User: Stan Lee of The Dickies
Date posted: Wed, 17 Aug 2016 12:52:39 GMT
A message from Leonard:
I've always loved the United Kingdom. My Anglophilia began in earnest at age six; life truly started for me with The Beatles. Being of ...English heritage myself, I couldn't help but feel ancestrally at home when I first went there in 1978 with The Dickies. I felt a great sense of ironic satisfaction after the Dickies were embraced by British teenyboppers. At the time, I was somewhat culturally intimidated by the British punk rock scene and, frankly, I didn't think they'd get it--but they clearly did. I've been warmed by this connection ever since.
The day before we were to headline at the 2016 Rebellion Festival in Blackpool, the shit hit the fan and I was hospitalized. A more successful band would have simply canceled the rest of the dates but I knew how many people in our camp had rearranged their lives to make this happen. I urged the band to at least play Blackpool and suffer the subsequent humiliation. Well, most of you readers know the rest of the story. When Stan Lee took the stage and commented that our tour manager assured him "Britain has your back," THREE-THOUSAND-PLUS people cheered in agreement. The tour was completed with Dickies-Karaoke panache (thanks to Stan and company) and I truly could not be happier about it.
This is what you need to know: This could NEVER have happened anywhere else but England. You guys found us when you were around 13-years-old (or your parents did) and you have stayed true ever since. That's about 40 years now. I'm honestly touched by your support and the fact that not ONE ticket was returned for the rest of the tour.
United Kingdom? I promise to return and give you one last album as well. I REALLY REALLY love you. Here's a list of folks I'd personally like to acknowledge for taking the stage for my job duties:
Big D of Big D and the Kids
Brad Logan of Leftover Crack
Ross of GBH
Blag of The Dwarves
Spike of Conflict/Morrisey
Dean of Extreme Noise Terror
Wattie of Exploited
Eugene of Rezillos
Jackie of Girlschool
Knox of The Vibrators
The guys from Jaded Eyes
Andy Nazer of Self Abuse
"Superfan" Darren for showing up at every show with undying support
Fred for doing a few shows with us and totally killing it!
Chris the owner of The Fleece in Bristol
Ashley Reaks and Planet Grot
Andy of the Witchdoktors
Dale (aka Bryan Ferry) Tomlinson, our tour manager
And all the other dudes that came out from the crowd to sing
In addition, my heartfelt thanks goes out to Andy Carney who was so gracious for putting me up (and putting up with me) as well as Pia Zadorable, whose love and compassion humbles me beyond words.
Most of all, much gratitude to Ian Maddison- England's #1 Dickies fan, merch guy and undertaker extraordinaire who has ALWAYS been there when I needed him most.
Hail Britannia!
Leonard Graves Phillips