Bloody Nora. Just listening to the archived Andy Kershaw show at the BBC and he introduced a track from John B Spencer, whom I love(d). I thought I heard him refer to his demise and not quite believing my ears, did a quick google search and found this.
It's ironic that his obit is on the books page, he was a brilliant songwriter and a performer of real charm and wit. I first saw him at the Junction in Harborne in about 1985 or 6. In truth I had never heard of him but at that time The Junction ran a folk club on Thursdays that was just brilliant, and rarely did the performers have anything to do with folk. Anyway I went along just because I aways did. The guy blew the fucking house down, he was absolutely brilliant. How he remained unheard of is a complete mystery, he was a songwriter of the highest class.
Hearing of this has genuinely left me feeling a bit pissed off and fed up, much more so than other recent celebrity deaths. Probably because he was not a celebrity but deserved to be, much more so than the likes of, well, anyone really. Also It was a hot summer night and a brilliant night and I was still young and happy (not that I'm not happy now) and carefree and had no responsibilities to anyone but myself. It was just before I left for Cardiff, never to return, although I didn't know it then. His music reminds me of a lost home and lost youth, and his death has affected me.
Mind you he looked about 75 back then I could barely believe he was only 57. Kershaw is playing a session tonight, which of course will be archived for a week from tomorrow.
Some more on Spencer.