ALTHOUGH young Francis Healey was born in Stafford, he was raised in one of the roughest parts of Glasgow at a time when the city was known as the ‘heroin capital of the world’.
He was the only child of a caring mother, with many close relatives living “just around the corner”.
Fran was a skinny kid, often picked on at school. His mother became so concerned she moved to another part of the city and enrolled him in a different school.
Initially things improved but then the bullying resumed and one day, he was beaten so badly, he lost consciousness.
This hostility made Francis feel unbearably lonely, partly because he knew of no one else who suffered similar treatment.
Then something extraordinary occurred. One day, his English teacher wheeled a TV and video machine into the classroom and announced that, as an end-of-term treat, the class would be watching a film. Francis had mixed feelings -– he was happy to escape the drudgery of classroom studies but the films they showed at school were usually boring.
And then it happened. As the machine’s play-button was depressed, the Kes film began and Francis’s eyes were fixed on the screen for the next two hours.
He couldn’t believe what was unfolding before his eyes – Billy Casper was a character he could easily identify with. When the film was over, it dawned on him that he was NOT the only person to be the victim of bullying. And he felt somehow comforted in the knowledge that if the brutalised Billy Casper could achieve something extraordinary, then so could he.
From that day forth, Fran was determined to focus on the things he had a talent for. He knew he could sing because at primary school he’d won a book of Robert Burns’ poems for “outstanding singing ability.” He also knew he was capable of creating simple tunes and lyrics. So, he threw himself into composing uncomplicated songs and teaching himself to play a musical instrument. At 13, he wrote and performed his first complete song, for the school talent competition, called the ‘Mr Mullen Blues’ – a composition that lampooned his head teacher.
Perhaps, looking back, making fun of Mr Mullen was not the wisest of moves, and the judges were not too impressed, either. Nevertheless, what he did was a testament to how far his confidence had grown. By the time he reached the Fifth Year (Year 11 in new money) he’d become part of a fledgling rock-band, accomplished enough to entertain fellow students.
At 18 he joined the Glasgow pop-band, Glass Onion, and rose to become their main songwriter, principal spokesperson and most recognisable member. After giving the band a new name, they were awarded the British album of the year at the BRIT Awards – not once but twice! They also made seven successful studio albums, and suddenly he, and his fellow musicians, realised they had become international rock stars.
You will have heard their name – unless you’ve been asleep for the last 35 years – they’re called Travis.
Everyone must have sung along, at some time, to their wonderful, ‘Why does it always rain on me?’
Fran Healey also became a fierce campaigner against poverty and war.
When he sent me his lovely written piece, for my new book, I was so grateful. And when he later sent me a long paragraph to promote my book, his message was beautiful:
“It is said, if a butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil it will cause a tornado in Texas. Less is known about The Kes Effect. When a crew of strangers with clapper boards and movie cameras descend on a northern mining town in Britain in 1968 – to make a film about a boy who befriends a bird – just how deep, far and wide will the effects be felt? It is hard to quantify, but this book, with its many personal testimonies, goes a way to measuring that rich legacy. As it approaches its 60th anniversary, Ken Loach’s masterpiece, Kes, continues to move and inspire all who see it.”
When I told Fran I loved his music, he said, “In that case I’ll send you a couple of complimentary tickets for our next gig.”
My not-for-profit new book: ‘A Tribute to Ken Loach and Kes’, can be bought by contacting me directly on Facebook, or from the Book Vault and Mike’s Famous Bookstall.
