My Childhood
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My family lived above a shop in Middle Lane, Crouch End which is in Hornsey, London N8. I had two brothers Stephen, older than me by 18 months and Calvin, much younger by about 4 years. Alongside my brothers and I was mum, dad and Titch, our little dog who used to sleep under the chair in the corner. My mum always seemed happy, she used to sing at the top of her voice when ironing, hoovering or washing up. Whatever she was doing she would be singing. Mum was also a great dancer, she was in fact the North London jive champion. She and her dance partner won the event at the Palais in Muswell Hill. Mum told me they tossed a coin for the trophy and she lost. She also told me that she had been asked to sing in a band but her mum wouldn’t let her because she was too young.
In our house we had two pianos, a tea chest bass (with one string that was just an old piece of wire and an old coat hanger that you had to move up and down to tighten the string for tuning), a trumpet my brother used to play and a drum kit that I had just received for Christmas. My dad had fixed them up for me; they must have been quite old because all the skins were real pigskin. He also swapped a couple of drum lessons for driving lessons with a young guy down the street. Before the drums all I had was a pair of sticks, they were painted white and I used to play the furniture, table and the walls, which drove everyone mad with the constant banging.
It was a madhouse, our poor neighbours. My mum and dad would have parties almost every week and there was always people round, it seemed like I had a thousand uncles. One of my favourites was Uncle Norman, real name Norman Wright. He played the piano at the parties for a sing-along and made everybody roll with laughter. He was married to maisie she was my mum’s best mate. I always liked them. Norman and my dad worked for The Otis Elevator Company. Norman worked at the BBC Centre, my dad moved around a bit, more working in the London hotels and office buildings. A few years later, on the night Whitesnake recorded Top Of The Pops, guess who was there to look after me? Yes, Uncle Norman.
It was a bit like being in the Mafia, we had people everywhere. So at 13 and a bit I was playing the drums. I always loved to play and was allowed to. We had some Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich records; he was my favourite. I would be shaken out of my sleep at the weekend by my dad, just back from the pub, with whatever drummer was playing that night. It must have been almost midnight and I was being given an impromptu drum lesson; it wasn’t quiet either. We must have truly been the neighbours from hell, but I loved it; the noise, the music and the laughter, always the laughter, and I was learning to play and getting better.
I have found in my life that good things are often sent to you, and one day a pair of good things turned up at the door, those being Mick and Malcolm. Mick lived across the street and Malcolm a few yards further down in the flats. I used to hear them playing and singing in Mick’s bedroom when I was doing my paper round, so I was very excited to see them standing there. They were looking for a drummer for their band. I must have been almost 14 years old then and they asked me to come over and play. I said that “I would have to ask my dad first“, he of course said yes and Canterbury Glass were born. My first band; the neighbours must have been so pleased to see the drums going across the street to Mick’s house for rehearsal. The joy for those neighbours unfortunately was short lived, my family had a much bigger front room and soon the whole band were rehearsing at our house, with my mum bringing in tea and biscuits for all of us.
Well that’s all for now. We shall talk more of Canterbury Glass later.
All the best,
Dave Dowle
If you have any questions about this or any related subject please contact me at speaktome@daviddowle.com