Barry & Liz Chalkley

We have never forgotten our first meeting with Chris Caswell and I know for a fact that neither did he. What none of us realised was that it was the start of a long friendship leading to his 'adoption' as an honoury cousin to Liz, and uncle to our children.

That first night in Hudsons bar we met a shy, nervous young man, not long out of Chichester University, who had been hired as a keyboard player only to find himself as the host of Hudsons and expected to turn out nightly quizzes for the patrons. Fortunately Chris had the education and intelligence to take on this role most effectively, or would have had we all taken it more seriously. His first question that night was "What is the maximum speed of a bus on a dual carriageway?" Easy enough till he started to get the requests for clarification - Single or double decker? How many passengers? Urban or rural route? Red or green bus? The list went on and Chris got more exasperated, declaring, "I don't bloody know, it's a bus!" As he got more excited the Welsh accent got stronger, the voice got higher and the questions got more outlandish and irrelevant. The wind up was, of course, only too obvious and Chris' sense of humour came to the fore. By question 20 we all loved him. Not that that stopped us - when he finally sat at the keyboard and asked for requests he was bombarded with requests such as The Wheels On The Bus and so on.

His good humour was infectious but then he began to play and sing and his talent became obvious. The wind up merchants quickly became fans and the fans became friends, or were once we had plied him with beer at the end of his set. Not that the wind ups stopped entirely, quiz questions were often debated and I'm sure some others remember the 'Angels' incident.

Chris only lied about one thing. He claimed to be "just a piano player" who could also "sing a bit". Over the ensuing years it became increasingly clear that Chris Caswell was a lot more than that. Musician, composer, arranger, musical director and above all a wonderfull, warm human being.

Even after he left Mill Rythe we kept in touch by text and email from various parts of the world. The last text, a week before his untimely death, ended by saying that he was having "the time of his life." That was Chris all over, the moment was always now, music was his life and playing it his joy, and ours.

With many other friends and colleagues I made the trip to South Wales for his funeral and finally saw what it is that makes the Welsh sing. The place really is beautiful. Cheers Cas, it must be time for a 'sly one.'

Alan Ball

I met Chris when I worked at Mill Rythe in 1998, although unbeknown to me we had met many years before when Jaime had gigged at Butlins Minehead with Red Alert.

Chris would say over and over how good he thought I was as a keyboard player which I found very flattering. Chris himself was a very very talented musician who had far more patience than I and talent for arranging music for the band to play. I walked into the band room on many occasions and he would be writing arrangement after arrangement, rewinding a cassette or a CD to listen to a riff or a chord structure until he got it down on manuscript. Many times he had been there since 11am until 7 or 8pm. Anyone who has ever arranged for a band of any size will tell you it's not easy and can be very tedious. Chris had a passion for music that could not be surpassed.

I have a lot to be greatful to Chris for. He made my job as band leader very easy as any music for shows or pre cabs was written by Chris and he would even help with some arrangements for my band, which are still played. When we play them, it's impossible not to think of Chris as his name is all over the arrangement and at the bottom of the page is written This is a Cas Orchestrations Musical Arrangement.

Chris depped on every instrument in the band, when I needed Chris to help me when I lost my father he said to me "go home and don't even think of the band, go home now and I will look after everything." Chris also depped for me when I was at university. Every Monday evening I had choir practice (boring) so Chris would play the first set for me, and refused to let me pay him. He also depped on bass guitar and drums and also played rhythm guitar as well as singing in some of the shows.

Chris was a star and away from music he was just a top bloke in every way. He was kind, considerate, helpful, funny and never had a bad word to say about anyone.

Love ya forever mate!

Tor Walmsley

"Ah the wonderful Mr Caswell"                                                               "Ah the lovely Miss Walmsley, and how are we this evening?"

The opening line every time Chris and I got together, then it would be pleasantries out of the way, let's get down to a good chin wag. Of course this only being the case if he had a few minutes to spare in between running to the fag machine or sorting out something for somebody else. He would return in a matter of time and we would pick up where we left off.

The first time I met Chris was at Mill Rythe and I had huge boots to fill as all regulars for the longest time were missing the wonderful Central Park. However, from the off, Chris took Coconut Grove under his wing and with his help, endless deps, and never ending support we became accepted as The Band of Mill Rythe and so began a fabulous friendship.

Chris was there in my times of need with a huge Jack Daniels or 6! One time I'd had sooooo many and as most of you will be aware we didn't live too close by and I ended up walking up the road on Hayling Island too sick to get in our van for the long journey home. So Al had to tail me for about the first half a dozen miles home. Chris the following night thought it hilarious and we did too, needless to say this didn't stop him from plying me with Jack on many more occasions. Just one of the many times we shared with Chris. We used to sit in the conservatory in my band break and put the world to rights, well Tor and Chris' rights anyway!! There is a curry story that Chris adored, but only a few will know or indeed need ever know.

We shared a wonderful trip away with Chris to Hastings and had some great times in Bognor too and when he stayed over my mum and late dad adored him too. He never wanted anything, I would beg to make him breakfast after a late one at Butlins, "Oh God no I couldn't face a thing, I'll eat later" he would say then be gone half an hour later with just a can of coke to keep him going.

My admiration for Chris as a friend and fellow performer was mutual. He would say "Tor, now we both know that you haven't got the strongest of voices but by God did you own that stage tonight." We shared as many more have too, the rehearsing of the Piss Off Home Medley, and many times he would sit in the venue all alone with a pint and enjoy every minute of us on stage and stand to applaud at the end of a rather late set with no one in. He always supported us and made those late sets worth while.

The news of Chris' departure came as a terrible shock for us as I know it was for everyone. I am soooo glad he finally got on board the Ocean Village and lived the 'cruise life' as he had many times said he wished he could have the experiences both Al and I had previously had. We were very very proud of him and know that he would have lived life to the full, making every second count doing all the things that made him happy. Mr Caswell will remain a great friend forever. The tears I cry are because I still cannot believe that he is no longer with us or popping over for a brief visit and frustration because there are so many occasions now and will be in the future that would be so much better with Chris there, boy! could I have done with his harmony expertise when putting together my latest venture.

When we celebrate Chris' life with THE SHOW on February 24 we must be so glad to have known such a generous, caring, funny, cruelly witty sincere man. He will certainly always be in my heart, as I think of him now I can see the biggest smile I have ever seen on any body's face and even now in his absence he still has the ability to make me smile. Love ya Chris X

Paul Wagstaffe

I met Chris in the summer of 2000. I went to Mill Rythe as bass player in the resident band.

All I knew about Chris at first was that he was the bloke that orchestrated the team shows. I was told he would be on stage during the shows to give cues and count ins and would be close by should things go pear shaped.

The first show I played was Summer Holiday and I was a little nervous. The standard was high and I felt a little lost in a new position not having had much time to look at the parts or take in much of how things were to run. Chris took charge in such a way that I was left in no doubt of his skill, patience and his ability to deal with and straighten out situations on stage that could easily have turned into chaos.

At that time I had been playing professionally for maybe 12 years and thought I knew everything. Chris taught me things and explained in the most easy to understand fashion and never made a big deal of it, he shared his knowledge freely and at the same time wasn't afraid to ask if there was something he needed to know. His satisfaction came from from knowing he'd made something happen.

Chris was a truly fantastic musician and he was also a truly fantastic friend and could always be relied upon to turn around some of the more dull situations. In my own experience he was always there when I needed to growl or was in need of some advice. He always spoke about his friends and family with a fierce passion and although he never made a big fuss about his nationality to me, he was so proud to be able to translate the results in the Welsh election one night as we sat enjoying a beer and wondering if we should go for a Chinese or an Indian, as we so often did.

I think one of the best and most important things I have from my time with Chris is that now, wherever I go and whatever I do, there's always a little piece of Chris Caswell somewhere in the proceedings. It may be a tune or someone may hand me a piece of music and his name will be at the top, it may be something he used to say, it may be the way he used to thrash everyone at pool and then say "misspent youth" or it may just be the fact that he was an outstanding human being and a joy to know.

Everything Chris was is alive in the text on these pages, it's in the music he shared with us, it's in the memories we have of him, it's in the love we share for him, it's in the things he taught us, it's in the inspiration he gave us. His absence will leave a void in all of our lives. We will miss him very much and we must never forget him.

website published and maintained by Paul Wagstaffe. paul@paulwagstaffe.co.uk