That 1997 holiday in Majorca. A week of it was totally marred by a virus. Given that alcohol abuse was totally off the table I went to Parma by bus – not something I would ever want to repeat (yet 4 years later I did it from Alcudia which is lot further away). Parma isContinue reading “I’m Wide Awake and I can See”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
‘Cause Man Must Be His Own Saviour
In sixth form our teachers constantly told us that A levels would be the hardest bit of our lives. University would be a doddle compared to this (total lies of course). In the first year it hardly seemed like that as we only had a timetable of 11 hours a week and there was littleContinue reading “‘Cause Man Must Be His Own Saviour”
So Where Is Your God?
As I have said before the London Borough of Newham had an appalling academic record in the late 80s. One part of their solution was to close all the school sixth forms (years 12 and 13) and open a dedicated sixth form college. (Even though the term sixth form has been gone for nearly 30Continue reading “So Where Is Your God?”
I’m Adaptable and I Like My New Role
Groups bind over time. Our sixth form was split between arts and science (I had wanted to do double maths, physics and history, one extra A level, but I was told the timetabling was impossible – at Monoux we run over 25 A levels and almost any combination is possible). On the science side thereContinue reading “I’m Adaptable and I Like My New Role”
And I’m a Million Different People
Going on holiday to the Mediterranean is all the same isn’t it? I mean in the 90s. It is all hot and caters to a fun time? How wrong I was. Having been to various Greek islands and Cyprus (kind of Greek, but they drive on the left and had Woolworths) I assumed that thereContinue reading “And I’m a Million Different People”
We Almost Made It…..
Some bands never make it. They get so close, after all the slog on the live circuit they finally get a record contract, they may even get a single in the lower reaches of the top 75, but it never quite happens. They maybe championed by a DJ or two, but they don’t connect withContinue reading “We Almost Made It…..”
I Couldn’t Get Away
I really like A Flock of Seagulls. They did 1.5 good albums (the first one and four tracks on the second). In the early 80s some groups were New Romantic and some were Futurist – history remembers the former movement and not the latter, it is now all remembered as New Romantic. You could tellContinue reading “I Couldn’t Get Away”
Just a Foreign Town With a Foreign Mind
I am not qualified to write about Japan. At least not compared with Michael. I like some of their stuff, but Mike is a devoted fan of the group and their solo work. Japan were way ahead of their time. The way they looked and sounded in the late 70s were mainstream in 1981. WhenContinue reading “Just a Foreign Town With a Foreign Mind”
The Only Thing I’ve Seen
How should you treat entertainers who turn out to be abusers? I have said how hard it is when you love someone’s music to ditch them. So many Michael Jackson fans ignore the information about him or discount it as lies. Gary Glitter was a famous figure in 70s British music with several number ones. Continue reading “The Only Thing I’ve Seen”
Ma You’re Just Jealous – We’re the Dumper Boys
There was quite a pub band scene in Essex in the early 90s – mainly covers bands at the rock/ metal end of the spectrum. The most famous were Tattered and Torn, who could deliver two hours of rock to a very high standard. Some of our friends in the Rotoract group formed the KingContinue reading “Ma You’re Just Jealous – We’re the Dumper Boys”
Five Miles Out 