Four on the Floor – AOR Classics.

Ok so people who know me know that I love some melodic rock, great songs well produced, well sung, awesome guitar solos, you get the picture, it’s a misunderstood genre, and I understand its not for everyone, I do like other stuff, I’m not a huge fan of cookie monster vocals, but I’m not averse to a fair odd bit of metal, but there has to be a point to it. These are not “new” albums the first one is from 1980 and I still play at least once a month, let’s go do this!

Touch – Debut 1980 – 8.5/10.

The first band on stage at the first Monsters of Rock at Donnington, the album opens with the classic “Don’t you know what love is” , originally managed by Rainbow’s manager at the time the main person in the band was Mark Mangold who has played on hundreds of albums and wrote for so many stars and is still going strong, the album is polished with some awesome AOR songs and a bonafide fide metal classic in “Black Star” the album was a little ahead of its time and was great album in the wrong moment in time, allegedly they did a second album two years later (I have never found it) and then released a third album 42 years after this debut, the world and everything else had moved on and their moment was gone, I can’t recommend the debut highly enough.

Signal – Loud & Clear 1989 – 9/10.

A rich kids vanity project with a couple of names attached, Mark Free (now Marcie Free) who had sang with King Kobra and went onto a couple of other bands, Jan Uvena who played drums in a number of bands, the brainchild of the guitar player, it’s a classic slice of well crafted rock and if it had been pushed probably would have sold in buckets, with songs like “My Mistake” and “Does it feel like love” I have been told there is a live album out there (which I am still looking for) we all should have seen the way the wind was blowing, bands like this release an album and then get dropped the fickle industry was already moving on to other things.

 Michael Morales – Debut 1989 – 9/10.

A Texan with a touch for a glorious hook, 1989 was a great year for people/bands who appeared out of nowhere and then disappeared like a shrinking tide, Mr Morales had a couple of hits in the States (Top Twenty) but as mentioned previously mentioned the tide was turning, I can still remember where I was first heard “Who do you give your love to” and this album is another is constantly getting airplay when I play good old fashioned AOR, he released another album two years later, which was just as good as this (Thump) but it didn’t sell as well so he went back to Texas, where he released his third (and last as far as I know) in 1999 he’s still involved in producing and teaching music, but this was the start of the glory days!

Streets – 1^st 1983 – 9.5/10.

Led by Steve Walsh of the band Kansas & Mike Slamer from City Boy, I hunted high and low to buy this album at time of release (only available on import a very limited import) nine awesome songs produced by Neil Kernon who produced many AOR classics who mainly does Death Metal bands these days (it keeps food on the table I suppose). Classic songs “If love should go” “Everything is changing” and Lonely woman’s cry”  a poor album cover and poor record label support killed the band, they did do a second album produced by Beau Hill but again poorly promoted I do have the live album from the first tour, if its so good why only 9.5 well, it’s a short album only 9 songs and I get the feeling (due to some of the interviews I have read) that it was a little rushed, I still love the album.

Was I influenced as younger man, you better believe it isn’t everyone, its no surprise that three of these albums infected me by the hand of Big G, along with about a gazillion other albums, artists and genres, I’m expecting grief for my choices and why did I not pick various other albums, well you never know what I might pick further down the road, I hpe you enjoyed my choices if you don’t know them go find them on the streaming services, if you like AOR I reckon you might just like these, until next time Toodles!

Take Me Away.

In 1989 I was living the life of a single person, I was working hard but also playing hard, if there was a band I wanted to see I would usually do a few gigs, I wasn’t exactly stable at the time either I got into the habit of blowing shifts because of it, the tale that’s about to unfold is what brought it all to a head and is the last jaunt that I did following a band around the country.

I was about to do a night shift on a task that had been planned for a couple of weeks, when I bumped into a couple people who I knew, I worked in a large shopping centre at the time and night time was the only time major tasks could get done, I was sat with the MEWP (mobile elevated working platform) while the rest of the gang went to get the rest of the gear, the centre was winding down so there wasn’t that many people on the ground, when I spied my mates who were obviously about to hit the town and I was asked why wasn’t I going to see Blue Oyster Cult at the City Hall that night (9/3/89) I was completely oblivious to it, I instantly started of thinking of ways that I could blow the shift to go, no matter what hairbrained scheme I could think of it was no good, so I gritted my teeth and knuckled down to the job, the shift dragged mainly because I didn’t know that they were even touring, I kept kicking myself in the butt, I had seen them every time they had played Newcastle and I was annoyed with myself, however with it being a Thursday I was off all day the next day so many cunning plans fell into place.

The shift finished early as we cracked on and I got a lift back home I was in bed for just after two in the morning, I was up with the larks and had scored a lift to Sheffield the scene of the next gig, I bought a ticket outside and buggered off to the pub with my mates, this was going to get messy, we decided to get some food so that we could at least enjoy the gig and we walked straight into Eric bloom from BOC, who was chatty and asked for directions to the gig after he had finished his curry, he wished us well and we said that we be making noise in the balcony, I also told him he would see us as I had a giant red BOC flag, not the band I had (cough splutter) borrowed it from the British Oxygen Corporation plant in Gimpsville back in 1980 so that I could take it to a gig just like this, he laughed and said he would look out for us.

A few more beers and I will admit to being a tad unsteady on my feet but I was ok (these were my drinking days) we got to the venue and had missed the support band (I never did find out who it was, not that I was bothered)and found our seats in the balcony, it wasn’t sold out so we basically sat were we wanted and waited for the main event now don’t ask what the set list was or the opener I have no idea it was over 30 years ago, and as I mentioned before this was my  drinking days, the set started and mid-way through the first song we unfurled my red flag, and yes Eric spotted it, at the end of the song he pointed to us and said “I see the boys from the North are in the house tonight” we threw the flag down to him and the show carried on, I enjoyed the gig, I have a tendency to stop drinking when the band are on as I intend to enjoy them, the night was over and we left the building to jump into our hotel for the night ( a Ford Transit van) which we parked at Ferrybridge services (I hope, allegedly I have no idea) and we all crashed and rose like the walking dead to go get an early breakfast and to get washed, we aired the van out as we recovered, the stench of flatulence and beer was a heady mix, once we had recovered we set off to Hull for the next gig in the itinerary.

We struggled to find a car park to fit the transit in and when we did the day was slipping away (for drinking) we ate and saw the sights (pubs) and again attended a sparsely attended Hull City Hall, again the gig was great we all wondered why they were playing Hull, again I enjoyed the gig even Buck’s Boogie (in which Buck broke a string and swapped guitars without missing a beat) the gig ended a little early I’m assuming because of the small crowd again I’m not sure who the support band was but it wasn’t the same as the band the previous night, a few more pints after and we all got kebabs, if the night before was toxic the next morning was positively vile, we drove back to Durham with the windows down!

All the way back I was wondering if I could do anymore gigs, my friends weren’t so that simply made it all the more interesting me and my wallet! again I was off on the Friday so I hitched to Manchester and then caught a train to Bristol it was thankfully dry so I wasn’t soaked, I got a train around 12.00 and got to Bristol in plenty of time to book some digs in a pub close to the venue (Colston Hall) I had stayed there before when I had seen Marillion on another jaunt, again the crowd was enthusiastic but small I was a tad concerned as it didn’t look good for them, again a great gig, I was more sober as I was by myself and didn’t want to get into bother out here in the Badlands, I was back in my digs by 23.00, asleep and as always up early had a shower and was sat waiting for breakfast at 07.00 they didn’t start serving until 07.30, it was well worth it, I then wandered off to find the local bus station as London awaited I had started to watch my pennies at this stage as the weekend was just starting, surely London would be full?

Unfortunately that wasn’t to be the case it was the busiest venue that I had seen so far, I arrived in London and made my way to the Novo hotel on Hammersmith Broadway, my hotel of choice if I was going to the Odeon ( I wonder if it’s still there) I bumped into some people I knew in the bar and the barman (Guiseppe ) used to Run The Dog and Parrot in Newcastle back in the sixties he always gave me a warm welcome as I always took him Pease pudding from Newcastle as a present as he was heavily addicted to it, a tiny man with a heavy accent he never forgot a face and never forgot an order, we had some bar snacks thanks to our friendly Italian and then we headed off to the venue, getting there around 20.30 again we missed the support act, the band were up for the gig and although not full it was busier than previous nights and I saw some friends from Durham so I did have a couple more pints, I was back in the hotel just after 23.00,  a wonderful bed awaited and I slept right up until 09.30 a bath a change of clothes, breakfast in the bar with Guiseppe and a fond farewell I never saw him again and he would probably be about 500 years old by now surely?

Sunday was my travel day and I was back on the National express i jumped on the bus around 15.00 there was issues right from the off there was only a handful of us on the bus and it limped into Nottingham three hours later with crap blowing out of the exhaust, it wasn’t like it is now with a replacement bus magically appearing from nowhere they stuck us in a B&B and gave us a ticket for the first bus in the morning, this would cause me problems as I was meant to be at work for 08.00, ah well what mischief could I get up to, hang on a second BOC are playing the Royal court in Nottingham tonight, it was a sign, I headed down to the venue ( I went to the Rock City first as I was a dumbass) thankfully the Royal Court is just down the road I paid £3 for my ticket and I don’t think there was more than 400 people in the venue, the band came out and gave it their best but this was the shortest set I have ever seen them complete at just over an hour and twenty minutes and that was with an encore. Back to the digs and I had about five pounds in my pocket I was going to have skip the breakfast in the morning I always had snacks so that was helpful. The bus was time however it got to Newcastle just after 12.00 noon, it stopped for everyman and his bloody goat on the way, I was late for my shift and I hadn’t rung in, I knew I would have face the music when I went in the next day.

I arrived on time but looking decidedly sickly and although I was given a bollocking it wasn’t as severe as I thought it was going to be, I was like a sickly dog all day and I seemed to have gotten away with it ( I hadn’t I had been seen in Newcastle and that information was saved for a rainy day by my boss), it was then that I realised that I needed to knuckle down and make plans accordingly rather than just wander off around the country, as a tour in reality it must have been disappointing for them and also for me, the gigs were great but looking back you could see that they were going through the motions, it was time for me to start to grow up, I mean not straight away, I was soon to meet the wife and then life changed for the better.

So there you go a historical one, and if you think that the details are a bit sketchy they are as I had to think long and hard about it, I remember the generalisation of the tour but the details are somewhere in the back of my head, what brought this to the front of my mind was I bumped into someone who was in London at the time and he regaled me with some of the details of when and where, I do have to admit after all these years I’m still annoyed that I missed the Newcastle gig, what a dumbass, hopefully you have enjoyed this one, normal service has resumed, watch the skies for incoming, stay safe and stay alive until the next time…..Toodles!

Right Here Right Now 5.

Life as always seems to be speeding up, with no let up, work has been definitely speeding up, it’s all good in the hood, just Busy, Busy, Busy, well it was until yesterday when I took a surprise tumble, well it was a surprise to me, right up until I hit the floor then it was a big ouch moment! As I got to the main bus terminus, sore and feeling sorry for myself I was helped onto public transport by a pensioner (considerably older than myself) who had took pity on the shuffling mess attempting to get on the bus……damn that was me!

Writing has not been at the forefront of my mind as my wife also had two tumbles (I was simply copying her) her first resulting in dislocated fingers and then because of this when she did exactly the same trapeze stunt, she cracked her wrist, she now has a lovely blue cast, I simply dented my pride! The wife left me and the pooch when her and the youngest went on a jaunt to London to see a play, she came back to find out I had knocked out the fire place to assist with the incoming wood burner, what should have taken me about 90 minutes in the bad old days took nearly six hours over two days, when did I become so decrepit? Answers on a postcard to who gives a rat’s ass! God I was sore and in pain…. OUCH!

What has brought life into true focus the man I’m named after my Uncle Colin passed away this morning, and the brakes were applied to life in short order, the family circle of the originals is down to one Auntie and around five cousins, that really does the circle of life into clear focus, it seems it really is life’s way of saying our family has ever decreasing circles, am I sad, I am but I realise now that he lived his life, he enjoyed his life, I hope I can get to 84, to be honest my health issues are the same as my uncles, I have his name and most of his hereditary medical issues, so there is hope for me yet…….allegedly!

Tonight, my intention is to have a drink a rather large drink and to raise my glass and celebrate his life, it’s what he would have wanted, he had a DNR tag, he wanted no flowers, no funeral policy, he went in his sleep exactly what he wanted, I wonder where I get my life view point from, I just realised, Unc here’s to you!

So, there you go it took a couple of falls and a death in the family to get me back to break the dam and get writing, the usual normal service (well as normal as I can do) will resume presently…………Honest!

Until then stay safe stay alive and until then………...Toodles!

Four on the Floor – Whitesnake.

I will admit to loving Whitesnake then falling out of love with them and then falling back in love with them at a much later point, as you can see with the first album that I review Trouble I loved every single note on that album, then Love Hunter appeared and I hated it, at the time I didn’t care much for Ready and willing but soon swam back to the shore with Come and get it, but I’m getting ahead of myself, here we go…….again!

Whitesnake – Trouble    8.5/10.

I remember my brother getting the snakebite ep (in white vinyl oooooh the good old days) and I was hooked, then this album came out and I was hooked even more, I even like the Beatles cover, I loved the twin guitars of Mr Moody and Mr Marsden, I thought that the band was tight as a… , well I’m sure you get the picture Mr C was singing in a natural register and he wasn’t screeching his nuts off, I loved Martin Birch’s production and it had the added surprise of Jon Lord on Keyboards, what wasn’t there to like on this album nothing it was a little rough around the edges but that just added to its charm, was it going to smash sales records? no but it was a great start from  the band.

Whitesnake - Come and get it   8.5/10.

I had wandered away from the band, but this album brought me back to the fold, I’m not even sure why I hated Love hunter I just did, same ingredients, I simply didn’t care much for it I then tarred Ready and willing with the same brush, which in reality I shouldn’t have as it’s a great album, oh the joys of being a bigoted youth! Come and get it was again ten great songs, well played and well produced, and still singing in a lower tone, in reality the last true great record by the original band, Mr C started to tinker after this and although he started to sell more it was never the same.

Whitesnake – Slide it in     7.5?10.

This has its moments but also has its disappointing moments, Mr C was starting to cater to the USA, with a full remix just a couple of months after the original release, I know the line up changed there’s a couple of songs I don’t care  for Gambler is a weak opener it’s probably a poor b side if I’m honest, the three singles were all good and proved that the band were going in the right direction, the problem with this album, the good songs are great and the weak ones exactly that, watch the rock in Rio concert that the band played, with the band as a four piece and the potential is unbelievable, but in hindsight what we should have seen was that it was going to implode like it did!

 

Whitesnake – Restless Heart    9/10.

And then it went through the roof, superstar line ups, did I like the albums yes, I did, but I don’t think I rate them as much as the four that I picked, slip of the tongue was simply yuk, three decent tracks do not a great album make. I like Steve Vai but he was the wrong person for the band, then what followed was more faceless sidemen just taking the cheque. Until you get to this album, which upon release I avoided, simply because it was billed as Mr C and Whitesnake as it was going to be a solo album for him, I was gobsmacked when I first heard it and it was on continuious play once I listened to it, if its that good why only 9/10? it was going so well and then he had to blemish it with a cover, Stay with me baby is a pure car crash, horrible to say the least, what salvaged the record was when it was reissued after 25 years, and OMG it got even better but it still had the damned cover on it, the last great vocal by Mr C on this record after this he went off into dog whistle territory and simply ruined his throat, if he sang like this today he could go for another 25 years.

So, there you have it, probably controversial, but it is what it is, no 1987, I’m  simply bored with it, it’s a great album but too many repeat old tracks , Here I go again which is good as is crying in the rain, but its simply played to death, Sykes was awesome but it simply wasn’t to be, I’m expecting a bit of poison and bile over this one, it’s what I like I’m not saying the albums that like are worse or better it’s what I liked and still like now!

Now Hear This 11.

I know this is late and definitely not what was planned, I do however have something in mind, let’s just go with the flow.

So, over the last couple of the months the hits for the blog have gone nuts (more in three months than I did all last year and last year was my best year) so consequently I have had a ton of questions most I have answered in previous “Now Hear This” blogs but hopefully there will be something new or a different slant, so buckle up and let’s go.

The name game? 99% of the time it’s the music that I have been playing either as I got the idea or as I’m typing the bugger up! Then I sit and laugh at people trying to guess how I came up with the name.

Favourite Blog? I don’t have one, I have researched older blogs for these kinds of blogs, and at the time, I enjoyed it but always from different reasons, let’s just say they are all my children and I love them equally!

Where has the anger gone? I’m getting older, and normally I don’t seem to care as much, but just when I think I’m growing old gracefully, then my wife pushes a button and I can still go off like a roman candle, or maybe I just have a really busy day at work, and I simply have no patience left, it’s there don’t worry, life just has to poke the bear and he rears his head!

How’s the ratings doing? they have been AWESOME, I don’t know why, and I know it wont last, they are returning to normal, and as I type this but they are so damn good, thanks for asking, now keep reading!

Historical Blogs? I would love to write more, but I seem to be getting dragged all over the place so I simply type what is in the front of my brain as I write my notes, so basically you get what you get, hopefully when a historical one does come up it, you will enjoy it just that little bit more!

Popular countries? At the moment its between Europe as a whole, and Canada, Japan, and then in fourth place the USA.

How much longer can you continue? I was going to stop at 500, we are past the 600 mark, go figure, so rather make an ass of myself (again) let’s say the 1000 mark seems like a good mark, that gives me plenty of scope to quit whenever I want!

Why some many different styles of writing? I’m a man what do you expect consistency, pfft, maybe if I had an editor, I might be more than consistent, I doubt it, I write how I feel so what do you expect!

Most disappointed in a blog? The whalers dues, why because I simply overcooked it I bigged it up, and at one point it was simply the longest blog I had written coming in at just over 29000 words, however it was so dark in many parts, I thought I would be committed, so I then tried to tweak it and to be honest it’s like I shot it in the head, I tried to ditch it but because I had blabbed about it, now I tend not to shout about them, I loved the original idea, and if I had simply typed it up on the night it happened, I might have stood a chance!

Honest and Happy? I try to be both, if it’s not honest, I know I won’t be happy, I hate lies and I hate myself even if I have to tell a little white lie to get the grandson to do something, I am a firm believer in Karma, if I lie it will come back to bite me in the ass, I might be dumb, but I am always honest, and by that I hope to be happy at the same time!

Is it the same people reading it? I do believe there’s a couple of peeps hanging in there, I’m not sure if they have been there since the beginning but damn it sure seems like it, there have been some deaths in the readership, some people who I connected with but never got to meet they are missed (Broadsword calling Danny boy, if you know you know don’t sweat it), I’m just happy people are reading my drivel! I’m not saying that they are enjoying it, but they are reading it!

You do Music in the Four on the Floor blogs, what about Books or Films? I have done a couple of blogs regarding books, they do ok, I won’t do films there are too many people with way too many different opinions! It’s not worth the grief. (watch this space).

Most read Blog? There’s a lot that are leading the way but Girls is ahead by about 400, I will say that the least read blog is presently sitting at 327, and no I have no intention of telling you, but I will say it’s from 2011.

Saddest moment of writing the blogs? It has to be when you find out that someone who you made a connection with and they pass, and to be honest there has been a few (see the question three before this one) but life goes on, I love my wife I love my kids and I really love my grandkids, but I don’t look bad for being 102, life is full of sad moments but the world keeps spinning!

What about abandoned ideas? I have tried over the years tied to keep my notes to a bare minimum, I’m not always successful, I have whittled it down, but I am a lot better, I will always have a big pile of them, if you could see my filing cabinet in my little office I have at home it is bursting, you never know when you get inspiration! I still have 13 fully written blogs from last years holidays, you never know it might turn into another book, Watch this space!

Now Hear This? It’s the album title of a local band from the 80’s Hellanbach, I did like them!

No hobbies yet? I have given up looking, I have to accept the fact that it’s all about blogging!

How’s work? Busy, that is an understatement and it is only going to get busier; I am booking a jacket that ties at the back for Christmas, let’s just say that I have already booked a holiday for next year!

What motivates you? I have no idea, I do like to write, I have always done it, I wish I had tried it earlier but life got in the way, so I am simply going to go with the flow, and enjoy this, I’m not going to do a podcast or even a proper website, no merchandise even though I have had a few offers from well-meaning individuals but  it’s never going to happen!

What’s your favourite food? I like most foods, I don’t mind spice but it has to be there for a reason, I don’t mind heat, but again it has to be there for a reason, I’m not a beast, my fave meal which I probably haven’t had in over thirty years is Egg and chips but the chips have to be done in a chip pan/deep fat fryer seeing as I don’t have either its highly unlikely it will ever happen, oh and the egg has to be done in the chip pan after the chips!

So, there you go read and enjoy, watch this space there’s more on its way, until then stay safe stay alive……..Toodles!

I just can’t be happy today!

Today I’m fine I’m not unhappy, I’m not walking around laughing and slapping people on the back, but I’m doing ok, this has been written for a while (with just a few changes) I had tried to do it when I was really down and to be honest the police would be at my door because the original was so bleak, hopefully this version isn’t, let’s go with the flow.

I’m usually ok if I wake up “happy” I may not stay that way but as long as I get up in a good mood, I’m pretty sure I can survive the bulk of the day, go figure! On this particular day I got up tired but I wasn’t in a bad place, I went about my daily routine, bathroom, washed teeth cleaned, dressed, breakfast, cleaned my teeth again (I know I’m nuts) sort the dishes out pack my bag, make some bait and then head out for the bus around 05.50, normally there might be one or two others there, but it’s the holidays so nope its just me for my bus.

I’m left to my thoughts, I choose the first album of the day, Jellyfish Bellybutton, I like it it’s a good album, however my good mood hasn’t lasted, dark thoughts have surfaced, nothing in particular just dark for the sake of being dark, no idea why, the next album played is the Regatta debut ( a Canadian group from the early 90’s)  again the music is chipper I’m not, off my bus and wait fifteen minutes for my connection, I’m like everybody else in the bus station no eye contact no interaction, just chill time, bus turns up and I get to play some bus seat bingo (see previous blogs) the people who get this bus really do like their personal seats (tee hee) I reach my destination, a slow walk across the car park, I’m usually the first person in the building apart from the support team, I get to the desk (I don’t have a desk it’s a hot desk situation) I never put the lights on, its summer I’m next to a window I don’t need any additional lights, it feeds my mood..

Soon like the tide people arrive, some converse, some don’t, I wear my mask of smiles and pretend to be cheerful, these people haven’t done anything wrong why should I take my mood out on them. I start work slowly ticking things off my list, emails tick, investigations tick, be jolly with my boss (gritted teeth) tick, not at my boss I just hate having to pretend to being jolly,  print reports off tick, I like to be organised, start the first main job of the day, I don’t want to chat so I put my headphones on (UFO Mechanix) and just knuckle down to it, first meeting of the day, my mood stays the same, my mood has flatlined, but I’m with people so I have to get on with it and try to be “nice”. I do genuinely try to get in a good groove its not other people it’s me and I know it is, the days not helped by dealing with educated people who are thick and feel entitled (grrr).

People in the office are getting the vibe thankfully the people in my team are aware and know just to let me get on with it, I’m concerned that my mask could be slipping, maybe food will help, it’s my usual, a small sandwich (turkey today) as I am desperately trying to lose some weight so I can have my knee operated on, the sandwich is nice but boring, that’s not a complaint I make my own food, more music (FM Indiscreet) my mood hasn’t improved but the mask is back in place, my work mate to the side of me knows how to get me back on track we talk about music, (Iron Maiden’s world slavery tour) and it does right my ship a bit more, but now I have to play Powerslave, hmm metal music isn’t conducive to a happy office (see I have started to cheer up purely because I am playing it at a volume that can be heard lol) it’s the simple things in life, unfortunately my work mind has slipped I can see blue sky and I have started to drift, maybe its time to head home.

The journey in reverse with more music (Prince 1999) the bus is more full, at least I can make my connection and I can drift off for the next 45 minutes, a slow walk from the bus station to home all 279 steps (I’m sad I counted them) then to wear my last mask of the day the wife has a crap time of it of late, I am trying to help her, so I try to be cheerful for her when I go through the front door, I am happy to see her, my mood at this stage isn’t terrible it’s just slightly off, I do my few chores I cook the tea ( I like to cook) then to veg for a couple of hours talking to her and watching TV. So ends another day, not one of my better ones, not one of my worst, I’m a lot better than I used to be, I’m not the angry young man that I was, world weary at times but I do try to be happy.

So there you have a day in the life of a miserable bastard, work for five days (I wish I could retire)then allegedly two days off at the weekend, never seems like two, I really am in a much better place than I used to be, honest would I lie to you, actually I do believe I have addressed this before, I do try to be as honest as I possibly can, life’s crap but it wont beat me it might kick me in the arse from time to time but I can deal with that!

Numbers are slowly coming back to normal, but the newer blogs seem to be doing better than usual so I can live with that, I do have a few blogs kind of half way written, so that’s why there’s been a few have come along in quick succession, don’t worry it wont last, it never does, the name game is an easy one (its from the album that I played this morning I do have such an eclectic taste Dua Lipa is up next who knew????) so stay safe stay alive and try to stay happy, be aware there is a “Now Hear This” blog on the horizon so if you want to ask something, ask now or forever hold your peace! And with that I go back to do some more work in preparation for tomorrow, it’s a big day, so until the next one………. Toodles!

Sailing.

I did the North sea Jazz Festival in Holland for five years on the trot (1986-90), it was away to get some fresh air, away from all of the trials and tribulations that was going on around my personal life, the first four there was just three of us Stevie who I worked with and his best mate Ian (Robbo) it was a giggle, great music in great venues, no drama, a few beers, we didn’t go daft and definitely no drugs we were all against it, they all ran quite smoothly, the last one there were around 15 of us again Stevie’s mates from his rugby team, this wasn’t going to be as quiet as the first four.

We set off on the Wednesday, I stayed in Gateshead as the ferry was early ish, I awoke nice and early however I didn’t feel fresh, I felt decidedly off kilter, and I wasn’t sure why, the bus picked us up I knew some of the guys to say hello to, but not what I would have said I could have (and still can’t) had any real conversation with them outside of hello, I was given given a potted history of them and by the time we hit the Tyne Bridge the beer was open on the bus, I had to say no as my head was banging and I really did feel like shite!

As I got off the bus my head was simply getting worse I couldn’t even walk a straight line, I went to the shop on board and bought some painkillers, it brought it down to a dull roar, I soon parted company from the guys as I didn’t want to be a killjoy, so I sat out on the deck hoping to get some fresh air, every time I had been on the ferry it was smooth sailing, this time it wasn’t, it was like being on a rollercoaster, I headed back into the cabin and tried to get some sleep even the bar was empty once the sea got going.

Robbo checked in on me and was a little concerned, I wasn’t sea sick but my head was bouncing, it wasn’t the longest journey I simply wanted to be on something that wasn’t bouncing all over the place, during the course of the trip there were a number of injuries to crew and  passengers, according to a member of the crew this had been his roughest sailing in 18 years, at the dockside there were a number of ambulances to take away the sick and walking wounded, I approached one of the team dealing with the passengers and he directed me to an actual doctor, I explained about my head, no I hadn’t been drinking, no I hadn’t hit it all the usual questions and I explained it was mainly on and around my left ear, he had a quick look and then sprayed something into my ear, I had a pretty bad ear infection, the spray did wonders (allegedly it was an antibiotic spray) he gave me a prescription for some more antibiotics, he warned me not to drink (oh whoopee) and it should clear up in a couple of days.

On the bus it did seem to be working although my head still felt like it had been kicked repeatedly, we got to our hotel and I asked the receptionist where I could get the prescription filled, she took it from me and said the hotel would get it otherwise it would cost me a fortune, which was nice of her to do this ( at the time I hadn’t bothered to get a European medical card)  I went to bed the lads went to the bar, about an hour after I got to bed there was some urgent knocking at the door and an elderly gentleman was asking me if I was the patient, baffled and confused I realised he was talking about me, yes I am, it was the chemist from the pharmacy, he asked me my symptoms asked what had occurred, but warned me that these were strong antibiotics and I had to take them with food, and absolutely no alcohol , I explained that wasn’t an issue as I had Motorhead playing in my head and drink was the last thing I wanted, I wandered down to get something to eat, and the bar was in full swing, they were having a great time, it was something I was going to have to avoid.

I seem to remember I had some kind of stew; it was nice but I really wasn’t hungry after the boat trip and my head, but I did eat and then went to bed, and slept the sleep of the dead! I got up the next up the next morning, and still felt as rough as a badgers arse, so I showered and headed down for breakfast so that I could take my medication, the receptionist who had took my prescription from me said I still looked as though I had been on the drink, I explained I most certainly hadn’t been, she said she knew because she could see the bar from her desk and although the lads had been loud they hadn’t been naughty, the dreaded European breakfast and not a full English (BOO) and medication taken I headed out for some fresh air and a little walk, I was still walking as though I was walking on the deck of the ferry (badly) but I found a little florist and bought the receptionist a small bunch (of bloody expensive) flowers as a thank you, once the troops were gathered we headed to the venue.

We had lost one of the team due to a broken ankle on the ferry, our merry band started to shrink, to be honest there was only three of us going to see any music the rest were heading into the town simply for a piss up! Thursday was usually a slow day band wise and this year we decided we weren’t going to go any of the smaller venues as we usually ended up walking for miles to see shite! We got to the venue just as the Cab Calloway Revue was just getting started in the foyer , I manged 30 minutes and I did enjoy it my head was battered I admitted defeat and bought some ear plugs, as I arrived back to the venue as Ray Charles was on and although I wouldn’t say I was a fan I did enjoy his set (what I saw of it, by this time I needed food for my medication, I found a great place selling noodles and with a bottle of water I payed around 20 euros (the robbing B*****ds) the noodles were nice though! Then it was on for the main event for me which was George Benson, I’m not a huge fan of his pop stuff, but his jazz sets totally kick serious amounts of arse, my head wasn’t helping but I enjoyed the gig, after the show we bumped into a group of Dutch friends we had met in previous years and they talked us into going to see David Sanborn, I stayed for two numbers it was good but not my cup of tea, I also wanted to have some more food and more meds and then I wanted sleep!

The next morning was a beautiful day and I wandered down for Breakfast (that’s not I would call it) the band of brothers was further depleted by alcohol poisoning with only four actually making it downstairs, food eaten meds taken it was back to the same hall and I enjoyed Bradford Marsalis, again I knew of him but not his music it was short and sweet and I liked it, it helped that my head was feeling better, we wandered around and went to see the Neville brothers who again I liked a couple of tracks but they weren’t happy they kept apologising for the sound it sounded fine to me but I was infected lol. Then we got a big plate of chips more medication and then for the main event of the day which was Robben Ford who played most of his Talk to your daughter album, the gig was great (the best of the whole weekend for me) and we got to chat to him afterwards and he told me some great stuff about Kiss as he played on one track on the Creatures of the Night album ( I was wearing a Kiss t shirt so felt he had to share) we missed Miles Davis due to having the chat to be honest I didn’t really care ( my brother still hates it when I told him I wasn’t bothered I missed him) we wandered back to the hotel and jumped into another venue and caught some the Courtney Pine Quartet, which was clever but definitely not my cup of tea!

Saturday arrived and so did the rain, the meds were working but they were quite strong so I was left feeling a little bit nauseous, back to the same venue and we arrived just as the Andy Summers band set up and they were good, a lot of people don’t realise how good he is, I’m not saying he’s a rock god but listen to some of his phrasings and you simply know how good he is! We wandered around the venue and sat in for a couple of songs by Al Jarreau, again it was nice but that was all, the band were superb, the rest of the day was what I had come to see firstly the Jon Mclauglin Trio, who I had seen at the playhouse in Newcastle a couple of weeks before, it was jazz it was awesome, it was all over my head but I loved it! Next up was Lee Ritenour who I had a couple of his albums and it was almost like a rock gig the venue was filling up nicely, the set was way too short but it was light and enjoyable, time for food and this time it was a bloody massive hot dog and then my meds, I loved every time I walked up to a bar the look on the staffs faces when I ordered a bottle of water.

Then came the biggest disappointment of the whole weekend, the one person I had actually wanted to see, The Jan Ackerman Big Band, I loved this man I always thought his playing was sublime, this was the worst gig in my life the playing was lazy, he didn’t want to be there, he was arguing with the crowd and he buggered off after an hour no encore, even his band were looking at each going WTF! Disappointed I decided against about hanging around and I headed back for more meds and some sleep. As I arrived back to the hotel the bar was once again full and raucous, bed was the right thing to do!

Sunday arrived and my ear and head were getting there I was still staggering a little bit with my balance still affected, but I was 90% better, no more painkillers just the antibiotics, I had had enough of the European breakfast and I headed off to the McDonalds that was across the road, where there a were few wounded rugby players, but they weren’t going down without a fight, some grease was what the wanted, surely that would help them, the ferry back was at 22.00 hours so we hadn’t really chose any acts that we wanted to see but discovered that Pat Metheny was playing in the afternoon with Herbie Hancock playing a lot of material I didn’t know but I enjoyed it, they had fun we had fun everybody won, early evening finish for us we went back to the hotel had some food, packed up and paid our bill, the receptionist thanked me for the flowers I thanked her for the help and explained that I was a lot better because of the meds, the bus arrived and we sat waiting for the rugby players when they arrived there was only nine of them (oh dear) we got on the ferry they disappeared to sleep off the drink, I had my first drink of the weekend, my meds were finished, the trip back to the Tyne was smooth sailing and I slept like a log (no I didn’t wake up in the fire place……that’s meant to be a joke) I jumped on the metro to Newcastle got a bus home I was in the house a little after 09.00. I had a full English for breakfast and then went up to the DR’s (the good old days) to have my ear looked at I was given some more meds that I had to take for the next seven days.

It wasn’t the rowdiest time I spent at this festival but it was the last time that I attended, Later in the year I met the wife and life changed ever so slightly I always intended to go back But both of my friends succumbed to cancer a few years down the line, two healthiest people I ever knew, it just goes to show you, that nobody ever knows, so no it wasn’t a metal weekend, it was all Jazz but it was fun and although I was in the trenches for the first part of the weekend by the end of it I had a great time with some great people, until the next time ……………………Toodles!