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Hey Mr Tilbrook, The Drugs Do Work!

Glenn Tilbrook, singer and songwriter with the UK pop band Squeeze, is someone whom I have been particularly pleased to become acquainted with.

I have one special memory of an occasion at Stoke On Trent's Wheatsheaf venue in 1988 when I joined Glenn on stage. Glenn was appearing as part of his solo tour and following a well recieved set to a packed house, he invited me to play and sing two songs with him for the encore. This was for me more than just a chance to jam some tunes as the night in question came during my first weekend leave from the psychiatric ward where I had been resident for three weeks.

My good friend and Top Pop Band songwriter Andy Goddard had picked me up and, as a complete surprise had decided that a night taking in the familiar surroundings of a live music venue would be good therapy. My nervous breakdown had of course hit me hard and to leave the peace and quiet of my slippers and jigsaws for the hustle bustle of an enthusiastic gig crowd was a daunting experience. With the medication well and truly weighing me down, neither Andy or I could foresee me taking the stage and singing in duet with one of my favourite songwriters in front of 300 people.

Prior to the gig Andy and I had popped in to the dressing room to see Glenn and his partner / manager Suzanne. We were already acquainted having worked together on a couple of occasions at The Witchwood, and I will always remember how Glenn, on edge and buzzing on the adrenalin of his gig, had the time of day to sit with me and chat about therapy, the breakdown, depression and the long slow road to recovery. This conversation had put me at ease and when, towards the end of his set, Glenn broke a string on his guitar, I appeared side stage to fix this whilst he played his 12 string. It was Glenn's totally inspired suggestion that I then should jump up on stage with the guitar and stay there for a couple of tunes, and nervously I took the plunge.

Andy meanwhile was in the audience looking for me, very concerned. He was hoping that I had left the building simply to give myself soem space and fresh air, and was truly shocked when he saw me on stage with Glenn performing a Crowded House tune 'Four Seasons In One Day', and The Verve's massive hit of the time 'The Drugs Don't Work'.

I distinctly remember how at one point I froze mid-song for what seemed like an eternity and to this day I recall that moment with horror. It was as if I was swimming when suddenly I swallowed a lung full of water, and unable to breathe I started to panic. Knowing that I was with supportive friends, Andy and of course Glenn and Suzanne, made all the difference and as I left the stage I briefly held a feeling of wonderful well-being that, although it was to leave me as my illness again took it's toll, ultimately counted as a positive contribution to my eventual recovery.

Monday morning I sat in a quiet room on Psychiatric Ward 12 at Bury Fairfield Hospital and discussed how I felt about my weekend leave. "Don't overdo it" they had said, "take your time". Of course when I said I had been on stage performing in duet with a well known pop music personality, the nurse looked at me with an "oh dear" expression that seemed to suggest an increased dose of medication ...