Postcards from the man cave

Rishi Sunak has announced a General Election for the 4^th of July 2024. The date took everyone by surprise. He was expected to wait until November to give the economy a chance to recover to the point that The Bank of England reduces interest rates. It would also have allowed the first flights deporting unfortunates to Rwanda. 

Quite what made him take the decision to go for an early election is unlikely to be revealed. It is a most welcome decision. This government has been a disaster for Great Britain. We have seen five different Tory Prime Ministers in the past 8 years. David Cameron stood down after losing the Brexit vote in 2016. He was followed by Theresa May who stood down in 2019 after versions of her draft withdrawal from Europe bill was rejected three times. In came the charlatan Boris Johnson who resigned, mired in sleaze in 2022. Next up was the frankly useless Liz Truss who lasted 7 weeks before resigning having managed to crash the British economy. Rishi Sunak then picked up the poisoned chalice and will hopefully be the last Tory Prime Minister for a long, long time. 

Keir Starmer’s Labour party currently have a 20-point lead in the opinion polls. I want to vote Labour, but I am afraid that Starmer leaves me cold. He is wooden in delivery and seems to lack empathy. At times he appears to strive to out Tory the Tories. I do not want a Labour version of the same government policies. I want to see a credible plan for improving the NHS tabled and delivered. Similarly, I want to see a credible plan for addressing issues in the Care sector. The ageing poulation is a fact of life and the problems that causes won’t be solved by empty promises. I want an end to the persecution of those poor people who try to get to our shores in small boats. 93% of immigration is government sanctioned. If it is to be reduced, we either need to address Universities dependence on overseas students or we need to find a way to fill the many vacancies in the care sector and the NHS that rely on immigrants to fill the positions. Uncomfortable as it may be, Taxes may need to rise, defence spending may need to reduce and salaries in key sectors may need to substantially increase. Sadly, I don’t believe there is a genuine appetite in any of the major political parties to seriously address these issues or the many other problems that beset our country and the world at large. 

It took a few weeks to come down from the high of our trip to Mardi Gras in New Orleans in February. It was a pleasant surprise to realise that I only had six weeks to go before retiring!  

After a gig misfire in New Orleans (blogs passim), March saw the first gig of the year. Sam Lee at Kendal Brewery Arts theatre. I bought Sam’s Old Wow album when it was released in 2019 after reading positive reviews in the music press. I still enjoy listening to this album and looked forward to Songdreaming his new album released in February this year. Unfortunately, I cannot connect with his new album, it just does not do it for me. I thought seeing the songs performed in a live setting would help me appreciate the album. Thankfully, the show was a sell-out which was pleasing after the poor attendance for Kristin Hersh’s show at the same venue. The audience was mostly Folkies with a 50/50 split between young and the more mature. The older fans looked like they had just been for a bracing walk on the Fells whilst the younger crowd were well-dressed urbane types. The one thing young and old Folkies had in common was Birkenstocks! Sam played with a four-piece backing band who were all excellent musicians. Sam Lee is a confident frontman and his between songs patter is engaging. I still can’t connect with the newer material, but it was an enjoyable show, nonetheless. 

We had a second gig booked in March. A week after the Sam Lee gig, we headed to Blackburn to see the mighty Robert Plant. We checked into our hotel which was a couple of miles outside the city centre. Blackburn were playing Ipswich later that evening, so the hotel car park was full of the Ipswich fans Tractors. 

As a young lad, I can remember family excursions to Tommy Ball’s shoe mines. I suppose many parents prepared for the new school year with similar trips. My last visit was to see Jethro Tull sometime in the 1990’s. We stayed in Preston that night, so I only got to sample a couple of pubs. I do remember the local top boys thought we were Liverpool fans. The ultimate insult! 

We headed into the town centre and straight into a pub. We tried out three pubs en route to The Drummers Arms which is adjacent to the King Georges Hall, the venue for the night’s gig. I can’t remember the names of the pubs, but they were all decent enough. Prices were reasonable and the locals were friendly enough except for a Koppite gobshite in the second pub. We got to The Drummers Arms, a well-reviewed pub, but it was heaving and had a karaoke on. We decided to go elsewhere. A guy stood on the street smoking advised us to try the Rock box next door. This proved to be excellent advice. The Rock Box played great tunes and the punters were a friendly bunch who certainly knew their music! 

Robert Plant and Saving Grace played pretty much the same set as they did when we saw them in November in Manchester. This was not a problem as, once again, they were excellent. I really hope that Plant releases some music with this excellent band. Suzy Dian is the ideal singer to duet with Plant, their voices perfectly complement each other. King Georges Hall is a great old theatre. I will keep an eye out for other gigs at this excellent venue. 

After the show we headed to Akbar’s, the excellent Indian restaurant that adjoins the venue. A first-class curry rounded off a brilliant day. I can pay Blackburn no finer compliment than saying that we will be back for another day out sometime. 

Setlist

The Cuckoo

Let the Four Winds Blow

Friends

Is That You

Too Far From You

Everybody’s Song

I Never Will Marry

The Rain Song

As I Roved Out

It Don’t Bother Me

Four Sticks

Angel Dance

Encore:

Gallows Pole

Black Dog And We Bid You Goodnight

On Friday April 5^th I retired from work after 44 years of continuous employment. I started work as an Apprentice Fitter and Turner at 16 years of age. I had many happy times but some tough times as well. I won’t reminisce about the many Projects I worked on. My overriding memory of work will be the many fantastic people I have met and worked with over the years. I will never forget Alwyn Foster, my apprentice Instructor. I was told to report to him on my first day in the Machine Shop. Excuse me sir I began. “SIR!!…….There’s no fucking Sirs in here son, Fosters the name, Alwyn Fucking Foster”. God bless you Alwyn. You taught me so much about life. It was you who advised me to join a Union and told me why a working man should never cross a picket line.  

My last day in work was on the Thursday. I left quietly. Steve, my successor walked me to the gate so I could hand him my security pass. I am proud to say I never looked back over my shoulder. Onwards to whatever comes next. 

My first post-retirement trip was to Liverpool, my favourite city on earth. We booked the Dixie Dean hotel which was an inspired choice. As we checked in, the friendly receptionist drew our attention to the hotels Hillsborough tribute. A wall that had a candle for each of the victims with their name underneath. No-one should go to a football game and not come home to their families. If ever there was a blatant example of ‘The Establishment’ conspiring to shift the blame away from those responsible, then this was it. A shameful episode in British history. 

We headed for the Denbigh Castle, an Everton pub on Hackins Hey off Dale Street. We arrived bang on opening time so had the place to ourselves. We then walked twenty yards or so to Ye Hole in the wall, a great pub that is thought to be the oldest in Liverpool. Our next stop was The White Star near Mathew Street. This is one of my favourite pubs in Liverpool. It was where Bob Wooler and Alan Williams paid bands who played at the nearby Cavern Club. There is a Beatles wall in the back room of the pub at the spot where payment took place. We had a meal in an Italian restaurant which was let down by bad service. 

The nights gig was Mary Gauthier at the Music room, a small adjunct to Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. The opening act was Jaimee Harris who is Mary’s life partner. It was a pleasant enough set, but Jaimee is not a compelling songwriter. Boomerang town is a great song, but her other songs do not match it for quality. Jaimee also accompanies Mary Gauthier playing guitar and providing backing vocals. Mary Gauthier was brilliant. She played selections from all her albums which meant that many of my favourite songs were featured. Drag Queens in limousines, Last of the Hobo kings and Mercy now were my personal highlights. 

Post gig we adjourned to The White Hart which is a new pub decorated like an old pub. It was our first visit but won’t be the last. The crowd in there were friendly, mostly students with what looked like a smattering of lecturers. 

Another great visit to this fantastic city. 

I spent the next few weeks getting use to retirement. I painted anything that didn’t move, we bought hundreds of plants, and I started walking the dog with Pat every night. I have found that I sleep longer and much better. This is due to having nothing at work to worry or bother me. I don’t switch the tv on until at least 3.0pm (I love Escape to the country). I listen to more music than ever which is fantastic. Do I miss work? No, is the honest answer. I do miss the people but not the job. 

The first gig we went to in May involved a visit to Leeds. I do like Leeds; the city centre is busy every day of the week. It has great shops, a great indoor market, and many excellent pubs. We checked in our hotel and walked into the city centre. My first stop was Relics records on New Briggate. I didn’t buy anything but noted a few albums for future reference. Next stop was Wall of Sound records which is in the basement of Crash records on The Headrow. I was tempted by a copy of Stand Up by Jethro Tull with the pop-up sleeve. The record itself didn’t look in particularly good nick so I made an executive decision to adjourn to the pub to mull it over.  

I met Pat and we headed to The Ship. This cracking little pub is in an alley off Briggate. The Ship dates from the 1750’s. It serves food and has a good range of beers. We enjoyed a couple of pints before heading back to the Headrow for a pint in the Horse and Trumpet. I checked Ebay for copies of Stand Up with the Pop-up sleeve and found one in vgc for £5 less than the copy in Wall of Sound. 

We tried an Italian cafe we had spotted earlier and had a nice meal and a bottle of wine. On the way there I nipped into Crash records and picked up a copy of the new Zutons album. 

We walked back to our hotel via Relics records where I picked up the albums I had seen earlier. 

The night’s gig was Hurray for the Riff Raff at Brudenell Social Club. This was our second visit to this venue, and it was as good as I remembered. When we arrived, I noticed that another hero of mine was giving a lecture in a separate room in the venue. Willy Vlautin is not only a great author, but he is also a damn fine musician. 

Tonight’s support act was NNAMD. I’m afraid his set did not appeal to me. I should check out his album to see if my instincts are right. 

We saw Hurray for the Riff Raff last year at The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge. On that night they played as a duo and put on a great show. Tonight, however, it was a full band show. Alynda and the band were brilliant. They performed every track from their excellent new album, The past is still alive, and a broad selection of material from their earlier records. Alynda was on great form and told us that love has put her in a great place. We have a number of gigs booked this year, but it will take an exceptional performance to better Hurray for the Riff Raff. The past is still alive will be a strong contender for my Album of the year. 

Brudenell Social club is a fantastic venue. It has a friendly crowd, cheap drinks, and helpful staff. I look forward to seeing another gig there. 

Setlist

Alibi

Buffalo

Hawkmoon

RHODODENDRON

Dynamo

Colossus of Roads

Snakeplant (The Past Is Still Alive)

The Body Electric

SAGA

Vetiver

Hourglass

The World Is Dangerous

Ogallala

Encore:

Small Town Heroes

Pa’lante

We had one more gig in May which saw us return to Manchester. We had tickets to see Richard Thompson at the Aviva Studios. I’m not a great fan of Manchester, the pubs are too spread out for my taste. We checked into our hotel and headed for King Street. Caitlin, our daughter, gets married in September so I was in the market for a new suit. I managed to get one so, mission accomplished, we adjourned to The Sawyers Arms on Deansgate. This was our first visit to this pub and I quite liked it. There was a good selection of beers though prices were steep. The clientele was ok, and we had good seats, so we sampled three pints before heading to Chinatown for food. We ate at Happy Seasons on Faulkener Street. The food was as good as I remembered. 

Aviva Studios was only a five-minute walk from our hotel. This was our first visit to the venue. There were plenty of staff to help with directions. We headed to the bar and found the prices to be very reasonable. This was a pleasant shock as I’m used to being fleeced in other Manchester venues. The support act was Jim Moray. I’d never heard of him but I was impressed by his set.  

We last saw Richard Thompson as the country came out of lockdown. That night he performed a solo acoustic set. Tonight was a full band show. Richard’s grandson Zak Hobbs is on second guitar and Mandolin.  

Thompson played an excellent set. A solo acoustic rendering of Beeswing was my personal highlight with set closer Tear-stained letter a close second. Richard Thompson is a national treasure. He has been a pro musician for over fifty years. The fact that songs from his new album Ship to Shore sound so fresh and compared well with his older classics proves that his quality has never wavered over such an extensive career. 

As we waited for the lift for the hotel lift the following morning, Richard Thompson joined us in the queue. We bade each other a good morning but I was too shy to tell him how wonderful last night’s show was. 

Setlist

What’s Left To Lose

Take Care the Road You Choose

Turning of the Tide

Withered and Died

Freeze

Hard on Me

Al Bowlly’s In Heaven

The Day That I Give In

Beeswing

The Old Pack Mule

Man in Need

Guns Are the Tongues

Singapore Sadie

John the Gun

Tear Stained Letter

Play Video

Encore:

Dimming of the Day

The Bells of Rhymney

Jealous Words

We have lots to look forward to this year. Pat retires on the 5^th of July, so we will have the opportunity to travel more. Caitlin and Callum get married in September.  We also have some great gigs lined up; 

Sleeper 

Toyah and Robert Fripp 

David Gilmour 

Fairground Attraction 

Holly Macve 

Michael Head and the Red Elastic Band 

I hope that The Decemberists announce UK dates following the forthcoming album release. I scan the websites of favourite venues regularly to check for gigs. 

I mentioned the forthcoming General election earlier. One disturbing fact is that both major parties are committing to increase defence spending. This comes at a time when the world has never felt closer to a catastrophic nuclear war. The war in Ukraine is dramatically increasing tension between Western nations and Russia. It should be noted that China and India are siding with Russia. 

Tensions are also arising over Taiwan with China warning the West not to get involved. 

Finally, Israel’s war in Gaza is truly horrifying. The terrorist attack by Hamas was despicable, however, Israel’s response is brutal. The word genocide is increasingly used to describe events in Gaza. Israel is ignoring pleas from Biden for ceasefire and an end to the war. Western nations continue to provide Israel with the bombs that are killing thousands of innocent people. 

Nobody wants war. Why then do politicians across the world refuse to compromise with one another making devastating conflict inevitable. 

These are worrying times we face 

2024 will be a significant year in a number of ways. Hopefully it will see the end of 14 years of Tory government. This miserable period has seen no less than five Prime Ministers! David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak. The British public have been subjected to almost continuous austerity. The austerity programme included reductions in welfare spending, the cancellation of school building programs, reductions in local government funding, and an increase in VAT. Spending on the police, courts and prisons was also reduced. This was (allegedly) a reaction to the worldwide banking crisis of 2008. It was justified as David Cameron and his Chancellor George Osbourne said the UK could face financial ruin without it. I don’t remember other countries taking such draconian measures. The Conservatives, who proudly badge themselves as the party of low taxation currently, preside over the highest tax burden since 1948! The other legacy the Tories have bestowed upon us is Brexit. This is the worst thing I have ever known, our economy has still not recovered. Thousands have businesses have gone bust, prices are soaring, finding care workers is getting harder by the day…..I could rant on and on but I would only succeed in making myself angrier. I honestly believe that a fear of foreigners persuaded many people to vote for Brexit. The idea that European immigrants are taking our jobs is laughable. Businesses in the hospitality industry cannot find staff, Tons of fresh produce is wasted as there is no one willing to take jobs harvesting crops. The NHS struggles to recruit health professionals and the care sector is in dire straits due to labour shortages. Boris Johnson and his chums failed to mention that this was widely predicted as he paraded around in his Brexit bus.

On a happier, and a more personal note, Pat and I are taking early retirement. I finish on April 5^th and Pat is leaving in July. We have no firm plans other than embracing the next chapter in our lives. Whatever we do, it is sure to include music and travel.

The other major event planned for this year is Caitlin’s wedding in September. I feel for Callum who will be constantly asked his opinion on things that we men couldn’t give a shit about and berated when he doesn’t respond with unbridled enthusiasm!!

The start of the year was dominated by the 60^th birthday present that Pat gave me. I was shocked to find out she had booked us to go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans! This was something I had wanted to do since first visiting the city in 1990 or thereabouts. I spent the opening weeks of the year searching the internet for the best dive bars, restaurants and checking for any gigs. I was in regular contact with Marko, who was meeting us there, to compare notes on things to do.

Take Me to the Mardi Gras (youtube.com)

We stayed overnight at an airport hotel before flying out to New Orleans. It always feels like the holiday has begun when you relax with a meal and a few beers the night before flying. We weren’t flying until 1.0 pm so we had time for breakfast in the hotel before heading to the airport. We had taken advantage of Virgin Atlantic’s Twilight check-in so we had got rid of our cases the night before. We just had to go through airport security. This service is the future! I read while Pat had a browse around Duty Free, we then went for a leisurely pre-flight drink before boarding. We flew to Atlanta, Georgia. The flight was on time and getting through US Immigration was surprisingly quick. We had a four hour layover before our short hop to New Orleans but it was no hassle. We stayed at the Prince Conti Hotel in the French Quarter. We were only half a block off Bourbon Street so pretty damn central. Even though we’d been on the go for 18 hours, we thought it sensible to have a few beers to aid sleep. Our first stop was the Erin Rose which was almost opposite our hotel. I had read about this place when searching for New Orleans dive bars. I wasn’t disappointed. It was busy but we managed to get stools at the bar and enjoyed a decent draft beer. We headed out to look for the hotel that our Niece Steph would be staying at on Royal Street. It was really busy so when we had seen where it was we cut back towards Bourbon Street and had a beer in The Old Absinthe Bar which was a favourite haunt from our first visit to New Orleans. It was surprisingly quiet given how busy it was on Bourbon Street. We had a beer and headed off back to the hotel. We had a nightcap in the hotel bar called The Bombay Lounge. I thought it was a typical hotel bar, anodyne and expensive.

(560) Dr. John – Goin’ Back To New Orleans (Video) – YouTube

We headed out to the French Market café for breakfast on Friday morning. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny February morning! We sat outside. When we ordered the waiter questioned our choice of coffee to drink. There are cocktails on the menu he pointed out. It wasn’t even 10.30 am. We stuck with coffee; he shook his head and left the cocktail menu. There was a live band playing who were pretty damn good, the food was good and so was the coffee! We took a walk through the French Market. It’s an easy place to walk around and good for picking up souvenirs. I wanted to visit Louisiana Music Factory which is a record shop on Frenchman street. Pat took a walk around the ‘hood while I did some serious crate digging. I came away with four albums and, as it was hot outside, we decided to head for a beer. We went To Checkpoint Charlie’s on the corner of Frenchman street and Esplanade Avenue. Now this bar is a dive! The bar was pretty full, mainly with guys. The beer was good and reasonably priced. The toilet was the worst I’ve ever seen; no way could I use it! We headed back on Decatur Street and had another drink in the Tikki bar. This was another place recommended by the dive bar website. I liked it, cheap drinks and friendly conversation. In the afternoon we took the St Charles streetcar. The first part of the journey was by bus as parades had disrupted the streetcar timetable. It was really good to travel through the Garden District and see the beautiful houses. We were told to leave the Streetcar on the way back downtown and catch the bus, instead, we walked down Napoleon Avenue to Magazine Street and had a beer in Miss Ellie’s which is another highly rated dive bar. Beers were $4 which was much cheaper than anywhere in the French Quarter. We took an astonishingly expensive Uber back to our hotel as Steph was arriving that night.

We arranged to meet her in The Bombay Lounge. It was a lot better now we felt refreshed. There were two young women playing, one on guitar and one on Double Bass. They were excellent. Steph arrived and it was great to catch up. We took her in the Erin Rose which was far more crowded than the previous night. We looked down Bourbon Street which was absolutely chaotic. After a meal, we walked down Royal Street and cut back to Bourbon to hang out in Laffite’s Blacksmith shop. This bar was built in the 1700’s and is allegedly one of the most haunted in the USA. I don’t believe in ghosts so the spirit I was interested in was the Vodka in my Screwdriver. Man, you definitely get a good pour in Laffite’s!

Marko and Jeannie arrived Saturday morning. We all arranged to meet at their favourite breakfast restaurant Fleur de Lys. There was a long line outside and I was glad that our friends had arrived earlier than us so were near the front. We got a table upstairs. We ordered breakfast; the waitress asked what we all wanted to drink. It was 10.0 am. Marko ordered a Screwdriver. Jeannie and Pat followed suit. Not wanting to feel left out, I ordered a Bloody Mary, the first I’ve ever had. This set the tone for the rest of our holiday, the waiter in the French Market café had called it right. Steph arrived and got ‘on it’ with us. The Food was superb. In the afternoon Marko took me to see Myers, the hat guy. Unfortunately his shop was closed, which was probably a blessing as I would definitely have bought a hat even though the prices were steep! Stephanie was staying on Royal Street her hotel was a block away from the Hotel Monteleone. Jeannie said they had a revolving carousel bar in there. We went in for cocktails. I was wearing an Everton shirt with No. 9 Ferguson on the back so I felt at home with the classy hotel guests. We enjoyed ludicrously expensive cocktails, life was good. We had tickets to see a show at Tipitinas on Saturday night; this was a long held ambition of mine. To cut a long, and very frustrating, story short we never made it to the show. Uber or Lyft wanted $60 for the 2.5 mile journey. We walked all over downtown stopping in at bars while we waited for cabs that never arrived. Mardi gras parades were playing havoc with Taxis and buses. We ended up having dinner in a restaurant called Juan’s flying burrito. With a name like that, what self-respecting music fan could turn down the offer of Cajun inspired Mexican food??

Once we realised that we wouldn’t get to Tipitinas, everyone relaxed and had a laugh and a few drinks. I asked for the bill and left my card. The waitress didn’t come back so I went to pay at the bar. Our waitress apologised profusely and comped us the meal. Result!! We headed back to the French Quarter and the Erin Rose.

Sunday morning we headed to Café Du Monde for Coffee and Beignets. I love this place. The coffee is delicious and the Beignets are sublime.

I asked the waitress if I could have more sugar for the Beignets but the irony was lost on her!

We walked through the French Market and I bought a hat. Not cheap but I paid considerably less than I would have at Myers, the hat guy.

We stopped at Laffite’s for a bathroom break and the obligatory Screwdriver. I was starting to get what healthy people mean when they stress the need to get plenty of vitamin C

We had a walk up Bourbon Street before Marko, Jeannie, Pat and I headed to The Commander’s Palace for lunch. We ate at K Paul’s on our last visit to New Orleans; this iconic venue has now sadly closed. The Commanders Palace was always the next on my list so I was really looking forward to it.

We arrived early so we crossed the road to check out the cemetery. Unfortunately, it was closed so we headed to the end of the block to watch the parade. Perhaps I am scarred by watching carnival parades when I was young, but I can’t really get excited by a daytime event. I must admit though that the version we saw was infinitely superior to the ones I witnessed in my youth. I love the sound of the marching bands. The loud drums and horns are awesome; I’m becoming the Tuba’s biggest fan! Pat and I stood back to watch. At the front was a black guy with his two young boys. He got his kids a prime spot to catch the goodies then stepped back a few yards where he could keep an eye on them. He then sparked up a fat old joint, Mardi gras baby!

The Commanders Palace was out of this world. We started with cocktails in the bar before being shown through into the dining room. Marko told the Maître d that I was celebrating my impending retirement. I got to wear the chef’s hat. The food was awesome! The service was out of this world. I can’t wait to return

That night, we had grandstand tickets for the Bacchus parade. We picked Steph up and headed for St Charles Street. When we eventually located our grandstand, we were told that the previous parade was running late so we would have to wait. Pat, Steph and I found a hotel bar to get a beer and watch the First Quarter of the Super bowl. We got back to take our seats and watch the parade. Apparently, actor Kevin Dillon reigned as Bacchus in the parade. I’ve never heard of him so didn’t notice him. I loved the marching bands and some of the floats were awesome. We were loaded down with beads and other stuff thrown from the floats. After a few hours, we’d seen enough so Pat and I headed back to the French Quarter. I heard Pat shouting at the top of her voice. Some guy had tried to dip her handbag. Fortunately, she noticed and her shouting caused him and his gang to back off!

Pat, Steph and I went to Curio on Royal Street. Steph hadn’t eaten so she ordered a bunch of appetisers which included crunchy Brussels sprouts! Btw, they were awesome. Marko and Jeannie joined us when the parade was finished. We headed to the Erin Rose to try out their frozen Irish coffee’s. They’re the future!! We walked Steph back to her hotel before turning in after a most excellent day.

Monday was Steph’s last day in New Orleans. We got an Uber to Tipitinas. I wanted to buy the Mardi gras 2024 Tie dye tee shirt. A guy let us in and chatted with us. I bought a bunch of tee shirts and, although I’m still yet to see a gig there, at least I can say I have been to Tipitinas. We headed for Magazine Street and Peaches records. It hadn’t opened so we went next door to Miss Ellie’s where I enjoyed a breakfast Screwdriver! Peaches records was a little disappointing. Prices were steep in general but I did pick up a couple of albums for a decent price and also bought a ludicrously expensive compilation of Brass band music. We headed further down Magazine Street and chose The Rum House for lunch. This place was busy! We had a great meal and some decent cocktails. I really enjoyed talking to Steph rather than exchanging WhatsApp messages. We checked out a couple of vintage shops before getting an Uber back to the French Quarter. Steph headed to the airport to fly back to LA. It was great to see her and sad to see her leave.

We had a parade booked for Monday night but Pat and I had seen enough. Marko and Jeannie watched. Pat and I had a beer in the hotel bar, dropped into the Erin Rose and then headed to Kerry’s Irish Bar on Decatur Street. I like this no frills bar. There was a guy playing guitar and singing and he was pretty damn good. Marko and Jeanne joined us when the parade finished. We headed down Decatur Street and had a meal in a place I can’t remember. We headed for Laffite’s for Screwdrivers, Man I love that place. Frozen Irish coffees at The Erin Rose provided a fitting end to a great day.

Tuesday was the official Mardi gras day. Pat and I headed to Fleur de Lys for breakfast. Once again, it was excellent. Marko and Jeanne were queuing to get in when we left. We walked down Decatur Street and picked up some coffee to take home. I tried, unsuccessfully, to get a hat box at the French Market. It was a beautiful day so we walked to Jackson Square to look at the awesome cathedral and watch the gathering Mardi gras hordes parading. We went To Pirates Alley and enjoyed cocktails before meeting Marko and Jeanne. We walked around the French Quarter enjoying the Mardi gras vibe. We had a last Screwdriver at Laffite’s before taking a walk up Bourbon Street to get a last drink in The Erin Rose.

Marko and Jeanne got a cab to the airport. It was fantastic to see them I felt truly humbled that they came To New Orleans to help me celebrate my 60^th birthday.

On our last night in New Orleans we headed to the Hotel bar. The girl at the door was very rude, not wanting to let us in if we hadn’t booked a table. We ignored her and had a drink at the bar. We had a drink in the Erin Rose but it was chaotic. We headed to Kerry’s on Decatur Street; Bourbon Street looked like Dante’s 9^th circle of hell! Kerry’s was pretty full and there was no live music. We had a few drinks in there and talked about the highlights of our trip. Everywhere was really busy with it being ‘Fat Tuesday’ so I booked a table in the Hotel bar and headed back there. The girl who was so rude earlier ended up as our waitress. We had waited 90 minutes for our food and I had to go to the bar to order drinks. I asked to see the Manager. I don’t like complaining, I know how hard staff have to work, but tonight stretched my patience to breaking point. The food arrived and was absolutely superb. We were comped the meal which was a gracious gesture.

The next morning, we had breakfast then headed for the airport. Pat said to me ‘we need to come back don’t we?’  I couldn’t agree more. This was our third visit to New Orleans and it gets better each time. Spending time with Marko and Jeanne was fantastic. Stephanie joining us was an unexpected bonus. I hope that Caitlin and Callum will come with us the next time we visit. I know that they will love it!

I retire next week. I have worked for the same company for 44 years. I was 16 years old when I first walked through the gates. I have had many different jobs and worked on many different Projects. The only memories that I will treasure are of the many wonderful people I have met through work. Some people have had a profound influence on the way I think and behave. When I first met Alwyn Foster I called him sir, Sir…Sir??? He shouted! There are no fucking Sirs in this world son, Fosters the name, Alwyn fucking Foster! Mike Salmon was the best boss I ever had. He taught me so much about people and told me stories about his time in New York that made me desperate to visit. Tom Scott and Bill Gallagher were proper Shipbuilders; I would have done anything that they asked of me.

I have no grand plans for retirement. I would love to travel more but I won’t have the money to do all I would like to. One thing for sure, music will be at the centre of everything I do.

Caitlin and Callum get married in September. I hope they will be as happy as Pat and I.

We will surely see a new government this year. Unfortunately, Keir Starmer’s Labour party are just Tory lite. They won’t reverse Brexit, they will continue to privatise the NHS by stealth and they will quietly ditch green policies.

To end on a positive note, we have already got a good number of gigs booked for the year. We have also got a week booked in West Yorkshire, a place that we both love. Steph and Malachy are moving to Kingston, New York. Their new place is only 15 miles from Woodstock and less than two hours away from Manhattan. I’m already starting to plan a trip…………………….

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It’s been 9 months or so since I last wrote a blog. Nine months is the gestation period of humans. I can’t promise anything quite so miraculous but can assure you that the act of conception for this piece will take an awful lot longer than that of the average male.

It seems appropriate at this time to review the past year. 2023 has been a challenging year. Remarkably, the UK has managed to go a year with only one Prime Minister! Unfortunately that has not been down to a more competent, credible government. Far from it, The Tory party leans further and further to the right and has continued to try and appeal to the populism that characterised Boris Johnson’s government. The continuing saga of “stopping the boats” sickens me. Immigration is not quite the issue that the Tory party wants us to believe. Anyone who has been treated by the NHS recently knows that it survives due to the large number of Doctors, Nurses and other staff who are immigrants. Many people owe their lives to these dedicated people. Similarly, anyone who has needed or has parents or relatives that have needed care workers will appreciate that this sector only survives due to the number of immigrants who work in it. We live in a time of low unemployment, immigrants aren’t taking ‘British’ people’s jobs. On the contrary, immigrants form an essential part of the workforce across many sectors of the economy. Inciting racism is disgusting. Nelson Mandela said “No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite”  

The other ever present in 2023 is war. Ukraine’s war against Russia has been displaced from the front pages by Israel’s war against Hamas. I won’t comment on the rights or wrongs of either conflict, I will only say that I have ceased to watch the News. The scenes of human suffering truly horrify me. Surely the human race is better than this? War will only lead to more economic and political refugees which will further inflame right wing political parties worldwide.

Personally, 2023 was a mixed bag. Dominating everything was the passing of my Dad on September 16^th. He had been suffering with Alzheimer’s for a couple of years but was still living on his own and managing to cope with support from carers, and particularly, my Brother and my wife. He was admitted to hospital with a water infection which couldn’t be cleared and he passed away from old age. This sad event put paid to a trip to New York with Caitlin and Callum, but we can do that another time. The New York trip was to celebrate Caitlin finishing her degree and qualifying as a Midwife. She managed to get a First and Pat and I are very, very proud of her. She has now started work at Whiston hospital in Merseyside and is living in Crosby, Liverpool. We did manage to spend four days in Barcelona where we met up with Marko, Jeanne, and their kids Larson and Liv. This was our second visit but the first time was only a day trip so it was fantastic to get to know the place a bit better. I really enjoyed visiting the Segrada Familia. It is a truly magnificent building. I honestly believe that it couldn’t be built today. The skills of the Masons are breathtaking.

I also thoroughly enjoyed visiting many excellent record shops and vintage stores. We ate great food and drank in some cool bars. I would happily return but will visit other Spanish cities first.

I actually made a New Year’s resolution for 2023. I think that’s a first for me. My New Year’s resolution was to see a gig every month in 2023. Hardly earth shattering I know, but it did keep me focussed all year and also resulted in us visiting some of the iconic venues that have been on my must see list for a good while.

 I wrote about the January and February gigs in my last blog (Peter Kay and (the sublime) Suzanne Vega) so I’m not going to write any more about those shows. March saw us making a welcome return to one our favourite cities, namely Leeds. It had been too long since our last visit so it felt good to get back. The gig was on a Sunday so it was a good excuse to book the Monday off work. We checked into our hotel and headed into the city centre. Pat went shopping, I headed for Crash records on The Headrow. Many of Leeds best record shops are closed on Sundays but Crash was open. Unfortunately, only the new records part of the shop was open. The basement where the second hand stuff is was closed. I half-heartedly flicked through the new albums but there was nothing that caught my eye so I headed for The Corn Exchange to check out vintage clothes and explore Released records. This was much more to my taste and I picked up four albums including the debut album by Rage against the Machine which I had been searching for. After checking out a few vintage shops in the area I headed back to the Headrow and met Pat in The Horse and Trumpet. I like this old style pub as it has a clientele that spans all age groups, serves great beer and is cheap for a city centre pub. We checked out a few other bars a little outside the centre that we had never tried before.

The gig was at a venue that I have been dying to visit, The Brudenell Social Club. I’ve tried to get tickets a good few times but they sell out so quickly. Our niece Steph lived close by when she was a student in Leeds and used to go regularly. She said it was a great venue but the area was not the safest. We were seeing Will Sheff who was the leader of Austin, Texas Band Okkervil River. He had recently split up the band and released his first solo album. Okkervil River record an album with the great Roky Erickson, True love casts out all evil, which is one of my favourite albums. Roky’s story is really tragic and is worth checking out.

Brudenell Social club was as good as I imagined, the crowd in there were really good and really friendly, oh, and the area was fine. Will Sheff played a really good show with many Okkervil River songs as well as his solo stuff. Part of me wanted to hang around after the show to talk to Will about Roky Erikson but that may have seemed rude to Will and would have been unfair to other punters as I had so many questions. I hope to return to this great venue in 2024 so will be checking out gig listings

April saw us visit one of our favourite towns, Bury. We had tickets to see Naomi Bedford and the Ramshackle band. I was not familiar with her music but the biog on The Met theatre website persuaded me to buy tickets as I really liked the description of the band and the fact that Naomi’s partner Paul Simmonds was also a member of The Men they couldn’t hang sealed the deal. The date was April 22^nd which happened to be Record Store Day. I scoured the RSD releases and the only one that I really wanted was an Alex Chilton album. I headed straight to Wax and Beans, Bury’s excellent record shop. I was disappointed to see that the queue was very long. A guy came along and asked what album I was looking for. I told him and he confirmed that they had a copy in stock. I queued for nearly an hour and was still not in immediate danger of getting in to the shop so I cut my losses and headed for the Two Tubs for a few pints. We enjoyed visiting several more of Bury’s finest pubs before heading back to the hotel for a power nap. When we arrived at the venue I was disappointed to find that the show had been moved from the Derby Hall which is the main theatre to the smaller Box theatre. I guess ticket sales dictated the move, I had front row seats but the Box theatre is open seating so I missed out there! The show was excellent. Naomi was backed by two acoustic guitarists and a Banjo player, all were excellent musicians. I didn’t know any of the songs but it didn’t matter. Naomi came across as really friendly and I wouldn’t hesitate to see another show if I see her touring again. After the show, I bought a few CD’s as touring musicians rely on merchandise sales to supplement earnings. All are really good. We had a few post show drinks around Bury before returning to the hotel. A great day!

May’s gig took place in Barrow. Only a short hop across Walney Bridge and onto the mainland for us. The show was John Cooper Clarke at the Forum. I liked John Cooper Clarke when I first heard him at Gims’ house. He had the Psycle Sluts EP. I had pretty much lost touch with him aside from his occasional Sugar Puffs commercials. I read his autobiography in 2022,which is excellent. When I saw he was playing Barrow, I ordered tickets. The Forum is a decent venue with a capacity of around 500. Sadly, the majority of shows there are tribute acts so we don’t go too often. The JCC show was a sell-out. Support was provided by his friend and fellow Mancunian Mike Garry. The following was taken from Mike’s website;

Described by iconic designer Peter Saville as “a genius”, Mike’s work focuses on the city and its people, championing the underdog and finding beauty amongst the ugliness and triumph amongst tragedy. He has performed his poetry since 1995 and has worked in the USA, Hong Kong, and throughout Europe and has been on continuous tours with John Cooper Clark since 2011.

He also performs in Prisons, Mental Health Units, and Children’s Homes and is passionate about bringing live poetry to places it wouldn’t normally reach. He was a Poet in Residence at Kendal Calling, Strangeways Prison and regularly performs at festivals like Latitude, Isle of White and Festival Number 6. His poems have been published in numerous newspapers, and magazines and read on TV and radio.

I really enjoyed his poems and stories. He finished with his tribute to Factory records supremo Tony Wilson, St. Anthony. This was very moving indeed.

I enjoyed John Cooper Clarke but perhaps I suffered from a poetry OD. It was good to hear a lot of his familiar material such as Twat and Beesley street however I thought he delivery was too fast at times. It was good to see a national act at the Forum and fantastic that Barrovians made the show a sell-out.

June saw us returning to Bury to finally see Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express. This show had been cancelled 3 times! Twice due to Covid and once due to Chuck being ill. I got an unpleasant surprise when trying to book our usual hotel as I was quoted £120/night, more than double the usual rate. This was due to a festival in Heaton Park Manchester. I ended up booking a hotel in Bolton as there is a regular bus service between the two towns.

Colleagues at work looked horrified when I told them we were staying in Bolton. They said it was a dying town full of miserable people. Caitlin and Callum are season ticket holders at Bolton Wanderers but never visit the town centre as the ground is now on a retail park off the M6. We checked in our hotel which seemed excellent value and walked into the town centre. We called in a record shop on route which had excellent reviews on Google. I didn’t last long in there, prices were more like those I’d expect to see in an Estate agents window! Even if I had negotiated a 50% discount, prices would still have been higher than those on offer with Discogs. We walked around the town centre, it was a Sunday but most of the shops were open and there were plenty of folk around. We found Ye olde Man & Scythe, a pub that was first mentioned in a charter from 1251, the pub was then rebuilt in 1636! The pub boasted an excellent selection of beers. The locals in there were a friendly bunch who kept us entertained. We visited a couple more pubs and had a meal. Everywhere was busy and people were friendly.

We took an Uber to Bury which cost less than a tenner. We sat outside Automatic, the bar attached to the Met and enjoyed a couple of pints. Chuck Prophet was excellent and played for 2 ½ hours. It was the second time we’ve seen him and the first chance to hear songs from his 2020 album The Land that time forgot in a live setting. Chuck is a brilliant guitarist and well worth checking out if you get the chance.

(333) Chuck Prophet & The Mission Express “You Did (Bomp Shooby Dooby Bomp)” Paris 2023 – YouTube

July saw us visiting one of my favourite venues which happens to be in one of my least favourite cities. The gig was Generation Sex at Manchester Apollo. I started off the afternoon visiting a few of the record shops in the Northern Quarter. I couldn’t find anything that I was looking for or anything else for that matter. There was a good selection, but I find Manchester record shops on the expensive side. As it was raining in Manchester for a change, we headed to the Oyster bar for a few beers. There is always a good selection of beers on tap and we even ate in there.

I was really looking forward to the gig. Generation Sex are a ‘Supergroup’ consisting of Billy Idol and Tony James from Generation X and Steve Jones and Paul Cook from the Sex Pistols. As you would expect, the setlist was a mixture of Gen X and Sex Pistols song with the odd Billy Idol solo song thrown in. I enjoyed the show but Steve Jones seemed to be going through the motions. Billy Idol tried to keep everything going but I got the impression that it would be better to see one of his solo shows.

Pretty Vacant

Ready Steady go

Wild Youth

Bodies

Untouchables

Black Leather

Kiss me deadly

Dancing with myself

Silly thing

King Rocker

God Save the Queen

My Way

Encore

Problems

(I’m not your) Stepping stone

The greatest Rock’n’Roll swindle

When we got back to our hotel, there was a group of six younger people at the bar. They were obviously together but, instead of getting a round, they all bought their own drinks. I got pissed off waiting so went to bed early. I fucking hate Manchester!

(334) Generation Sex – The Greatest Rock N Roll Swindle – Manchester Apollo 11 July 2023 – YouTube

July ended with the aforementioned trip to Barcelona. August saw me fulfil another ambition.

We got to see a gig at The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge. I’ve wanted to visit this legendary venue since I first read about it. Every time I had tried to get tickets, they were already sold out. I was over the moon when I saw that one of my favourite bands were playing there, Hurray for the Riff Raff. They were supposed to play at Barrow library a couple of years ago but the show was cancelled so I was delighted to get tickets for the Trades club show. We stayed at The White Lion hotel. It was worth every penny of the £150/night price. Car parking is free, the rooms are excellent and the freshly cooked breakfast was delicious. The pub itself is excellent with a good choice of beers and the food is excellent. We had a walk around Hebden Bridge which was quiet as it was a Sunday. We had a couple of beers in one of the other pubs but happily returned to finish off the afternoon in the White Hart.

We arrived early at the Trades club but the bar was already busy. Drink Prices are really cheap, the food looked excellent and the punters were a friendly bunch. The support act was Katie Malco. She came onstage with just an electric guitar looking and sounding extremely nervous. She was given a warm reaction by the crowd who paid attention all the way through her set. She visibly grew in confidence and clearly enjoyed the gig. I bought her latest album on vinyl from her which is very good. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for future releases.

Hurray for the Riff Raff played as a duo, singer Alynda Segarra and her guitarist who I didn’t catch his name. It was a fantastic show. The sell-out crowd were really into the music and Alynda clearly enjoyed herself. I hope to see the full band if they tour the UK next year.

I will also be trawling the Trades club website as I definitely want to see another show at this great venue.

For Septembers gig it was a trip to our favourite city. The show was Dexys at the Liverpool Philharmonic. We stayed at a Holiday Inn on Albert Dock. After checking in we walked into the city. I was struck by the number of tourists from all over the world walking around Albert Dock. There are many bars and restaurants and The Beatles museum is located there. While Pat went shopping I headed for Dig Vinyl and invested in a few albums before adjourning to The Globe for a pint. I used to love this small, friendly pub but have somewhat fallen out with it as its Instagram feed is always full of Koppites. We then walked back towards Albert Dock and stopped in at The Baltic Fleet, one of Liverpool’s best pubs.

We ate at a place next to our hotel. The food was OK but was slightly marred by being charged £7 for a pint for lager! Memo to self, avoid drinking on Albert Dock.

Prior to the gig we went for a beer in one of my favourite pubs on Earth, Ye Cracke. This place on Rice Street is where John Lennon took Cynthia on their first date. There is always a diverse, interesting set of punters in here. The juke box is ace and the art work (much of it for sale) on the walls is brilliant.

I love the Philharmonic theatre. It has great acoustics and the view is good from all of the seats. I was really looking forward to the Dexys show. I think their latest album, The Feminine Divine is excellent. Sadly, the show didn’t live up to my expectations. The band was just two keyboardists, a drummer and a trombonist. There was also a female backing singer/violinist. This gave the show more of a Karaoke feel than a gig. Kevin Rowland was very good but I still couldn’t get into the show. The first half saw them play the Feminine Devine in full. The second half saw the band playing a decent selection of older Dexy’s classics. Predictably, the show finished with Come on Eileen which had the crowd up dancing and singing along. The first encore was Geno, a song that I love. It would have really benefitted from a full band belting it out but……..

I was in a minority, the crowd loved the show. Friends on Twitter raved about it. Maybe, we were not in the right frame of mind. My Dad was in hospital and we were getting ready to fly to New York.

(335) Dexys “Geno” @ Liverpool Philharmonic 07/09/23 – YouTube

As I mentioned earlier, my Dad passed away 9 days after the show. The rest of September passed in sadness. I wrote the Eulogy which was cathartic in a way and brought it home to me what a fantastic person he was. Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease.

After the trauma of September it was good to get back to whatever passes as normality. My Dad’s passing made my mind up so I started October by giving my boss six months’ notice that I was taking early retirement. Octobers gig saw us visiting a venue that I have been meaning to check out for ages. The Brewery Arts centre at Kendal is less than an hour away and attracts some really good acts. The show we had tickets for was Kirsten Hersh. The former Throwing Muses leader is now an author and solo artist. Her latest album Clear Pond Road is probably my favourite new album of 2023 although my latest purchase False Lankum by Lankum is posting a late challenge. A traffic accident outside of Ulverston turned an easy 45 minute drive into a ninety minute nightmare. We arrived at the venue with only 10 minutes to spare. I was disappointed that there were only about 50 people at the show. This is insulting considering Kirsten Hersh’s status. I had read reviews of her tour, she was playing two sets and reading passages from her book. Probably due to the small audience, she only played one set with no book reading. That said, it was a great show. Kirsten was accompanied by Pete Harvey on Cello. She played songs from Clear Pond Road as well as her other solo albums and a few Throwing Muses classics. I really enjoyed the show but the small crowd depressed me. I notice that The Brewery Arts centre is booking an increasing number of tribute acts. I know they have a place but it is a sad reflection on people’s tastes when tribute shows outnumber those by original artists.

November saw us back in Manchester but thankfully not in the city centre. The gig was at the Lowry theatre on Salford Quays so we booked a hotel there. After checking in we decided to explore Salford Quays as we had not been there in years. Manchester United were at home so there were people from all over the world sporting the latest replica kits heading to Old Trafford. Fortunately, it was a warm, sunny November day ( are you reading climate change deniers?) so we found a table outside a bar. Everywhere was full of United fans.

It was our first visit to the Lowry theatre. We have been to the art gallery but had never seen a show there. Tonight’s band were Robert Plant and Saving Grace. I first saw Robert Plant at Knebworth 1979 with the mighty Led Zeppelin. Since then I have seen Page and Plant twice and this was to be my fourth or fifth time seeing him solo. I didn’t think he would ever beat the shows he did with Band of Joy but I was delighted to be proved wrong. This show was undoubtedly the standout gig of 2023. Plant was magnificent, the band were magnificent and co-vocalist Suzi Dian was superb. The show was a sell-out, the theatre was superb and the show was awesome. We had a beer nearby after the show before returning to our hotel. We got drinks in the bar and I sat down to watch highlights of the Everton game on the TV. There was a table of Southern United fans next to us. One of them started to loudly give his opinion about Everton Football club. Pat walked over, smacked him ‘round the back of his head and told him to keep his opinions to himself. God I love that woman!!

Gospel Plow

The Cuckoo

Let the four winds blow

Friends

Is that you

Too far from you

May Queen

Everybody’s song

It’s a beautiful day today

The Rain song

As I roved out

It don’t bother me

Four sticks

Angel Dance

Encore

House of Cards

Gallows Pole

And we bid you goodnight

(336) 4K – Gallows Pole – Robert Plant & Saving Grace feat Suzi Dian – Lignano Sabbiadoro 2023 – YouTube

So we finally got to December, one more gig to achieve my New Year’s resolution. I struggled finding anything that I fancied. After a Google search, I saw that The Jools Holland Rhythm and Blues Orchestra were playing Manchester Apollo on 22^nd December. We decided to have a blow out so, with the aid of Tesco Clubcard points we booked a night in The Midland Hotel in Manchester. We normally go for a Premier Inn as Manchester Hotel prices are ludicrous but, what the hell, it’s Christmas! After driving around Manchester for ages trying to find the car park we dropped our bags at the hotel and headed out for a beer or 10. As per normal in Manchester, the weather was lousy. We headed towards Deansgate Locks and went in a pub called The Deansgate. It was an OK pub but £13.50 for two pints, really?? We then went to a pub that Callum had recommended The Peveril of the Peak. The pub is ok, sort of student chic. The clientele, however, were a bunch of nobs in the main. Again, £12 for two pints was steep. Next up was another Callum recommendation, The Britons Protection. We realised when we got in there that we had been in before. I think we were going to see Imelda May at the Bridgewater theatre the last time we were in there. I remember being stood next to Neil Morrisey of Men Behaving Badly fame. It’s an OK pub but £12 for two pints is too steep. It was a pleasure to find actual pubs in central Manchester rather than bars but the beer prices are ridiculous. Similar Liverpool pubs are much cheaper and the clientele friendlier.

We walked to Chinatown and had a great meal before heading back to the Midland to change.

We got to the Apollo early and headed to the bar to drink ridiculously overpriced wine. The show was excellent. Jools was great and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra were fabulous. Of the guest vocalists, ex Selecter front person Pauline Black was a standout. She was accompanied by her bandmate Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson, they certainly got the crowd up singing and dancing. Jools’ stalwart Ruby Turner finished the show and as usual she was excellent. A really enjoyable show and a great way to end our musical year. We headed back to the Midland and ordered cocktails. £30 for two drinks felt like par for the course! The hotel was superb. Our room was immaculate, staff were good and the breakfast was awesome. I still fucking hate Manchester though!

(337) Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra- Blueberry Hill- Manchester Apollo – 22 December 2023 – YouTube

I feel proud of myself in sticking with and achieving my New Year’s resolution. I don’t think making them will become a habit but I enjoyed it this year. My top 3 gigs of the Year were

1. Robert Plant
2. Suzanne Vega
3. Hurray for the Riff Raff

Leaving Jools Holland out of the top 3 was tough but the Trades Club tipped in Alynda’s favour!

As I type, it’s Saturday 30^th December 2023 so the year is pretty much over. Like most years, it’s been a mix of highs and lows like. Caitlin qualifying as a Midwife and starting work for the NHS, Britain’s greatest institution, was the undoubted highlight. Pat and I are so proud of the effort she has put in. Losing my Dad was the low point. It’s a horrible feeling realising that both of my parents have passed. My Dad and I disagreed about politics, we disagreed about Football, he was a koppite, I’m a Bluenose so opposites in many ways. I looked up to him more than anyone. He gave me so much wise advice over the years.

On a less personal note, 2023 has been truly frightening when considering the world we live in. Two major wars and the threat of China capitalising on the West being distracted by events in Palestine and Ukraine are terrifying. At home, it seems we are witnessing the death throes of this cruel Conservative government. Sadly, The Labour party led by the underwhelming Kier Starmer only promise policies that are a lighter shade of Blue. As a nation we must fight to preserve our NHS. The Tories are desperate to privatise it. This will help them achieve the Holy Grail of a Trade deal with the USA which will, in turn, justify Brexit. Ask Americans how much Health insurance costs. If that’s what you truly believe is the way forward then kiss any retirement plans you have goodbye. You will be working until you die and will need to continually downsize to afford your ever increasing insurance premiums. Perhaps you should reflect on this as you sip on your pint of wine.

2024 will see Pat and I retiring. We have no concrete plans but you can bet that travel and music will be at the fore front.

Well, it’s March and Spring is on the way. We’ve had another mild winter in the North West thus far. I think we’ve only had snow once on Walney Island.

This week has seen the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine. Hundreds and thousands of lives have been lost. Cities and homes have been decimated and families ripped asunder. Sadly, the only winners are defence companies who are seeing their profits and order books swell. Tory politicians take the opportunity to blame all their failures on the war. Fuel prices in the UK are crippling, people are dying because they can’t afford to heat their homes. It’s because of the war say the government. Why are we paying 3 to 4 times more than the rest of Europe then you twats? Brexiteers blame the war for the shit storm they have caused. While we’re on Brexit, fresh fruit and vegetables are in short supply in England. Supermarkets are limiting the amount customers can buy to avoid further shortages. This is down to bad weather affecting crops claim the Tories and the Brexiteers. Shelves are full in Europe. Wake up people, you are being lied to. They control you by making out that left leaning parties and politicians are evil and dedicated to making you worse off. Please, please, open your eyes before it is too late. You are being raped to make the rich richer. They hate you and laugh at your gullibility.

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. I don’t like to fail and they feel like an invitation to do so. I prefer to approach each New Year with a set of goals to aim for that is realistically achievable but won’t be the end of the world if they are not attained. This year, I aim to try and see a gig every month. I don’t have a regular social routine anymore so setting such a monthly goal is both realistic and desirable.   So, January’s gig was not music. We had tickets to see Peter Kay. Some will say that this show doesn’t qualify as a gig. Fair play to them but it was a gig to me and I’m judge and jury as to whether I achieve my goal.

We headed to Caitlin’s place in Crosby. It was great to stay in Liverpool at the weekend without paying crippling hotel prices. We headed to the M&S Bank arena via Uber. I enjoyed the journey into Liverpool. Kirkdale brought back memories of Everton trips. Definitely not the safest neighbourhood to visit but I only have good memories of the pub next to the station and the chippy that fuelled us up for the journey home after the game.

We had a couple of pints in the Central before heading for a  pre-show curry at the Sultan’s Palace on Victoria street. I would happily eat there again. Both food and service were excellent.

I normally hate attending arena shows, they are soulless places that are dedicated to making money rather than to the comfort and enjoyment of the audience. In fairness, The Liverpool arena is one of the better ones although drink and food choice is poor and priced extortionately. Our seats were good and the people sat by us were both friendly and funny.

We had booked to see Peter Kay in 2018 only for him to cancel the tour at short notice with no explanation given as to why. There has been much press speculation as to why the comic had all but disappeared from public view. When the new tour was unexpectedly announced, demand for tickets was enormous. The tour is booked up to 2025!

The show itself was brilliant. He did two sets, both around an hour long. Midway through the first set there was a pause while a heckler was removed from the audience. Kay dealt with this very professionally and therefore it didn’t spoil the show in any way.

It must be said that a significant part of the show was given up to re-hashing old themes. There was nostalgic singalongs of old TV commercials, singing mis-heard lyrics to popular songs both of which were very funny. Garlic bread made a cameo as did Uncle Nobhead. Kay fondly remembers his recently deceased 96 year old Nan and his funny stories about her are brilliant. The encores are spectacular and everyone leaves happy.

Post show, we adjourned to one of our favourite Liverpool pubs. The Baltic Fleet has a great selection of beers and always seems to have friendly punters.

We ventured back to Crosby a couple of weeks ago to see Caitlin and took the dog with us. We headed to Sefton Park in South Liverpool and enjoyed a walk with thousands of others enjoying the mild, dry weather

After an enjoyable walk around the park it was time for me to tick off one of my bucket list items. As a music lover I love to visit places associated with artists I love or admire. Liverpool boasts some fantastic bands but one stands out above all others

We headed back to Crosby and checked out Collect and Survive records on South Road. I loved this place. I found a copy of Shakedown street by the Grateful Dead in mint condition for a very reasonable price. I also picked up Pelican West by Haircut 100 and a Jason and the Scorchers album, both in mint condition at great prices. There is a large selection of collectable records, some at eye watering prices, which will appeal to the serious collector. The owner Allan is a really nice guy who I could have chatted to all day. I’ll definitely be back!!

The record shop is above a great bookshop called Write blend. Caitlin and I spent some time in there after I had finished buying records. It had a good selection of local books on offer as well as the normal book shop fayre. It was good to buy a few books and support another local business. I believe that the future of Britain’s High streets is independent shops and we should all try and support such noble enterprises.

The Bookshop

We believe independent shops are the heart of Liverpool and our bookshop is no different!

Write Blend is full to bursting with quality fiction and non fiction titles. The latest bestsellers jostle for attention with classics and modern classics. Authors you know and love are alongside new authors you may not have heard of, but soon will.

Our children’s section has one of the finest selections around of books for readers of all ages. There is also comfortable seating to allow young bibliophiles to inspect their purchases and plan their next ones!

We also sell a lovely selection of bespoke cards and gifts in store!

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We had a gig booked for February which I was really looking forward to. Suzanne Vega at the Sage theatre, Gateshead.

I didn’t check the Premier league fixture list before booking tickets. When I went to book a hotel in Newcastle I was shocked at the prices until I realised the Horse Punchers were playing the Koppite scummers that night. I ended up booking a Holiday inn in Jesmond. Definitely not cheap, but the same price as a Travelodge on the Quayside.

We checked in the hotel and went out for a walk to find the restaurant I had booked for later that night. After walking around lost for twenty minutes I dived into the first pub I saw to get out of the pissing rain.

The Cog and Wheel was a bad choice. It was packed out. No real ale and expensive. There were no seats so we sat outside under an umbrella. The clientele were much younger than us but didn’t seem to be enjoying life the same way that we did at their age.

It turned out we had taken a wrong turning and had walked in a big circle. The restaurant was only 5 minutes away. There was a pub next door called The Carriage which boasted a Vegan menu. This was a great pub. I started with a pint of Double Maxim which was a healthy 4.8 ABV. I followed up with a pint of Rivet Catcher at a slightly more sensible 4.5% ABV. Pat was enjoying the impressive Cider menu and tried one at an impressive 6.8 ABV! I stayed with the Rivet Catcher as it was damned good. There weren’t too many people in. There was a few horse punchers enjoying pre game beers but they were well behaved.

The Vegan menu looked good even to we dedicated carnivores and we would both happily eat at the Carriage should we get the chance to return.

After a quick power nap and a shower we headed for The Valley junction 397. This is an Indian restaurant, part of which is housed in an old railway carriage.  Despite it only being 6.0 pm the place was packed. The food was excellent and reasonably priced for somewhere promoted as an ‘upmarket Indian restaurant’. There is nothing better than going for a curry after you have had a few beers and are in a relaxed mood.

We took an Uber to the Sage theatre in Gateshead. This is one of the best venues for live music that we have been too. The setting is fantastic, overlooking the Tyne and the bright lights of the Newcastle Quayside. The seats are comfortable and the acoustics are incredible.

Sadly we missed support act Sam Lee. I don’t normally watch support acts but I really enjoyed Sam Lee’s last album.

We enjoyed a pre-show drink before finding our seats. Suzanne Vega started with Marlene on the wall which is my favourite song of hers. Gerry Leonard accompanied Vega on electric guitar. He was superb with a deft touch that never overshadowed her performance. The show was fantastic, highlighting just what a great songwriter she is. Left of centre, In Liverpool, Tom’s Diner and Luka were other set highlights. Her first encore was a cover of Lou Reed’s Walk on the wild side. Life doesn’t get much better.

Setlist

Marlene on the Wall

Small Blue Thing

Caramel

Gypsy

In Liverpool

The Queen and the Soldier

When Heroes Go Down

(featuring Lipstick Vogue by Elvis Costello)

Rock in This Pocket (Song of David)

Last Train from Mariupol

Solitude Standing

Left of Center

I Never Wear White

Some Journey

Luka

Tom’s Diner

Encore:

Walk on the Wild Side

Tombstone

Rosemary

Post show we walked across the Millenium bridge into Newcastle. We had a beer in the Offshore. It was surprisingly quiet for a Saturday night. I had a pint of Beavertown which wasn’t bad at all. We called an Uber and headed back to Jesmond. It was funny watching the youth of Newcastle wearing little more than swimming costumes on a cold, wet night as they crawled the fleshpots of the city centre.

Back at the hotel, we had a last drink before heading off to bed.

We had a good breakfast at the hotel before heading back home. I enjoy visiting Newcastle but I think that, increasingly, it is becoming a destination for young people. I don’t mind this but equally I’m sad that the Geordie heritage is fading. Amongst the many tribes of England – Scousers, Cockneys and Geordies reigned supreme. The Geordie accent is softening, as is the Scouse one. Cockneys are also now much softer spoken. I’m sure there are enclaves where these native tongues are still spoken in their purest form but they are moving away from their traditional heartlands and becoming sadly marginalised.

When I’m in Newcastle and I look over the Tyne I always think of Tom Scott. A great man, a great shipbuilder. Tom, you were a profound influence on me both professionally and personally. RIP bonny lad.

We’re off to Leeds tomorrow to see Will Sheff. The March gig comes early in the month. Sickeningly, the early game on Sky tomorrow is Notts Forest v Everton. A real relegation battle. Sadly, as Leeds are fellow relegation strugglers, I’ll have to be careful where I watch the game.

  Cherie Curie is playing Blackpool in a couple of weeks. There are two drawbacks to this

1. It’s a midweek show and I don’t want to take time off work
2. It’s in Blackpool

I fell in love with Cherie Curie the first time I heard The Runaways. She has not really had a career in music since leaving the band which is understandable when you read her autobiography. Parts of the book are truly harrowing. Still, Cherie’s a trooper and she has a successful career as a chainsaw artist.

I’ve not totally given up on going to the show.

Just in case anyone was wondering. Newcastle fans are known as horse punchers due to one of their fans being convicted of punching a police horse.

It’s difficult to know where to start when looking back over 2022. There were many positives; Caitlin moved into a new flat in Crosby, North Liverpool for her final year at University. It’s much, much better than the student accomodation she had in her first two years and is a much shorter drive to her placement hospital. I love walking along Crosby beach when we visit, Anthony Gormley’s Another Place never ceases to amaze me.

We managed to finally take our much postponed trip to the USA. It was great to get back to the States, great to see friends there and great to visit New Mexico for the first time.

We also saw a good few gigs including Bob Dylan.

On the downside, we had three Prime Ministers. I was delighted to see the back of the lying charlatan Boris Johnson. Liz Truss replaced him and in the seven weeks she was PM she managed to trash the economy and condem British people to many more years of punishing austerity. She has shown no contrition, in fact she appears to be proud of what she achieved!!!. Rishi Sunak is the latest encumbent. He inherits a poisoned chalice but, he wanted the job and has got his wish. He seems to want to portray himself as the tough guy who stood up to, and beat the unions. This is particularly distasteful when considering the plight of Nurses and other NHS workers. During the Covid pandemic, Sunak was happy to be photographed standing on the doorstep of 11 Downing street applauding their dedication. That counts for nothing now as he seeks to first defeat the Nurses and then privatise the NHS. Be afraid brothers and sisters. Be VERY afraid.

Johnson and his supporters claim that Sunak stabbed him in the back when, in fact, almost the whole cabinet resigned and told BJ his position was untenable. Sunak wasn’t even the first to resign.

Johnson is now lobbying behind Sunak’s back, looking to regain leadership of the Conservative party. What is most disturbing is the fact that most Conservative members would welcome him back with open arms! They are willing to forgive his blatant lying. He reminds me of Donald Trump and his supporters are like America’s Trumpers!

On the subject of the orange one, his tax returns were published today. Basically the most successful businessman in the world (according to himself) has hardly paid a dime in tax. His supporters still love him. I give up.

2022 in music

My life is all about the music. Anyone who knows me will not be surprised by that statement. I’ll start with my favourite albums released in 2022.

Songs of the recollection – Cowboy Junkies

Consists of cover versions of songs by artists such as David Bowie, Neil Young and the Rolling Stones.

(406) Cowboy Junkies “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” Official Video – YouTube

A very unusual head – The Slambovian Circus of Dreams

Difficult to categorise, kind of Psychedelic Folk Rock. A damn fine album

(409) Beez – I Know Where The Beez Have Gone – YouTube

A Southern gothic – Adia Victoria (technically released in 2021 but the vinyl version came out in 2022)

A big shout out to Marko for introducing me to Adia Victoria. Nashville Blues.

(406) Adia Victoria – Magnolia Blues [Official Music Video] – YouTube

The Sea Drift – The Delines

Willy Vlautin is too damn talented. Not content with being a great songwriter he is also a fantastic author. Amy Boone is an exellent singer.

(406) The Delines – Little Earl – YouTube

Crooked Tree – Molly Tuttle

I can see this album propelling Molly Tuttle to mainstream success. She is a virtuoso Bluegrass guitar player and a great songwriter. I’m hoping that she tours the UK in 2023

(406) Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway – Crooked Tree (Live) – YouTube

Dark enough to see the stars – Mary Gauthier

Mary Gauthier writing happy songs doesn’t feel right! The songs are of her usual high standard and I’m delighted she has found happiness with Jaimee Harris.

(406) Mary Gauthier – Dark Enough to See the Stars (Official Music Video) – YouTube

The Mary Wallopers – The Mary Wallopers

The Mary Wallopers are the best band to come out of Ireland since the Pogues. I look forward to seeing them live.

(406) The Mary Wallopers – ‘Frost Is All Over’ – YouTube

Nothing special – Will Sheff, Okkervil River

A first solo album from Will Sheff. I’m sad to see the end of Okkervil River but wish Will all the best as he is a quality artist.(408) Will Sheff – The Spiral Season (Official Video) – YouTube

Dear Scott – Michael Head and the red elastic band

Fantastic Singer/Songwriter from Liverpool. Formely of The Pale Fountains

(408) Michael Head & The Red Elastic Band – Broken Beauty (Official Video) – YouTube

Wet Leg – Wet Leg

Wet Leg are a new English band who are really good fun. I hope their flame doesn’t burn out too quickly like the band they remind me of, Lush.

(408) Wet Leg – Chaise Longue (Glastonbury 2022) – YouTube

I don’t think 2022 was a great year for new music but maybe that’s down to me getting older! January 2023 sees the realease of the new album from Margo Price which I have pre-ordered. February sees a new album from Jaimee Harris. I fear that Jaimee is not a distinctive enough singer nor a standout songwriter. I heard a couple of the new songs when we saw her in November and I’ll certainly buy her album and give it a go.

Since Covid, I keep a record of every I album I play which Is useful when looking back over the year. The album I played most in 2022 was

 The Wicker Man original soundtrack – Paul Giovanni.

 The artists I listened to most were ;

Bob Dylan

Grateful Dead

Mary Gauthier

Rolling Stones

Tom Waits

Neil Young

The Delines

Paul Giovanni

The Slambovian Circus of Dreams

The Stooges

In total, I listened to 587 albums

Live music

We had a few shows booked in early 2022. Our fist show was Lindisfarne at Bury Met. I always liked this band of Geordies and, in Alan Hull, they possessed one of England’s greatest songwriters. Alan Hull passed away in 1995 and only Rod Clements remains of the original band. Alan Hull’s son in law Dave Hull-Denhow plays in the band now keeping the flame alive. I was surprised how good they were, they played for two hours and the set spanned their full career.

The next two shows we were supposed to see were cancelled; The Animals featuring Maggie Bell and Chuck Prophet. I was particularly gutted about the Animals show as I love Maggie Bell.

Our next gig was back at Bury Met when we saw The Delines. It was really good to see Amy Boone walking freely. The last time we saw them, she needed a stick and was clearly struggling following a bad accident in Austin, Texas. This was another first class show from one of my favourite bands.

The Slambovian Circus of Dreams were next up at Manchester Rugby Club. If this sounds an unlikely venue, the reality is worse. It felt like Saturday night in a Working Mens club. I felt sorry for the band. Fortunately, the band didn’t seem to care and played two superb sets to a sell-out crowd. They had just played the Cropedy festival where they received rave reviews. I can’t understand why this great band are not far bigger. They have great songs and are excellent musicians.  Joziah Longo is the Main Songwriter, Lead vocalist and guitarist. He is one of the best frontmen around and was happy to talk to people in the audience between sets and at the end of the show. If you get the chance to see them, get tickets. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

(409) The Slambovian Circus of Dreams – A Very Unusual Head – YouTube

We finally made it to the USA in September. We had the trip cancelled twice due to COVID so it was great to finally get there. We visited San Antonio, Texas and Johnny Marr was playing the night we were there. I never liked The Smiths when they were big in the eighties and couldn’t understand why Johnny Marr was raved about as the next guitar hero. This gig showed me the error of my ways. He was absolutely superb. His guitar playing was awesome and he has tremendous stage presence. An absolute bargain at $35/ticket. He was over in the USA supporting The Killers. This was a night off hence the solo show.

(409) Johnny Marr – This Charming Man – 2022/04/01 – Gloucester Guildhall – YouTube

The following night we saw Enter Shikari in Austin, Texas. I don’t mind them but They’re not one of my favourite bands. Still, at $20/ticket it was a no brainer. Support band Trash Boat had their set interrupted by the mother of all thunderstorms but were decent enough. Enter Shikari were good but not great. Their stageshow seems contrived with singer Rou Reynolds stage diving and climbing the scaffolding. It was good fun but it was better appreciated by the young audience who didn’t seem fazed by an old fart like me in the crowd.

(430) Enter Shikari – Gandhi Mate, Gandhi (Live – Sydney, Roundhouse, 12 November 2022) – YouTube

Whilst waiting for our flight to take off on the way to the States I managed to get Bob Dylan tickets seconds before the “please set your phone to flight mode” announcement was made.

Despite being a huge fan, I’ve never seen Dylan before. I have always been put off by distinctly average live albums and less than complimentary reviews. I’m glad I got tickets because Bob was awesome. It was a ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’ moment. Seldom are you ever fortunate enough to be in the presence of true genius.

Our final two gigs of the year were both in London. I wrote about both shows in my last blog. Mary Gauthier is one of my favourite songwriters. I love her lyrics and her music and enjoy the sound that is made by acoustic guitar and violin, sparse but perfectly complementing Mary’s voice. The show was at the Union Chapel in Islington which is a venue we want to visit again. Perfect acoustics and friendly staff.

Cowboy Junkies are one of the best bands to come out of Canada. The antithesis of flashy, they play with an immersive intensity. The show was at the Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank which is an excellent theatre with excellent acoustics.

Reading

I have loved reading since I was a small child. My Grandad taught me to read by showing me the Football results in the Saturday ‘Pink’ Evening Mail. He read Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tales to me and I was hooked for life. 2022 saw me finally succumb to social media as I becamet addicted to Twitter. This somewhat curbed my reading but I still managed to get through 39 books. This broke down into fifteen biographies, eighteen novels and six non-fiction titles. Six of the biographies I read were music related with the pick being:

No Simple highway by Peter Richardson.

Debbie at work kindly loaned me this excellent book about The Grateful Dead.

Much as I loved this book, it left me regretting the fact that I left it too late to get into The Dead so I never got to see them live.

The pick of the other music biographies were

I love Richard Thompson. One of my favourite guitarists and a brilliant songwriter to boot. The reviews of this book put me off it. We saw him live just as the country re-opened post Covid. He read excerpts from Beeswing so I bought it and eventually got around to reading it. A great book about one of Englands finest musicians.

Another book that I took too long to get around to reading. Chrissie Hynde is a true Rock chick and you can’t help but like and admire her. I have started to listen to the Pretenders again and appreciate them more now I know the journey Chrissie took to get there.

Moving away from music. I really enjoyed Miriam Margolyes autobiography. No finer compliment can be made of an autobiography than knowing you would like the subject if you met them.

As you may imagine, this book is all about the life of a Caddie at St Andrews. What you may not expect is that this book is can be enjoyed by non Golf fans as well. A funny, truly moving story.

I like Stuart Maconie. I enjoy his Radio programmes and his books. This is is his finest work. I’m probably biased as I recognise the England he writes about. This should be a must read on school curriculums to show the young that a functioning, caring society that looks after everyone is not a utopian dream but a recent reality. If you are to read one of the books I have recommended, please make it this one.

Of the novels I read, there are four that I found excellent.

If you have never read any of Elizabeth Strout’s novels you would probably enjoy this book. If you have, it is another masterpiece.

Richard Osman’s debut novel, The Thursday Murder Club, was a huge success. Much as I enjoyed that book I found the ending deeply frustrating. I’m pleased to say that his sophomore effort is much better. The characters from his first book develop further and the story itself is very good. I can’t wait to read the new one.

Tremendous. It will be a lucky actress who gets to play Lynette

The fifth novel in the Cormoran Strike novels by Robert Galbaraith aka J K Rowling. I don’t agree with Ms Rowling’s views on Transgender people, however, I abhor the vitriol and ostracisation that has been directed at her . I really enjoy the Strike novels which started well and have got better and better. I can’t wait to read the 6^th.

Travel

We finally made it back to America for a holiday after two Covid related cancellations. I wrote about our trip in a recent blog so I will not labour on it. I have loved America since the first time I visited way back in 1984. I love Americans, the most welcoming, friendly people on God’s great earth. It was good to visit a couple of new States, I’ve visited sixteen now. We went Hot air ballooning, which was a first, and visited an Earthship community which offered a glimpse of sustainable living with all mod cons. We visited many bars in our unselfish mission to research the burgeoning Craft beer scene.

I also fulfilled a long held ambition to drink a Mad Dog Margarita in the Chili Parlour bar.

It was fantastic to see our Neice Stephanie, our friends Phil and Jenna and a real treat to spend time with Marko, Jeanne and their wonderful kids on their home turf.

I’m starting to think about our next trip to the States.

One downside to our trip was to see the affect of the Trump presidency at first hand. Regular people are a little more guarded now and those with more extreme views are louder and more strident in their belief that the world begins and ends in the USA.

It was fantastic to get back to London. We had two trips to the capital, our first visit in maybe seven years. It was fantastic to stay in Camden and drink in iconic music pubs like The Dublin Castle and the Good Mixer. We, had some great meals visited some new places and avoided most tourist hotspots.

Caitlin moved to Crosby in Liverpool in July. Her flat is a short walk to Anthony Gormley’s Another Place installation. I love to walk along Crosby beach and take in one of the world’s best pieces of art which enhances the already beautiful views.

We also managed a few trips to Bury, one our favourite places in England. It’s always a pleasure to have few beers in the Two Tubs and some of Bury’s other great pubs. The Met is my favourite place to see a bands. Small, great acoustics and good quality drinks at pub prices. We have a couple of trips booked in 2023 already

So, in summary, there were many highlights in 2022. Writing this blog has helped me to reflect on lots of happy times.

I have avoided mentioning sport, specifically the plight of Everton Football Club. I have been a fan all my life but have never experienced such lows. Sadly, I’m convinced we will be relegated in 2023 thus ending the longest stay in the top division.

In American Football, The Dolphins flattered to deceive for a while but decided that sucking was their go to place.

In Baseball, The Texas Rangers affiliated themselves with one of England’s finest bands, The Who???

My country has become an unpleasant place, divided by the farce of Brexit. The Tory party have failed and have descended so far that they have forced Nurses to take strike action. These are the same nurses that Tory politicians were happy to be photographed applauding for their unselfish efforts during the Covid crisis. Brexit has been such a horrendous failure that the Tory party are desperate for a trade deal with the USA. Privatisation of our NHS is the condition the American government puts on a deal. I hope British people firmly reject this but I fear that Tory gammons will convince their supporters that it is the right thing to do.

I could rail against many things but I prefer to focus on the positive.  Pat and I will try to see a gig every month in 2023. We are currently booked up through June. We also want to do a lot more travelling.

Caitlin will hopefully become a qualified Midwife and join Britain’s greatest institution, The NHS.

I hope y’all had a good 2022 and I wish you all the best for 2023.

It’s December which means that Christmas pretty much dominates. Shops play nauseating Christmas songs endlessly, Television adverts compete to liberate viewers from their hard earned cash and electricity bills are boosted by decorative lights everywhere. This year will be especially tough for many. Liz Truss’ short but disastrous reign as British Prime Minister has tanked the economy and forced another punishing spell of austerity. This is coupled with spiralling inflation and eye watering increases in domestic fuel bills. The Tory government blame the war in Ukraine for all these ills. Neither of the main political parties is prepared to admit that Brexit has been the disaster that most experts predicted. The right wing press similarly refuses to acknowledge the harm that Brexit has done. It’s difficult to see things improving next year; it’s far more likely that things will get considerably worse. Sunak may be forced to call a General election earlier than 2024 which will see the Labour party take over. There is no magic wand; whoever is the next PM will inherit a crock of shit with little hope of improving things quickly. Sunak will lose a confidence vote by his own party and riding over the hill on a white stallion will be…………………..Boris Johnson. Aaaarrgh!!!

Enough of this negativity, time for some much needed cheer. November was a month for music. As we sat on a plane waiting to fly to the USA in September, I was frantically scrambling to order tickets to see Bob Dylan before I had to switch my phone to airplane mode! On November 6^th I got to see him for the first time. Over the years I have had many friends come back from Dylan shows distinctly underwhelmed. One friend, a lifelong Dylan fan, had walked out of a gig halfway through. He said it finished him with Dylan. I love Bob’s latest album Rough and Rowdy ways. Reviews from shows on his latest tour have been universally positive yet I still felt a sense of trepidation as we queued outside Manchester Apollo on a wet Wednesday evening. It had taken three and a half hours to get to Manchester (it shouldn’t take more than two). Traffic in the city was horrendous. I really can’t take to the place.

I felt nervous when Bob took to the stage. He started with “watching the River Flow” followed by “Most Likely You Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine”. I thought he was off key, the band was not in sync and the sound was bad. By the third song, “I contain multitudes”, Bob and the band had hit their stride and the sound was bang on. What followed was a truly spiritual experience. Most of the songs came from Rough and Rowdy ways with the highlights being “Crossing the Rubicon” and set closer “Goodbye Jimmy Reed”. The best songs of the night were from Bob’s Christian albums. “Gotta serve somebody” was majestic as was the encore “Every grain of sand”. Bob Dylan is 82 so it is unlikely that I will get to see him again. I’m so glad I got to see him live. I thought Pat would hate it as she is not a fan. She thought it was a great show. I think we both realised we had been in the presence of a genius, someone who has changed the world.

This was the set list from the show :

Watching the River Flow

Most Likely You Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine

I Contain Multitudes

False Prophet

When I Paint My Masterpiece

Black Rider

My Own Version of You

I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight

Crossing the Rubicon

To Be Alone With You

Key West (Philosopher Pirate)

Gotta Serve Somebody

I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You

That Old Black Magic

Mother of Muses

Goodbye Jimmy Reed

Every Grain of Sand

How do you follow Bob Dylan? I don’t suppose you do. Thankfully we had a few weeks off before our next gigs. I listened to The Stones and started a good Twitter debate on whether “Some Girls” was their last classic album. I got over 750 replies with most people concurring. “Tattoo you” was a close second so I had to go out and buy it (again). It is a great album but not as good as “Some girls”. I also bought “Black and Blue” which got many positive comments. It’s a decent album but it does have some classic tracks – “Hand of fate” and “Fool to cry” are standouts.

On the last weekend in November we headed to London. For the second time this year a rail strike was called on the day we were due to travel so it was a long car journey. We parked in Camden.  £12/day in a secure car park is a bargain. It would cost double that in Manchester or Liverpool. We paid a staggering £25 in York in September. The first gig of the weekend was Mary Gauthier at the Union Chapel in Islington. This was our first visit to the venue. I have read many positive reviews of the place and I’m glad to say they are well deserved. Union Chapel is a church, live entertainment venue and charity drop-in centre for the homeless. The building is in the gothic style and is grade 1 listed

We went for a pre-show drink in the bar. The staff were lovely, really friendly and seemed sincere when saying that they hoped I enjoyed the show. We sat at a table in the bar and had a conversation with a really nice guy called Chris. When we told him where we were from he said that, in the eighties, he had protested outside the Shipyard where I work! We talked about music, politics and life and put us in a good mood for the show. Back in the venue, we were sat next to a guy and his son who were from Hackney. He worked for Social Services as Pat does so we struck up an easy conversation. He is a fan of small venues like ourselves and has given us a place in Camden to visit called the Green Note. I look forward to it.

The show started with a solo spot from Jaimee Harris. I’m afraid I’m going to sound uncharitable. Ms Harris is a good singer and a more than competent guitarist. She has some decent songs with “Boomerang town” a particular standout. She finished with a version of Bob Neuwirth’s “Beyond the Blues”, the song he co-wrote with Peter Case and Tom Russell. Jaimee’s onstage patter went on too long, she needs to study her partners stagecraft to see how to put over a songs backstory. Sadly, Jaimee Harris is a long way behind her peers from the Nashville scene. She is not in the same league as Margo Price or Kacey Musgraves. I will buy her new album when it’s released in February 2023 and I hope the songs will standout more when heard without the commentary.

We adjourned to the bar during the interval and carried on the conversation with the guys who were sat next to us, Chris also joined the conversation and it was clear we were five kindred spirits. As we returned to the church for the second set I told Chris how I had taken up blogging and he told me that he had written a book a couple of years ago.

I must confess that I struggle a little with Mary Gauthier’s latest album “Dark enough to see the stars”. This is because she sounds too happy! Many of the songs are clearly about her relationship with Jaimee Harris and the happiness it has brought her. Selfishly, my favourite Mary Gauthier songs are the ones that have emanated from her own difficult life as a gay adoptee who sought solace wherever she could and had issues with alcohol and substance abuse. Clearly I am not the only one who has struggled with the new album as Gauthier joked “Lots of people don’t like it when I write a happy song”, having sung “Thank God for You”. I’m delighted to say that all the new songs came across really well in a live setting with “Amsterdam”, “Dark enough to see the stars”, “The Meadow” and the aforementioned “Thank God for you” being highlights of the material she played from her latest album. Mary was augmented onstage by Jaimee Harris on guitar and backing vocals and the excellent Michele Gazich on Piano and Violin.

There were also songs from Trouble and Love and Rifles and Rosary beads, her two most recent albums. It’s the old stuff for me though. Mary began with I drink and also played my personal favourite “Last of the Hobo kings”. The set was punctuated by Mary reading passages from her book “Saved by a song”. I can’t recommend this book enough. She tells her life story and how key events inspired some of the songs she has written. Graciously thanking everyone for buying a ticket in “these difficult economic times”, Gauthier closed with “Till I See You Again”, co-written with Ben Glover for John Prine, and “Mercy Now”. She spoke approvingly of Boy George’s version – though not of his jungle sojourn.  I really enjoyed the gig but it was not the best Mary Gauthier show I have seen. We will definitely return to the Union Chapel, one of the best venues we have ever been to. Post gig we got the tube back to Kings Cross and went for a curry. A perfect end to a great night.

We had breakfast and headed out on a wet Sunday morning. We caught the Thameslink train to Greenwich. The train was spotlessly clean and had free wifi. The views over London were excellent and we arrived feeling relaxed. Our first stop was Greenwich indoor market which is well worth a visit. It is an upmarket market (sorry!) with many interesting stalls. I spoke to a few of the vendors who were really friendly. We walked down to the harbour where the Cutty Sark is now berthed. I enjoyed looking over the Thames and imagining how nice the view would be on a sunny day. We would have liked to visit the Observatory but neither of us fancied the long walk in the rain. After a productive visit to the Music and Video exchange we caught the train back to Liverpool street and headed for Old Spitalfields Market. We were only there for an hour but managed to spend a fortune. Shopped out, we adjourned to Dirty Dick’s opposite Liverpool street station for a well deserved pint. We caught the train back to Kings Cross and headed for Mabels Tavern just off Euston Road. This is an excellent pub which serves a great selection of beers and is refreshingly nobhead free.

In the evening we headed for the Royal Festival Hall to see the Cowboy Junkies. We stopped off at the bar where two small cans of Peroni cost £12. The Cowboy Junkies played two sets. The first consisted of songs from their recent album of cover versions “Songs of the recollection”. They kicked off with an awesome version of David Bowie’s ”Five years” which was followed by Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane”. If the show had ended then I would have left a happy man. Fortunately, it carried on with a great version of The Stones “No expectations” which is surely where Led Zeppelin appropriated Houses of the holy from. The covers set finished with an awesome version of fellow Cannuck Neil Young’s “Don’t Let It Bring You Down”. We adjourned to the bar in the interval for a couple more ludicrously expensive Peroni’s which were trumped by two glasses of red wine which cost an eye watering £19.50!

The second set started with my favourite Cowboy Junkies song “All That Reckoning (Part 1)”. There were many highlights which included a short acoustic set which featured Townes Van Zandt’s “Rake” and Neil Young’s “Powderfinger”. They finished with “Blue Moon Revisited”. There were two encores the last was a fantastic performance of “Murder, Tonight in the Trailer Park”. A great show at a great venue.

(365) Don’t let it bring you Down COWBOY JUNKIES live@Luxor Live Arnhem 4-11-2022 (Neil Young cover) – YouTube

It was great to be back in London again; hopefully we will be back again next year. I was telling Pat about my conversation with Chris at the Mary Gauthier gig and my regret about not asking him the title of his book. She encouraged me to try a Google search. When we got home I did a Google search – ‘Chris, Peace protestor, book’. Remarkably, I found it straight away – “Confessions Of A Non-Violent Revolutionary: Bean Stew, Blisters, Blockades and Benders – The True Story of a Peace Activist in Thatcher’s Britain” by Chris Savory. I ordered a copy and can’t wait to read it.

We live in troubled times. Families are struggling to survive. Parents are going without food to make sure their children eat. Britain has the sixth largest economy in the world but U.K. living standards and wages have fallen significantly behind those of Western Europe. By some measures, in fact, real wages in the U.K. are lower than they were 15 years ago, and will likely be even lower next year. I find it obscene that Conservative politicians celebrate the opening of new Food banks when they are a symbol of failure. I despair when I hear people defending the record of the Conservative party who are responsible for this shit show. Many Tory gammons would welcome back the appalling Boris Johnson. Similarly, commentators believe that Donald Trump has a strong chance of regaining the Presidency of the USA. Does the West still retain the moral high ground?

Well we made it. After Covid thwarted our USA holiday twice, it finally went ahead. I was nervous up until we were checked in and sat in the departure lounge waiting to board. I had watched many TV reports showing chaotic scenes from Manchester airport over the summer months. I thought that as Schools had restarted after the summer break that things would have returned to something close to normal. Sadly, we were met by a five hundred yard long queue for security at 6.30 am!

I wasn’t sure what to expect. Since the last time we were in the USA, the country had been through Covid, seen the chaotic end to the Trump Presidency and was now suffering spiralling interest rates and facing the Global threat caused by war in Ukraine. I had heard from friends, from books and from media reports that Trump had polarised views among American people. I was nervous about engaging in political conversations for fear of inflaming prejudices. I have always enjoyed bellying up to bars in the States. Within minutes people start conversations with you and it feels like you have stumbled onto the set of Cheers. I wondered if things had changed.

We had a packed itinerary. We flew to Austin via Atlanta and didn’t arrive until around 9.0 pm. We had checked into an Airport hotel the first night so after a quick shower we headed for the bar and bellied up. There were a few others at the bar but little conversation. Still, it felt good to chug down a few Shiner Bock’s. It also gave us an insight into beer prices. It wasn’t going to be a cheap holiday!!

Our holiday really started on day 2 when we drove to San Antonio, a couple of hours South of Austin. We had been there before but it was over 25 years ago. San Antonio is famous for the Alamo. The legendary Mission and fortress was where a battle in 1836 was part of the Texas Revolution in which the Mexican state of Tejas won independence and became a self-governing republic: Texas. The story of The battle of the Alamo was made famous in a film starring John Wayne which I watched many times when I was young. The Alamo still dominates the city. The Fortress looks exactly the same as it did in 1836 with the modern city of San Antonio built around it. We stayed in the famous Menger Hotel which is adjacent to the Alamo. This iconic hotel built in 1859 was where Theodore Roosevelt gathered his Rough Riders in the  Bar. The Menger Bar is also where Carry Nation, the American Temperance crusader, struck the bar with her axe and shortened it by 3 feet. For those interested in the supernatural, The Menger is supposed to have as many as 30 ghosts. We didn’t see any! Our room was opulent with a balcony overlooking the pool. Pat was most impressed.

We headed for Market Square as Marko had recommended a restaurant there. The Square itself was not quite as good as I remembered it. It just seemed to be souvenir shops which held no interest. The restaurant however was excellent. We like Mexican food so it was good to drink a cold Dos Equis and enjoy a relaxing lunch.

We met Phil at 5.30 at a Sports bar on the Riverwalk. It was fantastic to see him. We have enjoyed many alcohol soaked nights with Phil all over the States, in Montreal and in England. We headed to the St Mary’s strip to see Johnny Marr. I have always found San Antonio nightlife anaemic, this neighbourhood changed my mind. The gig was at Paper Tiger, a great venue with a capacity of 1500. I must confess that I wasn’t a Smiths fan in the eighties and couldn’t understand what the fuss was about Johnny Marr’s guitar playing. My attitude has changed over the years. I really like the Smiths now. I listened to Johnny Marr’s listen solo album Fever Dreams parts 1-4 a good few times before we left England and it is growing on me. I’m pleased to say that from the moment he walked onstage I got exactly what the fuss is about! Johnny Marr is a great guitarist and he is also a great frontman. He looked like a Rock star, he exuded self-confidence even arrogance. I could see just how much he has influenced the Gallagher brothers. Without Johnny Marr, Oasis would never have become so good or so big.

Setlist

Armatopia

Panic

Sensory Street

Spirit Power and Soul

New Town Velocity

Night and Day

This Charming Man

Getting Away With It

Walk Into the Sea

The Headmaster Ritual

Hi Hello

I Feel You

Bigmouth Strikes Again

Easy Money

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out

Encore:

Counter Clock World

How Soon Is Now?

(241) Johnny Marr – There Is A Light That Never Goes Out – Live At The Paper Tiger 10-8-2018 – YouTube

 After a cursory nostalgic stroll around the Riverwalk, we headed back to Austin. We were going to spend two nights at the Menger but due to an early flight on Thursday we decided that it was too risky to depend on good traffic conditions. I booked the Austin Motel. It has been a long held ambition of mine to stay at this iconic Austin landmark. We checked in as Austin was hit by torrential rain. Pat opened the door to our room, I shouted Yeah Baby ! It was totally Austin Powers. There was also a Roky Erikson poster above the bed, awesome. Pat was underwhelmed to say the least! Any brownie points accrued from me booking the Menger evaporated. Our room was smaller than the bathroom in our room at the Menger! The Austin Motel cost $50 more than The Menger!

We met Phil and Jenna for happy hour at Woodrow’s on West 6^th street. When we were last in Austin in 1999, all the action on 6^th street was on the two or three blocks East of South Congress. Phil told us that this is now a dirty, crappy area and the good stuff is now West. Woodrow’s is a great bar. We met friends of Phil and Jenna and had a good laugh. There was a huge thunderstorm which was a bummer as we had tickets to see Enter Shikari at Mohawk, an outdoor venue! We headed to the venue when the storm cleared. The support band Trash Boat, who were really good, had to leave the stage as the storm returned with a vengeance. Thunder, lightning and torrential rain. The weather  was back to normal for the Enter Shikari set. Caitlin had urged us to go the gig, she had seen them the previous weekend at the Leeds festival. It was only $20/ticket so a no brainer. We were the oldest people in the audience by many years but it was a great gig. No one batted an eyelid at us two ‘older people’. Not for the first time I thought God Bless America!!

Setlist

The great unknown

Juggernauts

modern living….

Anaesthetist

satellites* *

the pressure’s on.

Arguing with Thermometers

Rabble Rouser

Sorry, You’re Not a Winner

The Void Stares Back

Gandhi Mate, Gandhi

Mothership

Solidarity

Encore:

{ The Dreamer’s Hotel }

Live Outside

(241) Enter Shikari – The Void Stares Back (9/7/2022 Austin, Texas @ Mohawk) – YouTube

The next morning we flew to Albuquerque. New Mexico was a state we had never visited before, I was attracted by the promise of clean air and good beer and I wasn’t disappointed! First stop was Santa Fe. Santa Fe is the most popular tourist destination in New Mexico. It is a small city with a population of 85000. It’s renowned for its Pueblo-style architecture and as a creative arts hotbed. When we checked into the Inn of the Governors Plaza (I was back in favour with my hotel choice!) the guy on reception expressed his commiserations for the death of the Queen. He was sincere and, despite not being a royalist, it was appreciated. Our hotel was ideally located a block away from the Plaza. I found the area a little overwhelming. The galleries are fantastic but I had to stop going in them as I don’t have enough money to buy the many stunning pieces for sale. I particularly liked visiting the Indian vendors outside the Palace of the Governors on the Plaza. They are licensed to sell their own jewellery and handicrafts. The quality is superb and the people are lovely, Pat and I both bought products from them and really enjoyed talking to the friendly vendors. A highlight of our holiday.

There was a fiesta the weekend we were in town, sadly the first night was marred by torrential rain. We were lucky as we had gone out early to Tomasita’s, a New Mexican restaurant on Guadalupe street. The food and the Margaritas were superb. It was blazing hot when we got there but pissing it down when we left so we got an Uber back to our hotel and enjoyed drinks in the Del Charro bar. Earlier in the day, around the hotel pool, Pat had a conversation with a lady who was moving to New Mexico for the climate. She was older than us I think. It was interesting to hear her views on Trump (definitely not a fan) and on the NRA. She was not comfortable with gun culture in the USA. She was so friendly and reaffirmed my love of American people. Open, friendly and helpful.

On our last day in Santa Fe we went for a Hot air balloon ride. I had watched a programme about the Hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque and as a result wanted to try it out. Johnny, our pilot, picked us up at 5.30 am. He was the double of Willie Nelson. I rode upfront with him in his pickup. It was fascinating hearing his views on life. He was not a fan of the British Royal family and I think he was a little taken aback when I told him I was no fan of the Monarchy either. He was also very critical of the fact that Brits didn’t have guns. He was definitely a fan and told me he owned many. The pickup had  a 100 gallon tank which was expensive to fill as you can imagine (about $350 on Indian land where you pay no sales tax). I asked his views on Electric vehicles and he told me would like to shoot everyone who owned one! When we arrived at the balloon site we watched as Johnny and his crew inflated the balloon, checked air currents and weather forecasts. It was really interesting. The balloon ride was a great experience and I can see why it attracts thousands of visitors to New Mexico.

Next stop was Taos some 75 miles North of Santa Fe. Another place favoured by artists, this small town (population 5950) is an extremely relaxing place to stay. I booked the Dreamcatcher Bed and Breakfast which turned out to be an inspired choice. Good hotel Kharma was definitely kicking in!

We spent our first afternoon visiting Taos Pueblo, a world heritage site. The Pueblo was built over a 1000 years ago pre-dating Columbus and European settlers. There are still approximately 150 people living permanently in Taos Pueblo. It is a fantastic place to visit and the people are really friendly and interesting to talk to.

On our second day in Taos we drove over the Taos Gorge bridge, parked up and walked around taking in breath-taking views of the Gorge and Mountain backdrop. We had a great chat with a guy selling Indian Jewellery at the rest stop, a wise man that has seen many world leaders come and go. Churchill and Kennedy were his idea of great Leaders. I agree with his view that the current crop of politicians are self-serving and do not deserve to be considered leaders.

Our next stop was the reason that I wanted to visit Taos, Earthships.

 An Earthship is a style of architecture developed in the late 20th century to early 21st century by architect Michael Reynolds. Earthships are designed to behave as passive solar earth shelters made of both natural and upcycled materials such as earth-packed tires. Earthships may feature a variety of amenities and aesthetics, and are designed to withstand the extreme temperatures of a desert, managing to stay close to 70 °F (21 °C) regardless of outside weather conditions. Earthship communities were originally built in the desert of northern New Mexico, near the Rio Grande, and the style has spread to small pockets of communities around the globe, in some cases in spite of legal opposition to its construction and adoption.

Reynolds developed the Earthship design after moving to New Mexico and completing his degree in architecture, intending them to be “off-the-grid-ready” homes, with minimal reliance on public utilities and fossil fuels. They are constructed to use available natural resources, especially energy from the sun and rain water. They are designed with thermal mass construction and natural cross-ventilation to regulate indoor temperature, and the designs are intentionally uncomplicated and mainly single-story, so that people with little building knowledge can construct them. They can be perceived as a realization of the utopia of autonomous housing and sustainable living.(Wikipedia)

I had first heard of Earthships through reading Nomadland by Jessica Bruder. I was fascinated by the concept of off-grid living and relished the opportunity to see what I had read about. They are truly a triumph of human ingenuity and are now being built all over the world.

We realised that Colarado was only 60 miles away so drove across the State border, stopped and had a coffee at the Dutch Mill Café bar in Antonito. Another state ticked off!

I had many conversations with the good folk of New Mexico. I told them how much I loved the place. They all agreed it was a great place to live but were unanimous in saying that it was slowly being spoilt by an influx of Texans fleeing to avoid the heat and high prices. On our last morning at the Dreamcatcher B&B we had breakfast with a really nice couple from Austin. We were telling them that we were heading back to Austin and that we were last there in 1999. They were saying that the city was being spoilt by an influx of people from Los Angeles! The circle of life I guess.

We spent our last night in New Mexico in its biggest city Albuquerque. This is where the TV show Breaking Bad is set. We stayed in a fantastic B&B near the Old Town Plaza. I would like to spend more time there as we didn’t scratch the surface. One happy memory was stopping for a drink in a bar, and ordering a couple of Raspberry beers. When I got the check I had only been charged for one. I pointed this out to the waitress, she said it was her mistake and to have the drink on her!

We flew to Austin the next morning for the last leg of our trip. I had booked an Airbnb off South Congress. We were met by the owner Chris when we arrived. He introduced us to his dog Mokie and his Goat Pumpkin. Chris gave us a whistle stop tour of the house and gave us a quick orientation of the Neighbourhood. I had emailed him to say that our Niece Steph was coming over from Los Angeles. He was not only happy for us to have her stay , he provided a blow up bed. Top man.

We spent our first night back in Austin watching The Hot Club of Cowtown at the legendry Continental Club on South Congress. The couples dancing to the Western Swing music were brilliant and the atmosphere was so good.

We went to the G&S Lounge afterwards to meet Phil and Jenna. I must admit to feeling unnerved when the Uber Driver dropped us off as it was dark and there was nothing more than a door in the wall. No need to worry, it was a great place. Marko met us there and it was great to catch up in person rather than on a Zoom call! Phil and Jenna arrived with a bunch of their friends and we had a great night.

There were many, many highlights to our five nights in Austin. I will pick out some things made the biggest impression on me rather than a daily diary.

We wanted to see the Liquor store that Phil part owns. We had met his co-owner Debbie in 1999 on our last visit to Austin. She didn’t recognise us at first but once the connection was made it was fantastic to catch up. Debbie is a wonderful person and it was a pleasure to meet with her again. Old School Liquor is great so if you find yourself in Austin, stop by and say hello.

Marko and Jeanne’s daughter Liv was part of the Cheer leading team at her High School teams Football game. We went along and had a great time. The game was really good and played at a high standard by 14-16 year olds. There was a good sized crowd in a fantastic stadium. There was none of the unpleasant behaviour from parents that we see in England. Sure, the crowd is partisan but in a friendly way. The half time show was better than you see at any professional game in the UK. The standard of musicianship, dancing, Choreography was awesome. Another big thumbs up to the USA.

There is a statue of Stevie Ray Vaughan in Zilker Park by Lady bird lake. I wanted to see it again, hoping that some of Stevie’s guitar Mojo would rub off on me (spoiler alert, it didn’t). There was a guy sat by the statue. He was listening to music, Me and Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin. I told him that this was a great example of the cover version being better than the original. He was surprised that I struck up a conversation (I guess some would say he was a bum). He told me he was of Scottish descent and hated the Royal family. When I told him that I too have Scottish ancestry and that Pat is of Irish descent he mellowed and we had a friendly conversation. Whilst we were we were talking he had a long Cigar in his mouth which he was moistening with his tongue. He carefully split it and removed the tobacco. He then pulled out a dime bag and refilled it with a sizeable stash. I left him and Stevie to get high together.

Guy Clark wrote a great song called Dublin Blues. I first heard it sung by Townes Van Zandt. The song begins;

I wish I was in Austin at the Chilli parlour bar

Drinking Mad Dog Margaritas not caring where you are.

Pat, Steph and I met Marko for lunch at  The Chilli parlour. The menu is just Chilli and it’s delicious. I recommend the Habenero Chilli

Steph and I drank Mad Dog Margaritas. A dream fulfilled.

Pat, Steph and I went to The Broken Spoke, an Austin institution. This great Honky Tonk bar has both kinds of music, Country and Western!

Marko and Jeanne took us to the Skylark Lounge. The clientele were all races, mixing together happily with no trouble or feeling of unease. This is how the world should be. People are just people, regardless of creed or colour. An Arsehole is an arsehole and a Saint is a Saint, regardless of race.

We went to the Little Longhorn saloon and played Chicken Shit bingo. Another ambition fulfilled.

We were both quiet on our flight back to England, we both could have happily stayed for longer. It was a fantastic trip. It reaffirmed my love for the USA and its people. I love music and most of the places that are iconic to me are in the USA.

 A massive thank you to Marko, Jeanne, Larson and Liv. Great people who we are proud to call friends. Your hospitality was a highlight of our trip.

Phil, it was great to see you again. It’s been 23 years since the last time we met on your turf. We have met all over the world since then and your friendship means a lot to both of us. You and Jenna make a great couple.

Debbie Mylius, it was great to catch up with you again. There are a small number of people on God’s great earth who it is a privilege to know, you are one of them.

Steph, thank you for coming to stay with us. It was great to see you and I enjoyed our in depth discussions on so many topics. Pat and I are so proud of you. Respect!!

Pat, thanks for being the perfect travel mate. You put up with my pursuit of music experiences without complaint although maybe the Austin Motel was a step too far!

It was embarrassing when we landed in Manchester. There was no stand available for our plane. It took 15 minutes to get steps to the plane.  There were long queues for passport control even at 6.0 am. When we finally arrived at baggage claim we were faceD with another fifteen minute wait. We didn’t have a single delay in the USA. Everyone was polite and helpful. England needs to learn lessons.

The Queen died on our third day of holiday. I’m no royalist but I had a massive respect for Elizabeth II. She ruled with dignity and set the standard for impeccable behaviour. I’m unsure if the Monarchy can survive in our media intrusive world. Young people seem much less enamoured of Royalty than mine or my parents’ generation. The breakup of the Commonwealth and the sadly inevitable breakup of Great Britain will surely put irrevocable strain on the Monarchy.

Liz Truss became Prime Minister on the day we left the UK. She is the fourth Prime Minister since the Conservatives took power in 2012. In less than four weeks, her government has announced a cruel budget that favours the wealthy and condemns the poor. This has crashed the economy and battered Sterling on the currency markets. I pray for an early end to this evil empire.

The aforementioned currency travails mean that a return to the USA is highly unlikely in 2023. Pat and I are planning to return in 2024 and we are already kicking around ideas for our next adventure. One thing for sure, it’ll be all about the music!!

Today is the end of my third week back in work after the Christmas break. Someone on Twitter described January as a 74 day month and man, I know what they mean.

Boris Johnson dominates the news with tawdry tales of Downing Street parties breaking lockdown refusing to go away. A monumental piss up at Number 10 on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral forced BJ into apologising to both the Queen and to the British people. He stressed that he took full responsibility but was at pains to point out that it wasn’t his fault and that he didn’t know about it. Dominic Cummings is willing to swear on oath that he told Boris to get it stopped but was waived away. Coverage in the foreign press has been brutal. We truly are a laughing stock. I have also read this morning of nine mile long queues at Dover due to the introduction of new customs regulations needed due to Brexit. This is of course pushing up prices in the shops with inflation hitting thirty year highs. Tory apologists keep reminding us that ‘Boris got Brexit done’………………….Done?  we certainly have been!!!

Rafael Benitez has finally been sacked as Everton manager. This has come six weeks too late and I fear that it may be too late to stop us facing a desperate struggle to avoid relegation. He was the wrong appointment and his stubborn, petulant behaviour has forced Lucas Digne out of the club and I fear that Lewis Dobbin will follow him due to Rafa not giving him a chance. With the new stadium rapidly taking shape, it should be a time of great optimism for Bluenoses, instead, fans are angry, disillusioned and worried about the future. Duncan Ferguson has been appointed temporary boss. I have not been able to tear myself away from Twitter today as the big man has got the fans bouncing again. Good luck big fella, we’re right behind you!!!

I awoke this morning to the sad news that Meatloaf had passed away. I would be lying if I called myself a fan but I do love Bat out of Hell. Meatloaf claimed he barely made a penny out of an album that is one of the bestselling of all time. His duet with Cher on Deadringer is another highlight as are I’d do anything for love and Modern Love. My personal favourite is Meat’s performance of Hot patoosie – bless my soul in the Rocky Horror show. Rock music fans will also remember Meatloaf taking vocal duties on Ted Nugent’s Free for all album. R.I.P Marvin Lee Aday. You truly were a musical giant who touched millions.

Our house is full of music. There are guitars, C.D’s, vinyl albums and a decent Hi Fi rig in my man cave. A Ruark speaker downstairs and even the shower has a built in Bluetooth speakers to facilitate loud singalongs! It was while taking a shower last  weekend that I was singing along with The road goes on forever by Joe Ely. I love this song and even after thousands of listens I still get incredibly emotional as the story unfolds. Thus inspired, as a lover of a good lyric, I decided that this blog should celebrate my favourite story songs. Some of the songs describe real events while others are products of the fertile minds of the songwriters. I hope my list inspires you to consider your own list. Feel free to share it, I’m always looking for musical inspiration.

Joe Ely – The road goes on forever

I have to start with the song that inspired this blog. This is a modern day Bonnie and Clyde tale that unfolds over eight verses and no choruses. Main characters Sherri and Sonny are easy to like and believable. I love playing this song on guitar but choke up somewhere around verse six and don’t get to the end. This song was written by Robert Earl Keen but Joe Ely nails it and makes it his own. Check it out, you won’t be sorry.

Bobby Gentry – Ode to Billy Joe

This song is set in the Mississippi Delta and perfectly evokes the heat and humidity of the Southern State. It tells the story of the suicide of the eponymous Billy Joe. Gentry later clarified that she intended the song to portray the family’s indifference to the suicide in what she deemed “a study in unconscious cruelty”, while she remarked the object thrown was not relevant to the message.

Such was the intrigue around the song the song that it led to a film bearing the same name to be made in 1975.

I love this song and I love the way that Bobby Gentry sings it. I have since listened to more of her music which is well worth checking out.

1. Bob Dylan – Hurricane

The first ‘true story’ song on my list is about Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter who was an American-Canadian middleweight boxer, wrongfully convicted of murder and later released following a petition of habeas corpus after serving almost 20 years in prison.

In 1966, Carter, and his co-accused, John Artis, were arrested for a triple homicide which was committed at the Lafayette Bar and Grill in Paterson, New Jersey, United States. Shortly after the killings at 2:30 am, a car, which contained Carter, Artis and a third acquaintance, was stopped by police outside the bar while its occupants were on their way home from a nearby nightclub. They were allowed to go on their way, but after dropping off the third man, Carter and Artis were stopped while they were passing the bar a second time, 45 minutes later, and both of them were arrested.

Carter and Artis were interrogated for 17 hours, released, then re-arrested weeks later. In 1967, they were convicted of all three murders, and given life sentences, served in Rahway State Prison; a retrial in 1976 upheld their sentences, but it was overturned in 1985. Prosecutors declined to try the case a third time after their appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court failed.

Carter was not formally exonerated until 1988.

This is Bob Dylan at his furious best when telling Carter’s story on this track from his Desire album. Bob released Murder most foul in 2020. A 17 minute song about the assassination of JFK that ran my choice pretty close. It is the fury and passion of Hurricane that wins the day for me.

1. The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – Next

This song was written by Jacques Brel, a Belgian singer-songwriter who mostly sang in French or occasionally Flemish. English translations of his songs were recorded by many performers including David Bowie, Scott Walker, Ray Charles, Judy Collins, John Denver, The Kingston Trio, Nina Simone, Shirley Bassey, James Dean Bradfield, Frank Sinatra, and Andy Williams. Despite this stellar cast, it’s Alex Harvey any day for me. Next is the brutal tale of a second world war survivor whose experiences left deep scars on his psyche. Alex Harvey truly makes the song his own.

1. Bruce Springsteen – The Ghost of Tom Joad

This was another tough choice. I’m not Bruce’s biggest fan but I admit he has written many fantastic story songs. Close contenders were Born to Run and The River. My selection sees Springsteen channelling Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. Tom Joad is the main character in Steinbeck’s classic novel of Farmers forced to head to California from the dust bowl of Oklahoma due to drought and bank foreclosures. Springsteen’s song focuses on the economic hardships faced by many modern American families as they struggle to survive in the world’s richest country.

Another song I love to play on guitar and another I often fail to complete singing due to the emotions raised in me by righteous indignation and empathy with the characters in this brilliant tale.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SN1UK8ghGw

1. Mary Gauthier – Drag Queens in Limousines 

When I wrote my last blog about my 2021 highlights I was truly horrified when I realised that I criminally forgot to include Mary Gauthier’s autobiographical book Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting. I love Mary Gauthier, we have seen her four times, met her and can vouch that she is a genuine, open soul who is passionate about her songs and music. Mary is another artist who could have made multiple entries on my list of favourite story songs, perhaps more than anyone else. This song describes the singer leaving home and moving to the big city. When I read Mary’s book, it brought this song to life. If you love music and good stories of redemption then please check out Mary’s story.

1. Joni Mitchell – Woodstock

Joni Mitchell was in a relationship with Graham Nash when the Woodstock festival was held. She had not been there herself since a manager had told her that it would, instead, be more advantageous for her to appear on The Dick Cavett Show. She composed it in a hotel room in New York City, watching televised reports of the festival. “The deprivation of not being able to go provided me with an intense angle on Woodstock,”

This song showcases the brilliance of Joni Mitchell as a lyricist. You can imagine being there as the song unfolds. It is barely believable that she wrote this masterpiece watching TV news reports.

1. Rhiannon Giddens – Birmingham Sunday

Another true story told by a song. Birmingham Sunday was written by Richard Fariña and first performed by both Fariña and his sister-in-law Joan Baez. The subject matter is the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in the eponymous city in Alabama on September 15, 1963 by members of the Ku Klux Klan that killed four girls and injured 22 others. The girls were Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley.

I first heard of this horrible event when Pat and I visited the Museum of Civil Rights in Memphis, Tennessee. I wept for two hours solid walking around the former Lorraine motel, I felt ashamed to be white. All ‘fear of a black planet’ Brexiteers should be made to walk around this place. If you haven’t changed your minds after your visit then I truly fear for the fate of humanity.

Rhiannon Giddens sings this song with passion and dignity.

1. Willie Nelson – City of New Orleans

Arlo Guthrie wrote this song where the narrator is a not human! The City of New Orleans is a train that runs from Chicago to New Orleans via Memphis Tennessee. As a kid I loved watching Casey Jones on TV. This series was all about our eponymous hero and his adventures on the Cannonball express. As I got older, I got into the Grateful Dead’s drug addled version of the Casey Jones legend. City of New Orleans is the genuine article, a celebration of a great American Railway journey that runs from Chicago to New Orleans. The City of New Orleans is still the name of the train. Willie Nelson may not have wrote the song but man, nobody could sing it as well!

1. Townes Van Zandt – Marie

I couldn’t write about story songs without featuring something by Townes Van Zandt. I thought that it could only be Pancho and Lefty, arguably the greatest song ever written. As I thought about what to write, I started to argue with myself that Tecumsah Valley was actually a better choice. This led me to consider Dublin Blues. Although written by Guy Clark, Townes’ version is the definitive take on this magnificent song. I have though picked Marie. This is a song about a tragic relationship between two homeless people. It is all too relevant given the world we live in.

1. Lou Reed – Walk on the wild side

All the characters in Lou Reed’s classic song from the Transformer album are real people he met hanging out with the Andy Warhol crowd in New York City’s Greenwich Village. Not only does this song feature great lyrics, it also features a great performance from Herbie Flowers on Double Bass and a fantastic Saxophone solo from Ronnie Ross.

1. Steve Earle – The Devil’s  right hand

I am a libertarian at heart so I feel somewhat hypocritical challenging the Second amendment’s right to bear arms. Too many people die from gunshot wounds, little good seems to come from legal ownership of lethal weapons. This is in many ways too deep an argument to get dragged into as there are passionate views on both sides. What is sad fact though is the grief of those bereaved families is all too real.

I sometimes feel the NRA should adopt Steve Earle’s cautionary tale as their theme song!

I could go on and on as there are so many story songs I love that didn’t make it onto this list;

Jimi Hendrix – Hey Joe, Bronski Beat – Small time boy, Tracey Chapman – Behind the wall, Richard Thompson – 1952 Vincent Black Lightning and Suzanne Vega – Luka are a few of my favourites that didn’t make the list. I genuinely hope that you check out these great songs and I also hope you compile a list of your own. As I said earlier, feel free to share your favourites with me.

There was no fairy-tale start to Big Dunc’s tenure as temporary manager at Everton. A 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa was bitterly disappointing. The second half performance gives some grounds for optimism but the team still lacks balance. Playing two in midfield is not working and the defence is shocking. I fear that relegation is the likely outcome this season without the addition of another central defender and a top notch creative midfielder. Much as I would love Big Dunc to get the job full time, I have to admit he’s probably not the right man at this time.

On the 29^th December 2021 John Madden passed away. John was the former coach of the Oakland Raiders who won the Super Bowl with them in 1977.  Madden retired from coaching in 1978 citing his acute fear of flying. He then embarked on a career as a commentator and, in my humble opinion, became the best in the world at any sport. I never thought anybody could better Richie Benaud until I saw Madden.

In 1984, Madden took the advice of NFL coach John Robinson—a friend of Madden since elementary school—and created the “All-Madden” team, a group of players who Madden thought represented football and played the game the way he thought it should be played.

Madden explained:

What does it mean to be ‘All-Madden’? It’s a whole range of things. For defensive linemen and linebackers, it’s about Jack Youngblood playing with a busted leg, Lawrence Taylor wreaking havoc on the offense and Reggie White making the other guy wish he put a little more in the collection plate at church. It’s about a guy who’s got a dirty uniform, mud on his face and grass in the ear hole of his helmet.

Madden wrote bestselling books with ‘One knee equals two feet’ being one of my favourite Sports books of all time.

From 1988 on, Madden lent his name, voice and creative input to the John Madden Football series of football video games, later called Madden NFL, published by EA Sports/Electronic Arts. Entries in the series have consistently been best-sellers, to the extent that they have even spawned TV shows featuring competition between players of the games. Despite Madden’s retirement as a broadcaster in 2009, he still continued to lend his name and provide creative input to the series which were so popular that he became better known as the face of Madden to contemporary football fans than as a Super Bowl-winning coach and broadcaster.

Madden viewed the game as an educational tool. During initial planning conversations with Electronic Arts founder Trip Hawkins in 1984, Madden envisioned the program as a tool for teaching and testing plays. He stated in 2012 that Madden NFL was “a way for people to learn the game [of football] and participate in the game at a pretty sophisticated level”

I previously mentioned that John gave up coaching due to his chronic fear of flying. To overcome this disability he travelled between commentary gigs in the Madden cruiser.

Greyhound offered him a customized bus and access to a driver for three years. Madden just had to do promotions for the transport company and make speaking appearances. Plus, after the three-year period, Madden got to keep the bus.

Over the years, new iterations of the Madden Cruiser arrived. In 1994, he upgraded to a bus with branding from Outback Steakhouse. Other versions of the vehicle came in 1998 and 2002.

Following Madden’s death, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell talked fondly about riding in the bus. He and Madden used it to attend pre-season training for various teams. Goodell said pulling into a rest stop in the Madden Cruiser was a wild experience because everyone came out to see Madden and the vehicle.

According to a Sports Illustrated story, Madden loved that the bus gave him an opportunity to see seldom-visited parts of the country. For example, he discovered a Mexican restaurant in the small town of Van Horn, Texas, and made it a frequent stop when in the area.

RIP John Madden

Today is the 1st January 2022 so it feels like an appropriate time to review 2021. The whole year has been dominated, haunted even, by COVIS. I don’t mind wearing masks in shops, don’t object to wearing them to enter pubs and restaurants and I’m more than happy to wear them in work. The thing is though, for the second year in succession I have had holidays to the USA cancelled, had a good number of gigs postponed and been assaulted by a daily dose of bad news in the media. I’m ready for the freedoms I have taken for granted for all of my (longish) life.

I have also been appalled by the corrupt government led by Boris Johnson. This buffoon was voted in on a tide of jingoistic fervour caused by Brexit. Since day one he has exposed himself as a shameless liar. Where is the £350 million/week benefit to the NAS from Brexit??? It was a lie. Where is the benefit to the economy??? It was a lie. Where are all the trade deals? There is only one that we have signed that we didn’t already have when we were part of the EU. When we were all isolating last year, unable to visit vulnerable relatives, unable to attend family funerals, Boris and his mates were pissing it up calling these parties business meetings. Ask yourself, how many Brexit voters are celebrating the triumph??? In my opinion, Brexit was driven by little Englanders fear of Johnny foreigner. Ironically, hotels and restaurants are struggling without EU labour. Farmers are destroying crops and livestock due to a shortage of EU labour. All of this was predicted. Brexit voters, are you proud???

I could go on forever about cronyism, profiteering and many other sins that we commoners would never get away with. Please just focus on the lies. I don’t suppose I’m any different to you, my parents brought me up not to lie, that telling the truth was the right thing to do. I was told at school that honesty was a virtue.  We live in dangerous times brothers and sisters. Please use your vote sensibly. The media did a hatchet job on Jeremy Corbyn. Go back to early 2016, This government has adopted many of the policies he proposed which they claimed were disastrous socialist nonsense. I’m no Corbyn apologist but looking back it is scary to consider how he was brought down by the right wing media.

No apologies for the above rant, Boris Johnson boils my piss!!!

2021 wasn’t all bad. We had a great holiday in the Peak district, the first time we have visited this part of England. A big thank you to the friendly folk from this part of England (great alliteration even if I say so myself). We spent a good few nights in our favourite city, Liverpool. I love the people, the pubs, the history, and the architecture, everything about the place. I am a proud Walneyite but I could happily move to Merseyside. More than anything, I love Everton football club. The best fans and also the support that the club gives to the local community is second to none UTFT!!!

Ten of us had a great night on the 30^th December and I already can’t wait to get back.

 love of music dominates my life as anyone that knows me will vouch for. My albums of 2021 are ;

They’re calling me home – Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turisi

Rhiannon Giddens sublime vocals are accentuated by the sparseness of the instrumental accompaniment. Life partner Francesco Turrisi produces a rich sound from frame drum and other percussion with other accompaniment provided by fiddle, guitar, banjo, Irish flute and cello.

Raise the Roof – Robert Plant and Alisson Krauss

After a break of 14 years since 2007’s Raising Sand, Robert Plant and Allison Krauss are back with an album that gives credence to the saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder. There have been a few criticisms regarding the poor choice/sameness of the material which I don’t subscribe to. Plant and Krauss’ vocals perfectly complement each other and the musicianship and production are first rate. Pour yourself a glass of wine and relax whilst listening to this great album.

Hardware – Billy Gibbons

ZZ Top frontman Billy Gibbons headed into the Mojave Desert to record in Pioneertown, California to record his third solo albums. When I read this I had to buy the album as for the second year running our holiday to the States which included a stay in Pioneertown was cancelled due to Covis (fuck you ‘Rona). This is a great album, less than forty minutes long and a blast from the get go. Sadly Gibbon’s partner in ZZ Top Dusty Hill passed away last year. RIP brother.

Pohorylle – Margo Cilker

I must confess I had never heard of Margo Cilker. It was a review in The Guardian that roused my curiosity. I’m glad I went on my instinct and bought this gem of a debut album. Hailing from Eastern Oregon for several years, Margo Cilker has spent much of her time on the road. This album draws from life experiences she has gained fand is a great Songwriter album. Backing musicians include Jenny Conlee from The Decemberists, one of my favourite bands, plus Jason Kardong from Son Volt. A bright career beckons.

Margo Cilker – Broken Arm In Oregon – YouTube

For the first time – Black Country New Road

Hats off to Hannah! A colleague from HR encouraged me to check out this band and I’m glad I listened. A young band, three girls and four guys, they create a heady mix of musical styles that challenge and reward the listener. A new album is due in early 2022 and I look forward to checking out how they have developed.

Chemtrails over the country club – Lana Del Ray

An artist who certainly divides opinion amongst those I have discussed this album with. The follow up to the excellent and excellently titled ‘Norman fucking Rockwell’ album, this release features brilliant lyrics and complimentary musicianship. Some have criticised Del Ray’s singing on this album as too ‘breathy’ which is a fair description but didn’t spoil my listening experience

Barn – Neil Young and Crazy Horse

I was delighted to read that Neil had got ‘The Horse’ back together for another album. Nils Lofgren replaces the now retired Frank ‘Pancho’ Sampedro on guitar but rhythm section of Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina are present and correct. For long time Crazy Horse devotees it’s business as usual. Perhaps a little mellower and more concise than usual but it still conveys the feeling that this is a bunch of guys getting together for a jam to please no one else but themselves. I didn’t stop smiling from start to finish.

Daddy’s home – St Vincent

This album was universally raved about by critics and music fans alike. I have been aware of Annie Clark for years but only own Love this Giant, the album she made with David Byrne (excellent). I can’t argue with the reviews, a great album.

Doran – Doran

I heard about this album through a review in the Guardian which always has great music coverage. The article suggested that the album would be right up my street and I wasn’t disappointed. ‘Doran is a four-person freak folk collective hailing from rural Virginia, New York, and the Pacific Northwest’. The album features Pagan style chanting and songs that connect with the natural world. The perfect album for dark winter nights. If you like Bright Phoebus or the soundtrack from The Wicker Man then you’ll love this.

I also have to shower praise on two other albums. The first is a reissue, the second an album I have have wanted to hear for years and man, it didn’t disappoint!

Stand In the fire – Warren Zevon

This was a Record store day 2021 release of an extended edition of a classic 1980 live album recorded at the Roxy in LA. If you have never heard Warren Zevon, do yourself a favour, he is one of the best ever Singer/Songwriters. A larger than life, flawed genius who was lauded by his peers but too often overlooked by punters.

Dancer with bruised knees – Kate and Anna McGarrigle

I remember reading reviews of this album in Sounds. Released in 1977, I never got around to buying it because I was into Punk back then so it would have been a distinctly uncool purchase. I came across it a couple of months ago In Fat Bob’s in Barrow market and eagerly handed over the dosh. I now know what I have missed out on for thirty eight years!!!.  A fantastic album that makes me smile. For music trivia buffs, Kate McGarrigle was the former wife of Loudon Wainwright 111 and mother of Rufus and Martha Wainwright (He sang Hallelujah on the Shrek soundtrack)

Since lockdown in March 2020 I have kept a record of every full album I have listened to (sad I know). In 2021 these are 10 albums I listened to most frequently:

Folk Hotel – Tom Russell

True love casts out all evil – Roky Erikson and Okervill River

Rain Dogs – Tom Waits

Blood on the Tracks – Bob Dylan

Acoustic classics – Richard Thompson

Bright Phoebus – Lal & Mike Waterson

Duckwalking – Chuck Berry

I’m your man – Leonard Cohen

Live in London – Leonard Cohen

The Harrow and the harvest – Gillian Welch

Literature

I’m an avid reader of books both fiction and non fiction.  The best I have read this year are:

I wanna be yours – John Cooper Clarke

The autobiography of the punk poet. He pulls no punches when describing his years of heroin addiction but, unlike others, there is no glorification of this lifestyle. Cooper Clarke shared a house with Velvet Underground legend Nico and he also provides a fascinating insight into the personality of reviled comedian Bernard Manning which may surprise you.

Alan Johnson – The last train to Gypsy hill

I loved the four volumes of former Labour politician Alan Johnson’s autobiography. This book is his first novel and is a great read.

The Thursday murder club – Richard Osman

Pointless presenter channelling his inner Agatha Christie. I thought it was over-hyped. It’s a very good book with a frustrating ending but I’m not sure it deserved the lavish praise from critics.

I alone can fix it  – Carol D. Leonnig and Philip Rucker

This book is the follow up to A very stable genius, a book about the political rise and election of Donald Trump to the presidency of the USA. This new book covers the chaotic final year of his presidency and the run up to the 2020 election. The last chapter describing events on 6^th January 2021 when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol is the most chilling thing I have ever read. Can you remember when we were told to hate Communism and embrace Democracy??? Be afraid friends, be very afraid.

Bob Willis: A cricketer and a gentleman – Bob Willis and Mike Dickson

I found this book tremendously moving and I’m not ashamed to admit I shed a few tears.  I wish I had met Bob Willis, I think we would have liked each other.

Nomadland –  Jessica Bruder

A disturbing picture of life in the world’s biggest economy. I warmed to the real people in this book, I want all of them to survive and prosper. All you Tory bastards that think the NHS should be privatised and that the welfare state is something to be exterminated should read this book and hang your heads in shame.

A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens

My daughter and I were watching Disney’s a Christmas Carol and I confessed I had never read the book. She challenged me to read it before Christmas day which I did.

A timely reminder of the cruelty of a world in which wealth is unfairly distributed and charity is a dirty word. Sadly things have got worse, not better since Dickens wrote this in 1843

Sport – Another year to forget

Once again Everton sucked. The optimism that filled all Blues on Carlo Ancelotti’s appointment faded away in 2021. A bright start petered away and the Toffees finished a disappointing 10^th in the league. If this wasn’t bad enough, Ancelotti pissed off to Real Madrid before the new season started. With the boss gone, James Rodriguez agitated for a move and ended up somewhere in the Emirates. A greedy bastard who’d rather chase money than use his god given talent to play football at the highest level. It went from bad to worse when we appointed former Scum manager Rafael Benitez. To say this divided fan opinion is a major understatement. I was not happy. Graham Potter would have been my choice. A bright start with 3 wins from the first four games started to win fans over. Since then it has been downhill. One win in the last 12 games is not good enough and I believe we will be relegated if he is not sacked very, very soon.

The Miami Dolphins started badly as usual then won seven on the bounce but ultimately petered out. The Texas Rangers sucked as usual.

We have lost the Ashes and the England Test match team look in dire need of a change in leadership at all levels.

That was a canter through the highs and lows of my 2021. I begin 2022 hoping for better times for all. For the third year running we have booked a holiday in the States. California is now off the menu so we are trying out New Mexico, a state we have never visited. We have stays in Santa Fe, Taos and Albuquerque booked. I want to visit the Earthships I read about in Nomadland, drive on Route 66, take a hot air balloon ride, sample the spicy cuisine and visit lots of Art galleries. We are also going to Texas with stays in Austin and San Antonio booked.

We already have 5 gigs booked;

The Delines

The Animals

Lindisfarne

Chuck Prophet

Dexy’s Midnight Runners

I hope to add a good few more over the year, hopefully seeing shows at The Trades Club in Hebden Bridge and Brudenell Social club in Leeds.

I also hope that the charlatan Boris Johnson is kicked out by the Tory party. He is making this country a laughing stock. If you think that this is just my opinion then spend some time reading press reports from other countries. Watch out this year for the loveable Tories using the struggles of the NHS exacerbated by Covis as a justification for privatisation of the service. Rudimentary Google searches will show you that a trade deal with the USA will only happen if their businesses are given access to British Healthcare contracts. THIS IS FACT!!! You should not receive healthcare based on ability to pay. We should be proud of our NHS and the thousands of dedicated staff at all levels. Please don’t use your vote to condemn your children to a life of financial struggle where they face the grim choice of having a pension or health insurance. Those of us who keep pets know that insurance goes up the older our animals are. It’s no different for humans comrades.

COYB UTFT

It is only a few short weeks since I took my first tentative steps back into blogging. I was a little disappointed with my last effort. I was writing about a great holiday and a great subject but felt I hadn’t rediscovered my blogging Mojo. Since then I have attended a CRAFT Club meeting which made me feel good about life again. I also shared a past blog on Twitter with an American Blues fan (Everton FC not the musical genre) which went down well and made me realise that letting my emotions takeover is powerful therapy.

This morally corrupt government has switched my personal kettle on and thoroughly boiled my piss!  The latest jaw dropping example is the Owen Paterson affair. This goes beyond cronyism and descends into the netherworld of corruption. Sadly Boris Johnson can’t see what he has done wrong. Even sadder is the fact that the Conservative party is still ahead in opinion polls. When I was young my mam would forgive me for anything but she made clear to me that I should never tell lies. I am not alone; many of my contemporaries were brought up the same way. We have instilled the same values in our own children so what has gone wrong??? It is my generation that are voting for this pack of shysters. I still remember the claim that the NHS would get an extra £350 million a week as a result of Brexit. They have actually got nothing. Businesses are struggling, the economy is fucked but there has been no apology. Does anyone truly believe we are better off from Brexit?

I woke up early on Sunday 31^st October, All Hallows eve. This was the day of our first gig since the Covis outbreak. The previous week had seen rain that Noah’s Ark would have struggled to cope with but the sun shone in my heart as I prepared for our trip to Manchester.

Manchester has so much going for it. Two world class football stadiums and two world class teams who boast many of the world’s best players between them. There are many fantastic music venues; The Bridgewater Hall, The Opera House and my personal favourite the Apollo. There is the Academy and Academy 2, The Lowry and many great small venues in the Northern Quarter. On the downside there is the dreadful Manchester Arena, one of the country’s most soulless venues.

Musical luminaries from Manchester include The Hollies, 10CC, The Fall, The Joy Division, The Smiths, The Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses and Oasis. There are many more I could mention but I’m sure you will agree it is a pretty impressive CV.

With such riches on offer you may be surprised to hear that I hate the fucking place!!!

The rain poured relentlessly on the drive down but by the time we arrived in Manchester the sun was shining. First stop on arrival was Vinyl exchange on Oldham Street.

This place has a great selection of vinyl but I find it somewhat of a let-down. I can’t put my finger on why but I don’t really enjoy vinyl scavenging in there. On this visit I managed to pick up a couple of LCD Soundsystem albums plus a Roy Buchanan album. Almost directly across the road from Vinyl exchange is Piccadilly records.

This place is another with a great selection of records. Prices are on the high side in both compared to Pepperland and Fat Bob’s in Barrow but it is a major city after all. The shop was full of browsers and posers but I couldn’t summon the enthusiasm to wade in and forage. I was happy with the records I had bought so headed off to meet Pat. As I got to Piccadilly Gardens it had started to rain. Everywhere was uncomfortably crowded and misery swiftly kicked in. We nipped down Fountain Street and into Shakespeare’s for a well-deserved pint. One of the oldest pubs in the city centre, it can usually be depended on to serve a decent pint of real ale. Sadly, they had no cask beers on tap. We’re having trouble with deliveries said the lady behind the bar. They had no problem with stocks of shite beers! I had a pint of an American IPA which was drinkable I suppose. We then headed off in the rain and cut down King Street walking past shops that ironically now we can afford to buy from don’t hold any attraction. We sheltered from the rain by dipping into Mr. Thomas’ Chop House. They served a decent pint of Landlord but it was £5 a pint in both pubs which was a little steep in my opinion.

We left and headed for the Moon under water on Deansgate. This is probably the biggest ‘Spoons I have been in but it is as dependable as the rest of the chain when it comes to getting a decent pint. As usual in ‘Spoons, prices were dirt cheap.

We left at 4.0 p.m and ventured onto a dark, wet, miserable Deansgate. We ate at La Vina which is a huge Tapas restaurant. The meal was good, nothing remarkable, but good all the same. I went to book an Uber but nothing was available for 15 minutes so we booked a local cab company, Street cars. They arrived in less than 5 minutes and cost considerably less than Uber was quoting.

After drying off and getting changed we headed off to the gig. I checked Uber availability which was 10 minutes and £10. We booked Street cars again who came straight away and were charged a fiver!!! I am an enthusiastic Uber user but they are now routinely more expensive than a ‘normal’ cab. When we were in Liverpool a couple of weeks earlier we dived in a black cab as Uber were quoting a 15 minute wait. It was £3 cheaper than the Uber quote and a damn sight more comfortable.

This was my first visit to the Opera House. This venue on Quay Street was built in 1912 and has a capacity of 1950. It is a grade 2 listed building and is quite magnificent. The website advised that proof of Covis vaccination was mandatory. The guy at the door asked if I had said proof but not to worry if not, he would just take my temperature, hmmm……….Ticketmaster said that only e tickets were allowed so make sure that I had their app om my phone. There was a problem with the Ticketmaster site so it was a good old fashioned list of names which was ticked off. Where would we be without Technology???  It was a breath-taking £6.50 for a bottle of beer or small bottle of wine which could be taken into the theatre.

We took our seats and caught the last few songs of support act Katherine  Priddy. I was quite impressed and will check out her debut album The Eternal Rocks.  The last time we saw Richard Thompson he was touring his Electric album and played with a great trio. This time it was a solo show, just Richard and an acoustic guitar. He opened with Stony Ground from the aforementioned Electric album and the sound he got from his guitar was mesmerising. There were 4 guys sat behind us who had been debating whether anyone could touch Bob Dylan. They were impressed with this opening. A couple of songs later came Salford Sunday from the same album which was an obvious choice to play in Manchester. The way Thompson arranged both these songs for solo acoustic guitar was impressive to say the least. At this point in the show Richard read a short passage from his recently released autobiography Beeswing following it up by playing the song of the same name. Beeswing has long been one of my favourite songs. I found out recently that it is allegedly about folk singer Anne Briggs with whom he had a relationship. I read up about Briggs and found her backstory fascinating. Naturally, I had to buy an album to check out her chops. She sings unaccompanied and I found it a really good album of folk songs.

Richard Thompson – “Beeswing” – YouTube

There are a half dozen short readings from the book during the evening and they wetted my appetite so will look to read it as soon as possible. There is a great tale about playing in Hamburg with Fairport Convention that drips in pathos and is really funny.

My all-time favourite Richard Thompson tune is 1952 Vincent Black Lightning. He didn’t play it the first time I saw him but he didn’t let me down tonight. It was absolutely stunning, grown men in the audience were heads down air finger picking along!! One of the guys behind us said “this is fucking unreal” and it was brothers and sisters. It is incredible that one man can make it sound like a guitar orchestra is playing the tune

Richard Thompson – ‘1952 Vincent Black Lightning’ (live acoustic performance) – YouTube

About halfway through the set he was joined onstage by Zara Phillips his current partner in life. Zara possesses a fine voice which provides the perfect foil to Thompson. The first song they duet on is the sublime Wall of death, one of the evenings many highlights. The set ends with another Richard and Linda Thompson classic I want to see the bright lights tonight. After a short break, Thompson returns on his own to perform Fairport Convention classic Meet on the ledge. Zara Phillips came out again and they finished with Tinker’s rhapsody and the Storm won’t come. A great show that was even better than the first time I saw him. It is amazing how he kept the audience spell bound for an hour and forty five minutes. Just one man and an acoustic guitar. It was a great way to get back into live gigs again. We have tickets to see The Delines and The Animals on successive weekends in February next year at The Met in Bury, one of our favourite venues. It is the Animals farewell tour which seems timely as sadly they have mostly passed away. They will be fronted by one of my favourite singers, Maggie Bell. Another musician with a fascinating backstory which included being managed by Peter Grant and recording on Led Zeppelin’s Swansong label. Her two Swansong albums Queen of the night and Suicide Sal are well worth checking out. Fans of Glaswegian detective series Taggert will know her as the singer of theme tune No Mean City. She also starred alongside Billy Connolly in TV drama Down among the big boys in 1993.

NO MEAN CITY – YouTube

The Delines feature Willy Vlautin who is now better known for his novels, many of which have been made into movies. They are a great band and singer Amy Boone brings Vlautins songs to life. I can’t wait for their new album which is due early next year.

The Delines – Colfax Avenue (Live on KEXP) – YouTube

Post gig we headed back out onto Deansgate and stopped for a pint in The Lost Dene. The beer was shite and that’s putting it politely, We both ended up leaving our glasses half empty (spot the metaphor) and headed back out into the night. We passed roaming herds of young people in Halloween costumes heading for the cities various nightclubs. We passed a good few long queues at such venues with social distancing decidedly off the menu! We trudged down Deansgate in the pissing rain and ducked back into The Moon under Water. After drinking too much shite beer over the course of the day we both opted for Large G&T’s which were ludicrously cheap as ever in ‘Spoons. There was a young couple at the next table. She was, to put it politely, shit canned! When Pat headed to the bar to order another round her fella was ordering her a tonic. She probably didn’t notice!! We cabbed it back to the hotel as it was too miserable to walk and headed for the bar. Pat ordered the drinks while I nipped to the gents. She asked the bar tender for two G&T’s, he asked if she wanted to make them doubles and Pat asked what’s the difference? You get drunk quicker came his reply, tip well earned! The bar manager well and truly pissed me off when he said that 90% of the city’s homeless population actually earned £2000/week and were faking it. I’m sure the people huddled, shivering in shop doorways in the pissing rain were not faking it. Not a single one of them asked us for money! What a twat, he summed up this miserable midden of a city for me.

It was great to get to see a gig again after way too long. Although I spend a large portion of my leisure time listening to music, there is no substitute for watching artists play live. I prefer smaller venues with great acoustics than vast arenas with no soul and shite sound. As I said earlier, Manchester has many great venues but I just can’t warm to it as a city. The Northern Quarter is really good, The Curry mile is great but the city has no soul. Give me Liverpool and its warm, friendly people any day.

We’ve booked next year’s holiday in the USA. California is (sadly) off the menu to be replaced with our first visit to New Mexico. I look forward to the food, the Margarita’s and to trying a hot air balloon ride. We have booked some cool looking hotels and I am looking forward to relaxing and checking out the art scene. We have booked a cool looking Airbnb in Austin. It’s expensive but the free parking makes it worth it. Austin hotels charge around $40/day on average which is a rip off in my eyes. I don’t mind paying for valet service or tipping those who park/ bring out the car but $40 is daylight robbery I’m afraid. Everywhere we are staying in New Mexico has free parking and free, fresh cooked breakfast.

I have read many great books recently. Mary Gauthier’s Saved by a song is even better than I thought it would be. An emotional roller coaster that tells her life story through the medium of song lyrics. I also enjoyed I wanna be yours the autobiography of Mancunian poet John Cooper Clarke. He doesn’t pull any punches when describing the decades he spent dancing with mister brownstone.

I have just finished I alone can fix it which is the follow up to A very stable genius. This book by Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig covers the last two years of the Trump Presidency. The description of the events of 6^th January when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol is truly chilling. UK and European newspapers are becoming increasingly convinced that Trump is likely to win back power in 2024 and the fact that his supporters in the Republican party are changing laws in swing states to ensure his victory should frighten us all. It is ironic that the potential leader of the free world favours a totalitarian state where he is voted president for life. Similarly, In the UK the Tory government is changing electoral boundaries to favour its own politicians. Before you vote next time, consider if it is a truly fair election. We all want our own favourites to win but the concept of democracy guards us against dictatorship and allows common people to influence the way we are governed. Don’t let yourself succumb to unfair bias propagated by politicians. Here endeth the sermon comrades! Here’s to the next CRAFT club meeting in December and our next visit to Liverpool.