Celebrating the Life of Rodney Watts (Rod) Nimrod – Edward Elgar Sir Colin David and The London Symphony Orchestra

Introduction and Welcome

Firstly May I say hello and welcome on all on this sad day as we come together to say farewell to Rod, to celebrate his unique life and to give thanks for all that he gave to the world. As we do so we offer our support to those that he loved, and those that loved and cared for him and my thoughts today are with Andrew. Life is rather like a sea voyage, we set sail with great energy and excitement, looking forward to the many adventures in store and the many things we will see. We will encounter happy times and calm seas but also weather a few storms and face a few challenges. On the journey we make friends and meet the loved ones which makes the voyage of life more fun and fulfilling and eventually sailing sail into the final port. Today Rod has completed his voyage and reached his destination where he will rest and be ready to greet you when you too complete your journey. Behind your feelings of sadness are many happy memories that each of you hold, memories that will not fade but will remain bright in the days, weeks, months and years to come, these memories, tender memories, precious memories, they can never be taken from you. Yesterday has ended and you will face tomorrow but with yesterday locked safely within your hearts.

The Comfort And Sweetness Of Peace

After the clouds, the sunshine,
after the winter, the spring,
after the shower, the rainbow,
for life is a changeable thing.
After the night, the morning,
bidding all darkness cease,
after life's cares and sorrows,
the comfort and sweetness of peace.
Personal Tribute By Andrew

A Few Moments of Reflection with the laying of Rose Petals Visions – Stevie Wonder Personal Tribute By Alan

I first met Rod in 1965/66 when he played with the Soul Society known for chopping his Hammond Organ in half to make it easier to carry. I didn’t really know him at the time but bought a Fender Telecaster from him in 1969 when he worked at Bennetts. I got to know him better in the late 1970’s when he met Trish and we used to invite them around for dinner, this was a regular thing, either at our house or we go to theirs, the wine flowed with great conversation. Over the years we played in different bands together, Silver Collection and Running on Empty. (another) Strange thing is we had completely different tastes in music, his Jazz mine Rock and Folk, yet it worked. We would go out for social evenings or jam nights and he would get up and play keyboards with myself and other musicians. He has left a void, a great musician and a wonderful friend, both Sue and myself will miss him and his great sense of humour.

Music Music is the ocean
That pulls me to the shore.
Music is the rhythm
That moves me to the core.
I need when I feel blue.
Music lifts my spirits
To make sure I pull through.

Music makes me cheerful
Music makes smile
Music is my greatest friend
When life is but a trial.

Personal Tribute Ray

I can’t recall where I first met Rod, but it would have very been way back in the early 60’s when he was playing guitar with his well known group ‘The Rivals.’ Some people may not know, or perhaps even recall, but Rod was not only a ‘tickler of the ivories’ as keyboard players are often described. In his earlier days he was also a very capable guitarist too. Rod and I may have met at a gig somewhere, or possibly it was in Stan Bennett’s music shop in Fratton Road. This was only quite a small shop, but come Saturday mornings, it became one of ‘The’ meeting places for many a budding muso, and we all remember it well. Rod eventually became the manager of this shop and having been musically trained in his early years by his pianist mother, he became a fine and capable pianist himself. Rod had by this time, given up trying to become Hank Marvin Mk2 and had moved back to his real love, The Piano, as his main instrument of choice. As a very regular visitor to Bennett’s shop, having an engineering background and being avid guitar modifier, Rod would often ask me to assist him in the shop whenever he was busy or had to go out. Guitar repair and restringing jobs would come in. Deliveries of new guitars would arrive, I’d unbox, check and set up the already sold ones, ready for customer collection. Rod couldn’t pay me any actual cash for my time or services, but I, like many other musos at that time, had my name in Rod’s ‘Little Red Book Of Debtors’ for any gear that I’d buy. Rod would not only give me a good discount, but he’d also let me pay the item off with a bit of cash, less an offset for my time in the shop. An arrangement which suited us both. We both shared a good sense of sarcastic British humour that would no doubt offend many today, but we shared many a good laugh together in that shop over the years. There were always many regular local visitors. Local muso’s such as:

Colin Quaintance,(Deceased)
Marc Tuddenham, still gigging. v Steve Farrow (Deceased)
Alan Christmas, still gigging.
Pete Bugg (Deceased)
My own dear brother Bryan(Deceased)
Pete White
Et-Al.

These people, and I apologise if I have not included you, would regularly call in, take a look around the shop to see what was new. We’d all carefully watch other players and try to steal that elusive guitar lick that somebody far more capable than yourself had managed to work out. There was so much competition amongst us all, that rarely would anybody willingly show you how they played a certain song. There was no Internet or YouTube back then to teach you. Often around 12.30pm, Saturday, we’d shut the shop and a crowd of us would wander across the street to the pub for a pie and few pints at lunchtime. Returning to reopen the shop after an hour or so and perhaps suffering from ‘The Effluence of Incahol’ I must take this opportunity to offer our apologies to all those people whose guitars I’d set up after those heavy liquid lunch breaks particularly around a Christmas time. Rod had a great sense of humour and he would delight in joining the banter, the ribbing and the mickey taking, even if he was the subject of banter.

Now I am living in Sydney, Australia, Rod and I always kept in close contact, whether by letter, Christmas cards and then later via email and WhatsApp. The banter continued whenever we met or spoke and on one of my frequent visits back to Portsmouth, we arranged to meet up for a pint at The Red Lion in Cosham and then planned to go for a curry. There sitting at the bar waiting for me was Rod, I hardly recognised him but soon we were once again laughing and joking at each others expense. I’d sometimes come back to Pompey and call in to see our mutual friend Pete Bugg who would enlist my services as a stand-in bass player for a gig he had that night. I would run through a few songs with Pete and then turn up at the venue that evening unannounced, as Rod wouldn’t even know that I was back in England. As yet unseen and with my back to Rod, I’d loudly ask Pete Bugg if he was using that useless bloody keyboard player again. Of course Rod would immediately recognise my voice and yell out “Baker You Bastard” And so the fun would immediately start all over again and we’d enjoy a great night playing together and beer would flow. Fun? Yes, Rod was a lot of fun. He had a true wit. He’s sadly suffered health-wise, then suddenly lost the love of his life Trish, his darling wife and Andrew’s mum. And yet despite his problems, he was always upbeat about life, in fact he was quite inspirational. We admired his strength against adversity in getting back up and living life again. Rod always loved his music, whether that be Rock and Roll, The American Songbook, Blues or Jazz, he immersed himself in it all. Over many years he very freely continued to encourage and help me on my own musical journey, remotely teaching me music theory via email and opening not only my eyes but indeed my ears, to many other musical genres that perhaps I’d never have otherwise listened to. Rod was always a very good friend, certainly to me and also, I know, to a lot of people who are gathered here today to pay their last respects to this special man with whom we were all blessed to have shared time with. Rod, my old mate. Wherever you are, please know that it has been an absolute pleasure and an honour for me and many others to have known you for so many years and to have shared our love of music and our close friendship together. Rod, We loved you dearly and we shall do so always. Although you may no longer be a physical presence to us, that love and friendship will endure forever. ‘Rest In Peace’ my dear friend. God bless you.

Committal and Commendation

Rod, today we say goodbye to you, today sadness reigns within the hearts of those who loved you and those whom you loved. As you leave us your spirit lives on within their hearts. There is much grief at your leaving this world but there is also deep gratitude for your life, those you loved are truly grateful for the privilege of having shared life with you. You will be remembered in sunshine and in rain, you will be remembered in spring, and in summer, and in autumn and in winter, remembered in all the colours of the world, remembered in music. It is these memories which ensure that your spirit lives on, may those that you leave take comfort that you now rest peacefully and that pain and struggles will never chain you. And so today We commit your body for cremation; We commit your spirit to live on in those you loved, Into the freedom of wind and sunshine, we let you go Rest in the hearts and minds of all those who love you. And so, surrounded by their love we leave you in peace and bid you a fond farewell “Today as you leave us you leave many hearts broken, you leave many memories and you leave your love, locked within the hearts of your dear ones for safe keeping.” The chains of life are released, may your spirit forever fly free.

Closing Words Peace Piece – Bill Evans

A few grab shots from the Crematorium,