One of the nagging worries in my life is that some time in old age I will be hit with something like Alzheimers.
I forget things now. Sometimes I just tune out - like some musicians do - and go onto another plane. I sometimes can have music in my head and I will be thinking about that, so whatever is going on round me doesn't always fully compute. Sometimes I can be thinking about things and tell my wife things for a third time. Sometimes I just don't hear what's said to me - you may have to wave at me while you're talking. Being on stage with loud bands does that to your ears...
OK, I'm 48 and I forget stuff. It's sometimes 'cos I'm not very interested in what I have heard and I don't really care what certain people say to me. I doubt this is any sort of early sign of anything, just me being a bit unfocused.
However, my own niggly little problems are NOTHING compared to that of my Aunt who must be around 80 years old and runs her family ragged due to her erratic behaviour and the need to be watched over and looked after. I have opted out of this duty, partly because she looks so much like my late Mum sometimes and partly because it's so painful to see and also partly because I can really do nothing to be honest.
I don't feel good about myself, but I haven't been there for years in the past before all this kicked off - our family is not that close. We don't even do all the Christmas cards and stuff - and now I'm basically just not there again, now that it is happening - my cousins don't tell me what's going on. I care, but I can't spare the time to get dragged into it all, when they haven't bothered about me for the last 20 years or so. We meet at funerals..... when they can be bothered to tell me about them - I have missed a few.
Anyway.
To get to the point:
Someone I have a rather close working relationship with is really winding me up incredibly badly at the moment. He forgets conversations that he has been involved in. These conversations involve really vitally important things. He later comes out with questions and statements that are TOTALLY STUPID as a result of forgetting decisions that have been made, involving him and these things are making the working relationship practically impossible to continue.
I have told him to get with the programme inbetween my getting really annoyed and throwing things around. Good job I didn't have a bass in my hand at the time of his last fantastic memory lapse, last night. That WOULD have been expensive.
I am now considering what to do and it's life-changing stuff. I can't begin to plan next year under these circumstances.
Fuck. This is ANNOYING.
AUGUST 2007: "Happy August.... "
3rd:
A bunch of cancellations.... The Railway, Bromley Cross is closed down at the moment, so we may be unlikely to be going back there. We will be checking the situation out with the new owners when they are known. The Boulevard, Wigan have cancelled our gig there next Friday (10th), as they are putting blues bands on on Fridays. We hope to sort out return gigs later in the year.
5th:
Friday night was a show at The Fleece, Ashton. A good crowd, a good night. Our setlist for August promises to be a real crowd pleaser. Last night, we played a cracking gig at The Cherry Gardens, Wigan.
10th:
The Red Brick at Leigh appears to be closed now. Another venue possibly gone. If you can recommend any venues, or suggest us to them, please let us know! Thanks!
11th:
Our New Year's eve gig at The Cherry Gardens, Wigan has been moved to Boxing Day, after a booking mix-up by the venue. Tonight we played at The Moses Gate Music Venue (for the first time with this line-up) and went down really well with the audience. Thanks to the people who came along especially to see us - that's very much appreciated.
On a low note, Ian H has given his notice in with a view to going to live abroad in the New Year. We will be very sorry to see him go and all wish him well !
To be realistic, we have had to start the search to find another musician.
If you think you know of someone who would fit in, ability and personality-wise and be prepared to do 4-6 shows a month, starting next year (with rehearsals to lead-in), please let us know.
Ian E's MySpace site for his old project THE BEATLESS has been removed by The Fabs' Feds. This goes to prove that some people have absolutely no sense of humour. Our other fine MySpace sites are still there.
Ian E has been alerted to this piece of footage on YouTube which he plays 12-string bass on (blink and you'll miss him, though he can certainly be HEARD!!)
13th:
The Beatless' MySpace page is back - for now - see here.
14th:
The 'jam night' at The Eagle again - not really a jam night, really more of an open mic night - as acts get up and do their stuff and there's little spontaneous stuff going on, which is not really the point at this particular evening. An enjoyable evening. The Incredibles did their sterling stuff once again. Howie Rocks.
The Kerbcrawlers spot was cut quite short due to a very late start due to football, watched by half a dozen people in another room, guitar tuning problems and poor old Steve being exhausted, having turned up straight there, guitarless, straight from a long day at work.
17th:
A great gig at The New Inn, Walkden. Thanks very much to everyone who was there!
18th:
The Wheatsheaf Altrincham. Thanks to the people who came out specially to see us, much appreciated. The gig came to an abrupt halt as the landlord came over with a mobile phone, just as we were starting the encore. Colin's daughter Amy had suddenly been taken ill, so out went the Floyd tunes we were about to play, replaced by a quick canter through Teenage Kicks that would have had The Undertones in their prime keeling over with exhaustion. (A phone call the next morning confirms Amy is a lot better).
21st:
A couple of very good contenders are in the frame for the guitarist vacancy in our group. No names yet, sorry.
23rd:
Two gigs at The Boulevard, Wigan added to our gig list - Sept 21st and Dec 28th.
Bank holiday weekend:
A good show at The Queen's, Chorley on the Friday night. A shame they cancelled our show booked in for November a while ago, as we went down extremely well..... Next year, perhaps. We have been told of a few other local places to play.
Saturday night saw us play at The Lord Rodney, Warrington. This was our last show there this year, as they failed to book us in for the back end of the year and we are sort of full up now. A nice kebab afterwards.
Sunday saw Ian E shopping for basses in the lovely City of York, when another last-minute booking came in for Monday at The Woodlands Hotel, Blackburn, which turned out to be a very nice place to play. We hope to be back on there later this year, diaries permitting. Thanks very much for having us.
29th:
Sam's Bar, Appley Bridge have cancelled our gig there in December, as another band have approached them who haven't got a gig at the venue, and it seemed only fair to the venue that seeing as we had one in October, we could afford to lose the December gig. As this is a source of income for us, we will be using MU contracts for most shows next year.
31st:
The group now have a couple of weeks off from playing live, while Ian H works on his tan and plots a life of leisure in Spain over the next couple of weeks. We intend to try out a potential new guitarist next week.
A bunch of cancellations.... The Railway, Bromley Cross is closed down at the moment, so we may be unlikely to be going back there. We will be checking the situation out with the new owners when they are known. The Boulevard, Wigan have cancelled our gig there next Friday (10th), as they are putting blues bands on on Fridays. We hope to sort out return gigs later in the year.
5th:
Friday night was a show at The Fleece, Ashton. A good crowd, a good night. Our setlist for August promises to be a real crowd pleaser. Last night, we played a cracking gig at The Cherry Gardens, Wigan.
10th:
The Red Brick at Leigh appears to be closed now. Another venue possibly gone. If you can recommend any venues, or suggest us to them, please let us know! Thanks!
11th:
Our New Year's eve gig at The Cherry Gardens, Wigan has been moved to Boxing Day, after a booking mix-up by the venue. Tonight we played at The Moses Gate Music Venue (for the first time with this line-up) and went down really well with the audience. Thanks to the people who came along especially to see us - that's very much appreciated.
On a low note, Ian H has given his notice in with a view to going to live abroad in the New Year. We will be very sorry to see him go and all wish him well !
To be realistic, we have had to start the search to find another musician.
If you think you know of someone who would fit in, ability and personality-wise and be prepared to do 4-6 shows a month, starting next year (with rehearsals to lead-in), please let us know.
Ian E's MySpace site for his old project THE BEATLESS has been removed by The Fabs' Feds. This goes to prove that some people have absolutely no sense of humour. Our other fine MySpace sites are still there.
Ian E has been alerted to this piece of footage on YouTube which he plays 12-string bass on (blink and you'll miss him, though he can certainly be HEARD!!)
13th:
The Beatless' MySpace page is back - for now - see here.
14th:
The 'jam night' at The Eagle again - not really a jam night, really more of an open mic night - as acts get up and do their stuff and there's little spontaneous stuff going on, which is not really the point at this particular evening. An enjoyable evening. The Incredibles did their sterling stuff once again. Howie Rocks.
The Kerbcrawlers spot was cut quite short due to a very late start due to football, watched by half a dozen people in another room, guitar tuning problems and poor old Steve being exhausted, having turned up straight there, guitarless, straight from a long day at work.
17th:
A great gig at The New Inn, Walkden. Thanks very much to everyone who was there!
18th:
The Wheatsheaf Altrincham. Thanks to the people who came out specially to see us, much appreciated. The gig came to an abrupt halt as the landlord came over with a mobile phone, just as we were starting the encore. Colin's daughter Amy had suddenly been taken ill, so out went the Floyd tunes we were about to play, replaced by a quick canter through Teenage Kicks that would have had The Undertones in their prime keeling over with exhaustion. (A phone call the next morning confirms Amy is a lot better).
21st:
A couple of very good contenders are in the frame for the guitarist vacancy in our group. No names yet, sorry.
23rd:
Two gigs at The Boulevard, Wigan added to our gig list - Sept 21st and Dec 28th.
Bank holiday weekend:
A good show at The Queen's, Chorley on the Friday night. A shame they cancelled our show booked in for November a while ago, as we went down extremely well..... Next year, perhaps. We have been told of a few other local places to play.
Saturday night saw us play at The Lord Rodney, Warrington. This was our last show there this year, as they failed to book us in for the back end of the year and we are sort of full up now. A nice kebab afterwards.
Sunday saw Ian E shopping for basses in the lovely City of York, when another last-minute booking came in for Monday at The Woodlands Hotel, Blackburn, which turned out to be a very nice place to play. We hope to be back on there later this year, diaries permitting. Thanks very much for having us.
29th:
Sam's Bar, Appley Bridge have cancelled our gig there in December, as another band have approached them who haven't got a gig at the venue, and it seemed only fair to the venue that seeing as we had one in October, we could afford to lose the December gig. As this is a source of income for us, we will be using MU contracts for most shows next year.
31st:
The group now have a couple of weeks off from playing live, while Ian H works on his tan and plots a life of leisure in Spain over the next couple of weeks. We intend to try out a potential new guitarist next week.
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