New York New York

July 21st: I wanna be a part of it

Les Minks head off today to the city that never sleeps. Looking forward to it all. Seeing where John met Mark and anything else that goes.

Might also see where the APB boys played with James Brown and where CBGB's was/is?

Check out APB performing the post punk classic 'Shoot you down' in 1986. Location - the Ritz in Manhattan, NYC. Glen, Ian, George and Mikey Craigheid funkin oot. Nae bad for loons fae Aberdeen and Ellon like!

Stress

July 18th: Stress

Headache, tense, nervous, headache
Headache, tense, nervous, headache

Am I adaptive or maladaptive?

Headache, tense, nervous, headache
Adaptive or maladaptive?

Daddy! Daddy!
Don't worry I'll be okay

Am I adaptive or maladaptive?
I guess I'll never know

The causes and symptoms of my stress
Are directly related to my thinking skills
My brain stimulates a hormonal change
Stimulating adrenaline and noradrenaline

This is really kinda funny cause
I thought the way to make a whore moan
Was to smack her in the face

Am I adaptive or maladaptive?
Daddy! Daddy!
Am I adaptive or maladaptive?
Don't worry I'll be okay

My muscles are tense ready for action
Whilst the pupils of my eyes dilate
My heartbeats gone faster
Trying to feed my body
Before the blood pressure gets too great

Too late, I need more air
I can't afford to breathe slow
I'm pishing sweat, expending energy
My immune systems a no go

Headache
Am I adaptive or maladaptive?
Tense
Daddy!
Nervous
Don't worry I'll be okay
Headache
.
.
.
.
.
.
Emotional withdrawl from those that I love.

Galik Bred

July 11th: Galik Bred tastes jist fine min?
Originally formed for a single fund-raising event, GALIK BRED
have become one of the biggest names in the North East of Scotland music scene. Indeed they have been crowned World Ceilidh Band Champions sponsored by the Big Yin Billy Connelly himself in the past. Last weekend saw them play the Ceilidh Tent at T in the Park, Scotlands biggest music event of the year.
Featuring occasional Jasmine Mink, Simmo Simpson on bass and the solo Piper from the Rebel Soul's big event, Grant Robbie, who turns his hands to Drums, Bohdran, Pipes, and making loads of other noises, Galik Bred are collectively and individually very talented, creative, fun, hip, traditional and current!
The crowd certainly agree,
whilst Simmo thumps the bass as only he can
and afterwards a well earned scoof is enjoyed by the workers. Scottish kwality is added to this wonderful pic by some radge concked out next to them, just reaffirming that if ye booze ye loose - aye right! It can't have been the music, he must have had a hole in his tent!

I love this country.

Vive la Difference

July 10th: Vive la difference

La tour de france has been really good to watch so far even this early into the event. The massive crowds in England and the attacking early stages have made great viewing. I first got in to it during the heady days when it was on channel 4 with Phil Ligget being able to effortlessly put across what it must be like to have kittens whilst watching a race involving a heap of brightly coloured blokes on bikes.

Over in France in the late 80's early 90's I would buzz from town to town during July with my stock Del Boy French phrases al a "qui a gagner dans la tour monsieur et deux bières whilst your at it pal"!

I think this year could be the year that a similar excitement of years gone by returns for me.

I ended up totally disengaged with the sport after a while due in part to all the crap around doping scandals etc. However, given we have a contrite David Millar doing a great shift (allegedly dope free) and some other cracking riders, it's shaping up to be superb. I'm particularly looking forwards to the Mountains, but the Aberdeen Minks will be in New York so it might be challenging getting to see it. However, the Discovery Team might ensure it gets some coverage.

Back in the days of the Minks French phase we used to love all the gear. We even had bellies that didn't look to obscene when we wore cycling tops from time to time. Mine was always the Peugeot vest. Hero's of another age aka Simpson, Roche, Anderson and Robert Millar all wore this vest so it was important to me. Who ever designed it deserves a medal it's so simplistically bonnie. But the good thing about it all is that everybody's tastes are different. Vive la difference!

I'm on my way

July 7th: I'm On My Way

Pure Genius Moves! This puts Take That & Robbie Pudding Williams tae shame! I'll be daein a bit of this routine doon the pub the nicht! Happy 070707.

Obree

July 4th: Obree
Over the years there has been an abundance of true Scottish cycling hero's. From away back in the days of Billy Bisland and Sandy Gilchrist through to Robert Millar getting his spotty tee shirt in the Tour, good solid cyclists keep on appearing whether on the road or on the track. Chris Hoy is a present day example.

If we could only churn out others it would be so fitting to the achievements and legacy of those that have gone before.

Graeme Obree is something else. I watched the Flying Scotsman last night at the local cinema. When I first read Obree's book of the same name a few years ago, I was taken aback by just how extraordinary his achievements were and about how for having problems such as his (bi-polar disorder and depression) he beat the odds and made history.

I loved the part of the film where every time the suits worked against him the anger, angst and despair that Obree felt caroms around in his heid until he re-engineered the solutions that release his pressure like only a trepan might do and like a true hero he gets back on the saddle and sticks it right up em! Very good indeed.

This film had battles to contend with itself to get aired but at last it's here. It's pretty good as well. Johnny Lee Miller does a good job as Obree and does the role justice. It's not high budget but like Graeme and his "do it yer self attitude" this film does not suffer from a lack of money being chucked at it, in a way it makes it all the more special, a bit like his "old faithful" bike itself. The assorted River City cast alongside other good Scottish actors make it interesting to the eye. It's worth watching.

My older brother raced against these guys back in the day and he tells a story of the time he almost gubbed Obree. He was on his shoulder and shouted at him into the wind in an attempt to throw his concentration, get on his wheel and take him in the sprint to the finish. However, it didn't happen. He really was "The Flying Scotsman".

Mother Nature

July 2nd: Mother Nature

Eating Doughnuts
And drinking coffee
On a corner, near Bloor and Spidina,
I was moved by an old black woman of Canada.

Underneath a sign that said, Honest Ed's,
She smiled at me her hand outstretched,
Face full of recognition as she begged.

Over this short distance
Our eyes somehow met
And I was filled with shame and regret,
For at that moment, we both new, our spirits, were,
DEAD.

Mother Nature, you're letting your sons and daughters down
Mother Nature stand up, show your proud.