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The true story of my first band and my good mate Tony Waudby. As the song says, this one's for him.

lyrics

Tony sold me my first brand-new, second-hand guitar.
And I'd bounce around my bedroom like some smalltown superstar.
Tony bought himself a drum kit that he never learned to play.
But he'd still wake up the neighbourhood sat clubbing it all day.
So we tore our leather jackets and we spray-painted our jeans.
We had big plans in a smalltown,
We had rock'n'roll dreams.

We didn't have no bass guitar but we got over that
Getting Sean to pick the bottom four strings of a beat-up Strat.
Then when Sean left Claire took over and I swear we drove her mad,
True I never knew the licks from Teenage Kicks could sound so bad.
But we played Thursdays At The Regal to the Kings and to the Queens,
We had big plans in a smalltown,
We had rock'n'roll dreams.

Sean he joined the army, Claire went off for her degree,
Me and Tony we had dead-ends shifting shit from A to B.
And I'd just stand there next to Terry slowly getting off my face,
"After 15 pints of lager Joe, the world's a different place.
Sure this bar is full of sad old men, but it's not all it seems.
Cos there ain't a man here didn't once have
Rock'n'roll dreams."

My mind was racing way too fast I couldn't hang about
Sat in Nelly's getting pissed and stoned all talk of getting out.
I never said goodbye to Tony but I knew he'd understand.
So I packed off for the city lights and
Got myself a band.

Now 20 years have been and gone and left without a trace,
And those power chords belong another time, another place.
It was great to hear from Tony when he phoned the other day,
Saying: "I still love those old songs Joe, the ones we used to play.
But there's luxury apartments where The Regal used to be,
And I haven't seen a punk round here since 1993.
The old gang hang around now in the pool room at The Plough."
He said: "Remember Sean and Claire, Joe? Wonder what they're doing now.
It's cover bands or nothing here, the pubs have all got themes!
Remember Joe? Remember all those rock'n'roll dreams?"

Oh yeah, I remember Tony. I remember all too well.
And I've been a million miles old friend aw the tales that I could tell.
And while this battered heart's still beating, I can dream enough for 2,
So this one's for the old days Tone,
And it's going out to you.

WORDS AND MUSIC
BY
JOE SOLO

credits

from An Exile in Fairyland: Early Tracks 2004​-​2007, released January 1, 2007
Joe Solo

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Joe Solo Scarborough, UK

Joe Solo is an award-winning musician, writer, poet, activist, broadcaster and washing machine engineer from Scarborough.

Live he has an ever growing reputation as both a performer and raconteur, being thought-provoking, comical and punch-the-air political often in the same breath.

He is not an artist you forget in a hurry. ... more

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