RIP Chain (George) - A Long-Standing PE Friend

[Duncan Glenday]

Putting this in the main board.

George "Chain" was a well known, very long-standing friend of Progressive Ears. His reports from Townsville, Australia were always interesting - whether he was talking about music, or the latest typhoon that was about to hit that storm-ravaged part of north eastern Australia.

George had many health problems, but never complained here on PE - he'd quietly go on hiatus for a bit, then come back sounding as fresh as ever.

Rest in peace, old friend.

Photo lifted from Floyd's Facebook page. (Floyd is another old PE friend!)

Chain.jpg

[Progatron]

Rest in peace, George.

[moecurlythanu]

Sad news. Too young, I'm sure. Best wishes for his surviving loved ones.

[Poisoned Youth]

RIP Chain. At the earliest times I was on PE, George was one of the first here that made me feel welcome. He will be missed.

[spellbound]

Rest in peace.

[UnderAGlassMoon]

So sorry to hear about this. I had a few discussions with him in the early pe days about bands from down under. RIP George.

[Gruno]

Sorry to hear about Chain.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

RIP

[Levgan]

Very sad news, I remember him well, a very nice and friendly person. Very helpful too when it came to Australian rock music — I picked up more than a few records based on his recommendation. RIP George.

[Sunlight Caller]

That’s very sad to hear, I never realised Chain had health issues, as he was always an upbeat and informative member when contributing. Rest in peace George.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Very sad news, I remember him well, a very nice and friendly person. Very helpful too when it came to Australian rock music — I picked up more than a few records based on his recommendation. RIP George.

+ 1. Very knowledgeable on Aussie and NZ rock, and with a lot of wit as well.

[Rarebird]

I remember Chain as well.

Sad news indeed.

[mozo-pg]

That's really sad news. I hope the best for his family. RIP.

[Hal...]

George was one of the "originals", those who were members back when PE was still a Yahoo Club.

Couple of interesting facts about George:

When he was a kid, he was associated with - I think, actually, a member of - a local rock band where he grew up. They were called Benny and the Beamers. With tongue in cheek, he always bemoaned the meteoric rise of the popularity of The Beatles when they hit Australia and knocked Benny and the Beamers off their pedestal. What I found really amusing about it was when he finally posted of picture of the band; they were just a bunch of kids!

George was the originator of the Dushanbe myth - along with Phil, whose PE name I can't remember. George came up with the majority of Dushanbe's history - and even worked up a fake website, complete with band logo (hammer and sickle), pictures of band members and their names, and a mention of the side long epic, "The Sikorsky Suite". In an exchange of PMs, he told me that it all started one late night (due to the time difference w/Australia) when he, Phil, and a young, naive guy were discussing music. George and Phil began riffing on this "long lost underground progressive rock group" that were total unknowns due to their existence behind the Iron Curtain. The myth then took on a life of its own but eventually died down.

Prior to Nearfest, one year, I looked for the website but couldn't find it and contacted George. He fired it up again and I used it as inspiration to design the Dushanbe t-shirt that a handful of us wore at Nearfest that year. George saw the pictures from Nearfest and loved the shirts. I guess he ended up ordering some because he told me later that he and some of his friends were walking around Australia wearing them. I think that's awesome! And I'm sure he was proud of it.


This is the front cover of the "album". The font (a Gothic German font), colors, and the use of hammer & sickle were all George's ideas that he used on the website.



This is the back. The name of the album and the title "Sikorsky Suite" were Phil's inventions. I had to fill in everything else.




I hadn't talked to George for quite a while but I'll remember him fondly.

RIP George.

[dgtlman]

George was one of the "originals", those who were members back when PE was still a Yahoo Club.

Couple of interesting facts about George:

When he was a kid, he was associated with - I think, actually, a member of - a local rock band where he grew up. They were called Benny and the Beamers. With tongue in cheek, he always bemoaned the meteoric rise of the popularity of The Beatles when they hit Australia and knocked Benny and the Beamers off their pedestal. What I found really amusing about it was when he finally posted of picture of the band; they were just a bunch of kids!

George was the originator of the Dushanbe myth - along with Phil, whose PE name I can't remember. George came up with the majority of Dushanbe's history - and even worked up a fake website, complete with band logo (hammer and sickle), pictures of band members and their names, and a mention of the side long epic, "The Sikorsky Suite". In an exchange of PMs, he told me that it all started one late night (due to the time difference w/Australia) when he, Phil, and a young, naive guy were discussing music. George and Phil began riffing on this "long lost underground progressive rock group" that were total unknowns due to their existence behind the Iron Curtain. The myth then took on a life of its own but eventually died down.

Prior to Nearfest, one year, I looked for the website but couldn't find it and contacted George. He fired it up again and I used it as inspiration to design the Dushanbe t-shirt that a handful of us wore at Nearfest that year. George saw the pictures from Nearfest and loved the shirts. I guess he ended up ordering some because he told me later that he and some of his friends were walking around Australia wearing them. I think that's awesome! And I'm sure he was proud of it.


This is the front cover of the "album". The font (a Gothic German font), colors, and the use of hammer & sickle were all George's ideas that he used on the website.



This is the back. The name of the album and the title "Sikorsky Suite" were Phil's inventions. I had to fill in everything else.




I hadn't talked to George for quite a while but I'll remember him fondly.

RIP George.

This is brilliant! I never knew the history behind Dushanbe. RIP!

[MudShark22]

RIP Chain! [emoji120]

Will spin my Dushanbe copy in your memory!

[Jerjo]

RIP George. I remember him well and yeah, he was one of the good ones. I didn't know that Dushanbe was his doing but I do remember my delight when someone named dropped them and I figured it. There's been a few hoaxes on this site but none had the joy and brilliance that was Dushanbe.

[aith01]

Wow, I remember Chain but didn't know that about Dushanbe! That is hilarious. Now it all makes sense...

He must have been quite the character. Sad to hear of his passing.

[jlneudorf]

Sad to hear. RIP

[nosebone]

R.I.P. Chain.

He was here when I joined in 2002

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

sad for his family; hope they are ok

Chain always made informative posts. A good guy

[spacefreak]

R.I.P. Chain.

Thanks for the trade we did, many years ago. I'll never forget!

[Fracktured]

RIP George. Sorry to hear this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dropforge]

RIP Chain.

[Flightwave]

Rest In Peace sir.