Page 34 - Real Rochdale Issue 05 Summer 2019
P. 34

NODDY’S PUNCTURE                                                                                              Tom explained: “Because of the distance, we          “Keith needed an organ when he guest starred
                                                                                                                                rehearse online. Prog is an era of people
                                                                                                                                                                                     with Spinal Tap in 2009, so he borrowed mine,
                                                                                                                                playing their instruments. You still need to be
                                                                                                                                                                                     which he used again for the last song of ELP’s
                                                                                                                                dedicated, which is something you will only get      gig in 2010.”
                                                                                                                                from other fans.
                                                                                                                                                                                     Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s title track of their
                                                                                                                                “The show would not go on though without             second album, ‘Tarkus’, is Tom’s  favourite track
                                                                                                                                Dave Derbyshire. He helps load and unload the        to perform, but it has to be the live version.
                                                                                                                                vans and does our sound mixing.”
                                                                                                                                                                                     Tom said: “It was recorded for the studio but
                                                                                                                                The group have performed right across the            totally changed when it was live. It is so atmos-
                                                                                                                                country, from Rochdale to the north east,            pheric and really synthesises a 25-minute epic
                                                                                                                                Sussex to Wales and Scotland, and most               journey. I love recreating it.”
                                                                                                                                recently performing at the Prog in the Park
                                                                                                                                festival in Dunfermline.                             The band was once called the “closest thing to
                                                                                                                                                                                     a live ELP performance”. In addition to
                                                                                                                                In true ELP fashion and with similar dedication,     utilising the same equipment, Noddy’s
                                                                                                                                Tom uses a Hammond organ and Leslie                  Puncture also brings the visuals associated
                                                                                                                                cabinets as Keith Emerson did, even going as         with a classic ELP show from on-stage antics to
                                                                                                                                far as to import a Moog modular synthesizer          similar stage costumes.
                                                                                                                                for a truly authentic sound – and that is before
                                                                                                                                you include emulating Emerson’s unique style         Tom laughed: “We do try and do the stage
                                                                                                                                of performance.                                      gear as well as the pyrotechnics. Greg Lake
                                                                                                                                                                                     had a Persian carpet which he used to stand on
                                                                                                                                Tom said: “Keith used to wrestle the organ,          on stage to reduce the risk of electric shock.
                                                                                                                                stick daggers in it, play it from behind and tilt it.  A roadie used to come out and vacuum it. We

          There aren’t many people who can say they            set. The gig, which was, being recorded, was                     So having a background in electronics really         haven’t got a carpet roadie – yet – but I am
          have shared a stage with their musical icon,         subsequently released on CD – a dream for                        comes in handy at times.                             thinking of it.”
          and even fewer have released a CD, or even           many musicians.
          loaned out musical equipment . Local musician
          Tom Szakaly can tick these boxes as one of the       Tom said: “I knew he was going to be there.
          fortunate few to have performed alongside the        Keith’s son and his partner always came to my
          legendary Keith Emerson, of Emerson, Lake            gigs, so I had an inkling he would bring his dad.
          and Palmer, thanks to his ELP tribute band,          He turned up and joined in on the third
          Noddy’s Puncture.                                    number, going on to play a few on his own. It
                                                               was just a big jam really; everyone’s jaws were
          They first met in 1987 after Tom knocked on          on the floor and I was over the moon. Keith had
          Keith’s door to invite him to the pub, paving the    a whale of a time,”
          way for future collaborations.
                                                               An ardent ELP fan since the age of 14, Tom
          Their paths crossed again in 1992, during ELP’s      finally had the chance to form the prog tribute
          Black Moon tour. With ELP due to play the            band he had always dreamed of, with Noddy’s
          Manchester Apollo, Tom had a phone call from         Puncture rising from the ashes of his
          Keith, in Holland at the time, asking if he knew     previous band, Shanghai.
          of anyone who could take a look at his
          equipment, which had been rendered useless           Noddy’s Puncture – named after Carl Palmer’s
          the night before.                                    ‘Noddy’ drumskin – started 30 years ago and is
                                                               made up of Tom on keyboards , drummer Frank
          In 2005, Keith Emerson came along to one of          Askew, from Bognor Regis, and Ed Blaney from
          the Noddy’s gigs at his local pub, The Six Bells,    Seaham, on vocals, bass and guitar.
          before getting on stage and joining in with the
                                                                                                                                                            www.noddyspuncture.co.uk


          REAL ROCHDALE - Summer 2019                       34                                                                                                                    35                    REAL ROCHDALE - Summmer 2019
   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39