Somewhere In The Distance
by
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The faces before him are no longer those of the gauche teenagers of a more innocent time. They’ve all grown their hair a bit longer over the intervening years, and although they’re not quite die-hard dedicated followers of fashion, their clothes, with the exception of Chris’s, have lately become more colourful and stylish.
Chris’s jet-black hair is now more shaggy and unkempt, his stubbly beard and thick eyebrows giving him a slightly sinister appearance at times. He’s a radical rebel, the deep thinker of the group, wanting to break down the class barriers and battle against the Establishment, give big business a kick up the backside. He always dresses in black. Only works when he has to, which isn’t very often.
Commercial artist Stuart’s lithe and supple. Always has plenty of female admirers. He’s the enforcer of the team, keeps them in line when things threaten to go awry, keeps their feet on the ground, pulls them back together when they shoot off in different, often chaotic, directions. He has an offbeat sense of humour, an off-the-wall sense of fun, has a soft and, at the same time, a tough, enigmatic side to his character.
Ray works in the publicity department of a film company in London’s West End. He’s the more-open comedian in the pack, coming out with hilarious and silly stuff that has the others in fits.
Ronnie, a copy writer for an advertising agency, regards himself as the quiet, intense one, often something of a loner, even in their company. He’s something of a contradiction, an introvert in many ways, but so extrovert in others. And one thing he fervently doesn’t tolerate is fools, gladly or otherwise.
One last imploring look at the lads from Ronnie, who’s thinking ‘We do blend well together’ as he eggs them on to make a decision. Detects he’s winning, has them where he wants them. They’re melting. Then he nonchalantly throws in the information he knows will clinch the yes vote.
‘By the way there’ll be a music festival going on and, you’ll just love this, Jefferson Airplane are on the bill.’
Ray’s the first to pipe up. ‘No kidding. Well, that’s me signed up. I’ll get me bags packed right away.’
The other two are now equally keen on the trip, grinning like two contented Cheshire cats.
‘Wow, Jefferson Airplane, those cool dudes from San Francisco. The band’s top dollar,’ drools Stuart, in a drawly, mock West Coast accent that has the others cringing.
‘Count me in,’ says Chris, downing his pint and making off to the bar for another round.
Ray, particularly, is a big, big fan of lead singer Grace Slick, boasting a large coloured poster of her on his bedroom wall, a situation that has led the others to rib him about whether it’s a healthy thing for a 22-year-old to be doing. Ronnie jokes that he’s like the blues song says, a king bee buzzing round her hive
Put quite simply, Ray’s hooked. Stealing a sentiment from a West Side Story song, he eulogises: ‘Grace. Say it soft and it’s almost like praying. Grace. Say it loud and there’s music playing.’
Ray can name all the band’s members. ‘There’s the lovely Grace Slick,’ he recites, ‘Paul Kantner, Spencer Dryden, Marty Balin, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady.’
Confidently, he follows up with details of what instruments they play, where they were born, dates of birth, real birth names where applicable, and, what a sheltered life he leads, the lads josh, even their favourite foods, musicians and singers
‘You’re a sad anorak,’ teases Ronnie, recalling that when Surrealistic Pillow is released he has them listen to the album for what seems like a million times until they all know the lyrics inside out.
The Jefferson album is on the turntable with the arm disengaged so that the tracks play over and over again. Somebody To Love is yelled so loudly it drowns out the band’s vocals.
Ray’s voice is prominent, hollering ‘When the truth is found to be lies’. He’s singing his heart out, high on cloud nine.
Thoughts of the four of them behaving like carefree teenagers again fills Ronnie with a deep sense of satisfaction. Gives him a warm glow inside. Friendships, he tells himself, are sacred and valued parts of our lives and should be nurtured and protected ...
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About the Book
Coming of age in north London during the Swinging Sixties, four friends, each with their own distinct views and outlook on life but drawn tightly together by their mutually exuberant love of rock ‘n’ roll and the cultural influences of the time, form a strong bond that nurtures their dreams, hopes and aspirations for a brighter, better world free from fighting, hatred, inequality and hypocrisy.
But the dark, corrosive side of the Sixties - the assassinations of President John F Kennedy and his brother Robert, the brutal slaying of Martin Luther King, the trauma and shocking events of the Vietnam War and the destructive surge in drugs use – loom large, leaving the foursome with scars that slowly erode their youthful innocence, confidence and naïve swagger.
A dramatic helter-skelter journey sees the friends go through an array of human emotions, from humour to pathos, elation to sadness, excitement to disappointment, life-affirming highs to tear-stained lows and, ultimately, heartbreak and disillusionment.
Set in the closing stages of the decade, the earlier years are recalled vividly in flashbacks that capture the exhilarating but often painful process of growing up in rapidly-changing, turbulent times.
About the Author
David Soulsby has called on his extensive experience and insight as a young journalist in the Sixties in north and east London to bring to life the society-changing decade in a highly-individual and compelling fictional narrative, putting a fresh take on the events and influences of an era that millions – many of whom weren’t even born at the time – still find fascinating and highly-evocative.
His knowledge and love of the music of the period comes across strongly, invoking vivid emotional imagery that acts as a counterpoint to the era’s darker side of war, assassinations, political unrest and growing drugs culture.
During the Seventies and Eighties he worked on national and weekly newspapers and magazines as a writer and sub-editor, and for ten years was deputy editor on the Romford Recorder. He is currently production editor on TVQuick and TV Choice weekly listings magazines based in Camden, north London.