Music
Three weeks off the fags and another dose of Frank
After 15 years of heavy smoking and several aborted attempts at quitting finally gave it a another go and am up to 3 weeks. My better half is 4 weeks off as well.
Last attempts involved Nicotine substitutes which I merely cross addicted to, (the one time tried it with cigars, lasted 2 days….. pure insanity) This time did the whole docs/smoking clinic thing and they put me on Champix or Chantix in the states. Not being used to mind altering drugs any more this one felt bloody strong, took away the cravings and made smoking entirely unrewarding and unpleasant but left we with surreal dreams and highly irritable and more of a Grump old man than I usually am.
Had to come off the drugs 10 weeks early from what I’d been prescribed for my own sanity and that of those around me, feeling a lot more balanced now without the Champix in my system and for the first time since I was a student entirely nicotine free.
Kinda feels like the volumes being turned up on emotions food and smells at the moment, just gonna take time for things to settle, took bloody years for the roller-coaster to level out after I gave up the booze so not expecting any instant fixes thius time.
Saw Frank Turner down at the Wedgwood Rooms in Southsea last night, had forgotten he was playing until that day and almost didn’t get tickets and had to beg at the box office as it was a sell out. Franks now got a Four piece behind him including a great drummer also doing the backing vocals.
He put on a bloody rocking show the energy levels are really lifting the larger his support band get and really good to see him selling out larger and larger headline venues.
New Single “Long Live the Queen” is out with proceeds going to a breast cancer charity, the lyrics and sentiment of this track choke me up every time I hear it.
I won’t sit down, I won’t shut up and Most of all I will not grow up
I’ve mentioned Frank Turner before who’s lyrics particularly ring a chord with this alcoholic.
Saw Frank perform again last week on Southsea Pier, a most dated and peculiar venue which is like stepping back to the 50’s. Crowd were pretty dead for the first two support acts but Frank soon got them going a consummate professional.
He played some of his old classic tracks as well as a few off the new album Love Song and Ire. My favorite being Photosynthesis about putting behind hedonistic days but refusing to join the rat race and succumb to mundane conformity and has with the fantastic chorus that titles this post.
And I won’t sit down
And I won’t shut up
And most of all I will not grow up
Here’s the video shot at a school with some great kids in it. Some of whose parents were at last weeeks gig.
Genetic Are Back
After a three year break my old buddies band Psychogenetic are back and are back into the studio. In honour of this I’ve redesigned their old website to be a little fresher.
Scary to think its 6 years since we set up that site and I started doing the photo’s at their gig’s.
YouTube – Psychogenetic Follow Video
Posted old Psychogenentic video I helped edit on Youtube.
Big Conventions, Swimming, a Sparkly Cowboy Hat and remembering old friends.
Last weekend went over to the English Southern National Convention at Brean Sands for the second year running. Never really been a convention person but my good lady keeps getting asked to share at them and loves getting involved in them.
Had a very different experience this year as was looking after the girls for most of it, went swimming for the first time in 16 years (even did it twice in two days) Defiantly getting over any body image issues I may have once had, does help being a darn sight fitter than I ever was and not the emaciated weakling I once was.
Saturday night was the dance and had a fantastic time dancing with my good lady and the youngest of the girls sporting the campest of sparkly Cowboy hats. Everyone we were with had a great time including my 1st sponsee both that evening and also earlier in the day at the fun fair on roller coasters, bumper cars and various other rides.
Doing my Daddy Daycare bit meant I didn’t do too many of the meetings but attended the Spiritual Meeting on the Sunday morning with the girls, there was barley a dry eye in the room of around a thousand as the meeting was dedicated to the memory of Malcolm O who passed away recently and who did a huge amount of Service work for this fellowship and the Southern National Convention. His widow Sheila spoke of his service to AA and how in even the darkest times towards the end was still committed to AA service and this program and also the support that the family of AA gave them.
Malcolm was the warmest and gentlest of men and will be well remembered by the many people his life touched, I will always remember the singing at the spiritual meeting of Josh Grobans “You raise me up” which was also played at Malcolm’s funeral.
Ooh new Reuben video
Reuben Blood, Bunny, Larkhall video on You Tube
New Album out soon too “In Nothing We Trust” can’t wait to see them again in September in lovely sunny Southsea.
The tracklisting for the album is as follows:
Cities On Fire
We’re All Going Home In An Ambulance
Suffocation of The Soul
Deadly Lethal Ninja Assassin
An Act Of Kindness
Crushed Under The Weight Of The Enormous Bullshit
Good Luck
Agony/Agatha
Three Hail Marys
Blood, Bunny, Larkhall
A Short History Of Nearly Everything
Album find of the month
Booked tickets to a gig in my home town of Southsea for a friend of mines birthday present, headlining were Biffy Clyro the support act were the main attraction for us YOURCODENAMEIS:MILO and they seriously went for it that evening putting on one of the most kick arse sets I’ve ever seen.
The find of the month though was Frank Turner who opened the night, given he was the 2nd support act to pretty hardcore Biffy Clyro fans he held the well packed venue and gave a bloody good solo acoustic performance.
His d�but solo Album “Sleep is for the Week” is firmly secured in my car stereo and Laptop play list, and has a great folk sound without the weirdy beardy sandles. His dry humour and commentary of life make this a must buy album and one to recommend to those folks who have the misfortune to be stuck in my car with me singing at the top of rather flat voice.
The Lyrics of the first track “Real Damage” particularly appeal to this old drunk.
The Real Damage (excerpt)
I woke up on a sofa in an unfamiliar house,
Surrounded by sleeping folks that I didn�t know.
On failing to find my friends, I decided that it was clearly time to go.
So I made my way out of the door as quietly as I could �
There was no one there I knew to say goodbye �
Squinting in the sadly sobering sunshine of the Sunday morning light.I started the night with all my friends and I ended up alone,
Oh yes I started out so happy now I�m hung-over and down.
It was about then that I realized I was half-way through
The best years of my life.
Update:
Found the Video for “The Real Damage” on YouTube