September 2003
Sam Lindo, the busking blues man | |
|  | | Sam Lindo : Busking outside the Broadmarsh |
| | Blues man - Sam Lindo - has been busking around Nottingham city centre for the past two years.
Interview by Joe Sinclair |
| | SEE ALSO | | Notts people:
Window cleaner , Hendrix Dead Boy
Fruit trader, Tony Gordon
Pub landlord, Pete Beletzan
Blues man, Sam Lindo
Mr Gay Nottingham
Miss Nottingham
Ms Lesbian Nottingham
Ebony Gilbert, actress
Rachel Grant, actress
Andrea Lowe, actress
Micaiah Dring, actress
Michael Dawson, footballer
Chris Cooke, director
Samantha Thompson, student
Kate Rowley-Jones, actress
Carl Froch, boxer | | | FACTS | | Sam moved to Nottingham in 1967 from Jamaica
Sam has been busking in Nottingham city centre for the past two years
His single - Love Reality- is in Fopp and HMV and he's working on an album
He is looking for a bass player to join him | | | PRINT THIS PAGE | | | View a printable version of this page. | |  |
| | I was born in the West Indies, Jamaica, but my parents came here from the early 50s. I was left with my grandparents.
In 1967 I came here to join my parents and family in Nottingham. We lived in the Sherwood area.
I got married and went to London for a while and lived there, then I came back here and Ive lived here for about five or six years now. I started doing music again, you know.
 If I can play music, make somebody feel good, put a smile on somebodys face, I feel worth my while [laughs]. | | Sam Lindo, busker |
Ive been doing the blues down here almost two years now. This is one of my favourite spots. People seem to like what Im doing and look forward to hearing me come in or whatever.
Any strange requests? Oh yeah definitely, all the time. All sorts really. Let me see
Postman Pat. But normally just anything from Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Oasis and so forth.
We get people dancing, people drunk. Its quite cool actually.
I got my first guitar from my Dad when I was 14. Over the years Ive been playing the guitar and also the keyboard. Thats my main interest really. Its music, you know.
In the early days I tried to run a few bands but I found it very stressful [laughs] so I sort of went solo.
Im trying to get some backing musicians. I met a very good drummer last week, sounds very good. So Im now looking for a bass player. I feel we could go places, you know.
 | | Sam Lindo, "between 40 and 60", Top Valley, Nottingham |
Im working on an album. I took a single off it which Ive just brought out. If I may take the opportunity to say, its available at the moment in HMV [laughs] and Fopp, up the road from here. Love's Realities its called, but its under my name, Sam Lindo.
Nottingham certainly has changed. For instance years ago was all traffic all along here. Now people can walk about, do their shopping, and can sit and relax, you know... enjoy what Im doing.
The thing that concerns me, when I first came here I found people were very respectful. Especially young people respected the elders, you know, very courteous, very pleasant, but that seems to have gone down the drain now, you know.
I used to like the spirit of the English people. I think they have a lot to offer to the world in mannerism, in courteousness, things like that, that I did really appreciate when I first came here. I learned a lot from that. And I think its a great language, English is.
The respect seems to have gone. Although I mustnt complain. I hope to see it get back to that level of respect and honour and good behaviour, good attitude.
Its a shame that this city has come to be known as one that is violent. I do hope that that will be rectified soon. People just need to respect one another.
Were all here to live and let live. When I do play my music I do hope that its contributing something.
I try to play the music that makes people feel good. Because I think music is a wonderful creation, you know, of God. I think its just as important as food or clothing. Its a spiritual thing which was made for the hearing. Were made with five senses. Your eyes are made to see and I think your ears are made for music.
You all come on down and hear what I can do [laughs]. Im here most of the time during the day. Normally Friday night and Saturday night Im up by Long Road entertaining the people. | | | |
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