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

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Organisation?
You've got to imagine, he saw us and said, "I'd like you to be my band and he said we'll be going to a lot of places you've never been before." Well that put us in a kind of pecking order if you like. We knew he was leader and that stopped any conflict. Apparently he had had conflict in other bands. We were happy with what we got. 

His agent, Mickey Eaves, booked the gigs. We used to cart his gear around in our van. Steve and his wife, Toni, would turn up in their car and book into a nice hotel. We would have all the gear set up, he would walk in and do the gig. He rarely did a sound check. We'd have a laugh and a joke and then Steve and Toni would jump in their car and drive home. It amazed me when we were professional how so many semi-pro outfits would have more equipment than a music shop and need a four hour sound check. Not for us. 

Two years with the DTs
To my mind, he had got sick to death of doing his Small Faces and Humble Pie stuff. He said, "I just wanna do rhythm and blues with the DTs and have a bit of break," which he did. He used to take it fairly easy. He used to often take second guitar.  

Annoying tendencies
The most annoying thing he used to do was phone up and say you were going to do a tour of Scotland, or somewhere, and then just at the last minute cancel it because he didn't fancy it. It used to piss everybody off, because we'd have all our finances organised around the money that was to due to come in and then he'd phone and say, "No, I don't fancy going to Scotland." 

Personality: time off.
What did he do with himself when he wasn't drinking and playing? He had a beautiful rented cottage which later burnt down, which was in Claverdon. Me and my wife used to go down to see him and Toni, and stay at weekends. His wife's still around and now lives in Kent. 

It was really great. He used to enjoy going out in the car, doing the shopping, and especially used to enjoy planning the meals.  

He had a forty foot narrow boat down on the canal, which I think was at Saffron Walden. His mum and dad lived about two villages away. He had bought his mum, a very attractive and friendly woman, this place in Essex. My wife's been there. His dad's a little cockney man.