The Last Band to play Top of the Pops

 

Fritz Van Helsing
2nd July 1960 - 15th February 2012

Fritz Van Helsing wasn't his original name. He was an old punk who played the drums, ran a fanzine and put on a load of gigs.  He had a great passion for punk and pop music, and if he became an enthusiast for a band, would go to their every gig.  He ran the Full Moon Club in various venues throughout Edinburgh, and many bands got the chance to play because of him.  He was a real encourager.  He encouraged me in my song writing and performing.

We were a couple for seven years, but split up six years ago.

He and I founded a band called FRAK. This was our best song, one that Fritz wrote.  It's called The Last Band to Play Top of the Pops.

We did this video, but the band split up before it was completed.

When I was a kid
Every Thursday night
We’d turn on the TV
In black and white          
There on our glorious 14 inch screen
Were all these bands that we’d never seen.

Wanna be the last band to play Top of the Pops
They’ll be playing all the biggest hits of the day
And we’ll be on stage thrashing away
When we’re the last band to play Top of the Pops

There’ll be ageing DJ’s
Telling crap jokes
And some feminine dancers
That turn out to be blokes
We’ll play the last number and it’s over too soon
So we go get drunk trash the dressing room

We were way too young
For the Old Grey Whistle Test
Cheggers Plays Pop
Soon passed its best
Lift of with Ayshea, Shang A Lang
Ready Steady Go, all in the can.

It’ll be a sad day
For the BBC
When they show the last ever TOTP
That missing half hour
What do we do?
Watch the repeats on BBC2

Fritz Van Helsing - drums
Becci Dearnley - lead singer
Steve Galbraith - guitar
Sam Barber - guitar
William Baird - bass
Rosie Bell - keys

Sam and William are now in a band called The Outcasts, which gigs in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Update:- I should have credited shooting and editing the video to Carl Barber and Malcolm McLean.

After we split up I got a text from Fritz saying, "We did have some fun, didn't we?"

So we did.

Comments

[John Barclay]

Very sad to hear about Fritz passing away, I'm sure he won't be forgotten and will be missed in the local music scene. He always struck me as a really nice guy, despite the heavy image and he was a pretty good drummer.

[Stewart]

Hi Rosie

I was your guitarist in the nascent FRAK. I remember it all well, driving out with Fritz in my wee Nova to your place near Roseburn. Usually he'd persuade me to stop & uplift some Cider and tobacco for his fuel. Battering through "Error, Access Denied", "A Song That I Wrote" and of course "The Last Band To Play Top Of The Pops", there were some other good ones too. Such sad news.

[Rosie]

Thanks for the message, Stewart. Yes, it was sad. There's going to be a gig in Bannermans on 15 April - some of us are getting together to play FRAK songs.

[Brian - Shatterhand]

Hiya,

We (Shatterhand) only just found out about Fritz's passing. We got our first gigs through him and he gave us encouraging words and support. We lost touch and through chance found out about him only today... he was indeed a legend and I am sure I still have some Full Moon reviews somewhere.

[Rosie]

Thanks Brian. I remember you guys playing at the Full Moon. There's going to be a gig on 9th December at Bannermans to release the DVD that was made of the memorial gig for Fritz.