Page 35 - Real Rochdale Issue 05 Summer 2019

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

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