Page 22 - RYAN'S GIG GUIDE July 2014

Though old habits die hard the nun at my
school didn't seem to spend too long dithering
about stepping into the bright light when her
moment to give up living came; and after the
bus driver had given his statement and the
police had mopped up what was left the priest
led my school in a prayer of remembrance and
thanks for everything Sister Matic had taught
us Things like being thankful for the life God
had given us how bountiful the reward for the
keepers of His name were and confusing
messages about not indulging in nightly
activities that made baby Jesus cry
Once the police had finished their investigations
and came to the school to explain that faith in
God was no substitute for not looking both
ways before stepping out in front of the
Number Thirty Seven to the High Street we
were then informed the head priest would be
leaving the school to do missionary work within
the prison system (the police getting wind of
the 'little secret' he shared with several of us
lads and presumably deciding to help him in his
quest for sharing by inviting him for a several
year stint at the pleasure of 'Er Majesty
amongst the ne'er do wells and miscreants of
the local jail)
And much like the full details
regarding the schools closure
after that mysterious fire
trying to find out information
on your favourite band back
then was a world of drip fed
revelations and headline
informing knowledge gleaned
from within the pseudo plastic covers of
whichever music magazine adorned the space
beside the girlie mags atop the uppermost shelf
of the Catholic run news agents down the road
Not for my generation the instant internet
access to the inner workings of Iron Maiden or
Metallica; the most we could hope for was a
bi weekly binge on stale old tales about bands
that we loved but would be forever just out of
reach Gig listings promising a chance to catch
them in action became litanies of lies the dates
either too close to save the money for the cost
of a ticket or too far away for an unmolested
hitch hike to the show
Television offered a way for the money poor
and bottom tight to see their band up close;
MTV still riding high on the after parties of the
Eighties and focussing solely on the music it
afforded those with parents packing enough
wedge a life line via a bin lid glued to the side
of their house and a black box atop the telly As
bad as the fare it served up became in later
years at least the portions were large Twenty
four glorious hours of fairly new and up to date
information with an on tap slew of the latest
music videos
A few years later and personal computers leapt
from the friendly finance section of the home
catalogue and into the front room A hulking
Missives
OUT OF THE
MIDLANDS
MISSIONARY WORK
LITANIES OF LIES
HUM OF RADIATION
ROBERT BAKER
22