An idiots guide to an idiot: Another old gig

An idiots guide to an idiot: Another old gig:  Another extract from The Morgan  Good Gig Guide this time from 1980.Rainbow was the first rock gig I'd gone to so here's what my id...

Another old gig

 Another extract from The Morgan  Good Gig Guide this time from 1980.Rainbow was the first rock gig I'd gone to so here's what my idiot 18 year old self thought:

Friday 29th Feb 1980. Wembley Arena. Price £4.00.

Rainbow supported  by Samson.

So begins the Heavy Metal saga. Went with Mark and Alan (known as The Priest &  Axeman)Samson were bril, they knew their stuff,  even to their  own 'Roadhouse Blues' number, there's was  'Inside Out." A grand support. Even the records played during the interval were good. 'I'm part of the union'(Strawbs)& 'All you need is love' (Beatles) got everyone singing. Then on stormed  a magnificent Rainbow, really spot on, especially Don Airey's (keyboards) & Cozy Powell's (drums ) solos. But they went off after only 90 minutes-no encore. That left some bad feeling , but it really was a magical gig. The best ever!!

Another review that won't be winning the Pulitzer Prize for literature! I also seem to have left alot out as far as  can remember. At one point I remember 'Land of Hope & Glory' pumping out of the PA system & everyone was singing! More like last night of the Proms that a rock gig! 

Samson then had an unknown vocalist  called Bruce Dickinson, though in Samson he was called Bruce Bruce. Even he doesn't seem to know why ( from his later bio  'What does this button do?') .Within a year he would be singing with Iron Maiden.  

Rainbow's line up was their very best as far as I'm concerned. Ritchie Blackmore is a great guitarist,  Graham Bonnet had such a powerful voice though not originally from a rock background, Roger Glovers bass line just kept the whole thing rocking, Don Airey's keyboards was sublime. His solo included classic, pop, old songs all sorts of stuff & of course the legend that was Cozy Powell on drums just blew us away.

The evening was cut short , I believe Blackmore threw a moody  & wouldn't come back on. Not on really, we were the mugs who paid to see him!  There was newspaper reports of a riot after because of this, well it's another time  the press  just  seemed to make things up, as we saw no such thing and we didn't rush out either. Have you seen the ticket price? £4.00!!   Wow!

I also bought an album there (vinyl that is, its all we had then!) 'Long Live Rock n Roll' their third album. I wrote a longer slightly more in depth review that is complete cobblers, I tried to wax lyrical & failed dismally. One day I'll transcribe the whole thing. Just be gentle with me !   

Shortened though it was  this gig lives in my memory as one of the greatest. There's more to come! 

An idiots guide to an idiot: War films

An idiots guide to an idiot: War films: A good friend of mine awhile back went through his favourite films & put his thoughts on Instagram & FaceBook, so cribbing his idea ...

War films

A good friend of mine awhile back went through his favourite films & put his thoughts on Instagram & FaceBook, so cribbing his idea I thought I'd put on  my favourite war films. They aren't in any kind of order, I'd struggle to do that and I've chosen war films not only because its a subject that interests me but the last film we saw was 1917 so have been inspired to go with the war film theme. So here they are:

The Great Escape. A film that would deffo be in the top five of my list, this is a great film. Strangely I associate it with Christmas as that's when its usually on...again!  Made in 1963 it has a wealth of stars, |Richard Attenborough, Steve McQueen, Donald Pleasance, Charles Bronson and many more. It very loosely tells a true story of an escape from a Prisoner of War camp and the brutality of the Nazi Regime who murdered around 50 of the POW's on their recapture. The nonsense with Steve McQueen on his motorbike is entirely made up. McQueen would only do the film if he could sod about on a motorbike! The film has great music as well!

 

Zulu.  Its a brilliant film, not always historically correct but the same can be said of many films. I have very fond memories of having lunch behind the 'barricades' of the sofa and cushions whilst watching Zulu with Gary & Alec as little boys. Alec being totally captivated with the film, to this day (about twenty five years on) its one of his favourite films.

It stars Michael Caine in his first film as Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead and Stanley Baker as Lieutenant John Chard. In fact the film was a labour of love of Stanley Bakers. There are inaccuracies of course (not least the family of Private Henry Hook were outraged by how their ancestor was portrayed as a drunk layabout  when in reality he was not only tee total but an  but an exemplary soldier!) but  they are swamped by  it being edge of the seat daring do stuff! Sadly one of my favourite moments in the film when the garrison of Rorkes Drift sing 'Men of Harlech' after the Zulus have appeared and sung a series of battle cries, never happened!   Its a stirring part of the film.

The Dambusters. Could well be my number one to be honest, its a black and white film made in the 1950's when alot of the details of the 'Upkeep' bomb were still secret. It has a phenomenal  musical score making famous The Dambusters March, still beloved of RAF bands today. Michael Redgrave plays Barnes Wallis who invented the bouncing bomb and Richard Todd plays Wing Commander Guy Gibson who commanded 617 Squadron that carried out the attack. Three original Lancaster bombers were converted to look like the type that  were used, I think I'm right in saying two were scrapped after  filming (the fools!!) .The special effects of blowing up the dams are of course pretty ropey compared to todays wizardry so you do have to take that into consideration, though there is a little archive footage of prototype bombs being dropped and viewed from the seashore. Its a bloody good film and the Dambusters March still brings a lump to my throat. 

 

Bridge on the River Kwai  has the most brilliant opening scenes. The quiet of the jungle is broken by men whistling. It gradually gets louder then the orchestra takes up the strains of 'Colonel Bogey' and these  rag taggle Prisoners of War  march into the prison camp as if they were on Horse Guards Parade, a superb opening to the film which is actually abit annoying as its about the Colonel of the British played brilliantly by Alec Guinness remonstrating with their Jap captors that officers shouldn't work even though the men do. A compromise is made and the Colonel wants the bridge built to the best of their ability. Some documents only just released show that the War Office  wasn't very happy with the film as it makes the prisoners look like they are collaborating when in truth they sabotaged the railway at every opportunity, and an ex prisoner that I'd spoken to reckon the film made the Jap guards look like 'a load of nig-nogs' that could be influenced. Not so he said! For the slightest reason or no reason the guards would belt them with rifle butts, though as I've said before these are films for entertainment not documentaries.  It is however  a great film. 

  

     Waterloo.  Maybe Rod Steiger as Napoleon was a strange choice but Christopher Plummer as Wellington was spot on. It also stars 17000 soldiers of the Soviet Army who portrayed the troops in the battle. No CGI in 1970! It's an epic that sticks to the action and doesn't go off on tangents of characters love lives etc and is superbly done. From the charge of the Royal Scots Greys to the final assault by Napoleons Old Guard. A long film, but a great film.

  

 

Lawrence of Arabia.      Starring Peter  O'Toole as Lieut (later Colonel) Thomas Edward Lawrence. It's a 1962 epic that also stars Omar Sharif as Sherif Ali, Jack Hawkins as General Allenby and Anthony Quinn  and Alec Guinness  both playing Arabs (Auda Abu Tayi  & Prince Feisal). Not  something that would happen these days I think. The film is concerned with Lawrence's  involvement with the Arab  Revolt  against the Turks during World War One  though it starts with his death in a motorbike accident in 1935. The desert scenes are perhaps the most spectacular, the piece where  he meets Sherif Ali for the first  time is around four minutes of a figure a riding across the desert demonstrating the vastness of the desert I think. Peter O'Toole is good as Lawrence though there's an interesting historical anomaly. O'Toole was  6 ft 2in tall, Lawrence was only 5ft 5ins!   It's a long film running to nearly four hours but well worth an afternoon to watch it.

     

  A Bridge too far.  I saw this film when it first came out in  1977 with my friend Alan. Its a great film. Bit of an epic directed by Sir Richard Attenborough (most of his films were epics). It tells the story of the ill fated Operation Market Garden  to punch a way through to Arnhem by dropping paratroops ( British/US & Polish) to capture the all important bridges followed by XXX Armoured Corps roaring up to Arnhem. It  was a disaster and the bridge at Arnhem, the bridge too far, was never taken and many troops were killed , the remaining eventually having to  surrender.  Its got lots of big names of the time in. Dirk Bogarde, Anthony Hopkins, Gene Hackman,  Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Edward Fox, Ryan O'Neal, Lawrence Olivier  and more. Some say it was the last big war film made and was of course pre CGI technology . It also coined the immortal line from Anthony Hopkins playing Lieut Col Johnny Frost of 'Bring up the PAIT!' (Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank)  that is now in WW2 buffs vocabulary!

Journeys End.   A fine film that shows the harrowing side of war (World War One) and its effect on people. It is based an a play by RC Sherriff, himself a war veteran, though he had trouble getting the play off the ground in 1928 as people didn't want plays about the war. Memories were still too raw I think. The film of 2017  stars Asa Butterfield, Sam Clafin, Toby Jones and Stephen Graham and others of course. It shows the slow disintegration of four officers whilst waiting for the attack they know will come. A sombre but enthralling film.

1917. This latest World War One  release seems to be either loved or loathed. I thought it was a great film, it portrayed  the squalor & filth of the trenches and  was a powerful story. The purists will always complain of course....saluting without a hat on, belts worn incorrectly  etc but these are swamped by a by a good if simple story and some good acting. The military/historical adviser, a very knowledgeable chap called Andy Robertshaw asked Sam Mendes whether he could be in the film, just a small non speaking role in the background. He was refused on the grounds of he'd have been too old to be there in reality! Anyway, a very good film.         

I'll leave it at these nine films I think. I could add many more, and there are glaring omissions   such as Saving Private Ryan, Sink the Bismark, Cockleshell Heroes, Charge of the Light Brigade, Cromwell and more besides but I don't want to bore you dear reader. I might even do another instalment at a later date.

An idiots guide to an idiot: Carsington Water

An idiots guide to an idiot: Carsington Water:  On our first full day in the Peak District we went for a walk round part of Carsington Water. it was only   a couple of miles drive form wh...

Carsington Water

 On our first full day in the Peak District we went for a walk round part of Carsington Water. it was only   a couple of miles drive form where we were staying.

Weather was Ok but got  better as we walked. Pretty much all laid out proper paths which  helped Tara alot. We found a cabin with some over large carved wooden furniture which was fun. Did about 3 miles I think, then b ack to the cottage.

   

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.