veloman

Without exactly being an expert on Contract Law, I would have thought that this involved an "Invitation to treat" and, therefore, in Contract Law a refusal to supply would be quite legitimate. ( Fisher v Bell) - from memory.

Yoko Ono - a lot of people thought this lady was a rather peculiar, talentless individual. This clip has probably removed all doubt.

^^^^^ Spot-on post ! Many may not remember his dad either - a great player for England as well as Worcs. Damien was in his mid-50's - far too young. RIP

Yes Raver - you are right re. Ted Heath's drummer - not Alan Ganley. We were support to some of the big bands when we had a residency in North Staffs so I watched 'em at close quarters - well the drummer anyway. Examples included:- Ray Mcvay, Sid Lawrence, Bob Miller and The Millermen and even Joe Loss. They were all brilliant and their drummers drove like mad - made me ashamed. An anecdote was that we had to join the Musicians Union as they were all paid-up members - this was the 70's and early 80's though. Wonder if this standard of musicianship still exists today.

As Basie' s vocalist. If I remember correctly the curtains drew back and there was this little geezer sat at the piano who played a few tasty chords and then the effing band came in - BANG ! They played a few numbers and then brought on Georgie Fame. I believe he always fancied himself as a jazz singer so the was no 'Ballad of Bonny and Clyde or anything - just jazz standards. Damn good really. I rarely go into town now - I take it there is no live music at The Odeon now ?

^^^^ Indeed ! I saw him at The Odeon in New Street in the late 70's (I think). His version of 'Norwegian Wood' was stunning. He had a daughter who (it seems) dated Birmingham's Carl Palmer - he of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Buddy Rich pointed out Carl's Mom who was in the audience. Echo sentiments re. Ted Heath; I was told that he would audition drummers by simply giving them the pad of numbers, counting them in and then getting them to play it - without any other instruments ! I think his regular drummer was a superb player called Alan Ganley - but might be wrong. Also saw Count Basie with Georgie Fame at the Odeon - excellent too.

Ah the big band era when they were led by DRUMMERS - the most important muso ! I guess the Steely Dan touring band could be classed as a "big band" . Check out 'Mr Parker's Band' by them on Youtube - but don't concentrate on the rude looking female backing singers !

Agreed entirely with above - excellent victory. However - read about it on BBC Teletext; the headline is "Trott fails" ! What an appalling attitude from them; wonder if they would have put that if he played for a 'London' County. P.S. If only Jeetan Patel was English !

and closer to home - very pleased to see Jamie Troughton back for Warwicks and in the runs.

Rugeley Villa - you are dead right about Bonham. My favourite drummer is probably the late Jeff Porcaro, of Boz Scaggs,Steely Dan, Toto et al. There is a clip on YouTube where he explains his shuffle tempo that he used in "Rosanna" and he credits Bonham as being partly responsible for that. Anyone rated by Porcaro must be pretty damn good. Jon Hiseman - what a player ! He replaced Ginger Baker in the Graham Bond Organisation when Baker left to form Cream - hence ... must be pretty good !

Yep - an excellent night all round. Some boisterous support in the stand next to the Pavilion including a large "3" balloon floating across the pitch - from a birthday celebration I think. Not only did Warks win but ...... Lancashire lost and Pieterson failed again !!

Anyone read that report, by a neurosurgeon I think, claiming that helmets are a waste of time ? Obviously the bloke is far more intelligent than I am but I'm not at all sure about this. If you are hit by a vehicle .... then may be ; but if you have a 'minor' crash and your head hits the floor, I would have thought a helmet helps. Any opinions ?

Just an opinion but ... if you play in a rock band/covers band etc it might not be that vital to read the dots. However if you use a drum tutor book (Peter Erskine - he of Weather Report - does a good one) then the exercises will be set out in musical notation. I going to guess that all the top drummers are proficient on rudiments; from Ginger Baker to Steve Gadd, so I reckon they are very important - albeit a tad boring ! If you ever want to back cabaret or play in a large band, reading will be probably be vital. I did find a lot of snobbery in musicians between those who could read and those who couldn't; my reading was terrible; I used to rely on sign to sign - coda to coda and knew what time the number was in !! The last 'proper' band I played read and busked and that is an ideal combination. That said I know quite a few good musos who don't recognise when a number, written in 4/4 suddenly has a 3/4 bar in it; they can simply play through it. A last opinion; if you play in a band - listen to the bass player; that combination is vital.

Yep - pulse meter = heart rate monitor. Mine is fairly old now , a Polar but it does have 'zones'. So I would set zones to race at, say, 150 to 165; before it reached that lower limit it would beep reassuringly, when you hit 150 it would stop beeping but if you went over 165 it would beep like mad and send for an ambulance !

Cynic !! I think it was 'cos he used a Pinarello with a Campag groupset - gave him the edge !

Any of you use pulse meters - or are they rather old-fashioned these days ! As regards training on hills; I used to go out with a bloke who went on to win Olympic gold. he rode to his pulse so if his pulse went up on the hills he would back off to keep it at the same rate as on the flat. Can't remember what his rate was - about 120 I think and mine was at about 150. This was sometime ago when I could finish a 25mile tt with my pulse on 180 - so when I was about 50. Couldn't get anywhere near that now. Didn't know Indurain was 'tainted' Paulo !

I see that the organisers of the Download Festival at Donington are naming a stage in honour of Stephen Sutton. What an excellent gesture (IMO)

^^^ Cheers for that - good luck with Ironman. Now - I don't have such luxuries - still using Campag 10 bar end levers but was in a well known purveyor of class kit in the Midlands and they got a call from customer saying that battery kept running down. There was a conversation about whether the bike had been leaning on a wall with the levers against the wall and thus draining the battery . Does that sound possible in your view ?

Do you ride time trials in the Midlands andyjsg ?

Yep ! Could be your position on bike or pushing too big a gear. Make sure you are using fairly low gears to start with.

My mate lost his phone at Man city last night. This morning he rang the number and an Irish chap answers; tells him he has his phone safe and sound and he can come and collect it. Chap lives in Hall Green, my mate is from mid Staffs and thinks Hall Green is a soul singer (get it ) Anyway, goes over, retrieves phone, offers chap money whereupon chap says he won't take money from another Villa fan. Restores your faith in human nature.

Are you still in a club Eames ?

Well Bianchi are nice but not what they used to be; that is - made in Italy by craftsmen. Possibly China or Turkey now. If you are in Scandinavia it is a bit difficult to advise but I would always consider 2nd hand - ebay for example. But you need to see the bike before parting with cash - check for cracks in the frame etc. I have never bought an off-the-peg bike 'cos I tend to buy the frame and then get it built up with a groupset so no real experience of that. Go for as small a frame as you can get away with - at your height 56 or 58 I guess. Be prepared to put a new saddle on if you buy off the peg - O/E saddles are usually pretty poor. If you go for Shimano kit, 105 is excellent or if Campag, go for Centaur. No experience of SRAM but my mate who is a coach at Manchester Velodrome says the mechanics aren't too keen - could be just an opinion of course. Don't buy a Chinese carbon frame unless from a 'known' make like Cannondale etc.

Right; just going down to Warks for the first time this season; looks like being a low scoring game and we seem to have lost the initiative after bowling pretty well. Important question; why does wife need to put make-up on to go to a cricket match ?

Anyone who has watched "Pulp Fiction" might recall Christopher Walken, who plays Captain Koons, using the word 'slope' in his speech to a young Butch when he returns his father's watch.