An idiots guide to an idiot: Ticket Stubs

An idiots guide to an idiot: Ticket Stubs:  I found another little gem in the loft as I continue to sort it out. Alot of ticket stubs from gigs I'd been to years ago! I thought I&...

Ticket Stubs

 I found another little gem in the loft as I continue to sort it out. Alot of ticket stubs from gigs I'd been to years ago! I thought I'd thrown them away years ago so was pleased to find them. I've even got the first gig I went to (  also blogged about) Penetration in  May 1979.

 

An idiots guide to an idiot: Lofts and Gigs

An idiots guide to an idiot: Lofts and Gigs:  After gathering crap in the loft for something like 20  years I am at last making headway getting it sorted. With the memsahibs help of cou...

Lofts and Gigs

 After gathering crap in the loft for something like 20  years I am at last making headway getting it sorted. With the memsahibs help of course, also the threat of being locked in the loft with a plate of cheese sandwiches and a bucket until its done!

There's a few  items I was hoping  might turn up:

 My old cowboy boots. Check!

My old denim waistcoat. Check!

Rock badges that went on the waistcoat. Check!

and finally various  band programmes and photos I'd bought  and a gig guide I'd written about where I'd been and who I saw. Check!

Particularly pleased about the last two.  The gig guide I'd grandly called 'The Morgan Good Gig Guide' and the first entry was on 4th May 1979. Here's photos of  what I wrote and then a verbatim  account of the first article. 

 So here it is then, what my 17 year old idiot self  thought of his first ever gig:

Gigs that yours truely has witnessed.

Friday 4th May 1979  Brunel University, Uxbridge. Price £1.40

Penetration  supported by Cowboys International.

'Went with Mark, Bob, Tim & Phil. A Punk gig started off  my round of gigs-it was good. The support were acceptable although the others weren't so keen on them. Penetration were  great! The tune I couldn't stop humming  for  days after was 'Danger Signs.' Actually got up on the stage after they'd  just finished! Or what eh!!!'

Not the most  cerebral  account of a gig you'll find  but it was  what I thought. Why I've put 'Bob ' as one of my friends names I'll never know. He was Robert or Rob to us, never Bob!  I  vividly remember climbing up onto the stage along  with everyone else, it was really exciting, I  seem to recall later it was us taking to the stage that finished the gig rather than the band finishing! There were reports of a riot after which were totally untrue, walking back to the station we  saw one policeman who was  taking no notice of us. Some of the group I went with were really into Punk, I remember Tim had tri coloured hair & him, Rob & Mark were festooned with safety pins and zips. Me & Phil  just normal by comparison with jeans and t shirts. I also remember they'd taken bottles of  booze on the train that we  necked enroute.

I hadn't really been 'into' music all that long, I was bit of a late developer in that respect  and I was looking forward to my  first gig. It was a wonderful night and one I'll never forget, it introduced me to live music and I liked it!   

I'll give you another taste  of my literary prose another time and reveal more about the gigs I went to. 

An idiots guide to an idiot: An idiots guide to an idiot: Highgate.

An idiots guide to an idiot: An idiots guide to an idiot: Highgate.: An idiots guide to an idiot: Highgate. :  We watched a very interesting online talk  about the so called ' Magnificent Seven' Victor...

Moose's head

 

There was a Moose's  head above the fireplace in the cottage we've just stayed in. I couldn't decide whether they just liked Moose or were Fawlty Towers fans!

I've not blogged much  lately, to be honest I went off the boil. But then  talking to Tara, she suggested  I write it differently.  For instance, if we'd been away for a week I'd feel I had to write something for everyday, well that's a diary not a blog!  I have been making heavy weather if it and put myself off doing it!

So here it is,  a new blogging idea. Please comment and share  as much as you like!

An idiots guide to an idiot: Highgate.

An idiots guide to an idiot: Highgate.:  We watched a very interesting online talk  about the so called ' Magnificent Seven' Victorian cemeteries    in London.  We learnt t...

Highgate.

 We watched a very interesting online talk  about the so called ' Magnificent Seven' Victorian cemeteries    in London.  We learnt that Highgate, which usually only allows guided tours of the West cemetery have changed their rules during the pandemic. You can, for a charge, walk round both sides of Highgate Cemetery under  your own steam.

We decided to take advantage of this  probably not to be repeated chance. Guide tours are very good, you can learn alot but its nice to amble along at your own speed. So,  booked online off we went on Saturday for a usual Morbid Morgan fun day out!

Weather was cold unfortunately and felt like it got colder as the day went on. After an uneventful drive down we got parked easily in a nearby street as parking restrictions are lifted during the weekends. There's no facilities in the cemetery but I'd packed as a picnic and flask of coffee  which we had a cup of before   organising ourselves to move off.

Entry to Highgate was all very organised  and straight forward we  got in, got our guide book and off we went onto the Colonnade Path. There  are many graves of the famous, or once famous  including the     magnificent grave of George Wombwell, a Victorian circus& freak  show owner with a resting Lion atop his grave. His circus also   at one time featured John Merrick, aka The Elephant Man. 

Malcolm  McClaren of Sex  Pistols fame  is also buried here. It's his actual death mask used on his grave! 

Russian spy killed in London

 

  The most famous person buried is Karl Marx, though the  huge grave he now has was a addition made b y the Soviet Government in the 1960's, the original being far smaller  and unassuming. Actress Jean Simmons  also is buried in Highgate.

It's a fascinating day out if you fancy it. It's much more than a cemetery & more a  history lesson.

Since visiting  the rules have gone back to guided tours only of the West cemetery which is the more interesting side with the terraced catacombs etc.