Shove It

I returned the arms of drink back in November of 1987, my wife (of the time) had cheated and then lied  (in that order) so I walked away, I’m not a fan of either act, I acted with as much dignity as I could considering what had happened, the truth be told I didn’t hate  her for  it, I simply wish she had been honest with me, what’s all this got to do with drink I hear you ask well read on!

It was around this time I had returned to being a civilian and had to start paying for tickets to see bands, I had no problem with this, it was simply a shock to the bank balance/system, when we split I managed to keep or acquire most of the tickets that’s we had bought for forthcoming gigs, unfortunately she was savvy enough to keep a hold of a pair of tickets for The Cross which really was just Roger Taylor of Queen with some young pups in tow, I had wangled some backstage pass’s for Queen , now she wanted to see Roger in a more intimate venue, although we had split up we were still trying to remain friendly/adult/sensible/bloody idiot (delete as you see fit) and although I had served her with divorce papers on Valentines day (me a hopeless romantic I  know) we both still wanted to go see the gig, she also knew if she had refused to go with me I would have caused an absolute stink outside the venue(me with my reputation) a truce was called and we behaved ourselves, I stayed sober , well ok ish! as I didn’t want the green eyed monster spoiling the gig, Newcastle Mayfair on Sunday the 28^th wasn’t a bad day for it,  the venue was half full, I was a charming perfect gentleman, ask anyone, the gig was great and on the way home I decided I was young free and single, dammit I’m going to do some more gigs!

I had a limited window of opportunity and an even more limited supply of cash, but I had a cunning plan I took the remaining holidays that I had from work, I had to be sensible I needed the cash and sorted my travel to Norwich, I was strapped for cash so it was going to be by bus………even a car journey to Norwich is horrific even now, a bus from the Gallowgate in the big city and then a slow meander to Birmingham a three hour lay over and then five hours to get to Norwich honest the bloody bus stopped and picked up anybody that was at the side of the bloody road, whilst in Birmingham I may have had one or two pints so when I woke up in Norwich I may have been a tad “Grumpy” I needed something to eat to sort me out and then because I was thirsty, I honestly had a single pint of shandy, I like to watch bands not be an arsehole to everybody around me at gigs!

I got to the venue the university of North Anglia and bought my ticket as I got to the inner sanctum they refused me entry as I wasn’t a student “but you just sold me the bloody ticket” sorry nothing I can do about it, well yes you guessed it I kicked off big style not aggressively, but I wanted to speak to someone in management not a chinless wonder having a laugh at my expense, I could see the way this was going so I simply got loud as It happens a member of the road crew came past as I was giving it large and as I left the venue he followed me, asked me a couple of questions and when he realised I was genuine he guided me around to the stage door, he promptly disappeared back into the venue and by the time I got to the area he was stood talking to a gentleman in a Hawaiian shirt, I knew this man to be Gerry Stickells  the tour manager and he was listening intently, he kept looking across to me and then he came across and asked me some simple questions, I replied as honestly as I could, I explained I had been there on Sunday at Newcastle, he asked if I intended to get pissed I said I wasn’t and then he said follow me, it turns out he had argued with the venue or they had took the piss earlier in the day and he was annoyed so he though it would be a great idea to poke them in the eye, he stood me stage left at the crash barrier I enjoyed the gig and as the last song played the roadie from before( I never got his name)  escorted me back out the way I came and made sure that I got in a taxi back to the bus station, “erm I can’t afford a taxi” “don’t worry the venue is supplying it” I was dropped off at  the bus station and was on my way to Leeds to stay at a mates house, what seemed like months later, as I did the bus journey in reverse and got to Leeds in the early morning with a smattering of snow I hoped that my mate turned up on time, Simon did and he treated me to a lovely breakfast at a little greasy spoon, I crashed at his parents and enjoyed an afternoon of sleep, we had a few beers on the Friday night, ok we had a lot of beers and I suffered on the day of the gig, I wasn’t a bad house guest , but I think that there were less milk bottles on the door step after we got back on the night time then what his dad had put out, Saturday was great a day in the pub another gig and hopefully a lie in before getting the bus home.

The next morning the four of us awoke with cunning plan number 203 lets go see them in London at the town & country club, My Flu kicked in (cough cough) and we headed down to London and arrived early Monday morning with some time to kill, thankfully we knew mates so we were soon put up for a couple of nights and although there was jolly japes none that drunken for me as I really was flying by the seat of my pants, thankfully we got on the guest list and again had a wonderful time I bumped into Mr Stickells one last time he was at the mixing desk before the gig, he remembered me and I asked if I could buy him a drink as a thank you (please say no please say no) he just chuckled and told me to enjoy myself, believe me I did.

The next day I gratefully accepted a lift back to Leeds with Simon, I would have been hitching otherwise, he dropped me off at the train station and I hid in the toilets all the way to Newcastle, I then had to walk home (all fourteen miles) as I had the grand total of 60p in my pocket, fully recovered I returned to work on the Friday (just in time for the weekends overtime) I bumped into the ex-wife as she had been trying desperately trying to get in touch she needed some papers signed and she enquired where I had been, well I simply explained that I had been enjoying myself on the “shove it” tour LOL that was the most jealous look I ever received from her, one nil to me.

We still bump into each other about once every 8 years and I’m always civil and I’m always polite, life’s too short, besides I saw Roger Taylor more times than she did, there you go I hope you enjoyed it, I did a lot at the time, but not so much in the writing of it as Gerry Stickells died earlier in the year a truly nice man he didn’t have to get me into the Norwich gig but he did that’s the sign of a true gent, enjoy and watch the skies for more incoming ……until then…………Toodles!