Adam Franklin in a comment box

[Weresadswsa]

After listening to a couple of FABULOUS songs from Brad Laner’s forthcoming solo album, I started to look for more information on this talented musician and lead guitarist of Medicine and came across a commentary that Adam Franklin left in the comment box on Laner’s blog regarding the death of guitarist Rod Poole, who befriended both Adam and Laner back in the 80’s. Laner wrote the following message:
“At one time Rod and I were very close friends. He gave me some very valuable guitar lessons and taught me techniques and exercizes that I still use to this day. He helped me out quite a bit with my gear back when Medicine was first starting out. His old pals from back home in Oxford in the band Swervedriver took us on tour partly due to his enthusiasm. He also made the beautiful live recording of Electric Company that I used on the “Creative Playthings” disc.
Have a listen to the full 40 minute live solo guitar piece that is linked to when you click on the picture and send your loving energy to Rod as he transitions out of this world sooner than he had planned.”

Now, I apologise to Adam if this is a bit too “sneaky” but I just can’t help sharing this info with all of you Swervedriver fans here who are so eager to hear ANYthing whatsoever relating to the band. So here’s Adam’s message:

“The brand of baked beans that Rod was so passionate about was Crosse & Blackwells – and he really was VERY insistent that they were the best brand. Needless to say, and somewhat ridiculously, he was proved absolutely right and lots of us in Oxford switched over to that brand!

I first met Rod sometime around 1984/85 I would say, and after the pub we would all pile around the house he shared Matt Screech and Richard Mason, all quite merry, and within minutes find ourselves stoned and hypnotised by strange sounds coming from either Rod’s speakers or his guitar’s soundbox.

But Rod really could play electric guitar like Hendrix too and we once coaxed him ‘out of retirement’ on thaqt count for a party on a hillside in Wales where myself and Paddy Pulzer would play the Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell parts on an improvisational reading of Machine Gun – at least we would have if I hadn’t got too drunk to play.. the rehearsals were great though!

There are other tales to tell – finding out that John Fahey was alive and well and playing a show at the Town & Country Club in London we all travelled up to see him play.. Rod wasn’t drinking alcohol at that time, and was very much against anyone drinking whilst performing but we discovered that Fahey certainly enjoyed a drink or two whilst playing! Fahey was a huge influence on Rod and I think he lightened up on the alcohol thing a little after that show..

We always caught up with Rod in LA when Swervedriver was playing and I last saw Rod a couple of years back with Lisa at my friends’ Karl and Helen’s place in Santa Monica.

Rod shall be greatly missed and as someone mentioned earlier, knowing him was Pretty Damn Good.

Adam Franklin”

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