Hartlepool venue to launch CD telling incurable condition to '˜rock off'

A charity CD that will boost support for people with an incurable illness will be launched in Hartlepool tonight.
Andrew Forcer with the album cover for Rock Off Fibro which he painted.Andrew Forcer with the album cover for Rock Off Fibro which he painted.
Andrew Forcer with the album cover for Rock Off Fibro which he painted.

Town man Andrew Forcer has been instrumental in the creation of the 36-song CD for the support group Rock Off Fibro.

Andrew, 46, of Park Road, who has the debilitating and painful condition fibromyalgia, penned a song for the album which gets its launch tonight at The Studio in Tower Street.

The Studio, in Tower Street.The Studio, in Tower Street.
The Studio, in Tower Street.
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Fibromyalgia is a lifelong condition which causes constant pain throughout the body.

Andrew, a married dad of two had to give up his job in a hardware store because of his condition.

But he has become involved in the support charity Rock Off Fibro, based in Chester, which has been raising money through gigs for treatment.

Andrew said: “A mutual friend mentioned me to the people who started Rock Off Fibro.

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“I can’t sing or play musical instruments but I paint so I started doing some artwork for them and have been heavily involved ever since.”

He wrote the song, Rock Off Fibro, summing up how fibromyalgia to him, and it was performed by band Xlerators and recorded live at a gig.

Andrew joins in the vocals on the chorus and he also produced the artwork for the album’s cover.

Bands who feature on the CD will perform at tonight’s launch including Anord, Xlerators, Scott Hamilton, Xpelaires and Thee Strawberry Mynde.

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A late addition to the bill is Dave Sharp, a former guitarist with The Alarm.

Andrew added: “I planned to release it as a single but it turned into a double album.

“People that will be there for the launch gig will have a great night and if we can spread the word about fibromyalgia then that’s a great thing.”

Other groups that feature on the album include Ferocious Dog, Spear of Destiny, as well as John Robb of The Membranes.

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Money raised from the sale of the album will go towards creating the UK’s first health centre for people with Fibromyalgia, which will be based in the Chester area.

Andrew added: “Three out of four NHS trusts are watching this model with potentially rolling it out, so it could go nationwide hopefully.”

Doors at The Studio for tonight’s gig open at 7pm and entry on the door is £10.