Sing if you're glad to be Gaye ( Advert, that is... )

Back in the day, Gaye Advert was the Punk Pin-Up bass-player ( TM ) with spiky, seriously-underrated misfits The Adverts. Apparently never happy with all the media attention that focused on her looks and drop-dead cool attitude ( often at the band's expense ), Gaye retired from music after the band split up, whilst her other half Tim "TV" Smith carried on in his own, idiosyncratic, inspired way.

Long time readers of this 'ere blog will know that I'm a huge fan of TV Smith and the Adverts and that I met the great man at a gig in Bristol last year, where he turned out to be an absolute gentleman as well as a fantastic performer. And last weekend I got to meet Gaye as well...

This was at a benefit gig for SWARD ( an anti-toxic waste-dumping charity ) in the genteel surroundings of Bishop Cleeve's historic Tithe Barn. Most of the music played that evening was of the Maroon 5 / dreary acoustic genre, but the fresh-faced lads above ( Prodigal Sun, ex-schoolmates of my daughter, Sophie ) provided a little touch of Punk-pop fun with some fine songs and pretty good vocals. Ones to watch.

I've vaguely known Gaye Advert's sister, Wendy, for a little while and she was kind enough to introduce me and my mate Glenn to her ex-Advert sibling. Here we are, looking suitably star-struck :-)

I'd heard that Gaye was a very private person who shunned the limelight nowadays, but I found her to be lovely - very chatty and down to earth, with an infectious laugh and a wicked twinkle in her eye. We talked at great length and I managed not to embarrass myself too much by rambling on about days gone by and bands from the dim and distant past. Gaye is an artist as well as a curator of exhibitions, so she had plenty of interesting tales of the art world... as well as stories of her and Tim's youth back in Devon, and her love for Black Metal. And I must say that talking about the history and purpose of Tithe Barns with a former Punk Goddess was a truly bizarre experience...

So, a great evening with some wonderful, relaxed company. We even gave the two lovely ladies a lift home, something I never would have imagined when playing Crossing The Red Sea all those countless times as a wannabe teenage Punk - an Advert in the back of my car? WTF?

Of course, I couldn't resist asking Gaye to sign my copy of the first ( and best ) Adverts album. Hey, I'm only human...