Tom Marshall has spent six decades making his way through the British music scene. In his autobiography Catch a Falling Star he looks back at those years with honesty, recalling the small breaks and the hard lessons that kept him in the game. From almost joining The Bee Gees, supporting Jimi Hendrix, recording solo work and touring with Bucks Fizz, Marshall’s story captures the reality of a working musician’s life. With recordings from that era now seeing daylight, he reflects on the songs, the people he met, and what it all added up to.
What does the Catch a Falling Star title mean to you now, and why was this the right moment to tell your story?
I guess “Catch a Falling Star” means that I worked as a musician for sixty years. From the age of 1966 till up today! I didn’t make it to “stardom” but in my twilight years, there’s still time! You never know.
When you think back to your first groups, what were your ambitions?
The Penny Blacks consisted of four friends that owned acoustic guitars. We thought we could practice, and be as famous as the Beatles, Hollies etc etc.
You mention the tragic loss of Olly, your singer at the time. How did that experience affect you?
After the death of Olly, we were all obviously very emotionally upset. As time followed, I wanted even more to have hits etc as this was exactly what “Olly” wanted.
There is a remarkable story about you almost joining The Bee Gees. Can you tell us how that came about and how you felt at the time?
I pushed ahead looking for the “Musicians Wanted” pages in the NME and musical express. Is I said in my book, I saw the ad. stating “Guitarist/Singer Wanted.” I went to the audition as was requested, and after playing and singing a little, was asked to see the company owner/manager. I was offered the job with with this new band called “The Bee Gees” but was frightened off by the unwanted personal attentions of the owner. I would never put his name in print for obvious reasons. I was frightened, but even more wanted to be successful.
Tom Marshall, Alan Barratt, Alan Townsend, Ronny Butterworth, Paul Maher, Simon Spackman and Don Bax
Jo Jo Gunne once shared a bill with Jimi Hendrix. What do you remember most from that night?
Supporting Jimi Hendrix just made me even more determined for success. Our band shared the only dressing room with Hendrix and his band. He was fabulous to talk to and a lovely guy! When they got to the stage to play, it felt like the roof of the building would fly off! Magical. At that moment, I realised that I had a long way to go to hit the top, and I bought a bigger and louder amplifier for stage!
You recorded your Catch a Falling Star solo album while working in the Middle East. What inspired you to make an album and what was the recording process like with the equipment you had available?
So the next step, fly to the Middle East for the excitement and to try to earn a bit of savings money! Our band eventually worked there for around two years. We managed to save money and enjoyed this kind of life. We worked in the evenings and so our daytimes were free. I had so much time on my hands, that I decided to spend daytimes writing songs, and recording basic tracks on a Teak and a Revox tape recorded that had bought in Bahrein. I sang the songs and played all of the instruments one by one, and mixed everything down in demo form. I planned to take the material back to UK and try to get some kind of publishing deal.
Sparrow’s Chris White-produced album was shelved by Bronze Records. Can you share what happened with that project and how you felt when it was never released?
On returning to UK I was asked to join “Sparrow” by the “Bron” agency. We played live and were getting great reviews. We even made second place in the TV show called “New Faces.” Unfortunately it was costing Bronze Records large sums of money to promote and support Sparrow, and consequently the album release was shelved, and Bronze dumped Sparrow! All of the band members were extremely disappointed. We loved being in Sparrow and loved performing in a talented band primed for success. Along with this, being in the Sparrow was our only income. After being”dumped” by we then managed to find a “Pub” gig in Romford and played there four evenings a week in order to earn a living wage! Times were going to be hard.
Now that your solo and Sparrow recordings have finally fully been released after 50 years, how did it feel to revisit them and hear those songs again?
I still listen to the “Sparrow” album tracks which all sound great. I truly feel that “Bronze Records were making a big mistake.
Chris White is a lovely man and a great, experienced Record Producer. During the Sparrow recording sessions, Chris introduced us to Hank Marvin and Mike Moran, who added talent and an added dimension to the album tracks. I always had respect for “The Shadows” and Chris asked me to stand with Hank in the studio and run through the guitar chords to a track called “Amateur Days in the Band!” I felt extremely honoured!
You have worked with a wide range of artists including Davy Jones, Cliff Richard and Elaine Paige. What is the most important lesson you took from collaborating with such well-known performers?
During the touring days with Sparrow, we did play as a support act to many well known artists. We obviously met them both socially, and at venues and theatres, in more working situations.
The most important lesson learned from working with these artists is that they are all extremely talented, and spurred on by giving the fans the best that they can perform, and exactly what they want to hear. Behind the scenes, they are all extremely nervous before the curtains rise, but with “curtains up!” each one gives 100% of themselves to their fans. A totally professional performance.
You were part of Liquid Gold during the time of their hit ‘Dance Yourself Dizzy.’ What was it like to suddenly be part of a pop group?
Yes, I then joined Liquid Gold, who were then an established pop/funk band playing in venues around London. They wanted to add a keyboard player as the were becoming popular as a live band, and were about to release a single called “Dance Yourself Dizzy!” The rest is history. Top of the Pops, TV shows and playing live gigs across the UK. It suddenly became a crazy word, touring for a couple of years. All the band members were fabulous, talented people and we had a brilliant lead singer called Ellie Hope. After a year or so touring, there was a band meeting with the management, in order to discuss “Royalties.” At this meeting I was told that since I was not an original band member, I would not receive any money from working hard with the band. I handed in my notice the following day!
How did you get involved with playing with Bucks Fizz?
By chance, within a couple of weeks, I had a call from a musician friend, who wanted me to join their band, who were about to tour UK backing the Eurovision Song Contest winners, “Bucks Fizz!”
For two or more years, we all had a great time working all over the world with Bucks Fizz. Good gigs, tours and well paid. After our Christmas Eve gig in Newcastle, our coach crashed taking all the band to a Hotel just outside Newcastle. The rest is history!
The coach crash in 1984 was a life-changing event. What do you recall about the immediate aftermath and how did your recovery change your relationship with music?
My recovery took around two years, and my home life and working life obviously fell apart, so I seemed to lose all of my musical work, I bought a small truck and decided to earn a living as a sub contracted driver. This I did for a year or so just to pay my way in life.
Looking back at your career there are moments where opportunities nearly aligned such as working with Trevor Horn. How do you reflect on those near-misses now?
There were many opportunities, especially the recordings with Trevor Horn with a new band I had put together. There were two or three songs and so my hopes rose yet once more. Unfortunately, in the middle of my recordings with Trevor, he suddenly released “Video Killed the Radio Star” and all of our hopes disappeared as he set off around the world to promote the “Buggles!”
What would you most like younger musicians to understand about the realities of being a working musician?
It’s hard work trying to be famous in the real world. Young musicians need to understand this. Must have talent and must believe in whatever you are doing!
Of all the records you have made, which one feels closest to your heart today and why?
The song closest to my heart would be “Film Star” which was released many years ago. Trevor Horn produced the demo of this track and this was released by Gun Records a few years later.
As you know, with “Catch a Falling Star” I’m still trying to be listened to after all these years! I keep trying as all musicians/songwriters do! Never give up!
I first met Tom Marshall in 1967/8. The band played at a venue in Worcester – The Wharf. I met him a few times after that and he was such a lovely guy. I continued to follow him and saw him a few times at other Venues.
I was in Grand Canaria, when the news came through, in an English newspaper, of the catastrophic coach crash on Christmas Eve. So very, very distressing.
The last time I saw him was at a Venue in Hunstanton, Norfolk.
Years later, I saw a picture of him in the NME. He was with Tony Rivers in Denia, Spain. I cut out the picture of Tom and it remains in a little frame beside my bed to this day.
During the earlier years, I was in contact with his Mum, and knew he had married and had a son. I contacted her after the coach crash and sent him a card, expressing my sorrow and distress. Sadly, I have had no other contact with him, other than seeing him playing on Top of the Pops.