Tired Starlings

 

Tired Starlings was a short-lived Welsh “supergroup” trio who played a unique blend of blues-rock and psychedelia at maximum volume.  After irascible drummer Paprika Butcher broke bass player Terry Wayne’s arm (and bass) during the last of many post-gig altercations, the band knew it was time to fold, which they did in 1968.

In 1971, they were persuaded by promoter D.J. Hugh to reform for one gig—the PLUS Fest in San Bartolomeo, California.  (No one knows for sure what Hugh used to persuade the band to “bury the hatchet,” but the speculation is that it involved lurid photographs and at least one affidavit.)  Following the PLUS Fest, the band again disbanded; each of the members had some post-Starlings success, but guitarist Derek Klaxon (who had earned the nickname "Fast Twitch" due to his ability to change broken guitar strings very quickly) was the break-out, going on to have an illustrious, award-winning solo career in the less-challenging (but more lucrative) AOR sphere.