Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/Mr Tamborine Man/I Write The Songs

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After an 18 month separation Plum and I are reforming the band for another tour.  The two of us, plus 6 others, are heading up to Scotlandshire for another crack at the North Cost 500.  I should probably introduce the full line-up:

 

Lead Singer - David.  David is the young(er) pretty one.....brother of John.  David also happens to be my Financial Adviser and is funding this trip (plus a yacht and a cocaine habit) out of what he makes from my account.

 

Lead Guitar - Nick.  Friend for 50 years.  At school Nick was a keen cyclist and consequently, quite rightly, bullied.  Nick has forgotten more about cycling than I will ever know.

 

Bass Guitar - Stuart.  Stuart and I worked together for many years; he has powerful legs and can push out big watts while looking like he is coasting.  I hate Stuart.

 

Keyboards - Michael.  Michael is also younger but not pretty.  Michael believes that upgrading cycle components is a viable alternative to training.  Michael is about to learn a hard but valuable lesson.

 

Drums - John.  John is another ex-colleague.....he is a poor drummer* but has done no training so needs to sit down as much as possible

 

Tambourine – Neil (aka Plum).  Neil can't play the tambourine but neither could Lynda McCartney and she was on Top of The Pops.  What Neil lacks in musical ability he makes up for with….ummm….errr….he's a good carpenter. So if anything wooden breaks he's our man.

 

Roadie – Alan.  Alan is a founder member of Grumpy Old Men, having cycled 4000 miles across America with me in 2009.  For this gig he will be driving the support van; he has put a mattress in the back and made a sign that says "If this van is rockin' don't come go knockin'".

 

I have appointed myself lyricist. 

 

For anyone unfamiliar with the NC500 it is a 500 mile scenic route around the Scottish Highlands….sort of Route 66 but with haggis.  After battling hideous headwinds in 2020 when we rode anti-clockwise we will be trying clockwise this time, and if we don't get more favourable winds there is going to be trouble.  We will spend today driving up to Muir of Ord (a little west of Inverness) and tomorrow we get under way

 

 

 *Writing this reminds me of a fantastic quote attributed to John Lennon:  "Ringo wasn't the best drummer in the world… let's face it, he wasn't even the best drummer in The Beatles".

 

Comments

  1. Anonymous5 July 2024 at 16:49

    Hello to all

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous6 July 2024 at 06:44

    Good luck guys. I did this a few years ago, it was easy..oh but yes I was in my motorhome but my bike was on the back so I did " take my bike round the NC500". 🙃

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous6 July 2024 at 06:45

      Ps..sue Babey. ( don't know why it came up anonymous!)

      Delete
  3. Mark Isaacs7 July 2024 at 18:40

    Well done guys, just a line to wish you a fabulous trip and hoping you have great weather. I'll be following your progress via the blog, all the best, Mark

    ReplyDelete

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