Creel Legends

1) The skinhead at the Amersham Arms way back in the early days who threatened to slice Jamie's throat after the Creel set had over-run.

2) Phil, promoter of the now sadly-defunct King's Head, who gave the band their first gig, despite not having heard any music. (If he had, there's no way we'd have got the gig!)

3) Sophie & Raisa. Our favourite girls, first offical 'groupies', now turned into a promotional sledgehammer of unstoppable prowess and foxiness.

4) The dancing Polyphonic nutters. First met at Glastonbury by the band in 2003. On a whim, and again, never having heard the music, they came all the way from Bath to dance on the stage at the Garage. We recently heard from them again: "Occured to me last night that it's nigh on exactly a year ago that me and and my good friend Pat came to see you headline the Garage and dance about with you with bubbles, robes and the like. We had a good time that night, it was nice to remember...

"Saw a man watching My Morning Jacket (or possibly British Sea Power? hmmm, blurry...) with a rather attractive neck-tie thing complete with little creel camel badges at Glasto. Made me smile, though I was too slow to talk to him after the set..."

How cool is that?

5) Slice Sears. For injecting the band with belief and focus at yet another juncture of doom!

6) Fat Maggi. And the boys and girls from Tring. Mr Ian Gower for keeping the music alive in a strange field outside of London. Captain Rock!

7) Richie Wilkinson. What a total god of rock. Single handley hauled the Creel back from the brink of chaos. Slapped them around, spent hours at the controls of strange machines, and produced a musical alchemy, some of which can be heard on this very site.

8) Uncle Dick. The invisible force behind the Commission. Who is this man of legendary stature?

9) Dawn.

10) The couple who came all the way from Bath to Leicester to hear the Creel play... and managed to miss the set.

11) Claudia, who Jamie met on a bus at 2.00am going the wrong way. She turned up at the following gig.

12) The music widows... Nicole. Behind every Black Camel there's a godess in white. Dan - your help has been invaluable, only hope we haven't blown all of your contacts! And any future candidates...

13) Carlton. The psychic genius from Stoke Newington.

14) Lord England. The Old Dog (where is his bone?). Little D. Rodney. Arabs. Vic. Erica (and the Revolution). Scott. Ali. Jamies rather attractive housemates. Bubba Shrimp & Marcus Aurelius. Siri for the flowers in her hair. Sarah W. Harry & Vic W.

15) Aindrais O'Gruama. A Brixton legend.

16) Geoff Barker. The first man to have played the Creel on radio (see past gigs). http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/radioswindon/content/presenters/g_barker.shtml "I only reply to bands if I've got something positive to say. I don't believe in bullshitting or setting up in judgement on what people do. I really liked the CD." - that was way back when...

17) Mat F-R for the website design. He's slaved hours for us, responding to our most trivial whims. As a result the site has evolved organically, and is both functional and rather cool. And Mat keeps coming to gigs!

18) Our parents. Always sounds cheesy that - but, frankly, we've caused them enough worry!

19) Our various photographers. Ignore the occasional abuse on the rants board. You have all done a great job in capturing the manic energy that the Creel can be. Thanks to Jules, Kat, Sandra, Kitty, Charlie, Mitzi, Elle, Neil (and any we've forgotten!)

20) The crazy hosts of the apocalyptic post-Bush Hall / Bush Bar after-party: Paddy and Adrian (and Charlie and Div who live in the house but were away). How did we avoid being axe-murdered by the neighbours? Where was environmental health? Who really cares? The party rocked...

21) Shane, Nick and all from Unpeeled. The first print (and net) fanzine to notice Creel Commission. Check out our links. And the review wasn't bad at all either.

22) David from the Notting Hill Arts Club. Anyone who's prepared to go on record and say "this is the real deal" about our music deserves legendary status in our books.

23) Micky from Pop. Giving us our first residency with the words, 'yeah, I remember the Jam doing that and the band are really great. I'd love to...' Nuff said.

24) Rocco. For belief and for help. And for a field full of Virgins.

25) Jay Jay and Beeny for some seriously great design work on our second EP (which rather puts the first one to shame). 'Digging In' looks just great. And to Mel for her styling advice - god knows we needed it.

26) Manus. He's at (almost) every gig. Girls be warned...

27) Lizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy. Crazy, stunning, beautiful, loved and to be found somewhere near the front at many gigs. Boys, watch out!

28) Miriam you too! Equally lovely and equally at most ever gig.

29) Martel Maxwell. For giving us our first exposure in the national press and starting at the top (The Sun). Particularly for placing our item inbetween Scarlety Johansson's leg and Sharon Stone. Could we have hoped for more?

30) Anne, Rupert and all those watching out for us in the States.

31) Special mention to Vic L for help & support, and being generally rather on it.

32) Charlie from Kartel Management. For support, being the man, for those modern blues.

33) Johnny Stirling. The guru.

34) Claude. What can we say? Those T-shirts alone do it.

35) Rory & Diane at Mine. Geniuses both.

36) Brenda. For coming along to almost as many gigs as Lizzie now. Thank you.

37) Crissie & Stevie. Found us in a field of Virgins and there's been no looking back!

doubtless more to follow...

The Black Camel 03-07-2005