Genuinely gutted to hear this, Barry was our kids best mate for donkeys years growing up and lived at the back of us (was Barry Thomas back then though, and chubby).
Only seen him a few times in the last 40 years ( he was gigging and travelling all over the show) but when I did, it was always like I’d only seen him the day before, so many great memories, still remember him bringing his guitar to our kids 13th birthday party (even then, fuck me he could play), the time his sister set their Alsatian on me and it bit me on my arse, when his rabbit escaped and ate my step dads prize marrow, the time I borrowed him my drumsticks for a band member (and never saw them again), getting his City bobble hat nicked on the way back from a night game at Maine Road by a gang of lads, him running after them, and getting a good kick in on a little hill near Platt Fields, so many more.
A lot of Blues probably won’t have ever heard of Barry, which is a shame, he was a supremely talented guitar player, and should have gone on to much much bigger things, but I guess the cards just didn’t fall for him, most of all, he really was a cracking lad, humble with such a bright, sunny and upbeat personality and a big kind heart to match, I never remember anything other than smiles and laughter with him, our kid and my Mam will be gutted when I tell them later on, they thought the world of Barry back then.
R.I.P and condolences to Barrys family and friends, we know how hard losing him will be and what a huge hole he’s left x
