by general jack o'niell » Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:56 pm
here here, nothing was ever too much trouble for hinton, i remember us going to his door to ask for a loan of something, a mic? a stand? can't remember what, he had no idea who we were, but took us into his home and then to his lockup where he told us to help ourselves, a bunch of teens between the ages of 13 and 16, i admit we took advantage of his generousity in those early days before we could afford our own equipment but he never refused. he even booked an odd venue like the vic just so we could get to play as the council wouldn't entertain us due to our ages.
we played everywhere with hinton and his disco, plus his bands Ariel, Wheels and the early Horizon, i often get accused of living in the seventies, with a true gentleman like hinton craig for company it wasn't a bad place to be. he even bought all my PA and drumkit off me when my brothers left town and jimi and jamie moved on, a very generous price too, thinking back, a bit too generous.
right up till the near past, my musical traits involved H. when my son got his drumkit, H delivered it, that took an hour just for that serious deadpan hinton chat, same when i bought a new guitar, he wouldn't leave till i got it out of all the packaging to show it too him. too bad the amp i just bought won't have him knocking on the door.
there are very few hinton craigs in the world, i've never met another, don't suppose i ever will, the don't make true, genorous, public spirited, helpful, gentlemen like him anymore.
from all the HOSTAGE boys, thank you Hinton, with those platform shoes and that telecaster with the dodgy neck, the bubble machine that never quite worked, but mostly for your faith and trust in a bunch of davaar boys and the good times with sounds promotion, you and wee alex were always fair.
keep on trucking H