The Buzz Kid / Garry Johnson

Chapter Two


I was born in East London and grew up in Essex. I am a genuine Cockney born within the sound of Bow Bells.
My dad who was a lying "so and so" said I was born in the same hospital as The Kray Twins and pop legend Marc Bolan.
If true, maybe that explains my life-long love of Cockney gangsters and Rock and Roll rebels.

A chance meeting in a East End boozer with Fleet Street legend Garry Bushell changed my life. At the time he was a punk writer on Sounds.
I was convinced I could sing like David Bowie. I looked like a wasted Rod Stewart and shared Rod`s obsession with sexy blondes.
I`ve had a lifelong addiction to them. My motto at the time was "If she aint blonde she dont see my wand".

It started with a schoolboy crush on Lynne K. Stanford and carried on until I met my wife. The loves of my life have all been blonde.
Bottle or natural it didnt bother me.

So I was with Rod on women, fancy football and fast drugs. Sadly that is where the similarity ended.
Rod the Mod had the voice of a black soul singer whereas I sounded like a Bethnal Green barrow boy.

The month before meeting punk legend Garry Bushell I formed a band with four other West Ham fans and former skinheads.
We called ourselves The Buzz Kids. We were a punky glam rock band with attitude, dodgy haircuts, big ideas, but little musical ability.

Our local pub had a Friday night Rock Club and we blagged a support slot. We were the warm up act for the legendary Frankie `Boy` Flame. The cockney charmer was the Ace Face on the London pub scene.
He was Ian Dury meets The Jam with sing-a-long anthems and a skinhead following.

We were sharing a dressing room and lines of speed with the "great man" and a half-naked groupie - we thought we had died and gone to heaven.

We had eight songs , no tunes and borrowed our equipment from a 60`s tribute band. And as you can guess we were rubbish.
In fact so bad our debut gig was also our last.

I was so `out of it` that I didnt hear the boos or the laughter. I really thought we had cracked it. I mistook the jeers for cheers and was convinced we were the future of rock & roll.

I confidentaly approached Garry Bushell and asked:
"What do you reckon?" There was no immediate response. "Good werent we?" I carried on.
He reply was blunt and straight to the point. "shit" he snarled,

Me, not deterred and under the influence of `Billy Wizz` said; "Yeah, but I did look the part didnt I?"
The Godfather of Oi who wrote for Sounds and also managed The Cockney Rejects replied:
"You reckon? I dont. You sound like my dog and look like Sid Vicious...if you was to dig him up tomorrow"

And said with more venon than the combined bitchy putdowns of Piers Morgan and Simon Cowell.
Bushell went on: "The band cant play and you couldnt sing or carry a tune in a bucket...but I do like the lyrics...who writes the songs?"
I said "I do"
"Well take my advice" Bushell said "Give up the singing and stick to writing"

It was advice I`m glad I took.