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Drummerboy
Boy - there sure is a lot of conjecture out there regarding that tour. I was told by MT I had the gig the second day of my entry into the situation. Ian McGlagan got the gig on his first appearance two days later. Greg Sutton I think same day as me. The punkers - the rhythm section that had been in the picture for a while weren't any longer. The talk that nobody knew for sure who was going to be in the band until the day before the first gig is bollocks. After the first days at Bob's home we rehearsed together later for about four days at the Beverley Theatre, where incidentally we all signed contracts. Some days later we flew to Italy. Rehearsing with Bob was nothing more than running through countless songs. No beginnings or endings were worked on. That had to take shape as we played the shows which accounts for the initial un-togetherness as far as endings went, during the first shows in Verona. At the time I expressed my frustration by tossing drumsticks up in the air. These were returned to me after the show by Bob's son Jesse. I never heard of any problems between MT & Bob or indeed Ian but I wasn't party to everything going on. To me Bob seemed pretty OK. about things but who knows what goes on in his head. The only time he questioned anything about me was when he thought I'd counted in "Licence to Kill" a little too fast on one show & he made me aware of that as soon as the song ended. I think Bob & MT conferred as regards who would be in the band. I have no illusions why I got the job. My long time friendship with MT & the many gigs I'd played with him over the years must have been a factor but let's not forget the fact that I was a pretty good drummer with twenty years as a pro behind me. As far as drugs were concerned - there was a bit of coke around at times & most of the band indulged - I can't speak for Bob. I would never say, as Ian intimated that none of us was in good shape & doing loads of various drugs - I didn't drink alcohol & still don't, not even beer. As far as MT being the leader, maybe that's what Bob expected but I've no idea. It seemed to me that in running through all the songs Bob was able to make a mental list of the ones that seemed to sound OK. - that took shape in a natural way without any real discussion - so who needed a leader. If Bob felt comfortable that was what mattered.There were never any "after the show chats" about this song or that song. It was what it was. As far as the tracks released on the Real Live album are concerned - I think good versions of some of Bob's other songs were unfortunately not included. Not much else to say except I got to play with a living legend & in doing so followed in the footsteps of a couple of my favourite drummers, namely Jim Keltner & Levon Helm......................Colin Allen - drummer Dylan European Tour 84