Drummer volunteering to drive seniors to and from Comox festival
Omnicare is offering a free door-to-door driving service this weekend for seniors wishing to attend the Filberg Festival.
Volunteer driver John Booth, aka Johnny B, will transport people back and forth in the Omnicar.
He will also perform alongside his XLR8 bandmates Saturday night at Marina Park, one of the Nautical Days venues.
Booth was the drummer in the Vancouver-based Sweeney Todd in the '70s, first playing with Nick Gilder, who lasted for just one album, and later with Bryan Adams.
"I've done a lot of studio work over the years in Vancouver," said Booth, a Courtenay resident originally from England, as was Gilder.
"Everybody always thought we (Sweeney Todd) were an English band. Nick was English, I was English, our manager was English, our producer was English. It was very English-style music," he said. "Back in the '70s, for Canadian bands, it was tough. You had to go to the States."
Booth's home contains gold and platinum records from his days with Sweeney Todd, which has reunited in recent years for Canadian tours. The band's debut self-titled album went platinum. It contained Roxy Roller, a No. 1 hit for six weeks.
"It was in the ranks of Queen and Paul McCartney at the same time," Booth said, noting Gilder was Sweeney Todd's initial songwriter who also wrote tunes for Bette Midler, Joe Cocker and Pat Benatar.
He said Sweeney Todd's second album, If Wishes Were Horses, met with "moderate success." It featured Adams, who left after a couple of years to go solo.
"We all know about his career," said Booth, who later did a gig with Holly Woods and Toronto.
Those looking for a lift this weekend from Johnny B can call 250-890-7535.
Donations will be accepted, with money going to the Comox Valley Hospice Society.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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