Charlie's gone

[Maggie Barker]

I was a silly young teenager at Grangefield Grammar School,where Charlie was a pupil.
The boys had to walk past the girls school and we loved to watch them walk by .I can vividly remember Charlie striding past, jauntily happy with a grin on his face and his blonde hair flopping over his good looking face.He was the favourite! There was a buzz of excitement when we saw him in the distance,then held our breath as he passed.Little did we know what a celebrity he would become,and yet there was an air of 'something' about Charlie.
I am so pleased that he had such a great life and brought such a lot of pleasure to the rest of the world.His family must be so proud .

[Con Murphy]

[Whilst contemplating whether, how and when I can help out with any putative booklets of commemoration culled from this thread, I hope nobody minds me selfishly self-referencing by repeating a Charlie anecdote that I recounted elsewhere. It's not particularly interesting, and is slighly out of context, but I'd like it to be picked up nevertheless]

The mention of Sue Steward brings out my earliest memory of interaction with Charlie, in the early-mid '80s when he asked on his Capital radio show for listeners to write in with "western" tracks that had similarities to all this new-fangled (to him, and us) foreign-language stuff. I briefly stopped shoe-gazing to scrawl some note about Willie Colon's 'Che Che Cole' being based on a Ghanaian playground tune that had recently been re-worked into a pop song in that country (for shame, I can't remember the exact details). This seemed to bring out the two Gillett traits I soon learnt were the very essence of the man as a broadcaster - the fact that he was willing to not only read out this interesting (to him) suggestion by some smalltown anorak with bad handwriting, but also to play the two songs back to back simply because they sounded so good together, despite (and this was another trait) a stubborn refusal to see that they were in any way related musically. Thankfully Sue was a guest on that show and came to my rescue, bringing out yet another trait - an admirable openness to persuasion.

[c hristian]

i'm starting to get over the loss. you know, the mourning and all. that plus all my job changing stuff kept me away from here for the last while.

[kevin]

Good to see you back.

[ritchie]

I have n't been on this web site for quite some time but recently I was really missing it and the 'people' & thought today I'd take the 'plunge' and perhaps 'dip my toe' back in ...,

I did n't 'click' ... "messages since last visit", which was a fleeting one on May 02. cos i'd imagine there'd be loads.

I was n't sure how to navigate around (the last time I was regularly on was just before the whole thing crashed and it migrated to a temp site) I looked around for familiar names and clicked on their posts.

Then I 'clicked' on a thread entitled "Charlie's gone" ... I always start from the back, I suppose it's years of reading the Evening Chronicle (the only good page was the back page, well sometimes)

So as I read kevin, c hristian and Con's post I was feeling a little bit uneasy ... and then Maggie's post had me hurrying to the beginning of the thread.

I am totally shocked and saddened..... how in heavens name did I not know?... I feel utterly stupid and sad at the same time.

I can honestly say, that meeting Charlie at a 'gig' Jamie organised, was one of the highlights of my life ... he introduced me to everyone at the table and made me feel very welcome and at ease.

Later I introduced him to my wife and eldest son and we chatted and joked. I was so proud and amazed, that afterwards, even after that brief meeting, he remembered their names .... that's the type of man he was.

I'll never forget that night and I'll never forget Charlie for lot's of reasons... Charlie, thank you for being you ... my belated condolences go out to his family and everyone who knew him.

[howard male]

It may seem a bit superfluous to say welcome back, Richie – but welcome back anyway. I hope you’ll stick around.

[ritchie]

Thanks Howard ... I will.

it's just taken me so by surprise ... I'm still in a bit of a shock really so I think I will just 'lurk' a while for the time being.

[kastamonu]

Thanks Howard ... I will.

it's just taken me so by surprise ... I'm still in a bit of a shock really so I think I will just 'lurk' a while for the time being.

I 'lurked' for months and months Ritchie - it was Chris Potts, Phil & Judith who got me back on the Forum - mainly the Greek, Turkish & Kurdish stuff but loads more to see/listen to - especially in those 'down' moments - the axeing of (now) Mark's programme isn't helping anyone - I will aim to tune into (BBC) World on 3 maybe now & then. Keep joining us!

[Leon Parker]

In my hunt for record shop archive information I came across old London guide 5 from the late 70's. Gives a mention to Charlie's Honky Tonk show.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16545471@N05/5509224936/

[Nigel w]

One year ago this week. And I still think about him regularly.

Every time I hear a record I associate with him. Or for no obvious reason, he pops into my head and reminds me that the world is such a poorer place without him.

[ritchie]

Nigel,

The good thing is, that he is still 'very much alive' in our thoughts, views and deeds.

[Dayna]

I was thinking about Charlie too.

[liz molony]

and me.
So much to remember and to build life around.

[will vine]

Yeah, he's still part of every day for me.

[Nigel w]

A year ago today... and our loss is marked by the belated release this week on Nascente of a compilation album Charlie and me started putting together one morning in his record-lined basement three or four years ago, called ''80s World Music Classics: When The World Was Young''.

It's a collection of 26 tracks that 25-30 years ago helped to shape what we now know as 'world music'. The final tracklisting was still under negotiation at the time of Charlie's death this time last year, but at least half of the tracks were his suggestions.

The set is,of course, respectfully dedicated to Charlie and contains words from him on several tracks in the liner notes. Mark Coles is playing several tracks from it on his BBC World Service show this week (sadly, the final show, I think). Ian A is also giving away copies in a competition in fRoots, I believe.

It's my small and inadequate way of honouring Charlie's memory.