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An American-based music writer with his roots placed firmly in the city of Leicester, UK has completed a speaking tour to promote a book about the De Montfort Hall.
Bruce Pegg, from Cazenovia, New York, was back home in Leicester after an absence of 40 years to talk about his book, Goin’ Down De Mont, which chronicles over 60 years of rock concerts at the Hall.
In a weeklong series of speaking engagements, Pegg gave talks at Fox Books, the Central Library and De Montfort University’s Temple Chapel. His book contains memories of over 100 of the 1,000 shows at the fabled venue since the visit of American rocker Buddy Holly in 1958.
Bruce also launched the book at the Marquis Wellington pub on London Road, and managed to cram in a quick visit to De Montfort Hall, where he and more than a dozen contributors to his ‘people’s history’ of the Hall were treated to a backstage tour. The group got to visit the dressing rooms, tread the same boards as The Beatles and David Bowie have done in years gone by, and see the Hall’s mighty pipe organ in action courtesy of tour guide Mick Brown.
More than 70 people attended the combined events, with the book stirring up audience memories of many historic gigs, from several visits by rockers Motorhead to the 1967 show where Leicester’s own Engelbert Humperdinck shared a bill with guitar legend Jimi Hendrix.
Bruce said:
‘I’ve been passionate about music since I was a teenager, and the De Montfort Hall is where my romance with music began. My Mum and Dad trusted me all those years ago with the precious gift of freedom, allowing me to see my heroes – even on a school night – without ever denying me the opportunity while never fully understanding why goin’ down De Mont meant so much to me.’
He added:
‘The book has been really well received and I’ve heard a lot more stories about concerts at De Mont while I’ve been back in Leicester these past few days from different people. There’s already talk of a Volume 2!’
Published by Spenwood Books
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