My 2013 memories of 1983

Although I’d never been a fan of The Jam, I was aware of their existence. Who couldn’t be in the late 1970s and early 1980s? I was developing a taste for jazz, playing sax in big bands all over the place and NYJO (National Youth Jazz Orchestra). Friends who were much better players than I would ever be turned me onto musicians I’d never heard of before and it was a period of real musical learning for me.

I was also becoming politically aware, and it was Paul Weller and Billy Bragg who seemed to be putting into words some of the way I felt about life: “The public gets what the public wants/ But I want nothing this society’s got.”

My English and Music degree studies at Froebel in Roehampton began in 1981 and I quickly became bored with classical music – I wasn’t a bad clarinettist but it just didn’t do it for me. I began to play sax in lots of bands in London and helped form the Fairer Sax quartet in 1982. Pop music wasn’t really on my radar until people I knew began getting gigs with bands like Wham! and Dexy’s Midnight Runners.

The summer of 1983 was dominated by the bass line of Long Hot Summer. It seemed to be everywhere through August and September as I was getting ready to start the third year of my degree. Probably my first ear worm. It was so simple and acted as a great counter to Paul’s vocal line. I’d seen the video once on and loved the humour, although I did assume Paul and Mick were a couple. The lyrics resonated with me, as I’d suffered my first broken heart and was wallowing in it: “We’re dashing ourselves against the rocks of a lifetime.”

Sometime at the end of September I got a phone call and was asked to come to Solid Bond Studios the next day to meet Paul and Mick. They wanted a tenor sax player and I didn’t own one – my local woodwind shop lent me one and I spent the afternoon getting up to scratch before getting the gig the next day. We rehearsed hard and then took a coach trip around Europe’s venues before coming back to Solid Bond to record Café Bleu. The Style Council was a great collective of musicians and I’m proud that I was one of them.


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The trouble with hospital appointments ...

I seem to have fallen back into the routine of regular hospital appointments for the various conditions and ailments that have befallen me in the last 14 months,

What I really hate is the rapidity with which one falls into the institutionalised life. Waiting around because the registrar is running an hour late before he goes off for his lunch. Probably made worse by the fact that it is the registrar, not the consultant you were expecting to see.

Across the waiting room, a couple of other waiters are comparing medical notes and sharing lengthy descriptions of their conditions. That's not in my nature and I'm glad I've brought both book and iPad.

The knowledge that I'm probably not going to be seen for another hour is tempered by the fact that I know I'm not as ill as I was a few months ago and a bit of a wait isn't going to do me any harm.

Now the guy in the bed across the other side of the room who's just had his arm plastered is crying with pain. Thankfully, it's not long before a nurse comes to give him drugs.

Another bed is wheeled in and there's hardly space. It's chaotic and the beds sit side by side while the ranks of chairs make them look incongruous,

I came alone. It's actually worse when you feel you have to entertain someone who's come along to keep you company. Most of the others are accompanied by a friend trying to make light of the situation. A brace of elderly ladies to my left are determined to bear the wait gracefully, while spreading coats and bags across every spare seat around them. I don't have the heart to tell them it'll be a while.

Now the man in the bed is asking for some attention. Understandably. He's at least semi-naked under a thin blanket and the long-awaited porter obviously has other calls on his time. Finally with another blanket draped around his shoulder and the porter arrives by magic.

Suddenly, my name is called and the next stage of my shoulder recovery begins ...


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Interesting shapes at Tate Modern

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Nine ways to waste time networking

There are many reasons for networking, especially if you're a small business. But if you're doing it wrong, you might as well not bother. I've been out on my own as a freelance writer on and off (more of the former than the latter) for nearly 30 years and it's only recently that I've explored the world of networking. I don't always get it right and here's some of the best ways to waste time networking. I know, because I've done most of them.

1. Forget your business cards. You do HAVE business cards, right? I don't care what they look like. I really don't care how much you paid a designer or a printer. If you've got that money to waste, good for you. I genuinely don't care if you use Vistaprint for the cheapest around. Just take them and give them out. Many will go in the bin, some will go into smart business card holders and never be looked at. But just one will get onto the desk of the right person at the right time and they'll call you to do business.

2. Remember business cards. And leaflets. And brochures. And free pens. Bombard people with rubbish and that's what they think you'll do. They anticipate email marketing (aka junk) once a week and they're probably right. Less sometimes is more.

3. Over share. That's what the yoof of today call too much information. I'm happy that you're getting over your broken heart or the death of your dog, but now is not the time. People you network with don't need to know the details of your operation. Nor do they need to know every detail of that fabulous, expensive holiday you're about to go on. They may be pleased for you, but if they're not, that business card will definitely be going in the bin.

4. Represent more than one business at a time. Look, we're all in a hurry. We're all short on attention and time and if your business isn't clear, we just won't spend time working you out. If you've got more than one business on the go, then decide which one works best with face to face networking. Concentrate on that one and leave the rest behind. Especially if one is the one your dad runs and you're doing him a favour by mentioning it. You're actually not doing him a favour at all.

5. Talk too much. Your listeners will zone out and get bored. Give them a chance to ask you questions or talk about their own business.

6. Talk too little. Give me SOMETHING to work with. Please.

7. Expect to make a sale. You might be lucky and be inundated with people throwing money at you, but it's unlikely. Enjoy networking for what it is and get to know more people.

8. Focus on the food. It won't be that good, I promise you.

9. Ignore the contacts you make. Once you've left the networking session, don't just expect everyone to come running to you. An email a few days later won't do any harm. Maybe suggest meeting up for a coffee. But only if you genuinely think there's some business you can do together. Don't waste people's time.

Like many things, when you do it right, networking gives you a buzz. If you never get that buzz, maybe you're doing it wrong.


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Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

On so many levels, the Mandela film released his week fulfils my criteria of Film of the Year. It's squeezed in at neatly the end of the year, but it knocks all other contenders way out of the field.

Emotionally, this is a great film. Its London premiere coincided with the death of the man himself and I was watching it while his funeral took place.

Biographically and historically, the film documents an incredible life, including 27 years in one of the toughest prisons anywhere in the world. The inclusion of stills and footage from parts of the story made it so real. At one point, I couldn't quite believe that Nelson Mandela was unaware of the huge outrage that his continued incarceration was causing around the world. It was so good to see his daughter take one of the button badges in to show him on her first visit.

The locations are simply stunning. But then, South Africa IS a stunning country. The sooner the politics get sorted and the tourism becomes easier, the better.

The costumes, too, were beautiful and helped document the passing of time. Combine that with the prosthetics and you've certainly got some well-deserved Oscar nominations.

One of the things that struck me while watching the film was the fact that Mandela was a man, a son, a father and a grandfather. He may have also been legendary, but he was a real man nonetheless. That came over very clearly and was a nice balance to what might otherwise have degenerated into hero-worship.

I've never been comfortable with the development of Winnie Mandela's violence and the director made it clear that a woman who was brutalised simply because of who she fell in love with and married had little choice but to respond brutally. The fact that this moved her so far from that same man and his beliefs was a tragedy. Her terrible treatment at the hands of the authorities may not be an excuse for the violence that followed, but it was certainly a reason.

One way or another, Mandela gets my vote as Film of 2013. Nothing else I have seen comes close in completeness.


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Removing the blinkers

I had an interesting experience today, as I realised that two of my friends have been dating for the last six months without me knowing about it. Now I realise that my not-noticing was caused by being totally caught up in my own woes for the last 13 months.

Now, you could argue that it was understandable, as I was actually quite badly hurt/ill for much of that time. But the world doesn't revolve around me and now I've taken the blinkers off, I'm becoming more aware of others.

It won't stop me being selfish from time to time. But hopefully I can get back to being more of the me I used to be.

So, if you're having a secret affair, watch out - I might start noticing the signs.

The bizarre things Hitchin holds on a sunny December Sunday

Small Business Saturday

Hitchin was heaving today for Small Business Saturday. Jolly good show!

RIP Nelson Mandela

So the legend and the man have passed away. Nelson Mandela was truly an inspirational man who helped change the face of South Africa and the world.

In early 1990, I went to what was originally a 'Free Nelson Mandela' event and his release just before turned it into a celebration rather than a protest. I can remember none of the bands, but I can recall like it was yesterday the moment that Mandela appeared next to the stage. The cheering was immense and seemed to go on forever.

It was an amazing experience. Just to see the man who had been imprisoned so long for believing in equality. A few years earlier, I had travelled around South Africa and the signs were there of dire segregation. His long walk to freedom helped so many people and his footprint lies on so many lives.


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The result of a bit of wind

Confusion caused by fallen tree.



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Heading for a great new year

I have decided that 2014 is going to be a great year.

It was a bad end to 2012, recovering from the car crash and then 2013 started well (fab 50th birthday) and just got worse (broken shoulder, frozen shoulder/s and tumour).

So, 2014 is going to be a really, really good one. I have some ideas for my business and my personal life. Just beginning to put them into writing and making plans is putting me in a good mood.

I wish everyone reading this the same - a fabulous 2014.

Never judge a book by its cover ... or a business by its premises

I visited a small business today that is actually ranked fourth in the UK in its industry. You wouldn't know it from its entrance, but once inside the door it was an inspirational place to work, full of friendly people obviously hard at work. A nice cup of tea, too.

Finding them online, they're professional, clear about their USP and offer a good product at the right price. Who cares what their building looks like from the outside?

Why I write stuff down

You will rarely find me without a notepad and pen handy, or at least my iPad.

Today proved exactly why that's vital. I had a phone call from a guy who said "Hi, it's Chris from Royal Mail."

"Yes?" I replied, tentatively.

"You sent me an email," was his response. Oh, THAT Chris? No, because I send dozens of emails every day to people in Royal Mail, and there's more than one Chris.

Luckily, as I played for time, I was able to find the page in my notebook that explained why I'd been trying to get hold of that particular Chris. And I was back in the room.

If something's worth chasing

Looby Loo was on the hunt today and spent several happy minutes chasing two black squirrels. She was never going to catch them, but that didn't stop her trying. I'm going to take a leaf out of her book and chase the things I want. I may not succeed, but I'll probably have fun.