Sunday, November 22, 2009

The dodmeister...

Playlist
Dar Williams – Edinburgh Setlist
Various – The George Coleman Radio Show Vols 1-8
Disco Complex 99 – Funtime

Slept in till 8:30...

Up and to the PC to finish off the recent project...

Which is of course a ten hour compilation of most excellent music for today’s surprise birthday party for old chum George Coleman, who will be 50 on Wednesday...



Having finalised matters and printed covers and boxed the collection up as a present for George, I then had to burn a duplicate copy to provide the music at the do itself...

Then, as a final addition, I located on the hard drive all the Disco Complex 99 stuff I dug out back in July for Count Brodski’s 50th, and put together a disc of DC99 for George...

The original line up was me, the Exec Producer, George and Count Brodski and we were joined for our second phase by Keith Apter and Kenny MacLeod...

We set off for the venue, North Warriston Bowling Club (heaven knows how George managed to be unsuspectingly lured there on a Sunday afternoon), picking up Anne’s bestest friend Lynn and Jim Park on the way...

We arrived at 2:30 and soon a goodly crowd of chums of George was gathered ready for his arrival...

Lynn & Anne tried to work out how to work Lynn's camera...



...Pure Bear, Mr Paul Reynolds (centre) held court...



..and lovely wife Angie put a point across to Capital Model and Disco Compexer Keith Apter...



There was much popping of poppers, cheering and clapping as George entered the hall around 3pm...



Here is the Man of the hour, Pure Bear and Disco Complexer, Mr George Coleman with excellent party organiser Anda and a cast of thousands...



The Exec Producer and Lynn congratulated the birthday boy...



...as did oldest chum Mr Reynolds...



The day was spent drinking, carousing and eating to excess – just as any good 50th birthday party ought to be spent - with Jim Park playing "Name that Tune" with my soundtrack CDs...

Amongst George's friends old and new, in attendance were:-
Organiser extraordinaire Anda Aikman
Anda's mum
Me and the Exec Producer
Lynn
Jim
Paul
Keith and Angie
George (of course)
Jamie Frain (aka James Jamieson)
Donald "Mitch" Mitchell (and kids)
Angus "Gus" Bolton and lovely wife Sandra (and kids)
Robert "brother of Nicky" Hind (and kid)
Martin Lennon

An excellent turnout...

Anda and Pure Bear and Ritual Dancer, Donald Mitchell brought round the sandwiches...



...while Jimmy Parker was hanged by his own balloon...



...much to the delight of Robert Hind and mischevious daughter Alice - named after Alice Cooper apparently (maybe)...



Just before five, a ginormous cake, with a rather large, dangerous looking flame was wheeled in, to the strains of "Happy Birthday"...



And so, much cake was indeed eaten...



Especially by small children, including Mitch's two, Jem and Finn...



Music was played - here's Martin entertaining with two requests from George, Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer" and Dr Feelgood's "Back in the Night".......



He attracted the attention of a special wee fan....



...and was cheered on by old friends, Noise and Capital Models stalwart Angus Bolton, Mitch and Jim (back from the dead)...



In the past, Mitch has made a point of not attending these "reunions" but today he confessed he was going to have to start, otherwise the only time he'd ever see any of us would be if one of us popped our clogs...

As Keith and Angie headed home...



...Gus and Sandra brought out various albums of pics from the old days, including this one of our Capital Models football team from the Meadows in 1980...


Back row: me, Keith, manager Jock Edwards and Jamie
Front row: flatmate and honorary Model, Dave McKee and Gus


...and one of your correspondent in his pyjamas, early 1980...



and non-attendees, Hemel based Sister Pam and Californian resident Capital Model Nicky Hind...



...and here are Paul, Jamie, George and me in 1979 (come on, indulge me, it was a reunion)...



Don't you love the moustache?

Here's Paul pointing it out to a suitably amused Mitch...



So, back to the present and here's the Birthday boy with his big badge...



Later on Paul, Jim and Jamie looked on...



...as your correspondent ran through sing-a-long-a-Capital-Models versions of "Computer Operator" and "Second Generation" before Jamie entertained the stragglers...



...belting out "Sittin in the Back Row of the Movies", "Saturday Night at the Movies", "I'm Into Something Good", "All Shook Up" and a countrified version of Rhianna's "Umbrella"...

Much enjoyed and, again, sung along to by George, Paul and Anne...



...and Jim, Anda's mum and Lynn...



Top stuff Mr Jamieson...



All too soon it was time to head home and Anne, Lynn and I left the last handful of rebel rousers to it as we were waved off into the stormy night by Paul, Jamie, Jim, Anda's mum, Anda and George......



A very good day indeed...

Highlight of the Day : George's party...

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