Off the chest time

Now I know I wear my heart on my sleeve and people can tell how I’m feeling just by looking at me. I’ve suffered this all my life but I think it’s what makes me me.

Now since last week, I’ve been mulling something over in my head and I really need to get it off my chest. It’s to do with human nature and to be honest it’s always annoyed me.

You may know that I come from a showman’s family and as such am part of a close knit community. I spent the formative years of my life settled down in Seaside towns looking after Arcades and Bingos and left home at 20 and went travelling on fairgrounds.

Now what’s bugging me today revolves about a few events that happened to me between the ages of 20 and 21 and were to do with lorries, engines and the like.

Last week, I went to a surprise 50^th birthday party for a showman that I’ve known for years. It’s always good to see old friends, and yet I only stayed for around 2 hours and then came home.

Why? Because I’m sick of being reminded of things that happened 30 odd years ago that seem to be all that certain people remember about me. Oh yes it was so funny wasn’t it? Maybe if I was in your shoes, but personally I’m sick of hearing about it. Oh and yes, I love having the mickey taken out of me. It’s one of the joys of my life….yeah sure.

Do you know what? I’ve lived a full life since then and yet they only seem to be able to talk about my mishaps. Now it’s not even that big a thing, but I’ll tell you what, I’ve achieved loads of things since then and what’s more I’ll continue to do so. But to say it doesn't grate would be an understatement.

It’s probably why I tend to keep myself to myself. I’ve always found that people love to take the mickey or run people down. Why is that?

I do believe I’m a sensitive soul at heart, and that makes me vulnerable to certain things, but I like who I am, and don’t feel the need to take the crap anymore.

The funny thing is that the same people who like to remind me of my mishaps, are supposedly the people I’ve always called my friends. I’m beginning to wonder whether I need new ones!

What I'm Listening To - T Rex - Electric Warrior

I really didn't appreciate this album when it came out. But then again I was only 11 at the time. I have to say though hearing songs like 'Jeepster ', 'Hot Love' and 'Get It On' (by the way it's not 'Bang A Gong') takes me back to a time when I was starting to feel my feet musically.

I'd grown up listening to my Dad's reel to reel tapes with the hits of the late 50s and early 60s, and then my brother's forays into the world of Motown, Stax and Atlantic in the mid 60s, and by the time the 70s rolled around I was beginning to get an idea of what my music was.

Obviously I'd been influenced the the music I'd heard but all of a sudden I was hearing music that hadn't been theirs. One thing I discovered was that I loved all sorts of songs, but I was more of a singles kid. The only albums I bought were compilations of greatest hits.

Singles wise, I was loving Freda Payne, Chairmen Of The Board and Stevie Wonder. But Lee Marvin's Wandrin' Star was a favourite too. And then Glam started! I didn't know it as Glam then,

As my Dad said - 'Have you seen those soppy twats dressed like women?' And I went looking!

But I digress...

Back to the album.

The first time I heard it was in 1972 at a fairground in Crowthorne. I come from a fairground family and was visiting my sister. I was walking past David Traylen's Octopus, and it was playing on the ride.

It sounded great hearing it out of big speakers and I had to listen to it all because I wanted to hear the songs I knew.

I decided I had to buy it and when I went home I went down to the local record shop and forked out my money to get it.

And since then I've played it quite a bit. Not recently though. In fact not in ages.

I don't think it's as good as The Slider, but as I listen to it now, it brings back loads of memories from back then,

I never did get 'glammed up', but I can remember many that did.

Marc Bolan was more talented than I thought he was back then and this album sounds so good 40 odd years after it was recorded.