Article compiled & edited by Mike Clifford from an interview with Simon Hickling. From MT 27 June 1999

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In an exclusive interview with the Musical Times, local blues singer, composer and harmonica player, Simon ‘Honeyboy’ Hickling, talks about the three years when legendary Small Faces &  Humble Pie genius, Steve Marriott, worked with his midland’s blues band, the DTs.  Three years that preceded Marriott’s untimely death by fire. 

The DTs, comprising of myself, Simon 'Honeyboy' Hickling on harmonica and vocals, Craig Ring on bass, Steve Walwyn on guitar and Chas Chaplin on drums, had been gigging semi-professionally for the last half of the 70s. In the 80s we went professional and gigged all over England. Consequently we found ourselves on the same bill as Steve Marriott and the Packet of Three on a number of occasions.  

Down on his luck
Steve had come back to England from the States and was down on his luck. In America, after the collapse of Humble Pie - which had been even bigger after Frampton had left - with about four or five big albums over there - Marriott's solo

career had not got off the ground. He also had a bit of personal trouble and he was in some management deal he couldn't get out of.

He told me he hadn't been paid. He said he should have been a millionaire three or four times over but when he came back from the States he didn't even have a guitar - he didn't have anything at all. So he phoned up his old roadie who had a guitar under his bed that Steve had previously given him. So equipped with a guitar, and an invitation from Joe Brown, he did a few gigs with Joe Brown and his band, and then he started using some of Joe Brown's guys and doing a few gigs on his own. And then The Packet of Three was formed. 

The DTs and Marriott
In 1986 we, the DTs, went down to see the Packet of Three and had a drink with Marriot at JBs club in Dudley. This was the first time we got talking to Marriott. We used to headline at JBs ourselves occasionally and sell out as well. We went for a drink, me, Steve Marriott and DT guitarist, Steve Walwyn. We went back to Steve's hotel until about five in the morning. A memorable evening. A session!  

One night we were all at the old Five Bells in Northampton. It was a big gig, a very large room and we were used to play there once a month. I'd recommended The Packet of Three as a main act, and they were there. We'd all had a drink before hand, and there was much larking around, and in the middle of our set Marriott leapt up on stage and began singing with us.