Saturday 1 November 2008

In a land far, far, away....

A long time ago, I was a club player.

I suspect it's a peculiar British institution, the equivalent of a wandering minstrel. Dunno what the state-side equivalent is. In the brief time I spent in New York and Paris (France), the only thing I can compare it to is the people who provide entertainment in bars.

In GB, we have those of course, but we also have something called 'Working Mens Clubs' which are mainly trade union affiliated. Did a lot of those. If you want an idea what they can be like, Try and get hold of a film called "The Full Monty" It's fair old now, but accurate for it's time, and great fun.

My time was well before then :) So I was totally surprised to be contacted by seven people, out of the blue, who remembered me! Well shocked I can tell you. T'ween you and me, I'm well chuffed. (Pleased). The major thing is that most of them remembered other guys I used to knock around with. Hmm. who 'let the cat out'

I told one of them I'm a stroke survivor, and they said "well, sit down then, Yousaf Islam does". (I believe that's the chap who used to be "Cat Stevens" ) As it happens, I'm a big fan of his - along with Bowie and Ferry and a few relatively unknown folk singers :)

I've not touched a guitar for yonks. My Bear does - she one of those people who can spend two minutes with ANY instrument and play anything - but has never made a cent from it. Y'know the thing - out of tune? No problem. Left hand? Right hand? Upside down? Piano, Synth keyboard, It's an incredible gift. NO probs! Yet she's partly deaf. Incredible.

I'm a bit tempted. But with Bears help - I dunno. I dunno what to think. It'd be darn difficult.

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Errrr... The S-thing and stroke post promised. I'm holding off a bit so I can get it right. I've gotta do it, but I've hit a lot of opposition from either older single people, Christian fundamentalists, and I was hit by a hacker/hackers not long after my original post. Sigh :(.

Thing about blogging is that you have to take the risk of being available to the wider world community, and just now and again, you have to tread carefully. So I'm treading carefully .


3 comments:

Jem said...

Wow Bro

You are are Dark Horse

I never knew any of this!

What act did you do?

Was it the old Bryan Ferry routine that you used to do at home in front of the mirror with the hairbrush?

God Bless

Jem

Jem said...

P.s

Quote from Mr Coates I think "A Christian Fundamentalist is a Christian who is closer to God than you are."

God Bless

Jem

Anonymous said...

Blush.....

Er, Brian Ferry. Yes. A bit like, I'm told. With a little of Elvis thrown in, which is a disconcerting thought. I'm not sure it was a compliment. ;)

Ah, Mr Coates. Still going strong at Pioneer. And on James Whale show on Talk Sport, Jeremy Vine show on BBC Radio 2, Radio’s 4 and 5. Good man that :)

If you know my background, you'll know we effectively lived in a deeply fundamentalist church community for some years.

On some subjects, even in such churches, as in the wider church, views can be polarised, and often unnecessarily aggressively too.

Sadly, it can make authorship a bit like taking stepping stones across a swollen river.