Roy Perkins. Born 1958, Bootle. A natural talent for the guitar led Roy into the music business at an early age. Although his Liverpool accent should have been a boon in the early 1960s, he was only about five and just got beaten up. At thirteen, he left for London in answer to an ad in the music press. It was for a cleaner at Earls Court Palace B&B but it led, indirectly to the Birds and The Bees.

After the split, he eventually released his concept album 'Ad Infinitum'. 'Two hours of soporific meanderings' - Jewish Chronicle. His drug problems are well documented, but what is not so well known is that he owns over four thousand rare musical instruments, and his house contains the most important (and only) Mandolin collection in the world. He likes lamb chops and sitting in the rain.

Although his progressive, almost futuristic style is too much for many people, he retains a strong cult following in his home town of Bootle. There is a pub named after him on the site of the shop where he bought his first guitar - 'The Perk-Inn'. The shop was demolished in 1979 following a double murder and arson attack. Roy was never connected with the crimes, but he was the subject of stalking for many years afterwards. The man was caught, but it turned out that he thought he was following actor Nicholas Lyndhurst.



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