I met and photographed TV Smith, one of the original punks and former front man of The Adverts, for the Lives & Times bowel cancer fundraising book four years ago in April 2014 when he played at the Rising Arts Centre in Reading. It was an amazing gig in an intimate setting, and on the back of that I have bought a few of his albums.
I managed to have a short chat with TV before he came on stage. He is always very accessible to his audience, as he hangs around the merchandise before and after his performances. It's always nice to meet up again with people from the book and update them, so I was able to thank him for his support, and tell him how it has raised over £4000 so far. When I met TV in 2014 mum, at that stage, was in remission from bowel cancer. She was diagnosed in 2012, and passed away peacefully on August 29th 2016. All my fundraising for Beating Bowel Cancer / Bowel Cancer UK is done in her memory.
TV was supporting The Skids at SUB89 in Reading, and I wondered what the experience would be like seeing him in a larger venue as a support act. He was superb! How one man can get so much out of an acoustic guitar I do now know. TV played songs from his days with The Adverts right up to a couple of new songs. For the last part of his set he was joined by Leigh Heggarty of The Ruts, and it just went up that extra notch. If you ever get the chance to see TV live I'd highly recommend it - a terrific evening. And after all that The Skids played a blinding set too! I had hoped to meet Richard Jobson and get him for the new book, but sadly all my efforts were in vain.
