Traffic remains heavy on the approach to the Mitchell Freeway southbound before Warwick Road, Greenwood. Various lanes are blocked. Debris across multiple lanes. Traffic slow on approach. Drivers are asked to proceed with caution.

When I worked in the big smoke, or the little puff in Perth, Western Australia’s case, I used to enjoy cycling to work on the path alongside the freeway. Most mornings the traffic was at a standstill and I would sail pass on pedal power waving to the irate commuters stationary in their vehicles.

But this isn’t about that sort of traffic. Nor is it a critique on the excellent 1971 Jacques Tati film ‘Trafic’. Think a cross between Charlie Chaplin and a French Mr. Bean !

This is about Birmingham boy Steve Winwood. As an eight year old, young Stevie played piano in his Dad’s jazz band . The piano was positioned so that no one could see how young he really was in the licensed working men’s clubs of the Midlands.

As a fifteen year old, at the insistence of his older bass playing brother Muff, he joined The Spencer Davis Group. Not only was he handy on the guitar and organ he had a voice like a seasoned black Chicago blues man. Gimme Some Lovin’ and Keep On Running were major hits in 1966. Winwood, while still at school, was able to purchase his own Hammond C-3 organ on the proceeds.

Leaving the band in 1967 he got together with his old Brummy pals drummer Jim Capaldi, sax/flute player Chris Wood and guitarist Dave Mason for a jam. That led to the formation of Traffic and three albums before they split up in 1969.

Winwood joined up with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker from Cream and Ric Grech from Family to form the super group Blind Faith. Unfortunately the band broke up after a three month American tour and one album. Winwood’s introspective Can’t Find My Way Home is the stand out track. Blind Faith went their separate ways, Clapton to work with Delaney &  Bonnie and Baker to form his Air Force along with Grech. Winwood pursued a solo album.

On the folksy John Barleycorn Must Die, Steve enlisted Capaldi and Wood so instead of a solo album Traffic was reborn.

This is where I come in. I think it was my school chum the late Paul “Piggy” Murdoch, who as well as introducing me to The Doors lent me The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys LP. This coincided with the Allan family’s purchase of an upright piano.

I was given lessons by the distracting Miss Lieper. She was probably only about five years older than me, wore ridiculously short skirts and smelt like an explosion at a cosmetics counter. It’s hard for a hormonal adolescent to concentrate when you’re sharing a piano stool with that. One thing I did manage to figure out and play was the two chord vamp from the title track off Traffic’s latest album. I would plod away with that endlessly, high on instant coffee and golden syrup sandwiches. I believe Steve and the lads may have been on something a bit stronger when they produced that eleven minute masterpiece.

To me Low Sparks Of High Heeled Boys was Traffic’s zenith. There were another couple of albums before Winwood retreated to his Gloucester home and built his own home studio.

It was almost a decade before he re-emerged and his solo career really kicked off.

What do you do in the awful eighties when popular music is full of insipid synthesizers, is massively over produced and the industry is run by suits ? Do it all yourself. Play all the instruments, record and produce it on your own at your own pace.

When You See A Chance, Valerie, Back In The High Life, Higher Love, Roll With It.

Need I go on ?

Steve Winwood is a perfectionist, crafting songs with patience, precision and all in his own time. The reluctant superstar.

And news just come to hand.

A truck has overturned on the A468 shedding it’s load of cheeses. Motorists are asked to drive Caerphilly.*

*Courtesy of The Two Ronnies

(Post by John Allan from Bridgetown, Western Australia – March 2026.)