Spaced Out in Perth WA

   Sunday, 29th October 2017  

 

M.D.C. in 1968 by Alan Bayley 

  As I wallow in the throws of jet lag here in Perth WA, the second day in Australia arrives with the sun shining after a windy rainy Saturday. Time is both stretching and standing still.  In the early hours on Sunday, world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua retained his world title with a win over Carlos Takam. Three time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton could only manage third on the grid behind the twenty year old Max Verstappen, and pole sitter (four time world champion) Sebastian Vettel in Mexico.

  I had somehow managed to watch it all live via T.V. screen and computer. The stifling wonders of the modern world, but it ate up the hours.

  I slept from 11pm until 02.30am and awoke wide awake to watch the sporting greats do their thing. I also managed to squeeze in the Moto GP qualifying from Malaysia where, like the F1 race, the pointed end of the season sorted the 2017 World Championship. I stayed up for breakfast at 7am and then slept from 08.45 until 1pm to watch the Moto GP race that Andrea Dovizioso won in the wet to take the championship into the decider against Marc Márquez at the final race of the season in Valencia, Spain. He crossed the line on one wheel at over 200kph.

  The British Tour already feels like a year ago. It is such a strange business, this travel and performance after fifty years behind a drum kit. In my addled mind I never think about how long I will continue. I laugh it all off with phrases like; “The next fifty years should be interesting!”

  I just wish Mott the Hoople could have done a few more shows back in 2009 or 2013 when I toured with them, but of course when it's done, it's done.

  The last few shows in the UK seemed to merge into one. The band had gotten into a high gear and was laying it out there with all the swagger and confidence of a champion prizefighter. We even played the occasional mistake with grit and attitude. As Ian Hunter always said: “Never get too good”. Damn right! Slick Rock ‘n’ roll is boring. It's always got to be edgy.

Oxford New Theatre 18th October 2017 by Alan Bayley

  When I arrived in the early afternoon in Birmingham, news of an accident to the vehicle carrying the rest of the band up from Portsmouth arrived. At an off ramp near the A34, a driver had driven into the back of the queue of cars that the band was in. The impact to the back of the vehicle was minor and fortunately, no harm had come to anyone. 

After the sound check a few of the crew, C.H. and I went to a pub the other side of a canal at the rear of the Symphony Hall to watch a trio playing rock and roll Birmingham style. It was great and could only have been in Birmingham. When they finished the gig at about 6pm we invited the band to the gig. Thanks fellas.

 In Oxford at the New Theatre, my old friend and photographer Alan Bayley arrived to take a load of photos of me. I thought it long overdue to document these 'Golden Years'.  Alan took pictures of me on the drums in the 1960's. He lives near Oxford so it seemed to make sense.

  As you can tell from these ramblings, things are a little fragmented. I am upside down for a day or two until I find my equilibrium - somewhere between my arse and the elbow!

M.D.C.