Spike, Charlie, Caroline and I first started playing together when there was a spate of parties and weddings around Forest Gate. Spike wanted to rehearse a few songs for “Melfest” celebrating Mel’s 50th  birthday and then there was Kate’s 50th a few months later. Melfest was great and our small part alomgside so many other musicians was the start of a loose association. We carried on playing for fun in the evenings trying out songs laughing and talking. Caroline ran a music club at the time and so we played at “Forest Roots” from time to time  and sometimes at “Mind the Gap”, another local another music night.
 
From casual and apparently unplanned beginnings we developed and eclectic repertoire of songs ranging from The Carpenters to New Order. It had struck Spike on an early morning dog walk that adapting synth pop hits to a folk/roots style had possibilities. As he put it “I thought, there’s gold in them there hills!” and so we started to sift through old songs, trying them on for size. Evenings spent playing, chatting and laughing. Through the rambling conversations Spike’s knowledge and sense of what would work kept a gentle focus on spite of Caroline and me giggling and talking at the back when we should be concentrating. Eventually we even recorded some tunes, at this time, even though they are difficult to listen to, they prompt such memories.
 
Caroline and Spike were seasoned performers but Charlie and I certainly were not. For all of us it  was a privilege and a pleasure to spend time with Spike doing something that he took such pleasure in sharing with others. 
 
Thank you Spike. Thank you so much.