About
John Scott Cree: outline of a never was, but near miss. From church hall to Hammersmith Odeon - and back
Born: Farnham, Surrey at an early age, because he wanted to be near his mother
Schools: St Joseph's Aldershot; St George's Weybridge
1956-65: Ash: early musical dabblings - 'Mummy-Daddy' drums with Dad; Woolworth's blue plastic mouth organ, piano lessons until aged 10; Tony Waite's guitar. Own guitar from Father Christmas at age 14. Played Mersey Beat, R&B, Rock 'n' Roll, Folk, primitive attempts at song writing; first solo gigs.
1967-8: JP Trio - Aldershot-based guitar dance band with Geoff Grinham, Tony Harrison and, later, George Gattner and Mick Clifford playing quick steps, fox trots, bits of jazz, Rock 'n' Roll etc. Depping The Keynotes
1969-70: Dover: resident Railway Club, Crabble - Frank Horton Trio; Pipe & Twee (acoustic with Ray Cooke)
1971-73: Bill Barnacle Quartet; depping Martin Brown Band, depping Bod Bowles Jazz Band - Louis Armstrong, Dover playing jazz, blues
1973: New City Jazzmen, Crawley
1973-77: resident with Ivor Aylesbury and Mike Worts at Folk at the Chequers, Horley; writing comedy songs; touring Folk Clubs; Cambridge Folk Festival (twice)
1975: recording Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer with Geoff Whitehorn, Simon Phillips, Pete Arnesen, Frank McDonald
1977-1979: Recording - Pye Records with Pete Kircher, Alan Jones, Cliff Hall, Ricky Hitchcock, Geoff Whitehorn.
Radio including Tommy Vance interview - plays His greatest hit, Flamenco, Rudolph
1979: UK tour (Aberdeen Capitol to Hammersmith Odeon) promoting Wivabandon (Pye LP). One-nighters, including Chris Rea, Iron Maiden
1979-80: resident - Half Moon, Putney
1980-81: one nighters; radio - Richard Digance shows on Capital Radio
All downhill thereafter. Still having a blast living the dream