Ash Green’s cluttered little mind

Jul 22 2010

Gone Home – Dave Ridout

Category: Scouting — ash @ 9:02 am

I’ve just heard from Dick that Dave passed away peacefully last night.

For such an active guy who achieved countless things and proved such a stunning rolemodel to countless people, Dave will be enourmously missed by the many, many friends he had through Scouting in West Lancashire and his other collegues.

Considering he did hills above Everest Base camp last year (at the sprightly age of 60!), he was a fighting fit (albeit bandy legged!) guy with a long retirement in front of him. His diagnosis a month or two ago with terminal Stomach Cancer though was something fitness couldn’t overcome.

It’s too early for arrangements yet, but information will likely be available from Pete at the County Office.

Farewell Dave. A hell of a good mate, a true Gentleman, and achiever of great things. You will be greatly, greatly missed by us all.

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Jul 11 2010

Tansads – the end….?

Category: Music — ash @ 11:29 am

Here’s hoping not.

The band played a blinder last night. For the uninitiated, the Tansads were/are/will always be the best band who never made it, hailing from Wigan in the UK. For years in the 90′s, the world was a happier place with them in it. I only discovered them near the end of their career, but probably did around 30 of their gigs all round the uk, travelling with a host of people but mostly Mike, Danny and Abi in a battered blue Escort. Every night would consist of working out how to get money to get in (although Oz normally did a good job of getting us on the guest list so that the cash we’d got could go to beer instead), dancing like maniacs and being very happy, then working out where the hell we were going to sleep that night.

They toured with some of the classic folk/rock bands – although I know that they played with loads of others too … I think I remember hearing a rumour that the Verve started off supporting the Tansads. Thats how big they were around here.

Many great memories, including Dan and Abi getting engaged to a song – think it was Spirit Move – with Dan on my shoulders and Abi on Mike’s. That was quite cool, the Charlotte in Leicester I think.

Having the opportunity to see these guys again has been truely stunning. The music has been bob on, true to form Kek forgot words most nights, and we (and they) have been loving it. The new album of unreleased tunes is excellent, the tickets, set list and poster are about to be mounted in a frame somewhere, and I’ve just stuck a load of pics up on the website.

Have a Google around, there are some other excellent reviews up there (http://bouncysteve.wordpress.com/2010/07/09/118 ) that will help you understand.

Immesurable thanks go not only to the band for making this happen, but to Damian Liptrot, their manager & driving force behind making these gigs a reality. As I said to him last night, “I can now die happy”. One of my lifetime ambitions that I never thought would happen just has. And I feel rather splendid about that.

Up the Revolution chaps. Chuffin good shows.

Tags: tansads

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Jul 10 2010

The Tansads – reunion gigs

Category: Music — ash @ 10:42 am

This week one of my lifelong ambitions has happened. Ever since the Tansads split in around 1997, there’s been an emptyness inside me. No other band was so happy, or more to the point made me feel so happy as these guys. A folk/punk/rock/other genres combo from Wigan, I must have seen them upwards of 30 times in the past, but for the past 13 years there’s been nothing, apart from a feeling of remorse that they never carried on.

Half way through the gig last night, on the first verse of Spirit move, I had a bit of a realisation. At that moment there, surrounded by mates, with stunning music and a band who were loving the fact they were back on stage, I was happy. I mean, truly, achingly happy. Can’t remember the last time that happened, but THAT’s the effect that these guys have on me. I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve played that song with Creed and Ellie, or Abi, or others over the years – we really didn’t do them justice.

The first night was stunning – amazing set list (got one to hand here), and both audience and band seemed to be blown away. Last night I was on the beer, so have hazy memories (although my now bent glasses tell a tale) – but it still went well.

Tonight is the last one. Ever. Just like 13 years ago. It’s quite important, and it’s going to be very special. I can’t wait. Scouting things have gone a bit haywire this week fitting round the gigs, but I really don’t care – this is quite fundamental to my core.

Roll on …

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Jul 01 2010

Busy? Me? Never …

Category: Music,Scouting,home — ash @ 11:08 pm

So what’s been happening in the world of Green then. Scouting. lots of that. And lots of other things getting in the way of Scouting. For them not in the know, there’s an International camp happening in our County in the 1st week of August, and I’ve got the problem of dealing with the entire camp for a day (that’s around 1200 punters). Hence being a bit busy. I’ve got help mind, GOOD help in the form of Dawn Hankinson and Hugh Miller, but they’re busy in other ways too, so it can be a bit mind melting at times. Especially when I’m doing other things too (just spend 2 hours migrating, updating, un-breaking and promoting the http://lancashireunison.org website), repairing car (new radiator, ignition coil, sparks in past few weeks), looking for new car and the rest of it. But I digress.

After the last post I went and did Green Day with Caroline Mac in Manchester. Cracking gig – played a good 2hrs 45 constant – good entertainers too. A bit samey at times, but a great set, really good at getting the crowd going. Managed to get in a good spec too, excellent night.

Few days after that was Ricko Charnock’s stag weekend up at Moor Crag. Excellent weekend, good to catch up with people. Mark was a bit broken beforehand, so took him out for a climb on Farleton on the way up. Went and took Sam and Martin up Middlefell Buttress on the Sunday too. Broke around 12 on the Sat night – my personal taste alarm went off as we were heading into the Stag club in Bowness, so me, Sam, Nige and Pete veered off into the bar and listened to a dodgy bloke on a guitar. Good laugh.

Finished off the Climbing Course for Explorers the next week (most of them through after 7 weeks!), then after a Crew social at the Hop Vine, it was County Camp. I helped out with the Activity Allocations this year (although badly), and managed to arrange it so that I was doing sod all, leaving me free for the day to do a sub-camp site visit for Red Rose with Dawn, Kerry and Scouse. Good to do, helped a lot. I also got some other things in my mind for International day, and went ferreting in the GEC shed.

This week I’d called a meeting of the Mountaineering Group to see where we’re going next – Matt Forshaw’s mission to Canada has got the approval, and looks to be an excellent trip for 2012. I’m still hoping to get something together with a bit more exploration to it, but I’m running out of time to get anything researched before the end of Summer with Red Rose and the Fitzcharnock wedding happening in the middle of that.

Should have been doing loads on Red Rose and fixing Pete Freemans pooter tonight, but have spent hours on the Unison site instead. We’re going to ballot on Industrial Action against the (allegedly) illegal action that the Council has taken in forcing through the new Terms and Conditions for LCC workers, so we needed the site live before the weekend, and as I’m off to Scotland tomorrow with Clare O I needed to get a shift on!

Right, sleep calls.

Oh, and I’ve got my Tansads tickets. Life is good.

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Jun 14 2010

Ardennes, Northumberland and Mr Ridout.

Category: Scouting,home — ash @ 10:39 pm

Been a busy few weeks.

2 weeks back, on the 1/2 term I was on the annual county Explorer trip to Belguim, in the Ardennes region. I’ve helped with this for several years, and I keep going back as it’s ace fun. It was a really good week, great kids who developed a lot, led by Andy Mathers to great esteem. Nuff respect to that feller – he’s very good with the kids. Only a couple broken, and they were mostly to do with mountain biking (suprise).

As ever, the only real problems were to do with transport.

Phil H, on a mission to get a Geocache, reaches the ferry region a long time before us in the bus withthe trailer, but misses the ferry.
Phil’s alternator blows up about 1 mile into the journey home
An impressive wipeout in the fast lane in terrential rain by a member of the public leaves me and Andy stopping the traffic on the M6 on a busy sunday afternoon (really) to escort the driver in a stunned and partially freaked (yet intact) state to the side of the road. Got an air ambulance and everything to that one.

This last week I was up in Northumberland at Sam and Red’s doing some practising for Ricko’s wedding. We’ve practiced long and hard, and are firmly of the mind that none of us are prepared to be his bride. We had some long discussions over many (many) bottles of ale, and Noah helped by hitting drums, but our minds are made up. We are steadfast.

Caught Ellie on the way back and watched Daffyd blow up their £900 Anti Midge device which was entertaining for a while. Especially when I tried to disconnect the propane bottle which was attached to the alight device only to find out it had been turned fully on when I’d been told it was turned off. That was interesting for a moment.

Tonight, Carrington and I have been to see Dave Ridout. For those in the know, Dave has been diagnosed with cancer of the stomach, and he’s been in a pretty bad way for a few weeks. The mass has been blocking his asophogus (?), but he had a stent fitted a few days back and can now (after several weeks) eat again. As you can imagine, having not eaten for several weeks has had a massive hit on his build and systems, but Dave is feeling better, has more energy, and was bollocking Carrington for not finishing his D of E report yet, so it’s not the end of the road yet. Starts Chemo in a couple of weeks, and is really optimistic for getting out again. The terminal word has been used, but from the sounds of it everyone is working on that being a long way in the future yet! Fantastic to see him - that mischevous glint is still in his eye, and we all wish him the very best of health and a speedy recovery over the coming months.

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