chunter@thekmgroup.co.uk

When David Bowie pondered “Where are We Now?” in his January comeback single he was greeted with acclaim, lauded in Berlin, deified in London’s V&A, and immediately slotted into CD players in every corner of the planet.

Back in Maidstone, in 1965, when he pondered a similar question, it was because he’d been clumped in the face.

Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine in 1987, he told the interviewer “I haven’t got many good memories of Maidstone.”

Which is a shame, because in some ways his time here, with Maidstone rhythm and blues band The Mannish Boys, was a stepping stone to the launch-pad of his incredible career.

But Bowie lamented the fact the band was so big that “no one ever earned any money”.

And as he told Rolling Stone, “I had to live in Maidstone. That’s where the Manish Boys were from, and so I had to go and live there, because we were gonna rehearse and work outta there. I don’t know if you know Maidstone. Maidstone Prison is one of the biggest in England. It’s all criminals round there – one prison and a few suburban houses. It’s the only time in my life I’ve ever been beaten up.”

“By whom?” asked interviewer Kurt Loder.

“By some ex-prisoner, I suppose” replied Bowie. “I don’t know. It was just this big herbert walkin’ down the street just knocked me down on the pavement, and when I fell down, proceeded to kick the shit outta me. For no reason that I could fathom to this day.”

Well, sorry about that David. We promise we won’t do it again if you come back.

Did you ever see the Manish Boys? Were you the big herbert that beat Bowie up?
Call 01622 695666 or email chunter@thekmgroup.co.uk