BAND REVIEWS by Tim Jefferson It is with great difficulty that I must spread the news of Barry Homan's death. This has come as a painful shock to many and has deeply shaken me. For those of you who have missed my reviews of his band, be assured that we have just seen the passing of one of the finest guitarists in the business. I wrote of him: "Homan is meant to be good -he isn't- he's absolutely amazing "and" soloing that amounted to a fire-hazard seared it's way through the pub". I first saw him in Letheringsett and immediately recommended him to Bob in "The Crown". He wisely booked him and we managed to see him here five times before his sad loss on Monday 4th April. I last saw him at the Crown on Wednesday 30th March.
Call me fatalistic if you like but that night something was different. He looked buried in his own sound and he played with more passion than I'd seen before. So much so that I asked if I could keep some of his old strings, which he'd, left on the table. I said to Simon, my daughter's boyfriend, "take some of those home, one day they'll mean something". Little did I know. As a guitarist he was as good as you get amazing speed and intricate dexterity coupled with totally appropriately applied inclusion and above all he played with passion. He could even pad out on top to solos that were almost impossible to play. I think that life's about finding your skill, working on it, hopefully finding what you do is valued and negotiating the minefield life puts before us. I think Barry took the Royal Flush there. He had the attitude that you stick your neck in the wind. It's cold and uncomfortable but it's where the fresh air is. He always told me that he lived to play and played to live. Where I come from we say, "Never try to pay your last respects before you've paid those that come first". I've been lucky to be able to do both. In the short time we knew each other we became good friends. His droll American humour and his blunt honesty we shared and enjoyed. I shall miss him. R.I.P. Barry but for you it's "Rock in Peace". His last words to me were, "listen to this Tim!" he thrust a pre-mix C.D. of his recently cut album into my hand. I'll be writing a separate review of this in the near future. It is exceedingly difficult to distill what I know about Barry after 33
years of close friendship to 100 words nevertheless I will try. Barry was possessed by a
fire of such intensity he was often unable to temper it. But that is what made him one of
the most exciting, dynamic, and enthralling performers you could ever have the good
fortune to see. Blazing guitar. Total immersion in the music and the moment. High order
Blues and ballads bestowed upon you with reverence. Friend. Sunday 22nd May Sheringham Offshore Wind Farm Set to Energise Norfolk. North Norfolk is to join Britain’s efforts to find alternative sources of energy for the future, with the proposed development of an offshore wind farm approximately 11 miles off the coast of Sheringham in the Greater Wash. The proposed Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm is being developed by the company Scira Offshore Energy Limited, (Scira). Scira was awarded a licence to develop this offshore wind farm in December 2003 by The Crown Estate and the company is now in the process of undertaking an Environmental Impact Assessment and consulting with key stakeholders and the general public. Wind energy is a totally renewable source of energy that provides clean, pollution free, ‘home grown’ energy. The UK government has set a target to produce 10% of the UK’s electricity from renewable energy by 2010. The Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm will provide enough power for approximately 238,000 homes, over twice the equivalent electricity required to supply the whole of the North Norfolk coast. Megan Arnold, Communications Manager for Scira, said, For further information about the Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm
please contact Scira local representative:
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