Patrick Heron
Mandolin, Mondol, Twelve String acoustic Guitar, Accordion, vocals.
I started learning guitar at about 11 years old and emptied the Building Society account as soon as possible to buy a Les Paul copy.
Formed a band with schoolmates, French Velvet in my teens, ending with a school gig Pneumatic Toadstool.
Met up with some fellow long hairs from Dartford at Woodville Halls, Gravesend and joined the band Skybird. Reg Riot on bass. A few original tunes influenced by the band Man and some covers which produced a few gigs. In the late 70s I got introduced to some chaps in Sidcup. Essentials playing old soul and blues.
Much, much later I met Trevor Garrard who persuaded me to join a Genesis tribute band called Genesis In the Cage. Much to my surprise this ran for 10 years, playing up and down the country and in Europe.
Sprog arrived, the music was cut back to a soul function wedding band called Cheese Straws.
A few years in the wilderness later I met Paul Ballard, the keyboard player from French Velvet at a school reunion.
He had an original rock outfit in West London called Afterlife. I persuaded him to give me a go on guitar and vocals and helped to come up with some lyrics for his tunes. Did a few gigs.
I joined some local musos to play country music as Copper Fox Cooler. Not much demand for country music in Gravesend although it got me going on mandolin.
I saw Paul and Phill’s shout out for a mandolin player for a new folk rock band and thought ‘Why not?’
Pat.
1977 at The Call Boy Pub Gravesend
Me with said Les Paul in 1974 Wilmington village hall