Please to meet you. I am Don Read, poetician and essayician. Well why not ? Just think of the silly words that entered our lexicon in recent years. What on earth does Cilit Bang mean ? Apparantly nothing at all. It was simply produced out of thin air at a sales meeting. And who thought up Staycation for what amounts to holidays at home like we had during the war. Turn ups became cuffs, track suit pants are now bottoms Would you buy a suit and ask your tailor (?) for a nice pair of bottoms ?
Naturally I would like to think that Poetician catches on in the same way that someone engaged on matters musical maybe a musician, if you get elected to the house of commons who are undoubtedly a politician and if you reach the age of 80 you are an octogeranium (according to a child of my acquaintance). So start spreading the word- you have just encountered your first chap who writes a few poems and calls himself a Poetician. Beware of words like sustainability. Could lead to problems as in, “I asked them if I could join their sustainability campaign. They said I could be the STAIN”.
Don Read 25.7.12
How did I get here? A Short Biography (Lady Bay, West Bridgford) Nottingham
1952 Left home town, Bradford for London Desperate to get into music but I do not read or write music. Take job as sales assistant at dept store whilst networking March 1954 Managing John Dankworth’s big band and living in same St. John’s Wood house as Cleo Laine
Many contacts with George Martin at EMI, the band’s recording company. Met 30s matinee idol Jack Buchanan at York cinema, and owner’s son, Barry Prendergast (John Barry). From Denmark St office watched the music publishing world go by. Don Black, song plugger thrusting “hot songs just arrived from Hollywood into my hands. “Just right for Cleo”..Lunches at Julie’s Caff with such people as Petula Clark, Tommy Steel, Matt Monro etc. Many BBC radio and TV programs for Dankworth band. “Two Sunday Night At The London Palladium” TV shows. Hit records for band, John D had weekly column in Daily Express. 1959 Helping Matt Monro, to get some gigs. George Martin came to the rescue. 1960 Decline of big band era. Left the Dankworth domain. Somehow acquired small office in prestigious Piccadilly (back door-Jermyn St.) Handling management, PR and promotions for six traditional jazz bands. With colleague promoted once a week trad nights in five venues from Norwich to Plymouth. Angela Rippon honed her interest in jazz at our Plymouth sessions. Handled PR for five annual Beaulieu jazz festivals.
1961 met composer Richard Rodgers in empty theatre during rehearsal. 1964 The emergence of the Beatles killed the trad mini boom Moved North. 1965 In Manchester took in aspiring agent Chris Wright whilst I natured bands that became “Yes” and Jethro Tull, Acquired band from Leicester-Farinas, Changed name to Family. Chris now worth 70 million and I am not !!! but I have nice mention in his book. (2013 Amazon) 1967 At Sybila’s club off Regent St. George Harrison and John Lennon having a quiet drink Enter John Barry. I greet him as Barry (Prendergast !), Enter Tina and Nancy Sinatra here to discuss Nancy singing title song for Bond movie, “You Only Live Twice”. Eventful afternoon. 1971 composed a song which somehow found its way to Des O’Connor who used it as a duet with American actress/ singer Connie Stevens in a “spectacular” from the Palladium. The TV rights were sold to 125 countries,
1976 wrote lyric to Erik Satie’s Gymnopedie No1. Six publishers ignored it. A seventh said it was “a nice idea but getting a record would be hopeless” I sent the lyric to now Sir John Dankworth. My song, “Drifting, Dreaming”,was the first track on Dame Cleo’s album with James Galway, “Sometimes When We Touch” in March 1980. RCA issued a single with my song as the A side. Between the two formats sales reached over one million worldwide. Moved into other branches of marketing eventually satellite T V at its inception. Gave sat. systems to all Sky presenters.
2000 Discovered Darius Brubeck and wife living in Nottingham. They dined with us at our home. 2004 Met fellow Bradfordian, David Hockney at Picasso Museum in Malaga. Started writing more lyrics to classical compositions including “Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy”. Created Russian ballet diva, Natasha Fallenover, Son in law, bass/baritone Matthew Hargreaves sang the song. (hear recording) Now have around 40 poems .. 25 humorous articles and one liners. Collected in book form.
Favourable comments in eight books all linked to the music business. As for poetry I am unknown. Wrote autobiography in 2007, poems and one liners. Many interviews on Radio Nottingham and Evening Post Broadcast on Light Programme
Book mentions 25.10.13 1980 David Redfern (photographer) 1996 Sir John Dankworth 1997 Dame Cleo Laine Mid 70s David Redfern again. 2nd book 2011 Matt Monro by his daughter 2012 Peter Feenstra book on band- “Family” 2013 Chris Wright music impresario Forthcoming by agent Robert Masters 2013
'The happiest place in Britain? Giggleswick' D. Read
