Darlin'

Friday again - aren't they quick coming around?  And what a treat I have for you today.  Today I bring you the one, the only...(drum roll)...Mr Frankie Miller!

Whadayamean, who?  The Frankie Miller - as in the Scottish singer-songwriter who came to The Liberties in June 1979.  Mr Miller is a bit of legend in the industry although to be fair he is probably better known for his songwriting than chart success (although I'm told he did reach #1 in the Norwegian Singles Charts in 1978 with Darlin' - I wonder if Mr Roy Karlsvig remembers it?)

Many of the greats have covered his songs, including Roy Orbison, Bob Seger, Rod Stewart, Ray Charles, The Osmonds, Johnny Cash, Joe Walsh...

Now this set of snaps belongs not to me, but to the Brother - but they are much better than I would have taken anyway.  Also, the Brother was always that wee bit more organised than I was, so I can tell you the negs were developed on 21/4/79 and that they were taken with a Pentax SPII using HP5 rated at 1000ASA.

Here's a couple backstage, to set the scene as it were - with Mr Miller clearly in fine form as he gets himself psyched up for the show.  I printed these as I want them on my wall.  Ilford RC Warmtone in Multigrade.

Mr Frankie Miller (that'll be him on the left there)

And yes, I do believe the eagle-eyed among you are correct and that is indeed a young and very talented Henry McCullough beside Frankie.  Henry was born just down the road here in Portstewart and has played with some very big names in a long career. He was lead guitarist with Paul McCartney and Wings for a few years - enough said, I think.

Here is our Frankie giving 'the stare'...or something.

Very impressive...

I've no idea what he's doing in this next one - but I could just imagine his mother saying 'Frank, don't do that with your face, dear - it's not nice'.

Not very impressive...

But enough of this preamble - "Bring On the Band", I hear you shout!

Frankie Miller, 1979

Sometime a little later in 1979

I'm afraid the shots of Mr Miller singing and playing aren't nearly as interesting as the ones backstage - but that's film photography for you...you never know what you're going to get until a couple of weeks later when you actually develop the film.  Still, thanks Mr Frankie Miller for coming all the way to The Liberties with your band way back in 1979 and thanks to The Brother for this fine set of snaps.