well i ll be damned..

last night…yep, yet another one…

The Damned !!! and The Alarm !!! with Derek SIMPLE MINDS LEGEND Forbes on bass !!!!!!!

and Henry STIFF LITTLE FINGERS Cluney supporting !!!!

Henry was already playing as i arrived. he was incredible. i loved him to bits. he completely fluffed a couple of songs, and giggled his head off. and was seriously infectiously likeable. and one hell of a shit hot geetar player. note to self * get stiff little fingers.  quick.

photie turned out crap tho… 🙁

 

then the alarm. who The Lonz idolised. she had all the albums on tape. i never paid them any attention at all tho.

stupidly. because they were amazing last night.  mike peters is from prestatyn rhyl, where i used to live. hes a national hero there. after last night, he is here, too.

of course, thats all well and good…. but the REAL reason i was there was the bands oh-so special session player… another all-time gonz icon, the coolest of all the minds…Derek Big Dan Yer Man Forbes.

there aren’t many better than Derek. his 80s basslines are legendary, some of the best of the era. waterfront, someone somewhere, glittering prize, love song, the american, sweat in bullet, trance as mission, changeling, blahhhhh…..

i photographed him last night, approximately 345739048times.  most came out average. a few came out perfect.  job done. mission accomplished. book complete !!!!!!!!!!!!

finally, the damned. who were SERIOUSLY difficult individuals to capture, as they never stood still. i managed a few though..

and i was quite happy.

not into writing today. its 9475394 degrees, and ive things to do. but last night needed relating, as is my way.

my brother arrived this morning, unexpectedly. we talked randomly. it was nice. my father relating the story of his going to the FA Cup final, 1952 i think it was. he related it in finite detail, as is his way. how much the ticket cost. how his work buddy was indignant. how his father had to kick him out the bed at 7am, sayin you’re off now, or im havin the ticket and goin myself… newcastle won. 1-nil. he fell asleep in the train station.  and on, and on.

im having trouble writing this, as mentioned. suffice to say though…. that was one of the loveliest conversations i can remember. gonz snr in the spotlight.  and loving it.

 

anyway… to end…

its been a simple minds week.  monday was the BIG one…. and im still flyin… the album hasnt been off all week, and is stunning… last night saw another piece in the puzzle….

and then i ve just discovered the silencers. a long-forgotten 80s act from scotland… who have just reformed… are supporting the minds in edinburgh… and, quite frankly, are the best ‘new’ music i ve heard in wayy too long.  i have become instantly connected to them, cant wait to see them…. and am having one hell of a phase.

this is their biggest hit, recorded at a charity concert for their cancer stricken guitarist. he died, a few weeks after its filming.

but he was a helluva boy.

http://www.downloadhome.co.uk/the_silencers/index.html

 

and apart from all that malarkey… ohhh, you know… just the usual..

 

Peace out