I am so immensely sad to be posting this,its taken me days to build up to it....my beautiful comrade in arms Tim McCall has died while i have been away,he was only 37,just had a baby with his partner a few weeks ago,and was enjoying fullfilling his dreams playing with Jarvis.I have known Tim closely for over 20 years.I am so so heart broken words fail me,i only spoke to him the day before i left on this tour and we talked about having one of our jam session nights and having tea with our kids and wives when i got back and of course him coming along with me walking my dog which we both loved,that time together was always special where we would talk about guitars,music,beer,scooters,cycling(his other major life passion)but mainly just spend the time making each other laugh........both of us trying to outdo each other by making the other one laugh more,he would always have me in fits he was so quick witted.........This is so hard for me to type,Tim was such a lovely person,really gentle,funny as fuck and massively talented,in fact one of the best guitar players ever to come out of Britain never mind Sheffield.He was so humble about his talent and never bragged even though he could out play any guitar player i ever knew and would NEVER shoot his mouth off about his ability.
When musicians work as closely as we did there is a silent bond you make,mine and Tim's bond was immediate,deeply felt and lifelong........Tim went out with my sister,he was loved by all my family,when my Dad was dying he was one of the few who was welcomed with open arms by my Dad,they would sit for hours talking about guitars and music,he would make the effort to see my kids and make them laugh and always had time for my wife Helen.I loved him so much i will miss him for the rest of my life,i feel so bleak its awful,i cannot believe its happened.I went out with him only a few days before the tour started,i will have only positive thoughts about Tim i have NO bad memories of him whatsoever he was my brother i can't say much more now its too painful.
My heart goes out to his partner and his little baby girl as well as his family he was very much loved.we are all totally devesated.it was a small thing to do but me and the lads played Little wing for him the day after he passed away,i always think of that song when i think of him,we worked it out together at the kitchen table in Hawley st,i can't think of anything more tragic that has happened in my life.He was so young and had so so much more to give.