Its Only Rock and Roll
As I drove my Yamaha hair dryer down Jomtiem beach last month Iwas suddenly surrounded by a gaggle of Grebo’s (BIKERS) Ifelt like Sting in the movie Quadrophenia although Idon’t think he wore flip flops in the film.On my return to my restaurant Idiscovered Pattaya was hosting (THE RIDE FOR PEACE) a 3 day festival by Burapa Motorcycle Club, this made sense as i had become a nervous wreck sitting outside my shop watching my coffee cup dance the Mexican bean fandango every time a Harley went past. Listen I’ve got nothing against motorbikes but haven’t they heard about exhaust pipes over here.
Back in the 1970’s I remember books called Chopper and Hells Angel about bike gangs terrorising their communities, in the States the Easy Rider sound track became their anthem, in the UK it was Hawkwinds Silver Machine and in Thailand …er …Ive got a brand new combine harvester…….the worzels.
It was Friday the 13th and as i sat under my ladder in the bar with a black cat and a bag of rabbits foots me and the boys were trying to remember who sang some old obscure song on UBC radio, then someone said “hey there’s a rock concert in soi 6 anyone up for it? with that i changed into my most meanest of black t-shirts and with my motley crew rode the baht bus into the wind ….as we entered the soi it was filled with bikes of all descriptions, there were Harley’s , customised choppers, jap machines, old classics even Stan and olives sidecar from On the Buses and a couple of monkey bikes made from mechano and Blue Peter egg boxes.
There were platoons of leather clad tattooed warriors sprawled across plastic chairs displaying their chapters on the back of their sawn off jackets like East Coast Chudders, The Outlaws of Josey whale, M C hammer and Benny Hills Angels, and what is it with tattoos nowadays ,especially girls why do they feel they have to exhibit a picture of my dads wrought iron gate above their arse.
After a long wait whilst the raffle took place (hardly rock n roll) but for a good cause, the Band appeared. I could tell from their accents they were English .
They began their set to modest approval from Grizzly Adams a big mother sitting by the stage, i must admit in his day he must of been a top boy but now he looked like one of those guys Clint Eastwood and that orangutan slapped up in every which way but loose.
The band played on …two lead singers, the first an extra from the movie Time Bandits who held his acoustic guitar at a very acute angle, the other a Sid Snot version of Willey Nelson purring his Gibson Les Paul very nicely. The bass player was unremarkable as they all are, the drummer was hidden by an ex Suzie quatro guitar playing red Indian crossed john lee hooker impostor and there was a harmonica playing old baz look a like from the Happy Mondays ….and i rather liked them, they had an 1977 edge to their set more punk than rock..
The audience looked bemused, many Scando’s waited for I’m a Barbie girl in an ACDC style and the yanks waiting for Paradise city (guns and roses )and the poor Germans could only find the scorpions under the plant pots.
At midnight it all ended before it began …the bikes ignited in unison and more rubber went down than a toilet in a short time Hotel.
After 23 san migs lights at only 50 baht I might add I climbed on my imaginary Bonneville 750 tiger and with my mate on his Norton Commando we blazed into the night …..oh we did stop for a burger and stood by the imaginary jukebox waiting for Joan Jet…she didn’t show so I staggered off home with my cardboard take away to enjoy a hangover.
brgds SG
