It's only rock 'n' roll but I like it

I was terrified. My hands were trembling as I tried to adjust the microphone and my knees were knocking under my fifties style skirt. Julian the junkie drummer had just fallen off the back of the stage, bringing the last number to a messy end. Now he was back in place, and the set list told me it was my solo. The Paris Sisters’ ‘I Love How You Love Me’. What on earth was I doing here? ‘Here’ was the cavernous Market Hall in Haverfordwest. For some reason our manager had booked us in on a tour of the outer reaches of Wales. We were a rock ‘n’ roll revival group in the early nineteen seventies. Two sax players, one on bass sax, three girl backing singers, a lead singer, lead and rhythm guitarists and a bass player. A nine piece band, all with alter egos, and stage names – Edsel Odeon, Rocco Lampone, Timmy Shirt, Leroy Cool, Pete L’Eau (guess what his real name was) and we were Peggy, Debbie and Jo-Anne, though we never worked out who was which. There was a slightly surreal aspect to playing Haverfordwest . Normally we played small clubs and student unions. Sha Na Na, Alvin Stardust, Shakin’ Stevens and Showaddywaddy were part of a popular fifties revival and we rode the wave. However in this part of Wales the fifties had never gone away, and there were authentic teddy boys in the crowd. I expected a rumble to break out and flick knives to appear at any minute, and we had already planned a quick get away. Unfortunately Julian the junkie drummer was the only drummer available for our tour, and he had already drawn some unwelcome attention. It all started when I moved back to Manchester to live in an infamous shared house. I’d dropped out of my first University course, and my parents had encouraged me not to return to the family home. I had Annie’s room, Annie having gone to live on a kibbutz, a rite of passage for several disaffected Catholic girls I knew. I therefore also inherited Annie’s place in the band. We rehearsed in a cellar lined with egg boxes for soundproofing. Pat and Cathy were the other two Rockettes, and Pat’s mother taught us the hand jive, ideal for such a confined space. We also choreographed dances more suited to the stage performances. We bought authentic fifties clothes in jumble sales and charity shops. We wore our hair in high ponytails. Us girls had day jobs, but the boys were serious about their music. Our manager was also very serious about music, and our material was authentically from the fifties, except for a couple of very convincing songs the boys had written for themselves. There were many adventures on the road in the two and half years the band stayed together. Important connections and friendships were made, many of which still exist, though the lead singer and the manager have joined that heavenly band of rock ‘n’ roll brothers. Ten years ago we reformed for Annie’s 50th birthday party. Almost as terrifying an experience as my first solo in Haverfordwest. There was always safety in numbers though, and the audience were very kind. After Annie’s 50th I discovered a singing class in the local programme of adult education classes, ‘Singing for the Terrified’. I joined, adding my trembling voice to others equally timid and I am still going. It’s now called something along the lines of ‘Singing for Pleasure’. It’s led by a well known harmony singer and song writer. There are no auditions, everyone’s welcome, it’s very informal and friendly. Two hours of harmony singing a week is great for the soul and for peace of mind. I was reminded of my singing past when I signed up last week, having just been to Annie’s 60th birthday party. Could it really be ten years since I nervously joined the class? Coincidentally last week there was also a lot of media publicity about a short video made in 1972 to welcome students to UMIST in Manchester. I saw a preview of the video on a big screen at a magazine launch at Manchester City Art Gallery. To my amazement, three minutes in was a shot of the Students’ Union noticeboard. There was a poster for Drive In Rock and the Rockettes, appearing at Manchester Polytechnic. Proof I hadn’t imagined it! I found my voice with Drive In Rock and the Rockettes. I’m still using it when I sing in harmony or write about my experiences .