At this point you might be thinking ‘where are they now?’ So this is what I know about the current activities of the main characters.
Family
My mother is in very good health and still living in the house that launched several musical careers. Bryn is still working with me on a variety of projects, mostly on the internet. John is still playing in orchestras when his golfing schedule allows. They have both been with the same girls for over 30 years. My aunt Kitty is the last member of the family remaining in the East End where we all started. I was overjoyed to go to Katie’s graduation at the chiropractic college, where many of my tutors are still lecturing. Anna is travelling the world with a design company – she helped me get the right design for the book’s cover. Joe is currently DJ-ing in the Far East and loving it. Maxine went on to train as a chiropractor as well. She has now remarried and living happily in Northampton.
Bands
Mick Jones has had a personality transplant; going from a self-centered grump to the nicest man you could ever wish to meet. I asked him what happened but he just laughed. For the last ten years he has worked with Tony James in a band called Carbon/Silicon, along with various other musical projects. Tony James is happily married and living in Somerset. The song that wasn’t a hit, Dancing With Myself, has been used in numerous films and commercials. Perhaps it was a case of right song, wrong time. Paul Simonon is still involved in music, largely with Damon Albarn. He is also painting pictures. Topper is now 10 years clean and sober. He lives in his hometown of Dover and is slowly coming back into the limelight. He may even write a book (which would be a very interesting read for me). He and I have an unusual relationship – a bit like two men who have been married to the same woman but not spent much time together. We are planning on getting together to have a good long talk soon…
Bernard Rhodes still seems to be angry at the world – I doubt if that will change now. Sebastian Conran is still following his passion for design, Don Letts has been busy making music and movies. He also always seems to be the DJ at Clash bashes and still looks the same. Baker has retired to New Jersey, coming back to the UK only occasionally. Keith Levene has never stopped making music, Kosmo now lives in New York and runs a unique website dedicated to his (and my) beloved West Ham United. Alex Michon is currently running an art gallery in London. Wally Nightingale died in May 1996 from a drug related illness. Vic Goddard continues to write and play music.
I met up with Billy Idol recently. He’s looking very healthy and still has a full head of hair (there is no justice). It was great to meet his parents again after 25 years. Anita Chellamah is still singing. She lives very nearby and is one of my dearest friends. Mike Monroe, Nasty Suicide and Andy McCoy have reformed Hanoi Rocks several times in addition to appearing on various TV appearances. I bumped into Richard Bishop on an airplane recently – he’s still managing bands from California – and I recently met up with Ken Lockie who has not lost his fertile imagination. Tony Iommi has had some health challenges recently but has responded by making a new Black Sabbath album which shot straight to number one. All of the multitudinous musical and personal disagreements from the past appear to be forgotten and close friendships have been rebuilt.
Chiropractic
All of my classmates seem to be doing well. Denise, my dear friend who actually had a baby during the course, passed away recently and will be greatly missed by all who knew her. David who started the first clinic I worked in has retired to Thailand. Clare Shiner who was my first CEO at the YMCA got married and moved to Australia.
In conclusion, those people from my past who are still alive are mostly very happy. It seems that you do, in fact, get happier as you grow older. I recently took stock and had a long look at what I enjoy doing and what I do because I have to. I decided that I love treating my patients, but running the business was work. Determined to keep to my lifelong aim to only do what I love, I sold my clinics but continued to work in one of them. This allows me to travel the world. Between playing music, treating patients, lecturing and writing books, I can see many exciting years stretching out before me. All is well.
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