Kid Krupa

[Bob Jefferson]

I know that this won't mean very much to anyone here but I was very sad this morning to read of the death of an old friend. Kid Krupa was the guitarist with the Revillos, my favourite all-time band. He was just 17 when he joined the band but already an accomplished musician.

For a while I shared a flat with John (his real name) and his girlfriend Esther in Whitehouse Loan and I have great memories of those days. I don't know the circumstances of John's death, although I do recall that he was an insulin-dependent diabetic. He left the band in '82 and I lost touch with him after that.

I can remember Esther knitting the mohair sweater he is pictured in below. Genuinely nice guy and way too young to die.



Jukebox Sound is the first track John recorded with the band and it's still one of my favourites.