As the start of a new series, I’ve sent the same set of questions to various ex-members of FITD. Here’s Flowers drummer Bill and his responses. The picture was taken two weeks ago in Mallorca. With many thanks to Bill.

My FITD involvement was…Drummer .

I’m …45. …. years old and I live in…The north of Mallorca.

Subsequently, my musical involvement has been… I have been involved with quite a few bands here – pop, rock bands ,Santana type bands. Also,a winter with a batucado set up a Brazilian street band,pure percussion. I went on to join a band as percussionist which lasted five years.

At the moment myself and some fellow coach drivers have formed a group called The Boppers. Its a sunday band, with a view to performing a showcase gig, late October, at the annual bus and coach drivers beano!!

I want to sing but know at heart I will be better off sitting behind the drums,the south american percussionist/ bass player wants to sing,which will be alright as long as he plays the bass, the guitarist wants to play drums,so we have been messing about. I have written two pop songs, lyrics in spanish, so its all exiting. I must add I have been karaoke singing for the last three years,which is a bit of a laugh amongst our friends. I have a studio set up with a pa system which is out every thursday during the summer months. Last week I dressed up as Elvis and did a couple of songs a cappela in front of a few hundred people, so I cant be that bad at it..all thanks to Kappa who gave me the suit last Christmas. There was a Genesis type band last year, but It fizzled out – I got to finally get the hang of Phil Collins hi hat rolls!!!

My wife / children / pets situation is...I am married to Cati who is a teacher and we have a young son named Pau. He plays the piano, loves the drums ,and runs rings round me at basketball, hes eight years old..no pets.

For a living, I… have two jobs, I drive the equivalent to National Express coaches from one side of the island to the other and have done it for years. I also go to work on my wife’s farm, every year I’m getting more and more involved with the running of it,and will eventually give up the driving coaches. It’s an orange farm .I suppose I should say grove.

Since being in FITD, I’ve changed in the following ways… I am always working, I filled out a bit, still play the drums the same though I doubt I will ever give up.

The home I grew up in … we were always on the move. I was brought up mainly between Peckham South London and Crystal Palace, those where good days.

When I was a child I wanted to be … cant you guess?? I always wanted to be a rock star!!!

The moment that changed me for ever … having a snowball fight thirty years ago with Michele and Tess ,who is now married to Rob Hendry who done some great work for FITD. Through getting to know these two girls, my life changed completely I will tell you how and why if I ever write my life story.

My greatest inspiration … Luke Rendall from Theatre of Hate.

My real-life villain … my uncle James who is not with us any more,he was the black sheep of our family, I allways admired him. He was a great story teller,a great comedian a real hellraiser,and banned from nearly every pub in Crystal Palace. I do miss him and I think most of my friends who met him would agree with me.

If I could change one thing about myself … stop being a workaholic,my dad was and I vowed I would not be ,these days between the work I do I think nothing of a 65 hour week. Don’t get me wrong, I do have lots of time away from work as well ,good weeks bad weeks Winter is more farm than coaches, summer is the other way round.

At night I dream of … good question, I have been to some beautiful places in my dreams,rarely have nightmares. I dreamt I could speak spanish ten years before I met Cati and started to learn it. Oh yeah almost forgot, the dream that you can fly!!! But have not had that one for years!!!

What I see when I look in the mirror … I see a happy man,thats the truth

I wish I’d never worn ..a watch.

It’s not fashionable but I like … Doctor Martens and still wear them I guess thats unfashionable

The shop I can’t walk past ..any musical instrument shop.

The best invention ever … it has to be the drum kit.

A book that changed me . The Magus.by John Fowles..

My favourite work of art … that bit of sculpture in the Louvre, I cant remember the name of it.

You wouldn’t know it but I’m very good at … being a chainsaw operator. After FITD I got a job with a wildlife trust and took the exam for it , I have used and owned one for years,there is always a need for it at the orange grove.

You may not know it but I’m no good at ..football. Me and Pau play loads, I tell the people at football I am good at basket ball, and the basket ballers I’m good at football. Truth is I am rubbish at both. I did manage to net the ball once at the last parents children basket game..

All my money goes on … music..instruments,karaoke .cables discs you name it,this year I am going to buy the drums of my dreams.

If I have time to myself …I play the drums,always have

I drive/ride … a pick up to the farm,and a motorbike to the bus depot,during winter during the summer I use my bicycle all the time.

My house is … in a small town called Sa Pobla ,north of Mallorca

My most valuable possession is … my bicycle. I bought it in 86, it’s been stolen & recovered once,i have rebuilt it twice had it repainted twice. It’s done a lot of miles, averages three punctures a year,but call that bad luck. It’s a muddy fox,which is smooth to ride.

My favourite building … the Red Rum pub, Barcares Alcudia Mallorca

Movie heaven … The Italian Job

The person who really makes me laugh …Groucho Marx

The last album I bought/downloaded …a Mamas and Papas CD

In 10 years’ time, I hope to be … still be with Cati & Pau being happy,retiring from work and playing with a band at the weekends. I am not interested in fame or money.

My greatest regret ..I dont have any ,maybe if I was asked next week I might reply different, but I doubt it..

My life in six words … Cati Pau love music drums oranges

A life in brief…pretty much the same as everyone else,the bad bits the sad bits the good bits the laughs, pretty much like my uncle James,there are a few funny stories about my past antics, I have slowed down a lot , but am still up for a good time and a laugh.

Any Flowers out there I haven’t been in touch with please feel welcome to donate your answers to the same questions and a recent photo.

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!”
Jack Kerouac -”ON THE ROAD”

…has been mentioned before here as it was watching a performance art show by her that inspired me to return to the creative arts. This clip is a simple magc show really and as such, quite a lot shorter and lighter than the show I saw, but Marisa Carnesky can do no wrong in my eyes. Here she is:

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