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Post by robbiegong on Jan 1, 2024 17:33:05 GMT
How did you find 2023 ? Glad to see the back of it ? High points, system or otherwise ? Low points, system or otherwise ?  For myself, wouldn't say I'm glad to see the back of it, one way or the other. Highpoints: - Me, my wife and daughters spent Christmas 22/New year 2023 in the summer sunshine of Sydney Australia, with my son who lives there, my best Christmas / New Year. - Continued to enjoy current system probably more than any other time in the game, sounding great, just the music and no meddling. - My group and I did our first live gig for 32 years. I'd knocked back untold requests to appear on certain bills with other reggae - lovers rock artists but no matter how I tried I just couldnt knock this one back and found I'd committed to it without realising i had until it dawned on me I had ....   turned out to be a great night, the paying public loved it. Unfortunately the team that usually film all these shows were not there that night - sods law, here's a clip uploaded of the opening number .. Low points - Lost a very dear friend at 57 a genuinely lovely guy who was one of the first group of people I met when I arrived in London, fresh from Leeds, just out of school in 1981. He and a group of us would do all the stuf young carefree teenagers do. He was the one who brought me to what we called The Academy in Deptford, where young people could hang out, play and learn instruments etc. Here first bands and first band, music performance and stage experience was realised. He called me up when he came across a flyer on Facebook of this show and told me he wasnt missing it for anything, he hugged me and cried when I came off stage, it was his last gig out, It means a lot to me that he was there. |
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Post by macca on Jan 2, 2024 19:31:27 GMT
I didn't know you were in a band. That's cool. Got a good groove going on there, too.
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Post by rexton on Jan 2, 2024 19:51:12 GMT
Mixed! Overall not a bad year. |
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Post by stevew on Jan 2, 2024 21:08:54 GMT
How did you find 2023 ? Glad to see the back of it ? High points, system or otherwise ? Low points, system or otherwise ? For myself, wouldn't say I'm glad to see the back of it, one way or the other. Highpoints: - Me, my wife and daughters spent Christmas 22/New year 2023 in the summer sunshine of Sydney Australia, with my son who lives there, my best Christmas / New Year. - Continued to enjoy current system probably more than any other time in the game, sounding great, just the music and no meddling. - My group and I did our first live gig for 32 years. I'd knocked back untold requests to appear on certain bills with other reggae - lovers rock artists but no matter how I tried I just couldnt knock this one back and found I'd committed to it without realising i had until it dawned on me I had .... turned out to be a great night, the paying public loved it. Unfortunately the team that usually film all these shows were not there that night - sods law, here's a clip uploaded of the opening number .. Low points - Lost a very dear friend at 57 a genuinely lovely guy who was one of the first group of people I met when I arrived in London, fresh from Leeds, just out of school in 1981. He and a group of us would do all the stuf young carefree teenagers do. He was the one who brought me to what we called The Academy in Deptford, where young people could hang out, play and learn instruments etc. Here first bands and first band, music performance and stage experience was realised. He called me up when he came across a flyer on Facebook of this show and told me he wasnt missing it for anything, he hugged me and cried when I came off stage, it was his last gig out, It means a lot to me that he was there. What an excellent video! Good for you. So pleased for you that your mate was there. Out of curiosity, you don’t mean The Albany in Deptford? Important place for me and my mate in the early 80’s. |
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Post by robbiegong on Jan 2, 2024 21:49:45 GMT
How did you find 2023 ? Glad to see the back of it ? High points, system or otherwise ? Low points, system or otherwise ? For myself, wouldn't say I'm glad to see the back of it, one way or the other. Highpoints: - Me, my wife and daughters spent Christmas 22/New year 2023 in the summer sunshine of Sydney Australia, with my son who lives there, my best Christmas / New Year. - Continued to enjoy current system probably more than any other time in the game, sounding great, just the music and no meddling. - My group and I did our first live gig for 32 years. I'd knocked back untold requests to appear on certain bills with other reggae - lovers rock artists but no matter how I tried I just couldnt knock this one back and found I'd committed to it without realising i had until it dawned on me I had .... turned out to be a great night, the paying public loved it. Unfortunately the team that usually film all these shows were not there that night - sods law, here's a clip uploaded of the opening number .. Low points - Lost a very dear friend at 57 a genuinely lovely guy who was one of the first group of people I met when I arrived in London, fresh from Leeds, just out of school in 1981. He and a group of us would do all the stuf young carefree teenagers do. He was the one who brought me to what we called The Academy in Deptford, where young people could hang out, play and learn instruments etc. Here first bands and first band, music performance and stage experience was realised. He called me up when he came across a flyer on Facebook of this show and told me he wasnt missing it for anything, he hugged me and cried when I came off stage, it was his last gig out, It means a lot to me that he was there. What an excellent video! Good for you. So pleased for you that your mate was there. Out of curiosity, you don’t mean The Albany in Deptford? Important place for me and my mate in the early 80’s. That's the one Steve, In fact the actual place where the young folk could gather, learn and play instruments, form bands etc was an associated place, over the road on Watson street which was an old Mortuary, some us knew it as the Morg', the local authority gave it over for this music youth provision. Me and a number of us did our first live band, stage performances at the Albany Empire, as a result of association with the 'Morg' on Watson Street, fresh as a daisy, this was all part of the start, I give thanks for this and wish youths now had more of these kind of places and opportunities to keep them occupied and off the streets. vibes were different then, we were safe, didnt fight, barely a disagreement - black, white, everyone tight, playing music as one. Jo was a white bro, playing drums, his brother Paul on keyboards, reggae was there thing, great times. Yes indeed, bless my mate Lloyd, lovely lovely guy, not a bad bone in him, hit many hard his passing but he'd been unwell and of poor health for a while but didn't bang on about it |
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Post by stevew on Jan 2, 2024 22:04:47 GMT
Fantastic
My mates mum was part of establishing the Albany and getting funding/ money raising.
Real proper social conscience.
An extraordinary place.
You were in good company, they really helped out a young lad called Mark Knopfler who had a beat combo called Dire Staits.
I wonder what happened to them.
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Post by robbiegong on Jan 2, 2024 22:18:38 GMT
Fantastic My mates mum was part of establishing the Albany and getting funding/ money raising. Real proper social conscience. An extraordinary place. You were in good company, they really helped out a young lad called Mark Knopfler who had a beat combo called Dire Staits. I wonder what happened to them. Extraordinary indeed! I really wish government would get back to that vital, grass roots, community stuf and make it easier for local authority to provide such essential facilities for young people, keeping them off the streets, occupied in something they enjoy. Looks like Mark and Level 42 are still doing the occasional show and will be at the Idigo late this year www.level42.com/event-listing/#:~:text=The%20band's%20commercial%20peak%20came,The%20O2%20in%20November%202024! |
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Post by stevew on Jan 2, 2024 22:34:08 GMT
Fantastic My mates mum was part of establishing the Albany and getting funding/ money raising. Real proper social conscience. An extraordinary place. You were in good company, they really helped out a young lad called Mark Knopfler who had a beat combo called Dire Staits. I wonder what happened to them. Extraordinary indeed! I really wish government would get back to that vital, grass roots, community stuf and make it easier for local authority to provide such essential facilities for young people, keeping them off the streets, occupied in something they enjoy. Looks like Mark and Level 42 are still doing the occasional show and will be at the Idigo late this year www.level42.com/event-listing/#:~:text=The%20band's%20commercial%20peak%20came,The%20O2%20in%20November%202024! Call me the eternal optimist, but I think it’s coming. Might take a while.. but it’s what people want. |
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Post by hifinutt on Jan 3, 2024 10:28:02 GMT
great thread . High points were a beautiful grandson arriving who is a miracle baby really considering circumstances
also the rebuild we have been planning with folks in the community finally started after years of planning and much angst
low points was losing several very precious people , one taken far too early
even lower point was a person moving into one of the deceased properties causing HUGE amounts of stress and still does
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Post by robbiegong on Jan 3, 2024 10:36:53 GMT
great thread . High points were a beautiful grandson arriving who is a miracle baby really considering circumstances also the rebuild we have been planning with folks in the community finally started after years of planning and much angst low points was losing several very precious people , one taken far too early even lower point was a person moving into one of the deceased properties causing HUGE amounts of stress and still does Wow, a real contrast there Phil, Grandson and community re-build are amazing highlights - congratulations ! Losing folk is never easy and hopefully the 'invader' will be dealt with properly - time is the master.... |
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Post by hifinutt on Jan 3, 2024 14:55:37 GMT
thanks Robbie , yes i am sure it will work itself out , all part of lifes trials and tribulations which hopefully makes one better not bitter !!
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turned out to be a great night, the paying public loved it. Unfortunately the team that usually film all these shows were not there that night - sods law, here's a clip uploaded of the opening number .. 
