Day 292. Anyone can play guitar. (19/10/13)

Sounds pile on sounds and move you backwards and forwards in your life.

The car ride back, radio 2, Sara Cox's 'Sounds of the 80's', The Pet Shop Boys' sublime 'Left to my Own Devices', the sound of working in Lord Street, followed by Grace Jones' 'Pull Up To the Bumper', the sound of The State in the years before I met J.

It's been a day for bits of your life popping up to meet you. Spent the early afternoon in a social club watching Liverpool throw away their position at the top of the table by failing to beat a 10 man Newcastle after coming back from 1-0 down; the club that I had my 21st birthday party in, the club where I announced that we would be playing our first gig as Vanilla Beserk in a few weeks, where Mark's idea of a 21st birthday gift was a Fisher Price Telephone on wheels with a nose that made a squeaking sound when you pressed it.

The evening was a meal with family; I'd regard it as a chance for mum and dad to be with all the grandchildren. Obviously my birthday was remarked upon. Two of my nephews had a gift for me; Dan had been looking through old photos of the family, found one of me at 12/13, all National Health Specs, braces, bad hair, 20 years too early for geek chic so just geek, said 'he looks like Hank Marvin' and had an idea.

Courtesy of Dan and Josh I now have a framed photo of my 13 year old self inscribed 'Happy Birthday Hank Marvin' on the fireplace. I have informed Dan that I intend to live long enough to present him with an equally embarrassing photo on his 50th birthday. I look forward to being 88 for this reason if no other.

The night became a version of the gig that didn't happen last night. Charlie and Izzy had been promised a concert, Charlie wanted to be in the front row, Izzy wanted to wear her party dress. You can't disappoint but a concert with just a rhythm guitarist is never going to be that impressive. Particularly when the guitarist doesn't know any of the songs that you do.

Charlie ended up playing guitar. There aren't many 6 year olds that make their live debut playing a 40 year old Telecaster that's worth a couple of grand and there's a time, not that long ago, when I wouldn't let anybody touch that guitar but one thing that you learn as age encroaches is that 'things' are just things, it's family that's important.

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