Saturday, 5 February 2011

Would The Real Peter Green Please Take A Bow

When I appear on Mastermind (an upmarket television quiz programme here in UK) my 'specialized subject' will be Brit Rock Trivia but I sometimes wonder just how long my own TV will last. Personal viewing time against licence fee makes it an expensive luxury, but every so often the viewing is such that I would happily pay double. Last nights Peter Green documentary, followed by a further 2 hours of Fleetwood Mac, after his departure, were fuel to my ever burning lust to further my knowledge.

Focusing on just the lyrics of this much under rated British Blues Guitar Giant, my own interpretation of the seminal Green Manalishi (with the Two-Prong Crown) was blown asunder when he explained this was his own struggle with money (the Green-backed Dollar).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2lYdlukPtA&feature=fvw

Like the documentary, the start for me was when I saw Green play with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm in 1970 soon after completing the Hard Road album. Prior to that Eric Clapton had filled the position of lead guitar and there was NO doubt in anyones mind that the vacancy couldn't possibly be filled by a mere mortal. How wrong we all were! Personally, it was the 'eleventh' track on the album that did it for me, just half a dozen bars of The Super-Natural and it was hook, line and sinker. Remember this was barely the 70's!

Referring to this album there was quite a big mistake on the film as each time Mayall drummer Aynsley Dunbar was mentioned the screen turned to a still photograph of Hughie Flint, who along with Clapton departed the Bluesbreakers before this recording. As a matter of 'trivia' it might be of interest that Flint went on to hook up with Tom McGuinness (later Manfred Mann, Blues Band et al) to form McGuinness Flint (chart single When I'm Dead & Gone). Dunbar on the other hand saw a far more bizarre furtherance of his career when he along with Mitch Mitchell were the final 2 short listed to become drummer with The Jimi Hendrix Experience. With not a gnats whisker between their playing prowess the decision was decided by the toss of a coin leaving Mitchell to be immortalised!
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=video&cd=3&ved=0CD0QtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DYoasUjXBkm8&rct=j&q=peter%20green&ei=lGRNTdHmJYSAhAfAwYHbDg&usg=AFQjCNHFk-lxK1poWIbAOZxwYliV0tFCCQ&sig2=qQhO3VwLpOX5HN4tuNA6Vw&cad=rja

It was after Peter conquered his long struggle with a mental problem, and hit the road again, that I started to be stopped and asked if I was Peter Green which on a couple of occasions caused some mild embarrassment.

Bagsy

Peter Green

I once asked my close friend Andy Lindsay if he could tell the difference between us, and his reply was yes,

"one of you is a fat, ugly, lazy git whilst

the other plays guitar and is called Peter". Here endeth the similarity.

However, there have been times when this has gone in my favour, most notably at the Guitar Safari Blues Club in Tallinn, Estonia.

There, in one of the best Blues venues I know, for 2 nights running no one would believe I was not the man,

and started buying me drinks. I got very used to this very quickly, despite protestation

the beer just kept coming.

The company wasn't bad either!

and so to today, with the only notable feature being the inclement weather. A near gale from the south west,

a continuous threat of rain and high seas made for some dramatic scenes from the Trinity House Obelisk.

Looking over the cliff at the Bill,

and to the east where the sea was crashing

over the boat crane while

Gannets, Gulls, Fulmar and a mixture of Auks streamed through our part of the English Channel.

Walking back to Southwell village, I came across what could be called the harbinger of spring, as these Crocus poke their blooms from the grass verges.

An opportunist shot as the bus continued along the Chesil Beach Road with these wind surfers almost able to keep up with our speed.

and having received a 'Poison Pen Letter' this morning threatening a visitation by Jim the Medic next week, unless I pay the ransom, my thought wandered to our trip through Southern Africa some years ago. A few 'bird shots' to complete this post.

Cape Sugarbird

Cape Francolin

Bokmakierie

Blue-billed Firefinch

Blue Waxbill

Blacksmith Plover

Friday, 4 February 2011

Dedicted To The Bustin Skins

Having spent most of yesterday birding with 'Iron Man' contender Adrian Baker, today we coincidentally came across a few others of the Weymouth team. They had already received the news that Ady and I had been out so I doubt this photo will come as a surprise to Adrian and his wife Tracey - the Jungle Drums will have been beating?

This is a link to what 'Iron Man' is all about - Good Luck to the Bustin' Skins!
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&sqi=2&ved=0CCMQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fironman.com%2Fevents%2Fironman%2Fuk&rct=j&q=iron%20man%20bolton&ei=9yFMTcfvHZGEhQfEt9CuDg&usg=AFQjCNHE8qTARCxPn7FU0449sE0spYLkSQ&sig2=XpBESwuuti2qNMx_32fZzQ&cad=rja

With close to a gale blowing, some light rain and cloudy sky Mark Hill and I made for Portland Bill where at the Bird Observatory we found a slightly dejected crew having only recorded a single Red-throated Diver. A quick coffee and we headed for the 'point' where

on the Common a few Great-Black-backed & Herring Gulls were keeping out of the wind, but

dozens of Gannets were not deterred by either high wind or sea! Arriving at the Obelisk, Mark immediately located a Black Redstart but the 2 short views we had of it were not long enough to secure a photograph.

However, once again resorting to the archive, this is what a male Black Redstart looks like in breeding plumage, while

This is a juvenile not long from the nest.

These images were taken in the Thodope Mountains, Bulgaria.

Moments later I picked up on c4 of the Purple Sandpipers

which have over wintered at the Bill. It was at this moment a text arrived announcing an adult Ring-billed Gull had be found at Radipole. Back to the Observatory to alert the others we made quick time to the reserve where Dave Chown (who predictably had found it) and Luke Phillips

had the bird in their telescopes. In true 'birders' fashion they were quick to let us take a look - can you see it yet? It's there somewhere.

There wasn't a chance of me getting a photo, so once again I returned to the archive and reproduce here the Gosport bird of 9th January inst.

and these 2 taken in Delaware, USA were added to the library some years ago. Apart from a couple of interesting Mediterranean Gulls on the car park, one of which Luke told us was 'ringed' in Belgium, that was the end of the 'birding; for the day. By complete contrast, I then gravitated from my favorite pursuit to my least favorite - shopping, but 'the hungry must be fed'!

This photograph © Mike Morse has caused some consternation among local birders over the past couple of days. Taken on Burton Bradstock Beach, Dorset, if you would like to share your identification thoughts, please send them via the 'Comments' section. PS the 'black blob' bottom left is a boot for some size comparison.

While this is the best I could do blagging a photo from Facebook, it shows our dear, dear friend Tess Lifton at her retirement party in London yesterday. Not surprisingly with glass in hand, it did dawn on me how young the new generation of retirees are these days - naught but a slip of a girl! Best Wishes Tess from your legion of friends in Dorset.

and finally, I return to yesterday's Wine'ing.

Another visit to Stephen Williams and his Antiques Wine Company Cellars, then in Staffordshire

we were privileged to view £1.5 million worth of wine including a vertical collection of 'every vintage' of Chateau d'Yquem considered the finest Sauternes in the world. Stephen had spent months traveling the world tracking down individual bottles to complete the collection which now holds pride of place in a Las Vegas Casino.

The 1973 vintage.

Château d'Yquem is a Premier Cru Supérieur ("Great First Growth") wine from the Sauternes, Gironde region in the southern part of the Bordeaux vineyards known as Graves. In the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, Château d'Yquem was the only Sauternes given this rating, indicating its perceived superiority and higher prices over all other wines of its type.Yquem's success stems largely from the site's susceptibility to attack by "noble rot" (Botrytis cinerea).

Château d'Yquem, in the summer of 2009 Jim the Medic and I made something of a pilgrimage to this, and other, hallowed turf in Bordeaux, France.

Château d'Yquem itself was acquired by Jacques de Sauvage in December of 1593. De Sauvage acquired the property from the French monarchy by exchanging other lands that he owned for what was then referred to as the 'House ofYquem'. The site has been home to a vineyard since at least 1711 when the estate became fully owned by Léon de Sauvage d'Yquem. In 1785 it passed to the Lur-Saluces family when Françoise-Joséphine de Sauvage d'Yquem married Count Louis-Amédée de Lur-Saluces, a godson of Louis XV and Lady Victoire de France. Monsieur Lur-Saluces died three years later, and his wife subsequently focused her energy on sustaining and improving the estate.

I have to admit to 'borrowing' a stone from this sacred 'terroir' as a keepsake,

and still get a huge kick from the memory.

Andy Lindsay and I

trying to conceal a Jeroboam or two about our person.

A fabulous and unforgettable experience! Look forward to seeing you again soon Steve.

Thursday, 3 February 2011

Life's Too Short For 'Cheap' Wine!

One thing I enjoy about 'birding' as much as anything is the opportunity of sharing this stimulating and rewarding hobby with others. Since hooking up with Mark Hill, a self confessed novice (aren't we all?), we have shared a number of days in the field. Today was to be similar as long-standing friend Paramedic Adrian Baker (no relation) had asked if we could have a day birding together. A delight to be out with another 'prodigy' under mild conditions with brief periods of sunshine and little wind and what better start to his list than

Waxwing. There had been no report of the birds frequenting Winchester Close on the Dorset Bird Club web-site yesterday, but as they had been present for quite a few days now it was worth a try. c5 of them were waiting for us, and later in the day Mark texted to say there were in fact c6 - brilliant! From there we headed to Lodmoor, and approaching from the Weymouth Bay Avenue entrance immediately happened upon these 6

Collared Doves.

Further down the track we found a pair of feeding Bullfinch, the male only allowing for a shot. Around three sides of the reserve Ady showed he was no 'greenhorn', identifying many of the common birds on the way but needed a little help with a

Little Egret and Redshank which obliged by showing in the same frame. Walking the southern perimeter it appeared that

Lapwing numbers had once again increased with just

this single closing to a respectable distance.

Shelduck, common here, were also playing the game, and just for once I managed to capture the

beautiful shimmering blue on this Magpie wing.

Lesser Black-backed Gull also seemed to have increased in numbers while there were also c4 Black-tailed Godwit, a dozen Dunlin, Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker, c5 Common Snipe plus at least 20 Long-tailed Tits in small foraging flocks.

At Ferrybridge we encountered this pair of Red-breasted Merganser, which tolerated us for about 10 seconds

before flying off in a cascade of water.

On the fore-shore were what was estimated to be about

300 Dark-bellied Brent Geese in company with

c166 Mediterranean Gull of various ages - I love 'em!

Before departing, and heading for home, we lingered to take in the view that is the Fleet, the Oyster Beds and Chesil Beach looking to the north east.

With a case of McGuigan's Black Label (Merlot) secured, thanks to Paul Harris, and a case of Charlie Herring (Tau Syrah), still under Jim the Medic's stair, awaiting delivery (total cost £320) I started to ponder a slightly more expensive bottle, which I hastily add never touched my lips, and the story behind it.

The Champagne Wreck
and its dramatic salvage

The two-masted schooner Jönköping was built in Sweden in 1896 with a length of 20 m, she had a 16 HP engine and could take 100 tons of cargo.

In 1916 she left the Swedish port Gävle heading for Finland, which at the time was Russian territory. German naval flag This was her 10th journey, and this kind of trade was usually profitable during the war years. But not this time. In the Baltic Sea, near Rauma off the Finnish coast she was stopped by the German submarine U22. Since the ship carried some railroad material, i.e. war materials, she was sunk, by either a dynamite charge or the submarine's deck gun. She was certainly not sunk by a torpedo, which was claimed by press articles – torpedoes were expensive, torpedoes were "overkill" on minor wooden ships, and had a torpedo been used just toothpick-like fragments would remain.

Discovery

In 1997 the ship was located on 64 m depth, using side scan sonar. During the search, another wreck was also found, the Swedish
steamboat Ägir, that was sunk by the same sub on the same day in 1916. But only the Jönköping was interesting this time. Trimix divers went down and observed that the hull is perfectly preserved in one piece. Only the masts are down, and there is a small hole in the hull, from the sinking.

The reason for the wreck search was the ship's main cargo. She was loaded with 4400 bottles of 1907 Heidesieck Champagne "Goût Americain", 67 large barrels of Cognac and 17 regular barrels of wine. This was mainly intended for officers in the Russian army. Some champagne bottles were brought up. They were opened and, reportedly, tasted excellently. Apparently the corks had withstood the pressure and the dark ice-cold water served as wine cellar. The search team now hopes that also the barrels have held tight.

This is just a precis of the full story which can be found at:-

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.se%2F~pa%2Fuwa%2Fchamp-en.htm&rct=j&q=jonkoring%20champagne&ei=XcBKTa-5KImY8QOw8fTCDw&usg=AFQjCNFE6u8hfwV4FQCvIBIBi92-q1C92A&sig2=Q46WDsLHkNPJGwzalxKmSw&cad=rja

My dear friend Andy Lindsay introduced me to Stephen Williams the Director of The Antiques Wine Company (AWC) over a decade ago, and during that time the 3 of us have enjoyed some magic times together. None more so than when Stephen telephone and asked if I could collect a bottle of wine for him from the Caviar House on Piccadilly as I travelled north to visit Andy. He told me briefly about the bottle, but little did I know of the precious cargo that had been entrusted to my charge.

Unbeknown to me then, Steve had bought the complete haul of Champagne salvaged from the barge and

the following day was flying to Las Vagas to court a prospective buyer - his obvious look of pleasure stemmed from the fact that he had the bottle which had to accompany him on that journey.

At $5,000 a bottle it was precious indeed, and although he used physical force to persuade us to take a glass we felt we had to refuse - Yeah, that would be right!

Stephen tells us he has encountered Harry Enfield, both in business and pleasure and finds him even funnier around a dinner table than on TV. Here is a snippet of his work you may not have previously seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAG39jKi0lI

Stats Update


Num Perc. Country Name

drill down802376.41%United KingdomUnited Kingdom
drill down6826.50%United StatesUnited States
drill down2202.10%EstoniaEstonia
drill down1881.79%NetherlandsNetherlands
drill down1531.46%CanadaCanada
drill down1251.19%GermanyGermany
drill down1221.16%FranceFrance
drill down670.64%SwedenSweden
drill down650.62%ItalyItaly
drill down630.60%New ZealandNew Zealand
drill down530.50%JapanJapan
drill down510.49%AustraliaAustralia
drill down510.49%SpainSpain
drill down350.33%IndiaIndia
drill down330.31%DenmarkDenmark
drill down290.28%BelgiumBelgium
drill down290.28%BrazilBrazil
drill down280.27%PolandPoland
drill down250.24%IrelandIreland
drill down250.24%South AfricaSouth Africa
drill down230.22%UkraineUkraine
drill down200.19%FinlandFinland
drill down190.18%SwitzerlandSwitzerland
drill down190.18%GreeceGreece
drill down190.18%ArgentinaArgentina
drill down160.15%Czech RepublicCzech Republic
drill down160.15%BulgariaBulgaria
drill down160.15%TaiwanTaiwan
drill down140.13%VietnamVietnam
drill down130.12%HungaryHungary
drill down120.11%MadagascarMadagascar
drill down120.11%TurkeyTurkey
drill down120.11%Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
drill down120.11%NorwayNorway
drill down120.11%Russian FederationRussian Federation
drill down110.10%SerbiaSerbia
drill down90.09%PakistanPakistan
drill down90.09%MalaysiaMalaysia
drill down80.08%RomaniaRomania
drill down80.08%PeruPeru
drill down80.08%EcuadorEcuador
drill down80.08%PortugalPortugal
drill down80.08%MexicoMexico
drill down70.07%VenezuelaVenezuela
drill down70.07%AustriaAustria
drill down60.06%Sri LankaSri Lanka
drill down60.06%Korea, Republic OfKorea, Republic Of
drill down60.06%SingaporeSingapore
drill down60.06%IndonesiaIndonesia
drill down60.06%ColombiaColombia
drill down50.05%ChileChile
drill down50.05%Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
drill down50.05%MaltaMalta
drill down40.04%CroatiaCroatia
drill down40.04%IsraelIsrael
drill down40.04%SloveniaSlovenia
drill down30.03%ThailandThailand
drill down30.03%ArmeniaArmenia
drill down30.03%EgyptEgypt
drill down30.03%Hong KongHong Kong
drill down30.03%Bosnia And HerzegovinaBosnia And Herzegovina
drill down30.03%Brunei DarussalamBrunei Darussalam
drill down30.03%GeorgiaGeorgia
drill down20.02%PhilippinesPhilippines
drill down20.02%GuadeloupeGuadeloupe
drill down20.02%Iran, Islamic Republic OfIran, Islamic Republic Of
drill down20.02%GuatemalaGuatemala
drill down20.02%NepalNepal
drill down20.02%JerseyJersey
drill down20.02%Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
drill down10.01%HondurasHonduras
drill down10.01%NamibiaNamibia
drill down10.01%MaldivesMaldives
drill down10.01%PanamaPanama
drill down10.01%GuernseyGuernsey
drill down10.01%Isle Of ManIsle Of Man
drill down10.01%CyprusCyprus
drill down10.01%AlbaniaAlbania
drill down10.01%IcelandIceland
drill down10.01%AlgeriaAlgeria
drill down10.01%Moldova, Republic OfMoldova, Republic Of
drill down10.01%MongoliaMongolia
drill down10.01%EuropeEurope
drill down10.01%BangladeshBangladesh
drill down10.01%ChinaChina
drill down10.01%LebanonLebanon
drill down10.01%Trinidad And TobagoTrinidad And Tobago
drill down10.01%United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
drill down10.01%MoroccoMorocco
drill down10.01%LuxembourgLuxembourg
drill down10.01%YemenYemen
drill down10.01%SurinameSuriname
drill down10.01%Anonymous ProxyAnonymous Proxy