Anth Irwin

07/11/07

I first met ‘Baby’ Anth Irwin through his big brother, Dave ‘Ces’ Irwin. Dave had recently split from the High Speed Heroes and was looking around for personnel for his new outfit and we were at his mam’s house in Hendon, discussing whether or not I’d fit in with his plans.

Anth was sitting in the corner playing one of his big bro’s guitars and even then, at about thirteen years old, he was good. Open. Enthusiastic. Having fun. As I learned later, he seemed to be able to play anything; guitar, drums, bass. I liked that kid a lot.

I didn’t get into Dave’s band. But that’s another story.

Anyway, a couple of years later, when I was going through a sort of experimental free-jazz punk-conscious phase, I needed to use people who’d get up on stage and do random stuff.
The Rockin’ Desmond rhythm section of course, and a variety of characters who did the odd random gig, Seamus Conlon on atonal sax, Ray Moore for a single riotous set, but after that .. who else was a decent musician, but could be relied on to play improvised disco-garbage with enthusiastic abandon?

Well, it turned out that Dave Irwin’s kid brother was someone who’d try new stuff. Away from his day job with the Famous Impostors, he was up for just about anything. It’d be like, ‘Hey Anth. Got a gig at a warehouse party in Boldon. No money, but free beer all night …’
‘Aye. I’ll do it.’
‘You’ll play guitar?’
‘Fine.’

Or,

‘Anth, we gotta gig at the Continental …’
‘Alright.’
‘You’re ok on bass?’
‘Aye. When?’
‘Tonight?’
‘Er. Ok.’

You gotta love that bloke. He was just up for stuff. He had a total fucking punk attitude.

* *
Even now, when I’m daydreaming about putting together my perfect instrumental-jazz-punk outfit (it’s even got a name - The Jazz Pistols), and I try and think of who could fill the various positions in that imaginary, experimental, sonically-challenged supergroup, the name that crops up first is Anth Irwin.

The WD40 of musicians.