In the evening we arranged to meet Nick´s old mate Mick Underwood the former "Episode Six" and GILLAN drummer. I remembered that I´ve met John Kerrison three years ago during some concert, who also was drumming for Episode Six, but who had had a tragical accident 40 years ago and is in need of a wheel chair since then. He still plays the drums, though he can not move his feet. He uses his mouth and some kind of tube to send signals to a synthesizer sounding like a bass drum. He has some unbeliveable timing and technique. Where there´s a will there´s a way.
I asked Nick about him, and Nick told me that John feels alone mainly, due to the fact that many of his old mates left town or even have died. So I made the suggestion to call John up and invite him to Mick, too. It was great fun to listen to their stories, written by life. John Kerrison has a big knowledge all about drum kits, Mick Underwood told some funny stories about his time playing together with Ritchie Blackmore in the OUTLAWS.
The next day I visited Terry Horbury of the Cream Revival Band and Ginger Baker´s earlier wife, Liz Baker.
Peter Brkusic´ ENGLAND SPECIAL
A weekend with a lot of Music History
July 17 to 19, 2009
I´ve had a great weekend in England shortly. Due to Nick Simper I met some further "Old Heroes". On the first day it was Bernie Marsden of "Whitesnake" fame, who ownes an amazing record store in a village in the near of Nick´s and who still remembered me for playing support with the "Nasty Habits" for M3 (Moody/ Marsden/Murray) in December 2003.
Bernie and Nick met for the first time, tough they live just 30 minutes to each other. It was a pretty nice afternoon, and I left the store with five fantastic records, including the British first press of Jimi Hendrix´ "Are You Experienced".
Together with Nick´s son, Richard, who drove me to Swindon, we were at a concert of GMT in the evening, the band featuring the former GILLAN musicians Bernie Torme and John Mc Coy. I met both after show and told them that it is exactly 30 (!!!) years ago when I saw them for the first time live with Ian Gillan at the "Porrhaus" in Vienna...... Oh my god, I´m getting old.
After signing some autographs and photo shooting I presented a gift to them, good Austrian wine. We left late back to Nick´s home, where I slept away with a big smile.
WHAT KIND OF WEEKEND! ...
... AND WHAT KIND OF BIRTHDAY!
This wonderful British first press of Gillan´s "Future Shock" was Peter´s birthday gift he gave to me after his trip to England, original autographed by drummer Mick Underwood, bass player John Mc Coy and guitarist Bernie Torme. I can´t wait to see Ian Gillan again!
Thank you again, my friend, for this great gift. Keep on rockin´
Gerhard
John Kerrison´s connection to DEEP PURPLE
John Kerrison started playing the drums at the age of eleven and was in connection with different musicians of the later super group DEEP PURPLE from the early 60ies until 1967.
THE HORIZONS
The group around Deep Purple´s very first vocalist Rod Evans and later Tremeloes guitarist Chip Hawkes toured also in the German area, mainly in Hamburg´s legendary "Star Club". Regulation in Germany said that you had to be 18 years old to do some public show. Well, original "Horizons" drummer wasn´t, so John Kerrison came in to play the German dates with the band.
THE JAVELINS
Ian Gillan – vocals
Gordon Fairminer – guitar
Tony Tacon - guitar
Tony Withfield – bass
Keith Roach – drums
John Kerrison replaced Keith Roach on drums sometimes
THE PIRATES
Nick Simper – bass
John Kerrison – drums
Mick Steward – guitar
Johnny Carroll – vocals, keyboards
John Kerrison replaced Roger Pinner on drums 1967
EPISODE SIX
Ian Gillan – vocals
Roger Glover – bass
John Kerrison – drums
Sheila Carter – vocals, keyboards
Graham Carter-Dimmock – guitar, vocals
Tony Lander – guitar
The last concert of the band with John Kerrison was at the “Boathouse“
in London, he was replaced by Mick Underwood.