Coca-Cola "It's the real thing" used to be my 'nick-name' honest !

Many moons ago I worked as a semi-pro drummer, no star musician for sure, but I could do the job. Working with different bands and backing cabaret acts etc. It will come as no surprise, many musicians I worked with were heavy duty alcohol drinkers, often they would drive off around 1am well over the legal limit. I had three young kids and a hefty mortgage at the time, my job involved lots of travel and driving. A drink drive charge would have been disastrous for me and my family, so I made it a rule never to drink booze on a gig. I got through huge amounts of Coke sometimes three or four pints per night. At the time some people may remember Coke running ads and they were fighting off Pepsi big time, the big strap line was 'it's the real thing' 

So, over time people used to joke with me and I ended up being known as 'the real thing' Band leaders would introduce the band members during the night, I reckon some had forgotten my real name, because they would say "on drums it's the real thing" That name stuck and I was called it everywhere I went. Sometimes when telling someone about my music days they ask why did you give it up ? I wind them up and say I had to, I developed a very bad Coke habit and it very near killed me. I get some strange looks and comments, but it always gets a laugh when I explain the way I got my nickname. Fast forward the years and type two diabetes is no laughing matter for sure. Eddie

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