SUBS

Last month Steve Lamacq held a Punk Rock Word Cup on his radio show (6 Music of course), each day two bands would face off and listeners would vote for their favourite. So who won, The Dammed ? Pistols ? Stiff Little Fingers ? well no it was Charlie Harpers UK Subs, even Lamo was shocked !


A friend of mine was married to Steve Roberts' sister back in 1981 and as a result we got back stage passes and tickets to a Subs gig at Hull. We went and met the boys first then watched them endure waves of snot and gob (we were well back) in the form of adulation. The after gig party was what we had really gone for, but nothing happened. The band had a shower and went to bed while we sat drinking with Stevie. We slept in a brush cupboard in their hotel and got chucked out when the maid came round next morning. Stevie is top left in this shot and had a promising career as a session drummer but needed the limelight of belonging to a successful band so jumped at the chance to join the Subs. Two years later he was chucked out for being too "Rock and Roll" unfortunately he liked his beer followed by lots of other stuff followed by more beer. His big idol was Keith Moon and he was always desperate to copy him in every way.


The Band (well Charlie Harper) is still going strong 30 yrs later with a big following especially on the continent and are touring France and Germany next month but what happened to Steve ? My mate split up big style with his wife so i lost track of Steves' career (if he still had one).
I spent a while Googling yesterday and he's got his own band ZeSuicide, here he is make your own mind up......
Ze Scuicide. Ball Park

At least he isnt dead !

LIKE TRIUMPHS LIKE LAMBRETTAS

But not at the same time...

ZEITGEIST '96

My 5TA chop built '95/'96.







Frame, yokes, controls by Jon Ashton of A&D - Disappeared.
Paint by Nobby - Ceased trading.
Model, Gaynor Royle - Sunk without trace.
Oil Tank by Chris - Packed in and got a proper job
Other stuff, me - Present Sir.

Not seen the bike since 2001 either, anyone know where it is ?

COUCH POTATO

Got up early to watch the Australian GP thinking if it was as bad as Bahrain i could just go to sleep again but it was so good it was hard to find time to make a brew. Jenson did the business with Lulu unlucky in 6th after getting shafted by the police, his team and then Mark Webber. Why bother with multi million (billion) dollar circuits in the middle of the desert when a temporary road circuit provides this much action. Nice one Melbourne.



Then WSB with more Brits than ever before (seven), and all competitive. Leon Haslam coming away from Portugal with 2 solid second places.
Elite League Speedway starts next week and British Superbikes next weekend !

LOUISE

Louise worked for a local hairdresser and mentioned in passing that she would be up for a bit of modeling. Within a week she was in a field with my bike. She said she didnt want anyone to see the photos so i had a poster made of this and gave it to her boss who put it up in the salon window.



Photo by John Hawkins.

BENNY AND THE BIG BILL

Yes it is real. We havent had an electricity bill for the workshop for over 5 years as the meter is in a shed used for storage by a guy in Spain so the meter reader hasnt been able to access it. Negotiations start monday !


To cheer myself up i went to Bennys Boneshakers with Guy yesterday, lots of photo opportunities for the blog, wrong, took my camera but left the battery in the charger. Had a good chat and a cuppa with Benny, Bob and Zip but you will have to make do with this.


WATCH HERE for the shrinking chop builder

You can see us all on Bobbys blog HERE

THEATRE OF HATE

Money was tight in 1998 so i bought a cheap crashed/imported EXUP to build a low budget streetfighter out of. It wasnt a runner but "they're bomb proof motors these", as everyone says about almost every jap bike ever made. I put little money but huge time into the thing and ended up with it as you see here. My missis went 2 miles on the perch and refused to go any further, it had a strange tap from the centre of the engine and it jumped out of gear, lots. Engine out and full stripdown, bent selectors replaced but found nothing else wrong. Started it up again, still had the tap. Stripped it again, took it to local expert John Warrington who, like me found nowt wrong. Put it all back together, yes, still there. Twat. Stripped the bike and took the lot to Rufforth Autojumble and sold it in bits ! The only good part of the whole sorry story is that Nik Samson, then editor of Streetfighters mag, thought it looked the bollocks and ran a feature. Now i have published it on here i should have a ceremonial burning of all the photos i have of the vicious bastard.

CRUZIN

Dice 25, a milestone in publishing history. It had the cover by artist Jason Cruz and my rustola T'bird featured. I bought a T shirt from Jason via his splendid website and as he is such a top chap and likes my bike he sent me a free one printed with the cover artwork. Far out.



And how cool is his van.


Between us we also helped the flagging UK economy by donating £11 to HM customs !

Have a look, buy a shirt.

REEF

Glastonbury towns' noisiest boys and Justin Lee Collins* sound alikes are touring again, 6 dates only next month. Saw them at Middlesborough Cornerhouse in '02 on their last tour and couldnt hear anything for a week, but in a good way. You wont be disappointed.



* They only talk like JLC not sing like him......

DETAILS HERE
LISTEN HERE

KIT BIKES 1974

BIG BIKE

Won these on Ebay last week, i was looking at some 70s Street Chopper mags and got outbid but ended up buying these for 99p. All from the early 70s they are full of Drag race reports, twin engined Harleys/Triumphs/Hondas etc, flat tracking and chops as well. Ive not come accross this mag before, definitely be looking out for more, but so will you now ive written this !

YUK AND GEM AT MELBOURNE

Had a good day out yesterday at Melbourne watching my buddy Yuk and daughter Gem compete in the Lookout Stages rally. Despite being nearly 100 yrs old Yuk can still cut it with the young 'uns (or he would if he'd buy some decent tyres).

After a hard weeks partying at uni it was all too exciting for Gem and she went to sleep between stages.




Unfortunaltely they retired from the event with fuel injection problems mid afternoon. Fifteen grands worth of new Millington engine singing nicely until then though.

MAGGIE 12 TODAY

Ever since she saw the link on Dice blog our dog Maggie (Margaret Barker/Goober/Chunk) has wanted to get a feature on Hipster Puppies. As she once bit our neighbours trousers and barked at the postman terrorist was her look of choice...




Its going to need some work.....

PARTS FOR SALE

It will all be going on Ebay next week but heres a preview. Enquiries to tri650@live.co.uk

3"x 16" x 40 hole




1950s Butlers saucer lamp, 12v.

Hallcraft mini hub, needs re-chrome and linings otherwise complete. 40 hole.SOLD



5.00 x 16" Goodyear, ideal for Triumph as inflated width is less than Avon SM etc.SOLD

19" Blocklers, as new.

JAGS NOT MAGS

English early 60s ingenuity at the drags..