Musical legacy of crash victim

By Ben Jeffrey
BBC News, West Midlands

Sam Neal recorded about 50 original songs before his death

No-one will ever know how good a musician Sam Neal could have been.

He was killed by hit-and-run driver Luke Griffin in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in August 2003 at the age of 20.

Sam's parents, Linda and Norman, and 25-year-old brother Ben, are still struggling to come to terms with their loss.

But unlike many grieving families, the Neals have been left with a permanent and tangible record of Sam's life, in the form of about 50 original songs he wrote at school and university.

It's something you can do about Sam which is positive, because there's not an awful lot else we can do now Linda Neal

Sam's musical legacy is a source of huge comfort his family and has helped them to endure the 18 months since his death.

Now Norman Neal is hoping to release an anthology of his son's music, which he and Linda have been cataloguing over the last year.

The couple knew Sam had recorded cover versions of songs by artists including Nirvana, Bob Dylan and the Beatles, before he left home in Cradley Heath, West Midlands, to study psychology at Sheffield Hallam University.

But the bulk of Sam's 50 or so original guitar compositions have only been found since his death.

His parents discovered the music on four-track tapes in his bedroom, which remains largely as he left it in August 2003.

Sam's music is a source of comfort to his family

The Neals have also found 10 journals and some loose-leaf notes, as well as lyrics and cartoons.

"I would imagine in some circumstances, when you've got very little record of what your son achieved, it must be even more difficult to cope," Mr Neal told BBC News.

"At least we've got videos, tapes and flyers - we've got tangible evidence of his musical achievements."

Mrs Neal said: "It was the only thing I did for the first few months, listen to Sam's music. I used to go round with headphones on all day."

She described the process of going through Sam's music as "time displacement therapy".

"It's something you can do about Sam which is positive, because there's not an awful lot else we can do now," Mrs Neal said.

Charity gig

The couple's other son Ben is also involved in preserving his younger brother's legacy, and has transferred some of Sam's music onto compact disc and re-mastered the tracks to improve the sound quality.

Mr Neal said that although Sam's works were primarily a personal record for family and friends, he plans to get them written up as an anthology, together with a box set of CDs, and possibly a small journal.

The Neals are also organising a third gig in memory of their son, to be held in November.

The event will raise money for Roadpeace, a charity which supports people bereaved by road accidents.

Luke Griffin, 21, denied driving without due care and attention, but was convicted by magistrates in October 2004 and fined £2,000.

He was also fined £4,500 after admitting failing to stop and failing to report an accident and banned from driving for two years.