Can you recall an Afro Rock band called ‘Osibisa’, they were cool at the time during the early 70’s. Things just used to fall into place in those days, I ‘accidentally’ wandered via a back door on stage and was instantly jumped on and given some maracas by one of the drummers, didn’t expect that. I spent the whole concert looking out on a sea of faces shaking these bloody things and crapping myself.
Happy days, where have they gone.

Saw them just last week! ARTE TV are doing a series of re-runs of TOTP and they were on it, sure you don’t need the initials explained!

Same place as the ten bob note, thruppenny bit and the farthing.:D

Remember their promotion symbol of the winged, flying African elephant, their performances were real fun, even without me!!

Thanks for the potted history of seaside cultural Pete, sad that it has to be connected to a tragedy.:(

I have a thing about piers, they are so much part of the British tradition, more so than we actually think.
Every time our landlocked Hungarian relatives come over, I take them to Cromer pier, it’s something they love and really appreciate, crabbing off Cromer pier is one of lifes great experiences, long may it continue.

Matey, it isn’t the old days anymore! It has to be said though, the 60’s was a time I’d love to have experienced, both for music and aviation. 🙂

Paul

P.S. Just out of curiosity, who was the band?

I know it ain’t the old days anymore, theres no way I could get away now with some of the things I did in the 60’s and 70’s, if you had the front and a bit of skill, in my case tuning up guitars by ear, or once even helping Rick Wakeman set up his Leslie cabinet. You could just wander over then and get involved with anyone, as long as you had something to offer and didn’t act like a starstruck pillock, it was a lot of fun in those days. It didn’t always turn out right though. I once ended up helping out on the mixing desk for Procul Harum in their heyday and the sound engineer, an American I recall, had been consuming such a cocktail of dope and whisky, that he passed out, leaving me in charge. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing, and when Gary Brooker pointed at me to put on the seagull sound for the start of ‘Salty Dog’, all I could do was look at him and shrug, I just ended up staring at a sea of buttons with constant black looks from the band.
The sound engineer eventually woke up with the words, ‘Well, I guess thats the end of my contract then’.
Some of my experiences were legendary, and a little sad as well, remember a great potential band called ‘Stone the Crows’. I ended up handing out the towels for them to wipe themselves down with between songs, it was a hot humid summer that year, the week after, the poor old lead guitarist got electrocuted and killed during a concert, his guitar shorted out on to the mike stand, bloody upset me, he was such a nice bloke.

The band? They were called Heaven, very popular on the festival front in the 60’s/70’s, they had an album out called ‘Brass Rock’, I’ve checked on Amazon and it’s available on CD, I bet it sounds naff now.

Can you recall an Afro Rock band called ‘Osibisa’, they were cool at the time during the early 70’s. Things just used to fall into place in those days, I ‘accidentally’ wandered via a back door on stage and was instantly jumped on and given some maracas by one of the drummers, didn’t expect that. I spent the whole concert looking out on a sea of faces shaking these bloody things and crapping myself.
Happy days, where have they gone.

Welcome to the wonderful world of festivals, Pete! Why do you think I avoid them? I’ve been to hundreds of festivals of all kinds across Europe but I’ve either been behind a mixing desk or on stage playing. I’ve been to (I think) one serious festival as a punter and it was years ago, and free. I avoid them simply because for the most part in an 80 band lineup there are only maybe 3 bands I’m actually half interested in seeing. If you go to a festival and have to sit through something you don’t really like… Tough. Have another beer or whatever and get over it! 🙂

Paul

Matey, I was probably going to major festivals before you were born, in the old days, it was possible to use a bit of subtlety and end up on the stage, I even got to play harmonica on stage with a famous band once, I’m sure that they thought I was a pain in the bum and decided it was a good way of getting rid of me, mind you, I thought I was quite good then, they seemed to think so too, but no-one ever complained, thats the way it was in the 60’s.

Just been watching some bats fly around the garden at least 2

I think there fruit bats so can anyone tell me what they eat and the chances of them comming back?

We have 2 apple tress in the garden so they might affect things

CHeers

Just make sure that Mick Dundee isn’t in the area!!!!

Bats are fantastic creatures, people for some reason are frightened of them, why, I don’t know.
We had them living in our roof at our last house, they used to come out at night through a small hole under the eaves, it was fascinating to watch, we felt honoured to have them living under our roof, they never caused any mess or disturbance, you wouldn’t know that they were there.
Last night was so hot that I crashed out in the garden on a lounger reading a book till nearly midnight, the bats were diving all over the place, it was a privilege to see them hunting for insects in our space.
Listen out for their calls, they are so high pitched, it’s all part of their radar like devices, unfortunately an old git like me can’t get up to their frequencies anymore, but madam and the youths can hear them, it’s so cool.
Bats should be greatly appreciated.

The gentle hissing of summer lawns – and amazing Grace

Imagine the scene – 91Regal’s mansion in a sleepy mid-Hertfordshire town, it’s 8 o’clock in the evening. The Lord of the Manor has unravelled his borrowed hosepipe, connected it to next door’s outside tap, and started to irrigate his prized exotic blooms. Deep in reverie, reflecting upon the truth contained in Pink Floyds perceptive song title ‘The gentle hissing of summer lawns’ when his highly attuned ears pick out a distinctive note from the air. He looks southward, to see in the distance a familiar shape swooping earthwards. It’s a bit late in the day for the BBMF to be out, so he suspects who it might be. Ten minutes or so later familiar shape reappears in distance, flying east. ‘Oh well’ he thinks ‘won’t be able to confirm my suspicion about who that was’. Returns to watering the ornamental flowerbeds around the gazebo, when distinctive noise becomes apparent again, but much louder this time. Rushes through the garage, bumping into the family Bentley and treading on the family Whippet in his haste. In the road outside stands transfixed as Carolyn and ML407 finish their buzz of Panshanger airfield and rocket skyward, throttle back and head for home and dinner. ‘Ah’ he thinks ‘it’s the unexpected treats in life that are often the best’.
The short version – Carolyn was doing a private somewhere near WGC this evening (wedding? birthday?) and beat up Panshanger on her way back to Dux. Amazing, Ms Grace, and thank you.

Sorry, ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns’ was by Joni Mitchell, Pink Floyd had nothing to do with it, unless she pinched the title off of them, I’m going to find out now it’s one of those odd tracks on Ummagumma aren’t I!

Yesterday they must have had a fly in at the farm strip at Rayne, or Andrewsfield, or maybe it was a coincidence. It was great, light aircraft overhead all day, I’m under the landing pattern and they get very low and slow. I’m rubbish at identifying them, but some of them looked pretty interesting all the same, I recognised an Su, Extra 400 and what I believe was a Stinson.
Best bit was during last nights wonderfully balmy evening, a microlight going at full bore was given a very very close escort from a light aircraft while another was flying around them, not Spits or Mustangs, but a very entertaining afternoon and evening flying from people who probably don’t get appreciated half the time, well done, whoever you were, we loved it.