I met Chris in the late 70s when he lived at the bottom of Pitch Hill, Ewhurst and I lived in Cranleigh, a few miles away. A mutual friend called Gary Leeder introduced us. I was about 17 and in an aspiring “band” (which never actually played to an audience) with Gary and one night Chris came to one of our “rehearsals” at the house of Nigel Tilbury, our drummer. I remember Chris said we could do with a graphic equaliser to improve our (cacophonous) sound. That was the first time I had heard of such a thing and that’s why I remember the moment. After the rehearsal we went downstairs to the sumptuous lounge which happened to have a baby grand piano in the corner. I remember Nigel’s parents being very impressed when Chris played and sang us a song he had written, called “Magic Bicycle” I think. I was really into a psychedelic band called Gong at the time, almost to the point of obsession, so when Gary and I went to Chris’s house I nearly exploded with excitement as Gong had left a load of their equipment with Chris, after a gig I think. I knew he wasn’t winding me up as there were amplifiers etc. everywhere with “Gong” stencilled on them in white paint. Although Gary had told me Chris was in the music business I had no idea he mixed in such lofty musical circles. I also remember him telling me that he had been asked to help Peter Davidson get together a song called “Squashed Frog Blues” he was due to perform on a children’s TV show. He had this life rubbing shoulders with famous people like this but he never boasted about it. He was a very modest guy. I’m not surprised to hear he was friends with Eric Clapton and his wife Pattie as they lived just up the road from him. One day I remember going to the woods at the top of Pitch Hill with Chris and Gary. Although he may have been getting on for 30 at the time Chris impressed us and made us laugh by climbing up a tree with the enthusiasm and delight of a schoolboy. He was a lot of fun to be around. I remember Chris as a really friendly, funny, talented but modest guy. I was somewhat in awe of him and his, to me, glamorous lifestyle and connections. I was very saddened to read that he has passed. I just wish I had had the opportunity to know him better. RIP mate. (I hear there are plenty of pianos and trees in heaven). You can see him on Top of The Pops with Ginger performing “Blind Date” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSTYXLj76Gw