Once upon a time in the 1950s three batsmen played for the West Indies. Sir Frank Worrell who scored nearly 4,000 test runs at 49.48 and was the first non-white captain of the West Indies; Sir Clyde Walcott who scored nearly 4,000 runs at 56.68, and Sir Everton Weekes 4,400 runs at over an averageContinue reading “The wild dogs cry out in the night”
Tag Archives: 80s
Letting the days go by
I was spoiled starting to listen seriously to pop music in the early 80s. After the revolution of punk there was the creativity of new wave and there was a lot of amazing music produced. I only really started to realise this as the decade wore on. The young, new bands become mellower as theyContinue reading “Letting the days go by”
We got a thousand points of light
Second year accountancy exams, Professional Examination 1 (PE1) were the real thing. The first-year exams just proved you could go on to do these. Revision courses for the five subjects were in Cambridge again, but at least I had a reliable car, even if it was the cheapest Fiesta imaginable (995cc and no heated rearContinue reading “We got a thousand points of light”
I saw the writing on the wall
A lot of people complain that the modern world isn’t as good as the one they grew up. People want simple verities that are gone and we are not bound together as a country the way we were. The proliferation of television channels and then the ability to watch anything when we want means thatContinue reading “I saw the writing on the wall”
I see a shadow and call out to try and warn him
I have mixed feelings about Madness. They started out with some really great ska tracks like One Step Beyond and Night Boat To Cairo (which were part of a ska resurgence at the turn of the 70s into the 80s). Baggy Trousers struck a chord with all children of school age when it came outContinue reading “I see a shadow and call out to try and warn him”
You’ll sell the ground beneath your feet
The first of two appearance of Fish as a lead singer, this one as a solo artist. Fish had been the lead singer of Marillion and when he left the group in looked like a double your money situation. Marillion released Season’s End and Fish released Vigil In a Wilderness of Mirrors – both greatContinue reading “You’ll sell the ground beneath your feet”
Then the cowboy turned the gun on himself
One Saturday afternoon in the sixth form I was listening to the Richard Skinner show on Radio 1. They had a group called Theatre of Hate in playing tracks from their new album Westworld. “From the south on a wind in walked a cowboy The saloon was dry but his guns were well oiled SomehowContinue reading “Then the cowboy turned the gun on himself”
It’s time to make our way through the fountained squares
Only fans have heard of John Foxx. He was the lead singer on Ultravox’s first three albums, which only spawned a couple of very minor hits. He was replaced by Midge Ure and Ultravox had an extended period of success. Foxx had a couple of solo hits – Underpass and No One’s Driving, but hisContinue reading “It’s time to make our way through the fountained squares”
If I could buy my reasoning, I’d pay to lose
In Spring 1990 we had a university reunion at Dave Carter’s in the Lake District. I met Alex at a station near his house in Slough and we drove up together. It was a warm spring day, but the temperature progressively dropped the further north we went. By the time we got to Carter’s IContinue reading “If I could buy my reasoning, I’d pay to lose”
One cheap illusion can still be divine
Consider a counter-history starting in the sixteenth century. In 1588 Catholic Spain tried to conquer Protestant England – it failed, but what if it had succeeded? England is conquered by Spain and becomes an occupied country. Spanish people settle in East Anglia and Catholicism becomes the state religion. Protestantism is outlawed and heretics are burntContinue reading “One cheap illusion can still be divine”
Five Miles Out 