Coffee

lee.r.adams

13 Dec, 2025

Coffee, in the UK has gone through something of a transformation in recent years. But in the main, the major coffee chains appear to have little or no interest in improving the coffee they sell. They just serve something loosely described as “coffee”. Some would question even that. But is it really poor? And if so, why? Let’s try and find out.

Reading Time:- 15 minutes

(This blog contains footnotes, referenced by a small number in the text. To read the footnote click on the number and then click on the return arrow to return to your place in the blog)

The Maldon Coffee Company is an independent coffee shop run by the wonderful Martin and Sarah who serve top quality coffee (yes, I’ve been paid handsomely for the mention¹)

Search & Destroy

So, why is coffee in the UK not quite at the level of quality it could be? Well, not always, but usually? Why is it if you want to drink a decent cuppa, you have to spend three hours researching local coffee shops in order to remove the revelatory from the rubbish?

Yes, but the coffee shop on the high street has a 4.5 rating on Tripadvisor which is 0.2 greater than the one near the shopping centre

Costa Fortune

And why is it that there are over 16,000 Costa Coffee outlets in the UK and they’re all rubbish? How does that work exactly?²

Costa Coffee. Bigger isn’t always better

Transformative

Much like coffee, I’ve gone through something of a transformational journey in the last few years too. Once upon a time, not so many years ago (actually quite a few), all I did was drink tea. About 5-6 cups a day. Then, as I got older I started to embrace the characteristics of coffee.

But back when I was a teapot, coffee was very simple. The choice was, black, white, or instant. Or, if you were at a restaurant you might get offered coffee with cream. And if the restaurant was of the gourmet, cordon bleu or fine dining variety, you might even get an Irish Coffee. I know. Wild eh?

Irish Coffees were fine; then you could get a Napoleon Coffee, Calypso Coffee, and then everything coffee³

The Canning Town Cappuccino

My mum used to make frothy coffee too. We didn’t have a coffee machine with a steam wand though. Oh no. None of that fancy ‘la-de-da’ continental nonsense. She just used to heat up the milk in a saucepan until it began to boil over then she poured it into a cup with some instant coffee. I thought it was amazing and very sophisticated. But, that wasn’t so much a Madagascan Mocha as a Canning Town Cappuccino.

Avant-Garde

Other than that there wasn’t much else to choose from. My dad became very avant-garde during the early 70’s when he embraced a stovetop espresso maker, or Moka Pot, and he’d get some coffee beans from somewhere (usually a bloke from work would sell him stuff that had been ‘knocked off’⁴)and he’d get me to grind the beans with a hand cranked grinder that was screwed onto the top of a little wooden box where the ground coffee would collect.

A Bialetti Moka Pot, not dissimilar to the one my dad used during his hedonistic days of the early 70’s

Aroma

It was hard work and whilst I didn’t particularly enjoy grinding coffee by hand, it was cheaper than buying a Bullworker and I loved the smell of the beans once they were ground.

How I ground coffee, at 11 years of age.

Silence

And then, not much changed in the UK, not until the late 90’s. Then, suddenly a number of things happened.

You too can have a physique like this on one cup of coffee per day

The 90’s

In 1998 Starbucks appeared in the UK for the first time and revolutionised coffee shops on the high street, as did Costa Coffee, in much the same way⁵. Interestingly, both Starbucks and Costa were originally founded back in 1971. Starbucks as a coffee shop in Seattle, USA, Costa as a roastery in London. So, while my dad was employing me as child labour to grind up beans, on a zero hours contract with a less than minimum wage salary and zero job prospects, both Starbucks and Costa were already in existence.

Please Sir, can I have some more Ethiopian Yirgacheffe to grind up for my Moka Pot?

Bohemian Rhapsody

And it was at about this same time that my dad went all bohemian. I say bohemian, it should be noted that being bohemian in 1970’s Britain consisted of having a Vesta Chow Mein dinner (with chips), sloshing back a glass of Blue Nun, and tucking into some Bird’s Angel Delight.

Most normal minded people viewed the consumption of this wine as the beginning of the decline of moral decency in the UK, along with lifting the ban on Lady Chatterley’s Lover and Pan’s People showing off their knickers on Top of the Pops.

The Garden Tiger

This is an example of the type of conversation my mum (possibly) had in our neighbourhood in the 70’s.

Gwen: “How’s your Bern then Marie?”

Mum: “Bern? He’s as right as ninepence so ‘e is, me ole china⁶.”

Gwen: “Is he? So, wos happened then, with your Bern, Marie?”

Mum: “‘Appened? How’d you mean egg-zackerley?”

Gwen: “Well, my Fred says he’s gone all namby-pamby.”

Mum: “All namby-pamby? What my Bern? He never would, gawd, love-a-duck.”

Wilde

Gwen: “Well, my Fred said he was seen in the Tiger, you know, the boozer, and he was drinking Liebfraumilk and quoting Oscar Wilde! Said he’s gone all bo-hoo-mian, and all that.”

Mum: “Bo-hoo-mian? Liebfraumilk? Well I’ll go to the foot of our stairs⁷.”

Garden Tiger pub in Harlow. Occasionally it turned into a garden moth

Gwen: “As I live and breathe. Liebfraumilk. In the Garden Tiger. Saying things like, “I can resist anything except temptation,” and “to lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune, but to lose both looks like carelessness.” I mean, whaddya make of it all?”

Mum: “Well, he’s got a point.”

Gwen: “Who, Bern?”

Mum: “No, Oscar Wilde. But, between you, me and the gatepost, I think he has gone all bo-hoo-mian recently.”

Gwen: “Who, Wilde?”

Mum: “No, Bern.”

Gwen “Oh.”

Mum: “He saw a dockermentary on it the other night. David Frost was talking about them Libertine fellas and now he wants to wear red frilly shirts with a sovereign on a chain and discuss Ginsberg and Kerouac with the blokes at work.”

Oscar Wilde, or Ozzy as he was known in the Printer’s Union

Gwen: “Oh Marie. What are you going to do?”

Mum: “What I always do. Knock some sense into that wooden ‘ead of ‘is.”

Gwen: “Well, as long as he doesn’t start on the Vesta Chow Mein you should be fine.”

Mum: “It’s funny you should say that…”

Vesta. Where counter-culturalism in the UK really began

Quality

But in their infancy, the focus at Starbucks and Costa was on quality coffee over quantity. Then, once quantity began to translate to large profits, quality became less of an essential item and was reduced to desirable where possible, until the provision of quality (in this case coffee) finally disappeared altogether.

Expansion

When Costa and Starbucks were small brands in the UK, they could offer quality coffee at a fairly reasonable price. But to keep increasing profits they had to expand. Expansion costs money and so to finance this, the quality of the coffee decreased while the cost of it to the customer increased. Until eventually there were 1000’s of outlets of each in the UK alone and the coffee had got worse year on year.

The Real Thing

In the case of Costa Coffee, this came to a head around 2019 when it was acquired by the Coca-Cola Company and any thoughts of returning to a quality coffee shop disappeared altogether, when profit became king.

Coca-Cola – struggled with the concept of quality *and* profit, so just went for profit as a compromise

Das Capital

And it seems to be counterintuitive to me, that as a company expands, the quality of the product decreases as the cost to the consumer increases.

But this established “financial growth phenomenon” is now an accepted industry practice, and is more commonly referred to in economic circles as capitalism. And according to God’s Holy Law, we should all be grateful for it too.

God invented Capitalism. It wasn’t the self-serving idle rich after all

Cheap as Chips

And, one of the ways large coffee companies maximise their profits is quite simple. They buy cheap coffee chuck it in a cup and sell it at a large profit. But how does cheap coffee become a disgusting cup of coffee? Well, for coffee to be a high quality product it has to be grown properly, in the right geographical climate, then washed and dried properly, then roasted well and used within a specific period of time.

Also, low grade coffee beans (those that haven’t grown properly or are diseased) are separated from the quality product at source. And this is where Starbucks et al come into the equation.

The fruit of the coffee bean is known as a Cherry, for obvious reasons

The Dark Side

Because, what many large coffee companies do is buy low-grade coffee beans by the tonne, ship it to the US or Europe, then disguise it as quality coffee, by over roasting it until the beans are black, burnt and oily, then flog it as Italian Dark Roast in their coffee shops.

Dark Roast Coffee, as roasted by Satan, versus Light Roast Coffee, roasted by any proper roastery

Lambrini

This is why it tastes bitter, burnt and generally unpleasant. It’s the coffee equivalent of Lambrini or Carling Black Label.

The Blame Culture

Now, before I go any further I’m not pointing the finger of blame at you, dear reader and consumer. If you like any of those drinks (Starbucks, Costa, Lambrini etc.), knock yourself out. Don’t let me stop you.

But you should be aware that places like Starbucks⁸ shouldn’t be charging anything more than about £1.50 for those drinks because that’s probably what they’re worth. However, you’ll find you’re paying nearer to £3.50-£4.50 for them. It’s like buying Lambrini for £50 in Tesco. It’s cheap for a reason. And coffee isn’t cheap but some of it should be.

Squirties

Of course, then places like Costa flog you a load of other stuff (usually referred to as ‘seasonal specials’) to further mask the taste; syrup, sugar, squirty cream, whipped cream, whipped and flagellated cream, whipped, flagellated and wearing bondage trousers cream, sprinkles, marshmallows. Some of those drinks should come with a public health warning.

Admittedly, if you’re having syrup and squirties added to your drink, you probably won’t taste the difference in the coffee anyway, so there is that.

The Costa Coffee Caramel Nutcracker Latte – comes with free defibrillator and blood-sugar test kit

Tontine

But enough of the high street. There’s plenty of other places serving up rubbish coffee. One of the worst I’ve had recently was in Ironbridge in Shropshire in a place called the Tontine Hotel. It was so bad I took a picture of it. Not that it looks bad but, well indulge me a for few minutes and let me explain.

Rules of the Game

There are a number of rules you have to follow to make a decent cup of coffee, whether it’s a Latte, Cappuccino, Espresso or just a cup of instant (ha ha). First, as discussed you need good quality coffee beans. That is, they were not burnt in the roasting process and the beans should not be any more than a few weeks old, because after that they start to become stale. 10-14 days after roasting is when it’s generally accepted they are at their optimum condition for grinding.

Grinderman

Then you need a good quality grinder to grind the beans uniformly. Ground too fine and the espresso will be bitter (over extracted). Too coarse and it will be sour (under extracted). Then, for an Espresso the water temperature needs to be around 92-93c for optimal taste. Milk needs to be frothed to a temperature of around 65c to create the correct velvety texture for say a Latte (with Latte art).

These are some of the main things that all coffee shops should be following as guidelines to making a reasonable coffee. Below are my attempts at Latte Art.

Pins

At the Tontine Hotel (as with many Cafes that really have no idea how to make coffee), they used cheap, over-roasted beans. Then they were ground poorly. The Espresso was probably brewed ok since the temperature is usually set on the machine. Then the milk was overheated, it wasn’t frothed properly and the whole thing was chucked into a cup by a woman who gave the impression she’d rather stick pins in her eyes than serve a customer.

Then she charged us £3.90 or some ridiculous amount and we had a couple of sips and decided it was too repulsive for further consumption. The Tontine Hotel looks really nice from the outside, but let’s just say, looks can be deceiving.

The Tontine Hotel. There is definitely room for improvement here

MAWS

Now, while we were in Ironbridge we took a walk along an old disused railway line to a village called Jackfield which boasted a place called MAWS. Maws stands for Makers Artists Workshops Shops and in the centre was a coffee shop. The Maws Centre was once the largest tile manufacturer in the world but now it was very quiet, as was the coffee shop. But the coffee they supplied was fantastic. Everything that a good coffee should be and really well made. Suddenly, I was quite emotional. Then I had to pay for them and that soon straightened me out.

Iron & Fire

However, it transpired that the Tile Press Cafe (as it was known) served Iron & Fire Coffee. This, I discovered was a specialty coffee roaster based in nearby Shrewsbury. And that explained why the coffee was exceptionally good. Because specialty coffee roasteries actually want to create an excellent product, and furthermore their reputation depends upon it.

The Coffee was a ‘win’ from me. Vikki appeared to prefer the cake for some odd reason

Millions

However, the likes of Costa (or the Coca-Cola Co.) don’t really care whether you like their coffee or not, as they already have millions of loyal customers.

Some say Costa may have expanded a little too rapidly in areas of the South East

Chains

So, is there any decent coffee to be found in the high street coffee chains? Well no, not really. However, these are only my opinions (so, important, valid and unbiased then)…

Costa – The best thing about Costa is they are consistent. Consistently bad.
Starbucks – Their ‘blonde’ roast is quite good, and I even had a decent cup from a machine in a motorway service station
Cafe Nero – Was one of my favourites…was
Pret a Manger – Sandwiches and salads yes. Coffee, pfft.
Greggs – Stick to the sausage rolls
McDonalds – Have a burger
Wetherspoons – Surprisingly good, and only £1.80 with refills (just don’t ask for hot chocolate refills)

Dive

So, there you have it. A not so deep dive into the murky world of the global coffee industry. And as previously stated, it pays to do your homework on which cafes serve which coffee, assuming you even care about such things.

Vikki has been complaining I’m buying too much coffee

Price Hike?

But as I said before, if you like Costa then you keep going, I’m not judging you (I am really…shhh) but just remember, the millionaires on the Coca Cola board of directors will be demonstrating their gratitude for your unwavering support to their product by putting up their prices in January 2026⁹.

Further Research

If you’d like to learn more about coffee, here are a couple of suggestions:-

Social Media – James Hoffman on YouTube. Some great videos on all manner of coffee related nonsense.

(2930) James Hoffmann – YouTube

Books – The Devil’s Cup by Stewart Lee Allen, is part history of coffee and part travelogue.

Coffee – Grind Coffee – a good place to buy coffee online – although worryingly, they have recently gone through an expansion programme a la Costa Coffee, so watch this space.

Considering the options available, we were disappointed to be only offered coffee…

Grind Coffee | Buy Coffee Online UK For Delivery From Grind

Thank you for your time.

Back to Blogs… Lees Blogosphere

STOP PRESS!!!

I’ve just read that Coca-Cola have put Costa Coffee on the market for $2bn due to “challenges in meeting growth expectations.” However, they didn’t mention the 28 outlets in Chelmsford (1 every 4 miles²) as being responsible.¹⁰

The Sanctuary

lee.r.adams

18 Oct, 2025

Reading Time:- 17 minutes

Most of us are familiar with Sanctuary Spa products available in many retail outlets, and the Sanctuary Spa wellness centre that stood in Covent Garden¹¹ which inspired them, but a somewhat lesser known Sanctuary is the one set up by a young woman over 100 years ago in Sussex, as a refuge for the homeless. But not everyone was keen on The Sanctuary’s existence and they set about ensuring it’s demise as swiftly as possible. And eventually they succeeded. This, is the story of Vera Pragnell and The Sanctuary.

Worthing

Recently, I met up with some cousins of mine in Worthing, West Sussex, to visit our Uncle Geoff, who is now in his 90’s and is the last of his siblings on my Dad’s side of the family.

Cigarettes and Alcohol

Some of us have been visiting Geoff for the last few years. It’s an excuse to see family and have a weekend away near the sea, but some of the things we’d noticed about Worthing hotels were, a.) there didn’t appear to be very many, b.) they didn’t appear to be particularly pleasant, c.) they were overpriced, and d.) there were never many rooms available (hence the “Oasis-style” dynamic pricing strategy).

Oasis – it’s their fault the cost of a hotel room in Worthing doesn’t comply with my pricing strategy

The Sanctuary

As a result of this, Vikki and I decided to take a different, more circuitous route and book an Air B&B outside of Worthing, in a place called Storrington. Or at least that’s what we thought. As it transpired, Storrington was a couple of miles away. We were in fact staying in a place called Heath Common. And Heath Common was, a hundred years ago, the location of something that became known as The Sanctuary, a ‘back-to-the-land-escape-from-society’ utopian settlement, set up by 25 year-old Vera Pragnell.

Technically you’re unable to drive to Heath Common, which suggests its utopian ideals are still being adhered to

Confusion

Of course, we knew nothing of this when we arrived, after dark on a friday evening in July. It had been raining during the day and we had some confusing information on how to locate the property. The reason it was confusing will all become clear very soon.

Clues to The Sanctuary’s location were evident even to me

Hampers Lane

After a couple of hours driving from Maldon, we pulled off the A283 to Storrington, a little while after 8pm and drove slowly along a road called Hampers Lane. As with most lanes, there was no lighting but the difference here was the lane was very narrow and was also boxed in on both sides by thick, verdant hedges, overgrown bushes and also tall, leafy trees which cut out any natural light from the fading sun.

Twittern

After driving past our designated parking spot, because it was hidden in darkness, we drove further on, realised our mistake, turned around at a small junction and retraced our steps, finally recognising the parking space for the Air B&B, beside an old, disused barn. Since we still didn’t know exactly where the cottage was, I decided to go on a search and destroy mission. All we knew was it was through a gate and up a “twittern” which is a Sussex term for a footpath, a cut-through, or a back alley, usually between properties.

Rock Follies

These cut-throughs have different names in different parts of the country it seems. In Colchester for example, they are called “follies”.

A twittern… I mean “folly” on Mersea Island, Essex. Some have added Red Squirrels.

Witch Trials

The gate was easy to locate since it was next to the parking space. We went through and discovered the twittern was even more overgrown than the lane, since it was in complete darkness. We walked slowly with phone torches weakly illuminating about a metre of the enveloping blackness in front of us. The last time I’d witnessed anything like this, i.e. directionless people stumbling about in total darkness, was when I watched the Blair Witch Project some years ago. And that didn’t end very well for anyone.

Where the hell is the Air B&B? I don’t know, let’s ask that creepy looking woman over there with the broomstick…

Cottage

About 60 metres along the path, the hedges and garden fences suddenly gave way into open ground, and set back about 20 metres from the path was an old, recently painted, white cottage. We located the key and went in.

Clean

“This is nice and clean,” said Victoria as we walked around the recently refurbished building. It was clean because it had just been painted throughout but a complex aroma of white spirit, turpentine and fresh paint was causing my senses some unpleasantness.

Lounge

But I also had a strange sense of unease about the place, something that thankfully, doesn’t happen very often. When I feel a chill even in July, and the hair stands up on the back of my neck. I had no idea why and keen to ignore it, I went into the lounge. I switched on the light and there I found the walls adorned with odd black and white pictures of a place long since forgotten, but also pictures of strange looking people, staring obliquely into the camera.

An odd cornucopia of individuals adorned the walls of the cottage

And at the bottom was the picture of what I thought was an occultist.

Alistair Crowley, sporting Golden Dawn occultist regalia

Books

Other pictures of odd faces stared out at us, and along with the ghost books on the shelf, I thought I understood my concern over the location. But we were here and this was where we were staying for the next couple of nights.

The Magic Cottage

However, I noted a similarity with a book I’d read back in the 80’s called The Magic Cottage by James Herbert. At the time, Herbert was considered to be the English Stephen King, certainly by me, and his book was set in Hampshire, not far from Sussex, in an old cottage, in the woods, where supernatural occurrences began when some new people moved in.

Supernatural

Not that I’m purposely drawing unnecessary parallels, but well, you know…

I still have my 40 year-old dog-eared copy

Spirits

“Are you ok?” asked Vikki. “Not really,” I said. “This place is giving me the creeps.” Her brow furrowed. “Why?” she asked. “Is it the White Spirit?” “Yes,” I said. “It’s that lethal combination of White Spirits and Dead Spirits.”

Was The Sixth Sense filmed at the cottage?

Research

We went back down the twittern, retrieved our bags and unpacked, sat down and started looking into what this place was and why there were so many old black and white pictures of a place called The Sanctuary.

Religious symbolism, occultism, the afterlife, and turpentine; all in the same room

Vera

We soon discovered this. A young woman called Vera Pragnell (1897-1968), set up a place nearby called The Sanctuary, in 1923 as a refuge for people who wanted to escape the ravages of modern life.

Father

Her father, George Pragnell was born in Sherborne, Dorset, in 1863, and was the son of a gardener. After leaving school, he found work in the textile industry where he eventually became Managing Director of a textile company called Cook & Sons. He was knighted in 1912 but died of heart disease in 1916, aged 52.

Ypres

He had two children, George Frederick and Vera Gwendolyn. George Frederick died on the battlefields of Ypres in 1917 aged 26. Vera was left a considerable sum of money and tiring of society life she volunteered for work in London’s East End, helping the poor and to paraphrase her words she was, “doling out medicine to those spat out by factories and industry, to keep them going until they were spat out again.”

50 Acres

Vera bought 50 acres of land at Heath Common, West Sussex for £850. She moved into a house there and made it be known that anyone who wanted to come and live there, could do so, free of charge. And, after a while she offered people half an acre of land on which to build a house or shack, park a caravan or pitch a tent. She also kept part of her house open to any passing strangers who had nowhere to sleep for the night.

Services

And people began to arrive in dribs and drabs. There was no electricity or running water. No heating or lighting. It really was back to the land, and so people began growing their own fruit and vegetables as they had little or no income.

Community

Slowly, a small community began to come together under the auspices of Vera. She wanted to create a utopian society, free from the ravages and control of modern Britain but of course people without rules have a tendency to create their own.

Political Activists

Furthermore, the Sanctuary became a hotspot for anyone who needed a hiding place from the authorities. And as such it was a magnet to people down on their luck but also to artists and other creative types, plus anarchists and communists began to arrive and live there.

Young Communists at The Sanctuary during the early 1930’s

General Strike

The young communists though, rather than attempting to destroy English society from within, like some Fifth Columnists (as people were led to believe was the case) were arranging camping trips to The Sanctuary for under-privileged children and for the families of Welsh Miners during the miners strike of 1926.

More on the 1926 General Strike can be found here.

The General Strike 1926

Friends of The Sanctuary

Laurie Lee, author of Cider With Rosie lived at The Sanctuary. H.G. Wells, author of War of the Worlds was a friend of Vera’s but on the flipside, so was the occultist Alistair Crowley. A few years ago I’d read a book about Led Zeppelin, but specifically guitarist Jimmy Page, who’d spent time studying occultism and the works of Crowley, and this was why I recognised the picture of the occultist earlier, when we arrived.

Jimmy Page studied Crowley’s version of occultism

Black

After a while we went to bed but I was awoken at 3am by something tickling my nose. I scratched my nose and went back to sleep. Then, it happened again. This time I woke up but, in the inky blackness of a house some distance from any light source, I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face. Eventually I had to put a light on.

Smock

I was fully expecting to see a pale looking child in a Victorian smock, with strange lifeless eyes and a feather in her hand, silently staring at me, but of course the room was empty, save for the minimal furniture.

Chucky

We went back to sleep and weren’t disturbed by any dead children this time, which was comforting.

Steyning

We spent the morning looking around a village called Steyning, which was nearby. It’s a lovely little town with a bustling high street. It consisted of what is commonly referred to (by me at least) as the Holy Trinity in British high streets; that is a coffee shop, a book shop and a record shop. I tested all three.

To Worthing

After that, we met up with my uncle and cousins in Worthing and came back to the bungalow and learned more about Vera and The Sanctuary.

West Ham

After a few years many of the plots of land were gone and the community had set up a little shop to trade fruit and vegetables. The last plot was given to a 16 year old boy from West Ham called Fred Vickery, whose sister Rose had met Vera at speakers corner in Hyde Park, arguing against the travesty of the rich using the poor to make greater profits.

Builder

Fred found himself a job with a nearby builder and began learning the trade, soon discovering that he was quite talented in this line of work. And so, as the years rolled on, he began building small dwellings for the people of the Sanctuary.

Scandal

But, it wasn’t long before stories about the apparently unpleasant people who were staying there, began appearing in national newspapers. And soon it was turning into a scandal. People believed whatever was written in the press, under the misguided belief that if the press had gone to the trouble of printing it, it must be true. And of course, as it is today, the trick was to mix some truth in with the lies, so after a while, it was almost impossible to tell one from the other.

Neuburg

One person who visited quite frequently was a ‘mystical anarchist’ by the name of Victor Neuburg who had spent time with occultist, Alistair Crowley and had participated in “sex-magick” rituals. Neuburg lived in nearby Steyning, which we had visited earlier, and so people who didn’t much approve of his activities were more than willing to speak to the press to air their grievances. Neuburg was also a writer, poet and publisher and it was his publishing company Vine Press, that in 1928 published Vera Pragnell’s own book on the Sanctuary.

John Bull

However, a “populist” magazine called John Bull, whose editorials ran from 1820 to 1964, was to play a pivotal role in bringing the Sanctuary to an untimely end. It used the standard, simplistic tabloid reasoning for its attitude towards The Sanctuary as “giving our readers what they want” and “only telling the truth” whilst in reality doing nothing of the sort.

Events

What they were doing, and I can’t corroborate this but it appears to be in keeping with their general approach, was to ‘interview’ anyone who had a grudge with Vera or anyone who lived at The Sanctuary, take this information as wholly truthful, rather than merely a distorted opinion, and write and publish these salacious stories as factual events.

Free Love

One of the stories that appeared on more than one occasion was the “free-love” story, where everyone at the sanctuary was apparently running around naked and “copping off” with each other at every available opportunity. There were accusations of other nefarious activities too, such as sex rituals and black magic.

How John Bull wanted you to view The Sanctuary (scene from The Wicker Man – 1973)

Shock

However, Vera was a devout Christian and whilst she didn’t openly oppose free-love, she didn’t approve of it either. On one occasion a young man asked her if a girl he had befriended could come and live with him. “Goodness gracious, no!” she replied and that was then end of the matter.

But relationships did develop, and some couples married and some did not. It was the ones who did not that found their way into the ‘scandal sheets’ and national press.

Folk Dancing

By 1927, The Sanctuary boasted a general store, a school, a theatre, and a chapel. Days were spent working the fields, with evenings around a fire, where folk dancing took place, as well as music, singing, along with theological and political discussions.

Kensington

In 1929 a girl from Kensington ran away from home and came to stay for a night with a friend at The Sanctuary. She left though, and found a job in nearby Worthing but was soon accused of petty theft. Magistrates found her guilty and banned her from returning to The Sanctuary. The implication being it was The Sanctuary that had caused her to go off the rails.

Cranks

John Bull took up the story and reported with the headline,

“Young girl wrecked by crooked moral cranks.”
John Bull

And stated of Vera, “What type of woman is this, to be in charge of this unique community…with an avowed disregard of all moral convention?” And then went on, “Clearly a settlement of this kind constitutes a grave menace and it now remains for the authorities to take action.”

Nudism

Another article in a Sunday Newspaper concentrated on the idea the community was really nothing more than a nudist colony. In the 2000 book, The Washington Story by Chris Hare, which is a history of Washington Parish and from which many of these quotes are taken, the author states that many of its current residents, still believe the nudist colony story to be true. And therein lies the power of the national press.

The Washington Story has some very useful information on The Sanctuary

The End of The Sanctuary

But now Vera had tired of the constant negative scrutiny and she was also now married with a child. She and her family left Heath Common for Montpellier in France to set up a school but the venture was not a success and she returned sometime later. On her return she gave over the deeds to the land to its occupants, and lived out her life in nearby Sleepy Hollow. The Sanctuary dream was no more. The bigoted press finally won. Vera lived in the area until her death in 1968.

The area now known as Longbury Hill and Sleepy Hollow on Sanctuary Lane

Full Circle

And Fred Vickery, the builder who came to the Sanctuary as a 16 year-old, died in 1992. Some of the dwellings he built are still in Heath Common today. The picture below is of one of his houses.

Yes, it’s the cottage we were staying in. It belonged to the Gunton family and Joy Gunton lived in it until the 2000’s (Joy is the young girl in the earlier picture of the family making hay).

Hut

On Sunday, we were leaving to return home but we took a short walk further along Hampers Lane, to Sanctuary Lane and then to Vera’s Walk. This is the location of Vera’s house, and is also where a small hut, erected by her husband, is dedicated to the Sanctuary. This was the location where the Folk Dances used to take place (in between all the gratuitous bonking and sex-magick rituals).

Nearby is Sleepy Hollow where Vera also lived.

It truly was a fascinating trip, meeting my extended family and discovering a place in time that most never even knew existed. And then, being able to learn about the wonderful people who lived there.

Rambling

Perhaps then, the house wasn’t haunted after all. Perhaps it was nothing more than the ramblings of an over-active imagination. But of course, until it gets dark, you never can tell.

I’ll leave you with a poem about darkness.

Things that go bump in the night
Should not really give one a fright
It’s the hole in each ear
That lets in the fear
That, and the absence of light
Spike Milligan

Thank you for your time.

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Lees Blogosphere

JAWS

lee.r.adams

26 Jul, 2025

Reading time:- 15 minutes

2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the release of the film JAWS, so here’s a look at how the film was made, why it was so successful and how it nearly never got made at all. Oh and why it’s one of my favourite films of all time.

Safe

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water…actually that was the tagline for Jaws 2. The Jaws 3D tagline was, “just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water again… in 3D!”

Okay, it wasn’t but it should’ve been.

Best?

So, is Jaws the best film of all time? No, but it’s up there as a classic film, but not just because of its popularity.¹²

But why did it do so well, if it’s not the best? To understand that you’d have to go back to 1974 to fully appreciate its impact. Which is where I’m off to now. You can tag along if you want. Keep an eye on the water though.

1974

In 1974 I was 14, and my interests, much like most of my friends, lay mainly in football, girls, books, music, guitar and films (so, no change there, then). One of the things I had little interest in was oceanography and the study of marine species. But that was all about to change.

I had as much interest in marine biology as the next 14 year-old

Shark Attack

In a pre-Jaws world, there was very little known or reported on when it came to sharks. Occasionally you would see a report on TV or in a newspaper about a Crocodile Dundee type character who’d been involved in a shark attack off the coast of Australia. The report would go on to say something about him giving the shark a left hook, forcing it into a half-nelson before swimming to safety.

Crocodile Jaws Dundee was a young man called Rodney Fox who fought off a Great White, then later, went on to work on the film Jaws with Steven Spielberg¹³

Frinton

And whilst shark attacks were quite shocking, they were also rare, plus they occurred on the other side of the world, so people in the UK paid little attention to them. Had there been shark attacks off the coast of Frinton-on-sea for example, it would have been a completely different story.

Writer

But in the US in the late 60’s, a writer by the name of Peter Benchley had an idea for a novel, which centered around a coastal seaside town where a shark comes to feed on an abundance of unsuspecting, chubby humans.

Benchley appears in Jaws as a news reporter

He outlined the plot to his wife and her response was, “What a ridiculous idea!” He was to hear that reaction quite a lot. But the germ of the story kept nagging him and eventually he wrote the novel and it was finally published in 1974.

Jaws in paperback. Not dissimilar to the copy I had

Whale Shark

Universal Pictures bought the film rights and assigned a director to it. However, at the pre-production meetings he kept referring to the shark as a whale. It didn’t bode well for the film.

So this shark disguises himself as a whale…

Director: “So, we’re setting the picture in Amity, a quiet seaside town, where nothing ever happens and then suddenly kids go missing and it’s all due to a killer whale and then…”

Producer: “It’s a shark, not a whale.”

Director: “Yeah, whatever. Anyways, this whale keeps coming back for a feeding frenzy and…”

Producer: “It’s a shark goddamit! A killer shark. There’s no whales in the picture. We’re not making Moby Dick.”

Director: “Ok, keep your hair on. So, it has a feeding frenzy but nobody believes the Police Chief when he says there’s a killer whale on the loose…”

Producer: “Ok, that’s enough. Ladies and gentlemen, talk amongst yourselves, I need to have a private chat with our director here.”

Gone in 60 Seconds

Anyway, he got fired before filming even started and so the producers found this fairly young and very inexperienced director by the name of Steven Spielberg who they decided to put in charge of the project.

Steven Spielberg had only directed one major motion picture. Jaws was almost his last

Offers

One of the biggest problems he had was convincing anyone to be in the film. It had been turned down by half of Hollywood and the other half weren’t suitable. Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Steve McQueen, Charlton Heston, Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall were all considered but for varying reasons were not offered a part. To paraphrase Spielberg who said, “If Charlton Heston had been in the film, the shark wouldn’t have got a look-in.”

The Worst

Richard Dreyfuss turned the film down, as did Lee Marvin, Robert Mitchum and Oliver Reed. Then Dreyfuss saw his performance in his previous film, decided he was “the worst actor in the US”, and started to worry he’d never get offered another role, so phoned Spielberg and asked to be reconsidered.

Dreyfuss in The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. No, I’ve not heard of it either

Broken

The special effects team built three mechanical sharks for filming but didn’t have time to test them in salt water. The salt played havoc with the hydraulics and consequently they spent most of the time either broken, lying on the sea bed and often both. This is the reason the shark doesn’t appear until the second half of the film.

And because of this, a 65 day shooting schedule ended up being a 157 day schedule and costs started to spiral out of control. The film was being rewritten as they went along, adding things in and taking things out because they couldn’t film the shark scenes, and all the while the producers were crossing their fingers, praying it would all make sense at the end.

Indianapolis

One such scene was with Robert Shaw recounting being on the USS Indianapolis after it was torpedoed during WW2, where he states, “1200 men went into the water and only 300 came out. Sharks got the rest.” This was a true story although it’s now believed most died of hypothermia or dehydration.¹⁴

Fight

Then, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss discovered that although their characters didn’t get on in the film, they didn’t like each other in real life either. Then the Orca, the boat that sinks at the end of the film, sank, weeks before it was supposed to.

The Orca succumbs to the waves a few weeks too soon

But despite “Murphy’s Law” where it’s accepted that ‘everything that can go wrong will go wrong’ Spielberg doggedly continued and the film was finally completed.

No, I definitely floss every day so I have no idea how that human arm got stuck between my molars

Campaign

Although the book had been a bestseller, it was when the studio started it’s advertising campaign the world went shark crazy. Once the film was coming up for release, you couldn’t move for shark information. There were news items, books, TV programmes, documentaries, magazines. The newspapers went mad and it seemed every day for months, there was some shark related story in the papers.

June 2025 edition of BBC Wildlife Magazine. 50 years on and Jaws is still good copy

Specials

One such newspaper (the Daily Express I think), ran a number of special “pull out and keep” articles on Jaws and sharks that ran for a week at a time. My Dad worked as a printer on the national newspapers in Fleet St. and he’d bring all the papers home every night, which was great for me because I got all the articles and all the Sunday supplements too.

1977’s Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me, included the character Jaws

Shark Crazy

In short, the world went shark crazy and so did I. If I’d been caught in a storm I’d have been called Sharknado but I’ll come onto that later.

Suddenly, everyone knew all about a shark’s sense of smell, it’s sonar etc.

Fool

The film’s tagline was “See it before you go swimming.” Which foolishly, is exactly what I did. When Jaws went on general release (films were usually premiered in London first before traversing the country later), my family were on holiday in Lowestoft. By this time I’d read the book, devoured the magazines and Sunday supplements of any shark-related information, and suddenly I was going to be in some backwater seaside town that hadn’t even heard of moving pictures and I’d miss the whole thing.

I’m not saying Lowestoft was behind the times but I’d heard they’d only just got round to screening *Mutiny on the Bounty* from 1935 when Jaws was released

One Screen to Rule Them All

Again, in 1975, most cinemas only had one large screen. Multiplexes didn’t exist. So, a film would be released and would be shown at the local ‘flea-pit’ usually for a week. If it was a blockbuster, as Jaws was, it was shown for 2 weeks.

The Odeon, Harlow. Beyond the steps was a portal to another world

Anxiety

Luckily Lowestoft did screen it and I got my Dad to take me to see the film while we were on holiday, and it scared the bejesus out of me. So much so, it took me several days to go anywhere near the sea again. Even having a drink of water gave me anxiety.

Suddenly I had a drink problem

It seems funny now but I even had problems just paddling up to my ankles as the tide came rushing in. I’d be on the beach, roasting away in the sun, when my mum would suggest I go swimming to cool down, and I’d be, “No, you’re alright I’ll just sit here and cook.”

I’m not burnt, I’m building up a base layer

Lunch

I obviously wasn’t alright but whereas the day before everything had been fine, I was now in receipt of new information and today it was clearly unsafe in the water. I don’t think there has ever been a shark attack in Lowestoft but it was now obvious to me it was only a matter of time, and I didn’t want to be a Great White lunch, so I stayed firmly on terra firma.

Sadly, Viz comic’s The Pathetic Sharks weren’t like the sharks waiting for me off the coast of Lowestoft

Head

The most frightening scene for me (and lots of others) was when Dreyfuss’s character Hooper, goes diving down to a wrecked boat at night and a disembodied head comes bobbing out of the broken hull. That alone was enough for me to stay out of the water for the rest of my life, and that’s without a three tonne Great White with a face full of steak knives.

Knowledge

The film had both positive and negative effects on sharks, in that it inspired many people to become oceanographers and so knowledge of sharks increased exponentially as a result. However, it also increased the fear of shark attacks and inspired certain other types of people to become shark hunters, whether they needed hunting or not.

Mark the Shark. Another idiot, not unlike the Tiger King

Effect

The other effect of Jaws, was the plethora of animal related horror/thriller films which flooded (haha) the market as a result. As well as Jaws 2 – when a shark returns to Amity Island, Jaws 3D when a shark attacks Sea World (in 3D) and Jaws 4 The Revenge, when a shark follows the Brody family to the Bahamas – there was Anaconda, Arachnophobia, Lake Placid, Alligator, Piranha, Orca, Grizzly , along with many others.

Jaws 4

Anyway, I watched Jaws 4 recently and it stars Michael Caine. Other than the shark, he is the only one who breathes any gravitas into the film. The other characters were so annoying I ended up rooting for the shark and found myself disappointed it didn’t eat more of them sooner.

Spin-offs

Then there were all the Shark spin-offs. Here’s a few. The Shallows (2016)¹⁵, Finding Nemo, The Deep, The Meg, Dark Tide, Deep Blue Sea, 47 Meters Down, Open Water and a particular favourite, Sharknado. Yes, a story so absurd you have to watch it to believe someone actually spent time making it into a film. Actually, to date there have been six Sharknado films (shocking, I know).

Sharknado – just when you thought it was safe to go into a tornado

LA

Essentially, Sharknado is a story of what happens when a tornado travels across the Pacific, sucks sharks into its vortex and then deposits them in LA. And of course, by the time they land on unsuspecting people out shopping or going to the park, they’re really angry and bitey.

Flying sharks adds a whole new perspective to the monster animal film genre

Where’s the Shark?

So, why is Jaws such a good film? Well, to begin with, as I have said, the shark doesn’t appear until ⅔rds of the way through the film and this builds tension, because we don’t see the shark, we only see the consequences of its actions. Also, the film is really told in two parts. The first half from the land, and the second from the water, specifically The Orca, the boat owned by Quint (Robert Shaw). So as the story unfolds the characters are getting closer to the danger.

Jaws effectively defined the modern Hollywood blockbuster. It set the tempo and the framework for success, and while many have attempted to copy the formula, few have succeeded.

Robert Shaw. Wasn’t all blue gills and tommy cods

Vertigo

Then there is the scene on the ferry where everything moves except the camera, and the famous Jaws Shot or “Dolly Shot” borrowed from Hitchcock’s Vertigo where the camera appears to zoom in and out at the same time.

The disorientating “JAWS” shot

Music

And I haven’t even got onto the “You’re going to need a bigger boat” scene yet. Or the music score, riffed in Airplane’s opening scene. Dun-dun!

Airplane opening sequence – not dissimilar to Jaws

Airplane! (1980) [Opening Scene]

Girl

Talking of opening scenes, when the girl gets attacked by the shark after going night swimming, Spielberg discovered her screams were too clear and precise, so afterwards they recorded her screaming whilst pouring water down her throat, to get the sense of an attack in the sea.

We’ve heard the music. We all know what’s coming….

CIA

And in doing so he inadvertently invented waterboarding, which the CIA took great joy in testing on innocent people incarcerated at Guantanamo Bay. They also enjoyed denying it too.

In the 70’s, every Action Man came with free instructions on “advanced torture techniques of suspected terrorists”

Popular Culture

So, Jaws found it’s way into popular culture, through quotes and references which 50 years later, still reverberate through society.

A recent Nike football boot advert. The imagery seems familiar

The quote became a reference point for anyone underestimating the complexity of a problem

TV

And currently (July 2025) on ITV you can watch Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters where real live celebrities get fed to sharks around the shores of the Bahamas. Ok, so not quite but they do go swimming with them. Admittedly, some of them are absolutely terrified, but eventually the sharks overcome their primal fear of celebrity overacting, and they all receive a certificate which proudly boasts “I swam with a celebrity…and survived!” It’s a shark joke.

I was left unsure whether swimming with a dozen Bull Sharks was more terrifying than listening to Helen George prattle on about her numerous invented anxieties

4K

JAWS 50th Anniversary edition is released on July 23rd on a limited edition 4K Blu-Ray. Also, as of July 2025, Jaws is available to stream on Amazon Prime, Netflix (UK) and ITVx.

It is also playing at selected cinemas this summer. Chomp chomp.

Jaws 50th Anniversary “Steelbook” edition¹⁶

Thank you for your time.

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Lees Blogosphere

Jaws 50th Anniversary Theatrical trailer

Glastonbury 2025

lee.r.adams

5 Jul, 2025

Reading Time:- 12 minutes

Well, was Glastonbury 2025 any good or was it a waste of money? Is it a great festival of music (and other stuff), or is it just an excuse for activists to score political points? All I know is, if the Daily Mail doesn’t like something, then somebody must be doing something right.

Line Up

I was interested to see a few bands on this year’s lineup. I should say I’ve never been to Glastonbury but I have vague memories of when it was just a crowd of smelly hippies in a field, smoking dope and falling about in a haze of free love, long hair and loons. Of course that was long before festivals or Glastonbury became trendy.

First

The first Glastonbury was in 1970, tickets cost £1 and 1500 people turned up to see T.Rex, Stackridge, Al Stewart, Pink Fairies and a few others. So, in the intervening 50 years or so, some things have changed quite dramatically, and others things, as we will see have remained exactly the same.

These hippies got a lift down to Glasto from Kensington in Daddy’s Bentley

Knobworth

And long before festivals became trendy there was also Knebworth. I went with friends to a couple of one-day festivals in the grounds of Knebworth House, in the mid 70’s (which, being puerile teenagers we christened Knobworth). We saw the likes of Genesis (when they were still a prog-rock band), Frank Zappa, The Tubes, Jefferson Starship, Tom Petty, Devo, Peter Gabriel etc. and my abiding memory of those days is sitting in a field with thousands of other unwashed people, watching someone play some music about a mile away.

I can hear someone playing something but I have no idea who it is…

Milton

Fast forward to the 80’s and I was ready to do an “all-dayer” once again. Foolishly I chose the Milton Keynes Bowl, which, for anyone who is familiar with the Hollywood Bowl, an all-seater arena in LA, then the MK Bowl could not be further away from this. It’s on the outskirts of Milton Keynes (a bonus) and is a field, with a horse shoe grass bank around the perimeter. That’s it.

Mud

Not so much a natural bowl ‘amphitheatre’ as a meadow, I went to see U2, on the “longest day” the 22nd June, 1985 (a few weeks before Live Aid) and it lived up to its billing. It rained, heavily from about 1pm through to 9pm. The place was a sea of mud, as was the field where the car was parked. That day I saw U2, REM, The Ramones (1-2-3-4!) and Billy Bragg, but also a coach, up to its axles in mud being towed out of what now resembled the Somme.

V Festival

It took a long time to get that harrowing experience out of my mind and I didn’t venture to another “all-dayer” until I went to the V Festival in Hylands Park, Chelmsford in 2010 to see the Kings of Leon on the other side of a field playing some music.

A political activist starts a ‘sit-down’ protest

To be fair, although it was an excruciating experience, there were some good bands on. The highlight for me though was seeing Mark Lanegan, in a tent with about 20 other people. It was just him singing with another guy on acoustic guitar. Mesmerising.

Drunk

Anyway, we saw Florence and the Machine, The Pretty Reckless, The Stereophonics, Feeder, The Editors, White Lies etc. So, lots of good bands. I also saw Shaun Ryder and his band being bottled off the stage by groups of teenagers who didn’t have the patience to wait for Tinie Tempah….or perhaps Peter Andre! The irony. Then I saw a young lad have his face punched in whilst security conveniently looked the other way. The atmosphere it seemed, was already turning ugly.

Shaun Ryder – liked a drink but not when it was aimed at his head

Break In

Then it got uglier. We waded, ankle deep through discarded fast food for most of the afternoon and because the toilets were constantly full, girls decided to just use an area of one of the fields beside a tent and a couple of bushes. They were in full view of everyone and I’m still having therapy for PTSD.

At times I was unsure whether I had teleported into a refugee camp

Then after, when I got back to my car I discovered it had been broken into and various items had been stolen. Great times.

Fling

Anyway, more recently I did go to Fling Festival, also in Hylands Park Chelmsford but that was a festival on a very small scale. We saw The Buzzcocks, The Blockheads, and John Cooper Clarke there and because it was small it was more like a high-end village fête but with top bands and Hoopla stalls.

Which brings me neatly onto Glastonbury.

Glastonbury Festival – Home

Glasto 2025

This year’s festival started with something of a whimper with The 1975. Nice, clean, easy listening. Nothing offensive here, in fact the only offensive thing about the 1975, is The 1975. The singer, Matt Healy came on with a pint and a ciggie which were clearly props.

It looked like he’d read something in a magazine about how to look cool. Or maybe it was a post modernist view of how we lived in 1975. So, to labour the point he wore his clean jeans which his mum had ironed for him and spent his time pretending to be drunk and looking at himself in the mirror.

I’ll get a round in when I finish my pint

Love

It seems as if nobody could love Matt Healy as much as he loves himself. To be fair I don’t think 64 year-old men like me are his target demographic, which appears to be pre-pubescent girls and gay men. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I just find watching him a disagreeable experience. I don’t know why.

My daughters used to listen to The 1975 years ago when they were teenagers and I suppose those teenagers now have the money to relive their youth at Glastonbury.

Wild Man

Then there was The Prodigy. Without wild-man Keith Flint who died in 2019. But still, high octane, doom laden electronica from a dystopian nightmare. And although the light show gave me a headache, I couldn’t help but watch. And keep watching.

What a Charlie

Charlie XCX was interesting. She was all strobe lighting and drum machines on amphetamines. She seemed to like shouting but I didn’t detect a great deal of singing without auto tune. Is that singing? I must admit I don’t suffer with epilepsy but I was beginning to wonder after about 5 minutes of her.

Olivia

I wasn’t expecting much from Olivia Rodrigo and I wasn’t disappointed. Her band was excellent though. To me she seemed like another “packaged pop star”. Think of Britney, Avril, Taylor and all the others and eventually you get to Olivia Rodrigo. I think I’ve heard all this before. But at least she was singing without auto tune, so there is that.

The Crumblies

From the oldies section I enjoyed The Libertines; Nile Rodgers & Chic were fabulous as always, as were Pulp and Gary Numan. And Alanis Morrisette was fantastic even if, as someone else said, she spent the whole gig looking like she was “trying to get her 10,000 steps in.”

Indie

From the newer groups, I enjoyed Blossoms from Stockport, CMAT from Ireland and Wet Leg from the Isle of Wight, plus English Teacher and Wunderhorse.

Wet Leg – replete with funky BC Rich Mockingbird guitar

Trout Mask Replica

Glass Beams were oddly satisfying as were Goat, from Sweden. Goat were like a space-rock Hawkwind/B52s throwback with a bit of Squid Game chucked in for good measure. Both bands were rocking masks, and for good reason. I don’t know what the reason was but I feel sure it was a good one.

Warriors on the edge of time. Goat at Glasto

The thing about Goat is if they were teleported back to the original Glastonbury in 1970, they’d fit in perfectly and no one would suspect for a moment that they’d come from the 21st Century. Perhaps that’s why I liked them.

Getdown

One other band who I should mention are Getdown Services, a two piece from Somerset who remind me of John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett. I only saw them do one song but it was beautifully insane.

Rodney

I was expecting Rod Stewart to be incredibly poor, especially after he was quoted as being a Nigel Farage supporter. But also I’d seen him at the O2 some years ago and it was like watching an old time sing-a-long at my dad’s care home, except, inexplicably there were 20,000 people when I attended. At the O2, not the care home. Anyway, I only went because I had free tickets, so we left early and got the DLR to Stratford before the slow rush of geriatrics made their way to the nearest backstreet Horlicks dealer.

I’ve got uncut Colombian cocoa sleeping powder

Singers

However Rod was extremely good. Vikki seemed to think the singers in bright red mini dresses had something to do with my decision to tune in, but that’s not true. However, once they came on I thought, well in for a penny in for a pound. Yes, Rod isn’t note perfect but he is 80 so who am I to judge?

Omega Nebula

Anyway, one band I did want to see and who weren’t on the BBC’s coverage (surprise surprise) were a dub reggae duo called Omega Nebula, who hail from Bristol. We saw them in Manchester a couple of years ago and have been following their career with much interest ever since.

Kneecap

Two bands who were covered live were Kneecap and Bob Vylan. This is where the festival got a bit ‘tasty’. Kneecap are a three-piece rap band from Northern Ireland and they are the ones who have been scaring old ladies, beating up children, drowning kittens in rivers and a whole host of other unspeakable acts, ergo, they must be banned from playing at music festivals.

Overreaction

Well, that’s what I assumed based on the media. But it wasn’t that, it was even worse. They were pro-Palestine. They said they wanted to see an end to the mindless violence against women and children in Palestine and were pressurising the government into doing something about it. That’s why they mustn’t play at festivals. Of course, it all makes sense now. How dare anyone ask the government to have a moral compass.

Bob Vylan – if getting the attention of the media was their aim, they get an A+

Bob

Even worse than calling for an end to violence, was London duo Bob Vylan who called for an end to those allegedly perpetrating the violence, the Israeli military, aka the IDF (Israeli Defence Force), when they chanted “Death to the IDF”.

Starmer

When Prime Minister Kier Starmer was asked by reporters what he thought about what had happened at Glastonbury, he said it was, “Appalling hate speech,” to which the reporters replied, “But we were asking you about Olivia Rodrigo.” Starmer paused, then said, “Appalling hate speech!” again, before shouting in a metallic, synthesized voice, “Exterminate! Exterminate!”

Pistols

In 1977 when the Sex Pistols came to the fore with their anti-establishment rhetoric (God Save the Queen) have a guess at what happened to them? Yes, they were banned from performing live, because they were clearly going to dismantle the whole establishment machine on their own starting with The Queen.

50 Years On

And here we are, nearly 50 years later and those in power are still playing the same tricks. Banning anything that shines a light on their nefarious activities. I didn’t know much about Kneecap or Bob Vylan before Glastonbury, but thanks to plenty of coverage in the news and on social media, their public profiles have skyrocketed.

The Daily Mail accidentally mis-reported “Death to the IDF” as “Death to Israelis” and splashed it across the front page in big, bold letters. Accidentally.

Posturing

Whether or not you like political posturing at music festivals, it’s always been there. It was there long before those evil monsters Bob Dylan and Joan Baez called for an end to the Vietnam War by playing folky numbers on stage in the 60’s.

Arrest

And Joan Baez was arrested on a number of occasions for stirring up anti-American sentiment by singing “We Shall Overcome” and strumming her guitar. She was clearly a menace to society.

But only in the fullness of time will it become clear who was on the right side of history and perhaps more importantly, who wasn’t.

Punk rap duo Bob Vylan call for an end to violence in Gaza.

Sofa Surfer

Anyway, I enjoyed the festival, from the comfort of my sofa. And I have no intention of ever actually going to Glastonbury. Partly because I’m not much of a camper, but mainly because I’ve done enough sitting in fields, watching someone playing some music about a mile away.

You can watch highlights of the festival on BBC iPlayer.

Glastonbury – Glasto Channel: 2025 Highlights – BBC iPlayer

Thank you for your time.

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International Beatles Week

lee.r.adams

21 Jun, 2025

Reading time:- 13 minutes

The International Beatles Week (IBW) is a festival that has been running in Liverpool since 1977, and the chances are you’ve never heard of it. But, what is it exactly and is it any good? Well, I went along to investigate, and discovered it was surprisingly interesting (for me at least).

The Beatles and Covid

The main reason I know anything about the IBW is because of Covid. Yes, the Chinese and the CIA have a great deal to answer for, and it’s because of them we’re here talking about the Beatles.

For some, Covid never really impacted their day-to-day lives

St. Paul’s

Back in 2021, in a recently post-Covid world, Vikki found a lovely 4* hotel next door to St. Paul’s Cathedral for next to nothing, including breakfast. As my birthday happened to be on 25th August that year (as it is most years), we had a little trip to London for a few days and discovered it was deserted.

Cheap as chips (the hotel), and a nice backdrop from the roof terrace

Bank Holiday

Yes, I know; the words Bank Holiday and deserted are rarely found in the same sentence, but there you are. Covid had devastating effects on many people, but the upside was 4* hotels at 90 quid a night. It was so good I wrote a blog on it.

Lees Blogosphere – A Walk Around St. Paul’s

Beatley

Anyway, the next year we thought we’d do the same, employing a bold “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” strategy. But in a not-so-recently-post-covid-world the rooms were now £200 a night, so it was broke and we did fix it by not going. So, as an alternative, I suggested we go to Liverpool and do a “Beatley” Tour.

Roll up, roll up, for the Magical Mystery Tour. Step right this way….”¹⁷

If it ain’t broke…

Vikki, surprisingly keen asked what I had in mind for this tour of the North Country and after a moment’s thought, I said, “Well, you know, go to Liverpool and do stuff.” “And that’s it, is it?” she queried. I thought about it a bit longer. “I know,” I said enthusiastically. “You organise something and I’ll tell you whether it’s any good or not.” I smiled. “Like usual you mean?” she replied. “Well” I said. “if it ain’t broke….”

Beatles statues in front of the Liver Building

Bossing It

To her credit, Vikki is the boss when it comes to booking holidays and hotels, especially when she’s using someone else’s money. That’s when she really comes into her own.

Vikki calculating the best deals across the web

A Great Discovery

And this is when Vikki discovered the International Beatles Week, and that it took place around the time of my birthday. We didn’t know what it was or how it worked so we just booked a hotel, drove up to Liverpool, had a look round, and very pleasant it was too. So, we did the same last year too. And all because of Covid.

Pier Head, the Three Graces Buildings and the Albert Docks, from the Mersey Ferry

Ironbridge

So, earlier this year I said to Vikki, let’s do the IBW thing properly this time and she agreed. And she promptly booked a hotel in a place called Ironbridge. In Shropshire. 100 miles away from Liverpool.

What?!?

Somewhat befuddled by her logic, I said “Why have you done that?” “Well, because it’s on the way,” she replied. “Yes, but Liverpool is at the other end of the country. Technically speaking, everywhere is on the way,” I explained. “Ok, because I want to go there,” she replied. I guess I could have worked that out on my own. You can probably work out on your own too, why Ironbridge is called Ironbridge. Yes, because of a large metal structure spanning a river.

UNESCO

And just so you know, Ironbridge (and the surrounding area) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I know, who’d’ve thought that? But it is. Because it is considered to be the birthplace of Jesus…sorry, the Beatles…no, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution.

Victorians didn’t concern themselves too much with climate change. They left that for us.

Industry

I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions regarding the role of industry on the destruction of communities, humanity, and the planet, but some may say it’s akin to celebrating the birthplace of Hitler, Stalin, or even Jedward, as all have been guilty of the immeasurable suffering of millions.

Hitler and Stalin before Germany invaded Poland

Shop till you Drop

In Ironbridge, there are all sorts of Museums, Factories, Victorian Villages, and Iron Bridges to explore. There are some fab (four) walks too if that’s your thing. And shops. There’s a fabulous bookshop, a shop dedicated to Christmas and also a shop dedicated to Doughnuts too.

Although the exterior could do with a little tidying up, this is the kind of free-market enterprise even I can get on board with

So, all tastes are clearly catered for, assuming of course, your tastes don’t veer too far from Books, Christmas or Doughnuts, which is lucky, because mine don’t.

Mince Pies in August. We live in a decadent age.

Kiln in the name of…

We even got to stay in a room with a glass floor and a kiln underneath. Suffice to say neither of us got up in the night to use the facilities.

Bedroom with personal kiln, incase you need to knock up some clay pots during the night

Youth

We popped into a cafe for a coffee (which was just ok although the cafe was nice). The thing that really bugs me though, is when you see teens glued to their phones, apparently unable or unwilling to talk or engage in anything around them.

It’s even worse when they’re related.

I love Ironbridge, she said. There’s so much to see…

Liverpool

So, eventually we made it to Liverpool and the Radisson Red, next door to Liverpool Lime Street Station.

We discovered a carpark in the centre of Liverpool which charged only £6 for 24 hours parking, which is something of a coup, if you’ve ever parked in Liverpool (or any big city). Admittedly the car was on bricks when we returned, which was quite helpful as it meant no one could drive it away (including us).

£6 parking fee included patented anti-theft device

Eccles

Later in the evening we had a visit from my son Alex, who was at the Metropolitan University in Manchester doing a Masters degree. Living in Eccles meant he was only a 30 minute train ride from Liverpool Lime St, and we showed him round the city on Thursday and Friday.

Vikki and Alex. There’s a pattern emerging here

Column

Whilst we walked around the Knowledge Quarter, we noticed (you can’t miss it) a 100ft column with a dignitary on top.

Vikki: “Who’s that?”

Me: “Who’s what?”

Vikki: “Him. Up there. On the column.”

Me: “I can’t really see from here, but the general rule of thumb is, if he’s holding a sword it’s the Duke of Wellington. And if he’s holding a trumpet it’s Duke Ellington.”

Vikki discovers a Jazz pioneer on a column in Liverpool

Silence….

Vikki: “Who’s Duke Ellington?”

Me: “Good grief! This is my best material. It’s all I’ve got and you come back with ‘who’s Duke Ellington?’ Have you ever seen a bloke with a trumpet up on top of a column?”

Vikki:” No.”

Me: “So why do you think he might have a trumpet?”

Vikki: ” I didn’t. You just said if he had a sword he’d be the Duke of Wellington, and if he had a trumpet he’d be the Duke of Ellerington.”

Me: “Ellington. It’s Ellington.”

Vikki: “Well, ok, Ellington. You still haven’t told me who he is.”

Me: “Duke Ellington, was a jazz musician, band leader, played with Ella Fitzgerald, the greatest singer ever. Him.”

Ella Fitzgerald – not one statue in Liverpool is dedicated to her

Vikki: “Oh, that one.”

Me: “Yes, that one.”

Vikki: “So, why did you say he was up on that column then?”

Me: “I didn’t. It was just a play on words. Wellington – Ellington. They sound similar but ordinarily you’d never mix up an English Duke in full military regalia with a black jazz trumpet player from the Mississippi delta, would you.”¹⁸

Vikki: “No, I suppose not. Is that why it’s funny then?”

Me: “Yes, sort of.”

Silence.

Vikki:” Shall we get a coffee now?”

Me: “Yeah, go on then.”

Quarrymen

In the evening we had tickets to see the Quarrymen at St. Peter’s Church Hall in Woolton, Liverpool. For anyone with a smattering of knowledge of Beatles history, this really is the birthplace of the Beatles, as the legend goes, when John Lennon was 16 he had a skiffle band and in July 1957 they played at St. Peter’s Church Hall at the village fete.¹⁹

By an incredible coincidence, a friend of John’s called Ivan Vaughan happened to have another friend who also played guitar and invited him to the fete. This friend was a 15 year-old lad called Paul McCartney.

Twenty Flight Bonk

By way of an intro, McCartney played Eddie Cochran’s “Twenty Flight Rock” left-handed on a right-handed guitar and suddenly he was in the band. For the record (ha-ha), I don’t believe Twenty Flight Rock is strictly about climbing twenty flights of stairs to do some rock ‘n’ roll dancing with your girlfriend.

Eddie Cochran – because “Twenty Flight Horizontal Jogging” didn’t scan as well

Originals

The Quarrymen were wonderful and both Rod Davis and Colin Hanton are original members. There’s lots of talking, reminiscing and anecdotes about the Beatles early days interspersed with some songs. Or is it the other way round?

16 year-old John Lennon leads the Quarrymen through a rendition of Come Go With Me by the Del-Vikings (possibly) at the village fete. Colin Hanton (sitting) is 2nd left

Convention

On Sunday we went to the IBW Convention at the Adelphi Hotel. Here, once you get in, you can see loads of Beatles tribute acts from across the globe (yes it truly is international), spread across four stages. The tributes we saw were from South America, Kyrgyzstan, Japan, the USA and one from England. We also saw various other acts, plus some guest speakers.

Direct from Japan, The Liverbirds

Hats

David Bedford, the bass player in the Quarrymen is also an author of a number of Beatles books. He spoke about his new book coming out soon and he introduced a friend of John Lennon’s from his art school days called Helen Anderson. She designed the leather hat Lennon wore around 64/65 which became synonymous with the Beatles in that period.

Lennon wearing the cap made by Helen Anderson

Hooked

I was wondering how interesting a 30 minute talk about a hat was going to be, but when she started, I was enthralled. I could’ve listened to her all day, except they had another speaker lined up so she had to stop. A truly amazing woman and an even more amazing life.

Rome

Like, how she ended up working for one of the top couture houses in Rome because she happened to look in their window one day. And then, after being asked to provide some sketches for a Rome daily newspaper, found herself painting a portrait for the President of Ghana.

May Pang

Then we moved on to another speaker, May Pang. And some more wonderful stories. She spent a year living with John Lennon in the 70’s when he disappeared off the grid for a while. He was in LA with May Pang while Yoko Ono was back in New York. Somehow this was all fine (spoiler alert – Yoko didn’t come out of the story in a good light).

Yoko Ono – could be singing, could be shouting; probably both

Apple

She had stories just like Helen, like the time she happened to walk past a building in New York City where the offices for Apple Records USA were located and decided she wanted a job there. So, she went in and asked if they had any vacancies and someone said, “Yeah, come back after lunch, I’ll see what I can do.” A week later she was working in the record industry. No CV, no references, no HR, just, “Can you type?” “Yes,” “Ok, type this.”

May Pang with John Lennon soon after he’d joined the Hollywood Vampires²¹

Chatting

At the convention I had a chat with David Bedford and Colin Hanton from the Quarrymen, Vikki spoke to the Japanese tribute band via Google translate (which worked exceptionally well!), and I discussed guitars with members of Britain’s Finest, a tribute band from LA (I didn’t need Google translate this time).

Britain’s Finest (confusingly from the US) reinact the Beatles “black turtleneck” period

The Beatles “black turtleneck” period. May 1966, NME Poll Winners Party, at London’s Wembley Empire Pool (now Wembley Arena)

Aussie

We also met some Australians who had travelled over especially for the convention. It was around this time I stopped complaining about the journey up from Essex!

Al and Me, outside…well you can probably guess!

Locations

As for the IBW and what it is. It’s a mixture of the following:- 1. Tribute bands playing in various clubs across the city e.g. The Cavern Club, The Jacaranda, The Adelphi Hotel 2. Special tours put on for the week only, 3. Speakers and Music at the Adelphi Hotel, 4. Memorabilia fair at the Adelphi plus lots of other little attractions e.g. the Quarrymen weren’t part of Beatles week, so there are lots of independent activities going on too.

Mathew Street – home of the Cavern Club, the Cavern Pub, the Cavern Restaurant, the Cavern Cavern, and the Cavern Tavern (note, not all these sites exist)

Conclusion

So, there you have it. International Beatles Week, by way of Covid, St Pauls, Ironbridge and the Quarrymen. If you’re interested, the festival is on over August Bank Holiday weekend every year. A Facebook group has more info on that.

IBW Facebook Page

However, if the Beatles aren’t your thing then there’s plenty to do around the city (and beyond) that bears little or no correlation to the Beatles.

Thank you for your time.

Back to blogs

Lees Blogosphere

The UEFA Cup

lee.r.adams

7 Jun, 2025

Read time:- 12 minutes

The inaugural UEFA Cup competition was held during the 1971/72 football season and culminated in the final game being played at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane stadium in May 1972. But I’m sure you knew that already. And I was there. Here’s a story of my realised and missed opportunities.

First and Last

The first and last UEFA Cup competitions, now known as the Europa League, are neatly bookmarked by wins in both competitions by Tottenham Hotspur FC. I watched on in 1972, as Spurs drew the 2nd Leg 1-1 with European heavyweights Wolverhampton Wanderers and won the UEFA Cup.²²

Although this programme is from Wolves v Leeds United, the picture is from the UEFA Cup Final 1st leg, featuring Jennings and Knowles of Spurs. Dougan of Wolves is celebrating Jim McCalliog’s equalising goal

The Doog

Wolves would have had the likes of Derek “The Doog” Dougan playing up front, whilst Spurs had Chivers and Gilzean. But it was Alan “Mullers” Mullery who headed Spurs into the lead in the 2nd Leg, injuring himself in the process.

Mullery explains how he was punched in the face

But before all of that was this.

Tickets

Somehow my Dad got tickets for the final, after Spurs beat AC Milan in the semi-final, and I went to White Hart Lane with my Dad and brother, Robert. We had tickets in the terraces which cost a whopping 50p each.

Twist

However in a change in fortune, my Dad, who was never the most extravagant spender, shelled out an additional 10p each to go into an area called the Enclosure. This was a section in the West Stand, below the Directors Box which limited the number of supporters, so it was a little less congested than the other sections.

The Enclosure terracing. We stood near to where the people in the picture are standing by the pitch

Lightweight

Now, because I was 11 at the time (I wouldn’t be 12 for another couple of months) and I was about 3ft nothing and weighed about 4 stone in wet clothing, my Dad put me in front of him coming through the turnstiles and then, as we came up the steps at the back of the stand he started calling out in a raised tone, “Excuse me gents, young ‘un coming through.” A sea of faces turned round, looked first at my Dad, and then down at me, smiling gormlessly from under my anorak.

How I might have looked entering the Enclosure at Spurs

Moses

Just when I thought they would merely turn around and ignore us, a funny thing happened. They started moving out of the way and some would tap the shoulder of the person in front and say, “Young lad coming through,” and they’d move too.

The Enclosure at Spurs could resemble The Red Sea in certain circumstances

Windsor

It was like Moses and the parting of the Red Sea. Well, Blue and White Sea really. But suddenly I felt like royalty, and for a moment I thought about having some poor people flogged for my own amusement, but then decided better of it.

Marie-Antoinette – “If they can’t afford a Pie and a Pint at half-time, then let them eat croissants.”²³

Steps

At first, just a couple of people moved and we made it down a few steps, before my Dad started calling out again and then more and more just moved out of the way. A few patted me on the shoulder and said things like, “Go on lad, you get yerself down the front where you can see. Off you go.”

Resistance

And then suddenly, there I was. At the front, with people shuffling up so I could get a good view. Then my Dad produced the pièce de résistance. It was a small, wooden box that he’d brought in under his jacket.

“Here,” he said. “This is for you to stand on.” I asked him where he’d got it and he said, “One of the fella’s at work made it for you, so you could see better.” It wasn’t very big but it was sturdy and it was the difference between peering through the iron railings and being able to see over the top of them.

Penny

I was thinking, “This is amazing, I should come to football more often,” and for years I was so thankful my Dad had made sure I got down the front to see. It wasn’t until some time later when we were talking about it at home that one of my siblings said, “He didn’t do it for you. It was so he could get down the front with you!” And then the penny dropped.

“Brought a box in for your son to stand on? You can tell that to the beak.”²⁴

Pip-Squeak

But I didn’t mind. I’d been at the front and I thought I had the best view in the house. But that’s what it used to be like on the terraces. People looked out for the youngsters who had come along. Especially if you a were a little pip-squeak like I was.²⁵

I was so tiny that I once bought a Bullworker and sent it back because I couldn’t open the box

Report

Anyway, I’m not going to do a report on the game. You can probably find that online somewhere if you’re that interested, but you may find some photos from the game that perfectly reflect my viewing position. Because right in front of me, sitting on the cinder track that ran round the perimeter of the pitch was an old, grizzled Fleet St. press photographer. He looked like he’d had an argument with a door and lost, but he was snapping away with his Nikon or whatever.

Football photographers didn’t look like this in 1972

Bonk

At one point during a break in play, my Dad said to me, as a joke, “If he gets in the way (indicating the photographer), just bonk him on the head.” I laughed. My Dad laughed. Robert laughed. The photographer didn’t. He quickly became somewhat vexed. “Do you mind? I’m doing a job here,” he started. “I’ll try and keep out of your way but there’s no need to be like that!”

How Hollywood might recreate the disagreement with the ‘pap’²⁶

Game’s On

I was shocked. I thought it was obvious it was a joke, bearing in mind my less than impressive physical stature. My Dad laughed, slightly embarrassed. “I’m only joking mate. You’re alright.” And the photographer started saying, “Yeah, well you don’t have to…” and then my Dad nodded over the photographer’s shoulder. “What’s the matter?” he asked. “Game’s on,” my Dad said. The photographer became even more agitated, saying, “Oh, oh…shit!” and getting his camera ready he turned away, incase he was missing some important action.

Peters

A short while later, Spurs had an attack and the ball flew over the bar. Probably because he was feeling a little guilty over his outburst earlier the photographer turned around, and addressing me he said, “Excuse me, but did you see who headed that over?” “Yes, I said. “Peters.” “Right,” he said. “Martin Peters?” I nodded. “Ok, thanks,” and he wrote in his little book, “Peters heads narrowly wide.”

I wasn’t sure it was Peters. These things happen fast but it looked like it was. I turned around to my Dad and brother and laughed silently. Indicating the photographer, I said sotto voce, “Was it Peters? I think it was.” They nodded and indicated I shouldn’t say anything. So I didn’t but at that time there were no action replays, or big screens to rely on. You had to watch the game or you missed it.

Actually watching football is of little interest to many modern fans

Home and Away

At the time, the UEFA Cup final was played in the same way as the rest of the tournament. Each tie consisted of a home and away leg. There were no groups or tables to contend with like there are today. Just like the FA Cup, it was a straight knockout tournament from Round 1 to the final.

“Gilly” scores in the 9-0 trouncing of Iceland’s Keflavik in the UEFA Cup Round 1. Spurs won the tie 15-1 on aggregate

Record

Spurs and Wolves had played out the 1st leg at Molineux two weeks previously, and Spurs had come away with a 2-1 away win courtesy of a ‘brace’ from star striker Martin Chivers. “Big Chiv” had been bought from Southampton by Spurs in 1968 for the princely sum of £125,000 which was a record at that time.

Chivers didn’t score in the home leg. What did happen was the Spurs skipper “Mullers” scored a bullet header from a free kick and knocked himself out in the process. Everyone was going crazy and he was just lying there, face down on the turf.

Mullers scores a thunderbolt past the despairing Wolves goalkeeper Phil Parkes, as Spurs’ Alan Gilzean (white shirt) looks on.

Sponge

Then the physio with the magic sponge came on, chucked a bucket of water over him and suddenly he was as right as rain, which was ironic really as he’d just been doused in it. It’s fair to say that in those days the concussion protocols were of a less sophisticated nature.

Peters: “How many fingers am I holding up?” Mullery: “15.” Peters: “That’s close enough.”

Aggregate

Mullery’s goal meant Spurs were now 3-1 up on aggregate over two legs, but Wolves scored late in the 1st half, bringing the score to 3-2, to set up a nail biting finish. The game ended 1-1, Spurs prevailed and won the UEFA Cup.

Spurs and Mullery with the UEFA Cup. Martin Peters, who may have headed narrowly over, is third from the left

Presentation

The team were presented with the trophy and then Mullers started the lap of honour, and the team jogged round the edge of the pitch, taking in the plaudits from the fans. Suddenly it became apparent he was coming right past us at the front of the terraces. I climbed up on the railings and leaned out as he came nearer. I could see he would be in touching distance within seconds.

The colossus of a cup was glinting under the heavenly glow of the floodlights, Mullers was getting closer, the crowd were cheering and I was stretching out as far as I could.

Trophy

I leaned out a bit further as he jogged closer. The cup was just inches from my fingertips so I edged a little further over the railings and as they moved into range I proceeded to plant my hand on top of the trophy…

Richarlison unwittingly recreates the infamous scene from 1972

When suddenly a big, burly copper appeared from nowhere, pushed me back over the railings and shouted, “And stay back!” My feelings of being treated like royalty were well and truly over and my own UEFA Cup mise-en-scène lay in tatters as I picked myself up.²⁷

An attempted cup touch is a crime enforced by a custodial sentence

53 Years

That was as close as I got to touching the UEFA Cup. And now, 53 years later Spurs have won it again. Admittedly they also won it 1984, beating Anderlecht on penalties, again at White Hart Lane. But I didn’t go to that game. And I didn’t go to Bilbao in May either. So, I watched it on the telly and it was wonderful for the players to realise a dream. And for the fans too, who have been starved of silvery success for many years. 17 in fact.

Spurs lift the Europa League trophy in Bilbao, and for the first time in 41 years

Final

The recent final was generally low on quality but high on tension as the picture below testifies.

Coupe UEFA

And, although the UEFA Cup competition is now called the Europa League, a quick look at the trophy indicates the Cup itself is still called the UEFA Cup (or Coupe UEFA). So, technically, Spurs won the Europa League competition, and were presented with the UEFA Cup as winners.

Gone

And now Ange Postecoglou has been sacked as manager, it feels a little like the shine and the joy of that win, has somehow been dimmed.

“On TV, the third season is usually better than the second, but sometimes the main character gets killed off.”

Cheated

And when I think back to the halcyon days of the 60’s and 70’s, it feels like I was led to believe Spurs always won something. In the time it took me to reach my thirteen birthday (1960-1973) Spurs won 8 trophies, and I’d been to two finals and they’d won both. So, winning silverware every 18 months or so. I’d been gaslighted by a football club into believing this was normal behaviour. How wrong I was.

Old meets New – Big Chiv and Sonny meet on the pitch at the Spurs Stadium

Success

That was within the first thirteen years of my life. In the last thirteen years, they’ve won sweet FA. So, if I’ve learnt anything it’s this. The club I support is rubbish. No, not that. I’ve learnt to a.) appreciate success when it comes along; b.) not take success for granted, and most importantly, c.) recognise success comes in different forms; in different guises. And it’s not always silver.

Thank you for your time

Back to blogs https://theleeadamsblog.com/blogs/

Wiki link to UEFA Cup / Europa League

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Europa_League

Spurs v Wolves Final (highlights of both legs)

The Great Escape

lee.r.adams

24 May, 2025

Read Time:- 12 minutes

The film The Great Escape, starring Steve McQueen was on TV (again) over Easter, not that that is particularly newsworthy, but I had a few issues with it, which I decided to summarise here. So, get the popcorn, take a seat, and strap yourself in for some World War 2 wisdom.

The Great Escape

McQueen effortlessly combines a Triumph, a fence, Chinos and the Alps to create the archetypal war movie

The Great Escape is a 1963 film based upon a true story of allied soldiers who attempted a mass escape from a PoW Camp located in Nazi Germany, during March 1944.²⁸ However, that’s pretty much where the similarities end, since most of the rest of the actual escape is a work of fiction, including Steve McQueen’s character, despite the statement in the opening credits.

The opening titles are a little sketchy on specifics

Issues

Anyway, that’s not what I have issue with. I appreciate, that for a film to ‘work’ for a cinema audience, certain aesthetic and artistic licence is necessary. The combining of characters, or locations etc. to allow the story to flow more smoothly, are quite normal practices when transferring a story, to cinema. And so, as far as the film is concerned, the planning of, the work and the escape itself are true, but outside of that, stories abound purely for entertainment purposes.

Character

No, my issue is with Steve McQueen. Well specifically, his chinos. And additionally with Steve McQueen’s character in its entirety. So, not so much Mr McQueen himself, but his character in the film.

“Hey fella. Are they them magic chinos I heard about in that blog?”

Context

But, before I get into Steve McQueen and his magic wardrobe, a bit of context is necessary.

The first point to be made is, the film shouldn’t in any way be confused with the 1981 film Escape to Victory starring Michael Caine as an English PoW trying to escape… hang on, where have I heard this before?

Escape to Victory. Not to be confused with any other war film with “escape” in the title

Discussion

Actually Vikki does regularly confuse the two, so much so that when I watched The Great Escape the other evening as prep for this blog, she wandered into the room about halfway through, cup of tea in one hand, phone in the other, and the resultant conversation went something like this:-

Vikki: “So, what’s this you’re watching?”

Me: “The Great Escape.”

Vikki:- “Is it about the 2nd World War?”

Me:- “Yes. They’re in a Prisoner of War camp in Germany and they’re planning what will come to be known as “the great escape.””

Vikki:- “And the English, they’re the ones trying to escape?”

Me:- “Exactly. Actually, do you think I could I just watch it, you know, without the interruptions?”

Vikki:- “Yes, ok.”

Silence for a moment.

Gordon

Vikki:- “So, what’s he doing? Gordon whateverhisnameis? Why is he in it? He’s from Upstairs Downstairs, and that other programme, The…..Professionals. He can’t play football.”

Me:- “Who, Gordon Jackson?”

Gordon Jackson considers a game of keepy-uppy’s with Richard Attenborough

Vikki:- “Yes, and why are they digging a tunnel? Is that the escape plan?”

Me:- “No, I think they’re doing it to aerate the soil, so their vegetables will grow.”

She narrowed her eyes and looked quizzically at me.

Vikki:- “That’s a joke, isn’t it?”

Me:- “Vik, how long have you known me?”

Vikki:- “Well, I think we first met around 2004, so that’s….(counts on fingers)….21 years.”

Me:- “And after 21 years, you still don’t know if I’m telling a joke or not?”

Vikki:- “Well, I’m getting better at it. It would help if they were funny though.”

Me:- “Oww! Burn!”

Was that a joke just then?

Escape

Vikki:- “So, when do they play the football match then?”

Me:- “They don’t play football in this one. They just dig tunnels.”

Vikki:- “I think you’ll find they do, I’ve seen it before.”

Me:- “I think you’ll find they don’t. You’re thinking of Escape To Victory. It’s a completely different story.”

Vikki:- “Is it? But don’t they escape in that one as well?”

Me:- “Yes, as it happens, they do. Hopefully, in future they’ll combine the two films and call it The Great Escape To Victory.“

Vikki:- “Now that would be a good film.”

Silence for a moment.

Vikki:- “So, there’s no football then?”

Me:- “None.”

Vikki:- “And you’re sure about that?”

Me:- “Positive.”

Silence for a moment.

Vikki:- “So, if there’s no football…”

Me:- “Hmm…”

Vikki:- “Where’s the wooden horse?”

Me:- “Good grief!”²⁹

After a while all PoW escape films begin to look the same.

So, although these films shouldn’t be confused, they are. And I’m sure Vikki isn’t the only one.

TV

The second point to make about the film is although it’s probably been on British TV several times a year for the last 60 years, I’ve never watched it before. Not all the way through. I’ve seen parts of it loads of times, and loads of it, part of the time. Probably most of it some of the time, and some of it most of the time, but I’ve never sat down and watched all of it, from the beginning to the end, chronologically. Until now.

Spoiler Alert

If like me, you’re one of the 12 other people globally, known to have never seen The Great Escape, you may not want the specifics of the plot revealed. But I’m going to. So beware. And, because I’ve never seen the film before, this gives me a slightly different perspective on the film that others might not possess.

Three

Which brings me on to the third point of context. Although it’s called The Great Escape, only three people ever escape from Germany. Two make it to Sweden and one gets to Spain. Admittedly 76 PoW’s ‘escape’ the camp in one go but even that gets fluffed. Over 200 were supposed to get away but the tunnel wasn’t dug far enough and the escape was compromised.

Attenborough and McQueen discuss the vagaries of the metric system

Artwork

And my last point is the artwork for the film. It’s mostly Steve McQueen on a motorbike jumping a fence to escape the Germans. But when I got to that scene, which is right near the end, and the film is 172 minutes long (so a shade under 3 hours), he jumps over one fence, gets shot at, crashes the bike into another fence and gets captured, for the fourth time.

“McQueen” jumps the fence and evades the Germans…for about 30 seconds

Is that it?

Now, I ought to say, I’ve seen the bike scene in the film, quite a few times but as I said, not in context with the rest of the film. So, I’m going to be honest and say, I was more than a little disappointed when the whole scene played out and McQueen didn’t even escape. I had believed, ever since the 1960’s that this scene was synonymous with The Great Escape, and effectively represented the allied flyers derring-do. And now I find, it wasn’t, and it didn’t.

Character

Then, to make matters worse I discovered Steve McQueen’s character didn’t even exist. No American’s took part in the escape itself (although they helped plan it and dig the tunnels). And, since this element of the story was a complete fabrication for the US film audience, McQueen could’ve escaped. But the film makers couldn’t do that, because they needed him to do his big final entry into the PoW camp, the last one to be picked up. Then he had to do his “too cool for school” walk to “the cooler” again (which I’ll come on to in a while), as the final scene.

Worse

And, to make matters worse still (is this even possible?) McQueen used a British Triumph TR6 Trophy motorbike during the chase, disguised as a German BMW. McQueen, to his credit, loved British bikes and all the scenes with him on a bike, except the jump at the end, were him riding. He even did some scenes where he played Germans chasing his character, also on motorbikes.

Chinos

And this brings me on to the chinos. When he arrived at Stalag Luft III at the start of the film, he was wearing light chinos, desert boots and a leather jacket. Not really military garb but we’ll let than one go. He’s looking good and he exudes the personality of someone who’s going to mix it up with Herr Kommandant a little.

Herr Kommandant – didn’t possess the requisite psychopathic tendencies the SS usually favoured

Magnets

Now, I’ve had a pair of light beige chinos for some years and I know for a fact that all Vikki has to do is say, “Dinner’s ready” and I’ll have food all over them. They attract dirt in much the same way a magnet attracts iron filings; trust me.

Daz

However, McQueen’s chinos appear to magically repel dirt and stains in a way I’ve only ever seen in a 1960’s Daz commercial. First he digs a tunnel under the fence, escapes, gets caught, then spends 20 days in “The Cooler” (solitary confinement) but when he’s released, those chinos are as clean as a whistle. It’s like the Germans washed and pressed them for him while he was doing ‘time’.

Only one allied PoW had access to a box of Daz in the whole of Nazi Germany

Papillon

Then he escapes again, gets caught again, and does ‘bird’ again. Result? Clean chinos. None of this happened when he was in the ‘cooler’ on Devil’s Island in Papillon. He came out in rags. Admittedly he was doing solitary for several years at a time, but still. This is Hollywood.

Then he does the Great Escape…where doesn’t actually, you know, escape, but those chinos take one hell of a beating. He’s up to his knees in mud. He’s got an oily old bike on top of him. He’s caught in barbed wire and he gets dragged back to Stalag Luft III for his troubles. But guess what happens? The Germans wash and press his chinos while he’s in the back of the car.

McQueen crashes in The Great Escape. Note mud spattered chinos

And by the time he meets up with the British allies at Stalag Luft, he’s neat and tidy again.

Steve McQueen was so cool, even his trousers were able to defy the laws of physics

Virgil

But as for his character in the film, Captain Virgil Hilts, I found him to be a bit one dimensional. He mentions once, in an offhand way, that he rode trail bikes back in the US and as “The Cooler King” he goes into solitary confinement (the cooler) each time he escapes and gets caught, and it’s as if it’s a walk in the park for him. He comes out like he’s had a nice weekend at a Spa resort. So definitely not like Papillon then, when he was close to death every time he was released.

McQueen only left a 1 star review on Tripadvisor for the Spa facilities on Devil’s Island

He was like the naughty school kid who has to take the rap for being above all the nonsense others have to endure, so he wanders into the cooler with his baseball glove and ball, then spends the next 20 days chucking the ball at the wall. That’s all you need to survive solitary. And that’s clearly why he had such a difficult time in Papillon too.

McQueen as Hilts, with baseball glove and ball

Ives

However, his Scottish co-conspirator Flying Officer Archibald Ives goes insane in solitary and gets shot dead trying to escape by scaling the perimeter fence in broad daylight. But then he didn’t have the foresight to bring a baseball glove into the cooler with him, so it’s probably his own fault really.

Performance

Having said all that, one Film Critic called McQueen the “outstanding performer” in a stellar cast, which he is. And it was this performance that cemented his reputation as a Hollywood “A” list actor. In the next few years he played the lead in The Cincinnati Kid, The Thomas Crown Affair and Bullitt. McQueen died in 1980 of cancer associated with asbestos exposure.

Reviews

As for the film itself, it had Elmer Bernstein’s whistling classic theme tune and received mainly positive reviews, but not from everyone.

The Great Escape grinds out its tormenting story without a peek beneath the surface of any man, without a real sense of human involvement.
Bosley Crowther – NY Times

Well, you can’t please everybody. And not one mention of the magic chinos either.

Opening credits and main theme

Book

The film was based upon the 1950 book The Great Escape by Australian author Paul Brickhill, and is available in paperback and to listen to on Audible.

4K

The Great Escape has recently been restored and was released on 4K Dolby Atmos Blu-Ray on 19th May 2025 by Arrow Films.

Arrow Films UK – Cult, Classic & Horror Movies

Thank you for your time.

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Lees Blogosphere

Dolby Atmos

lee.r.adams

10 May, 2025

Read Time:- 12 minutes

Dolby Atmos is a home speaker system much like the Dolby Pro Logic Surround Sound systems of the late 1980’s, but utilises overhead speakers (or speakers which give the impression of overhead sound) to provide a more immersive experience whilst watching films or listening to music. But is it the “journey into sound” that some people profess it to be? Well, let’s find out.

Trouble “up mill”

I was having a little trouble trying to explain what Dolby Atmos is for this blog so, having an interest in new-age techy stuff I decided to see if AI (Artificial Intelligence) could write a “brief summary” of what Dolby Atmos is, for me. Which it did.

I may have asked too much of AI

Brief, or…Brief?

Since AI’s first attempt was longer than this blog, I concluded it’s understanding of the word “brief” and mine, were somewhat at odds with each other. After half a dozen attempts we, that is me and my bestie AI, got it down to the following:-

Dolby Atmos creates an immersive, 3D sound experience at home, offering cinema-quality audio. The system provides clear dialogue, deep bass, and overhead sound effects, enhancing movies, TV shows, music, and games with realistic and immersive sound.
AI’s millionth iteration of “Brief Summary”

AI-Oh

All good then? Well, no actually. Because, for my own entertainment I asked it to make the summary amusing, to save me doing all the rubbish Dad jokes, and it decided to describe a place where fun occurs, whilst utilising fun related synonyms. Hmmm.

Me: “Make Dolby Atmos funny.” AI: “There was an Englishman, a Scotsman and an Irishman in a HI-Fi shop…”

Dolby Atmos is like having a comedy club in your living room with speakers popping up from every corner. It’s got front row seats, center stage action, surround sound giggles, height-defying laughs, and a subwoofer that will shake your funny bone.
AI’s pathetic attempt at comedy

It’s the way I tell ’em

Not quite the side-splitting comedy I was after. I imagine Vikki would find this funny though. Anyway, I gave up with AI after 45 minutes and went back to the real world (whatever that is) of slogging through a blog.

AI – sounds like a great idea but is in fact, mostly useless

Benevolent HMRC

I recently received a tax rebate from the HMRC and because they were so benevolent (by taking tax I didn’t owe, keeping it for 2 years, then finally giving it back), I thought it would be nice to invest in a Dolby Atmos system.

HM Treasury – “The money you earn isn’t yours. We just allow you have some of it to spend on keeping yourself alive.”

Falcon

So I did. I had to move fast though, because Vikki can always find more inventive ways to utilise additional income (like on soft furnishings, the mortgage, another jacket from Vinted). However, the last time I moved fast was in 1977 and that was only because some Charlton Athletic supporters wanted to introduce me to a friend of theirs called the Falcon Punch.

Sloth

Anyway, to provide a better indicator of my sloth like preambles, my journey into Atmos Sound really started in 1973, when I bought an album by British Prog Rockers with lovely hair, Yes. Their inventively titled Yes Album, featured a number of musical sections that, to be fully appreciated required a stereo record player (stereo was still quite new then), with decent speakers positioned some distance apart.

The Yes Album included a wonderful panorama of sound and a plethora of postiche³⁰ pelts

Clacton

For clarity, the phrase, “some distance apart” doesn’t mean you place one speaker in Stockport and the other in Clacton, it means in the same room but not necessarily next to each other. The idea was (and still is) to position yourself in a place centrally to, and equidistant from the speakers, put The Yes Album on the turntable and have your head sonically interfered with, once the pyrotechnical panning of sound across the room began.

Oranges

Now, just before that album release, in 1971, Dolby Labs were invited to provide the sound for the film A Clockwork Orange. Then, in 1977 came Star Wars, which utilised another sound system called THX. Things were changing rapidly. Then by the late 1980’s, Dolby Pro Logic was released and Surround Sound systems began appearing in Living Rooms across the globe.

Stanley Kubrick’s *A Clockwork Orange* utilised Dolby Sound to fully immerse theatregoers in the “ultra-violence” of Alex and his three “droogs”³¹.

Cheap as Chips

Now, fast forward 50 years to 2023 and Yes released a box set of The Yes Album which included, you’ve guessed it, a Dolby Atmos mix of the album. So, I bought it, partly because I still liked the album but mainly because I found it advertised on a website in Ireland for £29 instead of £129. So I ordered it quickly before they realised their error. It duly arrived and I was now the proud owner of a Dolby Atmos album without any equipment to play it on.

Yes Album box set – includes Dolby Atmos mix but no Dolby Atmos equipment. You have to fork out for that separately. What a swizz³²

Google

2 years later I had a couple of other box sets which included Dolby Atmos mixes and so I did a load of research i.e. typing into Google, “What is a Dolby Atmos system?” and discovered I could either buy an Audio/Video Receiver (AV), plus 14 speakers and screw a load of them into the ceiling, or I could buy a soundbar (with an AV in it) which gives the impression of having speakers bolted into the ceiling but doesn’t physically require cutting holes into ceiling boards, or any other structural changes to the interior of the house.

My first attempt at installing Dolby Atmos speakers in the ceiling didn’t quite go to plan

Soundbar

A soundbar, for the uninitiated, is a long, narrow speaker box with multiple speakers in it, which you place in front of your telly; hence soundbar.

4K

My research and budget led me to a Samsung soundbar with a Sub Woofer which, when you’re into this stuff is only ever referred to as a “sub”. Referring to it as a Sub Woofer marks you out as a total novice and ultimately invites intense scrutiny, resulting in ridicule and mockery. And correctly so, in my opinion. Also my system had a couple of small rear speakers.

Most people are unsure what all the speakers are really for

Right Upper, Left Lower

In a true Dolby Atmos system you’d have a Centre speaker, Left and Right speakers, Upper speakers, Rear speakers, and a “Sub”. The “Sub” deals with the Bass end of the sound spectrum. The soundbar though does the work of the Upper speakers by utilising software (called Up-Firing Drivers) to create the illusion of sound above your head.

Ziggy watching “Jaws” in 4K with “Dolby Catmos” (© Vikki)

High End Systems

Some high end systems incorporate a left-right-upper-lower and a right-lower-upper-deck-back-side-forward-reverse-upside-down-oops-upside-your-head-flat-earth-single-coil-what-time-do-the-pubs-open speaker configuration. But I couldn’t afford that, so mine’s a little more straightforward.

I think the upper-right plugs into the lower-right-left blue and indigo left sided HDMI 4K port, through the UTP-co-axial-optical fibre flange sprocket

4K HDMI?

Anyway, the speakers arrived (I also ordered a 4K Atmos compatible Blu Ray player) and I duly plugged it all in, discovered I needed a 4K compatible HDMI cable (I didn’t know they existed), bought one in town, then fired up the system. Obviously, being a bloke I didn’t read the manuals first which meant when I put a Blu Ray disc in the player, no sound came out. Then I discovered if I pressed the buttons on the remote in a random fashion, sound did finally emanate from the system. This approach is called trial and error, sometimes referred to as being lazy and impatient.

Click the red button on the remote. Well, obviously not that remote. The other one!

Amazing?

I put the Yes Album on, sat down and waited, to be either amazed or disappointed. Thankfully I was amazed! One of the things people say about listening to “Atmos” music is, it’s like sitting in a room with the band playing around you. And I concur, that’s exactly what it’s like, because I immediately noted the faint aroma of marijuana, Jack Daniels and fragile ego’s swirling around the room. Then I realised that was just me.

Dolby Atmos can play tricks on the mind. Mix it with Jack Daniels and the possibilities are endless

Knickers

However, I don’t advise you to listen to Atmos in your undergarments. It can be a little disconcerting having the band stop halfway through the set and ask you to get dressed because it’s putting them off.

Artistic interpretation of Dolby Atmos in the Adams household

New for Old

The other thing to note is on albums you may have listened to hundreds of times over the years, you’ll find yourself saying “I’ve not heard that before”, as a voice or an instrument jumps out of the speakers at you. The other day I listened to Dark Side of the Moon in “Atmos”.

DSOTM on Atmos Blu-Ray. Quite disturbing in places

Voices

If you know it well then you’ll be familiar with the spoken parts (“I don’t know, I was really drunk at the time” etc. towards the end of the track “Money”). Well, I discovered there are a lot more voices on the recording than the Vinyl album had ever offered up before, so much so that when one of the new voices jumped out of the speakers, a woman saying something about a guy who was “cruising for a bruising” I thought Vikki had walked in the room while I was supposed to be polishing her shoes for work. I’m still in pieces.

It was quite impressive, but unnerving at the same time.

Excuse me. Is that Nosferatu on the stairs? No, it’s just Dolby Atmos

Streaming

To listen to music, or watch films, you can either buy it on Blu Ray and own the physical media, or if you prefer to reduce your carbon footprint (whilst the G8 nations completely ignore that sentiment), you can stream from an online service. For music that means, Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal, Qobuz etc. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ provide 4K Dolby Atmos films. However, to receive Atmos media you have to pay an additional premium and what you get is probably nearer to “Sort of Dolby Atmos” with “2½K” films. In other words, the quality of streamed services is somewhat limited.

4K Films

Many films are being re-released in 4K with Atmos soundtracks which is great if you like the sound of a helicopter landing on your head whilst watching Mission Impossible. But much like music, finding the films which utilise the Atmos soundtracks well, can be a bit hit or miss. But 4K is a very high quality screen resolution and you’ll need a 4K telly to watch 4K films. Just like you need Atmos speakers to listen to Atmos music.

If you like the idea of Tom Cruise dropping in for lunch, then buy an Atmos system

More detail on screen resolution (see what I did there?) can be found here:-

720p, 1080p, 1440p, 2K, 4K, 5K, 8K: Display Resolution Explained | iHax

Hearing

Also, if you’re slightly hard of hearing, like me…

“I SAID….!?!”

Ha Ha. Anyway, perhaps an Atmos system is for you, since it provides much better control of TV sound and clarity of spoken word by utilising the soundbar. Most flatscreen TV’s have very small speakers (to fit in the TV housing) resulting in “limited” sound quality. Which is where a soundbar and/or an Atmos system comes in. Admittedly, you may need understanding neighbours when you crank up the volume, but that’s a small price to pay.

Are the Russians invading? No, it’s just Adams firing up his Atmos system

Conclusion

My opinion? It all went wrong after Edison got involved. But really. For me it has breathed new life into some albums (and films) that are 50 years old (and sometimes older) and also certain musical styles seem to translate better to Atmos. Digital or synthesized music is very good, as are big productions. Special effects on albums work well too. The thunder and lightning strikes during Riders on the Storm by The Doors are especially atmospheric. I’m not saying they’re realistic but at one point I did put up an umbrella.

Edison, recording an early demo of The Doors “*Mary Had A Little Lamb*“

Geoffrey

To close, I’ll paraphrase actor Geoffrey Sumner, who in 1958 was the voice of Decca’s advancement into stereo. This is an album my dad had and we used to listen to it as kids. I think my elder sister stole it. However, I’m waiting patiently for Decca to release it on Atmos, because for me, then my journey in Dolby Atmos sound, will be complete.

Long before Hipgnosis³³, Decca were coming up with LSD inspired collages to flog their own albums

Bomb The Bass

If you think you might have heard the phrase “a journey into sound” somewhere before, it’s probably here…

Bomb The Bass – You can hear Geoffrey Sumner or DJ Jeffy S at 1.05.

Thank you for your time.

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Lees Blogosphere

Record Store Day

lee.r.adams

19 Apr, 2025

Reading Time :- 10 mins

This year, Record Store Day (RSD) took place on Saturday April 12th. But, what is it, what was it like and should you care (even if you do have FOMO)?

Record Store Day

Record Store Day is a one day event, dedicated to the pursuit of vinyl records, and takes place annually, at participating record shops across the globe.

The nearest Record Shop for me was Novel Sounds in Maldon (about a mile away) but I also took a drive to Intense Records in Chelmsford (about 10 miles away) which had a much greater selection of records on offer.

Novel Sounds – small but perfectly formed

So, what is it?

Taking place every year (a bit like International Jet Wash Your Patio Day but slightly more interesting) RSD is when hundreds of special edition vinyl albums are released (there are some geographical differences), and are only available in record shops (to begin with).

What’s the point?

It began in 2007 in the US (before 25% tariffs were imposed on vinyl) as a way to reinvigorate the ailing vinyl records industry. Vinyl had been out of fashion since the invention of the CD in the 80’s, which, as many of you will know were purported to work even if you dipped them in jam, but all that really happened was you ended up with a CD player clogged up with Strawberry Conserve and a roomful of bees.

You could play CD’s with *The Jam* on but not with just Jam on.

And as a result, a couple of record shop owners decided they would try to encourage people back to a few nearby record stores, with a ‘special’ vinyl day. RSD is now in it’s 18th year and is getting bigger every year.

So, how does it work?

Well, it’s like this. The record companies decide which new albums/singles they will ‘release’ on Record Store Day, the record shops decide if they want to participate (it can be a big money spinner – more on that later), then the RSD organisers release a list of records which will be available, anything from a-ha to Zombina and the Skeletones (a particular favourite of mine) and everything in between.

Then people like me who actually buy vinyl records (I’m listening to one while I’m writing this), fill in a form ‘requesting’ certain records they would like to buy and email it to their local record shop.

Who invented these lists?

The record shops then ‘order’ the records based up on these requests, e.g. 25 Bowie albums, 9 Blur albums, 3,811 Zombina and the Skeletones albums etc.

1st Rule

All straightforward so far? Not for long. The first rule of Record Store Day is “never talk about Record Store Day”. Oh, no that’s Fight Club. The first rule of RSD is:- Record Shops cannot guarantee the requested records will be received (aka supply and demand). For example, I ordered a John Lennon EP from Novel Sounds. Howard the owner, explained he was unable to get any copies at all.

First rule of Fight Club is never talk about Record Store Day

Early Doors

The second rule of RSD is, even if the record shop is able to fulfill your requests, they are not able to hold onto them for you. All records are available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. This is because the idea is to get people into record stores on the day, not sometime next week, maybe, when I’ve got a bit more time. Which means every year you hear horror stories of people ‘camping out’ days before the event!

Frank from Bromsgrove waits to pick up the new Charlie XCX album on silver vinyl

Hope

So, yes the queues can be very long. At 8 am in Chelmsford the queue was about 400m long. In Maldon it was a little shorter but people were outside at 8am. I wasn’t; I was still in bed. I did get there at about 9.30 though. Novel Sounds is quite small. I mean, anymore than 5 people and you’re on first name terms within minutes.

Novel Sounds – not enough room to swing a cat (unless it’s the Stray Cats)

Triangulation

One slight issue I have with Novel Sounds is it sits right on the outer rim of what is commonly referred to (in my house at least) as The Maldon-Bermuda Triangle. This is made up of three distinct map references. The first, towards the north end of the High Street is Novel Sounds Record Shop. The second is Maldon Bookshop next door, and just across the High Street is the third reference point, the Maldon Coffee Company.

Bazza, knew all about Maldon being twinned with the Bermuda Triangle

Holy Trinity

It has been noticed that when people like myself enter this triangle they can go missing for days at a time. And when they do finally return to their loved ones, they are confused, they have no memory of where they have been, all their money has gone, but it has been magically replaced with records, books and coffee beans. It happens to me a lot.

Request

Sadly, my request to Novel Sounds for 4 RSD albums and an EP ended up being 1 album and no EP (perhaps I should have got up earlier after all). Which is why I decided on a trip to Intense Records in Chelmsford. Being a much larger store they were able to accommodate a lot more people and a lot more albums.

Driven

So Vikki (my wife, who often forces me to buy vinyl) and I drove through Danbury to the Chelmsford park and ride, took a bus into the town centre and walked up to Intense Records in the Meadows shopping centre. We arrived at about 10 o’clock and were greeted by a very long queue!

A couple of people had got to the record shop before us

Horrified, we joined the back, we were then told off by security for standing in the wrong place, and then listened to a few acoustic sets by the invited buskers, providing entertainment for the record buyers.

Passport Control

We’d already parked at a massive open air car park, taken a bus and were now in a long queue. It felt like I was going on holiday, so I started removing my shoes, belt, and electrical equipment, in readiness to go through the security scanners at passport control.

I’ve never really warmed to airport security scanners since watching this film in the 80’s

Trousered

Vikki asked me what I was doing. I explained about passport control and she gave me the ‘thousand yard stare’ and told me to put my trousers and underpants back on. So I did. Before security told me off again.

Getting the “put your trousers back on ” look.

Cosplay

On a few occasions it felt a little like being an extra in a Star Wars film, as there appeared to be a cosplay convention going on in The Meadows at the same time. Moss Eisley spaceport has never looked so inviting, even if Obi-Wan did famously refer to it as a “hive of scum and villainy.” That’s Mos Eisley, not The Meadows. Well, I’m not sure which one he was referring to now I come to think of it.

Moss Eisley spaceport – modelled on the Meadows Shopping Centre, Chelmsford.

Baby

When we got to the far end of the queue we could see the buskers and the cosplayers. At one point Vikki said quizzically, “Do you think the baby on that fellow’s back looks a bit odd?” I looked over to where she was indicating.

“Yes,” I said. “You’re right, it does.” She continued squinting and studying it. “But that’s because it’s Yoda,” I explained.

Fun

And the fun didn’t stop there either. Actually it did but not for me because soon we were in the shop and I was spending money like there was no tomorrow and all the records I’d been desperate for since 9.30 this morning (about 90 minutes ago), were within my grasp.

“These aren’t the albums you’re looking for.”

I ended up with a few albums; one by the Boomtown Rats, a Sabbath album I picked up in Maldon, a couple of others, and yes, an EP by Lennon. I knew you’d be concerned but it’s ok now.

Due to the outbreak of vermin in Birmingham caused by the ongoing bin men’s strike, this album didn’t sell so well in the Midlands

After Eight

If you can’t get to your local record shop on the day, many are open on Sunday, selling off additional stock and also you can buy online on Monday after 8pm. They also start appearing on sites like eBay and Discogs soon after, with the usual markup added.

2024

Last year we also went to Intense Records on RSD and wandered straight into the shop at about 11.30. It was certainly much busier this year, which is encouraging but also disconcerting in some ways, because usually when the pursuit of money outweighs everything else, it results in a sea-change, from quality to quantity; where the quality goes down and the price goes up.

The RSD demographic tends to be a mix of either old codgers (like me) buying up the vinyl they couldn’t afford in their teenage years, or teenagers, buying up the vinyl they can afford in their teenage years.

2026

However, whilst waiting to pay I was speaking to the shop assistant about the day and she explained they would make enough money today to keep the shop open for another year. So, perhaps Record Store Day is working, if like me you like to have a plethora of shops to choose from. Which I do. I draw the line at card shops and charity shops though; they have been abusing the privilege for years.

FOMO

And, in answer to my question about whether to go to Record Store Day because you have FOMO? The answer is no you shouldn’t. You should go to therapy instead.

Links

Further information can be found at the following links:-

Record Store Day UK

Record Store Day | Celebrate the UK’s independent record shops

Novel Sounds

Novel Sounds | Record Shop | 21c High Street, Maldon, UK

Intense Records

Intense Records Drum & Bass, Dubstep, CDs and Vinyl Record Shop

Thank you for your time.

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Lees Blogosphere

The Battle of Maldon

lee.r.adams

8 Aug, 2024

On 11th August 991 AD, a battle was fought between Anglo-Saxon and Viking armies, just outside the coastal town of Maldon, Essex. So, what caused the battle, what was the outcome, why did J.R.R. Tolkien write about it, and why should we be interested in something that happened over 1,000 years ago, when most of us can’t remember what happened last Wednesday? Well, let’s have a look.

Football Hooligans

For some, the Battle of Maldon represents a great moment in the history of Britain, where Anglo-Saxons gallantly fought and temporarily repelled the onslaught of Viking invaders, but much like the England football team under Gareth Southgate, got themselves to the final but still managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Gareth Southgate – “We will pay you with Spear Tips and Swords!”

Others though, consider the battle as nothing more than an aggregated version of the superfluous punch-ups occurring outside Wetherspoons (or ‘spoons) at kicking-out time on Friday nights.

Wetherspoons in Maldon High Street hasn’t changed a great deal during the intervening 1000 years

Teenage Rampage

In 991 AD when the battle took place, Britain was very different to today. For a start, the Romans had departed the isles and hadn’t got around to building the M25 (known in the local vernacular as the Emtiius Twentyfiveicus, or MXXV), so traffic was still able to move freely around Londinium with the minimum of fuss.

Artistic impression of how the M25 at the Clacket Lane Services may have looked, during the Roman occupation of Britain

Hitler

However, much like the Duke of Normandy, Napoleon, Adolf Hitler, Putin, Colonel Gaddafi, Pol Pot, Jabba The Hutt and a whole bunch of other devious miscreants, the Vikings wanted a piece of that pre-M25 action.

Lingerie

The Vikings, as I’m sure you’re well aware, hailed from the lands of Scandinavia and had ventured west across the North Sea in search of money, slaves, sex shops, saunas, lingerie, football and a good old booze-fuelled fight.

Although well established in 991, Ann Summers didn’t ship to Scandinavia

Lindisfarne

In 793, on the North Eastern coast of England they discovered the Holy Island of Lindesfarne, and pillaged it, taking jewels and anything else of value to them. They enjoyed themselves so much, they came back fairly regularly, much like English tourists flocking to the Costa Del Sol in search of cheap booze and nosh.

Folkstone – Jewel of the South

In August 991 the Vikings set off from Denmark in search of sun, sea, sand and sangria but discovered Folkstone instead. Somewhat disappointed, they nicked anything that wasn’t bolted down, burnt everything else to the ground (many, including the Anglo Saxons, said this was their greatest achievement), sailed up the coast to Sandwich, sacked that, sailed to Ipswich, sacked that too and then returned to the River Blackwater in search of Maldon and the Royal Mint that resided there.

Convoluted Viking raids across England’s east coast.

Glamping

Maldon was an important town, and home to important people. Near the town, in the centre of the river Blackwater is Northey Island. The Viking leader, who may have been one of a number of men; Andlaf, Svein Forkbeard³⁴, or more likely Olafr Tryggvason, decided to set up camp here. There were 93 Viking longships carrying in the region of 3000-6000 fighting men.

Byrhtnoth (Old English: Byrhtnoð)

It’s likely the local Ealdorman to King Ethelred the Unready – meaning ‘poorly advised’ – Lord Byrhtnoth (pronounced Brithnoth), had already been informed the Vikings were nearby, after the violence of the coastal towns had been reported.

Ethelred the Idiot tries to stop the Vikings with right-wing rhetoric

He had gathered a fighting force, of a similar size to the invaders, who had travelled from across East Anglia to take up arms against the invaders.

The Big Fella

Byrhtnoth was an imposing figure. Standing well over 6 feet tall and likely in his late 60’s, he had long flowing silver hair and an unwavering determination to protect his land.

Byrhtnoth (right) consults his military advisors before the Battle of Maldon

Poverty Conscious

The Vikings, camped on the island, urged Byrhtnoth to pay them to ‘go away’, in an early form of a ‘protection racket’ later taken up with gusto by the Mafia and the Kray Twins.

Lager Louts

Danegeld or Danish Gold, later became synonymous with Carlsberg, probably the best lager in the world. But Carlsberg and advertising slogans were still in their infancy then, so it didn’t catch on.

These days you can buy a fridge on eBay with Danegeld in it but back then you had to have a pitched battle.

It’s All Kicking Off

But Byrhtnoth was having none of it and gave them a response the Vikings didn’t necessarily want to hear. “We’ll pay you with Spear Tips and Swords!” However, shouting words to the effect of “Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough” to Viking invaders, was much like telling your local Hell’s Angels Chapter that they’re a bunch of sissies and their tricycles are for losers, as neither group were renowned for their deep introspection where anger management was concerned.

It is believed some Hells Angels harbour deep psychological trauma caused by “unstable primary carer relationships” in early childhood. When questioned on this they replied, “Eff off.”

Panta

But the river, known at the time as the Panta, had a part to play in the exchange of insults, as high tide cut the island off from the mainland. And the causeway, linking the two, was temporarily submerged by the rising tides. The Vikings attempted to cross the causeway but were held back by a small group of East Saxon militia and had to wait for the tide to change. To amuse themselves while they waited, they invented Lego and cured a few flitches of bacon.

The causeway from Northey Island looking towards the battlefield. The Vikings stood here and hurled insults at Byrhtnoth

The Viking leader then asked Byrhtnoth to allow his army passage onto the mainland to do battle.

Olafr Tryggvason – Self Portrait (Lego on Canvas)

A Frank Exchange of Views

The discussion went something like this:-

Olafr Tryggvason: “Hey Britney, you want to have punch up with us, yes? We do fisticuffs?”

Lord Byrhtnoth: “It’s not Britney. It’s Byrhtnoth. Britney’s my wife.”

Britney Spears, wife of Lord Byrhtnoth. The Anglo Saxon Chronicles aren’t clear on whether she fought at the battle, or if she was touring her new album.

OT: “Excuse my ignorance, Britney. I am Danish. I have come to take your little island, as souvenir of our holidays. And your women. They make good pets, no? Perhaps they do jiggy-jiggy? Heheheh!”

LB: “Well, some definitely do, er… so I am informed. But you’re not having them, so clear off and take those degenerates with you.”

OT: “Britney, you’re not being very welcoming, and we’ve come such a long way to visit, haven’t we lads?”

The Vikings cheer in unison.

LB: “I told you, it’s Brith, er.. Bryan…er, Briff…well anyway, thanks for coming but we’re busy this week, what with harvest. And Ahmed from DPD is delivering our Combine Harvesters from Ernest Doe between 9.57 and 10.57, so bye then.”

Ernerst Doe – never knowingly sold to Vikings

OT: “Well, can’t they deliver to neighbour, or leave in safe place, behind wheelie bins?”

LB:” “I can’t update the order, the signal is a bit dodgy here, sorry.”

OT: “Well I tell you what, you let us cross river, we have bit of dust up, and whoever wins gets pick of laydees and combines. Whaddya think?”

LB: (aside) “What do you think lads, can we take ’em?”

General nods of approval.

Anglo-Saxons: ” Yeah, we can do ’em. Put the big man up front, overload on the flanks and chuck it in the mixer. Them Danish, they don’t like it up ’em.”

LB: (to the Vikings) “You, my good man, are on! Now, a wager perhaps, on who comes out victorious?”

OT: “Wager? What is wager? Why you talk in riddles Britney?”

LB: “You know, a bet, a wager.”

OT: “I give you bet Britney. I bet you lose your fucking head!”

LB:” And I bet you soil your britches! (holding his nose) Oh, looks like I’ve won already!”

OT: “Right, that does it! Charge!”

Decisions

And Byrhtnoth finally allowed the Vikings to cross. Many have considered this a poor military decision, based either on pride, arrogance or pure foolhardiness. But it is also recognised that Byrhtnoth had little choice other than to fight, as the Vikings would have attacked other towns on the coast, and these locations wouldn’t have had the luxury of an army.

It wasn’t until one of them stepped on a piece of Lego, that the Vikings realised they’d inadvertently invented another Dark Ages torture device

The Poem

Much of what is known of the battle is from a surviving fragment of a poem, author unknown, which was written a few years later, and was transcribed during the 1700’s.

Using violence, sarcasm and torture previously unheralded in Britain, the Vikings beat the Anglo-Saxons into submission

The Shield Wall

In the Anglo-Saxon poem of The Battle of Maldon, the author describes the warriors as they build their shield wall and fire arrows and spears at the ‘sea-wanderers’. Then they meet in pitched battle and fight hand to hand combat with swords. The poem describes the wounding, then death of Byrhtnoth at the hands of the ‘slaughter-wolves’. He is cut down by a poisoned spear but is able to kill his attacker with a spear through the neck before he too dies.

The following link includes a recent translation of the poem.

The Norse Mythology Blog | norsemyth.org: The Battle of Maldon | Articles & Interviews on Myth & Religion

This prompts some to flee from the battlefield. One deserter, takes Byrhtnoth’s magnificent steed and races away. Unfortunately others believe this to be Byrhtnoth himself and they also flee, breaking the shield wall. The Vikings start to take control but there are heavy casualties on each side.

The Anglo-Saxons apply an ‘unorthodox’ approach to building a shield wall

Defensive Formations

Much like Gareth Southgate and the England team when they played the Danish at the recent Euro 24 tournament, the Anglo-Saxons used a very safe, defensive, 4-2-3-1 formation with the shield wall being Declan Rice and Trent Alexander-Arnold protecting the back four. Bellingham, Foden, Kane and Saka were the attacking militia, chucking spears and firing arrows. On both counts, the spears and arrows appeared blunted through over use.

England take an early lead in The Battle of Maldon, when Lord Byrhtnoth (9) fires home after pouncing on a loose ball in the Viking box, as Olafr Tryggvason (2) attempts a block.

Danegeld

Ultimately the game ended 1-1 with neither team ever getting a foothold in the match. Unlike the Vikings a thousand years ago. They decimated the Britons in what would become known as the first occasion where Danegeld was paid to the marauders. This was raised in taxes (surprise!) and given to the Vikings who agreed not to return. Which they didn’t. Until it ran out.

After the Battle

Byrhtnoth’s body was taken by the Anglo-Saxons to Ely Cathedral, and he was buried there. He had been decapitated during the battle and his head was never recovered.

Spoils of War

Tryggvason went home with the Danegeld, Britney Spears and a New Holland CR10 Combine, with Twin Rotor Threshing Technology included as standard.

The CR10. The Vikings were keen on it’s upgraded motor.

Tolkien

JRR Tolkien had a keen interest in Old English, was Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford, and studied the Battle of Maldon manuscript for many years. He even went as far to continue and finish the story from the Battle of Maldon poem in his book, The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth.

There is evidence to suggest the Battle of Maldon poem and the people within it, influenced Tolkien in the creation of the world of the Lord of the Rings, and as such, Tolkien believed it to be one of the most important pieces of historical writing. And it is the existence of the poem which elevates the battle to a higher status in history, as it is one of the few battles of that period where any real evidence exists.

Peter Jackson, Tolkien and Sir Ian McKellen create a Gandalf/Byrhtnoth combo

Having said that, no archaeological proof has ever been found regarding the battle, and until it is literally unearthed, there will always be speculation over it.

Sometimes only true professionals will do

Today

Today the battle site is little more than farmland and marshland beside the River Blackwater. It can be accessed on foot from Maldon Promenade, where Byrhtnoth’s statue stands, as a sentinel, watching over Northey Island. Northey Island still exists in much the same way as it did a 1000 years ago as does the causeway, making the island accessible at low tide.

Northey Island and the Causeway at low tide, from the battlefield

There is a sense of calm but also foreboding about the place. It’s very quiet, eerily quiet, considering the mayhem that took place there. But, whether you’re interested in history or not, it’s wonderful we have a direct connection to the troubled and sometimes violent times of a 1000 years ago.

Maldon

Maldon itself is keen on preserving the history of the battle, and of Byrhtnoth himself and references to both can be seen all over the town.

The Duke

And if that wasn’t bad enough, a mere 75 years later, in October 1066 a certain Duke of Normandy rolled up at Pevensey Bay on the Sussex coast, surveyed the land from the beach and said, “I am going to take zees island, as a souvenir of my ‘olidays.” Or words to that effect. And he did. But that’s another story.

The statue of Byrhtnoth stands guard over Maldon and Northey Island

Thank you for your time.

Back to blogs. Lees Blogosphere (theleeadamsblog.com)

The Nature Reserve

lee.r.adams

14 Jun, 2024

Somewhere between Maldon and Mersea Island on the Essex coast, lies Copt Hall Nature Reserve. I never knew it existed but then it’s not exactly advertised. So, I thought I’d take a look. And as I discovered, it has quite a surprising history.

Let’s Get Quizzical

The other night Vikki and I were at a Quiz Night. It was organised by some local people trying to raise funds to keep the only hospital in Maldon, St. Peters, open. Imagine that, having to raise funds to keep public services i.e. services already paid for by the public, running.³⁵

St. Peter’s Hospital, Maldon. The Tories should be commended for the fervour and determination they’ve shown in trying to get the hospital closed down.

Maldon River

Anyway, at this quiz, one of the questions was, “Which river does Maldon sit upon?” And because we live there, everyone said, “Easy. The Blackwater.” But as we smugly filled in the answer, there was one lone, dissenting voice which stood up against the barrage of blustering buffoonery. Vikki.

Is this the River Chelmer or Blackwater? Nobody really knows for sure. Well, someone does.

The Battle of Blackwater Bay

“It’s not the Blackwater,” she said calmly. “Everyone thinks that. And they’re wrong. It’s the Chelmer.”

Some furrowed their brows and said, “But the Chelmer empties into the Blackwater upstream.” Some stated, “The Chelmer ends in Chelmsford.” Others said “What was the question again, I wasn’t really listening?” Cue debate, discussion, review and a then finally, a decision. We went with the Blackwater.

We received “Nil Point” for our answer, despite Vikki telling us what the correct answer was.

Fine Margins

Our team, missed out on winning by ½ a point. One half of a fricking point. And yes, the correct answer was The Chelmer. Vikki took no delight in reminding me afterwards that the difference between coming first and second was, technically speaking, the Blackwater/Chelmer question. But I still winced nonetheless.

Beeleigh Falls

So, what is it with the Blackwater and Chelmer that confuses so many? Well, it appears they both run around the Essex countryside for a bit until they get to Beeleigh which is just outside Maldon. Then it gets tricky, as the Chelmer takes over as the primary river, where it runs through Maldon and empties into the Blackwater estuary.

Blackwater Switcheroo

And what of the Blackwater then I hear you cry? Well, it turns into the Blackwater Canal before emptying into the Heybridge Basin before becoming the River Blackwater again. ³⁶

So, on reflection it’s all very vexing and complicated but here’s the important thing.

Heybridge Basin. Where the canal ends and the river begins…again.

The Important Thing

If you get in your car and take the B1026 Goldhanger Road, east from Maldon, and follow the flow of the River Blackwater (not the Chelmer) as it meanders its way towards the North Sea, after about 13 miles you would arrive at a place called Little Wigborough, where you would find Copt Hall Lane. And here is a Nature Reserve run by the National Trust.

Little Wigborough – has more secrets than a village that comprises of three houses and a bungalow should have

Nature Reserve

Now, you wouldn’t necessarily know you were at a Nature Reserve when you get to the junction, because a.) there are no signs to it and b.) what signs there are, refer only to Copt Hall. The lane is quite long, so when Vikki and I visited, we drove down to the end and found a little National Trust car park, next to a large house, some farm buildings and a church.

Copt Hall Lane – the scene of much fear, trepidation and excitement 108 years ago

The Great War

Little Wigborough is the smaller sibling of Great Wigborough, which is a mile or two along the road (above). But Little Wigborough is famous for something that happened during World War 1.

On the night of September 23rd 1916, a new German ‘super’ Zeppelin Airship, numbered L33, was shot down after a bombing raid on Bow, and the Thames warehouses in London. During the raid, the Airship was hit by an anti-aircraft shell and consequently began to lose height.

Railway

From the sky, the crew followed a railway line to Chelmsford, then followed the River Blackwater towards the Heybridge Basin. It was then a lone voice stated, “That isn’t the Blackwater. Everyone thinks that. But they’re wrong, It’s the Chelmer.” How the Germans laughed.

"Selbst die dummen Engländer kennen ihre eigenen Flüsse nicht!!"³⁷

Cue discussion etc.

In the meantime, the ship had lost more height and as a result it crash landed at Little Wigborough.

Herr Kapitan!

The airship landed across Copt Hall Lane, where the commander, Kapitanleutenant Bocker decided to set light to the 650 foot aircraft before the British could get their hands on it.

With the sky ablaze in the distance, the crew walked 1½ miles to Peldon, where they were arrested by a special constable after asking directions to Colchester.

Dirigible

When the copper saw what had happened to the Zeppelin he said, “You can’t park there me old china,” and escorted them to West Mersea Church where they were held under armed guard. Later, they were moved to a POW Camp in Scotland for the remainder of the war.

Further reading on this story can be found here…Zeppelins over Essex | (essexrecordofficeblog.co.uk)

Also the following book provides further information.

Car Park

However, as you may recall, we weren’t here for Zeppelins, we were here for nature. Parking up, we looked at the signs (because once you get there, there are signs), and discovered the route to the marshes.

A weather beaten sign provides detailed information on the marshes

Now I use the phrase Nature Reserve advisedly because if you’re expecting the Springwatch crew to be down there wandering about in the undergrowth then you might be a little disappointed. There is a Bird Hide admittedly, not that we saw it as you will soon discover.

Despite rumours to the contrary, Chis and Michaela have no intention of visiting Copt Hall Nature Reserve at any time, ever.

Grandiose

Having managed your expectations regarding the grandiosity of the reserve, one of the fundamental joys of discovering places literally ‘off the beaten track’ is there is often nobody else within miles. In reality though, this location isn’t ‘off the beaten track’, it’s ‘off the unbeaten track’…which itself is off the beaten track…if you get my meaning.

The first recognition that Copt Hall exists – a sign!

Maps

We studied the map, and took the path which wasn’t so much a path as route between two lines of trees and started walking. After a few minutes we discovered that even though it was bright and sunny, the path was less so and we had to make a few minor detours around newly formed ponds and lakes (slight exaggeration).

Michaela Strachan did finally make a brief appearance

Skylark

For long periods, the only sounds we heard were those of the breeze and the birdsong. And every so often, the breeze would drop to a faint, light zephyr (or perhaps Zeppelin) and then the wildlife would also fall silent. And for a brief moment, it was so quiet the only thing I could hear was my tinnitus. Sometimes I could hear Vikki’s tinnitus too.

A view of the beautifully appointed Bradwell Nuclear Power Station, from the Nature Reserve

After walking for about 3 minutes we discovered we were lost and checking another map, which just confused us even more, we decided to go in the direction of the nearest path.

This map has an added Bluebottle to confuse the scale

Oysters

This took us towards the marshes and a surprising view across the Blackwater. Because from this vantage point you can see the Coast Road at West Mersea (which is where Colchester Oysters are farmed) and the caravan site where I am writing this from.

The Gate Lakes

Next we ventured on towards the bird hide and following the path through the trees and hedgerows we discovered the furthest extent of the path to the hide, as another newly formed lake brought our recently discovered wanderlust to an unexpected conclusion.

A newly appointed lake brought our ramblings to an end

Finding our way barred, we returned from whence we had come and decided to visit the church instead. Except, the route to that was barred also. By a sign, a fence and a woman voraciously mowing the lawn.

In case you were unsure, the church is closed

Copt Hall – The Return

And that was the end of a brief but enjoyable sojourn around Copt Hall. However, I returned a few weeks later to discover we would never have found our way to the hide anyway, irrespective of the lake at the gate, since we were walking in completely the wrong direction. So, on this occasion I decided to walk in the right direction which led me here.

From here it’s a 10 minute walk to the hide which, before you get too excited, really is only a shed in a field, with some narrow openings used for bird watching.

The infamous Bird Hide. Doubles up as a shed in the middle of a field.

The sea wall looking east towards, on the horizon, Bradwell Power Station and West Mersea

Species Categorisation

But I did manage to watch some birds from the hide. My knowledge of the complexities of avian species and sub-species categorisation is very limited, so I came up with my own classifications, which are as follows: if they’re flying they’re Pigeons, if they’re on water they’re Ducks, and if they’re trying to steal your chips, they’re Gulls.

Darwin, I feel would’ve approved.

I’m not sure what bird this is, since I don’t yet have a classification for “Sitting in a tree.”

Information

But here’s the thing: you don’t have to have any knowledge of nature to enjoy it. You just go somewhere, away from people and buildings preferably, and there it is. And usually, it’s free.

So, I hope you enjoyed your virtual visit to the Nature Reserve. If you want to physically visit, please note the car park is open between 8am – 6pm and it takes about 1½ hours to walk the whole route, with a stop off at the hide. Be aware that the ground currently (June ’24) is still damp underfoot, but it is mainly dry and flat.

Thank you for your time.

Back to Blogs

New Gold Dream

lee.r.adams

26 Apr, 2024

New Gold Dream

1980-2024

Simple Minds formed as part of the Glasgow punk scene in 1977 and came to prominence in the early 80’s, racking up a string of hits with their arty, atmospheric duel keyboard/guitar driven rock music, which transferred very well to large venues. Very large venues.

Big Time Johnnies

Initially going under the moniker “Johnny and the Self-Abusers”, Simple Minds were playing in large arenas and stadiums across the globe by the time they played Band Aid in 1985. But before that they were the opening act in smaller venues like the Lyceum Ballroom (capacity 2,000), where many people, me included, voted with their feet and went to the bar instead.

44 years later and they were back in London, this time playing at the O2 Arena (capacity 20,000) which is where I caught up with them.

Charlie Burchill & Jim Kerr of Simple Minds – “Charlie, I can see it!” “What Jim, what?” “The future Charlie, it’s over there and it doesn’t include those loveable rogues the *Pressure Stops!*” “Thank f*ck for that Jim.”

Distances

The Lyceum gig I attended was on Sunday 24 February 1980, in The Strand, London. The next time was at the O2 Arena, Greenwich. The distance geographically, between the two venues as the crow flies, is approximately 5.3 miles or 8.5 km, in modern money. So, not very far. The distance in time was 44 years. So, quite large. The distance however, between the events in terms of presentation, status and spectacle was far greater, in many, many ways.

The album that put Simple Minds on the road to stardom, 1982’s “New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)”

The Lyceum

In case you don’t know (and why would you) The Lyceum Ballroom no longer exists as a ballroom. It’s now a theatre and has hosted The Lion King musical since 1999. It began life in 1765 and has been rebuilt a few times and its location has been used for a circus, Madame Tussauds, a chapel and an Opera House. It began life as a ballroom in 1951 when Mecca took it over, which it continued to be until 1986, when it closed, before opening again 10 years later as…a theatre.

February 1980

I rocked up at the Lyceum in February 1980 with a couple of members of the band the Pressure Stops, in which I played guitar. Roy (bass) and Steve (vocals) came with me. Now, it should be noted that I was (and still am) an avid music listener and gig goer, but we hadn’t come to see Simple Minds on this occasion. Oh no. We didn’t even know who they were (neither did anyone else to be fair). They’d had no real chart success at that time.

The Pressure Stops had no idea who Simple Minds were and they had no idea who we were. And they still don’t.³⁸
L-R Clive, Me, Steve, Roy

Far Away In Time

We’d come to see the Only Ones and, to a lesser extent, Martha and the Muffins. The Only Ones had had some success with the single Another Girl, Another Planet and Martha and the Muffins had a Top10 hit with Echo Beach. As for Simple Minds, their first attack on the upper echelons of the UK singles charts didn’t occur for another two years with Promised You a Miracle which made it to No. 13 in 1982. Before that their singles hovered around the top 50 – 75 positions.

Sadly The Only Ones never really troubled the music charts but I liked them nonetheless

And, it must be noted, that in the late 70’s early 80’s, if Radio stations didn’t play the record, or your mate didn’t lend it to you and it wasn’t on TOTP, then you’d never hear it³⁹ unless you bought it yourself and that wouldn’t happen because a.) records were far too expensive just to buy anything and b.) you didn’t know it existed anyway.

Martha and the Muffins. An interesting Canadian group who included a young Rowan Atkinson on Drums.

Bar Room Blues

But back to the gig. The best bit about it was this. Someone decided, (not me I hasten to add, since I was here to soak up the music, rip off any musical ideas I could, and pass them off as my own, and generally check out other, more professional bands) that the bar was the place to be while the ‘no-hopers’ that were the support acts were up on the stage doing their thing.

According to us, Simple Minds in ’79 were a ‘no-hoper’ support act

Sweaty Socks

From memory we watched a couple of Simple Minds songs before someone (I suspect Roy) said, “I’ve had enough of these ‘sweaty’s’⁴⁰ let’s get a beer.”

Me being me just said, ‘yeah, ok’ and that was it. We watched a bit of Martha and the Muffins and all of the Only Ones, before rapturous applause ensued, the house lights went up, and we all shuffled towards the exit and went home.

Summary of Simple Minds in 1980 – went to the bar.

The position Roy likes to watch bands from

Elephant

Having said all of that, I’ve listened to a recording of Simple Minds from a gig later in 1980, coincidentally also at The Lyceum, and if I’m being completely honest, Roy made the right decision. Because being in a band is like having a new born baby. You think yours is beautiful. Everyone else smiles but secretly thinks it looks like a cross between ET and the Elephant Man.

SIMPLE MINDS The Lyceum London 26th October 1980 (youtube.com) (Audio Only)

O2 Arena

Now, compare that offering to the gig at the O2. Simple Minds have now amassed some 60 million album sales worldwide, so you could say they’ve done ok for themselves in the interim, the Lyceum gig notwithstanding.

Direction

They released an album in 2022 called Direction of the Heart, which I bought when it was released and I thought was very good, so when I saw they were touring I thought I’d get some tickets. The nearest gig to me was at the O2 Arena in Greenwich (the Millennium Dome as was), so I got online and bought a pair of tickets as near to the front as my pension would allow.

First mistake: not checking the exact location of the seats. Vikki, who came with me, was not so keen to get their early so she managed to organise 10 minutes off work (seriously). Second mistake: not insisting on leaving with enough time to get something to eat beforehand.

Sir Rod

Anyway we got up their easily enough. From Witham (where Vikki works) it’s a 30 minute train journey to Stratford, change onto the Jubilee Line, 10 minutes to North Greenwich and a 5 minute walk to the arena. However, the last time I went to the O2 it was to see Rod Stewart, purely because I won some tickets. And they were tickets right at the back, in the top tier.

North Greenwich underground station gets in on the act

Base Jump

If you’ve never experienced the top tier at the O2 then my advice is this: don’t. Unless you enjoy base jumping, bungee jumping, skydiving or vertigo. Not only is it high, it’s steep too. And you’re about a mile away from the stage, so you can’t see anything.

The quick route to the toilets from the top tier at the O2

This time I had tickets on the lowest level at the side, about a 3rd of the way back. Quite good. Or so you’d think. Remember I hadn’t checked the seat location properly. We were in Block 111, which is Entrance H. So we got to the O2 and followed the signs to ‘H Block’. And followed the signs. And followed the signs. After walking for about 15 minutes we continued to follow the signs.

Blair Witch

And then after following the signs a bit more we began to have a dual panic attack, and fearing we had somehow stumbled into a remake of the Blair Witch Project and were walking in circles not going anywhere (which technically, we were), we discovered Entrance H. Phew.

More No-Hopers

Then we made our way to our seats and that’s when I realised we were on the opposite side of the arena to where I thought we were supposed to be. Not only that but the second schoolboy error was selecting seats next to the aisle. Great if you want to spend the gig in the bar (as quite a few people seemed to) but not so good if you want to watch the band. Because there was a continuous stream of people, stragglers looking for their seats. Admittedly it was only during the no-hoper support act Del Amitri, so it was no great loss to society.

The Place To Be

The key, at least at the O2, is to buy tickets for Entrance A, which is Block 101 and when selecting seats, ensure the nearest aisle is to your right, that way you will have a swift exit to the station (in front of 20,000 other people) and won’t have to look at people taking selfies while you’re sitting there trying to watch the band, with everyone shouting “Oi! Was your dad a glazier?”

In *“The Origin of the Species”* Charles Darwin never discussed the possibility humans would evolve to the point where they would have the ability to pout at ‘selfie-sticks’. Yet, here we are.

Where’s Roy When You Need Him?

As for the gig, I stayed for the whole show, Roy wasn’t there to take me off to the bar so I can honestly say it was a spectacle. A big, mesmerising light show, floor to ceiling video screens across the back of the whole stage showing cut up videos, lyrics and album covers. A seven-piece band with Jim Kerr (vocals) and Charlie Burchill (guitar) from the original 70’s Johnny and the Self-Abusers days. And they played all the hits, plus some new and old numbers.

The O2 prepare for a potential visit from Roy

You may remember Promised You a Miracle was their first hit in ’82. That got an airing. As did Alive and Kicking, Don’t You (Forget About Me), Waterfront, Belfast Child, Glittering Prize and all the others.

“This is for everyone who came to the Lyceum Ballroom gig in 1980 and didn’t go to the bar.”

Shakespeare

And after it was over, we got stuck behind a queue of 20,000 people all wanting to get on the Jubilee Line at the same time (slight exaggeration), but made it back to the centre of the universe (Maldon) at a little after midnight, which is long after my bedtime, now I’m an old crumbly. However, I have now just recovered enough to write this blog, and as some other old crumbly, who used to write the 16c equivalent of blogs once said, all’s well that ends well.

liketh a glitt’ring prize i seeth thee up on a cleareth day

UK Return

You can still catch Simple Minds on tour if you’re quick. As of April 2024 they are in Europe but return to the UK in June before returning to the continent once again.

Thank you for your time.

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The One Note Gig

lee.r.adams

29 Mar, 2024

Some musicians are renowned for playing long gigs. And I mean, “long gigs” i.e. where you might want to consider a.) bringing a comfy chair and a sleeping bag and/or b.) arranging alternative transportation home. It’s part of the fabric of who they are as people, as performers, and as musicians. Others though, plough a lone furrow and choose the potential ignominy of playing very short gigs. One such undertaking was performed by Indie duo The White Stripes in Canada in 2007 and became known as the One Note Gig. Here’s what happened.

The Boss

The Boss, Bruce Springsteen is embarking on a World Tour in March 2024 taking in the UK, Europe, US, and various other locations en route. Now Bruce is known for his long stage shows, usually clocking in north of 3 hours. But his longest gig was just a shade over 4 hours, in 2016 in Philadelphia.

The Beatles

By comparison, The Beatles, during the mid 60’s and at the height of Beatlemania, regularly played for no longer than 35 minutes. and that was to sold out audiences of anywhere between 20,000 and 50,000 people, at places across the US such as the Hollywood Bowl, Shea Stadium etc. However, nobody could hear them over the incessant screaming, so it’s quite possible they played for much longer and nobody noticed.

The loveable mop tops entertain a sold out crowd at Shea Stadium. Q: “Can you hear us at the back? A: “We can’t even hear you at the front!”

I Promised You A Miracle

It is normal, these days at least, to expect a gig by a top selling artist, playing at a large theatre or arena, to run from anywhere between 1 hour 30 minutes, to 2 hours. For example, Vik and I recently visited the O2 Arena in Greenwich to see 80’s Art Rockers, Simple Minds. That particular gig ran from 8.30 to 10.30pm, including encores. So, 2 hours, give or take a minute or two.

Simple Minds currently clocking in at 2 hours per night on the UK leg of their 2024 World Tour

Longest Heavy Metal Gig

The longest recorded Heavy Metal gig of all time, and there are a number of criteria for this, is by a popular beat combo called Manowar, who also indulge in some Heavy Metal riffing too. They played for just over 5 hours and this gig made the Guinness Book of Records. It took place in Bulgaria at the Kaliakra Rock Festival in 2008.

Manowar – And the legend of the rent was way hardcore!

Is the Shortest Gig the Shortest?

There is no entry for the shortest gig ever however, because, according to Guinness, the relevant gig didn’t meet the required criteria. And, looking at it, I think they might have a point. There is however, a shortest gig entry which goes to The Who. The gig took place in March 2007, in Tampa, Florida, USA and was abandoned after 13 seconds when vocalist Roger Daltrey realised he couldn’t sing due to bronchitis (they came back and finished the gig a few weeks later).

“Pete, I can’t sing!” “Tell me something I don’t know!”

The Shortest Gig Ever

What is generally considered to be the shortest gig ever, Guinness Book of Records criteria aside, was undertaken by the White Stripes. And that gig ran for a whopping 1 second (yes you read that correctly) and consisted of one note only. Most agree the note was a C# but others say it sounded much more like a Db. (This is a hilarious music related joke as they are the same. Don’t you wish you were in a band?) Ok, What do you call someone who hangs around with musicians? A drummer. Ha ha. I have loads of ’em.

The White Stripes

You may remember the White Stripes. They were a duo from Detroit, Michigan USA who came to prominence at the back end of the 1990’s and consisted of Jack and Meg White who initially pretended to be siblings, then pretended to be Husband and Wife, then pretended to be musicians (ha ha), then pretended to be Aunt and Uncle, Cousins, Friends, Ordinary People and pretty much everything else in between.

The Whites Stripes, were going to be called the Red Stripes but a beer company beat them to it.

Relationship Status – It’s Complicated

The truth, as far as it’s known, is that they were married (and not related) and divorced but continued as a band. Jack played guitar and sang, Meg played drums and provided backing vocals. They had Top 10 UK hits with Icky Thump, My Doorbell, The Denial Twist, Blue Orchid and Seven Nation Army, the latter now considered one of the great guitar riffs of all time (and standard learning for any young, aspiring guitarist, along with Smoke on the Water etc.)

Red Stripe: not to be confused with an Indie Duo from Detroit.

Tour of Canada

In 2007 the band undertook a tour of Canada, planning to play in all territories and provinces along the way.

Idea for a Tour

Jack White had recently discovered his ancestors were from Scotland, and had travelled to Nova Scotia as whalers (actual whalers, not Bob Marley and the Wailers) in the 1800’s before moving on to Detroit and settling there. This, for Jack White, was the basis for the tour. To go back to his ‘roots’.

They kept away from stadiums and theatres and instead played open air gigs in market squares, they played in a Bowling Alley, they played on a boat, they played for a group of Inuit tribespeople and they also played the infamous One Note Gig.

Idea For Gig

Jack White said of the gig that they’d hit upon the idea of playing in all provinces in Canada and perhaps due to scheduling they could only fit in some brief ‘free’ gigs along the way. One such gig was in St. Johns, Newfoundland.

Jack White

“We were in Newfoundland and the idea that I came up with at breakfast was, ‘Let’s play one note today.’ I told Meg as we were getting out of the car. I said, ‘Make sure you grab your cymbal – when you hit the cymbal, grab it so that the note only lasts a millisecond.”

The White Stripes build up the tension before playing *the* note.

News that the White Stripes would be performing a “One Note” free show was released during the day and a large audience turned up to witness it. You can view a clip of the gig from the documentary “Under Great White Northern Lights” below.

After the ‘gig’ the band returned to their car and were whisked away whilst the audience chanted “One More Note!” in unison.

I’ll Have a Guinness

“I was thinking that afterwards we could contact the Guinness World Records people and see if we could get the record for shortest concert of all time. So we did it, but ultimately they turned us down.“
Jack White

Salt ‘n’ Pepa

“The thing is, though,” he explained, “the Guinness book is a very elitist organization. There’s nothing scientific about what they do. They just have an office full of people who decide what a record is and what isn’t. Most of the records in there – who has the biggest collection of salt-and-pepper shakers or whatever – are just whatever they want them to be.”

The gig though was added to the record books for a year or two before it was ultimately removed.

“So with something like the shortest concert of all time,” Jack said, “they didn’t think whatever we did was interesting enough to make it a record. I don’t know why they get to decide that, but, you know, they own the book.”

Rebuttal

But Guinness were having none of this and decided to rebuff White’s claims about the nature of their business model, i.e. they were making it up as they went along, and issued a bizarre statement to the NME.

“Subsequent to this appearance we received a large volume of applications from bands and performers seeking to beat this record. The ultimate results of this was individuals claiming that simply appearing onstage was enough to qualify them for this record.

The results were difficult to objectively measure and as such it’s difficult to justify an appearance as a concert by any reasonable definition of the word.

As such, we have been forced to cease listing records for the shortest song, shortest poem and indeed the shortest concert.”
Guinness Book of Records

Conclusion

As far as Guinness are concerned the White Stripes gig didn’t meet their criteria for breaking the World Record. And despite their claims they have ceased listing the record for the “Shortest Concert”, as of March 2024 the record for The Who gig referred to earlier, is still on their site.

Home | Guinness World Records

Guinness – Don’t mention the White Stripe at the top

All in all it’s all very confusing and their doesn’t seem to be any definitive criteria as to what constitutes a record and what doesn’t. And maybe that’s just how Guinness like it.

So in conclusion, perhaps Jack White should stick to making musical records instead (it’s all fun here ha ha).

Thank you for your time.

Back to blogs Lees Blogosphere (theleeadamsblog.com)

Cornwall in November?

lee.r.adams

9 Dec, 2023

Of the more sensible inhabitants of the cold, rainy islands located in the North Western backwater of Europe (often referred to as the UK), most would take the opportunity to holiday in sunnier climes when winter rocks up on the doorstep. Others though, head to the West Country in search of horizontal rain, hail and freezing temperatures. But why, and what does Cornwall in November offer the beleaguered traveller? More than you might imagine.

Excuses Excuses

Apart from the 650 mile round trip, the 45mph winds and inclement weather patterns, what other reason was there for me to visit “Kernow” in the chillier stages of 2023? Well, I have a daughter who lives there, so it seems appropriate to visit once in a while.

Vik and I arriving in Cornwall (image may be over dramatized)

The last time we visited, was in May 2023 and at that time the prevailing winds were much more appealing. Literally. But when the weather is good and flights from Stansted to Newquay are £20 return, it would have been remiss of me to not take advantage of such an offer. Sadly though, this offer was temporary, so we had to resort to a more old fashioned system of transportation. Driving.

How Vikki thinks I drive when I’m actually doing 5mph around Tesco car park

Mapped Out

But rather than use Google Maps to get there I would have preferred the old school, OS paper map system, because then you can fold it somewhere around Swindon and voila! the border of Cornwall magically appears on the outskirts of Reading, rather than where it seems to reside; out in the distant, mid Atlantic horse latitudes.⁴¹

Wednesday

Now, because Vikki does this thing where she drives to a building in Witham, stays for the day and they give her money (she calls it work) we were unable to leave until Wednesday lunchtime, so we decided that perhaps an overnight stop en route was in order.

“It wazsh shuper at work today. We had a tashting sessshion….”

The Mitre

We stayed at a place called The Mitre Inn, in Sanford Orcas, Dorset, which has a quaint charm and was very reasonably priced, especially since we left without paying.

Bonnie & Clyde

How we chuckled when a somewhat agitated owner phoned us later in the day asking us if we had any intention of settling the bill? We said no and hung up.⁴²

How we may have looked leaving the Mitre Inn, before going on the run (to a record shop in Sherborne).

Thursday

We spent Thursday in nearby Sherborne, which is a very old but pleasing town, which sits on Dorset’s northern border with Somerset.

Parts of Sherborne are very old and dilapidated (stop doing your own jokes).

Ethel Who?

Now, due to a passing interest I hold in the olde worlde, I discovered two Saxon Kings were buried in Sherborne Abbey: King Æthelbald (who wasn’t) and King Æthelberht (who was). I’m going to be slightly disappointed if you’re now not saying to yourselves, “King who?”

Final resting place of the very famous King Æthelbald the bald…

Well, Æthelbald died in 860, and it appears he was not averse to a little scandal since he married his stepmother, ran a brothel and invented a reality TV series called Thee Only Waye Is Wessex.⁴³

Æthelbald was also brother to the slightly more famous Alfred the Great (of Great British Bake Off fame).

“The lamination is poor, the pastry is overbaked, but I like the mirror glaze and the tuile has a great crunch.”

Abbey

We had a walk round the Abbey, was given the full history of the building (even though we only asked if they were doing Cream Teas) and continued our ‘pilgrimage’ to the west.

External view of Sherborne Abbey, Norman Vaulted Roof (including Third Reich Eagle in foreground) and view of Sherborne High Street (Cheap St.)

We didn’t get very far because I discovered Sherborne also has a record shop which is so old the owner could remember the 1960’s. It was called Ye Olde Recorde Shoppe and sold wooden records by The Beech Boys (ha ha).

Whilst some visited the Abbey and prayed for retribution, I came here to pray to the Gods of Rock ‘n’ Roll

I also picked up a nice copy of a ’63 classic (in Mono of course)

We then discovered Sherborne has an artisan coffee shop too, so I was really warming to the place.

We bought coffee and continued west.

Bean Shot | Your Site for the Best Roasted Coffee Beans

Greensplat

One thing I like about driving to Cornwall (and quite possibly the only thing) are the place names en route. Like Pathfinder Village, or London Apprentice; Greensplat and Merry Meeting; Posha and Polyphant. And yes, they really do exist. Just off the A30.

The Heavens

As we continued on the A30, we noted the weather had been particularly kind to us (for the time of year) until we got to Bodmin, about 15 minutes from our destination. That’s when the dark clouds descended, the heavens opened, and the horizontal rain began.

Friday

Now safely ensconced in Cornwall proper, we spent Friday afternoon at a place called The Pig (really) which is near Padstow. It’s an old manor house, now an upmarket restaurant and hotel, with on-site home grown fruit and veg and home reared animals (so not vegan).

After spending the afternoon shovelling down several, small but perfectly formed plates, we went home, watched The Sinner on Netflix and planned a trip to Mevagissy the next day.

The Sinner – compulsive viewing (for me) when in Cornwall

Saturday

Now, Mevagissey often comes out as Megavissey (at least when I say it) so it seemed appropriate to sing the “Binley Mega Chippy” song over and over until people became slightly disturbed by the troubling mantra. Binley Mega Vissey…

The Binley Mega (Vissey) Chippy very much occupies the other end of the catering spectrum to The Pig at Harlyn Bay.

@631c
#binleymegachippy making it worldwide 😭
♬ dance(256762) – TimTaj

You sing “Binley Mega Chippy” to the tune of “For he’s a jolly good fellow” and that’s it. However, it doesn’t scan correctly, as there are 8 syllables in the original tune and only 6 in the Binley version, but that just adds to its simplistic charm (apparently).

However, Binley Megavissey, or just Mevagissey does have its own Mega Chippy ironically enough.

The queue here is somewhat shorter than at Binley

Other interesting activities in Mevagissey include the underwater museum (a must for all scuba divers).

The Marine Aquarium where a permanent sign on the door reads “Back In 10 Mins.”

Other attractions are the harbour and the bracing lighthouse walk, where you can transform into a real life ice sculpture on the way.

The harbour. Aesthetically pleasing but a little breezy.

Influencer and Social Media sensation *Fido* takes centre stage

But it also has a shop called Brocante which, when you go in you have money in your bank account but when you come out, it has mysteriously been transformed into a framed picture (of vinyl records admittedly).

5th Dimension

I’ve been reading this book about 5th dimensional thinking, which is where you connect to your ‘higher-self”, and live without fear or judgement. Now, it suggests that you can ‘ask’ the universe for guidance in times of difficulty or confusion. So, regarding buying the picture I thought I’d give it a go.

In my experience, living in 5D can result in unnecessary financially related dilemmas

So, Vikki gave me a 50 pence piece and I put it out there. I flicked it into the air. Heads I would go with my head i.e. the logical, rational decision e.g. “No.” Tails would be the heart driven, emotional “Yes” decision.⁴⁴

It was the most expensive 50p I’ve ever had. So, my bank account is empty but I have a nice picture on the wall as a reminder of my halcyon days of financial stability.

Classic Vinyl (detail) by Faye Reynolds-Lydon. Some vinyl transcends the value of money

Sunday

We left on Sunday but the 5D imagery was clearly having a profound and powerful effect on me. Because this is what happened.

We drove up the A30, the A303, the M3, M25 (South), through roadworks, the Dartford tunnel, onto the A13 and back to Maldon. And didn’t hit any traffic at any time.

Stonehenge

Not even at Stonehenge. It slowed, but anyone who’s used the A303 at Stonehenge will know that sometimes you’re there so long it feels as if you arrived before Stonehenge even existed.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: multidimensional, higher plane transformation I can accept, but no traffic at the Dartford Tunnel? What utter nonsense!

Cornwall in November – Conclusion

So, that’s my little trip to Cornwall in November. Cold yes, but surprisingly dry. And there are places to go, things to do, stuff to buy, Mega Chippies to eat at (and more refined restaurants) and no traffic on the way home. Perhaps I was the only one foolish enough to think driving to Cornwall in November was a good idea. But get this: it was.

Thank you for your time.

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JFK and the Confirmation Bias

lee.r.adams

21 Nov, 2023

Wednesday 22nd November 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the shooting of US President John F. Kennedy (JFK). And unsurprisingly we’re no closer to knowing the truth of what happened that day than we were when it happened. So, why is that?

Conspiring to Conspire

I’m not really a fan of conspiracy theories…until I am. Although I tend to implement the IQ Barometer Routine for determining whether a conspiracy is of sound judgement or, just a little bit whacky. For instance, The Flat Earth Conspiracy Theorists suggest that for centuries those that have knowledge about shapes of planets (NASA, Isaac Newton, Donald Trump etc.) have been lying to us⁴⁵ and we actually live on a flat disc, and at the edge of it is a big ice wall (which is not dissimilar to the one dreamed up for Game of Thrones).

“You know nothing (about the Flat Earth Conspiracy Theory) Jon Snow”

But Why?

But when asked why we’re being lied to, i.e. what do the ‘authorities’ have to gain by this misdirection, the Flat Earthers aren’t so specific. Now, using my IQ Barometer Routine, I would ask myself whether a.) the Flat Earthers or b.) the Cosmologists/Planetary Scientists have a greater or lesser intellect than I do. And, whoever has the greater intellect is where the clever money goes.

Some say images from the James Webb Space Telescope supporting the Flat Earth Theory, may have been doctored

JFK & The CIA

But it’s different with JFK because the delineation between the two ‘theories’ isn’t so clear, primarily due to money, power, influence and politics being involved. The theories being, was he shot by a lone, crazed gunman (Lee Harvey Oswald), or was it another shady plot constructed by the CIA?

Weeks before the shooting, Lee Harvey Oswald posed with *“the”* gun, presumably to ensure there was plenty of incriminating evidence against him.

The Magic-Bullet Theory

When I was about 10 or 11, I saw a programme about the JFK Assassination which was quite interesting until someone on the programme began to discuss the “Magic-Bullet Theory”. This is where it appears possible (but only in Dallas on the 22/11/63) for a bullet to strike one person (JFK) , change direction, strike another person (Governor Connally), go here, go there, go up, go down, do the Harlem Shuffle, disappear, then re-appear in pristine condition on a stretcher in a hospital a few days later.

Confirmed trajectory of the Magic (Single) Bullet – as presented by the Warren Commission

JFK and the Confirmation Bias

But what I couldn’t understand was why this theory was even being entertained as an explanation for the so called “shots-to-wounds” ratio. And I was 11. And here I am, 50 years on, still none the wiser. In the modern world, this kind of thinking is called ‘confirmation bias’, where your beliefs determine your thinking, i.e. if your belief is “the authorities are always truthful”, it follows ergo, that the Magic-Bullet Theory must also be true.

The Magic Bullet theory is true – no it’s a lie – no it’s true…and I’m Spiderman, no you’re not, I am…

Cognitive Distortion

Which bring us back to the Flat Earth Theory. Because if your belief happens to be “the authorities always lie”, then it follows that the earth must be flat if “they” say it’s round. The problem with this type of cognitive distortion is it doesn’t allow for any grey areas, e.g. that authorities sometimes tell the truth, albeit only when it suits them or when they have no choice.

I don’t remember being at any parties at No.10 because I was pissed…from all the parties at No.10…

What’s Going On?

But back to JFK. Most of us know the American President was gunned down in Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas at 12.30 on 22nd November 1963.

John and Jackie Kennedy arrive in Dallas, November 1963

We also know that a lone gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald was accused of his murder. And that’s when it all gets terribly murky. Because it appears all we really know is JFK was shot dead. And Oswald was arrested for the murder. And that’s it. Everything else is conjecture.

Oswald: US Marine, Defector, Russian Agent? Who was he?

Oswald’s Abilities

Because a.) Oswald wasn’t much of a marksman, b.) he used a cheap, poorly made rifle, c.) his positioning made the shooting virtually impossible to undertake, d.) there were too many shots fired, e.) JFK appeared to be shot from another direction (the Grassy Knoll) and on and on it goes.

The Girl on the Stairs

But there was another reason. A reason the CIA elected not to follow up even though it provided plenty of relevant information about the assassination. And that was the girl on the stairs.

The Other Girl, Not the One the Stairs

The Girl on the Stairs is a book by Barry Ernest, and details the movements of a woman by the name of Victoria Adams. No, not that one. My wife wouldn’t be born for another 10 years and certainly didn’t have a job in the USA either.

Victoria Adams, part-time singer, full-time wannabe wasn’t in Dealey Plaza in 1963

Were the Spice Girls involved?

This is another one, who wasn’t in the Spice Girls either, but worked on the 4th Floor of the Texas School Book Depository and watched the Presidential Motorcade as it drove past her window. The shots rang out and she and her work colleagues ran down the stairs and outside to see what had happened.

The Spice Girls weren’t in Dealey Plaza either but Victoria Adams was – hey, what?

And this simple act resulted in numerous interviews with the Police, the FBI and the CIA, numerous accusations regarding the veracity of her story. That she left the building and didn’t see anyone.

It’s the Real Thing

Having just shot the President, Oswald was (according to the CIA) able to get to the 2nd floor (where he was seen quietly drinking a Coke), before Vicki Adams and her friend Sandra Styles, although he had been on the 6th Floor and they were two floors below him on the 4th, and he achieved this feat without being seen. So how could this have happened?

The only real thing to happen that day was the Coke that Oswald was seen casually drinking in the canteen, 4 seconds after killing the US President

When Adams was interviewed by the CIA about her movements, she explained how the shots were fired and then she and her friends ran to the stairs and went outside. To which the next question was, “And who else was on the stairs?” Her reply? “No one. No one else.”⁴⁶

Jackanory

Because not seeing anyone didn’t fit with the narrative, because for everything to fit into the story the CIA appeared to be creating, someone else needed to be on the stairs at exactly the same time. And that someone needed to be Lee Harvey Oswald. The police had somehow apprehended him just over an hour after the shooting, and now all they needed to do was place him at the scene of the crime.

Oswald after his arrest. Didn’t try very hard to escape the scene of the crime.

The Invisible Man

But according to Victoria Adams, he wasn’t there. And not according to her friends either. But the CIA elected not to interview them even though Adams suggested on a number of occasions that they do so to corroborate her testimony. And the reason she suggested they did, was because they kept telling her she was wrong, that she wasn’t on the stairs when she said she was, that she was mistaken in how long it took her to get there, what time she left the office etc. etc.

The Texas School Book Depository where both Victoria Adams and Lee Harvey Oswald were working on the day of the shooting

Confirmation Bias Again

And here we are again with JFK and the Confirmation Bias. Raised to tell the truth as she understood it, Adams wouldn’t budge from her story. Telling the truth was non-negotiable. So when the CIA put the squeeze on her, suggesting she might have misremembered, that she was confused and plain wrong, she refused to be led. And then reaffirmed what she had already stated to be true, so help her God.

“Do you swear to tell the truth, especially the bits I told you to say, so help you God?”

A secret service agent jumped onto the back of the car, after the shooting. This was the moment Adams and Styles left their office window and made their way to the stairs. This is when they realised the fireworks they thought they’d heard, were something else.

Agent Clint Hill jumps onto the Presidential Limousine

Incorrect Details in the Warren Report

However, despite overbearing pressure by the CIA to change her testimony, she signed it off and like the dutiful citizen she was, looked forward to seeing it, in print in the Warren Report. And, there it was, in black and white. Except. Except it wasn’t. Specific details of times were different. Her timings had changed to those the CIA had suggested were correct in the first place. How could that happen, she wondered?

The Official Report – over 26 Volumes, it ran to 16,000 pages in total

For Oswald to be where the report said he was, he had to be on the stairs at the same time as Adams. So the commission duly changed her timings to retrofit her movements into the overall picture. The conclusion being her evidence had been ‘misremembered’.

Testimony Of Miss Victoria Elizabeth Adams (jfk-assassination.net)

And that was the point her life changed forever. That was the before and after moment. The sliding doors of her life.

Her testimony resulted in cars being parked outside her house overnight, with shadowy figures inside, and hanging about in the street. She was under no illusion that she was the subject of a nefarious surveillance team.

“I lost my starry eyed beliefs in the integrity of our government. And I was scared. I was a young lady alone with no family or friend support network at the time.”
Victoria Adams – February 2002 (The Girl on the Stairs by Barry Ernest)

This became a regular occurrence for Vicki Adams

Vortex

It resulted in her being constantly followed, her mail being intercepted, having to leave her job because she feared for her safety, having to move to another part of the country and living in secrecy for the rest of her life. Because people who were close to the vortex of activity on that fateful day, had an unpleasant habit of dying in unusual circumstances.

And it put into question everything she believed to be right in the world, that authorities didn’t lie and they certainly didn’t tamper with evidence.

“Remember though, I was a very young woman at the time (22 years) and believed in my government.”
Victoria Adams – February 2002 (The Girl on the Stairs by Barry Ernest)

Doctor

Many consider Adams’ doctored evidence to be proof that either Oswald didn’t shoot JFK or others were involved. And what of Oswald? Well, he was incredibly calm at the Police Station for someone who had just changed world history. He can be seen talking to reporters as if he’d just been given a speeding ticket.

This is just insane. The Dallas Police call a Press Conference and then bring Oswald out to answer a few questions too. The only thing missing was Parky.

Sir Michael Parkinson. “And my next guest shot to fame in Dallas recently. Give a warm, presidential welcome to Lee Harvey Oswald.”

Really?

But somehow, Jack Ruby, a known gangster, was able to ‘infiltrate’ the Police Station the next day and shoot Oswald before he could tell anyone what really happened. How inconvenient.

As if organising a Press Conference with an assassin wasn’t enough, the Dallas Police show his murder live on TV.

Oswald died, so did Ruby some time after and Victoria Adams went into hiding. When author Barry Ernest tracked her down in 2002, she said she was pleased she could finally tell her side of the story. She died in 2007.

So, it leaves us with just a few questions. Like, who lied? And why? And what really is the truth? None of these questions is expected to be answered any time soon.

Thank you for your time.

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Now and Then - The Last Beatles Song

lee.r.adams

3 Nov, 2023

On 5th October 1962 The Beatles released their first single “Love Me Do” to a lukewarm reception. On 3rd November 2023, just over 61 years later they release their last ever single “Now & Then” to a somewhat differing reception. So what has happened and why?

The Peter Pan of Pop?

You may have heard of The Beatles; they were a popular beat combo in the swinging 60’s who revolutionised pop music for the western world. After them popular music was never quite the same again. Before, it was Cliff and the Shadows, crooning and twanging, Guy Mitchell and Johnnie Ray, the easy listening pioneers. After, it was Pink Floyd, Bowie, Zeppelin and Roxy Music. Things certainly changed in the 60’s.

So, for anyone who’s not permanently wired into news of the day (I include myself in that category), here’s what’s been happening in the Beatleverse this week.

Let It Be

This story begins in January 1969, when the Beatles wrote and recorded what would be the final album they would release as a band, “Let It Be“⁴⁷.

The Beatles (McCartney probably) had had the bright idea of writing, recording, performing an album all in four weeks and making a feature film of the whole process (all of which they pretty much managed to accomplish), culminating in the now legendary “Rooftop Performance” in Savile Row, London on January 30th 1969. The output of this project became the album Let It Be.

“Tell those cultural musical icons to turn that flaming racket down!”

Split

After they acrimoniously split in 1970, the four loveable mop-tops went their separate ways, each carving out a successful career as ex-Beatles. During the 90’s the surviving three (McCarney, Harrison and Starr – Lennon died in 1980) were asked to assist in putting together a definitive history of the band which they agreed to do. And the Beatles Anthology documentary series was born.

It’s a book, a film and a song – three words, first word…*THE*!

From this, their ‘previous’ last ever single “Free as a Bird” c/w “Real Love” was released in 1995, the songs were both John Lennon demos⁴⁸, to which the rest of the band added their own parts to.

Free As A Bird – The previous last ever single

Now & Then

Another song though was lurking in the shadows, “Now and Then“. Another Lennon demo but with lesser quality than the previous two songs. The boys worked on it but it was decided to shelve the idea of releasing it since the technology didn’t exist to improve it to the level needed to release it as a song from the Beatles canon.

Now, if I add the new-fangled wos’name to the flange, we should have a hit record on our hands

Then, a few years ago, someone had the bright idea of reviewing the 1969 film of Let It Be, and releasing a new, extended version. Enter Lord of the Rings film maker Peter Jackson.

Peter Jackson’s recipe for success – start by working with Tolkien and The Beatles and go from there

AI

He and his team developed technology (generally referred to as AI)⁴⁹ that could be ‘taught’ to separate different elements of a sound recording into its constituent parts and then be re-recorded, removed, added to etc.

What’s he got in his pocketses? Beatleses albumses?

Scouse or Blind Scouse?

Now this might sound like a load of old wishy-washy technical mumbo-jumbo, designed to confuse and discombobulate, but let me tell you once and for all, that’s exactly what it is. However, what I think it means is this. When the band had recorded songs for the film in ’69, Jackson had a single recording to work with which included, a bass guitar, a set of drums, two guitars and often three voices, plus occasionally piano and/or electric keyboards all mashed up together like a big plate of scouse⁵⁰.

What Jackson’s team was able to do was get the AI system to listen to the overall sounds on the recording and separate them into different tracks for each instrument and voice. So, like unmincing the unminceable. And this meant that revisiting Lennon’s “Now and Then” demo was now possible.

A visual representation of how the new Beatles single was created

Tape Hiss

Because the AI could clean up Lennon’s voice (remove the age old ‘hiss’ of a cassette tape) and separate and isolate his vocal and piano accompaniment, the Beatles were then able to overdub Bass, Drums, Guitars and Vocals on top of his vocal and piano. And the result is the last ‘ever’ single by the Beatles.

The tape isn’t the problem, it’s your cassette player

On the ‘B’ Side of the single is… “Love Me Do” also treated to the Jackson AI, to turn it into a full Stereo recording (also not available until now as in 1962 Mono was the modern equivalent). The single is available on general release from 3rd November 2023. It comes as a 7″, 10″, 12″ single, CD and a Cassette Tape. So, just like the old days then.

“Hey, do you got the new Beatles single on 5.1 Dolby Atmos?” “No, but we do got Cardi B singing “WAP”, it really is terribly good.”

Official video to the song Now and Then – be prepared – you might get a little emotional

Extended Red & Blue

Now, while they’ve been busy with putting that single together Giles Martin, son of Beatles producer George Martin, has also been busy “AI’ing” the compilation Red and Blue albums (released in 1973) with additional tracks and additional remixing and remastering. They have put on weight (the albums, not the Martins’ ⁵¹) and have morphed into triple albums (6 LP’s if you buy both the Red and Blue), and they also include the single Now & Then.

Red and Blue Albums – no fat shaming here, but they are a bit chunkier than they used to be

You can buy a box set, LP’s, CD’s, all sorts. T-Shirts, bags, everything. All available from November 10th.

The 62-66 Lunchbox collection – a must for primary school children everywhere

Fillers?

And with Christmas around the corner (gasp!) are the albums stocking fillers? Well, the 6LP Box Set is retailing at around £140, but the lunchbox (above) is only £38 (see link). So, probably not then.

The Beatles – Official Store – Shop Exclusive Music & Merch

The limited edition coloured vinyl box set sold out its pre-order allocation in a few hours. So, there are no shortage of takers jumping on the nostalgia train to penury central (me included).

We had no money for food but we did have the whole Beatles back catalogue on multi-coloured vinyl

Solid Opinion Based On Knowledge & Experience

So, why the differing response to the single release? Well, you know how it is. Everybody thinks they know the Beatles and everybody wants a piece of them. And if you ever go anywhere near (Anti) Social Media you might be aware that many people are not averse to airing their opinions in a very direct manner.

Some Beatles related opinions:-

Was the artwork designed by a YTS trainee?

Why is the release information next door to useless?

Does McCartney just want more money?

Why is Love Me Do on the B Side?

Why can’t they release Carnival of Light?

Who the hell do they think they are?

Yes, who indeed.

I wanna air my complaints to the world via a social media platform!

Happy Days

Me? I’m happy there’s a new release coming out and they’ve added to the Red and Blue albums and included the greatest song of all time “Tomorrow Never Knows.” Perhaps I’m easily pleased. However, a Facebook comment that stated this release was “Just another money grab!!!” (angry emoji), was met with the response, “Well, they don’t force anyone to buy it.” Which is a fair reflection of reality. And they don’t. Except I did. Buy it that is.

Addicted to Vinyl

So, should you buy Now and Then or the newly extended albums? Well I will, but you have to make up your own mind. I’m a bit of a freak when it comes to a.) The Beatles, b.) Vinyl, and c.) The Beatles on Vinyl, so I didn’t have a choice really. I’m addicted. But some of these releases do fetch a pretty penny eventually, especially when some versions are limited to a few thousand units worldwide, as with the Red & Blue albums on coloured vinyl.

So, if I burn through the pension a bit too quickly, I’ve always got The Beatles vinyl catalogue to fall back on.

Thank you for your time

PS. On YouTube (and other sites) you can watch a 12 minute documentary about the making of Now and Then. See below.

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ABBA Voyage

lee.r.adams

15 Jan, 2023

Abba Voyage is a show based in East London, and has been running since May 2022. If like me you didn’t know anything about it until recently, then this is for you.

Questions

My first question was, “If Abba are pushing the octogenarian envelope, how are they jumping about on stage like they’re sprightly twenty-somethings?” The answer unsurprisingly is, I honestly have no idea. And that’s how Abba and George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic (the company that brought you the special effects behind Star Wars and several thousand Marvel films) would like to keep it.

Abba & Me

I’ll be totally upfront about this: I don’t even like Abba. Admittedly, back in the 70’s when they burst onto the scene after winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest (a graveyard for any aspiring musician) I was a teenager, listening to rock, then punk and anything in between, so a cute little Swedish outfit singing songs my parents thought were ‘nice little toe tappers’ was never really going to cut it, was it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8F5vKJcxCQ

Abba – Eurovision 1974 – I feel like I win when I lose. And win they did.

However, over the years my attitude towards the Scandinavian songsters (no, they’re not all Swedish – Anni-Frid is from Norway) has mellowed somewhat and you can often see me on a Friday night out on the floor, strutting my funky stuff to Dancing Queen. Yes, I am the dancing queen – in all senses of the word.

Abba. Later I discovered, even for me they had some redeeming features

But enough of my disco dalliances, what about Abba Voyage?

Abba Voyage – What Is It?

Well I took Vikki to see it the other night and quite spectacular it was too. So, what is “it” exactly? Well to use a phrase I read in a review, it is a show centred around Abba Avatars known as Abbatars, generated by using heavy duty CGI rendering.

Avatars?

Yes. An avatar is a virtual representation in a physical world i.e. a computer generated image.⁵²

So that’s clear then.

There was something in the air that night. Not all avatars are born equal

How Does It Work?

It’s a bit like watching CGI in a film except it’s “live” on stage rather than on celluloid. Abba though spent five weeks in Stockholm, wearing their CGI motion-capture bodysuits, rehearsing and choreographing every move they make throughout the performance.

To all present at the purpose built Abba Arena, what this means is you’re watching the group Abba, live, on stage, as they were, in the 70’s. And you can’t see the join. The join where reality ends and computerised imagery begins. There they are, in 3D, singing and dancing…but of course they’re not actually there. It’s an illusion.

Abba Voyage – It looks a bit like this – only about 10 x better

And all the while you’re sitting there saying to yourself, “Yes but they’re pushing 80 and here they are as if the intervening 50 years didn’t happen” and as your mind starts to unravel and you begin to question some of the concepts that define Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, you eventually come to the conclusion this is some magical misdirection that will eventually reveal itself.

And it’s the 180º floor to ceiling video screen that does it. Sometimes, just sometimes those big facial closeups don’t look quite right. Perhaps it’s a small thing, like their eyes don’t shine or their facial movements are a little clunky, I don’t know. There’s something that reveals the animation which underpins the whole experience. But it doesn’t detract from its verisimilitude.

What’s It Like?

The show is part pop concert, part video film, part light show and part musical theatre, all cut together to create 90 minutes of unbridled wonder. And I did wonder, at the end of the spellbinding opening song The Visitors, if Abba aren’t there, then who am I clapping?

But then there is a 10 piece live band recreating all the songs from the hit laden 70’s plus some later ones (from their 2021 album Voyage).

The show moves on, pulsing lights flashing through the audience, thousands of mini UFO’s descending from the heavens, and then onto what is perhaps the simplest, but the most striking stage setting. The song is the 1979 hit Chiquitita set to a video of a gradual eclipse of the sun.

I watched in awe as the eclipse took place throughout the duration of the song. But it wasn’t just me, when I looked at Vikki her eyes were a little misty around the edges too.

The concert continues, there is futuristic ‘video’ set changes, animation, the band take over for a song, some medley’s, costume changes, pulsating lights, special effects, thundering tunes and a nice little surprise at the end.

Where Is It?

The show takes place at the purpose built but temporary Abba Arena in Pudding Mill Lane, East London. It holds about 3000 people. There is two-tiered seating along the sides and at the back, and a big dance floor at the front, which is effectively standing room only.

Filming and photography isn’t permitted and to be fair, I can understand why. It just wouldn’t do the show justice. There are some clips online which you can view below but bear in mind when watching them, the show itself really must be seen to be appreciated.

The technology doesn’t exist yet to turn these two into sprightly twenty-somethings

Pudding Mill Lane is on the DLR Line for anyone wanting to go to the show. It’s on the Canary Wharf route, one stop from Stratford. There are some food vendors outside the arena and inside too but it appeared to be limited fare. Which is good if you like limited fare.

When Does The Show Run To?

The show was supposed to run from May 2022 until December 2022 but was extended to May 2023 and has now been extended again to November 2023.⁵³

The Future?

So, is this the future of rock n roll? In 20 years from now, will we be rocking up to The Beatles Bandstand or Elvis Entertainments to see our long dead heroes back on stage as if it were Shea Stadium or the 68 Comeback Special all over again? Until I witnessed the Abba Voyage show I wouldn’t have believed it but now I’d say, anything is possible.

But don’t take my word for it, it’s an incredible show, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. And it’s worth it just for that. And the beauty of it is you don’t even need to like Abba to enjoy it. After all, that’s the name of the game.

Thank you for your time.

Abba Voyage Show Trailer

Abba Voyage – Behind the Scenes plus interviews

Back to blogs – Lees Blogosphere (theleeadamsblog.com)

Were The Beatles Bigger Than Jesus?

lee.r.adams

26 Dec, 2022

Yes, they were. After all, (and to paraphrase Ron Nasty of The Rutles) “How many No. 1’s has Jesus had?”⁵⁴

The Midas Touch

In 1966, The Beatles could do no wrong. They had conquered the world at a canter. Everything they touched turned to gold. Especially their records. Until John Lennon opened his big gob. In all fairness when he did, it was to an Evening Standard reporter who was a friend of the band (and so perhaps he spoke with a little less caution). But what he said would have ramifications for The Beatles until they eventually split in 1970.

This is what happened.

Breakdown

In a previous post I alluded to a statement made by Lennon in 1966 that the Beatles were “Bigger Than Jesus.”

But what did he say exactly, why did he say it and why did the USA go into full on meltdown because of it?

Well, to start with Lennon wasn’t a particularly religious person; no more nor less than any other average young man in 60’s Britain.

Admittedly it was St. Peter’s Church in Woolton that provided a religious backdrop for the most important meeting of his life, when he met Paul McCartney in July 1957 but, church halls aside, Lennon’s circumspect attitude to religion was fairly nascent in that it didn’t ordinarily figure that much in his thinking.

St. Peters Church Hall Woolton. As church halls go, this one is very significant in the annals of contemporary music.

Time Off

In late 65, The Beatles were treated to some rare downtime, since a film project they were booked to star in, fell through at the last minute. Around this time Lennon had begun to read up on religion and perhaps it is this that led him to his conclusion regarding The Beatles and Christianity.

Lennon wasn’t raised in a household where love, happiness and positive religious attitudes abounded. He has said as much himself. And, perhaps as a direct result of this, he became a truculent, subversive, controversial character who felt compelled to court attention, be it negative or otherwise. Usually this was achieved through either his acerbic wit or his harsh, abrasive and critical attitude.

Alf “Freddie” Lennon – John’s father. He liked pubs, and he liked singing. But mainly he liked pubs.

His father left home when John was four, and his mother Julia, found she couldn’t cope with looking after him and his sisters, so John went to live with his aunt. The fearsome Aunt Mimi.

Aunt Mimi. If you’ve ever wondered what a cat’s “cry for help” looks like, wonder no more.

And the more Mimi restricted his need for attention, the more he rebelled.

“The worst pain is of not being wanted, of realising your parents do not need you in the way you need them. I was never really wanted.”
John Lennon (1971)⁵⁵

Beatlemania

By the end of 1964, The Beatles had been catapulted from total obscurity (other than the Cavern dwellers on Mathew St. Liverpool), into full-on Beatlemania.

5-4-3-2-1

They’d successfully toured the USA (unheard of by a British band), they’d had several US No.1 albums (also unheard of), they’d had numerous US No.1 singles (equally unheard of) and at one point even held the Top 5 positions in the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart (surprisingly unusual too). And just for good measure, they also had another seven singles in the Top 100 chart that week too.

April 1964 – The Beatles take ownership of the US record market.

Then, in early ’66 Lennon, the other Beatles and manager Brian Epstein, did a series of interviews with Maureen Cleave, a friend and journalist for the London Evening Standard.

In something of a light-hearted boast Lennon suggested that The Beatles were bigger than Jesus (he was probably right). He said later that he could’ve mentioned anything popular (such as TV), but he just happened to mention Jesus, as if it had just popped into his head.

“Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that; I know I’m right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which will go first – rock & roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.”
John Lennon – March 1966

Jesus and The Beatles

I feel sure Lennon said a lot of things that just ‘popped’ into his head but the Jesus one? I imagine by 1966, he knew exactly how to court controversy and also that his words would be repeated and analysed, over and over by a frenzied media that lapped up and dissected everything he said and did, so a sly dig at religion would definitely create the desired response.

But it didn’t. Not in England anyway.

March 1966 – Lennon’s ‘Jesus’ statement wasn’t even considered newsworthy enough for a headline quote

In Britain, it never got a mention and disappeared into obscurity as quickly as it had arrived. But across the pond it was a different matter. Although it took five months for the US to catch up, when they did, they were ready and they were keen to make up for lost time.

Matching Collar and Cuffs

And Lennon soon discovered his ‘off-the-cuff’ remarks weren’t treated with the same frivolous disdain in the US as they were at home. Over there, people took him seriously and they didn’t care about context either.

Datebook

The interview was printed in full in a publication called Datebook and…nothing happened. Until it was sent to a Radio DJ in the Deep South Bible Belt, who was “outraged”. Or perhaps sought to make a name for himself on the back of his faux-flavoured piety. Either way, he wanted everyone else to be outraged too.

The offending publication, where an even more outrageous quote attributed to McCartney garnered no reaction whatsoever

Tommy Charles of WAQY Radio (wacky) decided enough was enough and began a series of broadcasts designed to inflame the delicate balance between religion and anger.

Shock Jocks Tommy Charles and Doug Layton rip up Beatles album covers but this wasn’t a stunt. They did it for Jesus

Charles wanted to teach The Beatles a lesson, even though his own arguments were poorly constructed and as a result he appeared to contradict himself over his opinions on The Beatles and more importantly, on John Lennon.

A Roman mosaic from Herculaneum depicts an early meeting between the Fab Four and the son of God (not Rod)

In addition to this, Datebook, the magazine that printed the article, didn’t come in for any anti-religious scrutiny for running it, and Charles agreed that everyone was entitled to have their own opinion…even Lennon.

Bizarre

At one point he states The Beatles have never been challenged about their remarks “where it might count”. And that “you never know whether Lennon is telling the truth or not” as his answers are “so bizarre”. But of course if Charles really felt their interviews were merely flippant, immature nonsense, why was he so angered by them?

Clearly there was more to his anger than he was willing to admit. In his interview he appears envious of the fact that anything The Beatles said was treated like a missive direct from the heavens above, whereas he wasn’t afforded the same luxury. This disagreement then, was about something more than an offhand reference to God.

Tommy Charles gets his religious knickers in a twist

Jesus 1 – The Beatles 1

Jesus had provided him with a golden opportunity to even the score. And if you believed in the unquestionable sanctity of the Lord then here he was providing for the faithful, as he always did. And Charles took full advantage.

Funeral Pyre

First he banned all Beatles records from the airwaves and then requested all Beatles fans bring their Beatles records and memorabilia to the radio station where they would organise a large bonfire to burn it all. Other “Christian” Radio stations followed suit and before long other towns and cities were getting in on the act.

When Lennon was asked for his opinion on the statement DJ Tommy Charles wouldn’t lift the ban on playing their records until he had “grown up a little”, his withering response was typical of his attitude at the time.

“Well, I don’t mind if he never plays them again.”
John Lennon

If he gave the impression he couldn’t really care less about the row, he was soon to discover it wouldn’t last.

A slightly different approach to teaching children the value of respect and humility

Sunday Schools organised bonfires and children brought in their Beatles toys and records and burned them.

We have a right to express our opinion on their opinion about us which is about them. I can’t be any clearer than that.

It seemed the basic principles of Christianity: forgiveness, compassion, love and redemption, were suddenly in short supply in The Bible Belt as marches, demonstrations, protests and bonfires took place across the Mid-West. Then the Ku-Klux-Klan got involved and the death threats began.

Furore

Initially The Beatles were unconcerned by the furore.

“We just thought, ‘Yes, well, you can see what it is. It’s hysterical low-grade American thinking.’” They were quick to point out that one had to purchase their albums in order to burn them. “No sweat off us, mate. Burn ’em if you like. It’s not compulsory to play ’em. So we took a balanced view of it.”
Paul McCartney

George Harrison had his own take on religion.

“If Christianity is half as good as they say it is, it should be able to stand up to a little scrutiny.”
George Harrison

It wasn’t and it didn’t.

Then the burning of effigies began and the protests intensified.

The Ku Klux Klan are interviewed in Memphis because The Beatles were getting “more better” than Jesus himself

All this would’ve been ok except The Beatles were about to start a US tour, which included the southern states and their manager Brian Epstein was unable to cancel it due to the enormous cost of doing so. The tour, it was decided would go ahead, and to diffuse the growing anti-Beatles vitriol, John would have to make a very public, grovelling apology.

If you’ve ever seen The Rutles parody of The Beatles, “All You Need Is Cash”, you may remember that Ron Nasty (Lennon) was misquoted by a deaf journalist and actually said The Rutles were bigger than Rod (Stewart) who wouldn’t have a hit single for another eight years.

The Rutles – Deaf Journalist routine

Lennon unfortunately couldn’t use the deaf journalist routine and so had to make his own obsequious TV apology.

The joy has gone. Lennon ‘apologises’ for his Jesus quote

Elvis

Eleven years later almost to the day, Lennon was asked about his reaction to the news Elvis Presley had died, and he said, “Elvis died the day he went into the Army. That’s when they killed him.”

And watching Lennon, being forced to make his demeaning apology, it appeared much the same was happening to him. A piece of him was dying. Because the only weapons he ever had were his words and his thoughts. And now they were being taken away from him.

The Jesus Apology Press Conference. At 5.16 – “Do you think you’re being crucified?” “No, I wouldn’t say that at all!”

Apology

John made the apology, begrudgingly it appears and the tour went ahead. But the US and The Beatles never had quite the same appeal for each other again.

The Beatles in Memphis 1966. Yes, we’re still alive!

Cherry Bomb

On the 19th August 1966, at an afternoon show in Memphis, where there was an all pervading sense of tension, a teen with a poor sense of humour but a great sense of theatre, chucked a cherry bomb firecracker at the stage, ironically during the song “If I Needed Someone”.

The Beatles, hearing what they thought was a gunshot, stopped, looked at each other, realised no one had been hit and continued the show.

One night on a show in the South somewhere somebody let off a firecracker while we were on stage. There had been threats to shoot us, the Klan were burning Beatle records outside and a lot of the crew-cut kids were joining in with them. Somebody let off a firecracker and every one of us – I think it’s on film – look at each other, because each thought it was the other that had been shot. It was that bad.
John Lennon, 1974⁵⁶

Candlestick

Ten days later, they played their last ever tour gig (29th August 1966) at Candlestick Park in a cool, foggy San Francisco, where The Beatles decided to take photos of themselves on stage.

The Beatles had already decided this would be their last ever gig, and posed for photos during the performance

At the end of the gig, the band were unceremoniously dumped in the back of a meat waggon to escape the hoards of fans.

It had no seats, and nothing to hold on to, so every time the van went round a corner, the four of them would be thrown across the vehicle.

When they got out, battered and bruised they looked at each other and shrugged. They didn’t have to say anything, they were all asking the same question. Why are we doing this?

And so their touring days came to an abrupt end. Lennon left the religious quotes behind and focussed on messages of Love and Peace, as can be seen in many of his later song lyrics.

Escape!

In 1968 in an interview about the start up of Apple Corps, Larry Kane (the reporter who covered The Beatles first American Tour in 1964), asked them what was the highlight of their career in the US, to which Lennon sardonically replied, “Escaping from Memphis!”

“At the end it became quite complicated. But at the beginning it was really very simple.”
Paul McCartney⁵⁷

But were The Beatles bigger than Jesus and does it really matter? Well no it doesn’t. All I know is The Beatles did once exist. The jury is still out on the existence of God.

As in the 60’s, the US were slow to catch up but they got there in the end

December 1980

Ironically Lennon grew to love America once again and lived in New York until his untimely death at the hands of the disturbed Mark Chapman on the 8th December 1980. Lennon was 40 years old.

The chilling picture of Lennon signing an autograph for Chapman, hours before he was murdered

“And so this is Christmas, and what have we done?”

Thank you for your time.

Back to blogs page…Lees Blogs

The Beatles - It Was 60 Years Ago Today!

lee.r.adams

8 Oct, 2022

On the 5th October 1962, The Beatles released their first single Love Me Do, on Parlophone Records. Wednesday 5th October 2022 was the 60th anniversary of that release.

What better way to celebrate that anniversary, than to have a party and take a brief look back at how a 50’s skiffle group called The Quarrymen became The Fab Four.

Easy Listening Isn’t Easy

I first discovered The Beatles in 1964 when my dad bought the album “A Hard Day’s Night” which was something of a ‘departure’ for him, since he was all Glenn Miller, Classical and Easy Listening.⁵⁸

Ever since then I’ve wondered about the Beatles stories I’d heard from that mythical place in the North: Liverpool. So, a few months ago when Vikki was asking what I wanted to do for my birthday I suggested a Beatles Tour of Liverpool. I don’t think a tour of a historical northern port was necessarily at the top of her agenda but we went away.

International Rescue

Then we discovered my birthday coincided with International Beatles Week. It was like the ghost of John Lennon was beckoning me to visit his ancestral home. I didn’t visit his home exactly, but I did visit a lot of other places.

Although these are not the real Beatles, this is the real Liver Building

Magical

After visiting the Beatles Story Museum (concessions for over 60’s!), we hopped straight on the Magical Mystery Tour (step right this way), a coach tour that looks remarkably like the one in the film. The thing about the tour was although it stopped at lots of places like Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields (Forever), it didn’t stop at the place; the place where it all started. No, not Brookside Close. Woolton Village Church Hall.

St. Peter’s Church Hall, Woolton has obvious religious connections, but it’s also a veritable shrine to the Gods of Rock ‘n’ Roll. It is no other than the birthplace of The Beatles. This for me is like going to Jerusalem to visit the birthplace of Jesus and as we all know, The Beatles were bigger than Jesus, once upon a time anyway.⁵⁹

Americans – they do like to over-dramatize

Leafy Avenues

So, one morning we took a drive over to Woolton, through the leafy, middle-classed suburbs of an area of Liverpool I didn’t know existed. And there, in the church hall we bumped into a man by the name of Colin Hanton, who in the 1950’s was the drummer in a band called The Quarrymen. And the leader of The Quarrymen then, was a sixteen-year-old scally by the name of John Lennon.

Me, Vik, The Dog & Colin Hanton – the first drummer to play with John, Paul & George

The Quarrymen were a skiffle group, skiffle being a form of DIY band where, if you couldn’t afford proper instruments, you made your own. Many followed in the footsteps of the legendary Lonnie Donegan after his cover of the song Rock Island Line hit the UK charts in ’56.

Lonnie Donegan – inspired the UK Skiffle craze

R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.

Lots of kids were enthralled by the rock ‘n’ roll scene in the USA, and they loved Elvis, Bill Hailey (and his Comets) and Little Richard but they couldn’t afford guitars and amps, so skiffle was the next best thing. With skiffle, it was acceptable to use a washboard as a percussive instrument, to make a bass from a wooden tea chest, broom handle and a length of string, or to strum cheap, acoustic guitars or a banjo.

John & Skiffle

John Lennon started his musical career by borrowing a guitar from a friend at school called Geoff Lee who had given up learning how to play it. “John, since you like playing the guitar,” he said one day, “you should start a skiffle band.” And in doing so, he unsuspectingly kicked off a chain of events that meant music would never be quite the same ever again.

So, Lennon coerced a few schoolfriends from Quarry Bank High School, into joining the band. Pete Shotton on washboard, Eric Griffiths on guitar, Len Garry on Tea Chest Bass and then later, Colin Hanton (who didn’t go to Quarry Bank) on Drums.

Rumble in Rosebery Street

One of their early bass players, Nigel Whalley, had been drafted back in as manager and he’d secured them a gig in Rosebery Street , where he lived. They played their first proper ‘gig’ there in June ’57 and the gig is fondly remembered by many for ending somewhat abruptly, as some lads in the crowd were planning to ‘do the singer in’ (Lennon). The band weren’t from that part of Liverpool, and someone had seen Lennon chatting to some local girls before the gig. So that was reason enough.

The Quarrymen – Rosebery Street. Not long after this picture was taken John Lennon got an early taste of Beatlemania

Once word got around that the band were going to get a thumping, they finished the next song, grabbed their gear (which didn’t amount to much) and hightailed it down the street to Nigel’s house where they barricaded themselves in the back room. A crowd gathered, banging on the windows and shouting for them to come out. They didn’t. They called the Police who sent a constable round to escort them to the bus stop.

Village Fete

But soon things would change forever for the fledgling Quarrymen. They were offered a gig at St Peter’s Church Fete, Woolton, on Saturday 7th July 1957. They played a set on the field at the back of the hall in the afternoon and were scheduled to play again in the evening in the hall, on the stage.

The most famous picture in rock n roll history. Sixteen-year-old John Lennon plays Woolton Fete. Colin Hanton is at the back, between the guitarists

And while the lads kicked back and relaxed between sets, another old bass player Ivan “Jive with Ive” Vaughan turned up with a friend in tow. “This is a friend of mine who plays guitar,” he said. “His name’s Paul. Paul McCartney.”

Ivan Vaughan – Hi John, this is Paul. You two should get on well together

Eddie Cochran Audition

They chatted and John asked what sort of music Paul liked. He mentioned Elvis, Bill Hailey, Little Richard. In other words, everything John liked. Then he mentioned Eddie Cochran’s Twenty Flight Rock.

Eddie Cochran – provided the early yardstick for prospective Quarrymen members

John asked Paul if he could play it. Legend has it, he picked up a guitar, flipped it upside down (as he was left-handed), tuned it up (which was impressive enough on its own) and then proceeded with a flawless rendition of the Cochran classic. Lennon was impressed because McCartney knew all the words and didn’t have to make up his own (as Lennon often did).

Then he played Little Richard’s Long Tall Sally on the piano. The Quarrymen were blown away by this young upstart’s virtuosity and decided he had to join the band.

Across the road to St. Peter’s Church Hall, where Lennon & McCartney met is St. Peter’s cemetery, where in a strange quirk of fate the grave of Eleanor Rigby can be found

I’m Just The Drummer

It was another week, at the next rehearsal before McCartney was mentioned again. Ivan Vaughan was there and when he discovered they hadn’t asked McCartney to join, he hit the roof. “He’ll just join another band and make them better instead of this one,” he reasoned. John asked Colin for his thoughts about Paul joining. “I’m happy John,” said Colin. “But it’s your band and I’m only the drummer.”

Power Struggle

Colin thought John was struggling with a dilemma over Paul; because he was the leader and because Paul was very good, he knew he would have to relinquish some of his control of the band to McCartney. However, he needed Paul in the band to improve The Quarrymen, and to thus realise his dream of being a successful musician.

The Quarrymen, with the two greatest composers of modern times. In footballing terms it’s like have Ronaldo & Messi playing upfront for Leyton Orient

They decided to offer Paul a place in the band. But it was still another week before they did.

Pete Shotton saw McCartney cycling down the street and stopped him and invited him to join. Paul thanked him and said he’d let them know. He sounded casual. In reality Paul was fearful of joining because to him The Quarrymen were “seasoned professionals” whereas he’d only ever played guitar in his bedroom.

First Gig Nerves

But he joined and in October ’57 played his debut gig. He fancied his chances as lead guitarist but was struck with stage fright and his fingers wouldn’t work the fretboard (we’ve all been there – well I have).

Paul McCartney serenades an early Beatles fan at The Casbah. She liked them so much she became Mrs Cynthia Lennon a few years later

“For my first gig, I was given a guitar solo on ‘Guitar Boogie’. I could play it easily in rehearsal so they elected that I should do it as my solo. Things were going fine, but when the moment came in the performance I got sticky fingers; I thought, ‘What am I doing here?’ I was just too frightened; it was too big a moment with everyone looking at the guitar player. I couldn’t do it. That’s why George was brought in.”
Paul McCartney

Paul suddenly decided lead guitar might be beyond him but…

I Know This Other Guy

But he knew someone who could play lead guitar. He was a guy at school who he used to see on the bus from Penny Lane. His name was George Harrison. So, George got to audition for The Quarrymen, on a bus on the way home from a Quarrymen gig.

A young George Harrison practices for an audition with The Beatles

Recording

Next stop for The Quarrymen (now boasting the soon-to-be stellar line-up of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison) was to record the rarest record ever made. The McCartney/Harrison song entitled In Spite of All the Danger cost the band 17s 6d to record.

The one original copy of the recording is owned by Paul McCartney. In 2022, Record Collector estimated its value at £200,000. It disappeared for many years and was almost turned into a plant pot before someone noticed the names McCartney/Harrison written on the label!

For a time in the 60’s, old 78 acetates were softened in warm water and then moulded into plant pots

Tragedy

But the exuberance of recording was shockingly curtailed when, three days later John’s mother Julia died in a car accident. The band took a back seat for a while and perhaps never fully recovered.

The Fab Four…Sort Of

Colin Hanton could feel the tide was turning and soon he realised he didn’t fit in with the band anymore. He was older, he had a steady job and a steady girlfriend. His outlook and priorities were different. They were a four-piece now, John, Paul, George and…Colin (it would never have worked would it), they were younger than he, high-spirited and suddenly the other three seemed a lot closer. Colin was on the outside, looking in.

After an argument where the three future Beatles had a bit too much to drink at a gig in January 1959, Colin stormed off and stopped going to rehearsals. The other three never apologised or went to see him to ask him to come back, so he never did.

Colin put the drumkit on top of the wardrobe, where it stayed for 40 years

The Casbah

The other three continued gigging (without drums) until they were offered a residency in Hamburg. They’d been playing at a small coffee club in Liverpool called The Casbah, and the owner Mona Best suggested her son Pete join. He became their drummer and stayed all the way up until they recorded Love Me Do at Abbey Road in June 1962.

Love Me Do

EMI Producer George Martin wasn’t overly impressed with his timekeeping (during the songs, not whether he arrived promptly) and so suggested they record Love Me Do again at a later date. They did but by now Ringo Starr (Ringo because he wore lots of rings) had replaced Pete.

However, George Martin wasn’t overly impressed with Ringo either. Ringo said of Martin, “He didn’t rate me because I couldn’t do a drum roll. He was right. I still can’t.”

Then Ringo joined and everything clicked into place

Session Drummer

The band came back for a third time to record the song, but this time George Martin had recruited session drummer Andy White to play drums. Ringo turned up with the band to discover someone sitting in his seat. Literally.

George Martin said of the session, “Andy White was the best and most expensive session drummer in London. There was no way I wasn’t going to use him, so I had to relegate Ringo to Tambourine and Maracas. He never let me forget it.”

One Song, Three Drummers

So, there are three versions of Love Me Do, with three different drummers.

Version 1, from June 1962 with Pete Best on drums can be found on The Beatles – Anthology 1 album.

Version 2, from September 1962 with Ringo Starr on drums can be found on the 45 rpm single.

Version 3, also from September 1962 with Andy White on drums can be found on The Beatles – Please, Please Me album.

It wasn’t just Ringo and Pete Best who felt the pressure of recording though. Paul struggled too.

“George Martin said, “Wait a minute, there’s a crossover there (between vocal and harmonica). Someone else has got to sing ‘love me do’ because you’re going to have a song called Love Me Waahhh. So, Paul, will you sing ‘love me do’? God, I got the screaming heebie-jeebies. … I can still hear the shake in my voice when I listen to it.”
Paul McCartney

Love Me Do

So, what happened to Colin Hanton? Well, he still lives in Liverpool, he has written a book about his time in The Quarrymen, called Pre-Fab! Look out for the film release too.

Watch the film trailer here – PRE FAB! – Movie

In between that he tours the globe with The Quarrymen and does the occasional book signing which is where I bumped into him.

And whatever happened to The Beatles then? Well, they went on their own Magical Mystery Tour, and some of them haven’t got off it yet.

Thank you for your time.

Back to blogs – Lees Blogosphere (theleeadamsblog.com)

People On The Side: The Pressure Stops. 20 - Everybody's Happy Nowadays

lee.r.adams

26 Jun, 2022

I can’t say I’ve seen many positive changes in and around Harlow since the Pressure Stops were active in the late 70’s, but perhaps I should leave you to draw your own conclusions.

(Click here to go to previous blogs)

Buzzcocks – Everybody’s Happy Nowadays

OLD HAUNTS

So, you’ve made it to the end (which is more than I can say for Roy). It’s been a long time in the making and a long time coming. But we’re finally here. Thank you for taking the time to make the journey.

The Past Is In The Past For A Reason

Whilst putting these blogs together, I took the time to revisit some of the places we used to rehearse and play at. I wished I hadn’t. There’s nothing like having your past murdered by an incompetent council to take the wind out of your sails. This is what I found.

The Hare

As you will know (if you have been paying attention) it all started in September 1978, some 44 years ago at The Hare public house.

The Hare Beer Garden

It was here in this beer garden that Roy and I bumped into each other, and we first discussed the possibility of starting a band, which would later become The Pressure Stops. It’s not quite on the same level as say, John Lennon & Paul McCartney meeting at the Woolton Parish Church Garden Fȇte in 1957, but it’s certainly more rock ‘n’ roll.

Hey John, I hear the Pressure Stops are meeting at a pub in Harlow Town

The Hare has not changed a great deal, unlike the rest of my stroll down memory lane

The Hare is still in the middle of Hare Street Springs where it has been for some time. Ironically it hasn’t been flogged off to developers for ill-gotten gains. The Hare is where I first met Steve Coulson in 1978. Neither of us are happy about that.

The Garage at 28 The Downs

The garage at 28 The Downs – one time rehearsal space

The rest of the garages at the back of The Downs are gone. This one remains though, because my dad built his own, at the end of the garden. At some point since, the council came round, flogged off the garages to developers but this one wasn’t council owned.

Here it represents a shrine to the Gods of Rock, as the birthplace of the Pressure Stops. Well, ok that’s a little bit pompous but it was the place where the Mk I version first rehearsed in 1978. Until the neighbours complained. The garages, the fields and the woods are all but gone. Nowadays they’re called Green Hills and Green Park. Unsurprisingly, there’s not a green hill or a green park in sight.

This is what Green Hills looked like before the garages and houses were built.

The Harlow Hay Wain (Oil on Canvas)

This is my dad and grandad in the garden of 28 The Downs in 1963. They’re sitting in the exact place the garage (above) was built about 10 years later. They’re probably discussing the pros and cons of whether or not it’s acceptable to receive stolen goods from the Kray Twins.⁶⁰. The houses in the distance are Broadfields, near to Netteswell School.

The Pepperpot

The Pepperpot, was our first proper rehearsal room and no longer exists. The two aspects aren’t related.

The Pepperpot was in the grounds of Netteswell School and because it was round it had terrible acoustics. Perfect for us then.

Lower Meadow

Lower Meadow Playbarn – 1st gig location

Lower Meadow Playbarn location hasn’t changed but it does now have swings. This was the scene of the 1979 Commonside Festival. I have no idea if there was a 1980 Commonside Festival but if there was, we weren’t invited to play.

I was unable to take a picture of where the bands physically played in 1979, because it’s a playground and children were playing there (apparently if you even glance at a child these days it’s considered concrete evidence you’re a paedo, and you end up being chased down the street by pike-wielding vigilantes).

Magdalen Laver

The Village Hall, Magdalen Laver – where someone pulled the plug on our 2nd gig

The Magdalen Laver ‘forthcoming events’ board looked a little uninspiring

The Stops once graced a tiny corner of the stage (for about 15 minutes). Richard Holgarth stood on the floor on the right.

Magdalen Laver is an unspoilt wonder of large houses, large fields and a small population. Geographically, it sits on the right side of the M11 to Harlow i.e. the other side.

The Square/Square One

The Square – was knocked down in 2016 to make way for a ‘much needed’ housing development…

…which unsurprisingly hasn’t materialised 6 years later

How it looked once the ~~thieves~~, sorry developers, got their hands on it

The council named another development “The Square” and hoped nobody would notice. They did.

Benny’s Nightclub

Now a snooker club, JP’s in The Stow is on the site of Benny’s Nightclub where The Stops played on a number of occasions during the late 70’s and early 80’s. More importantly though, Dorringtons is still there. Hurrah!

Parndon Mill

The Mill was our third and final rehearsal room. Being on the top floor had its disadvantages

So, much has changed and not necessarily for the better. Some places, like The Mill and Magdalen Laver have been unaffected by the icy tendrils of Harlow Council. It’s not difficult to understand why.

PRESSURE STOPS LINEUPS

MK I – 1978 – 1979

Lee Adams – Gtr
Steve Coulson – Vox
Roy Phillips – Gtr
Clive Richardson – Drums
Steve Byrne – Bass

MK II – 1979 – 1981

Lee – Gtr
Steve C – Vox
Roy – Bass
Clive – Drums

MK III – 1981

Lee – Gtr
Steve C – Vox
Roy – Bass
Clive – Drums
Robbie Tucker – Gtr

MK IV – 1981

Lee – Gtr
Steve C – Vox
Clive – Drums
Robbie – Gtr
Mick Richards – Bass

MK V – 1981

Lee – Gtr/Vox
Clive – Drums
Robbie – Gtr
A Bassist

MK VI – 1981

Lee – Gtr/Vox
Robbie – Gtr
An Other Bassist
A Drummer

MK VII – 1981

Lee – Gtr
Robbie – Gtr

MK VIII – 2004

Lee – Gtr
Robbie – Gtr
Roy – Bass
Steve C. – Vox
Niall Kennedy (Kelloggs) – Drums

MK IX – 2014 – 2019

Lee – Gtr
Roy – Bass
Steve C. – Vox
John McGinn – Drums

SONGOGRAPHY

This is a list of songs we either wrote, started to write, rehearsed, played live or covered, including songwriter or original artist, plus song completion dates where appropriate.

People On The Side (Roy – Sep 78)
Control (Steve, Roy, Lee – Sep 78 – June 79)
Lover Next Door (Lee – Aug 78 – Jan 79)
Crash Wanderer (Lee – Oct 78 – Jan 79)
Security Clothes (Lee – Apr 79)
Eighteen (Lee – Jan 79 – Apr 79)
Pressure (Stöps)? (Lee – Apr 79)
Empty Words (Lee – Jun 79)
Shirts (Lee, Steve, Clive – Nov 78 – Oct 79)
Communication Breakdown (Lee, Steve, Roy – Nov 79)
Instrumental #1 (Lee – Apr 80)
Party Snog/Song (Lee, Steve – Apr 80)
A Day In The Life (Of A Single Man) (Lee, Steve – Nov 80)
Bedsitter (Lee, Steve – Mar 81)
Princes & Pirates (Lee, Steve – Oct 80 – Mar 81)
Bricks (Lee, Steve, Roy – Oct 80)
Blue Rifles (Lee – Oct 80)
Await In Vain (Lee – Nov 80)
Poor Man (Lee, Steve – Apr 81)
Nothing From Nothing (Lee – Oct 80)
The Mackintosh Man (Lee – Oct 80)
When I Grow Up (Lee, Steve – Oct 80)
Record Requests (Roy)
Rich Weekend (Lee, Steve, Roy)
Young Intellectuals (Lee, Steve)
So I Know (Lee)
Success Story (Roy)
No Friends Of Mine (Lee – Sep 81)
The Road Of Life (Lee, Steve – Oct 04)
Reggae Is My Soul (Lee, Steve – Oct 04)
The Twist (Chubby Checker)
Breakdown (Buzzcocks)

GIGOGRAPHY

All gigs are in Harlow except where stated

Saturday 18th August 1979 – Commonside Festival – Lower Meadow Playbarn – Rabbits, Howard Like, Receivers
Saturday 3rd November 1979 – Futuristic Party – Magdalen Laver Village Hall, Magdalen Laver
Wednesday 19th December 1979 – Party for Children of 1 Parent Families – Harlow Technical College – No Warning
Wednesday 20th February 1980 – Square One – No Warning
Wednesday 27th February 1980 – The Triad, Bishops’ Stortford – No Warning
Wednesday 30th April 1980 – Square One – Pre-Set
Wednesday 7th May 1980 – Pop Group Talent Competition – Tye Green Community Centre – Tequila, Dutch Courage
Saturday 26th July 1980 – The Katherines Festival – Katherines Field
Saturday 26th July 1980 – Paul Weeks 21st Birthday – A Garden in Nazeing – The Rabbits
Monday 22nd September 1980 – Brays Grove Youth Club – Spelling Missteaks
Sunday 28th September 1980 – Airplay Promotional Party – Benny’s Nightclub – Spelling Missteaks
Monday 15th December 1980 – Benny’s Nightclub – Pre-Set
Thursday 15th January 1981 – Square One
Saturday 7th February 1981 – Square One – Spelling Missteaks, Pete The Meat & The Boys
Sunday 15th March 1981 – Rag & Bone Night – Railway Hotel, Bishops’ Stortford – The Firm, Easy Action, Roger & Dec
Saturday 21st March 1981 – Square One – The Picture, Unit One
Friday 27th March 1981 – Rendezvous Club, Epping – Unit One
Tuesday 7th April 1981 – Louella’s Nightclub – Pre-Set, The Milton Bros
Friday 10th April 1981 – Stratford Youth Centre, London – The Rabbits
Saturday 9th May 1981 – Young Socialists Disco, Square One
Sunday 16th August 1981 – Benny’s Nightclub – Easy Action, The Firm
Saturday 6th November 2004 – The Square – Easy Action, The Gangsters, The Rabbits, The Sods, Newtown Neurotics
Saturday 9th August 2014 – Little Channels Golf Club, Chelmsford
Saturday 22nd June 2019 – Dumptilow Farm, Huntingdon

TIMELINE

1960 – Pressure Stops members born

1965 – Lee meets Robbie, Bernie & Clive at Broadfields County Infants School

1970 – Lee meets Roy in the playground of Broadfields County Junior School

1971 – Lee gets a guitar

1971 – Lee realises he can’t play the guitar

1975 – Roy buys a guitar

1976 – Roy meets Steve at work

1978 – Lee buys an Electric Guitar

1978 – Lee coerces Clive into buying a set of drums.

1978 – Lee & Clive practice in the garage

1978 – Lee & Clive meet Roy and Steve

1978 – All four start rehearsing

1978 – Lee invites Bernie to join

1979 – Lee invites Bernie to leave

1979 – Roy moves to Bass

1979 – 1^st Gig – The Commonside Festival

1980 – Release Crash Wanderer on Airplay Records

1980 – John Peel plays record on Radio 1

1981 – Robbie joins on Guitar

1981 – Release Bedsitter EP on Airplay

1981 – Roy leaves

1981 – Mick Richards joins on Bass for one gig

1981 – Steve leaves

1981 – Clive leaves

1981 – Lee & Robbie find a new bass player and drummer

1981 – Lee & Robbie lose a bass player and drummer

1981 – Lee & Robbie decide to call a brief hiatus to the band

2004 – Reform for Stortbeat Collective Gig at The Square 23 years later

2014 – Reform for Lee & Vikki’s Wedding

2019 – Reform for Roy & Jane’s Wedding

2019 – Lee starts to write a potted history of The Pressure Stops

2020 – A pandemic gets in the way

2021 – Interviews other members of the band

2022 – Uploads history to website in the form of multiple blogs.

2022 – Nothing happens.

Other Artwork, Press Clippings & Flyers

Pressure Stops Press

Other Bands Flyers & Tickets

In Books And Online

There are a few places you can find The Pressure Stops in print and online these days, but only if you know where to look. Here are some:-

Harlow Bands Stortbeat (electricsalad.co.uk)

This has a lot of information about Harlow Bands

Harlow Bands TH (electricsalad.co.uk)

Here is a brief write up of the band, which is significant as both Clive and Roy are listed as drummers.

Discogs

Discogs is a site where you can buy Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s etc. including Pressure Stops merch.

Rare Record Collector

An annual book detailing collectable records. Average Price for the Crash Wanderer single? £12. Yes I know: “collectable” and “Pressure Stops” in the same sentence…

LYRICS

Here is a selection of Pressure Stops lyrics. I had to make a guess at a few lines because not all the original lyrics exist anymore and none of us can remember how they went.

Control

My friend has been known to smoke
He has been known to break the law
One day we all live in hope that
He won't have to lie no more

Why should he have to do it in shame
It doesn't hurt anybody else
People always spoil our games
They treat us like little girls

Too few people got too much control
Control over what too many people do
Too few people got too much control
Control over people like you!

We all like to have new fashions
We don't want to look the same
But it's the people with the hats on
They control all of the games

If they don't like it you cannot get it
In none of your favourite shops yeah
One day I will learn to fight it
Then I'll be on top

Too few people...

People always pushing you round
Trying to tell you what you should do
Why don't you just turn around
And tell them what they should do?

Could it be with all this pushing and shoving
And trying to make you think that their lies are true
They have had control for too long yeah
Control over people like you

Too few people...

People On The Side

People on the side looking at me
Going round the track to victory
I must push on it's in the stars
We wear business suits instead of racing cars

I'm a motor racing, power chasing
And one of these days I'm gonna catch you
I'm a motor racing, power chasing
And when I do you're gonna be through

Suffer in silence I musn't crash
I'm just waiting for the other guy to crack
The time is right I'm almost there 
The other guys closing but I don't care

I'm a motor racing...

Here comes everybody waiting for the call
Coz it's too late now I want more
First here for the toast
Cause I was first past the winning post

I'm a motor racing...

I'm pushing thirty now I'm at the top
Try to keep ahead cause the others won't stop
My wife has left me he was a yob
But I'm still happy cause I've got a job

I'm a motor racing...

Lover Next Door

I’ve been wandering alone, 
Since we had that fight.
You turned me right around you,
Then you turned out our light.

Now I don’t even see you,
At the supermarket.
And now there’s someone with me,
But I don’t really like her.

Ooh ooh she’s just the lover next door,
Ooh ooh can’t it be like before?

The wheels they turn me,
Round and round and round it.
I don’t know where is when,
I don’t know who found it.

Ooh ooh, she’s just...

I try to move forward,
But you abandon-ed me.
I think I’ve lost touch,
And I can never be free.

Ooh ooh, she’s just...

(SPOKEN)	
Yeah, you know what it’s like with those girls next door.  Playing at relationships and breaking up to go out with the gorilla down the street.  They think they’re so cool and gentrified but most of ‘em don’t even know what day it is.  Most of ‘em don’t know they’re born!  Yeah!

Ooh ooh, she’s just...

So, listen to this song,
And you’ll know how I feel.
Just wrap your arms around me,
And move in for the kill.

Ooh ooh, she’s just...


She’s a lover next door yes, you know what that’s for,
I’m thinking it every day.
She’s my lover next door, you know what it’s for,
She’s shows me in every way.

Security Clothes

Don’t ever think you can feel secure,
Unless you’re burrowed well into the crowd,
Because they’ll do their best to guard you,
Away from the loud.

Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,
Unless the crowd says it’s okay,
Because you can’t be different,
You got to do it all their way.

And that’s the way it is,
Don’t ever try to change it.
Nobody wants to go to school today,
But you got to go to make it!

If the crowd says leave your job,
Because they made up their mind about pay,
Just get out with the other guys,
And don’t go on holiday.

Unless it’s somewhere like La Palma, Florida or Majorca.
Because that’s where the sunshine stays,
And that’s where you pick up the rays,
Don’t ever go to the Lake District,
Where it’s cold and grey and it makes you sick!

And that’s the way it is...

So if Sassoon says, “That’s the cut!”
The crowd will say, “That’s what we got!”
And if Westwood says, “That’s what you wear!” 
Because it goes with the colour of your pin-style hair,
Then you go – and you get it – TODAY!

Crash Wanderer

Sitting in my cockpit leading the pack
From my office in the air I make my attack
We're riding high but there's ice on the wings
Control panel flickers and pulls the loaded strings

I'm a crash wanderer (I'm a gonna crash)

We're North-West of Vancouver where ice and snow
Stretch into the shadows beyond the unknown
The mangled wreck of my solo flight
Leaves me here to survive the rest of the night

I'm a crash wanderer...

When you're beneath the stars, in the midnight hours
Don't reach out for us, cause you know we won't be there
If you think it's so easy, why don't you just ring?

I'm a crash wanderer...

Fumble on the ice and this is what I get
Forget everything I'm doing like everyone I've met
This world is so unreal I've never known it so
Grab anything you can before it's time to go

I'm a crash wanderer...

Shirts

Never used to bother much about the things that I wore
People used to laugh and say I was a bore
But I got wise and bought me some new gear
Now they turn their heads around cause I'm the man of the year

Do you wear nice shirts? (course we wear nice shirts)
Do you wear nice shirts? (we wear nice shirts they say)

Now my problems have completely disappeared
Being left on the shelf ain't no longer what I fear
Girls ain't a problem, well maybe they are
They hang around and touch my shirt, you know that's going too far

Do you wear...

I got a button-down collar pre-sensitised check
Zigzag and stripey with a monotone fleck
With no holds barred, I'm out to impress
I wouldn't be seen in a string vest

Do you wear...

It was all ok till I bought a new soap powder
Now my shirts look even louder
I think I preferred it when I was a bore
Cause now I'm going out with the girl next door

Didn't realise I was on the way to becoming a sensation
I think I might just enjoy a lot more elation

Do you wear...

Eighteen

Unloved at school major fool
Never up with the rest, not cool
Want to get out back on the street
Coz now you’re at the age where societies meet

Because eighteen is the rage today
And I can’t keep up with the pace today
Eighteen is the rage today
Coz now you gonna find you think you’re now the boss
Don’t listen me coz I know you’re the best, can’t think of a reason unless…

Out on the town for most of the night
Big black eyes, it’s just a fight
Practice being you behind a classroom desk
You’re no 9 to 5 like all the rest

Because eighteen...

Now you see what you’ve got, you want it all
With a flick of the wrist you fill the Albert Hall
Fly your way up to the moon
With a band of heroes you’ll be there soon

Because eighteen...

Now your face is in every paper
Put in a bid for the Melody Maker
When it’s over, over and done
Relax your body in the dying sun

Because eighteen...

Bedsitter

Sitting in this room all alone in bedsitter land there's no place to roam
The problems I have here I share all alone in this promised place I call home
The people all around me they try to refrain, they pass on the streets not knowing their names
And as I sit and listen for this train, our lives seem to be one and the same

You try to look here, you try to look there, the people aren't worried, do they really care
You try to look here, you try to look there, the people aren't worried, it's not their affair

Their only friends are a radio tune, it reminds you of that foregone doom
And as you sit and stare at the room, you think about the tragedies that loom
You're sitting and watching the time go by, I must leave this room I know I must try
To find the rhythm, the reason why, or slash these wrists and slowly die

You try to look here...

Justified was the coroners verdict, a lonely man gives his life in vain
Mother wept when she heard the verdict, her son's life had been a life of pain
It's not justified

A Day In The Life (Of A Single Man)

Get up at 9 o'clock but I have to be out at 8
Struggle to the bathroom put on my clothes I must not be late
Sometimes it all seems worth it but again it don't
I go out start my car and join in the daily rush

Of the day in the life of a single man

Get into work just right say hello to my boss
Struggle through the batches of figures to assure that there is no loss
Sometimes it all seems worth it but again it don't
I sit there and watch the time, the bell rings 5 o'clock

It's the day...

Get home from work just right 
I have to be out at 8
We're going down the pub
Have a good night out with my mates but all we do is sit and wait
Perhaps we'll steal a kiss
What happens when I get older and I think about all the girls I missed

It's the day...

Blue Rifles

Living on nothing for so long now
Middlesex women know him well
Could've won it all if he hadn't have been
Seen every night looking so thin

Search the traps of escalating wealth
Now you find you're at war with yourself
The beat and bodies they find you clean
Could have been somebody if you could've seen

Could you see you're moving faster
You saw the bullet you saw the master
People always try to surround you
They're instruments of fun all around you

Was it too much fame that made you sink
In your bedroom did you think
Why you felt so obscure
That there could be no cure

Slipping across to Berwick Street
Stand in the shadows who do you meet?
These are my rifles this is my fun
This is called my Dope for Guns

We saw your face the sticking plaster
We saw your skin alabaster
You see your life you see it's pointless
They see your face it's beneath the surface

Was it too much fame...

Standing in the market with blue rifles
For you!

Poor Man

Poor man looks in the window
Sees the things he can't afford to buy
Young wife stands next to him
And ponders on the reason why

They got no money to pay no rent
They got no money to pay no bills
They've got each other for the rest of their lives
Their love will see them through to their next meal

Ooh poor man, look at you and me
Ooh poor man, happiness is yours for free
Cause you'll always have someone to love

Poor boy walks down the street
Holes in his shoes and dirty feet
Sees the poor man hanging around and says
Do you want me to lend a hand?

Poor man shakes his head and says
This is where I've been led you know
I'm you in thirty years
I hope that fills you with fear

Ooh poor man...

Poor man and his wife have found
As they stand hand in hand
Life for them is not material gains
Or cashing in on someone else's fame
Life is simple not just and fair
But they're much richer than any millionaire

Ooh poor man

Steve C, Frisk, Gary H, Roy and Me – West Mersea – 2021

If you like the songs used in the blog headers you can listen to them here on Spotify.

The 2004 gig at The Square can be found on the YouTube channel Lee Adams – YouTube

Also, for those interested in such things, an exhibition covering 75 Years of Music in Harlow can be found at Harlow Museum and runs from 2nd July to 10th September 2022.

THE VERY END

Click here to go back to blogs page

People On The Side: The Pressure Stops. 19 - Part Time Punks

lee.r.adams

25 Jun, 2022

After kicking our heels for 23 years, someone asked if we’d reform for a gig.

(Click here to go to previous blogs)

Television Personalities – Part Time Punks

Post Script

Demise Is Quick

The thing that struck me as most surprising, was how quickly the band folded. In May ’81 we recorded the Bedsitter EP. In July Roy left. We played our last gig in August. Steve left in September, Clive left in October and the band folded in November. Six months after recording what we thought was a great single, it was gone. Over. Ended. Finito.

It’s often easier to give up than to keep pushing onward, but it’s easy to forget how hard it is being in a band: the time, the effort, the money. Just to rehearse is a big outlay in terms of finding a suitable location, paying for it, getting everyone there at the same time, getting all the gear there, setting up, playing, packing up, taking everything home again. And that doesn’t take into account the disagreements, the arguments, the differences of opinion.

Pressure Stops & Friends

(Steve C, Gary Hull, Bucket, Roy, Hazon, Me, Frisk, Weareas, Clive – 2019)

It also doesn’t take into account finding the money to buy equipment and maintain it. Then someone has to write the songs, then you have to find time to practice playing and learn the songs too. Then you have to find gigs. This is on top of having a job/family.

So, if you want to be in a band, don’t expect it to be easy, but then don’t take it for granted either. All too soon it’ll be gone and all you’ll be left with is a handful of fading memories, a few crumpled flyers and a cupboard full of dusty music equipment.

Stortbeat Collective Gig

In 2004 the band reconvened for a hastily arranged gig at The Square in Harlow. It was to promote a CD called “The Stortbeat Collective”, a collection of recordings put out in the 70’s and 80’s by Stortbeat, Airplay and other associated labels. It was a great success, the night was a sell-out, we played again but without Clive, since he had booked a ‘cheap holiday in someone else’s misery’ which at the time, was more important. So, a friend from school called Kelloggs played drums, or at least tapped them at roughly the right time.

Stortbeat Collective

We played People On The Side, Control, Bedsitter, A Day In The Life and Crash Wanderer. It was great fun and other than the CD, there was also a DVD of the night too. Other bands on the bill were Easy Action, The Gangsters, The Rabbits, The Sods and yes, The Newtown Neurotics. And guess what? The Sods actually spoke to us but The Neurotics? Sadly, even after all these years, they were still too busy.

A Day In The Life – at The Square – 6/11/2004

I bumped in to Shane Roe (of The Sods and Crash Wanderer overdubs fame) in the toilets at The Square. I commented on his purple suit and said something about it being a bit ‘funky’. He smiled and asked whether we were playing ‘that song‘ tonight. I said yes, and that we’d reworked it with a 21st Century electronic vibe (we hadn’t). “Sounds good,” he replied. “Well,” I said, “You can hear it later when we get on stage.” “No way,” he said, “I’ll be in the bar,” and he laughed.

Stortbeat Gatefold Sleeve

I don’t know whether he watched us or not but I enjoyed their set all the same.⁶¹

Control

Covers

A month or two after the gig Roy, Robbie and I started up a covers band called A Curious Charm⁶², whilst Roy and Robbie continued to play in the Big Boys Blues Band also. Then Roy left the band (again) as did Robbie eventually, and I soldiered on with the singer Vikki. We drafted in new members and became a Blondie Tribute called Bite-Sized Blondie.

Hey, can you cut me up in the mix?

Then in 2014 Vikki and I got married and the band played Crash Wanderer live one more time at the wedding.

1-2-3-4!

I thought that would be it, but no. Roy got married in 2019 and the original four Pressure Stops met for the first time again since 2004, at Roy’s Stag Night.

Pressure Stops Reboot

Me, Steve C, Roy, Clive – Old Harlow 2019

We again rolled out the ‘Wanderer’ at the wedding, but this was somewhat shambolic appearance since we hadn’t rehearsed. And we haven’t done anything since. Probably just as well. Sometimes you have to know when it’s time to let it go.

The Pressure Stops at Roy’s Wedding. Me – far left, Steve – 2nd left, Roy – far right, John McGinn on Drums, accompanied by The Princes of Les – Huntingdon 2019

The Invention of Indie

So did the Pressure Stops invent Indie? Well, as discussed earlier, they didn’t technically speaking, invent anything. They were part of the musical revolution which did bring about the invention of Indie, along with thousands of other independent bands.

Indie was a whole sub-culture of music that stemmed from the remnants of Punk, New Wave and Post-Punk. If you were a guitar band in the late 70’s, early 80’s and you were using Pop elements, melodic guitar riffs, single, repeated note solos that followed the vocal melody line – the embodiment of this being the solo at 1 min 15 of “What Do I Get?” by The Buzzcocks – and you were on an Independent label, then you were categorised as an Indie band.

But of course, there’s a bit more to it than that (isn’t there always?) because Indie was a shortened version of the term “Independent”, which referred to the Independent Record Labels which sprung up everywhere when punk grew out of the chaos of early 70’s UK and US, specifically in New York and London.

Coupled with the deep-set mistrust of major labels, when bands realised they could record, press and distribute records on their own, without the need for the major labels, they jumped at the chance.

Stortbeat Collective Poster

One of the first, “Stiff Records” brought many great artists to the attention of audiences across Britain: Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, Nick Lowe, Madness, Lene Lovich, The Damned, Jona Lewie, Kirsty MacColl, Tracey Ullman, Mötorhead and The Pogues were all Stiff artists at one time or another. Famously, the company was originally set up using a £400 loan from Lee Brilleaux, the singer from Dr. Feelgood.

Lee Brilleaux – “400 nicker? I ain’t made of money.”

It was Stiff who released the UK’s first punk single, “New Rose” by The Damned, which hit the shops on 22^nd October 1976.

Stiff Records – all over punk like a cheap suit

This was, although nobody knew it at the time, the first tiny shoots of “Indie”. Because so many bands were being signed to, or creating their own, Independent labels, eventually music papers such as Sounds, began printing the weekly Singles Charts, Album Charts and Independent Charts to keep everyone abreast of the underground music scene as it grew across the UK. The Pressure Stops, on Airplay, were just one of many.

Stortbeat Collective Poster

So, it’s growth can be charted organically due to a spreading desire for bands to be recorded and those recordings to be heard. Punk was very much a DIY (learn three chords and start a band) ethic where the band had control over their musical output.

However, the major labels had the last laugh. They destroyed indie some years later by infiltrating the indie sub-culture from within by creating their own new labels which purported to be “indie” supporting indie bands but they were nothing of the sort. Eventually you couldn’t buy an indie record anymore and be sure it wasn’t part of the majors and so its credibility withered and died.

The Pressure Stops however, never had any credibility to begin with so it wasn’t much of problem for them.

The Pressure Stops – credibility didn’t feature very highly on their agenda

So, what are The Pressure Stops doing these days? Well, I’m now retired and living in Maldon, Essex, and occasionally play in a band with my wife Victoria. Roy runs his own company, still plays in The Big Boys Blues Band and in The Princes of Les covers band and lives near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Steve Coulson works in the print trade and lives in Bishops’ Stortford.

Retirement doesn’t always affect your personality in a positive manner

Clive continued to work for the BBC and even found time to become and accomplished amateur cyclist. Robbie works and lives in Harlow and plays in a covers band called Quixote’s Beard. Steve Byrne lives near Peterborough, Mick Richards moved to Portsmouth, and John McGinn plays drums in The Princes Of Les with Roy. Kelloggs sadly died a few years ago from MS.

One time random Pressure Stop Richard Holgarth (of The Gangsters) now plays guitar with Eddie and the Hot Rods and also John Otway. You can see him on Netflix in the film Otway The Movie.

Holgarth & Otway – Beware of the flowers…

Rock and Roll’s Greatest Failure: Otway the Movie – Wikipedia

Stortbeat Group Hug

Stortbeat Collective Gig – The Square – 2004

Robbie & Me (Front) Roy (Back)

Steve C

So, that about wraps it up for The History of The Pressure Stops. It was an eventful ride which will thankfully never be repeated.

It just leaves me to say thank you for your time and to let you know there is one, last blog. A short walk down memory lane.

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People On The Side: The Pressure Stops. 18 - (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures

lee.r.adams

19 Jun, 2022

Mick joined (for one gig), Roy left and created a ripple effect which decimated the fragile balance of the band

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The Rezillos – (My Baby Does) Good Sculptures

It Was Me!

So, there you have it. It was all my fault that Roy left. And I believed all along that the original four, and Robbie after he joined, were a single unit with one, identifiable vision: to be as good as we could be.

But it appeared Roy perhaps didn’t necessarily share the same vision or ambition as I, and as he said afterwards, eventually he was “just along for the ride”. To be merely a good band, everyone has to share the same desire, and everyone has to be pulling in the same direction. Like most things in life, a band is only as good as its weakest link.

The Precious Steps are a bass player short, like we had three of them…

Draft In Last Minute Replacements

We had a gig at Benny’s nightclub to fulfil on Sunday August 16^th 1981, and we were on the bill with Easy Action and The Firm. Bill had started a club called The Apocalypso and a lot of people turned up for it.

Airplay Flyers

We didn’t have a bass player, so I spoke to a guy I worked with called Mick Richards who used to be in a band called “Squeeze Levers”. He was a good musician and he had a rock ‘n’ roll name too. I went round his house after work and ran him through the songs on guitar, and gave him some sketched out tabs to follow.

I’m sure Bill would make up band names like “Jelly Babies?” just to sell tickets

Mick didn’t have a bass anymore so when we got to the gig he had to borrow a bass from Ian McCallum of Easy Action.

Easy Action. Hey, can we borrow your bass guitar?

The gig was a good gig and I enjoyed playing with Mick even though he didn’t know the songs very well and I had to keep calling out the chord changes to him.

“G!” I’d shout over the sound of the drums and guitars.

“C?” he’d reply.

“G!” I’d shout again.

“E?” he’d say.

Jazz Reggae?

By that time the song had moved on to something else and it started over again. Mick and I had recently been in London and went to Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. “Upstairs” was an eight-piece reggae band playing and they did an interesting thing at the end of the gig.

On the final song they played a long instrumental piece, and the singer left the stage, then one by one each musician played his piece and left also, leaving the bass player and the drummer to finish off. It ended with the drummer doing a short solo and then he finished. The crowd went wild.

All I could do was watch, as one by one, everybody left

Later I suggested to Mick we did the same for our gig. And we did. Steve finished singing, walked off stage, then Robbie put his guitar down and left, then I did the same and then Mick and Clive carried on for a few minutes and it started to turn into an introspective prog rock piece. Mick put his bass down and the floor was Clive’s.

I think he enjoyed rattling round the drums because I was giving him daggers trying to get him to finish but he made the most of it. Unfortunately, when he stopped playing the audience weren’t sure whether it was the end or not so there was a muted applause. Not quite the response I expected but it was something different.

Although we didn’t know it, it would be our last gig and the muted response served as a reflection of people’s attitude towards us as a band. Not that we noticed or cared.

Mick Richards was a family man so was never going to join permanently (L-R Penny, Mick, Christopher, Me – Portsmouth ’82)

Watch Helplessly As It All Falls Apart

Mick was never going to join the band. It was difficult enough for him to get ‘approval’ from his wife Penny, to do one gig, let alone join permanently. He lived in Bishop’s Stortford, was married and had a young son, who at the time was a bit of a handful (but then by all accounts so was Mick). So, we cast the net further afield. Despite it being a good gig, Steve also decided he’d had enough of being in The Stops too, and so hung up his microphone.

Steve decides to follow Roy’s lead and leave the band. Clive considers whether to join them. He does. I think ‘fuck me, how do I stop this from happening?’

“I think I left not because I’d had enough but I thought ‘we’ve done that now’. When you’re 20-21 you might think ‘I don’t want to rehearse any more on a Sunday morning’ and that was it.”
Steve C

We put an ad in the paper for new recruits. It was no wonder we didn’t get any calls since the newspaper printed someone else’s phone number

I took over singing duties for a while until we found another bass player/singer. We tried out a couple but they didn’t like our music so nothing materialised.

The Mo-dettes look on, as the Pressure Stops feel the pressure

Then Clive, who was playing in some other bands at the time, decided to give up too and it was left with Robbie and I to continue.

If You Must, Let It Fold

I found a couple of lads who played drums and bass and we started rehearsing. It wasn’t the same. Then one of them got a job in Hitchin, moved out of Harlow and that was it.

“It petered together for about 18 months, then it petered out.”
Steve C

I suggested to Robbie that we take a brief hiatus, to allow us time to think about what we could do next, and then reconvene and start up another band. He agreed.

But it appeared we both liked not getting up on a Sunday morning to be at The Mill for a 9 am start. We liked not having to lug heavy guitar amps up 15 flights of stairs. We liked not having to put the effort in. In short, we liked not being in a band because it was easier to not do it.

Clive “hip-shaker-maker” rattles the “pots & pans”

23 Short Years

But at that time, when we decided to press the pause button, it was because we believed we were keen to get going again soon. That was in November 1981. We didn’t play again until October 2004. 23 years later.

To make matters worse, I still hadn’t heard back from John Peel about our Poor Man Dub recording and in the meantime he’d died…

Just like The Pressure Stops

John Peel :- “I’d rather die than play another one of your records.”

THE END

…ok, we’ll do an encore if you insist…

NEXT – PART 19 – PART TIME PUNKS

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People On The Side: The Pressure Stops. 17 - Is Vic There?

lee.r.adams

18 Jun, 2022

We secured some free recording time at the BBC, recorded Poor Man and offered it to John Peel. Then Roy left.

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Department S – Is Vic There?

Offer Recordings To John Peel

Clive was working at the BBC and secured us some free studio time just off BBC House in Portland Street. We recorded Poor Man and some reworks called Poor Man Dub which had all sorts of echo and effects all over it⁶³.

Later Clive, Robbie and I went back to get a copy of the tape and then walked across to BBC House where Radio One was broadcast from. The idea was to leave John Peel a copy to see if he would play it on the Radio once more. But Clive had other ideas.

Pressure Peel

“Let’s see if we can talk to John Peel,” he suggested. Robbie and me looked at him quizzically. It was gone 10pm. “But he’s on air, doing his show,” we said. “Doesn’t matter,” said Clive. “He takes calls when he’s playing songs.”

Clive flashed his BBC pass, explained who we were and to our surprise the receptionist picked up the phone. We watched as he had a brief conversation with someone and then, a few seconds later he held out the receiver and said, “Here. It’s Mr Peel for you.”

Clive and Robbie both stepped back, looked at me and said, “It’s your band, you talk to him.”

Don’t give me the phone!!!

I was cornered. I took the receiver.

“Hi, John here and who might you be?” asked John Peel in his nasaly, scouse accent.

“Hi John,” I said just a little star struck. “My name’s Lee. Lee Adams. I play guitar in the Pressure Stops.”

“Ok, so what are you up to at the minute?” he asked.

“Well, you played our first single and that was great but you didn’t play the last one and I wondered why not?”

It was the first thing that came into my head.

Despite being a bastion for youth culture, it should be noted John Peel worked for the BBC

Hey John…

“Well, you know I receive a lot of music from all over the place. I can’t play it all you know.”

“Ok, fair point but we’ve just done a recording over in Portland Street and wondered if you’d be interested in listening to it,” I asked him.

“How did you get in there?” he asked. I explained about Clive and the spare studio time and he started to distance himself from what I was saying by saying things like “Oh, can you do that? Is it above board?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” I said casually. “Don’t you worry about it.” I was beginning to get into my stride and for the time-being at least, was feeling a little less star struck. “Anyway, how about we leave a tape of the recording down here on reception for you? Would you be able to give it a spin and let us know what you think?”

Even right at the beginning I felt like I was on the outside, looking in

“Sure absolutely, leave it there and someone will bring it up. And thanks for calling. Much appreciated.”

“Cheers Johnny. Nice to catch up.”

I gave the receiver back to the receptionist and looked at the others. They were smiling expectantly but I didn’t say anything. After a while they prompted me. “Well? What did he say?”

I nodded slowly, wide-eyed, with a gormless grin. I indicated the phone with a nod of my head, and then said “I just spoke to John Peel.”

“Yes, we know but what did he say?” they asked again.

There was an elongated silence whilst I mulled it over in my mind. Then I looked up, smiled, and with added emphasis said, “I just spoke to John Peel!”

Learn How To Write A Proper Song

The song Poor Man was a favourite of mine and we played it a few times live. It was one song where I edited some of Steve’s lyrics. At some point I added/edited the final verse which went like this:-

“Poor man and his wife have found, as they stand hand in hand,
Life for them is not material gains, or cashing in on someone else’s fame.
Each other’s love is all they need, along with the baby mouth they feed,
Life is simple, not just or fair, but they’re much richer than any millionaire.”
Poor Man

It fitted with the melody and was short, succinct and direct. Unlike this series of blogs.

Splinter Group

Soon Roy decided to quit the band citing musical differences as the reason. In truth I didn’t really know why he quit, because despite the single we were doing a lot more gigs. Also, we had much better songs, were a lot more accomplished and I felt we were moving in the right direction.

To begin with, just being in a band is enough. Then things change and enough isn’t enough anymore

But at this time, synthesizers had come into the mainstream, and we even played some gigs with synth bands like Unit One and The Picture. Other, local bands had been and gone: The Gangsters, The Rabbits, Howard Like, Spelling Missteaks, had all folded and so the ‘Harlow Scene’ wasn’t the same Harlow scene it had been two years previously. Like all things, it had moved on.

Despite have the Tubeway Army album Replicas, synths were never going to be part of the Pressure Stops canon

But now it was populated by different people with different ideas. And there were different bands, younger than us, like Poetry In Motion for example, who were doing something new and different to us. We weren’t the young teenage whipper-snappers anymore. We were one of the established bands, and suddenly I felt old and past it. I was 20 at the time.

I wrongly assumed we would continue ad infinitum

Roy, I thought, had begun to find Steve’s verbal abuse a little tiresome and even when we’d recorded the second single there were disagreements between the two because Roy couldn’t nail a bassline. However, on this ocassion Roy had come up with the bassline (it wasn’t one of mine!) and it transpired that in the recording studio, it was too difficult for him to play well enough to be recorded, which needed to be perfect.

Bass Effect

Steve, becoming more and more frustrated, started to tell him what he thought of his bass playing, which clearly didn’t help. In the end I had to ask Steve to go and cool off outside so I could get Roy calm enough to play. All I was interested in was making the best record we could, not point scoring. But that was the first time I saw a real issue between the two. Until then, it had usually been nothing more than good humoured ribbing. And then, soon after Roy left.

What do you mean you’re leaving???

“I do not know to this day why I left. The only thing it was down to was meeting Helen (Roy’s future wife), and having other priorities. And that turned out well, didn’t it (they divorced). Steve could be a twat, but I don’t think that was it, although funnily enough I sometimes thought Lee took it all too seriously and I probably didn’t take it seriously enough and so I became the new Steve Byrne to an extent, because I wasn’t practicing as much as I should’ve.”
Roy

So, we’d just released our 2nd single, had gigs lined up and then suddenly, we had no bass player. And I thought that was bad. Soon I discovered this was just the start. The beginning of the end. And I also discovered there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.

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People On The Side: The Pressure Stops. 16 - Shot By Both Sides

lee.r.adams

12 Jun, 2022

We met Porky Prime Cut but that cut no mustard with The Rabbits, who were not impressed with our latest offering.

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Magazine – Shot By Both Sides

Pressure Portland

On Wednesday June 10^th 1981 we all headed up to Portland Studios in Portland Place, London to get the songs cut to acetate. In the olden days of vinyl that’s how you got a quarter inch master tape onto a 45 rpm single, by ‘cutting’ it to an acetate disc. The pressing plant then made a metal master of the acetate and printed the vinyl copies from that. The studios were owned by Chas Chandler of The Animals and Jimi Hendrix fame.

A look at life in Bedsit land…

Pressure Porky

We sat in the plush reception in sofas that swallowed you up and felt very out of place with gold records adorning the walls. Eventually we were shown in to see George Peckham who would cut the disc for us. We chatted about the song and I noticed the Beatles and Elvis Costello albums on the walls, all signed, ‘To George, Thanks…’ etc. etc. and then the penny dropped. George Peckham was the real name of Pecko or Porky Prime Cut.

George “Porky” Peckham

On the run-out groove of records, little messages often appeared and George Peck often signed his as Pecko or Porky Prime Cut. Once he’d cut the disk he said, “What do you want round the middle?” Bill who was ready for this said, “Put ‘Skankin’ good fun, without the “g”.” “Ok,” said George and what else?” Since none of us had thought of anything we all looked at each other for inspiration.

After a while I said, “How about, ‘Don’t read this play the bugger!’” It got a muted response.

Don’t Read This!!

Steve who had been quiet up until now said, “I don’t mind what we have just so long as it’s not that ‘porky prime cut’ bollocks that every other fucker has.”

A Porky Prime Cut!

We all cut in at this point. “Steve? Shut up!” I said. Then to George, “Go with what I said,” and we went outside while he finished it off.

George Peckham – Wikipedia

Porky Prime Cut

“What’s wrong with you lot?” Steve said in an accusatory tone.

“Porky fucking Prime Cut bollocks?” I said incredulously. “Porky fucking Prime Cut bollocks?” I repeated.

“Yeah?” he said. “What about it?”

“That IS Mr – Porky – fucking – Prime Cut bollocks himself!” I explained.

“Is it? Well I didn’t know!” he replied looking a little sheepish. Later Steve got to apologise. George, forever the gentleman smiled and told him not to worry.

Control EP? Don’t recall it ever being called that.

Add A Picture Sleeve

“Cob took the picture in my flat. I had a bed-settee in the front room so I put that down and moved the bedside cabinet in from the bedroom. Someone put the Classified over the electric fire just to add a further sense of foreboding and doom.”
Roy

Roy in repose – he was proper sexy, even then

“We all turned up for the shoot and Roy had spent 2 hours clearing up. We said, “This is no good Roy!” and proceeded to chuck junk everywhere.”
Steve C

Band HQ

Steve worked in the print trade so he arranged to have the sleeves printed cheaply.

“The reason we had two different coloured sleeves was when I went to get them printed at Shenval Press they had blue ink on the machine, so I said, “We’ll have blue then.” Then they said the next job was red and did we want to use that as well? And so we ended up with 500 red and 500 blue.”
Steve C

Pressure Stops “Blue” Period

We sat in Roy’s flat i.e. Band HQ, cut out the sleeves, folded them, stuck them together and inserted a record into them. It was a long laborious process but again we didn’t care about the time, effort or the money. We just wanted to make records and play to an audience.

Steve “Rubber Legs” Coulson warming up for a gig

Finally, we completed the thousand pressings with two different sleeves, one in Red and the other in Blue. In the shot of Roy asleep in bed are some posters of previous Pressure Stops gigs plus our first single ‘Crash Wanderer’ in front of ‘Pretty Vacant’ by the Sex Pistols on the beside cabinet, the implication being ours was the better single (it wasn’t).

The empty bottle of Guinness was donated by James Doherty. However, we hadn’t planned for any of these items to be in the shot, they just happened to be in Roy’s flat so we used them.

Pressure Posters, Guinness, Crash Wanderer & Pretty Vacant

Try To Stay Different And Fresh

The single didn’t fare very well. I don’t think Bill was too keen to promote it and so it sold poorly. John Peel may have played it on his Radio One show (we didn’t hear it), and we struggled to shift the copies we had pressed. I thought the record was great, it sounded so much more polished and sophisticated than our first offering which was bright, tinny, cheap but fun. The songs were more mature too, discussing the elitist establishment in Control, modern relationships on A Day in the Life and loneliness, isolation and suicide on Bedsitter.

Roy:” I think it was too far ahead of it’s time.”
Me: “Are you taking the piss?”
Roy: “No. It was too good, too professional for the local scene. That’s why they didn’t like it. Not because it wasn’t any good. It was miles ahead of the first single.“
Steve: “I think it was a bit derivative. I think it sold locally in the same numbers as Crash Wanderer, at gigs and in the local record shops. But the main difference was the first single was played by John Peel and so Rough Trade, Bonaparte, Small Wonder would take a box or so because it was being played on the radio. But Bedsitter was either played once or not at all, so there was no reason for it to sell in London.”

The Pressure Stops lost their quirky romanticism to heavy phase, timbali and feedback

Pressure Parody

What it didn’t have was a quirky, romantic simplicity which was a feature of Harlow punk bands, and neither were we interested in extreme politics and so it sat, annoyingly, in no-man’s land. Neither political, nor a loving self-parody.

Pud’s Palace – Proper music, or a parody?

This time when we went to The Hare and spoke to other bands about our new single, we got a very different response. There was no back slapping, no ‘join the club’, no understated admiration that we’d taken another big step forward, that we had helped cement Harlow’s place on the map of punk’s musical outposts. Roger Milton from The Rabbits sat in front of me and I said, “So what do you think Roger?”

The Rabbits didn’t make ‘proper’ records

Pressure Patronising

He just smiled sadly, shook his head and said, “What have you done? Really, what have you done?”

I was taken aback. I thought we’d made a masterpiece. The songs were tight, well arranged, well produced, the sound was top notch. We even had a picture sleeve for goodness sake! What could possibly be wrong with it?

But there’s a saying which goes “pride comes before a fall“. We were full of ourselves (or I was) because of how ‘good’ our new offering was and I was about to be taken down a notch or two.

Flux of Pink Indians – now they were political

“We made a record Roger, is what we did. It sounds ten times better than the last one,” I countered.

“Yes, but the songs, the sound, all the other stuff on there, what’s that all about?”

“What do you mean?” I asked even more taken aback than I had been a minute ago.

“It’s like you tried to make a proper record but it’s not a very good one,” he said.

“Aren’t we all trying to make a proper record?” I asked just a little confused.

Us Not Them

“No…..no. That’s exactly what we’re not doing. We’re trying to be us, not them!” By “them” he meant everyone else in the record industry. “We’re the underground movement, we’re not the mainstream and we fucking well don’t want to be!”

“But it still sounds good…” I began.

“No, it doesn’t. Look at that song Control. It’s good, a nice little reggae riff going through it, anti-establishment lyrics but what the fuck is that at the end, the feedback shit. Who do you think you are, Led Zeppelin?”

I was crushed. “And Bedsitter,” he continued. “Sounds just like ‘Control’ so why put them both on the same single?”

Be True To Yourself

We’d fallen into the age-old trap of taking ourselves too seriously. What the bands and people on Stortbeat and Airplay were not doing was taking themselves seriously, well except the Neurotics who really did think they were the next big thing, despite their ‘punk-by-numbers’ approach to music and being in a band, and clearly I was envious of their success.

Roger Milton – I was “grist to the mill” for his angst and derision

“The point is not to sound like everyone else. The point is to sound like you,” he explained. We’d lost our identity. We’d become just another band. And we’d sold out to the Gods of Rock ‘n’ Roll. We weren’t the Pressure Stops anymore, having fun and having a knockabout and seeing where it took us.

We were the Pressure Stops who had taken a step towards becoming a mainstream band. And we weren’t singing about Nice Shirts anymore and getting lost in Alaska, we were discussing loneliness, isolation, depression and suicide.

Put the echo plate through the reverb spring and then on to the phase before bouncing the mix to the left channel only…

We weren’t writing jangly little power punk pop songs that were fun and enjoyable. Instead we were layering overdubs on our records, filling in the spaces with Timbali drums and effects. We had solos and feedback. We had Phase, Echo, Reverb and Overdrive. And that didn’t sit well with the cognoscenti of the Harlow punk scene. In short, we’d fucked up and hadn’t even realised it.

We weren’t invited to The Rabbits party

Bill had warned us with his ‘rockist’ statement and we hadn’t heeded his message. We’d soldiered on, in the face of the criticism and now we were discovering what people really thought of our new direction. Cracks we discovered, were starting to appear in the Harlow punk scene. And cracks were starting to appear in the band too.

NEXT – PART 17 – IS VIC THERE?

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People On The Side: The Pressure Stops. 15 - Dope For Guns

lee.r.adams

11 Jun, 2022

We promoted the single with gigs, Steve and I started writing together, then Robbie joined

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The Ruts – Dope For Guns

Freshen Up Your Set

We finished 1980 with a few gigs, to promote both the single and Airplay Records. 1981 started well for the band too. We had a whole load of new songs which we had been working on, but already I had become disillusioned with playing things like Crash Wanderer and Shirts. I thought we’d moved on from that kids’ stuff. I didn’t want to play them anymore, but the others didn’t agree.

They believed that’s what people wanted to hear and on reflection I have to agree. But, I was outvoted so we played them, but before each gig I’d argue against them being in the set. I didn’t play either song with any great conviction. I had begun to go through the motions.

Airplay Promo Ticket

We played about seven gigs between January and April which was a lot for us considering we’d only played nine gigs during the whole of 1980.

“We played at Benny’s quite a few times. A couple of times we played there, there were massive crowds (for us), like 3-4-5 hundred people for launch parties and that. But other times there might only be 50-60 people there.”
Steve C

Find A Song-Writing Partner

Steve and I started to write songs together more often after the first single was released, mainly because it took me a long time to come up with the kind of lyrics I was happy with, whereas Steve had plenty. Conversely, I had lots of hooks, riffs and melodies whereas Steve had very few.

Ticket for Benny’s nightclub gig

It made perfect sense therefore, to pool our resources and write together. However it wasn’t planned. We didn’t discuss it as a way to improve our songs, it began in an organic manner, where I’d play a riff or a chord progression, or hum a melody and Steve would say, “Hey, I’ve got some lyrics that would fit that.” So we’d try it and if it worked then we used it.

Steve was permanently wandering about with lyrics floating around in his mind, or scribbled on scraps of paper, whereas I was doing much the same, only with tunes.

Sometime later, it would occur again and eventually the penny dropped and then we would sit down to purposely write something. Sometimes we met at Roy’s flat (he’d moved out of his sister’s house) and we would work on ideas there. Quite often it was a case of trying out and pursuing ideas until we found something we liked or something that worked.

Roy’s flat looking unusually tidy

Pressure Party

A Day In The Life (Of A Single Man) was one such song, as were Bedsitter, The Party (Snog) Song, Bricks, Princes and Pirates and Poor Man. The cover photo of the Bedsitter EP (above) was taken by Cob in Roy’s flat. Ironically, Steve and I had written Bedsitter in the flat some months earlier.

A Day In The Life was written on the piano. We had an upright piano at home that my dad played, so I taught myself some chords, wrote the song on it and then transposed it to the guitar. It sounded completely different on the guitar which I liked but was very surprised about.

Bedsitter

We used to use the flat as ‘Band HQ’ where Steve and I would write, or we’d all discuss gigs, set lists, gear etc. On one occasion, we were at the flat working on what would become Princes & Pirates and a friend of ours, Steve “The Frisk” Christy was there reading the lyrics. He misread the word ‘bride’ as ‘brick’ so the line ended up being “…then she became my loving brick,” which the rest of us found amusing. So much so that within about an hour we had a song called “Bricks” about Oswald Moseley, which was pretty good considering it literally came out of nothing.

Pressure Stops poster – 15th Dec ’80

Pressure Princes

I still wrote on my own and when I heard the news that Malcolm Owen, the singer of The Ruts had died of an overdose, I was inspired to write an epitaph which came to be called Blue Rifles. The link was The Ruts song called Dope for Guns, so I imagined Malcolm buying from his supplier in a street in the West End using blue “fivers” which I called rifles because of the Dope for Guns link.

It was supposed to be a circular reflection on his own drug use whilst singing about it in his band. Anyway, I appeared to be in a rich vein of form where song-writing was concerned because I had ideas coming out of everywhere and I think I threw them all at songs like Blue Rifles and Princes & Pirates.

I went all ‘rockist’ after Malcolm (2nd right) died

Above My Station

Bill Meadows didn’t like Blue Rifles. He thought I was getting a bit above my station by over arranging it. He preferred the three-minute hero pop thrash to my five-minute opus to the recently departed punk singing heroin addict. But when Steve came up with Princes and Pirates, I added a slow, melodramatic sound to it. Then I rinsed it with some heavy whooshing phase all over the top. Then it began to sound like something dreamy from the 60’s Haight-Ashbury psychedelic era.

The inspiration for Princes & Pirates came straight out of the 60’s San Francisco bay area

I was experimenting and developing my song writing skills; trying out new ideas and different sounds and quite often Steve’s lyrics would inspire me to write in different ways. However, I’m not trying to suggest that what I was doing was any good. And even though it is better to have too many ideas than not enough, if you use all of your ideas, songs can get bogged down or they lose focus if they keep changing direction. This I think, is what Bill was alluding to. I even had a harmonic, dual lead riff in Blue Rifles!

Railway Hotel gig flyer – Steve did an “Iggy Pop” and undressed onstage!

Add New Members

To further promote and develop the band in a new direction, I suggested Robbie Tucker join. We knew Robbie from school. He’d been playing drums with No Warning/Flying Mallet/Roxoff/Dept of Youth (who were all the same band) but he was a better guitarist. He agreed and that meant we could develop the guitar sound past the jangling pop sound I was able to produce. Plus, he could improvise solos on the fly which meant a more mature sound as far as I could see.

“I can’t say I was happy about Robbie joining, although it was a good idea to have someone in the band who could actually play the guitar. I like Robbie and I was always impressed with the way we would rehearse and he’d come back next week and he’d nailed his part, the solo or whatever. He didn’t mess about.”
Roy

“It changed the dynamic a bit but I thought he really improved us as a band.”
Steve C

Louella’s Flyer

As Roy said, it was refreshing to have someone in the band that actually knew how to play their instrument and so when I came up with riffs I couldn’t play, I gave them to Robbie. So, The Pressure Stops Mk II became Mk III. But, it came at a price, as Roy alluded to earlier.

I hadn’t considered the fragile balance of the band, as I bullishly strode headlong into the future. I believed, in my simplistic and arrogant teenage mind, that if anyone didn’t like the new direction then they could leave and easily be replaced.

7th April 1981, Louella’s, Harlow, with Robbie on guitar. Possibly the only picture of us as a 5 piece

What I was unable to appreciate was the difficulty in replacing a personality; a friendship. You can’t replace the intangible bond that had grown between us over the last few years. And I didn’t take any of that into account because I didn’t know it existed. Until it was gone.

The Mill

By now we had outgrown The Pepperpot for rehearsals and had taken up residence at Pardon Mill Studio. It was a long way from any residential areas (good). It was bigger than The Pepperpot (good). It had recording facilities (very good), and it was at the very top of a big, old Mill and we had to lug all our gear up 42 flights of stairs (not good).

Parndon Mill – idyllic setting but sadly we were on the top floor

On top of that, the only slot they had was 9-12am on a Sunday morning (really not good). We were still Hare aficionados and liked drinking to excess on a Saturday night which doesn’t always mix so well with full volume rehearsing a few short hours later.

Parndon Mill

The staircase of a thousand steps either raised you to heaven, or took you to hell. Usually it was the latter

Do More Recording

In May ’81 we suggested to Bill that we record another single. He agreed and we booked The Lodge in Hertford. It was owned by hippie commune dwellers The Enid. It had clients such as Kim Wilde and The Donkeys to name just two.

Martin Russell engineered and co-produced the 2nd single

Shane Roe was nowhere near the studio so that was a good start, and it was a much more relaxed affair (for me) because we had an idea of how to record now. We were also a little more confident with experimenting rather than going with what we were told was the best thing to do. Bill didn’t like the single. He called it “rockist” and I had to ask Roy what that meant. He said it wasn’t a positive statement, that it suggested we’d ‘sold out’ to progressive rock instead of sticking to our punk roots.

EP

There were three songs which made it an EP, called Bedsitter, A Day in the Life and Control. Control was the song Roy had first sung to me when we met in ‘78. I had reworked it quite a bit in the meantime and made it into what I considered a half decent song. Bedsitter was a mid-tempo, reggae influenced skank, whereas A Day in the Life was an up-tempo, power pop song in a similar vein to Shirts.

The Enid – for some reason they preferred Symphonic Rock to the Pressure Stops!

What was rockist, if anything, was that Bedsitter was a long song for a punk record and Control had a little feedback in the last few seconds as it ended.

Rockist B Side

Roy: “My abiding memory of that recording is using the same toilet as Kim Wilde.”
Steve: “What, while she was using it?”
Roy: “No, she’d been in the week before, recording her new single (Chequered Love). There was only one toilet, there’s no way she hadn’t used it. Other than that, recording was pretty boring.”
Roy & Steve Discuss Kim Wilde’s Lavatorial requirements

When working with a Toilet Brush, use a sweeping motion, like this

Kim Wilde’s new single reached a lofty No.4 in the UK charts and so fared marginally better than our measly offering.

The video for Chequered Love was filmed in a bathroom but I don’t think it was the same one Roy was referring to

Then to our surprise, we discovered not everyone thought our latest offering was any good. And they weren’t averse to telling us so either.

NEXT – PART 16 – SHOT BY BOTH SIDES

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