This is an image that just won’t fade – 19th July 1994

Then up to Old Sarum, the old town of Salisbury in Roman times, with magnificent views, particularly of the Roman roads that met their 2000 years back. We sunbathed and slid down banks, climbed up them and avoided paying to get in. A way cool place – go see.

We videoed some wildflowers and wild insects and then headed home to Poole where Broni, Rob, John and I went down the pub for dinner and a couple of beers to celebrate/commiserate, before walking down to Kerry’s to watch a video. Unfortunately we picked Body of Evidence. What crap! Nuff said.

So’s, after watching a bit of the third-place play-off in the World Cup (Sweden well ahead though still don’t know the final score) we stumbled home drunkenly and guess what? I can’t remember anything else of that night. Ho-hum.

But Sunday, once again I woke wrapped in Broni and let’s just say we didn’t get up for an hour or two us being too interested in each other. But breakfasted on, then mad rushed us fab foul four again to the beach to meet Chrissy, Sharon (Steve’s sister), Amanda (Chrissy’s daughter), Luke (Sharon’s son – The maddest baddest little bastard ever! And of course exceptionally cute in his few years of age – totally lovable!) and Jennifer (Amanda and Luke’s friend). So for five hours, we played football, catch, volleyball, frisbee and Luke’s special game ‘knock you over and jump on top of you and throw sand in your face!’ We all spent most of the day laughing and playing and having good old-fashioned childish fun. You can’t begrudge that can you?

Exhausted we came home, Rob back up to Southampton, me and John to watch the football (sprawled out in the front room) and Broni upstairs to watch the film ‘She’ll Be Wearing Pink Pyjamas’. The football, the World Cup final, was a slight disappointment though reasonably entertaining and a shame to be settled on penalties at the end, sparking the age-old debate of how to settle a stalemate match. It being late and us exhausted we still found some enthusiasm for an idea would come up with holding a party on the Saturday before we are evicted. The cunning bitch Julie left on Saturday afternoon, thankfully, which is an immense relief all round – the last we hear from her I hope though we may have to chase her up for bills sooner or later.

And so it came to Monday – the day of little occurrence of note, save John and I playing frisbee up at the park, in the most delicate beautiful rain and humidity, till darkness swamped the evening. When I got back me and Broni played silly buggers till bedtime recharging ourselves with each other’s love and closeness.

We also, over the weekend, decided that if Rob comes to Oz for the wedding, he’ll be our best man. Hey man, cool – will ask him soon. And everything will be mad frenzy now, packing, sorting, writing letters, changing addresses, closing bank accounts and fucking partying. Go dudes! Oh yes, good can come from bad – just watch us prove it.

(Later) Phew. It’s scorching hot, preparation for the coming summer in Australia (destiny – what the card!) Drove across some wide-open land today, fields upon fields of corn and crops, cows and the bull. Down dusty tired tracks by dung heaps, open space is like…it’s like….freedom. At the end of that journey was a farm with a pretty farmer’s daughter and her way cute two-year-old (I’m guessing) and a handsome farm boy who would charm the undies off a nun if maybe he wasn’t the village idiot, knowing nothing else but muck and chicken shit. (This is all in my mind of course – who knows what these people may do by night. I could see this guy at some nightclub bar with a queue of girls lined up to caress his rippling muscles – like I said, who knows?)

And I’m out in the sticks now, driving through some sleepy village that even has two names, like one had forgotten and another thought up – and imagine the village war between the farmers and the petrol pump attendant families over which name to use (out here they may still have a say – imagine us try to change the name of Bournemouth to Old Bastard or something).

And I gets to thinking, seeing some old dude bent over double with age, where I might be in 100 years time. Hmm? And I was thinking of something Rollins wrote which I’ll write ye down when I get home and maybe I’ll find a connection. Anyway, think about where you will be every year for the next 100 years okay – see what you come up with (go for it I say).

The innocents can all sleep safely – 18th July 1994

That day sure was young and nothing would have prepared us for the events of the evening. Here goes. As Broni and I sat eating our tea in the garden in the beautiful evening sun, Julie (evil soul) turned up and proudly announced she been to a solicitor and had got the letter stopping John and I from ‘harassing’ her and not allowing us to kick her out within two days. She said she’d go as soon as possible and well, I didn’t really care so long as she was on her way.

Then, pow! She said she’d spoken to Tony, our agent, and he said the owners wanted to put the house on the market so the tenancy wasn’t going to be renewed. This meant we had until the first of August to get out. Well I wasn’t impressed, just another of her lies (though I didn’t think she’d go that far – which was worrying, maybe there was some truth in it!?). Well, we just walked away and the phone rang and it was Tony, who was confirming that this was true. Wow! What a fucking bombshell!

He said the owners had heard about all the trouble and decided not to renew the tenancy. He was saying it was all down to Julie, according to him, and, of course, she was happy as hell. I was fucking furious that we should have to carry the can for her actions but Broni managed to calm me down and at the end of the day we figured it may work out quite well for us. We get everything packed and ready to send to Oz, move to Kerry’s while she’s away in Japan (for all of August) and basically have a good time for the last eight weeks here. A catalystic turnaround. Sure, our wonderful home won’t be there for our comfort but we’d have to leave sometime anyway.

Michelle was a bit upset too and had a few other ideas that maybe we weren’t getting the whole truth out of Tony and our minds were working overtime. John didn’t get back till about 11 and we shellshocked him with the news. We thought about our rights and all that stuff but me and Broni decided we’d go anyway – we had nothing to gain from contest ing the decision.

Friday, I was kind of shellshocked about the huge turnaround and thankfully Julie was out most of the day. She did come back in the evening though and so did the police! To see her! I tried to find out from the cop what it was about but he wouldn’t tell me, I did overhear her saying, “I’ve got the receipt” and him saying “Make a statement at the station as soon as you can.” Not till I mentioned this to Broni and she said it maybe about the video Tony took from her (which she had offered up to him against rent payment). Fucking hell – it all happens doesn’t it?

While all this was going on, Rob came down in the afternoon and we had a great time going through our poetry. By the time Broni was back home, we decided we needed Indian food and beer! An excellent meal in the evening provided us with pleasant relief from our mini stress out! Picking up a couple of bottles of wine, we got drunk watching our home movies and John Otway and passed out soon after.

In the morning we headed out, the three of us, across the lovely English countryside fields, red with poppies or blue with other flora, up to Salisbury to check on our wedding rings! I wanted a bit more done to mine but Broni was happy with hers – it being different to how we imagined, now a two piece affair – like an engagement ring that fits perfectly into the wedding band and when put together looks just like one ring.

We took Rob around the town which was very enjoyable in the hot noonday sun. I must tell you this boyish joke occurrence that happened to us totally by accident. We checked out Pizza Hut for some food and were being served by a pretty, friendly girl. I jokingly introduced her to Rob saying “By the way, this is Rob – listen to what he says ‘cos Rob is God”. ‘Rob is God’ was spray-painted by Steve on his amplifier and is a cool insert picture on the Thirst 7″ single). Rob, laterally (and literally) thinking, blurted out “It says so on my 7 inch!” We all burst out laughing and I apologetically tried to explain he’d got a record out! She was cool about it too.

Checked out the cathedral and sweet shop, getting some Jelly Bellies that came in such weird and wonderful colours and flavours such as buttered popcorn, cream soda, watermelon etc. Yum!

John Otway and Attila The Stockbroker – Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK – 12th April 1991

12th Apr 2023 – I have no memory of this at all. I saw John and Attila a couple of times in Bournemouth and Southampton around this time period which I do have vague memories of. I’m surprised about this one as Salisbury Arts Centre is a quite memorable space as it is inside a church, not great for sound but as you can see from the picture the stain-glassed windows make for a nice backdrop.
Perhaps the problem with my memory is that I also saw Cardiacs here and that memory is much clearer due to it being filmed and released as All That Glitters Is A Mare’s Nest which I watch quite often.

*(?), (Zen), Manitou, The Cat – Academy, Bournemouth, UK – 25th February 1985

The Week That Was

Record of the week: Atrox – Screaming At Deaf Ears demo, Manitou – Something Happened (live)

25th February 1985
Work was pretty boring. Mike’s back but I’m not talking to him and he’s getting the message. Pulled a muscle in my back. Got home, watched Grange Hill. Rode down to Bournemouth. Managed to find The Academy. Saw a Brighton group called The Cat – ok. Manitou – good (had a laser show). Sold two singles. Fucking foggy.
7

26th February 1985
Only slept 5 and a half hours last night. Cos I started talking to Mike he’s fucking following me again. He nearly started crying cos he fucked up an order. Had a good game of football. Not going to Salisbury tonight. Some timber course or something. Came home. Don’t remember what I did tonight. Went to sleep at 9.30.
5

27th February 1985
Woke up at 6.30. Decided not to go to college. Went back to sleep. Didn’t get up til 3.30. (Slept 18 hours!) Felt pretty dizzy and tired. Drum kits falling apart. Went down Youth Club. Felt like I was pissed. Had a go at Bennett cos he pissed around on my bike on Sunday. He said he didn’t but he finally admitted it, so I had another go and went and told his mum. Came home.
3

28th February 1985
Went to work today. Can’t remember a lot of what happened today. I can remember what happened tonight though. Me, Muz and Crabb had a laugh around Gaunts. Took the piss out of Jasper. Went back to Muz’s. Recorded some shit. It was as well.
5

1st March 1985
Went to work. Left at ten to go to Winton for Sales Training. Mr Andrews was there, I said I wasn’t going to be there in the afternoon. So Mr Andrews chucked me off the scheme cos I walked out. Told MJ. Went to Job Centre. Came home. Went to sleep. Made appointment for interview tomorrow. Spent an hour looking for everyone. They raided Dumpton. Jasper, the twat, nicked a fire extinguisher.
6

2nd March 1985
Got up late. Went down Gaunts. Everyone was pissed off with each other. Went home. Went to Wimborne. Had interview at 4. Sounds like good work – hope I get it. Came back after an hour. Scott was gonna get some videos but didn’t, so had a game of Spotlight. Took the piss out of Crabby. Came home. Film last night – Mean Streets.
7

3rd March 1985
Got up at 10. Rode down to Wareham. Got train to Dorchester. My singing was pretty bad so Paul said. Didn’t do a lot otherwise. Came back. Borrowed Young Ones book and Toy Dolls LP and demo. Came back. I think I stayed in this evening. Young Ones book is good too.
6