Any visit to Birmingham for a haircut also provides a splendid opportunity to call in at the city's remaining music stores for a swift browse. First port of call is Tempest Records. But, what's this? It's closing down! This is very bad news indeed but explains why they couldn't get the latest Transatlantic (it's been on order since well before Xmas - in the end I had to get it from
HMV for more money and sans bonus DVD). Kept saying that it was on order from Germany. Expected any day. Keep checking. Humph. Transpires they haven't ordered any new stock for ages (no
Airbourne or Joe
Bonamassa then) and now all stock is in the sale and when it's all gone they will close forever. Even their web site is closing. This is very sad news as Vicky and I have been going to Tempest records for at least 25 years. It's always busy as well. Full of weird people into rock's rich tapestry, hip-hop, trance, dance and all things
in between. Stocks vinyl as well for those who can afford it.
Next stop is Swordfish. Not a regular visit for us. This doesn't appear to be closing down just yet but it probably will do eventually given we are the only ones in there. I'm looking for anything by Mick Taylor or the albums by the Stones on which he played (even tho' it sticks in my craw 'cos I know that Jagger and Richards don't pay him royalties). There's no Mick Taylor solo stuff and all the Stones albums are full-price (i.e. a bl**
dy rip-off). Same thing at Tempest (apart from the fact that they were a third-off in the closing down sale) by the way. So, nothing purchased at either independent record store.
Finished up at HMV where they don't have anything by Joe Bonamassa (couldn't even find a section). The Rolling Stones stuff is even more expensive and they've never heard of Mick Taylor. At least they've heard of Airbourne and confirm that the new album will be out next week. To assuage my frustration we settle for Midlake's latest album of mournful folke rock. If it's a s good as that last album of theirs ('The Trials of John Claude Van B*ggering F*rt Knocker' or whatever it was called) it'll be bostin'. But we leave town slightly frustrated at the way the world's going. But what can we do? It's progress, eh?
It's the internet from now on methinks. Let's hope web sites employ loads of people.
........unlike Lightning and Summer who might be the best of friends but are a real handful and I'd really appreciate you putting that ruddy camera down for a minute, David, and giving me a hand. Thank you.
Si Pavey and Charley Boorman at the 'Meet and Greet' session after their 'gig' at Wolverhampton's Wulfrun Hall. Not the usual sort of gig we go to, granted, but very enjoyable all the same. We wondered what sort of audience would be attracted to such a gig and reckoned that it was split roughly 50-50 between born again bikers and folk simply interested in travelling (or both). Not sure we learnt a lot more about Charley and Si's exploits than we already knew about them but it was very entertaining nonetheless. The biggest mystery remains unsolved: at which precise point in time did Simon, as we knew him back in the day when he was an ACU Off Road Coach, become Si? About the same time that Jamie became James Whitham, no doubt.
2) This is top British rider Dave Thorpe on the works Honda 500. Told you the weather wasn't the best. He won both 40mins-plus-one-lap legs and sent everyone home happy. Which was lucky as getting off the car park fields was a nightmare. Not the most exciting shot, eh? Note to self: try to get one of him in the air next time.
Honda's RC30 quickly became the mainstay for many a privateer racer at all levels of the sport. This one is being eased through Cadwell Park's Hall Bends at the British Champs meeting on 26th June 1988 by Brian Morrison. He came first and set the fastest lap in a heat and then came second to Darren Dixon (Suzuki RG500) in the final. The meeting was overshadowed by the fatal accident that befell Kenny Irons during a warm up lap (of all things).
Any visit to Birmingham for a haircut also provides a splendid opportunity to call in at the city's remaining music stores for a swift browse. First port of call is Tempest Records. But, what's this? It's closing down! This is very bad news indeed but explains why they couldn't get the latest Transatlantic (it's been on order since well before Xmas - in the end I had to get it from HMV for more money and sans bonus DVD). Kept saying that it was on order from Germany. Expected any day. Keep checking. Humph. Transpires they haven't ordered any new stock for ages (no Airbourne or Joe Bonamassa then) and now all stock is in the sale and when it's all gone they will close forever. Even their web site is closing. This is very sad news as Vicky and I have been going to Tempest records for at least 25 years. It's always busy as well. Full of weird people into rock's rich tapestry, hip-hop, trance, dance and all things in between. Stocks vinyl as well for those who can afford it.
Next stop is Swordfish. Not a regular visit for us. This doesn't appear to be closing down just yet but it probably will do eventually given we are the only ones in there. I'm looking for anything by Mick Taylor or the albums by the Stones on which he played (even tho' it sticks in my craw 'cos I know that Jagger and Richards don't pay him royalties). There's no Mick Taylor solo stuff and all the Stones albums are full-price (i.e. a bl**dy rip-off). Same thing at Tempest (apart from the fact that they were a third-off in the closing down sale) by the way. So, nothing purchased at either independent record store.
It's official. Spring's arrived and you read it here first. 
1) There's no better way to beat those pre-Big Match nerves than to take a long walk along the River Severn where friendly robins let you shove yer Pentax right into their bushes and take their photo. 
2) Back home and it's all-set for the kick off of the 2010 League Cup Final against those dastardly dirty-cheatin' Manure-fellas. 