HEAVY METAL KIDS.

Woughton leisure centre, Milton Keynes.
 23rd April 2011.


Greetings dear readers & welcome to your genial hosts birthday blog. For 'twas on this day NOT so many moons ago that this scribe sprang forth kicking & screaming onto this orb shouting 'WOMAN; hand me my quill'. 
 So after dropping off the now semi-toothless & bruised, wallet draining skateboarder, Madame Tightpocket & myself hit the M1, bound for Milton Keynes, on our quest to once again witness the good times rock'n'roll of the Heavy Metal Kids!

 After checking into the beautiful Mercure Parkside Hotel, set in Idyllic country grounds, (a snip at a mere £62) we headed down to the bar for a snack & the first of many; waaaay too many celebratory birthday drinks.
 A small cab drive later & we had arrived at the Woughton Leisure centre.

  
We bought our tickets & found there was nothing else to do but head for the bar in our search for more, (lots, lots more) liquid embrocation.
 Shortly after, the Kids entered the building. Ronnie, Keith, Cosmo & Justin. We re-acquainted ourselves & had a few more drinks. Thanks for the birthday brandy Ronnie.
 Now if you ever go to see the Heavy Metal Kids; & I strongly recommend that you do, go & have a natter with them, buy them a drink & listen to what they have to say. For they've had a lifetime in rock'n'roll & a wealth of stories second to none. Believe me dear reader, thou shalt be transfixed.

Now you may have noticed, dear reader that I have omitted the name of John Altman from the cause of the H.M.K. Well it appears my dears, that John has moved on to pursue & further his acting career. We can only wish him well in all his future plans. It appears; & rightly so that the Kids are held in extremely high esteem in Rock'n'roll circles & there are no shortage of suitors for the post of lead vocalist. However, step forward & into the light; the highly talented  Mr Justin McConville.

 If this was Justins first gig as lead vocalist, the H.M.K  have no worries about their future. He did the job admirably & still found time to throw some seriously good shapes for the photographers. A perfect foil for the more reserved Cosmo who lets his guitar do the talking, wringing out those oh so familiar lead breaks & riffs from his trusty Gibbo.

 Now the rhythmn section of  Seasoned campaigners, Keith & Ronnie were as solid & dependable as ever. (If Carlsberg made drummers......etc etc)

If Carlsberg made drummers .....!

 Never content to rest on their laurels & trade on their name, they are still writing great songs &  it never ceases to amaze me how they play every gig with a passion, vigour & a vibrancy usually associated with bands who have the benefit of fresh faced youth on their side. A lesson in which certain other bands of their generation would do well to take heed of.

  In fact suffice it to say that if Carlsberg made great rock'n'roll bands, they could do worse than to use these blokes as a blueprint.
 But don't just take my word for it, get yourselves out there & go to bloody well see 'em. You'll be guaranteed a rocking good night.
 HERE ENDETH THE LESSON.

 N.B.  Please forgive me my dears, for overloading this blog with pics, but I just couldn't make my mind up which ones to use. Some may not be as good as the others, but I'm afraid I was really rather drunk. So here's the best & worst of the rest.
 Hopefully we'll see you at the Winning Post.

 As ever me old shipmates, please feel free to nick, nab & snaffle any pics that may grab your fancy.
Chin Chin my dears.