We enjoyed another interesting gig at the Oval Tavern a week or so ago. Pete Miles depped on drums for Dino Coccia and Alan Vincent was on guitar. Chris Youlden was back with us after his illness and Jim Mercer was on bass.We had a good time and so did some other people, which was where the interesting thing comes in.

Gigi and I travelled down to East Croydon by train and whilst I set up my gear she settled down with a bottle of wine. Nothing new there then. Unfortunately once the gig got under way she was found herself  next to some very drunk people at the adjoining table. For me to call someone else than myself very drunk surely gives you the picture. Anyway, during the interval I tried to have a chat with Gigs but was continually interrupted by two of the drunks, two brothers who had just become converts to blues music, or our version of it. At least that was what they kept telling me and do drunks lie? (Actually I’m sure I do occasionally, thought that’s probably down to drunken bravado.)

I eventually resumed the second set and carried on playing unaware that the drunks had been thrown out. Ah the pleasures of being sober. Thus I lost three more fans to the evil  nectar. Gigs and I stopped behind with the governor and the bar staff for consolation which included more tha one drink, but as Gigs was working the next day, we didn’t stay quite so long as we might have been tempted to do. Of course we had been partying pretty heavily for a week or so and indeed continued  to do so for the days following, with the result that Gigs eventually had to have a day off to recover. Nothing new there then.

Top Topham, the original Yardbirds guitarist called around last week as he’s just moved into the district so we did some catching up. We’d played together for a while at the The old Station Tavern in the Top Topham / Jim McCarty band, which also included Detroit gutarist singer  John Idan. Jim of course is still carrying on his Yardbird stint. Top says he is likely to come to our gig at the Inn on the Green tonight so we’ll see if we can get him up for a spot, which will allow Chris to put down his guitar and strut his front man stuff. Should be a good gig.