musicians are often quiet, shy people who simply love to play their music and who won't ever demand to be paid, feeling grateful to be there in the first place.

And quite often they're not! I have to say that most of the people I've played with - paid or not - in a period of over 45 years have been extremely "robust", to say the least! To be sure I've met the odd shrinking violet here and there, but most of my fellow musicians have been outgoing, lively, three-dimensional characters with a wicked sense of humour. I've played with cynics, drunks, loudmouths, gays, blacks, fascists, communists and many others of all sizes, shapes, religions, creeds and attitudes.

They all had one thing in common: they played good music and loved it.