Do you like jazz? Yeah, I do too... or do I? I've got a few jazz albums- you know, the ones us rock'n'roll blokes are supposed to have, to show that we're not as one dimensional as people think we are, 'A Kind Of Blue', 'Mingus Ah Um', that kind of thing- but they don't get played too often. From time to time I think 'I know, I'll play some jazz' and put one of them on; I always seem to end up playing someone like The Ramones straight afterwards, as if it brings me back home again or something.
There's been a jazz club at Ruislip Golf Club for many years, on Monday evenings in the upstairs bar 'though I think it used to be Sunday lunchtime? Anyway Brian who runs it always drops a poster into the shop and is always really enthusiastic about it, and I always say to him that I will come down but always seem to have something else to do; when he drops the next poster in he always tells me what a great evening I missed, and I always say to him that I'll make more of an effort to get along next time, but I always seem to have something else to do... but I made it there last night, and I'm very glad that I did, because Jim Mullen played. He played back in the summer but I missed him (it was the same night as the Paul Fox benefit night in Islington- see what I mean?) so I made sure I got along this time. As I arrived Brian was by the door; he let me in for nothing telling the lady collecting the admission money that I always put a poster up in the shop for the club, and that everyone had noticed that there were more young people coming along these days. I met up with drummer extraordinaire Dave Bateman and watched the band meet each other- probably for the first time but that's what happens at these type of gatherings- as Jim handed out what I assume were chord sheets to the double bass player and keyboard man. To my surprise Brian took his place behind the drums (he'd never mentioned to me that he played) and they began. They sounded as though they'd been playing together for years. Jim played chords that I'll never be able to pronounce let alone play, and solos that I doubt I'd be able to find on any of my guitars if I looked from now until doomsday, and although I could have done without a bass solo in every number (!) I guess that 'goes with the territory' as they say... effortlessly excellent stuff throughout, and I'm really glad that I went, and I'll try to go along more often- but I couldn't wait to play The Ramones when I got home, if you know what I mean. Gabba gabba hey indeed.
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