Comments on: The Elevators’ John Whippy http://www.bluesinbritain.org/interview/ independent magazine writing about the best in British blues music Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:38:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mike Whippy http://www.bluesinbritain.org/interview/comment-page-1/#comment-9713 Mike Whippy Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:50:24 +0000 http://www.bluesinbritain.org/blog/?p=201#comment-9713 John, is/was my cousin a few years younger than me and he joined a band I was the drummer with in Lewes called Oakenlode, when he was 17/18yrs old. We persuaded my father to loan him the money to buy a Fender Telecaster, because he was that good. he replaced a brilliant guitarist from Seaford Simon Lilley and was even better. I mustn't forget to mention our bassist Grahame Frost and between Graham & I we persuaded John to cover a lot of Rory Gallagher material, again because he was that good. I grew up a little, got married, sold my drumkit and lost track of John until many years later I caught him at the Komedia - he was awesome and so he should have been after all those years, a very talented Whippy! I don't think my father ever got his money, it was one of those loans that get paid back out of royalties, just as my Ludwig kit was (not)!!! MikeW John, is/was my cousin a few years younger than me and he joined a band I was the drummer with in Lewes called Oakenlode, when he was 17/18yrs old. We persuaded my father to loan him the money to buy a Fender Telecaster, because he was that good. he replaced a brilliant guitarist from Seaford Simon Lilley and was even better. I mustn’t forget to mention our bassist Grahame Frost and between Graham & I we persuaded John to cover a lot of Rory Gallagher material, again because he was that good.

I grew up a little, got married, sold my drumkit and lost track of John until many years later I caught him at the Komedia – he was awesome and so he should have been after all those years, a very talented Whippy!

I don’t think my father ever got his money, it was one of those loans that get paid back out of royalties, just as my Ludwig kit was (not)!!!

MikeW

]]> By: Andy Funnell http://www.bluesinbritain.org/interview/comment-page-1/#comment-5935 Andy Funnell Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:27:03 +0000 http://www.bluesinbritain.org/blog/?p=201#comment-5935 Had the privelege of being Whippy's next door neighbour and friend for ten years or so and can honestly say that a more modest ,self deprecating guy would be hard to find. he encouraged my awful three chord strumming and somehow always managed to convince me that I had taught HIM something I still play Relatively Blue regularly partly because it's so bloody good and partly to kid myself that he's still around.If only. Miss you man. Had the privelege of being Whippy’s next door neighbour and friend for ten years or so and can honestly say that a more modest ,self deprecating guy would be hard to find. he encouraged my awful three chord strumming and somehow always managed to convince me that I had taught HIM something
I still play Relatively Blue regularly partly because it’s so bloody good and partly to kid myself that he’s still around.If only.
Miss you man.

]]> By: Clive Shelley http://www.bluesinbritain.org/interview/comment-page-1/#comment-5852 Clive Shelley Mon, 08 Nov 2010 08:05:54 +0000 http://www.bluesinbritain.org/blog/?p=201#comment-5852 Recall the Peter Green School gig (it would be 1970 give or take a year). People just don't believe me, now. We had a guy lived at Newhaven who said, "you having a dance? - I could probably get Peter Green for you, man". Pals all said yeah, yeah, yeah, and in disbelief, up turns the young maestro to play to a load of 17 year olds!! RIP JW Recall the Peter Green School gig (it would be 1970 give or take a year). People just don’t believe me, now. We had a guy lived at Newhaven who said, “you having a dance? – I could probably get Peter Green for you, man”. Pals all said yeah, yeah, yeah, and in disbelief, up turns the young maestro to play to a load of 17 year olds!!

RIP JW

]]> By: Rick Aldous http://www.bluesinbritain.org/interview/comment-page-1/#comment-3871 Rick Aldous Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:21:29 +0000 http://www.bluesinbritain.org/blog/?p=201#comment-3871 i'd never seen this band before and a drummer friend of mine took me to see them at a pub gig somewhere in sussex i think it was ? John invited me to sit in on harp for a couple of numbers.. Otis was supposed to be re joining them for the session but was a no show . this was his loss and my gain the boys were the easyest band ive played with very together with john giving his guest ME! space and oppertunity to do my thing ! He was i fine guitarist vocalist and a gent. Never did meet otis but envy his chances and time sharing a stage with john and the band R.I.P blues buddy! i’d never seen this band before and a drummer friend of mine took me to see them at a pub gig somewhere in sussex i think it was ? John invited me to sit in on harp for a couple of numbers.. Otis was supposed to be re joining them for the session but was a no show . this was his loss and my gain the boys were the easyest band ive played with very together with john giving his guest ME! space and oppertunity to do my thing ! He was i fine guitarist vocalist and a gent. Never did meet otis but envy his chances and time sharing a stage with john and the band R.I.P blues buddy!

]]> By: Richard Taylor http://www.bluesinbritain.org/interview/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Richard Taylor Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:41:01 +0000 http://www.bluesinbritain.org/blog/?p=201#comment-10 RIP John. You will forever be grinning at us across the stage at Brighton's Komedia. Hugs Wandering Wilf x RIP John. You will forever be grinning at us across the stage at Brighton’s Komedia.

Hugs

Wandering Wilf x

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