1984, A NEW JOB and the KING…AL GREEN

It was now 1984, I had just Spent Christmas at Home with my Wife and Kids, after leaving my previous Job (Offshore Chef) about 4 Days before Christmas ’83. 

I cant be exact, but I think I only had about 2 Weeks out of Work before I found my next Job!

It was only Part-Time (but I knew it would become Full-Time in due course) I was going to Work at a Casino in our Town, as a Chef, the Place was Called “King’s Casino”

I Remember at the beginning I was Working, once or twice a Week, I was taking care of the Starter’s and Sweets, there was only a Small Team of Worker’s, including the Head Chef called “Peter Culley” and a Second Chef named “Kevin Huggins” there was another Trainee Chef and about 2/3 Chaps doing the Kitchen Porter’s Work.

I enjoyed the Job and Work, although there were a Couple of Draw Backs, one was, I was Working Night’s again and two, I Lived about 4/5 Miles away and I still had my Bike, so I was back Pedalling again!

When I say I worked Nights, the Hour’s were a 5pm Start and “Last Order’s” were at 11.30pm, so by the Time we Cleared up etc and I Cycled Home, it was around 12.30 am, not too great for a Married Man with Kids, but I did get 6 out of the 7 Day Times off, although we did Work Friday Morning as well, as the Night Time.

I recall Cycling back and forth to work, that time of the year, it always seemed to be Raining, so I had my “Yellow Water Proof Coat and Trouser’s” for Bike Riding, they used to make me Sweat “like Hell” most times, but at least I had My “Personal Cassette Player” that always Helped me to pass away the time on boring Journeys! 

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As for Music, back in 1974, Al Green Released His 8th Album on the  Hi Records Label, called “Explores Your Mind” and the Brilliant 3rd Track on Side 1 was called “God Blessed Our Love” What a Classic!


It was Written by Al Green, Willie Mitchell and Earl Randle, Surprisingly, it was Never Released as a Single, I would say one of Al Green’s Best, but He has so Many Fantastic Tracks!


The Album went to Number 1 in the US R&B Charts, the Track was Re-Recorded by several Different Artists over the Years!


Checkout the Live Version, Recorded in 2002 in New York City, What a Performance!

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Download the Track!
Check out the Great Lyrics!
Talking:
God blessed our love. 
Even in the morning, when I rise, I say 
God blessed our love. 

And every morning, when I rise
I can just see heaven all, all in your eyes
Makes me know this is not an everyday love, no, no
We’ve got something I’m sure we can be proud of
Oh, we’ve got so much, so much love
We’ve got so much, so much trust
Can’t you see a halo, a halo, I can see a halo hovering over us

Chorus:
oh I just can’t believe it baby but,
God blessed our love, 
I have to say it this evening that
God oh God blessed our love
if you’ve got something to be thankful for 
you oughta just say, hey, hey, hey, 
God blessed our love, 
I have to say it this evening
God oh God blessed our love oh yes he did

Let me say I could just stand up and tell the world, oh baby
That you’re mine, all mine, ah yeah
You love is heavenly designed
And I just have to say that I like kissing you
I like, I like hugging you
I like squeezing you, wanting you, holding you, loving you
I’m glad I’m still lovin’ oh baby 
Let me say when people, yeah, people, yeah, start to criticize
Well it don’t bother me, no, no, 
Cause I know God, God, God is on our side
yes he is

Chorus:
let me just say
God, God blessed our love
I have to say that God oh God blessed our love
(Until Fade)

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COBHOLM and ZAPP

Trying to remember things that happened around this period is, I must admit is “Getting Harder” I believe I finally moved to the Cobholm Branch of the Co-op Butchery’s, around the October/ November time in 1982.


I was still using my Bike to get to Work, but it only took about 20 minutes to get there, which was a lot better than more than an Hour to Caister!


It turned out, there were about 3 Full-Time Women and about 3 Part-Time Women, who worked there, there was also a Shop-Manager, but I cant remember his Name, but I got on with him Great!

As I said previously, I was on my own in the Butchery Section, which was Great, but I had to do everything myself, Cutting & Displaying the Meat, serving the Customers, taking the Money, keeping the Book work up to date, Keeping my Section Clean & Tidy, but as I said, it was great being on my own!


As for our Home life, we were coming up to our First Christmas in our New House, which we had now been in just under 1 Year, we had moved into the previous January.


The House was alright, but the Area & the Neighbours were not that great, and little did we know then, we were going to spent another 11 Years in this House, apart from a 3 Month period around 1986 (3.5 years later), when we Moved to Norwich, which is about 20 Miles away!

As for the Music, a Great Album which was to be Released in a few months time in 1983, was 3 by Zapp, led by Roger Troutman, this was to be their 3rd Release out of 6 Studio Abums!


They had some Great Music Released up until Roger Troutman’s un-timely Death in 1999, along with his brother Larry (Band Member and Manager).


 This Album had some Classics including “Heartbreaker” I Can Make You Dance and my 2 favorites “Play Some Blues” and Tut Tut (Jazz).
PLAY TRACKS BELOW OR TO DOWNLOAD, PRESS KADOO

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FOR A MORE IN-DEPTH STORY ABOUT ZAPP AND TO DOWNLOAD ALL THE ALBUMS VISIT HERE. INCLUDING BOTH GREATEST HITS COMPILATIONS!

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>TOUR DE FRANCE & LARRY GRAHAM

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After working a couple of Months in the Town Center Co-op Butchery in Mid 1982, I was offered another Position in the company, it was being a Relief- Butcher, i.e going around the other Branches of the Co-op in my area, this I had done before when I worked for Dewhurst’s Butchers, anyway I jumped at the chance, as I did not like my Butchery Manager too much!


After a couple of weeks, I was asked to work in a near by Town Butcher’s, the Town was called Caister, I said “Yes” but when I thought about it, as I was still Biking to work, I thought I would get the Bus to work, this turned out to be a Nightmare, we were Living in the far end of Gorleston and Caister was about 7/8 Miles away!


As I started work at 8am in the Morning, I left home about 7am, firstly I had to get to Yarmouth, then get another Bus to Caister, the first day at the New Place, I was Late, then after about an 9 hour shift, I had to do the Bus rides all again, if I remember correctly it was gone 7pm before I got home that first night!


I liked working at the New Shop, the Shop Manager was a Chap by the name of Derrick, he was about 50 years old, if I remember right, there was an Assistant Manager, I cant remember his name, but he was a few years younger than me, he was alright as well, & they had a Saturday Boy, he was Derricks son!


The following week I was asked to go to the Caister Shop again, I remembered the Bus Rides and thought Sod that!  my only other way of getting there was on my Bike, so I did, it used to take nearly 1 hour to get there, as I said it was about 7/8 miles away!

When I finally got Home that night, I thought I had done a Days ride in the Tour De France!


Little did I know then, in a few Weeks time, biking to Caister was going to become a Regular thing!


As for Music around this Period, I would like to go back a Couple of Years to 1980, and one of the Best Bass Players Ever  “Larry Graham” had a Great Single out, it was called “One In A million You” it was from his Debut Solo Album of the same name.


This was a change from his usual Music (check out the second Video), with “Sly & the Family Stone” and “Graham Central Station” this was a love Ballad written by Sam Dees, it made Number One in the US R&B Charts and Number 9 in US Pop Chart!


Larry Graham has a Great Voice and this was a Great song. I remember Buying the Single and the Album, and of course I have the Cd now!






http://www.4shared.com/embed/21678328/2acecdb7
Listen to “One in a Million You” by Larry Graham. 

Love had played its games on me so long
I started to believe I’d never find anyone
Doubt had tried to convince me to give in
Said you can’t win

But one day the sun it came shinin’ through
The rain had stopped and the skies were blue
And oh, what a revelation to see
Someone was saying “I love you” to me

A one in a million, chance of a lifetime
And life showed compassion
And sent to me a stroke of love called you
A one in a million you

I was a lonely man with empty arms to fill
Then I found a piece of happiness to call my own
And life is worth living, again
For to love you, to me, is to live

A one in a million, chance of a lifetime
And life showed compassion
And sent to me, a stroke of love, called you
A one in a million you

A one in a million, chance of a lifetime
And life, showed compassion
And sent to me, a stroke of love called you
A one in a million you, a one in a million you

 ONE IN A MILLION YOU LYRICS  BY SAM DEES

WORKMATES & STANLEY TURRENTINE!

 I remember when I was working at Bransbys Meat Factory Around the middle of 1981, I used to Bike to work, I only lived about 10 minutes away, that was the only Good Thing about Working there!

Most of the Blokes who Worked on my Section, were Alright! One had a Motorbike, so of course He had loads of Long Hair, and Stunk of Grease! another 2 of them were Right Know it All’s, come to think about it,  in fact 3 of them were like that!

The Chap who made the Sausages was a Right Big Head, and we had another one who Worked Next to me most of the time, how can I say it, he was the sort of Chap who Skived off alot (most of us did!) and was very Concerned who I had been Talking to and who I had been standing near the previous day!

One of the better places to Skive off was the Smoke House, although it was a bit Smelly, it was always Hot!

The 2 Chaps in Charge of the Smoke House were a bit Younger than me, their Names were “Robin and I cant remember the others name”, but they were  Probably the 2 best Workers there!

There was plenty of  Overtime available there, but I never did any, because I Really Hated the place!

I always Regretted, Leaving my Previous Employment and starting Work there!

Music of that time, I remember Buying a Commercial Jazz Album, Called “Tender Togetherness” by Stanley Turrentine, (This was my First Album I had purchased by Stanley Turrentine) it was Produced by Larry Dunn of Earth Wind & Fire.

The Album Featured some Great Musicians, ie Several members of  EW&F including Philip Bailey and the “Phenix Horns”, as well as Nathan East, Paulinho DaCosta, Ndugu Chancler, Have a Listen to a few of the Tracks, especially the EW&F Cover!

My Favorite is Hermanos, have a Listen!

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THE BIKE WHEEL & THE SHEEPSKIN COAT!

Firstly, my last Blog Entry (on my Life), I thought I changed Jobs before we moved!

That was wrong, after writing the last Blog Entry it got me thinking about what happened first, and an incident that happened back in 1979 reminded me of which came first!

I used to Cycle back and forth to work back then, which was a fair few miles about 4/5 each way! I must have had a Puncture in one of my Bike Tyres, I cant remember that, but can remember what happened when I was taking the mended Bike Tyre back to work to fix back on my Bike!

The Bus Stop was down in the High Street about 5 minutes from where we lived, and I can remember running along carrying the Bike Wheel , I was about 2 minutes from my House, when I passed a couple of Shops, I can remember a Woman standing there with a Nurses Uniform on (I believe there was another bus stop there, she was obviously waiting for a Bus, but this wasnt the bus stop I needed) she was waiting to go to work by Bus!

That day as I remember I had my Full Length Sheepskin Coat on, and I was running quite quickly (I must have been late for work/bus) and some how my Coat got tangled with the Bike Wheel , and Crash???? I fell over on to the Concrete Pavement right in front of this Nurse, near enough right where she stood!

I remember looking up and she was laughing her head off, I felt such a Prat, but all I could do was laugh as well, me and Susan often have a laugh about that incident, to this Day!

I Loved that Sheepskin Coat!!!!!!