Old Punks Never Die

On the bike again and now everything aches, thankfully the calf no more than anything else, but I’m not as badly off as L.

Her boss advises her to sit back and do nothing all weekend, although she’s has just had a fortnight of doing practically nothing. It seems that going back to work that was her downfall.

Of course she kicks off her ‘do nothing’ weekend by mowing the lawn. That’s not exactly doing nothing but it desperately needed doing. MD could barely find his ball.

After which I hope she doesn’t collapse on me, as we’re at a gig tonight and one that L talked me into.

They say that old punks never die and as if to prove that statement we are at Rock City tonight to welcome back the Skids, the latest of that generation to reform. They have dabbled with minor reformation in the past but this time it’s for real, with a full UK tour to celebrate their 40th anniversary and there’s even a new album ‘Burning Cities’ in the offing.

Also still around, and from the same era, are support act Angelic Upstarts. We only catch the end of their set, so it would be unfair to comment on them really, only to say that they went down very well with the crowd.

Of course there is one old punk who sadly disproves that statement. Obviously Stuart Adamson can’t be here but original members Richard Jobson and William Simpson are, along with drummer Mike Baillie who joined the band a few albums in.

As the band opening with ‘Animation’ one thing was absolutely clear, that Jobson had certainly not lost the desire to not only throw himself into every song but around the stage too.

The question was could he last the distance. As he windmilled his way through ‘Of One Skin’ and ‘Melancholy Soldiers’ it was clear that he was certainly going to give it a damn good go.

Thereby followed an all-inclusive run through of the band’s singles and better known album tracks, with the likes of ‘Working For The Yankee Dollar’ and ‘The Saints Are Coming’ going down particularly well.

Stepping into Adamson’s very large shoes tonight was, rather appropriately, his former Big Country band mate Bruce Watson. As Jobson paid tribute to Adamson prior to ‘Scared to Dance’, Rock City erupted in a huge round of applause in his memory.

Watson had brought with him his son, Jamie, to play rhythm guitar and also to become target of a mid-set sing along of ‘Ed Sheeran is a wanker’, as he does bear a passing resemblance.

Back to the music and there was little you could think of that the band didn’t play, from début single ‘Charles’ through to the epic ‘The Olympian’ with Jobson still going strong. I was sort of worried he would collapse and I think he was too, admitting he was knackered and not quite his old younger self any more. Then he was off into motion again with another one legged scissor kick, only occasionally grabbing a sneaky rest as he delivered one of his engaging but often unfathomable anecdotes about the band.

The finale was stunning. The excellent ‘A Woman In Winter’ lead into ‘Circus Games’, then ‘Masquerade’ before they finished with ‘Into the Valley’.

They return quickly to play ‘Charade’ and then the song that Jobson threatened not to play if anyone badgered him for it. Namely ‘TV Stars’, the original flipside to ‘Into The Valley’, revamped slightly with Boris Johnson and Theresa May included in the lyrics but still (obviously) with it’s singalong ‘Albert Tatlock’ chorus.

They return for a second time and reprise 'Of One Skin' claiming they’ve run out of material. It’s perhaps slightly odd that they refrain from previewing anything from their new album but I suppose tonight is really all about the last 40 years.

Now I am no hard core Skids fan but tonight was pretty special. Welcome back to the best (and only) punk band from Scotland, so says Jobson’s mother anyway.

Afterwards L talks me into crafty drink at Blue Monkey, she really is a bad influence. It’s a good call as they have Chocolate Gorilla on. 

(Friday 1^st September)

Out Of Depth

A lie-in is just what you need after a night on the Chocolate Gorilla and thankfully that is what we have today.

Derby have another TV game today at 1:15pm, our 104^th of the season so far (approximately) and it’s only October. The team turn in by far their best performance of the season and defeat a decent Wolves side 4-2.

During the game I get a text message which simply says ‘4:30 Beeston Tesco car park’. This sounds very seedy and highly dubious but I go of course. L is there with some storage boxes that need transporting home.

Then in the evening I have my first ever SQT (Structured Quality Training) session on the track at Derby Velodrome. I am allowed in these now that I have my track accreditation.

When I arrive the place is a hive of activity. It was already worrying that I seemed to be one of only a few who didn’t come with their own track bike slung over their shoulder. Now I see that these people also have their own sets of rollers as well which they put their bikes on and then engage in a sweat dripping warmup. The phrase ‘seriously out of my depth’ springs quickly to mind. At least I have my own shoes now... but nobody seems to be noticing.

Actually there really was no need for a warm up because the first thing the coach does is sets the lap board to 30 and get us doing laps with changes off the front. See, I know the lingo. The pace starts quick, then gets quicker before proceeding to the ridiculous. The lap board reaches zero but the session doesn’t stop and we probably do another 30, at least. By now we’re doing sprints off the front to catch up the tail of the riders in front and my legs are about to explode. This isn’t helped by the fact my saddle is a touch too low. I’ll adjust it when we stop, if we stop.

Eventually we do. I try to be cool and not collapse into a heap. Thankfully I am not the only feeling the pace.

After that is does get easier. We do a few races included an Elimination race and a Keirin albeit without the motorbike. They split us into A & B groups for these. B being for the mere mortals like I.

My sole aim in the Elimination race is to not be out first, I’m third out and happy with that. Having repeatedly tried to go around everyone by going up the track and seen everyone come underneath me, I realise that my tactics need serious revision for next time.

So I decide to try a different approach in the Keirin and decide to stubbornly hog the inside line. If the buggers want to pass they can go around the long way. This works well and I come fourth.

My Dad and L are there to sweep up the remaining pieces of me afterwards and carry me to the pub. After all that I need a pint. We head to the Smithfield where I sample their own Smithy Ale, which is actually Derby Brewery brewed.

Then home for a takeaway curry.

(Sunday 18^th October)

Synchronised

Again we manage to synchronise a parkrun and a dog show, this time in Shrewsbury. None of my events are early on at the dog show, so I decide to join L in the run much to her surprise.

It is my fourth parkrun but my first without MD and I run a PB by about two minutes. So obviously he needs to up his game if he wishes to join me next time.

L has already upped her game, so she might be running with me next time instead of MD. She sets a new PB at 30:01, obviously she’s gutted at missing the big 30 by one second, particularly as I watch timed her at about 29:50. This is what you get for starting way back and taking ten seconds or more to get over the start line. I’ve told her so many times to put herself on the front row.

Back at the dog show, MD is still not hitting his contacts so the agility runs are a bit of a washout. In the jumping he is much more consistent and we get two clear rounds but we’re outside the rosettes in both.

Back in Nottingham we head out into town and once we find the Chocolate Gorilla sitting on the bar in the Blue Monkey pub. So naturally we stay there all night.

(Saturday 17^th October)

The Gorilla Is Normal

L runs the Wilne 10k today, while I watch and continue to nurse my aches from last weekend. We did the first Wilne 10k back in 2011 but haven’t been back since. It is now sponsored by Western Power Distribution, whoever they are, and consists of the same flat fast-ish one and three quarter loop course. Sadly for us ravenous spectators there is no bacon butty stall.

Late afternoon we go to the Hand & Heart for Sunday lunch, then we move onto the Blue Monkey for hopefully some Chocolate Gorilla. Sadly all the Gorilla is normal today. So we move to first the Falcon and then the Borlase. 

(Sunday 6^th September)