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"This is The Who!! Who put this on?"These were the first words ever aimed in my general direction by Ross Halfin. I was the first member of Thunder to arrive that day in 1989 at Holborn Studios for the first of our many encounters with a man whose reputation travelled before him. "I did", I replied sheepishly, unsure whether or not I'd offended this angry looking sunburnt geezer who was glaring at me in the most intimidating way possible. "How many of their
albums have you got?" said Ross mellowing a gnat's
knacker. I listed my Who collection and I'm not sure if
it was relief or disappointment that flashed across his face when
he realized I wasn't the completely musically retarded tosser
he was anticipating. |
Ross on the other hand never disappoints. Whether he was shouting "Oi Lucifer (as I came to be known by The Master), don't look so bored!!" at me or "Shut up chunky chin. No-one's interested in what you think" to Benny our guitar player, he still managed to endear himself to the band. Ross is the kind of guy that can ruffle the feathers of anyone not in possession of a certain amount of self-confidence and yet no matter how cruel his humour gets, I've never heard him be nasty. Brutally honest yes, but never malicious. I think the truth of the matter is that he's actually a lot more talented than a lot of the people he's shot over the years. Waiting around for a bunch of whinging, preening, vain and over-sensitive musicians with egos of planetary proportions has definitely help make RH the kind of bloke that doesn't suffer fools (and musicians) gladly and I for one can't blame him for that. Most importantly Ross is for my money one of the best there is at capturing what bands are all about; he has the ability to really see the character of the people and what makes them unique as performers. He has taken some the best photos I've ever seen of bands in a live environment because he's never lost the ability to look with the eyes of a punter. He's a rude, objectionable and intolerant perfectionist as well as being a very funny, gregarious and generous bloke and those of us that have come to know him wouldn't change a thing. Lots of love, Lucifer. Luke Lucifer Morley |
