Martin Fitzgibbon was the drummer on the original Rocky Horror Show in 1973.
His recollection of the musical’s run at the Royal Court Upstairs, Classic Cinema, and King’s Road Theatre make fascinating reading for the show’s devotees.
But that’s just one aspect of his memoir, Behind the Curtain. As Fitzgibbon says, it represented two years out of a long life, and Rocky Horror was fifty years ago.
When a theatre phonememon is born, it comes slowly and surely. Perhaps those close to it don’t see it. But right from its first previews, there was something special about Richard O’Brien’s creation and Tim Curry’s “Sweet Transvestite”.
Wrapped around the story of this one job are details from Fitzgibbon’s childhood and involvement in early bands. There is also some recognition of the toll on mental health when secure gigs come to an end.
The style is chatty and upbeat, even when recalling difficult times and conflicts. In terms of Rocky Horror, we feel as if we are there in the first rehearsals and beyond.
Behind the Curtain is both a literal title, as the band at the Royal Court were hidden behind it, and metaphorical, as it goes behind the public face of live performance.
This is an intriguing snapshot of the life of a jobbing drummer, the beat of any music group, an often underrepresented set of skills. It has its ups and downs, achievements and conflicts.
Also, marking the passage of time, it has personal goodbyes, broken relationships, and final send-offs. I found Beyond the Curtain an excellent read. I came for Rocky Horror, but I stayed for Crims People, Edison Halo, and the ‘red testicle’.
Interested? Then I recommend you check out this book, which is available now from Grosvenor House Publishing in paperback and Kindle editions. Amazon link here.