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| Bentham Station |
It's a grey Saturday morning and I'm in a rush. Got to get the 8:04 train. I'm fighting the effects of last night's wine and I could murder a bacon sandwich. Rushing down Station Road the bakery is open, time for coffee and a sandwich? No, it's 8:03 and there's a queue. Better get that train and pick something up at Lancaster.
I reach the platform and I hear the train approach. A couple of other hardy souls are up at this hour. Hang on, the destination is only Carnforth, this train doesn't go as far as Lancaster. I can meet my connection there and at least Carnforth has a cafe, trading on its appearance in Brief Encounter.
I climb aboard an almost deserted train except for the middle-aged woman having a very loud telephone conversation.
"No Clapham. Yes, not that one. Yorkshire. Y-O-R-K-S-H-I-R-E! No Carnforth. Yes, I'm hoping for a brief encounter of my own ha-ha."
I plug in my earphones.
Twenty minutes and we arrive. My connection to Manchester is on time, just a ten-minute wait. I approach the cafe and find it shut. A grumbling stomach and a mild hangover are reminders I should have gone to the bakery.
Piccadilly is busy and I walk with the throng from the though platforms to the station concourse. A walk that makes a trip to a Weatherspoon's toilet seem short. There by the departure boards is Tim.
"I need breakfast."
He nods sagely at my friendly greeting. We take a short walk to a trendy cafe, where Greg joins us. We three devour a full English each and feel much better.
Martyn is texting, he is about to arrive at Piccadilly. We walk back and meet him, ready for a day of making plans and beer, plenty of beer.
We find a small pub on Portland Street, The Grey Horse, just opening up. A couple of pints in and things are going well.
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| Grey Horse Inn Portland Street |
We want to play together again. Doing so at a distance is ok, but could we try a proper rehearsal? Martyn doesn't own a drum kit of his own. Tim has one at home. Should we use an electric one? Could we record the basic tracks as a band and then do overdubs later from a distance?
The search is on for a venue and date. We move on to the Old Monkey where there is a quieter bar upstairs. More beer helps develop a consensus. Then the message we've all been hoping for.
"Jobs done, on my way bitches."
As only a bass player can, James announces his unexpected attendance at the summit.
He catches up quickly. He's all in like the rest of us. Let's do it. More celebratory pints are quaffed.
Too soon I have to leave. It's a two-hour train trip home for me and there aren't that many trains to Bentham.
We've agreed the songs to play, we've booked a rehearsal studio for the start of October. We are, after 26 years, officially, back.
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| L-R: James Greg, Tim, Matt, Martyn |
👨🎤
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