Dedicated to Des, Dessie, Desi...
Desi McCambridge was born in Belfast - June, 1955.
I was born in Belfast - February, 1956.
We lived in the same great street.
This page is "desi.muchloved.com" - do not prefix with 'www'.
I think Desi and I were meant to be friends from the start. We had the same dubious sense of humour and some of our exploits were close to the edge. If anyone remembers 'The Big Head' you'll know what I mean.
It would be great if anyone passing through here and who know Desi or Liz (or both!) could leave a couple of words in 'Send A Thought'.
Any Pics or sounds added by you can be viewed in the 'Gallery'.
Any 'Story' will be added in 'Lifestory' as a 'Chapter'. Please add your name (nickname) to your story.
If anyone has any problems adding please contact me ('Contact John').
'A Rum Tale' (Procol Harum)... For Liz.
'A Souvenir Of London' (Procol Harum).....
In '72 I lived in Notting Hill, London, for a while and I did bring home an unfortunate souvenir. When I got back to Belfast 'Grand Hotel' had just been released and this track struck a chord with me. Something I picked up on the Tube (!?) : - (
I have chosen the track 'Take A Pebble' by Emerson, Lake and Palmer for a couple of reasons.
We both liked ELP and, as my Da used to say, having children was like throwing pebbles into the water and creating ripples unfolding onto the world. Desi and Liz cast their pebbles and their ripples are spreading.
Keith Emerson R.I.P - 11/3/2016
'Cleaning Windows' (Van 'The Man' Morrison). Van was one of Desi's likes. It's not Van's best but I like the Belfast roots and the simple memories it evokes.
'Lola' (The Kinks) reminds me of the time Desi and I went camping in Bettystown. It was 1970 and this was our favourite single which we nearly wore out on the local Jukebox. Of course we were too young to know what it was about! This is the original 'Coca Cola' version!
29th April 2015:
I visited Bettystown today and discovered the Bettystown where we met so many characters and had such a memorable experience is no more.
When we camped there it was a beautiful tiny village off the beaten track.
Everything that built those memories is gone. It is now a mini-metropolis which even includes a Tesco store...need I say more(?).
'Granchester Meadows' (Pink Floyd). This is just a little bit of self indulgence on my part. This little known gem is not typical Floyd but I love it. It reminds me of living in that tiny bedsit in Notting Hill. (Best with headphones)
'King Crimson' (King Crimson) - for you and me, Malachy.
'Days' (The Kinks) - Thanks for those precious days Desi.
'Jesse' (Roberta Flack) - I've always loved this song for it's beauty and poignancy and now I think it might be appropriate for Liz and myself (for quite different reasons).
I was born in Belfast - February, 1956.
We lived in the same great street.
This page is "desi.muchloved.com" - do not prefix with 'www'.
I think Desi and I were meant to be friends from the start. We had the same dubious sense of humour and some of our exploits were close to the edge. If anyone remembers 'The Big Head' you'll know what I mean.
It would be great if anyone passing through here and who know Desi or Liz (or both!) could leave a couple of words in 'Send A Thought'.
Any Pics or sounds added by you can be viewed in the 'Gallery'.
Any 'Story' will be added in 'Lifestory' as a 'Chapter'. Please add your name (nickname) to your story.
If anyone has any problems adding please contact me ('Contact John').
'A Rum Tale' (Procol Harum)... For Liz.
'A Souvenir Of London' (Procol Harum).....
In '72 I lived in Notting Hill, London, for a while and I did bring home an unfortunate souvenir. When I got back to Belfast 'Grand Hotel' had just been released and this track struck a chord with me. Something I picked up on the Tube (!?) : - (
I have chosen the track 'Take A Pebble' by Emerson, Lake and Palmer for a couple of reasons.
We both liked ELP and, as my Da used to say, having children was like throwing pebbles into the water and creating ripples unfolding onto the world. Desi and Liz cast their pebbles and their ripples are spreading.
Keith Emerson R.I.P - 11/3/2016
'Cleaning Windows' (Van 'The Man' Morrison). Van was one of Desi's likes. It's not Van's best but I like the Belfast roots and the simple memories it evokes.
'Lola' (The Kinks) reminds me of the time Desi and I went camping in Bettystown. It was 1970 and this was our favourite single which we nearly wore out on the local Jukebox. Of course we were too young to know what it was about! This is the original 'Coca Cola' version!
29th April 2015:
I visited Bettystown today and discovered the Bettystown where we met so many characters and had such a memorable experience is no more.
When we camped there it was a beautiful tiny village off the beaten track.
Everything that built those memories is gone. It is now a mini-metropolis which even includes a Tesco store...need I say more(?).
'Granchester Meadows' (Pink Floyd). This is just a little bit of self indulgence on my part. This little known gem is not typical Floyd but I love it. It reminds me of living in that tiny bedsit in Notting Hill. (Best with headphones)
'King Crimson' (King Crimson) - for you and me, Malachy.
'Days' (The Kinks) - Thanks for those precious days Desi.
'Jesse' (Roberta Flack) - I've always loved this song for it's beauty and poignancy and now I think it might be appropriate for Liz and myself (for quite different reasons).
Contribute
Help grow Desi's Tribute by adding messages or memories you'd like to share.
Thoughts
Hello everybody. I find my self in the sad position of having to report the loss of another great Moorelander. Gerard (Gerry) McKeown passed, Thursday 1st of February, peacefully in hospital. He was a very good friend of Desi, myself and others.
R.I.P Gerry. We had some great times and made some great memories together.
John.
4th February 2024
OMG what guff we all would have talked in the last 12 months over many, many refreshing aperitifs :-). Once allowed out in each others company!! From coming out of Covid with 6m deaths!! A PM and his staff partying while we all hid in our homes and waved through windows, and computer 'windows'! The purely innocent royal party goer, stripped of his military titles and royal patronages, a platinum jubilee to celebrate, and a royal funeral to.... Rampaging climate changes, assassinations, countries in political anarchy and turmoil across the world! Russia, helping out their neighbours who didn't realise they needed helped! Music galore and the unfortunate passing of many more greats including quite poignantly, Mr Brooker! And, no its not a movie!! NASA's DART mission successfully crashing into the Dimorphos asteroid in the first planetary defense test. Would you adam and eve it!!??
It's nice to think 'wonder what Dessie or Mal would say to that!' Of the opinions we would all be arguing about and sneaking out for a few bevvies. Bumped in to your expanding family last weekend Dessie. No excuse, but sad to say we haven't seen them for a long time. You'd be so full of it, if you were here now!! Smashing grandkids!
Went for a walk last week and visited the tree with our new pooches. Its growing well and always a fond but sad reminder of friends we're missing out on. As they say, life brings tears, smiles & memories. The tears will dry and the smiles fade, but the memories last forever!!
Anyway, time to sign off. Just to say we still miss you (both) and you and your families are always in our thoughts and prayers.
28th September 2022
Gary Brooker (Procol Harum), R.I.P.
[29/05/1945-19/02/2022]
John
22nd February 2022