Bark Worse Than His Beat - The Times

A biography has been published of a man who was once rated the best jazz drummer in England. Ginger Baker called Phil Seamen the "drum god" and Charlie Watts said he was his idol. However, Seamen, who died in 1972, had a vice that proved costly to his career: his pet dog, Bill, who accompanied him everywhere. In one recording session,  Seamen tied Bill's lead to his hi-hat but when a cat appeared outside, Bill made for it, sending the instruments flying. When recording Goodness Gracious Me, the producer George Martin demanded that Bill be left outside, so Seamen quit. Bill's peak came when Seamen got a job on West Side Story and Bill started to sing with Maria. The next night the conductor left a note that said: "No livestock in the pit during performances".