Zombie strums through the trees at Pembrey Park

By Ron Cant

A ZOMBIE who lives in Carmarthen is a regular visitor to Pembrey Country Park.

But have no fear. This is not a scary creature of the night. He is a harmless and genial fading pop star who now finds musical inspiration in Carmarthenshire parks.

Sixty-three –year old Rick Adams left his Woking Surrey school aged 15 and found the streets of London paved with gold in the pop mad 60’s.

He found fame and short-term fortune with The Zombies after a chance meeting in the Alphabet Club in Gerrard Street with band founders Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone.

The English rock and roll band formed in 1962 scored American and British hits including “She’s Not There”, “Leave Me Be” and “Tell Her No”.

Rick, who lives in a flat in the middle of Carmarthen, toured most of Europe and spent some time with the band in Germany before the pressure of fame and, he accepts, the attention of women, took its toll.

He was a session rhythm guitarist with a succession of groups after his time with the Zombies including the Swinging Blue Jeans and the Kinks at the height of the Rolling Stones and Beatles emerging stardom.

Rick said he left the screaming fans behind a long time ago because of health problems. He lived for a short time with his sister in Cross Hands, an experience that introduced him to Carmarthenshire.

The globe trotting rock star admitted he “fell in love” with Carmarthen and the county and he is now happy travelling about it, visiting its parks while seeking inspiration for his writing. His background with the Zombies was rock, baroque pop, psychedelic pop and rock, beat and jazz rock.

Rick sits cross-legged in the shade of the trees in the parks seeking inspiration for his music having ditched his Stratocaster and Fender for a more sombre Martin Smith roundback guitar.

Last year Rick mingled among 20,000 visitors to Beach Break Live and 47 different pop groups who were blissfully unaware of his presence at Pembrey Country Park.

“Those days are long gone. I write and compose for myself. Some have taken up my songs and often I hear adaptions of my compositions making the charts. But that does not bother me. It’s flattering and pleases me.

“A song I composed long ago for Princess Diana sounds very much like the Rhianna’s ‘Shine Bright Like a Diamond’. The words and ode of my poem to Princess Di I often sing and it is very much appreciated by those who hear it.

Rick confessed: “I occasionally hear from my rock colleagues. But I have no ambition to reunite with any them.

“I have had my time. I have found my peace. I am happy to stroll and strum around Aberglasney and Carmarthen Parks. But Pembrey Country Park is my favourite. It is a stunning place and I can lose myself in my music and the trees there. Visitors are always complementary. But I think I frighten some because of my appearance. I have kept my long hair and I have fading tattoos from my distant past. Some give me a wide berth and others give me strange looks. But I am harmless and really quite friendly, if now, a little shy.

“It pleases me that many are appreciative of my music. But I never tell them that I was once a member of a famous group. Sometimes I will get an odd look when I play something like “She’s Not There.” Everyone of a certain age knows that number,” he grins.

“I suppose I have become like a reclusive minstrel stroller from the now medieval hippy ages.

“The only advantage for me over them is that I can use by bus bass to get about this glorious county.”

CAPTION SOLITUDE: Former Sixties Zombies guitarist now seeks his inspiration in Pembrey Country Park have stepped from the limelight to the shade of the trees. Pic Ron Cant.