REVIVAL YEARS 1990s | carlolittle

The Revival Years - 1990's

Re-Stoned. Carlo is reunited with The Rolling Stones after 35 years and media celebrity comes knocking.

From Carlo's last attempt at success in the music industry in 1986 to 1998: drumming every so often with his friend's pub bands; giving interviews to journalists and authors a couple of times a year, answering their questions about the old days when he was the most admired drummer in the UK; being a husband, father, and eventually grandfather in 1992, when his eldest daughter Giselle got married and had gradaughter Karis... until, that is, in March 1998 when one of the biggest selling UK music magazines Mojo published an interview with Carlo about his days with the Stones and how he turned down Brian Jones' offer to join them.

Carlo was completely oblivious to the attention the Mojo article would bring. It led to features with many more media outlets including the international Marie Claire magazine and, to Carlo's complete surprise, front page on a Britsh tabloid newspaper. The subsequent attention finally brought Carlo worldwide recognition as one of the most influential drummers in British music.

In July 1998 a British television company, who had seen one of the printed articles, contacted Carlo. They thought it would make for great TV if they could reunite Carlo with the Stones again, 35 years after their gigs together at the Marquee Club. Carlo agreed, feeling sure that Keith Richards at least would be thrilled to see the guy whose musicianship he had once so admired. The Stones were in the middle of their Bridges To Babylon world tour, which was now in France. So the TV company took Carlo and his wife Iris to Paris, hoping for an off-chance meeting during the Stones' shows there. An interview with arranged with France's biggest selling daily newspaper La Figaro and this did the trick. Someone in the Stones' camp read it and showed it to Ronnie Wood, who demanded that someone get hold of Carlo and bring him to the shows. As a boy, Ronnie had been taken to see Carlo in the Cyril Davies band by his brother Art Wood, and the band had left a lasting impression on him (this was later relayed by Ronnie to Carlo's daughter).

The TV producers were contacted, and they then surprised Carlo and Iris with backstage passes for the Stones gig that night at the Stade de France in Paris. When Carlo nervously walked into Keith and Ronnie's dressing room the guys were delighted! They hugged Carlo, gave him a pint of whiskey and all chatted happily recalling the old days. Keith introduced film star Johnny Depp, who was also there: "come and meet Carlo Little, the best rock 'n' roll drummer in the world!" he said. Carlo and Iris also got to watch the show, and afterwards attended Mick Jagger's 55th birthday party back at the hotel. They had a fantastic time, and Keith and Ronnie promised to keep in touch. The whole story was made into a special TV programme for Channel 5, and when broadcast Carlo was invited to perform with the Counterfeit Stones in the studio.

Carlo was reunited The Rolling Stones after 35 years.

1998 also saw Carlo immortilised in Tony Fletcher's best-selling biography 'Dear Boy' about Keith Moon. Carlo attended the book launch party, where The Who's tour manager John Wolf greeted Carlo like an old friend: "Keith used to LOVE you, " he gushed.

Carlo had also been active with Screaming Lord Sutch again, before his sad death in 1999. They had performed in a benefit gig for Wee Willie Harris with other Sixties stars Art Wood, The Lonegans, Diz Dizzley, and others. Carlo also became good friends at this time with James Phelge (famous loon of Rolling Stones' folklore) and Pat Andrews (the mother of Brian Jones' son Julian).

Being active in the music scene once more had brought Carlo back into contact with many other old friends and faces such as Brian Knight when Carlo performed at the Rolling Stones convention at the Brixton Academy in June 1999. Carlo was also delighted to finally meet his hero Lonnie Donegan when he attended a skiffle concert at the Royal Albert Hall, also during this time.

Carlo with Rick Brown and James Phelge. James Phelge lived with The Rolling Stones as their career took off and wrote a book about it
Carlo with his mates Johnny Casanova, Dave Sutch, Tony Hall, Ronnie Harwood, Doc Dox, Pete Parks, Alex Chanter
Carlo with 50s rocker Wee Willie Harris and Radio Caroline DJ Dell Richardson
Carlo with Pete Best, the original drummer in The Beatles. They enjoyed a fun evening back at Carlo's house in Wembley
With The Who's road manager John Wolf aka Wolfie at the Dear Boy book launch party
Carlo with Tony Fletcher, author of the Keith Moon biography 'Dear Boy'
With Jett Harris of The Shadows and 50s rocker Wee Willie Harris
With Pat Andrews, who is the mother of Rolling Stone Brian Jones' son Julian

Carlo with James Phelge

Carlo live on The Big Breakfast in 1999

Carlo was also offered a presenting role for a German TV show called 'Swinging London'. He was filmed touring all the legendary 1960's music venues, explaining their importance, and was reunited with Ronnie Wood's brother Art Wood at the Ealing Club, now a nightclub. The Pretty Things and Nick Simper also appeared in this show, which was broadcast on the German channel WDR. His new-found fame also led to appearances on high-rating British TV shows such as GMTV, the Richard Littlejohn Show and The Big Breakfast.

As journalists, publishers and TV companies continued to get Carlo to re-tell his involvement in the birth of British pop music, away from the cameras he carried on happily in his normal family life, and working hard at weekends with his catering business. But Carlo Little, the great UK drummer who missed out on fame and fortune, had no regrets: "I have respect from other musicians, my memories and my family... what more could I ask for!"

Carlo was shocked to find himself on the front page of a British tabloid

Carlo and musician friends at his surprise 60th birthday party, December 1998

Left to right: TV presenter Doc Cox, bassist Rick Brown, singer Danny Rivers, drummer Mick Richardson, Art Wood, guitarist John Scholar, Screaming Lord Sutch, Neil Christian, guitarist Alex Chanter, Carlo Little, saxophonist Tony Hall, bassist Nick Simper, Brian Knight, saxophonist Pete Newman, singer/songwriter Ronnie Harwood, and keyboardist Matthew Fisher.

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