"I'm a lucky man, I had a dream and it has come true. Here is me and here is my story" Steve Laffy
I grew up in Hoxton, London, in the 1950s, living in a council flat with my parents and six siblings. My earliest memories of music are of the Salvation Army band marching through the streets on Sunday mornings. When we moved to a house in Camden, music remained absent from my life and at a Catholic grammar school, the only available instruments were the piano and violin, so music played little role in my early years.
The swinging '60s largely bypassed council estate youths, but the sounds of Motown and emerging UK bands like the Rolling Stones and the Beatles filled the airwaves. The first time I heard a live drum kit was at Saturday morning pictures, where a local band played during the intermission. I first encountered a drum kit up close at a school friend's house in Kensington. Allowed to have a go, I was intrigued by the array of things to hit and the variety of sounds they produced—the seed was sown!
At 15, after leaving school, I discovered 'Implosion' at The Roundhouse in Camden, an event held every Sunday from midday to 11 pm, featuring live bands all day long. This was at the heart of the 1960s London music scene, and it opened my ears and eyes. I spent countless happy hours absorbing the music and culture, captivated by the many drummers.
After a turbulent teenage period, I bought my first drum kit at 19. Though I couldn’t bring it into my family house, my friend Chris Duffy kindly invited me to his place, where we started to jam. Our 'racket' soon wore out its welcome, and the kit was moved to The Winchester youth club nearby.
At 'The Winch,' I began jamming with Chris Duffy and Rene Go, a talented Dutchman I met while working at Twickenham Film Studios. This environment, steeped in music and recording, further fueled my burgeoning interest in becoming a musician.
Rene eventually invited me to join him on a new music project, encouraging me to decide if I was ready to commit to developing the skills needed to play drums properly. With Rene's support and help, I dived into a total immersion in music and drumming. I practiced for five hours every day, often through the night, while working as a hospital porter during the day. This intense period of dedication lasted three years.
The journey I began then blossomed into the career I describe on the following pages.
Click to listen to 'The Imperial Hotel ' live in Japan with UK band England. Thanks to Robert Webb.
Proud to be endorsed by:
