Patrick Duff and my Hat
'The last gig I played with Tom Copson (JvL) was in the picturesque city of Delft. The concert space was in a huge derelict nunnery that had now become home to various artists, poets, musicians and drifters. The gig had been organised by Wishful music and the poet Jelmer van Lentern who occupied one of the old cells in the nunnery. A bespectacled young man in his early twenties who wore a brown dog tooth flat cap and who met us at the great black front door. Some people have a gentleness and grace that is inspiring to be around and Jelmer was one such person. In a world that is full of individuals all clamouring for attention of one sort or another it is a real tonic to meet a quiet and humble person like Jelmer who has a great sense of depth and weight about him for one so young. With a straightforward consideration he left me in his room to warm up and I couldn't help noticing a rather fetching black homburg hat perched on the edge of his bookshelves of poetry. I could not resist, and it was slightly embarrassing when Jelmer unexpectedly returned to his room to find me looking at myself in the mirror wearing his hat. Especially as I'd only just met him. "Um, yeah sorry man,....Uh , I just saw the hat... it's really cool" .... "Then you must have it" Jelmer replied. "Oh No.. I couldn't really" "No. I insist" continued Jelmer "It has never fitted me properly and it looks really great on you". And so I had a new hat and I wore it at the gig that night and at almost every gig I've done since. Thanks Jelmer! (I can see that hat now as I write hanging on the end of a large gong with stand that is in my bedroom). The gig in Delft was another special occasion. There were a lot of people crowded into a large wooden floored room. There was a hushed quality in the atmosphere of the concert. It was like the prayers of all those nuns down the years were holding their breath as I played through my songs and the pin drop audience of all ages were absolutely fantastic. When Tom played there was thunder and lightening and candles and fairy lights and it was a cracking end to our time together. That night we stayed at Jelmer's dads house. The coolest dad on mainland Europe. Tom drank whiskey with him late into the night and we listened to music. The next day Tom set off very early in the morning to play a festival in Marleybone, London. It had been an absolute pleasure touring with Tom. I felt that we were able to develop a strong friendship in our time together and I felt the spirit of great generosity towards him as we said goodbye in Delft and wished each other all the luck in the world. (...) The next morning I stayed on at the cool dad's house alone until Jelmer turned up and we ate breakfast. Jelmer then wrote me out an English translation of a truly beautiful poem he had written which I will treasure. (...)' (Soms is m'n leven eigenlijk gewoon al af.)
PROOF PATRICK WEARS MY HAT!