Kneeling? What's that about? - October 21st 1976

An odd entry this, because I hadn't posted it up here on the blog until the BBC People's History Of Pop asked for a scan of it, following the interview I did with them earlier in the year. So this is clearly one of the spreads I thumbed through and read from, but not one that I'd uploaded yet. I can only remember referring to the passage about kneeling.


It reads "Lunchtime: Nick & I went to the music rooms and met some of those friendly fifth years. At least Nick did some kneeling - and if there hadn't been three of them...". So it would appear we were being bullied in the fourth year, and for the life of me I have no memory it whatsoever. I haven't read the earlier entries which might give us more of a picture of what was going on. I shall have investigate.

My Records For The Day, which is where People's History Of Pop's interest in my diary comes from, are outstandingly unmemorable. Does anyone remember The Coffee Song by Osibisa or One Love In My Lifetime by Diana Ross?

Captain Britain meets Captain Genocide - October 13th 1976

"And that definitely is our new name!!" Rarely has a sentence been less accurate and more long-forgotten. I do not remember our band ever being called Captain Genocide (as legend recalls, we spent most of our time known as Walter Tottle). And I have no memory of a song called Mary. If anyone remembers better, and even better if the song was ever committed to tape, then I'd love to hear about it.

And elsewhere in this diary entry we find evidence of school bullying, which I'd also long since erased from my memory. "Nick and I sang his new song in the Music Rooms when in came three fifth years. Guess who got two fists in the stomach and resisted the temptation to crush the three of them?" Oh bless my little cotton socks. Such restraint. (The story continues in this October 21st entry)

Much more memorable is the subsequent music lesson where we found that, to any classical music - or whatever Mrs Blob chose to play us - we could sing "Nick Nacky Nick Nack Nicky Nacky Noo". And did.

Captain Britain was a new comic, about whose arrival I was very excited, and here was my first attempt at drawing him. I've gotten better. 

Records For The Day, our own "Mary" by "Captain Genocide" notwithstanding, and classics - Climax Blues Band and Joan Armatrading, a good week for new singles.

Kev F Sutherland, as well as writing and drawing for The Beano, Marvel, Doctor Who et al, runs Comic Art Masterclasses in schools, libraries and art centres - email for details, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. View the promo video here. 

The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre do Shakespeare played at the Gilded Balloon at the Edinburgh Fringe August 2016. On Tour through Spring 2017.