42%

Drinking 42% beer is not a good idea. Especially when accompanied by all manner of craft beers of varying strength and texture (including chocolate/coffee). Washing it all down with pissy lager is the height of uncouth, but such are the decisions made in the grip of an excellent and most entertaining evening.

The main event was the JD McPherson band which I booked before JD was played all over Radio2. The heavily rockabilly crowd seemed very pleased with themselves to claim ownership of Mr McP and leave no room for squares. Ever since Imelda May reached wider popularity for her music I welcome these sorts of acts gaining broader audiences. The squares may never understand the style and the culture of the scene but they ensure the survival of a music scene I love. The band performed with the fluid style you only get when you live for the music, Jimmy Sutton makes playing the bass seem easy and laid back while JD himself fleshes out the brilliant production of the album with fantastic playing and singing. Initially the choice of support act, Sean Rowe, seemed odd but I really enjoyed the contrast; again another great performer with a mighty voice.

I will be doing it all again next time they visit the UK including the 42% beer.

Beard Token

Because if you have a beard you need one*

(* in Russia in 1705)

Get one here.

Identity parade

For a few years now I have had a self imposed embargo on buying new t-shirts because, frankly, I am a t-shirt junkie. Part of the situation is my inability to throw any of them away and, despite the embargo, I have bought the odd t-shirt that for one reason or another I felt I could not live without.

So now I have a pile of t-shirts that are thread-bare, yellowed, and/or generally unwearable but I still can't bring myself to throw them away. But I have to be brave and repurpose these wearable statements of my identity to useable lint-free cloth that can clean grease from motorcycle parts so that I can buy some new ones to wear.

So here is the start of an ongoing archive of those items now passing into legend.

This repro Roth Rat Fink shirt was passed down to me by my ex-girlfriends ex-husband who got it when he was panel beating for car builder Stinky Pete in LA (I think). I've worn it til the spaces between the print have completely worn away. I will cut out the front of the shirt complete with Rat Fink himself and use it as a guitar cleaning and polishing rag.

Farewell old friend.

ISDT

Oooh.... 100 year anniversary of the International Six Day Trial is returning to the location of the first event which just happens to be my back yard.

I'm just waiting on details to see how to enter and then decide whether to smash up the Harley, the Triumph or get a new bike. Decisions!

Fear

Mouth dry, heart pumping and all non-vital body functions shut down as I got to a certain point beyond which I knew I couldn't climb back down. The only way onwards was upwards. I fought the mountain, the snow and myself and eventually got up to where everyone was waiting for me. I had done it and conquered my fears. Planning the short route left to the summit I nonchalantly ask which way we will descend- back down the gully that just now nearly broke my will. It turned out easier than I thought but then again I thought it was impossible. It was good to feel the fear and push through it, it was good to get the non-vital body function back.

Like a dog

with two dicks- King Dick adjustable; part wrench, part vice, all meat, no potato.

Voodoo Tiki

I was trawling eBay looking for that special something vaguely tagged as Tiki and could find nothing except plastic tat. Bar a couple of retailers, the UK is mostly devoid of Tiki culture so I made this myself. The research and development was quite lengthy and there are more discarded than I have left but this is the final draft- what I've come to call The Voodoo Tiki Carved Resin Woodblock Monkey Glow Skull. As suggested in the name this little beauty glows in the dark! Mental! If you want one lets haggle a price cos I have no idea what they are worth what with their magical protective powers and all.

Beware of forgeries, fakes and copyright theft. They shall be forever curse'd and despise'd.