Tales From the Road -Trevor Wright

Trevor Wright talking about Granite’s adventure to Velbert, Germany 1973

Jake Pressley, Trevor Wright & George Cockroft
The Corby Folk Four

“Being old friends of the Kirk brothers and Jake Pressley, I went along for the ride. We picked up Bip Wetherell and his new bride Elaine in London, they were still on honeymoon! The Velbert gig was part of the annual crossover and celebration of the twin town association. Granite played in a big marquee erected in the town square. Before they played their set, following a local band who were crap, a German official came over and asked Jake who was going to present the band to the audience. Looking straight at me, Jake said, ‘He’s the one, our manager!’ Somewhat taken aback I  nonetheless agreed to do the honours but before I walked out to give them some spiel, Bip spoke up and informed the official that they wanted all the lights switched off before the intro. In German, the official told Bip that he ‘no can do. It’s against all health and safety regulations.’ ‘Look’ Bip said, ‘it’s only for a few seconds at the start of the show.’ The official was adamant, ‘Not possible’. To everyone’s amazement, Bip then told him that if they couldn’t turn the lights off, Granite wouldn’t play. At that, he scurried off and returned after seeking judgement from a higher source, ‘how many seconds?’ he asked. ‘Just a few, maybe ten at the most’. The show was saved at the eleventh hour! I walked out to the front of the stage, ‘Ladies and gentlemen’, I wasn’t sure about greeting them with Frualiens and Herrs! ‘It’s been a real slog to get here, the snow on the ground, treacherous driving conditions, cooped up in the back of a van. But now the sun is shining, it’s a glorious day and everyone’s smiling. Please give a warm welcome to the band all the way from balmy England, GRANITE!’  Rapturous applause filled the marquee when following those few dark seconds, the lights went up and the band roared into the Blood Sweat and Tears classic Spinning Wheel. The brass section of Jake on trombone and the Kirk boys on trumpets right to the fore. Granite really were a class band, the twin guitars of Bob Grimley and Pete Bonas who incidently married the girl from the Old Spice advert on tele! Spike Gowen on drums and Chris Newman on bass providing a solid rhythm section, and of course Bip on keyboards.

After the show the German asked me if they’d do another gig a couple of days later. I told him I’d doubted it as they all had to get back home to go to work. They all had jobs to return to even though for a short while they were contemplating going full time with the band. ‘That’s no problem, we’ll pay them’ he said.

‘Will 800 deutschmarks do it?’ 

‘I don’t know’ I replied, ‘what does that work out in English? I’ll have to see them first, I still can’t see it though.’ 

‘Make it a 1000 deutschmarks then’.

 ‘Yeah, I think that’ll do it!’

Granite