Kerso

By Phil Thornton

Graham ‘Kerso’ Kerr lived by the Holy trinity; HIS holy trinity that is: Motherwell FC, Detroit techno and casual clothing. It was the latter that brought his gang of mates together with ours. Kerso was friends with Alan’ Aldo Walls’ a Fife-born Celtic fan, Anthony Byrne, a Liverpool-based Notts Forest fan and Kevan Lowe. a Derbyshire-based Derby fan. We all got to know each other in the early days of the internet in the late ’90s and early ’00s. We were all regulars on the Terrace Retro forum and Ste Connor and I would organise a music night called Pow Wow in Liverpool. Kerso would travel hundreds of miles from his home in Bellshill near Glasgow to attend these nights.

One year Everton were playing Motherwell in a pre season friendly so a bunch of us decided to go up. Kerso’s home was modest semi on a council estate yet inside there were treasures. His collection of casual wear was amazing. In one bedroom There were racks of Massimo Osti designed coats and other classic garments. Then up in the loft was his huge collection of mostly adidas trainers. God knows how much his collection came to but K wasn’t into for the money. Unlike most serious collectors he was always a fan first and foremost, and was never aloof but passionate and humble.

Kerso was also great company; a mischievous bundle of energy who would add leats have his laptop and Bluetooth speakers plugged in to Underground Resistance at some hotel room we’d managed to jib into. As usual K would have his infamous Aquascutum wash bag handy with its various potions.

Kerso was respected not only for his knowledge and passion for casual clothing and culture but for being a force of nature. His tragic early death was met with many eulogies from far and wide. We will all miss his cheeky grin and anarchic energy