Good Life Publishing [Publication date:17.09.21]

‘Hello Tolworth, I’m Ziggy, The life And times of the Toby Jug pub, and the launch of David Bowie’s most famous character’ is a meticulously researched book that is at its best when covering Bowie and an array of other ground breaking gigs at the Toby Jug in Tolworth, South West London.

It’s a labour of love which provides the local history context of the times, but is less interesting to music fans when covering the nefarious nature of some of the pubs best forgotten episodes.

Overall, it’s an impressive snap shot of a time when the nascent rock, blues and psychedelic scene was about the break out of the pubs such as the Toby Jug and into bigger venues.

Ultimately in the case of David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull and ELO etc, it led to international success.

Musically speaking author Tim Harrison sums thing up thus: “It was a time before mobile phones, when bands could make mistakes without social media amplifying them.”

The book also provides an excellently explored broader context, when he says:” In some ways the tale of the Toby Jug mirrors the rise and fall of all Britain’s pubs.”

Bowie aside, there are short snippets of gigs by the likes of local heroes The Yardbirds, SavoyBrown, Free, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, Taste, Family, Joe Cocker, Edgar Broughton, Chicken Shack, Fleetwood Mac, The Groundhogs, Stray, Ten Years After, Traffic, Killing Floor as well as Captain Beefheart, John Lee Hooker, Freddie King, Howlin Wolf, Status Quo, ELO and many more.

The strength of the book is the way it draws on first hand accounts from 250 interviews, including perceptive comments from former NationalFlag and Little Sister guitarist Gary Brewer, who recalls seeing Captain Beefheart opening for John Mayall: “Everyone knew that Captain Beefheart was connected with Frank Zappa, so it seemed amazing to see him in Tolworth. Ry Cooder wasn’t in the line-up (the band did include Jerry Handley, on bass and Alex Sinclair on guitar); a shame as Little Sister was very influenced by Cooder.”

Speaking after a Lindisfarne gig, he summed up the high standing of the music venue: “I never went to the Toby Jug and came out disappointed.”

More specifically, when recalling former Cream lyricist Pete Brown, he offers the most esoteric observation in the book: “He always got in where the dust doesn’t settle. I mean the nooks and corners.”

Audience member Alan Wilkinson was one of 50 odd people to catch Jethro Tull and remembers that: “After playing a couple of numbers on guitar (Ian) Anderson delved into a plastic carrier bag to pull out anther instrument, and said: ‘I think I’m breaking new ground here’, then began playing the flute.”

But it’s David Bowie who lies at the heart of the author’s affections and he is given the opening chapter for his Toby Jug appearance on February the 10^th 1972.

There’s a significant quote from an early back stage encounter between the relief publican’s grandson Alan Stevens and Bowie who is described as “a pale gaunt figure, stripped to the waist.”

“Here’s your Brown ale Mr Bowie” said Alan.

The man smiled. “Tonight it’s not Mr. Bowie, its Ziggy.”

Harrison provides a lovely mix of context and anticipation by researching audience member’s musical habits, which led them to see Bowie on the night when he launched Ziggy Stardust at the Toby Jug.

As for the show itself: ‘At 9pm as Beethoven died away, Woody began a pounding beat and Ziggy (fortified by a final swig of Brown ale to wet his throat) walked on stage to join his Spiders.

As the drummer, Woody had the best view of the Toby audience from his perch behind the kit. And recalls that: “about 60 people were there.”’

The neutral reader might argue that the Led Zeppelin story (you will have to read the

book) holds more weight in terms of the band’s global impact, but it is Bowie who makes the biggest impression.

Harrison wisely draws on plenty of first hand accounts to illustrate the impact of his androgynous hero.

All that said, this book is as much an account of the local (South West London) social and economic environment of the time, reaching all the way back to 1928 for an initial meeting between Carrington the brewers and the local council.

There’s a succession of rotary links, weddings, tales of spying and even a chapter on Freddie Lennon (John’s dad) who worked in the pub for a while.

But it’s “The Music Years 1962 -72” which provides the major interest. There are also chronological chapters on disco, punk and the eventual decline of the pub.

Ultimately, ‘Hello Tolworth I’m Ziggy’ provides the historical and social context leading to rock in the suburbs. It’s packed with photos, flyers, logos and an excellent bibliography, and only lacks a concise index for those of us restless to read about our respective musical heroes.

The fact that Tim Harrison manages to identify so many significant political, historic and musical strans to uncover the local origins of some of the best music of the era in a local roadhouse boozer, is testament to both his organisational and writing skills.

Both those aspects easily match his passion for his subject matter. ****

Review by Pete Feenstra

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

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09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)