An Early Happy New Year!

I’m wishing everyone a happy new year a day early as I will be in work on tomorrow and Saturday, can’t resist the double time. Therefore, I will wish everyone a happy and safe new year now and reflect over 2021 as it comes to an end.

Rest in peace Dusty Hill

Always wanting to get the negative out of the way, like with many of the previous years, we lost more of the rock legends we grew up with decades earlier including three in one day! One of those was the legendary bassist for ZZTop, Dusty Hill. Others include Joey Jordison, Mike Howe and Jeff LaBar and there were more. May they all rest in peace.

Of course, outside of music, we still had the Covid to deal with and while things seemed to be improving throughout the year, it appears it has all gone backwards in the end on account of the Omnicron strain. As usual, it’s been a pain in the rear end and we have to make adjustments but hopefully, things will get better in 2022.

My son Will and me celebrating our 60th and 30th birthdays

One major change for me in 2021 was the fact that I have been alive for six decades. Part of me feels like the old man ready to impart wisdom on the youth. Okay maybe not, but I can educate them on heavy metal history. This has led me to get my will sorted although I am waiting for a response from the people at Bloodstock as to whether they will honour my request to have my ashes poured from the Ronnie James Dio Stage when I do depart this world. While I might be an old man, I did receive the compliment while playing in a softball tournament that I moved around the bases pretty well for someone my age. In addition, I had added joy when both of my daughters in law bore me beautiful granddaughters in 2021.

With my granddaughter Primrose. In the foreground is my three year old grandson Alex.

My granddaughter Juliana

As the pandemic seemed to be easing throughout the year, there was a slow but steady return to live music. I have enjoyed reading some of your accounts of the gigs you went to. I managed to get to one at a club in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, when I saw the bands Logoz and Silverjet. Okay, neither band is well known outside the Northeast of England but they both put on a great show that evening.

Logoz in Newcastle

Like the rest of you, I am also looking towards 2022 with careful optimism. I hope that the pandemic will no longer be a inconvenience to our lives and we can move on. In the meantime, I will look forward to reading your posts and hearing what you all have to say about music new and old. BTW, I did get the new Iron Maiden album for Christmas and because of it’s length, I only have listened to the first CD. So far, I pretty much like what I hear.

Happy New Year to all!

Next post: Reckless- No Frills

To buy Rock and Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com