Frank Hardcastle (my father)

Although I am middle aged I have recently started to learn how to play clarinet and saxophone. This is because of the major regret in my life. Not learning when I was a kid. I had all the chances I needed, but ignored them. There were far more interesting things to concentrate on such as the 1966 World Cup, Georgie Best and the Beatles. But now I have realised how stupid I was and am putting it right.

The chances I refer to above are because of my Father. He was a semi-professional jazz musician for most of his life. He played, and still does, piano, clarinet, saxophone and flute. He can also arrange and compose music. When I was a kid I would hear him practise every day and the sound of music would fill the house. I am sure now that this unwittingly soaked into my head, only to come out later in life. Back then I had no idea what I was being exposed to.

So, this blog starts with a very brief description of my musical heritage, the story of Frank Hardcastle and how he shaped my love of music.

He started playing piano when he was young. He had the usual lessons and spent many hours picking out tunes on the family piano. I am guessing here, but I suppose being exposed to the music played on radio during the 1940's he was bound to develope and ear for dance band and jazz music. In any case he ended up with a saxophone and taught himself how to play it. By the fifties he was in the Royal Air Force at St Athan, Wales doing his national service. Whilst there he became involved in playing in military and dance bands.

Looking back he told me that this was the time when he learnt most about how to be a musician by following tempo and synchronising with the other members of the band. By the time he came out of the RAF he was ready to face the world of a part time dance band player. These were the times I remember so well. I still have the mental image of him in his dress suit smelling of cheap aftershave and carrying his old battered saxophone case out of the door on his way to some gig.

This was his main form of musical income for many years. But he also had a day job working in a factory which, he hated. I can well remember him complaining about the music he had to listen to on the radio in the workshop. He hated listening to pop music and the continual playing of the 'Hit Parade' drove him mad. I think a particular record that gave him a great deal of angst was Mary Hopkin's 'Those were the day's'. He said it was repeated so much that he didn't think he could stand it any longer.

Ironically it was pop music that proved to be the help he needed. An old friend from his RAF days was a man called Norman Smith. What dad did not know was that Norman had entered the music business as a recording engineer for EMI and became the chief engineer for the Beatles. He eventually launched his own singing career under the name Hurricane Smith and had a hit single with 'Don't Let it Die'. Norman wished to follow this success with a second single where he wanted to include a jazzy alto saxophone solo. He contacted dad and invited him to play. As a result the single 'Oh babe waht would you say' was born. It was very successful, not only in the Uk but also in Europe and the US. This led dad to give up the factory and work full time touring with Hurricane Smith. He literally gave up his day job.

For my brother and I this was a fantastic time. I loved telling my mates at school that dad was to be on Top of the Pops. We once visited the studios at Abbey Road and later saw Slade and Alvin Stardust live at Granada TV studios Manchester.

Franks professional career took many turns. He did a bit of session work with EMI playing on recordings made by such pop icions as Lena Zavoroni, The Pretty Things and Beranrd Manning. In 1975 He played on a record by Johnny Wakelin about Muhammed Ali called 'Black Superman'. He continued to work with Hurricane Smith on a couple more singles and was Musical Director on the 'Don't Let it Die' album.

Over the years he aslo played with some big bands including Herb Miller (Glenns brother) and Ray Shields. Eventually he went back to jazz , etching out a living with various combos playing in pubs and clubs around the country. He has now retired and living in rural Norfolk.

So, thanks dad. I may not have taken to music when I should have, but it is never too late to start. I get an enormous amount of pleasure from playing my saxophone and clarinet and feel that it is because of the influence you have given me over the last 40 odd years.