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Opher Pete

Me and Pete

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1,103 thoughts on “Home Page”

  14. Hi there,

    I am writing an obituary for my dear old friend and comrade of many decades, Bruce Barthol. Sorry to let you know he passed on February 27. I need a photo to accompany the obit and found one you ran back in 2017 when he performed in Hull at a benefit for the International Brigades. I’m hoping you can put me in touch with the photographer or let me know whom to credit.

    Here’s where I found the picture:

    shttps://ophersworld.com/tag/bruce-barthol/

    Thanks for your help,

    Joan Holden
    Playwright and Barthol collaborator, San Francisco Mime Troupe 1967-2000
    415-547-9684

    Reply

    1. Dear Joan,

      I terribly sorry to hear that news. Country Joe and the Fish were one of my favourite bands. I saw them a number of times back in the 60s and caught them on their reunion tour which was superb. He had some great natters.
      I met up with Bruce when he was doing his solo gigs. It was great to chat and reminisce. I took those photos at that great gig. I would be very honoured for you to use my photos in his obituary. Please credit them to Opher Goodwin.
      Bruce was a great musician and a delightful person to meet. As a fan it is always bridging that gap between band and fan but talking to Bruce was like talking to an old friend. Such a friendly, genuine person.
      I feel very sad at the thought of him not being here.
      Please pass on my condolences to all concerned.
      Best wishes
      Opher

      Reply

      1. Dear Opher]

        Thank you.–may we read this at his wake, the 19th? And can you send photos as JPEGs, w credit in title, per papers’ request?

        >

      2. You certainly can Joan. I’d be really honoured. I will try to find the jpegs. Have you an email to send them to?

    1. Good to hear from you. I’m still in contact with Stone, Jean and Neil (occasionally Mark). All seem to be ticking along with various issues. How about you?

      Reply

      1. I was going to ask you about them. Good to hear that they are alive and kicking.

        Not much going on with me, other than another rugrat in the family to keep me busy. He’ll celebrate his first birthday next month. He’s in to everything, non-stop, and has just started to walk.

      2. Congrats – that sure will keep you busy!! All the best to you Leroy!! Busy year for us. We moved house. I got more books published. Then dealing with family stuff. Sadly four good friends died. So a tough one.

  17. Thanks! All the best to you as well!

    Sorry to hear about your friends. Sometimes I feel the cold shadow of the grim reaper. Unfortunately, we’re living in the post-covid world through the lens of my wife’s paranoia of the disease. I hardly keep track of my old friends. Just as my wife was loosing up and reluctantly let my elder son go on a school field trip, we all came down with Covid upon his return. Now, she has double downed.

    You have some interesting titles out there. Keep up the good work!

    Where is Stone these days? Wasn’t he living in Africa?

    Reply

  19. Hi Opher

    I have just finished reading through your book on Captain Beefheart and started wondering, very early on – who is this guy who seems to speak all my thoughts about Don’s recording legacy from the days of ‘Electricity’, through the spectacular explosion of ‘Trout Mask’, the relative mediocrity of the Tragic Band years, and on to the resurrection of Doc At The Radar Station and Shiny Beast ? Like you, I first encountered Beefheart in 1967 through the hearing of ‘Safe As Milk’. I first heard it in Track Records in Leeds, when I used to knock off school and go and help out the owner in his shop. I was 14/15 at the time and this music took over my life and has remained in it ever since, right up until now at the age of 74.

    And then the revelation, as I glanced through the photos between pages 64-65, of seeing the photograph of you with Rockette Morton in 2005. It’s then that I realised I know this guy (!!) although not as Opher, so I looked you up on the internet and here I am posting on your blog !

    Our paths crossed in the mid to late 90’s when I visited you and the lovely Liz at home as a representative of your bank. I was looking to take you on as a client but instead of discussing bank business we landed upon a mutual admiration for Beefheart (and many other bands too numerous to mention here) and you showed me the biggest recorded music collection I had ever seen !! I thought I had plenty but you outstripped me completely. We became, I like to think, friends through this and went to a few gigs together. You introduced me to Nick Harper (I only knew of Roy at that time) and I still have the bootleg CD you made of our gig together seeing the Magic Band in Nottingham. We also saw them together at the Irish Centre in Leeds.

    Sadly, we lost touch after I retired from the Bank in 1999, but I am pleased to hear you are still happily settled in East Yorkshire – I am the same (just outside York) – and I can tell life in retirement seems to be treating you well, although not so much me.

    I knew you were a writer but you have become prolific over the last 30 years it seems. I also have your ‘On Track’ book on Neil Young and have been tempted by quite a few others.

    So good to hear your thoughts and analyses of the assorted tracks, which coincides so closely with mine that we may even have been separated at birth !! We also seem to share similar ideas on other things, including my own antitheism.

    I wish you well on your current life and future endeavours. All best wishes to you and Liz.

    Paul

    Reply

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