Sometimes, things go south, and that’s just what happens.
Back in 1974, English prog rock supergroup, Emerson, Lake and Palmer played a gig in Normal, Illinois (this place really does exist.)
Founding member Carl Palmer tells the story of how all was going well until things fell apart at the encore. The band walked to the front of the stage to take a bow when a grand piano appeared behind them through a hole in the stage. Just as it opened, Palmer stepped back and – just like Alice – fell down the hole. He was caught by one of the road crew but broke a rib and nursed a large red and purple patch on his right side for the remainder of the gig. He spent the night in hospital suffering from internal bleeding.
Perhaps there is a lesson for us all here about not being complacent and keeping your wits about you at all times. Maybe also something about the facile charade of encores.
Matt Davies of Welsh post-hardcore, heavy metal band, Funeral for a Friend, spent a very early gig at a school in Buckinghamshire in 2002 throwing up. In-between songs, he walked to the side of the stage and vomited in a bucket. The fact that this unfolded in front of the head of Mushroom Records was apparently not enough to put him off signing the band.
Not even a ghastly performance like this can affect the future trajectory given the critical acclaim and influence the band went on to achieve.
Bad things can happen in Bournemouth too. Back in 2006, electronic band Metronomy were getting started and driving around the country touring in a battered Nissan Micra. One night they rocked up at The Opera House in Bournemouth (now the O2 Academy). With a capacity of 1,800, this seemed a little on the large side for a band in its infancy. In the words of founder and frontman, Joseph Mount, “In the end, four people attended, two of them bar staff, the other two friends of Oscar, our keyboard player. And even they were on the guest list. It was the most upsetting yet hilarious gig of our lives.”
Undeterred, the band went on to tour and play festivals around the world.
Of course, if Carl Palmer continued to fall into holes during every performance, if Matt Davies continued to throw up on stage in-between every song, and if Metronomy continued to stink Bournemouth out, things would have panned out very differently.
But they didn’t. And things turned out alright in the end. Everyone is allowed the occasional stinker.
One of my books, ‘The History Boys: Thirty Iconic Forest Goals’, has been reprinted in paperback, with a lovely review quote on the front cover. Click here if you fancy buying a copy.
I have almost completed the 92. Here are some observations from visiting lots of football grounds over the years.
If you don’t know me, I am the author of ‘Reds and Rams: The History of the East Midlands Derby’ and ‘The History Boys: Thirty Iconic Forest Goals’ (both available in the Forest club shop). I have written pieces for Mundial magazine, Football Weekends magazine, edited two award-nominated fanzines and was a columnist in the Nottingham Forest programme for eight years.
If you do know me, I’m truly sorry.
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