Not long ago in this space, I asked the rhetorical question whether sideman extraordinaire Larry Wallis is the coolest dude in the history of rock & roll. I’m thinking of turning this question into a semi-regular feature, and today I offer you another candidate – Tommy Saxondale. The only thing that could possibly stand in the way of Tommy claiming the throne is the fact that he doesn’t actually, you know, exist in reality.

Tommy was the basis for the short-lived BBC series (ca. 2006-7) ‘Saxondale’ with the title character played by Steve Coogan. Like Coogan’s other genius imbecile Alan Partidge, ‘Saxondale’ never quite caught on in the States, and that is a shame.

Here’s the premise: Tommy Saxondale is a former roadie who toured with bands like Deep Purple and Genesis (but never Led Zeppelin) in their 1970s heyday. Now 50-ish, he lives in the suburbs with his girlfriend Magz (who runs a Spencers-like gift shop at the mall), works for a pest-control company, and takes pleasure in displaying his intellectual superiority at mandated weekly anger-management meetings. Tommy favors vinyl, reads Mojo magazine and drives a ‘74 Mustang. He’ll still do a little coke when the opportunity presents itself, but he also wears a pair of comfy slippers at home because his feet swell up in the evenings.

In other words, he’s something of a platonic ideal for the gracefully aging rock & roller.

There’s a surprising paucity of ‘Saxondale’ clips on Youtube, but you can watch both seasons on Netflix. Here’s a little taste of the ‘ole Saxondale charm in the mean time.