Phlogiston

Visiting my parents, I was saddened to learn of the death of old family friend Wally Ridley in January of this year. Wally was a record producer, songwriter and A&R man for HMV, and he was a dear friend and neighbour. He was always a friendly face whether waving from across the road or swapping gardening notes and tips with my father. But it was when he learnt—or, I suppose, heard—that I was learning to play the drums that he became a figure in my life. He was generous in the extreme with his time, inviting me over to his house to listen to his incredible collection of recordings of the great big bands, and regaling me with stories of Louie Bellson and Buddy Rich drum battles. Later he took me under his wing and taught me piano, although I must emphasize that the fact that I’m an atrocious pianist is all my fault and none his. I was greatly honoured when he took me (in what I’m guessing must have been 1983) to Abbey Road to sit in on the recording of José Carreras’s Love Is album. Seeing him at work was an education in musical sensibility in itself.

Thank you for all your kindness, patience and encouragement, Wally.

Obituaries in The Independent, The Guardian, Times Online, and The Stage.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 29th, 2007 at 11:38 pm and is filed under General, Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.