheart, Paul Revere and The Raiders and together
with the 'Mamas and Papas', he co-organized the 'Monterey International
Pop Music Festival' of 1967. This man helped to shape the 1960s
.. |
| |
| And
so, one lunchtime, early in 1974, a few years after the
collapse of Apple Records and the venomous lawsuits, as a 17
year old musical prodigy, my brother and I with a small entourage
of close friends, met up at Ronnie Scotts Club in Central London
as arranged by Debi Smith, where, at the request of a handsome,
slightly greying, but trendy gentleman with a mustache, we sat
cross legged on the stage and performed two of my songs. Afterwards
we all gathered next door in his plush office in Soho Square,
with gold records on the wall and hot and cold running glamorous
secretaries in every office. We were offered hospitality in
any form we pleased which was forthcoming and plentiful. At
this time, Derek was chief A&R officer for Warner Bros records |
| One of
our entourage asked jokingly if she could have a date with George
Harrison, no sooner said than Mr Taylor was on the phone to
the man himself... though she backed out of talking, but Beatle
George was there at the other end of the line .. I was handed
a treasured copy of Derek Taylor’s (then) recently published
memoirs, 'As Time Goes By'. |
| He said
that having spent so much time with the Beatles he wasn’t
going to take us on as a Warner Brothers act at the time, but
felt we showed heaps of promise. He also explained that he had
a son of his own, my age (16), also in a band, and it felt a
little too close to home .. but wished us much luck for the
future and made us feel most welcome |
| Derek Taylor
died in 1997 but I have often looked up at the offices passing
through Soho Square and felt like paying him another visit,
wondering if he would recall me as fondly as I do him. |
Jeza 1974 |
During the proceedings,
the legend goes that Derek Taylor leaned over to Debbi
whilst we were playing for him and confided that I reminded
him a whole lot of George Harrison ... to this day - I
have never been paid a greater compliment.
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| See also
|
| Phil
Franks original photographs and interview |
| The
official obituary from Apple |
| 'As
Time Goes By' published by Abacus ISBN 0 349 13381 6 |
