Hi readers, I'm lead on the sofa listening to the album Squawk by Budgie. Its a record of pounding heavy rock and the most haunting of electric ballads. Budgie were a Welsh power trio at the vanguard of British hard rock and I absolutely adored them as a young teenager For me their golden years were in the early Seventies but for other fans I know it came later. Budgie were quite simply heavy. In the parlance of the day amongst young Prestonian greasers like me at the time we simply said that they were 'soft'!
Listening again to Squawk now makes me think of so many good things: my dear old late Mum who bought it for me in Bradies Record Shop in Preston around 1972 [she asked for Budgie by Squawk!], my two older bro's whose musical tastes for Motown Soul and Stax so influenced me and my all-consuming love of all things Budgie back then, culminating in seeing them live at, I think, Lancaster Uni, around 1974 maybe.
But above all, listening to Squawk makes me think of long carefree Saturday afternoons, where I would make a lads dinner for my mates and we'd listen to Budgie whilst we ate. So join me on a nostalgic head trip to one of those rock-fuelled Saturdays!
First up we need a spider-guarded chest freezer in an old out-house like the one my parents had, where we find at at least 4 frozen chicken and mushroom pies.
Next up we need an old chip-pan full of congealed fat brimming with yesterday's crispy bits, looking like something you'd see floating down the canal! Once said fat is boiling and clear amber we drop in a goodly bundle of thick cut spud chips creamy white and hard. The pies are in the oven and the peas are simmering in the pan. Finally comes the lads' gravy. Using a blob of butter and a swish of flour to make what us adults now know as a roux, I slowly add the hot pea-water and crush in a chicken oxo cube stirring like a madman!.
Hang on readers, there's someone at the door! Hey, its my hairy headbangin' Preston mates circa 1973; John Mason aka Masey, Nick Rowe, Micheal Crook aka Crookie and John Casson aka Cass. Sit thissen down lads, the grub's ready! Eh voila! Chicken and Mushroon Pie, home-made thick-cut chips and garden or marrowfat peas - gravy's on its way!. Mmmm! Not bad for a 13 year old, eh!
All that's left to do is stick some music ont music centre for whilst we scoff our nosh. Heads up, get ready for Squawk by Wales' finest, the one and only Budgie, who else!
Enjoy and thanks for comin' over to Woodsies house! See yaz same time next Saturday!
Looks tasty-And more nutritious than my signature bagel pizzas or toasted cheese sandwiches,usually served with tomato soup.But then it was the companionship that was important,right?
ReplyDeleteVery impressive, I was never allowed near the kitchen. Me and my mates would have to make do with the chippyand a convenient low wall to dine on al fresco.
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