In memory of Miggy Barradas

These are the words I spoke at the recent funeral of Miggy Barradas my friend and drummer.

Miggy was an outstanding musician, his drumming of the highest calibre, playing all his working life with many great musicians. But… for about seven years Miggy, was also “our” drummer, The Arguments’ drummer; and we weren’t a slick group of musicians playing proper venues with paying gigs, we were a rowdy, ragged indie band, gigging on the toilet circuit, rehearsing in dumps and squats.

And yet… he stuck with us, and what a crazy time we had, we got banned from venues, bottled on stage, fought with other bands, stayed at horrible b&b’s and laughed and laughed and laughed.

We rehearsed regularly, and Miggy was always late. Sometimes, hours late. I have a VHS of the rest of the band sitting in the rehearsal studio holding up a sign that says “where’s Miggy?”. Whilst waiting for him I’d swear that when he arrived, I’d really tell him off, but, when he eventually turned up, I could not, just could not, do it. He’d smile at me and I was utterly unable to be cross. It was always that way. He was a beautiful guy, a real sod, and he made me mad and happy all the time.

Finally, about 2 years ago we had a very, very raucous reunion of the band in O’Neill’s in Muswell Hill, it was the first time we had all been together in 20 years. When I got off the bus, he saw me before I saw him… so he jumped out at me, causing me to scream my head off in the middle of Muswell Hill Broadway… he cracked up laughing and grabbed my hand… and we just started running. In my head…. we are running still.

I love you Miggy, for a dude who was always late you have left us far, far too early.