HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOUNG BRO'

My young brother  lives thousands of miles away in Florida. Every day, without fail, he has a glimpse at TVV and laughs at some of the pish I'm spouting.  He sometimes leaves a we comment behind if a post  features a song that he likes or it brings back a happy memory.

SC turns 47 years of age today.  He's done fantastically well for himself since he emigrated almost 20 years ago with a wonderful wife and two cracking kids.  The thing is, none of them have ever seen their husband or dad go absolutely mental at a gig the way I have.  It was one of the few times SC asked that I take him somewhere.  It was the student union at Strathclyde University in 1984 to see one of his then favourite bands.

Me?  I quite liked Spear of Destiny.  Some of their singles were more than half decent, and the live performances I had caught on telly showed a band who were lively and energetic.  But by 1984 I was at stage of being 'too-cool for going daft at gigs'.  Instead, I'd be standing at the side wearing my raincoat and trying to avoid sweating too much lest the gel holding my spiky hair-do together began to melt.

I tool SA along to this gig.  Within 5 minutes he had left me alone at the side and threw himself head-first  right into the middle of what would a few years later be described as a mosh-pit.  Stripped to the waist, shirt flying around over his head, slam-dancing into similarly undressed youths beside him.  I envied his youth and energy.  I was an old man.....not quite yet 21 years of age....

One Eyed Jacks won't be an album in my Top 50 rundown, but I reckon if SC was putting a list together it would appear on his.  These, therefore, are for him:-

mp3 : Spear of Destiny - Rainmaker
mp3 : Spear of Destiny - Young Men
mp3 : Spear of Destiny - Liberator
mp3 : Spear of Destiny - Prisoner of Love

A fine mix of indie, goth, rockabilly and pop.....