Caught in the Carousel

Letter from the Editor - June 2011

Let's talk about The Cocksure Lads, shall we?

Set to be featured in our next issue, The Cocksure Lads have resurfaced after a nearly forty-three year absence. Allegedly active in England from 1963-1968, the lads certainly have a lot of explaining to do regarding their whereabouts during the last five decades.

Armed with honeyed harmonies, sweet melodies and catchy choruses, the likes of which bring to mind folks like The Beatles, The Monkees, The Kinks, Herman's Hermits and the Zombies, The Cocksure Lads were one of those bands whose lack of U.S success is still a mystifying thing. They had a jangly radio-ready theme song ("You're A Cocksure Lad"), a Beatlesque nautical romp ("Ships Ahoy!") and a ballad about a girl in the rain ("Umbrella Girl") so what the devil was the problem? They should have been huge in the states, but they weren't. Were they too British? In the wrong place at the right time? Poorly behaved?

Perhaps our exclusive interview will shed some light on all that.

Mercurial, quizzical and sometimes downright odd, The Cocksure Lads informed me, through their manager Garant Sotheby, that they were more than up for an interview:

Dear Mr. Green

It has come to my office's attention that you would like to secure two of my clients for the purposes of a print interview—namely, Masters Dusty Fosterboard and Reginald (Reg) Topping—they being the bursting heart and throbbing brain of The Cocksure Lads, respectively. If you would be so kind as to forward a list of questions, I'll make ensure the Gents take the time to respond. Although a Lad's work is never done (that of course being the title for one of the many BBC-proposed Cocksure Lad documentaries that for some reason never make it to celluloid) I know Dusty and Reg will jump at the chance to speak, through the printed word, to your readers, as they are big fans of Carousels. All Britons love a good Carousel. I was not aware that you had them in America!

My only request, in return for having made The Lads available to you, is that in the future you consider giving some attention to some of the up-and-coming acts from my bulging stable, including, Ignoble Ned, The Pudding Brigade, Lady Dame Semaphore, and of course Max Grundle & The Treacle.

Stay Cocksure!

Yours, Garant Sotheby, Esq.

And so I sent questions to Fosterboard and Topping and a few days later, this reply came:

Thank you Mr. Green for these insightful questions. The Lads will attend to them soon—they've both been quite busy with National Tarmacadam Appreciation Week over here. I don't believe you have the Tarmac in America—just the lesser quality Asphalt, yes? I suppose that's what led to all the riots and whatnot.

Best regards to you and your staff,

Garrant Southeby

Garant or Garrant? Sotheby, or Southeby? What strange business is going on in the land of the 'Lads?

I suppose we're about to find out. See you next month. It should be very, very weird.

Oh, and bring on Grundle and the Treacle, eh?

**Farewell! A word that must be and hath been:
Andrew Gold
Gil Scott-Heron
Martin Rushent

Alex Green
Editor, Caught In The Carousel
Alex670@earthlink.net