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@Greasy_Slag
It was just how Fiddy rolled. His good friend and neighbour went to collage with a young art student called Peter Green so a few house parties Paul and Peter met and hit it off, soon after he met Colin Boyd and another good friend was made.
Now Paul loved cars and always found money to buy one from the very minute he got his license, a chance conversation over a pint with his friend Peter meant Paul got his first job. Carrying music kit around to grubby London pubs for a small band called Fleetwood Mac,
Money wasn’t good but the music was alright. In those days the reps ran the venues, they decided what they would pay, and if they would pay. You had to really turn it on and draw a crowd to get money. Funny enough the band our Fiddy got to help out did alright.
As they grew Fiddys role started to include security (i.e. picking out the women from the crowd that the band wanted to get to know back stage…) On asking if this had it’s perks he responded.. “Paid for the petrol” and gave me one of those smiles!
During these times his relationship with Colin grew and he got to meet the young Paula Boyd who he started dating (Somerset Girl so you know he done good)
Friends with Peter Green and dating Paula Boyd (Yes it is Patties younger sister who later dated Clapton) Paul spent his early London years moving in some great circles, dates would include the likes of George Harrison, Pattie Boyd, Peter Green etc Night club nights where a lock in would be decorated with Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and the walker Brothers jamming on stage till the small hours, Days spent smoking weed in George Harrisons house with Peter Sellers listening to Motown records that were shipped to George by his record label, allowing them to hear The Supremes for the first time. Giving John Lennon advice on areas of the west england where he can find quiet, removing the bumpers from Harrisons Jag, drunken nights with John Mayall and Hughie Flint in both Johns Flat and in the Decca studios witnessing first hand the recording of legendary Blues Breakers Album.
The list goes on, but another twist of fate set him back onto his road to Architecture. He decide to study art, he had a knack. But Paul doesn’t just learn any old art, this Mo Fo puts M&S in the shade when it comes to raising the bar..
Turns out one of Pauls friends mother, a very attractive wealthy lady was going for a break to Portugal and thought it would be nice for Paul to come with her… he could practice his drawing…
And he did….
All this before he even had an education! There was the Irish love of his life that threw him off a bus, the Artist house he designed that got a feature spread in Italian Vogue, the trek across a Greek island where they lived with the shepherds living off the land for 4 days and on arriving chuffed as punch the first local they met pointed out the local Bus, his climbing of Kilimanjaro and Etna, the Brighton house survey for the London gangster where he was paid from a suitcase full of cash before the house was bought.. with a suitcase full of cash, his love for his wife, his time in Paris.. shit the list goes on.
I have lost count of the stories Paul told me of the swinging 60’s, 70s, 80s.. every one of them was just fantastic, I urged him so many times to write memoirs, but he just told me “why bother? Why would someone be interested in my life, it was the 60s man, it’s not like that now a days”
We were largely 4 or so bloody Marys and a few blunts in so some will just be memories of the moment.
He really came to life telling these stories, his memory was impeccable, he could tell you what he wore and where he bought it at that point. I kid you not. His Story telling was captivating and that laugh.. the laugh where his nose scrunches up and teeth nearly fall out, spitting his Bloody Mary on his rafa top (I know, full lycra even having an evening tipple) It was wonderful to see, the hairs on the back of my neck used to rise and I honestly felt humble to be sharing time with such a modest and a true Gentleman.
I used to tease him about his charmed life…
“Shit Fiddy, you got some Stories!”
To which he would always reply
“I have had my moments”
Says it all really doesn’t it..