My earliest christmas memory is Top of the Pops. In particular Slade. To be specific, Dave Hill's fringe, or lack of fringe. For a 4 year old it was a horror show. He scared the life out of me. I watched from behind the sofa.
Everytime the camera closed in on Dave's missing fringe, I'd feel Dave coming through the screen to abduct me…
Everytime the camera closed in on Dave's missing fringe, I'd hit the floor in fear that Dave would come through the screen and abduct me. I might have got him confused with the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, both of them had the exact same effect. They both were the embodiment of evil. Poor oul Dave. He was doing his best to be cutting edge and Glam and all that, but in his pointless endeavours he ended up looking like a jailbird dressed in drag (in case you need reminding). For a 4 year old this was probably a bit confusing, in the same way Danny La Rue was a total bewilderment. Noddy and the other two were scary in a big side-burned-shouty way, for them it was a lark and a bit of a "look" but for Dave it seemed more like a vocation… as if the 'voices' were telling him to do it! So over 30 years later, he's back and he's in my kitchen. This is my wee girl. She's also 4. A pair of scissors were left carelessly sitting around (my fault no doubt). In her endeavor to look glam and cutting edge, she now looks like a mini Dave Hill. She went at the fringe with some gusto. I don't know why the fringe and not the sides. Could it be genetic? Could there be a fear of the Fringe coursing through both our blood. It matters not, I'm now facing Christmas cooped up "Daughter of Dave" and I'm not relishing it one bit. Don't have nightmares kids! IT"S CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!
That's Dave on the far right.