The Saturday List #400 - The ten best moments of my life (excluding the family and naughty bits etc!)

 When I started this series, I thought that maybe, I'd do a couple of dozen. To get to 400 is pretty amazing. I enjoy putting these together, it's a bit of fun. It gives me something to focus on for the week as I plan it. Some lists are weeks or months in the planning, requiring pictures and research. Some are slightly easier. I had planned a very different list, but yesterday I attended a double funeral. It was for the parents of one of my best mates, who both passed away unexpectedly at the turn of the year. The celebrant give a wonderful eulogy about embracing life. It inspired me, so I have shelved the planned list until list 500, which is something to look forward to, sometime in 2025 if we are all still here!

I got thinking about life. What are the best moments. I'm not going to include my first kiss, the birth of my kids, daughters graduation, etc, they are wonderful but are also private. These are moments shared and I hope in some way inspiring, they certainly inspired me.

1. The Ramones at the Roundhouse on the 6th June 1977. I've written about this many times. I was a lost soul and music gave me a reason and a purpose. I despair to think what my life would be like, without this absolutely pivotal moment.

2. Manchester City winning the 1999 tier 3 play off final at Wembley in 1999. I've had some wonderful moments at football. I support Manchester City and the absolute low point was 1998, when they were relegated to the third tier of the football pyramid, what is now called League one. They were absolute rubbish at the start of the 1998/99 campaign. Somehow, they got their act together and ended up in the play off final against Gillingham. You couldn't get tickets for love nor money. I eventually got two from a dodgy tout, for a silly amount of money. I genuinely thought it may be the last time I'd see City at Wembley. I was in the Gillingham end. I took my nine year old nephew Alex. In the 89th minute, City were 2-0 down and I was devastated. Somehow, they scored two goals, survived extra time and ended up winning on penalties, thanks to Nicky Weaver. I've seen them win FA and League Cups since, watched last minute Premier League triumphs on TV, but nothing will ever top that, as I genuinely felt the club would die if they lost. I doubt they'd be where they are now. Half way through extra time, Alex said to my Uncle Roger, I feel ill, my heart is beating too fast. I replied "It's called excitement son, that's why we watch football".

3. Traversing the Settle to Carlise railway in the th snow in 2018 with my good lady. Over the last few years, myself and the missus have got into the habit of having a special day out on luxury train once a year. This started when we saw one going from Mill Hill Broadway to Bristol, where my brother lives. It was a lovely day. A champagne breakfast and a five course dinner, on a comfy train, with a nice destination for a few hours walk around. It isn't cheap, but it is fun. In March 2018, during the beast from the east. We chose the Settle to Carlisle journey that year. The train set out in bright sunshine, but as we travelled north, blizzards hit. At Carlisle, the electric engine was swapped for a steam engine for the trip over Englands most scenic railway line. Seeing the dales and hills in the snow was magical, sharing it with a special person was a cherry on the cake. I made a little video of it. 

4.The False Dots at Dingwalls, 1984. I've had many great moments playing with my band. I really struggled to pick one, so I'll pick two, both great for totally different reasons. Our gig in February 1984 at Dingwalls was amazing. The band was at the absolute peak of its powers. Our singer, Vennessa Sagoe was a force of nature. It was our biggest London gig and Dingwalls was packed.

 We absolutely nailed it and got offered a management contract as a result. Sadly, it all fell apart from there. The manager was only interested in Venessa and she was not interested in him. But the moment was the highlight of our incarntion as young wannabees.

5. The False Dots at The Dublin Castle, November 2022. In 1990, I disbanded the band and they stayed disbanded until 2000. We have had various incarnations since and done some brilliant gigs. During lockdown, I took over the role of singer, something I'd never even contemplated singing before. It was meant to be a temporary thing during lockdown, so we could write songs, but I found that I enjoyed it.  In November, we did a gig at The Dublin Castle. It was brilliant and a real buzz. I realised I could do it and that I loved it. We are playing again this coming Friday at the Dublin Castle. Please come down, details are here and this is what we sound like www.wegottickets.com/event/573818

6. The Premiere of A Tale of Two Barnets at The Phoenix Cinema, Finchley. Back in 2012, Director Charles Honderick and myself made a film about the London Borough of Barnet in 2012. It was partially funded by the Barnet Trades Council. It's not perfect, we had a miniscule budget and the situation was changing by the day, as the stupidity of the administration running Barnet seemed to do more stupid things by the day. The Trades Council booked the Phoenix Cinema for the Premiere. We were still editing the film and making last minute updates to the last minute. We'd booked the cinema for two hours. So many people turned up that we had to have two showings. It was also shown at the House of Commons and The Edinburgh festival. You can watch it here www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsbWZh86oPU - It was a real buzz, especially afterwards, when people came up and said "I didn't realise what was going on" in their droves. 

7. Listening to The Damned playing New Rose in studio seven at Mill Hill Music Complex. My lifes mission and work has been building Mill Hill Music Complex studios. I was inspired by Punk Rock and when the Damned turned up and I heard them playing New Rose (the first ever UK Punk single to be released) in studio seven, I almost shed a tear. For some people, a blessing from the Pope would be the pinnacle of their life, to me, this was the ultimate vindication of my lifes work. There are bigger, more financially successful acts than The Damned to use the studios, but none are as iconcic for me personally (apart from possibly the Ramones, who sadly will never use the studios). 

8. Seeing my name on the wall of The Roundhouse. To me, the Roundhouse is the iconic venue of all venues in London. In 1977, it was the place I really discovered music and many of the best gigs of my life where at the venue. To this day, it is somewhere is my venue of choice to see bands. When they asked if they could put my name on the wall, I was chuffed beyond belief. 

It is even better when friends randomly spot it and send me a picture!

9. The day I bought my Fender Stratocaster. I own quite a few guitars. I use different ones for different purposes. The one I use for gigging is my Fender Stratocaster. When we first started the band, Hank Marvin's son Paul was the drummer. We got to rehearse at Hank's gaff in Radlett and Hank let me play his favourite Strat through his favourite Fender Twin Reverb amp. I was blown away. I sounded good! I wanted that setup ever since, I've had a couple of Fender Twin Reverbs, but none sound like Hank's which was custom built for him by Fender. Hank advised me that when I get enough money for a decent guitar, try every one you can before you buy. Don't buy the prettiest or the one with the best sound. Buy the one that feels like and extension of your fingers. I followed his advice and ended up buying one from Barnaby Marder's shop in Richmond.  It has served me well. When I brought it home, I felt like I was a real guitarist at last.

10. Reading the personal reference from my old Biology teacher Bob Wright, for my first IT job. Back in 1983, I applied for a job in IT. I had to give a couple of references. I'd not had any proper jobs, so I nipped around the corner to see my old Biology master from Orange Hill, Bob Wright. Bob gave me a Scotch ( I was 21), we had a chat and he gave me a sealed envelope. I had no idea what he put. I got a D for my biology A level, so I was by no means a star pupil. I got on well with Bob. He took us for a biology field trip to Millport in Scotland for the A level course. I was very into punk but we got on.  ten years later, I fould the reference. I'd never read it before. It must've been handed back to me at some point. When I read it, I was gobsmacked. It was the most glowing reference I could imagine, whilst still being 100% honest. Bob had highlighted strengths I didn't know I had at the time. I didn't get on with too many of my teachers, but Bob was one that I have ultimate respect for. I just hadn't realised he actually liked me until I read it.