Help is on its way

At the end of last week I had a pub meeting with someone who is prepared to run more ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP nights in London. If you recall 14 Carat Grapefruit were the first to put on their own RTYD night, which was at The Miller in London Bridge in March; but this the first individual to come forward with an interest in getting involved in organising events, and in RTYD in general.

He is 37, so he was teenager in the  late-80s/early 90s. He is therefore at the bottom end of the RTYD age group, a first year student, if you like. His favourite bands are Joy Division and Interpol, but he's not a goth, so that's okay. He is a vocalist/songwriter, but he isn't in a band at the moment. He sees getting involved with ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP as a way of raising his musician's profile in London, and helping him get back into a band.

He has recently moved from Surrey to East London, where he is co-habiting with his girlfriend. He is approaching middle-age. He's got a proper job. He can't handle his drink like he used to; this and other mature developments are under way. He is beginning the process of settling down, but like many of us, he doesn't see this as a reason to stop making music. Quite the contrary. It's funny, because settling down does seem to help you realise just how important music-making is to you, and how much it defiines you, and as a result reinforces your dedication to it.

It was cool because we talked at length about the longer term prospects of a social network like RTYD; five/ ten years down the line. We talked about significance of the first RTYD member 'dropping' -and how, in many respects, that this will be the moment that the network comes into its own, and demonstrates its real meaning as a club for life.

He's also interested in the idea of a regular social meet-up. Perhaps monthly, in central London in the back room of a pub, which I think is a nice idea.

I will introduce him in good time. Right now, he's on holiday, but when he returns, he plans to come to one or two RTYD gigs, to get an idea of what is involved.

It will be interesting to follow his progress. And if he becomes involved in the longer-term, it may well lead the way for others, in other towns and cities across the UK, to do the same.

I can but dream.