Darts. The most rock and roll of sports. It has everything. Drink. Drugs. Larger than life characters. Well, booze and cigarettes and fatties.
The Ivy Shop at the foot of Richmond Hill (London suburb) used to have unique rock and roll photos in the window. My favourite was one of Keith Moon, drummer of The Who, wearing a t-shirt with three darts hanging off it, tips deeply embedded in his tummy.
Unfortunately, I never took a picture so here is Keith Moon, in a similar t-shirt, with his tummy.
And here are some darts. Please use your imagination.
Incidentally, the shop was very well appointed. At the top of the hill lived Pete Townshend, half way down was Mick Jagger, across the road on Richmond Green were Ronnie Wood and Richard Attenborough, round the corner his brother David and TV quizmaster Bamber Gascoigne. Sophie and I lived in a rather squalid flat above a ski shop a few doors away, down a dark alley frequented by rats and drunken people caught short after the pubs closed.
So, darts. One of the greats famously turned up on Top of the Pops in the 1980s. Dexy’s Midnight Runners were miming to the Van Morrison cover “Jackie Wilson Said” in front of a jumbotron showing Jocky Wilson, Scottish darting heavyweight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4mxY0z9Faw
And then there was this retro pop phenomenon of the late 1970s. Actual rock and roll Darts.
In memoriam: Eric “The Crafty Cockney” Bristow and Jim “Let’s See What You Could Have Won” Bowen.