Let's Groove

The open mic night that I have recently started performing at, has, as previously mentioned, a very diverse range of acts. The audience consists of people from every walk of life and would keep several marketing firms in business for a few years, should they wish to undertake some market research. One particular lady is always accompanied by her wheeled shopping bag/trolley. Not that strange, I guess, apart from the fact that she has to cart the blessed thing up a fairly substantial flight of stairs to get to the room where the event is held. She must, truly LOVE the music!

My favourite character, it has to be said, is Nigel. Our Nige' is a proper Rock 'n' Roll casualty, who looks like a cross between Ned Flanders and Beavis and Butthead's Hippy Teacher, David Van Driessen. I am not one to judge a tome by it's cover, but, my guess is that Nige' and Drugs had a little meeting of the minds somewhere along the cosmic highway and part of his mind is still on the roadside, trying to thumb a lift back to the Nigel Neuron Central. He has, what can only be described as, a permanent Bogle-Bogle, groove going on. This groove state is kind of like the piss poor special effect that they would use in bad (all?) '70's TV shows, to signify a flashback - you know, the one where the character starts to sway, palm-like, from side to side, followed by some rather crappy zig-zig lines across the screen. During conversation with him, the word "Man" was trotted out, almost mantra-like. He is, as they say, from the old world. I am immediately reminded of James Earl Jones delivering his "You're from the '60's, are'nt you?" line in "Field of Dreams". If he is not on the stage, as part of the jam session, blasting out his blues-rock lead lines, he is to be found smack bang in front of the stage, grooving his ass off and trying to entice anyone within reach to join him. In fact, the only thing missing from this scene is a load of naked chicks and a bonfire! All things considered, I have to admit to having a sneaking admiration for the Man, "Man".

As the wise sage Nige', himself, put it "I can't really remember what happens most of the time, but, I remember the Music, Man" Amen to that , Brother Nigel.

Postscript: I almost forgot about the best record review, ever. It was in Smash Hits Magazine (the pre Take-That, numb-nut version, complete with "Zitty Ben" comic strip) and the 45 in question was Earth, Wind and Fire's, 1981 track "Lets Groove"
The review? "Let's Not"

Slam and Dunk, indeed!