Nick Croft

Interview by Jenny Itzcovitz

Nick Croft has released his debut album, ‘Beyond Why?’ featuring wonderful songs about his life and experiences. One of seven children, he is the son of David Croft, the co-writer of some of the best loved comedy in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s including Dad’s Army, Are you Being Served? It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, Hi-De-Hi! and ‘Allo Allo!’

We caught up with Nick to find out more about the album and his music. And he tells some colourful stories about his childhood among some well loved comedy stars, and what brought him to singing and entertainment.

Plus, we have included a fabulous video of Nick Croft’s new single ‘LOVE IS TOO SMALL a WORD’ for you to enjoy.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and where you come from?

“Thanks for your interest. I was born in London at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead.

“As was the custom in those days for aspiring middle class parents, I was sent away to boarding school at the tender age of eight.”

You are the oldest of seven children and your childhood was one of glorious chaos as your parents were David Croft and Ann Callender – and your father was the co-writer of some of the best loved comedy in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s including Dad’s Army, Are you Being Served? It Ain’t Half Hot Mum, Hi-De-Hi! and ‘Allo Allo!’ and many more classics – that must have been very exciting for you. What was it like growing up among such celebrity and fun?

“My memories of the early days of my Dad’s shows are sporadic and chaotic with a great deal of coming and going.

“For Dad’s Army, we were allowed to go to the filming of the shows at the BBC television centre in White City on many occasions, which was exciting.

“We usually sat as a group in a side room of the bar, eating crisps and drinking coke, waiting for the grownups to finish chatting and drinking.

“Occasionally some members of the cast (usually Ian Lavender or Clive Dunn) would come and say, “Hi”, and we revelled in their attention.

“Sometimes the cast let their hair down, especially at my parents’ parties when the location filming was ‘in the can’ and I remember everyone doing the Hokey Cokey in the front room and falling about with laughter.

“For the later shows, as we got older, we were allowed in the bar and began establishing friendships.

“I have 3 beautiful, blonde sisters – Penny, Jane and Beckie, and they soon became the centre of attention. Beckie, in fact married Simon Cadell who played Jeffrey Fairbrother in Hi-di-Hi!”

Your parents’ celebrity connections brought many rewards and Eddy Grant’s chart-topping band, The Equals, played for your 16th birthday party, and your date for your 18th birthday party was Wendy Richard – Miss Brahms from Are You Being Served. We would love to hear more about this, it sounds wonderful, and very special?

“It is true that The Equals played for a joint party (my 16th and Penny’s 15th). I vividly remember the incongruity of my mother’s chandelier shaking as the boys cranked up the volume!

“My memory was inaccurate when I said that my dad arranged for Wendy Richard to be my 18th birthday dinner date – it was actually my 21st. Still, it was 50 years ago and I was very young.

“She was great company and very kind. Truth be told, I spent a large part of the evening talking with Frank Thornton as he was sitting opposite me. Most of the members of the Are You Being Served? cast were also present, and the party went on into the small hours.”

You have always been drawn to music. Who bought you your first guitar, taught you how to play it, and inspired you in your music?

“My parents bought me my first guitar when I was 9, and with no YouTube available, I learnt to play by ear. My earliest lesson was from a titan of a guitarist called Davey Graham who was on my mum’s roster of talented clients.

“He took the trouble to teach me a simplified version of ‘Angie’ by The Rolling Stones while my mum was getting ready to go out for a business lunch with him. I was maybe 12 years old at the time and was suitably awestruck. He transformed my idea of what was possible on a guitar.”

Your career took you in lots of different directions, and through convention you took a City job in investment banking. What drew you to this, how long did you do this, and why did you eventually leave?

“I started working in the City as a teaboy in my school holidays for pocket money and joined that same firm when I left school. I worked there for a further 5 years.

“Although a good job with good prospects, it wasn’t right for me. I left to find something more exciting.”

You went to America and discovered the Frisbee and fell for it ‘hook, line and sinker’. This led to you entering the British Frisbee Championships which were held at half time during a Chelsea game at Stamford Bridge. That sounds great fun. Can you tell us about this? How you got to participate? And did you win the Championships?

“I had discovered Frisbee whilst trying to make money for my firm in California (I said it was a good job).

“I had looked up an old school friend who was studying photography at Berkley. He was basically a Hippy and spent the balmy California nights playing Frisbee – I was entranced and on my return tried to get people interested in England.

“I did win the competition at Stamford Bridge which resulted in another trip to California for the world championship at the Rose Bowl.”

From there you spent time in California, and did various other things such as writing songs, singing in a pub, street theatre, decorating, landscape gardening, and running a water filtration business. This must have been an experimental and challenging time for you. What did you learn from it all?

“I spent the next 10 years doing all sorts of things to earn money and having fun. Life offered me many opportunities and I took some. That’s when I started writing songs, but my music never took precedence.

“Frisbee offered the occasional gig like a half time show for QPR at Loftus Road, some demonstration work for Southwark council and sporadic advertising. I also  joined a street theatre group called ‘Nomads and Fools’ run by a wonderful clown called Chris Lynam and enjoyed some memorable times all over England and a few visits to Europe.

“I also busked all over London playing sax, guitar and accordion. We were employed for a couple of years by Terry Ellis as Festival FooIs at the embryonic Festival of Mind and Body in Olympia.

“I met many people there who were into alternative lifestyles and I developed an interest in many of their ideas and did a few courses in massage and martial arts. During this time you could say that I was ‘footloose and fancy free’.”

In the mid-90’s, you and your brother John acquired a recording studio in Camden Town. How did you buy it and equip it, and make it your own?

“My brother John had been working as a sound designer and engineer, touring all over Europe with huge shows like 42nd Street. He thought it would be fun to set up a studio in London.

“We had recorded an ambient album called ‘Dreamfields’ under the name of ‘Innersense’ and it was moderately successful. Four subsequent albums followed, (recently remastered and available on most digital platforms). The studio in Camden Town was great fun and a story on its own.”

Now you had a recording studio, you could make records and create your own songs. And you have recently released an album ‘Beyond Why?’ How did you write the songs and put it all together?

“The first line of my new album goes, “It all started out in Camden Town – my brother’s  bar was closing down, my love was lost so now I’m found beyond the comfort zone.”

“(It was my brother Tim that had the bar). The rest of the album goes on to describe some episodes of my life in song. In those times I had made some demos, but the market had been for Punk and Dance which wasn’t my style.

“After a few glorious years we closed the studio. By now I had two wonderful children, Elena and David, and my priorities were changing, so I concentrated on parenting, still playing occasionally in pubs and lounge piano in a Covent Garden bar. I tried my hand at ‘proper’ jobs like decorating and landscaping and that kept me busy and solvent until around 2000.

“I then moved to Suffolk as my Dad was unwell. John and I still had equipment from the old studio, and we set up in his spare bedroom, recording in our spare time. I was still playing, but mostly for friends and family.

“I had no particular ambition, but was still enjoying my life immensely. My brother Tim had been running a café and I took over from him in 2006 for about 5 years.

“Both my kids helped me immensely in the café, especially on weekends and during the holidays, as did some of their friends, first jobs for most of them. My nephews and nieces also pitched in. Many of my customers were senior citizens and I enjoyed their stories of lives well lived. It was a real privilege to be so involved in the community.

“My father died in 2011 and my mother in 2016. I had a kidney failure that year and have been recovering ever since. My musical needs were now fulfilled by playing in a worship band at St Marys in Honey Hill, Bury St Edmunds (Church of England). This has also served to reaffirm my Christian faith. I still play to this day and really enjoy the fellowship.”

Which musicians and assistance did you enlist to help you make the album? And what did you enjoy most about the creative process?

“My brother John had been working in Industrial Property and was talking to a colleague about his love of music in general and my songwriting in particular. By an amazing turn of fate, the colleague’s brother was Cameron Jenkins, a renowned producer who was working at Real World studios in Bath.

“My brother gave him a call and we sent him some demos. He liked them, chose a few and our current project ‘Beyond Why?’ was born.

“Cameron suggested recording in Analogue with some great musicians he knew including Charlie Jones as MD and bass player, Rob Bryan on drums and percussion, Dan Temmink on pianos and organ, Melvin Duffy on pedal steel and guitars.

“I cannot praise them highly enough. They lifted my songs to a new dimension and Cameron’s production was exquisite. Further details are available on our website by clicking on www.wwm.co.uk/artists/nick-croft/about-nick-croft

“It worked out so well that we decided to release it. Hallelujah!”

How did the album get its title, ‘Beyond Why?’ and what is the record’s theme and essential concept?

“I can verify that age is just a number. We’re still the same as we were inside. I feel that there is a space for people of my age to share their life experience and continue to contribute to society – a counterbalance to the emphasis currently given to youth culture

“In human terms, the wisdom of age is paramount. After all, everyone is getting older, not younger. When I was younger, I wrote ‘Why’, the second track, but that question seems to have evaporated with time, hence, ‘Beyond Why?’.”

How would you describe your style of music?

“My music is middle of the road with an edge.”

You have recently released a fabulous new single from the album, ‘LOVE IS TOO SMALL a WORD. Can you tell us about the song and its message?

“The single LOVE IS TOO SMALL a WORD was one of the first tunes I wrote.

“The lyrics, full of hope, were penned by my good friend and collaborator, Tim Nash with whom I have written many songs.

“It was chosen as a single because it had a lighthearted country feel, good for Summer driving.”

Will you be touring or performing to promote the album? What do you have planned?

“I have no tour planned as yet, but would love to make another album soon. It’s quite difficult to schedule as all the musicians, though willing, are currently busy.”

Do you have a special message for Sixtyplusurfers readers?

“Go for it and continue to be patient. And while you are waiting, be kind – and if you are able to – trust in The Lord.

“Thanks again for your interest.”

For more information about Nick Croft visit the website at www.wwm.co.uk/artists/nick-croft

* Photographs of Nick Croft are by Wolf James

Listen to ‘LOVE IS TOO SMALL a WORD’ 

Click on arrow to watch the video