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In a nutshell
These days I go by "Gazzo," but when you met me I might have been Frogsporn, Ozzie Osborne, Froggie, Oggie, Longhorn, Gazz, Gaz, Gal, Prodigal Son, Younun, Packie, Gary Osborne, Garry, Gazo, or Macée. Most of you know my story, but for those of you who don't, read on.
I was born in Sydney, Australia, and adopted at the age of nine by British diplomats
and moved to Didcot on Oxfordshire, England. I didn't particularly like school and skipped often. I studied falconry and hawking from 11 to 16, and was an amateur boxer from about the age of 15, with a record of 145-9.
When I was 15, I went to London to get my air gun spring stretched, as I used the gun
to shoot sparrows to feed my birds. While I was there, I met Buster Edwards (the Great Train Robberer) who sent me to the top of Tottenem Court Road to meet a man named Cracker Parker. Cracker worked the three-card trick and had about eight disciples. I left home to become a tea boy and stayed with him for about two years, when I decided I didn't want to make a living by scamming people.
I went home and joined the British Royal Marine Commandos, where I enlisted in the SBS (Special Boat Squadron) Sniper Course. In my 7th month of training in Brecon Beacons, Wales, I was on a nine mile run, in full pack, and collapsed due to a brain hemorrhage. I spent two months in hospital in Cardiff, where the doctor recommended brain surgery to stop the hemorrhaging, which I didn't have, or I would have recurring hemorrhaging for the rest of my life. That ended my boxing career got me a medical discharge from the Royals.
Twenty and broke, I went back home to Oxfordshire. I had no idea of a future until I started to use what I learned from Cracker Parker to entertain in pubs-this time legitimately for tips. I did magic shows, sleight of hand and comedy, all around Oxford, polishing my entertaining skills.
Looking for a bigger audience and to further my career, I moved to London, the "Entertainment Capital of Europe." I started performing at Camdenlock Market, a weekend market, in Camden Town. About four years after I started there, the Market began renting only to booth holders, so I moved on to Covent Gardens.
At Covent Gardens, I could work regularly but only a half hour show at a time. I wanted to perform continuous shows. Another busker, Artist the Spoonman from Seattle, Washington, told me that I could perform continuously every day in the United States, specifically, Key West, Florida.
I've been coming to Key West winters since 1984, spending my summers in Boston. It's been the best of both worlds. I've made a lot of good friends in the performance world over the years (and more enemies) but as of April, 2001, I'm retiring from busking.
To anyone who is interested, I'm selling my street act complete with lessons as a package deal. Email me if you're interested.
To be continued…
[This message has been edited by Gazzo (edited 01-29-2001).]
[This message has been edited by Gazzo (edited 01-29-2001).]
I was born in Sydney, Australia, and adopted at the age of nine by British diplomats
and moved to Didcot on Oxfordshire, England. I didn't particularly like school and skipped often. I studied falconry and hawking from 11 to 16, and was an amateur boxer from about the age of 15, with a record of 145-9.
When I was 15, I went to London to get my air gun spring stretched, as I used the gun
to shoot sparrows to feed my birds. While I was there, I met Buster Edwards (the Great Train Robberer) who sent me to the top of Tottenem Court Road to meet a man named Cracker Parker. Cracker worked the three-card trick and had about eight disciples. I left home to become a tea boy and stayed with him for about two years, when I decided I didn't want to make a living by scamming people.
I went home and joined the British Royal Marine Commandos, where I enlisted in the SBS (Special Boat Squadron) Sniper Course. In my 7th month of training in Brecon Beacons, Wales, I was on a nine mile run, in full pack, and collapsed due to a brain hemorrhage. I spent two months in hospital in Cardiff, where the doctor recommended brain surgery to stop the hemorrhaging, which I didn't have, or I would have recurring hemorrhaging for the rest of my life. That ended my boxing career got me a medical discharge from the Royals.
Twenty and broke, I went back home to Oxfordshire. I had no idea of a future until I started to use what I learned from Cracker Parker to entertain in pubs-this time legitimately for tips. I did magic shows, sleight of hand and comedy, all around Oxford, polishing my entertaining skills.
Looking for a bigger audience and to further my career, I moved to London, the "Entertainment Capital of Europe." I started performing at Camdenlock Market, a weekend market, in Camden Town. About four years after I started there, the Market began renting only to booth holders, so I moved on to Covent Gardens.
At Covent Gardens, I could work regularly but only a half hour show at a time. I wanted to perform continuous shows. Another busker, Artist the Spoonman from Seattle, Washington, told me that I could perform continuously every day in the United States, specifically, Key West, Florida.
I've been coming to Key West winters since 1984, spending my summers in Boston. It's been the best of both worlds. I've made a lot of good friends in the performance world over the years (and more enemies) but as of April, 2001, I'm retiring from busking.
To anyone who is interested, I'm selling my street act complete with lessons as a package deal. Email me if you're interested.
To be continued…
[This message has been edited by Gazzo (edited 01-29-2001).]
[This message has been edited by Gazzo (edited 01-29-2001).]
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