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Hi Guys.
Whilst contemplating the talents of Jet Harris last evening my mind wandered to others worthy of note. One blast from the past was Sandy Nelson's version of 'Let there be drums' which I personally feel would be difficult to surpass.
Whilst trolling around Youtube for witness of same I came across Roger Taylor's version of the same piece with Brian May on guitar. Absolutely mind blowing! For anyone not familiar with this version a visit to the site is highly recommended, just search for Roger Taylor on youtube.
Enjoy!
Sticky.

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Excellent Sticky. Although I am not into music this was very nostalgic. Judy plays Spanish guitar, organ and piano but she says the only thing I can play "...is the fool!" It probably dates from those music lessons in St. James's Hall. Can anyone else remember the battles with those rubber table leg stoppers or the 'Bic biro' blow-pipes? 2x ended up with Joe Cannon as bodyguard for the Music chap when he returned to Weymouth House staffroom with his tweed jacket all peppered with pins down the back!

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Hi Graham and all.
Oh yes, happy days........ music in St James hall.
The music chap never had a minder in our days although God knows he needed one!!!
The very aged and blue lipped Syd, don't know if it was the same bloke that taught you, but he was fighting a losing battle with us. Your year seem to have inherited some of the tricks we had. Nothing changes does it?
Still remember St James hall with a certain affection, I remember that one year we had Taff Griffiths for English in one of the basement rooms, it was like a dungeon down there.
Sorry you are not musically inclined. To be totally honest I think that most of us were pretty music savvy in those days 'cos it was the only way to pull the birds, but some of it must have stuck. Now at our age, sadly it is mostly nostalgia that drives our love of the music scene.
Have fun.
Sticky.

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Hello John, and Graham
Yes, we had Mr. Hingely, he with the brown fingers and cough .. he could play all right, but couldn`t really control us boys. I seem to remember him in a world of his own, oblivious to what we "pupils" were up to. A character, like most of the talented bunch that taught us.  Regards

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Hi Bill and all.
Don't know if anyone else has noticed but it is now necessary to click the 'Discussions' box to get the latest postings. Could this be why we seem to be getting fewer than usual?
Nice to hear from you again Bill, I realise that you have been very busy lately, but guess that you have now completed some of your outstanding tasks.
Not sure about the idea of a brain transplant, the new one may not be as talented as the old. We all look forward to you poems and excellent prose.
You were so right about the teaching staff of which we were all so fortunate to have been given the benefit, although I'm sure that many of us did not appreciate it at the time!!!!!!!
Got to go now, grub up.
Have fun all.
Sticky.

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I have found the same thing with the 'Discussions' box. Concur about our education. Although there was mayhem at times, especially in St. James's Hall when waiting for a teacher to arrive, our constant travels between the various sites (Tech College, Abbey Green, Kingsmead Square, Old Gaol etc.) did not do us any harm. In my academic career I have found many people from Grammar & Public Schools with less background than we gained. Our advantage is the 'technical' side. We can 'do stuff' as well as talk about it. It is just what the country has lost and now needs again. Those largely male teachers also had experience beyond the classroom and this helped them engage our interest when they taught. I thank my lucky stars they taught me.

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Hello guys,
I tried to delete a few of the updates to see if new comments would appear at the top of the page again. I think it`s me that jinxed the page by posting the welcome to our latest member...Ha Ha !

We have suffered this problem in the past, and it appears to be a seperate server computer system that carries out the "live updates" to the discussion contributions for Windows Live sites. It fixed itself last time, I do notice there is no control on how we see our home page anymore, so we`re stuck with what we are given now.

I knew I was getting a better and more varied standard of education than some of my friends from my junior school. It seemed to be an issue for a few old "chums" who felt they had "missed out" on some of the things we lucky lads were exposed to at Weymouth House. We may not have had the best quality buildings, but the "Make do & Mend" attitude of our teachers made up for the quality in what really mattered ... content.

As usual, we are wandering off the musician thread that started off the discussion, but at least on this forum we actually talk to each other ! .... oops ! .... "there may be trouble ahead !

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Hi all.
Glad to see that you've got a handle on the computermabob thingy, Bill.
Perhaps it will correct itself again in due course.
Agree entirely with everything said about the quality of the teaching staff in the Weymouth House days.
Incidentally, Graham I passed through Biddestone today, kept an eye open for a bloke with a beard, but never saw one, in fact never saw anyone!!!!
I was on my way home from Trowbridge, don't ask..........
Just to get back on track with the original thread as per Bill's comment. Whilst typing this local radio is on and they just played Mars (The bringer of war) from the Planet Suite by well known Cheltenham resident Gustav Holst. Who would have imagined, on local radio!
Got to go, have to be up early in the morning, going to Bilston, but taking Friday and Monday off to get on with landscaping in the back garden.
Have fun.
Sticky.

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You should have gone into 'The White Horse' Sticky!! Tony, the landlord would have known where I was!! If it was Wednesday daytime most OAPs were probably a) counting their pensions b) taking a nap c) watching the sun approach the yardarm or d) recovering from the excitement of watching the wheelie bins being emptied!! The youngsters were at work outside the village (some in 'The City') and probably only David Taylor and the Stable Lads were out and about on farm or stud tasks! I was of course tapping away on this laptop!!

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Hi Graham.
That explains everything then!
Didn't realise that the social life at Biddestone was so exciting.
The David Taylor you mention, would that be the Taylor family that used to farm at Hartham? Maybe still do.
I seem to recall that when I was a kid they had a son about the same age as us.
They also had daughters that attended Sherborne School, very upper crust!!!!!!!
Have to go now.
Have fun.
Sticky.

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Of course I forgot the 'bunga, bunga parties'! David Taylor is not related to the Hartham Taylors. They still run three farms there. The twin sons took over from Taylor Senior some years ago. One of them managed to build a huge farmhouse on green belt land just beyond Hartham Church. I suspect they are still at the 'Posh' end! Taylor seems to be a local name as there are two other non-related families in Biddestone. Enjoyed the mixed grill and 'Tunnel Vision' beer at the White Horse last evening, Oh what an exciting life it is!

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Hi Graham.
All interesting stuff!
Particularly your comments about the Taylor 'Empire'.
Their farm always had a lot of land, but somehow I was under the impression that they were tenants, maybe I was wrong, hard to believe that over fifty years ago they did all the work with a grey Fergy and an old Fordson E27N (Major), both petrol TVO models.
The church you mention at Hartham, would that be the one at the side of the lodge by the big wrought iron gates at the entrance to Hartham Park. I noticed recently that many of the beech trees that used to be adjacent have been felled which has opened it up a good deal, but didn't notice any des res had sprung up. Can it be seen from the Lane? Maybe we are talking about different churches, but that's the only one I know at Hartham.
Sorry everyone, I'm rambling on again. Nothing at all to do with music either, damn!
Have to write out fifty times 'I MUST KEEP TO THE TOPIC' as an imposition.
Have fun all.
Sticky.

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Sticky, Still off topic! The copse on the Biddestone side of Hartham House's gates (with the church as you said) was cut down about 25 years ago. The trees there are all new growth. The House is now a conference centre and restaurant. The Taylor farmhouse is on the Pickwick side of the church one field away from the lane. It must have a view over the Slaughterford Valley I think. The Taylors have all sorts of machines now. I was nearly speared by a long spike on a huge John Dere (?) green tractor on the corner of the Hartham Lane one day! Chap came out of gate with it leveled. My car must have been quiet as he nearly got me. It would have made my eyes water!! My 'Swan Song' to bring you back on track!

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Hi Graham.
Thanks for keeping me up to date with happenings in the Biddestone / Hartham area. I could go on chatting for hours about the subject as I used to spend days wandering the fields and woodland of the Nicholson's property (Hartham Park) and all Taylor's ground, as a kid. We used to fly home made model gliders in the hilly field to the right hand side of Hartham Lane just past the gates / lodge / church we discussed earlier. The field was down to grass in those days and usually grazed off fairly well.I notice there seems to be a cerial crop in there now.
Really must press on now, slapped legs for digression again!
To get back to the subject, are any of you guys out there in Bath Tec land appreciative of Van Morrison's work, or is it just me?
Have to go now.
Have fun.
Sticky.

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Hi Steve, Stu and all.
Glad you are back safe and sound, Stu. Nice to have you back on board again.
I was beginning to think that there was something fundamentally wrong with my genetic structure or something as no one else I know seems to appreciate Van the man. Hearing the comments from you guys is very reassuring, I'm not so weird after all.
Still it must be the crowd I mix with. One of my old work mates was a James Last fan, how sad is that!!!!!
Got to go, grub up. Chinese!!!!!
Have fun.
Sticky.

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It could have been worse. Val Doonican? Hey a thread here for Sticky. Who is the un-coolest musician?
If you are having your tribes around or just a holiday weekend. Enjoy. Here the beds are made up, the champers in the fridge, wine & beer topped up and about six-months supply of food laid in. Kids arrive in six hours!! I have a stock of new toys for grandson ready. Boy I will miss them when he takes them away. My excuse gone!!

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Survived the visit! Stocks much lower and the toys gone. Boo! Hoo! At least the plastic trumpet was a success!

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Hi Graham and all.
Glad you survived the visit by Grand Children over the Easter.
Shame about your loss of supplies and toys though Graham.
You were comparatively lucky. We have had the sister-in-law staying with us for the last ten days.
Gone home today. She doesn't do too badly, bless 'er.
She's outlived two husbands and has an artificial heart valve but is still fairly sprightly for a seventy one year old. She gets a bit lonely living on her own at Montacute, just outside Yeovil, though she has a dog and a couple of guinea pigs. 'Course when she comes to visit all the animals have to come as well. You can imagine the fun as we have three cats, three ducks and numerous chickens. We spend most of our time preventing, dog chasing cats, cats clawing dogs eyes out and dog chasing ducks, trying to work out why it is when she gets in the pond its over the top of her head with dirty water but it only comes half way up the ducks. The indignity of it all!!!!!!!
Still, on the positive side, it did give me the excuse to take the biddies up to see the puff puffs on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway. That was a good day out on Saturday. Took some photos but all except one were a load of rubbish. Not familiar with the camera yet but getting the hang of it slowly.
Will post the photo on the 'Railway photos' album.
Have fun all.
Sticky.

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