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In a strange twist of events l found myself in conversation with a young lady who had attended Layer Road for a match against Hull City in our first season in The Championship. The 5-1 encounter.
We were attending a promo evening for a band called The Datsuns in North London in 2008.
During the evening she explained that she had been present at a party that made the national news due to the tragic death of someone by the name of Mark Blanco.
The incident occurred in December 2006.
This incident will be shown on Channel 4 on Monday night at 22.00 in an hour long documentary and several people known to me have made contributions.
It may be of interest to some.
I am very much hoping that the police will reinvestigate the death of Mark Blanco as a result of what will be included in the content.
I know that what l was told by this young lady 15 years ago has been instrumental in the making of this documentary.
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Tigers at Layer Road on 17:59 - Nov 16 with 806 views
It is actually Patrick O'Mahoney but he adjusted his name.
He is driving to Leeds.
He sounds quite displeased that l have called.
Bernard had written a couple of big selling titles.
The first was about Ecstasy dealing in the Basildon area.
The second was about the Essex Boys Murder.
He was quite dismissive about Tony Tucker threatening anyone with a gun.
My impression, rightly or wrongly was that this was something he hadn't known about and Bernard liked to know everything about the Basildon scene that led to the murders.
He was also dismissive of the guitar playing individual who had done a few stints in Chelmsford and Norwich prisons.for dealing E's.
This conversation was taking place in 2013 and l had spent the previous two and a half years researching crime at the request of third parties..
This necessitated going into prisons within a hundred mile radius of Colchester to interview inmates.
Bernard would not have been aware that l had viewed over 900 police statements relating to The Rettendon Murders.
He may not have realised that Colchester is a relatively short distance from the former home of one of the individuals serving a life term for the murder of Tucker, Tate and Rolfe.
He would not have been aware that l knew someone who had lived in very close proximity to that individual.
Having said all that, fair play to Bernard to making the change from the security sector and writing about his life experiences which are quite something.
To be continued.
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Tigers at Layer Road on 21:47 - Nov 16 with 753 views
I looked at some YouTube footage of Nigel Benn fights last night.
Tony Tucker was by Benn's side on the ring walks in his position as security / minder.
Carlton Leach too.
The footage reminded me what a great fighter Nigel Benn was.
As for Karen, it could well be her in one of the clips.
As for her being followed by the BMW that l too encountered on several occasions - I think this may have been the police who conducted 'Operation Century' as a surveillance method in the early months of their investigation.
They most likely checked me out from my number plate in '96.
I should imagine the black BMW's may also have followed Bernard O'Mahoney around.
If my memory serves me right Bernard was actually in the Rettendon area at the time of the shooting.
It was an amazing case and those that were killed were loved by people around them.
Karen included.
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Tigers at Layer Road on 20:01 - Nov 18 with 661 views
There used to be a Mexican restaurant in Covent Garden - possibly Neale Street or Long Acre way.
We went there one night in the mid eighties for a birthday bash. ( We used to call it a Birthday Bash in those days ).
The restaurant was called Pacifico's. I am sitting there and recognise someone from Colchester walking over.
It was Richard Travis and l knew him through cricket circles.
He was actually a partner in the restaurant.
He was also a partner at Sloppy Joe's in Colchester High Street and my family were quite regular visitors there.
Fast forward about ten years.
Richard drops by to visit me on a Sunday evening.
We are talking about Sloppy Joe's and he tells me that Jeremy Bamber who went on to murder five members of his family at White House Farm used to work for him as a cocktail waiter or bar assistant.
To be continued.
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Tigers at Layer Road on 20:43 - Nov 18 with 638 views
Tigers at Layer Road on 20:24 - Nov 18 by SparkfilmsTV
Random thoughts and memories
Part Forty Three
There used to be a Mexican restaurant in Covent Garden - possibly Neale Street or Long Acre way.
We went there one night in the mid eighties for a birthday bash. ( We used to call it a Birthday Bash in those days ).
The restaurant was called Pacifico's. I am sitting there and recognise someone from Colchester walking over.
It was Richard Travis and l knew him through cricket circles.
He was actually a partner in the restaurant.
He was also a partner at Sloppy Joe's in Colchester High Street and my family were quite regular visitors there.
Fast forward about ten years.
Richard drops by to visit me on a Sunday evening.
We are talking about Sloppy Joe's and he tells me that Jeremy Bamber who went on to murder five members of his family at White House Farm used to work for him as a cocktail waiter or bar assistant.
To be continued.
A Bar Assistant?
It all makes sense now, maybe he is innocent?
I can just imagine his adoptive father clicking his fingers and shouting “Jeremy can we have a round of shots over here”!
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Tigers at Layer Road on 20:49 - Nov 18 with 633 views
Apologies for the commercial break, l am on another screen to Dayton, Ohio.
Anyway, Richard begins to tell me about money that was being taken from the till at Sloppy Joe's over a period of time. I think Richard Travis may have been the Financial Director.
There were quite a few staff at Sloopy Joe's at the time Jeremy Bamber was working there and Richard and his partner had no idea who was taking the money from the till.
They formulate ways to monitor the staff with a secret camera or some similar mode of surveillance.
They catch Bamber taking the money.
Sack him on the spot.
Don't ask Bamber to pay back what he has taken over the weeks and months and they didn't report it to the police.
I think it was just a matter of months after that when Bamber killed his adoptive parents, sister ( not his blood line but also adopted ) and her two young twin boys.
I don't think this story ever came out at the time and there is a trait in Bamber's behaviour that has the hallmark of his masterplan at White House Farm.
If Bamber had been reported to the police for theft he may have had second thoughts about murdering five members of his family.
So l walk up to my door and look down at the individual sitting on the doorstep. I have also noted the labels on her suitcases. She has flown in from Buenos Aires.
She introduces herself by her online username and l have to admit that the term used ( Argentineteen Babe ) and her look are a fit.
She was beginning a creative writing course at Essex University and she wanted to know if she could stay with me for a week or so as the flat that her father had rented in Wivenhoe was not quite ready.
She already 'knew' - in chat room / forum terms someone on the writing course at Essex..
I allocated her a spare room, cooked for her every day and enjoyed her company. Helped her move in. We hung out together on occasions once she settled in Wivenhoe.
Wonder where she is now?
Back in Argentina?
Or Paris?
Maybe she is still around these parts.
I moved house a year later so if she returned there she would have found the new occupants doing some major building work in my former home.
[Post edited 18 Nov 22:13]
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Tigers at Layer Road on 12:11 - Nov 19 with 570 views
Jaipur, Rajasthan, North West India, November 1979
There is no one more sceptical than myself when it comes to fortune telling.
Somehow l am drawn towards a fortune teller who is set up in something resembling a telephone box in the hotel carpark.
It would be a once off, no possibility of a repeat especially after a fifteen minute 'consultation' that was mind blowing and led to a sleepless night.
We are standing about two metres apart.
We exchange a brief general conversation.
There are no questions from the fortune teller about anything in my life.
We are speaking about the scent in the air and the vibe of the temples nearby.
After a few minutes of that he is scribbling away with a pencil into a note pad.
I just stand there mute.
He stops scribbling and folds the paper multiple times.
I pay him for the piece of paper and it equates to about eight pounds in rupee notes.
I take the piece of paper back to my hotel room and carefully open it up.
It looks like a mathematical formula and gradually l begin to decipher the little diagram and numbers.
It includes Mother born 3rd day of the 3rd Month.
Correct, my mother was born on 3rd March.
It includes Father born on 3rd day of 1st Month.
Correct, my father born on January 3rd.
It includes my then girlfriend and he writes it down as Jayne.
It was Jane.
It includes odd words that effectively equated to my philosophy about the basic strands of life.
The next day l meet up with an English couple who had settled in Jaipur and told them about the fortune teller.
He was the son of one of India's most famous fortune tellers and they said he was capable of extracting information from the subconscious.
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Tigers at Layer Road on 20:39 - Nov 19 with 515 views
From the time l was about eight years old l used to borrow one of my Dad's collection of transistor radios and hide it under the bed covers at night.
I lived in a secret musical wonderland for several hours most nights and I'm not sure if my parents ever realised l was burning the candle at both ends.
One of the first singers l looked forward to listening to was Del Shannon.
'Two Kinds of Teardrops'.
'Little Town Flirt'.
There were hints here of a future world if l played my cards right.
I always looked forward to any Billy Fury release, Adam Faith too. And Bobby Vee.
Music was making an impression on me that would last a lifetime.
Fast forward to today.
I was thinking of a single that was released ( without checking ) in 1967.
I played it an hour ago. But not the single as it is in the loft.
It is the opening track on a David McWilliams LP.
The song is 'The Days of Pearly Spencer'.
It is still haunting and has a mystical theme that always weaves it's magic on me.
To think the record label Major Minor originally released it as a B side seems inconceivable.
[Post edited 19 Nov 20:44]
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Tigers at Layer Road on 17:06 - Nov 20 with 457 views
The following words were written by David McWilliams in the opening verse to 'Days of Pearly Spencer'.
A tenement a dirty street Walked and worn by shoeless feet Inside it's long and so complete Watched by the shivering sun Old eyes in a small child's face Watching as the shadows race Through walls and cracks And leaves no trace And daylight's brightness shuns The day's of Pearly Spencer The race is almost won
I was up at 3am and played this track about five times.
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Tigers at Layer Road on 21:58 - Nov 20 with 431 views
Del Shannon recorded an album titled 'Rock On!' that he recorded between '89 and '90.
It was released in the UK on the Silvertone label in 1990.
Del Shannon commited suicide a few months before the album was released.
It was produced by Mike Campbell and Jeff Lynne and features an array of supporting musicians that include Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty and George Harrison.
I suppose it was a comeback album after his string of hits in the early sixties following a series of releases with modest sales.
To think that he produced this work almost thirty years after his early success represents ( to me ) one of the greatest comebacks by a recording artist.
It is as good as anything he ever did. Possibly even better!
I played the vinyl today very loud through a guitar amp and if anyone out there was a fan of Del Shannon all those years ago you should hunt this album down.
Born Charles Westover in 1934 he impacted my life and interest in music.
[Post edited 24 Nov 15:56]
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Tigers at Layer Road on 22:41 - Nov 20 with 415 views
This is effectively a list of artists who came to my home town of Colchester who linger in the memory.
Spooky Tooth - Essex Uni Fairport Convention - Essex Uni Curved Air - Essex Uni East of Eden - Essex Uni ACDC - ABC Cinema Jon Hiseman's Colosseum - Essex Uni Atomic Rooster - Colchester Technical College Van Der graaf Generator - Colchester Technical College Genesis - The Metro Freedom - The Metro Ainsley Dunbar - The Metro Ronnie Lanes Slim Chance - Essex Uni Juicy Lucy - Essex Uni Yes - Colchester Corn Exchange Ginger Baker's Airforce - Colchester Corn Exchange Uriah Heep - Colchester Corn Exchange Stevie Marriott - The Works Duster Bennett - Essex Uni John Martyn - Essex Uni The Stranglers - Essex Uni Audience - Colchester Technical College Aardvark - Colchester Technical College Steeleye Span - Essex Uni Fire - Essex Uni The Groundhogs - Essex Uni Warm Dust - Essex Uni Hard Meat - Essex Uni The Kursaal Flyers - Essex Uni The Dammed - Essex Uni Renaissance - Colchester Technical College Greenslade - Colchester Technical College Rare Bird - Colchester Technical College Brotherhood of Breath - Essex Uni Coldplay - Colchester Arts Centre Elastica - Colchester Arts Centre The Music - Colchester Arts Centre Athlete - Colchester Arts Centre Liverpool Scene - Essex Uni Lodger - Colchester Arts Centre Dire Straits - Colchester Technical College The Subways - Colchester Arts Centre Arthur Crudup - Essex Uni Jan Dukes De Grey - Essex Uni Client - Colchester Arts Centre Arab Strap - Colchester Arts Centre Dot Allison - Colchester Arts Centre Echo and the Bunnymen - Colchester Arts Centre Jess Roden - Essex Uni Frankie Miller - Essex Uni Kokomo - Essex Uni
Got to feed the animals now.
Maybe more tomorrow
😊😊😊
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Tigers at Layer Road on 08:23 - Nov 21 with 388 views
Tigers at Layer Road on 22:41 - Nov 20 by SparkfilmsTV
Random thoughts and memories
Part Forty Seven
This is effectively a list of artists who came to my home town of Colchester who linger in the memory.
Spooky Tooth - Essex Uni Fairport Convention - Essex Uni Curved Air - Essex Uni East of Eden - Essex Uni ACDC - ABC Cinema Jon Hiseman's Colosseum - Essex Uni Atomic Rooster - Colchester Technical College Van Der graaf Generator - Colchester Technical College Genesis - The Metro Freedom - The Metro Ainsley Dunbar - The Metro Ronnie Lanes Slim Chance - Essex Uni Juicy Lucy - Essex Uni Yes - Colchester Corn Exchange Ginger Baker's Airforce - Colchester Corn Exchange Uriah Heep - Colchester Corn Exchange Stevie Marriott - The Works Duster Bennett - Essex Uni John Martyn - Essex Uni The Stranglers - Essex Uni Audience - Colchester Technical College Aardvark - Colchester Technical College Steeleye Span - Essex Uni Fire - Essex Uni The Groundhogs - Essex Uni Warm Dust - Essex Uni Hard Meat - Essex Uni The Kursaal Flyers - Essex Uni The Dammed - Essex Uni Renaissance - Colchester Technical College Greenslade - Colchester Technical College Rare Bird - Colchester Technical College Brotherhood of Breath - Essex Uni Coldplay - Colchester Arts Centre Elastica - Colchester Arts Centre The Music - Colchester Arts Centre Athlete - Colchester Arts Centre Liverpool Scene - Essex Uni Lodger - Colchester Arts Centre Dire Straits - Colchester Technical College The Subways - Colchester Arts Centre Arthur Crudup - Essex Uni Jan Dukes De Grey - Essex Uni Client - Colchester Arts Centre Arab Strap - Colchester Arts Centre Dot Allison - Colchester Arts Centre Echo and the Bunnymen - Colchester Arts Centre Jess Roden - Essex Uni Frankie Miller - Essex Uni Kokomo - Essex Uni
Got to feed the animals now.
Maybe more tomorrow
😊😊😊
Fab list isn't it! ( Wishbone Ash recently too ).
Moor Pinot
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Tigers at Layer Road on 12:53 - Nov 21 with 354 views
More memorable acts from Colchester music venues over the years.
Stone the Crows - Essex Uni Cado Belle - Essex Uni Red Dirt - Essex Uni Pentangle - Essex Uni Seahorses - Essex Uni F.O.X. ( aka Angry v the Bear ) - Castle Park The Lamp - St Paul's Hall Graham Parker and the Rumour - Essex Uni Saxon - Colchester Hippodrome Free - Corn Exchange Electric Soft Parade - Arts Centre Bluetones - Arts Centre Headswim - Arts Centre Hefner - Arts Centre Modern English - Castle Park Victor Brox Band - Essex Uni John Dummer Blues Band - Essex Uni Seth Lakeman - Arts Centre Cara Dillon - Arts Centre Kinks - Essex Uni Pretty Things - Essex Uni Young Knives - Essex Uni Mr Fox - Essex Uni Drugstore - Arts Centre Babe Ruth - Essex Uni Doctor Feelgood - Essex Uni Caravan - Essex Uni Principal Edwards Magic Theatre - Essex Uni
NB. The band's listed at Essex Uni played in the dance hall or the lecture theatre and a few played in the Hexagon Restaurant. Around 1970 Colchester had three regular major music venues ( Uni, College and Corn Exchange ) and several minor venues ( Metro - Sunday was billed as a Blues Night ).
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Tigers at Layer Road on 15:14 - Nov 21 with 302 views
Tigers at Layer Road on 12:53 - Nov 21 by SparkfilmsTV
Random thoughts and memories
Part Forty Seven - Continued
More memorable acts from Colchester music venues over the years.
Stone the Crows - Essex Uni Cado Belle - Essex Uni Red Dirt - Essex Uni Pentangle - Essex Uni Seahorses - Essex Uni F.O.X. ( aka Angry v the Bear ) - Castle Park The Lamp - St Paul's Hall Graham Parker and the Rumour - Essex Uni Saxon - Colchester Hippodrome Free - Corn Exchange Electric Soft Parade - Arts Centre Bluetones - Arts Centre Headswim - Arts Centre Hefner - Arts Centre Modern English - Castle Park Victor Brox Band - Essex Uni John Dummer Blues Band - Essex Uni Seth Lakeman - Arts Centre Cara Dillon - Arts Centre Kinks - Essex Uni Pretty Things - Essex Uni Young Knives - Essex Uni Mr Fox - Essex Uni Drugstore - Arts Centre Babe Ruth - Essex Uni Doctor Feelgood - Essex Uni Caravan - Essex Uni Principal Edwards Magic Theatre - Essex Uni
NB. The band's listed at Essex Uni played in the dance hall or the lecture theatre and a few played in the Hexagon Restaurant. Around 1970 Colchester had three regular major music venues ( Uni, College and Corn Exchange ) and several minor venues ( Metro - Sunday was billed as a Blues Night ).
There was also Woods Leisure Centre that had a lot of famous groups playing there in the early 70's.
mfb
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Tigers at Layer Road on 12:33 - Nov 22 with 277 views
Following are three music linked memories featuring each of my daughter's before any of them were five years old.
1. We are at Dublin Airport following a long weekend taking in U2 at Phoenix Park around '84.
The flights are delayed. Rachel is two years old and in her buggy when she says 'U2'....she had noticed Bono in the WH Smith bookshop area.
She used to sit in front of the TV for her evening meals and was a keen follower of The Tube which had often featured U2.
Bono heard her little voice, came over, knelt down and shook hands with her. Lovely moment.
We spent quite a bit of time speaking to them.
2. I am driving to Cambridge on a Sunday afternoon for a client meeting in 1985.
My daughter Laura who was 11 months old is making the trip and is in her car seat. I have The Cutting Crew cassette featuring 'Died in your arms last night' playing.
I look in the rear view mirror to see if she is asleep and she is wide awake and nodding along in time with the song.
3. I put a Rory Gallagher album on the turntable at home. Suddenly my four year old daughter Hannah begins dancing in time with the Irish Wizard. She had never done that before.
Hannah was born on St Patrick's Day.
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Tigers at Layer Road on 12:14 - Nov 23 with 205 views
The stars and stripes fluttering in a strong breeze.
Then beyond.
Images from war films projected onto advertising hoardings.
Lost.
Several hours wandering alone and determined to find my way back to the hotel.
Get back somehow.
Reach reception and collapse into large leather chair by the main desk.
Crash out.
Dreams.
Images.
Sounds.
Some real.
Some imagined?
Something that has always fascinated me is that our brains store information that can be from real life experiences, dreams or from imagery enhanced by substances.
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Tigers at Layer Road on 09:58 - Nov 24 with 150 views
Tigers at Layer Road on 12:53 - Nov 21 by SparkfilmsTV
Random thoughts and memories
Part Forty Seven - Continued
More memorable acts from Colchester music venues over the years.
Stone the Crows - Essex Uni Cado Belle - Essex Uni Red Dirt - Essex Uni Pentangle - Essex Uni Seahorses - Essex Uni F.O.X. ( aka Angry v the Bear ) - Castle Park The Lamp - St Paul's Hall Graham Parker and the Rumour - Essex Uni Saxon - Colchester Hippodrome Free - Corn Exchange Electric Soft Parade - Arts Centre Bluetones - Arts Centre Headswim - Arts Centre Hefner - Arts Centre Modern English - Castle Park Victor Brox Band - Essex Uni John Dummer Blues Band - Essex Uni Seth Lakeman - Arts Centre Cara Dillon - Arts Centre Kinks - Essex Uni Pretty Things - Essex Uni Young Knives - Essex Uni Mr Fox - Essex Uni Drugstore - Arts Centre Babe Ruth - Essex Uni Doctor Feelgood - Essex Uni Caravan - Essex Uni Principal Edwards Magic Theatre - Essex Uni
NB. The band's listed at Essex Uni played in the dance hall or the lecture theatre and a few played in the Hexagon Restaurant. Around 1970 Colchester had three regular major music venues ( Uni, College and Corn Exchange ) and several minor venues ( Metro - Sunday was billed as a Blues Night ).
A couple more to add to the list - Lindisfarne and Stiff Little Fingers both did Essex Uni, and I’m pretty sure Renaissance played at both the Tech and Uni.
Edit: and not forgetting Spirit supported by The Police at Essex Uni.
Tigers at Layer Road on 09:58 - Nov 24 by wessex_exile
A couple more to add to the list - Lindisfarne and Stiff Little Fingers both did Essex Uni, and I’m pretty sure Renaissance played at both the Tech and Uni.
Edit: and not forgetting Spirit supported by The Police at Essex Uni.
[Post edited 24 Nov 11:14]
Yes, l saw Lindisfarne in the dance hall!
I think 'Fog on the Tyne' may still have been in the charts at the time they played Essex Uni.
While in Newcastle in '05 l walked across the Tyne bridge.
Was also let loose on a set of kettle drums in The City Hall in mid afternoon and gave them a whack for around twenty minutes.
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