R.I.P GEORGE MELLY.

I suppose you are wondering why i am writing an obituary of a jazz singer who dressed like a drugged up Quentin crisp.
The reason is because as well as being a jazz musician for a hundred years or more and a column writer for a Tory paper, George was, during the 1970's heyday of punk, one of the few established 'insiders' that stuck up for punk and advocated giving it a chance (he liked punk's energy and attitude) on the BBC (radio and TV), and as well as being a life long supporter of cannabis legalisation he also spoke out with political views that were somewhere 'to the left' of Karl Marx, in fact he was one of the only outspoken and open anarchists that ever retained his popularity, with the general public and employers alike, George was also outspoken on civil rights and joined campaigns like the anti poll tax marches and groups such as greenpeace, and if you were to be shown his 'CV' without his name or age on it you would assume he fronted a punk band.
And he was a nice bloke too who always had a smile on his face (he lived near me) and tipped his hat to me in answer to the "hello George" i used to say to him (and to a million others daily i bet). he was a nice man with plenty of punk attitude, he was just born 30 years too early unfortunately.
R.i.p George Melly, 1927-2007.