Engine Punk

Get it on! Ooaawwwah! (Photo : Hilary Beale) If you like T Rex, you'll love T Rextasy. I saw them at Tavistock Wharf last year and would have seen them there again earlier this year except that on that very night The Damned were playing I'm not a great fan of tribute bands per se but T Rextasy cut the mustard. Actually, I don't like mustard. Custard's much more palatable. Danielz is the jiving pixie reincarnated (Photo : Hilary Beale) You're not going to see Bolan again in this life so Danielz makes a very worthy substitute. He looks and sounds just like Bolan and musically the whole band cannot be faulted. But being good musically isn't enough. Do these guys rock?. Yes they do! All it takes is a few opening notes of each song and the crowd can't stay still. Most of us know all the words to the sings and T Rextasy respond favourably to requests. And T Rextasy sound like T Rex, too (Photo : Hilary Beale) I went with a big gang ...

The demonstrator of the Continuation Series at the Goodwood Revival this year One idea that I'm currently working on in one of my books is the idea of digitised automobiles and motorbikes - you design them on a computer or request a replica GT40 or something and then a molecular workshop makes one in double quick time for you. From the Alvis spares specialist and restoration experts Red Triangle you can now get a brand new Alvis 4.3 litre tourer. This car was introduced at the wrong time as 77 cars that had been sanctioned by the board were never built as World War Two intervened. Post war Britain was happy for any sort of car and so those 77 cars were never built - until now. I saw the demonstrator at the Goodwood Revival earlier this year and was immediately struck by the craftsmanship - this is a handbuilt automo. I was also intrigued by the idea of making this kind of replica. It's not really a replica! Red Triangle have provided spares to Alvis owners for yea...

The Rialtopless gives you fun and fresh air on three wheels If you are like me and mourn the passing of VT No. 109 the Old Spot Piglet , you may - also like me - be heartened to see that its spirit lives on in a pair of modified Reliant Rialtos (Rialtoes?). These machines competed in the 2012 Edinburgh Trial and although considerably smarter than the Old Spot Piglet - which isn't saying a lot to be frank - they may have some way to go to match it for competitiveness. Not a great picture but you get the idea. I didn't see this machine later in the day but here it is at the start of the Edinburgh trial at Tamworth, not far away from where it was made. I notice a blue tarpaulin draped over the roll bar so maybe there were some regrets about removing the roof as the intrepid crew of Bernard Pugh and Michael Stead fought there way through heavy rain to the start. I bet they didn't mind a few days later, though. The weather improved dramatically. The running gear is st...

Scrutineering at Tamworth Services was in persistent rain After the Land's End Trial this year, I raised the prospect of the Edinburgh Trial with Binky but he wasn't keen. Then one day in September he e-mailed me to say "We've got a ride! Are you in!" and in I was. I'd never even spectated on the Edinburgh but had heard that it was very rough. The Peak District had also remained unexplored territory for me until this summer when the National Rally of the Hillman Imp Club pulled me northwards and I found a new bit of Britain that I really liked. A Benelli dirt bike! When was the last time you saw a Benelli of any sort? However, the week before the event, the Allard failed its MOT and then there was a roller coaster ride of "we will, we won't" be ready. The problem began as a brake imbalance and, while new cylinders at the front was a partial solution, the nearside brake drum did not want to come off. While getting down and dirty with...

The 2012 Goodwood revival was actually very well attended - this little group was in the airfield enclosure We couldn't have wanted for better weather at the Goodwood Revival, leastways not on the Saturday. It was like the summers we used to have, with a threshing machine again on the inside of the circuit, and the opportunity for many of the lay-deez to show off in their finery. It was a sell out event but not everyone bothered to dress up. Those that did enjoyed themselves more I think - it makes for a far greater sense of occasion. The tax exempt car park was well worth a look The gentlemen were showing off, too, invariably in military clothes of some kind and after a bit I began to feel a bit uncomfortable. The Cold War was at its height during the fifties and sixties but I don't think we ever had quite that many admirals. Or brigadiers. There were even a pair dressed in WW2 German army uniforms at the entrance insisting we got our papers ready for inspection. ...

Me with cabaret performing friend at Summer Steam 2012 (photo : Jayne Blewett) Well, I didn't do a reading at Summer Steam but who cares? There was so much do and I had a great time despite leaving early (well, nearly midnight) to visit elderly relatives the following day. The party went on far into the night and ended with an extemporization with that doyen of chap hop Professor Elemental. Now, I don't rap but I do rock and his metal version of Fighting Trousers is highly amusing. Shame I missed it. With Pirate Copy and their followers we had everything - piartes, zombies and steampunks The playlist was running a bit late and there were about 3 more bands to go on when I left including the good Professor. Never was being bitten so much fun But best of all were the people - all walks of life, young and old, being creative, having a silly but very good time and with the most open of open minds. The Newsreaders gave us punk covers and some original materia...