Howdy TalkaWhilers...
I've only just popped back in to see how everybody was doing, and then realise that I have (yet again) upset some people.
Okay
1. "Grumpawhile" was used in a humorous way... I really don't think you are all Level 3 Curmudgeons. Some of you are lovely.
2. If you are still offended... you are still allowed to be, but remember offence is only ever TAKEN, never GIVEN
3. I am a nice guy, so if you do want that pint, I am happy to join you for one.
4. For the person who asked about what Val's daughter would make of this... here's a little true story from my book 'Songs In The Key of Tarn'...
"I started to write the 2nd Edition of Songs In The Key Of Tarn, in late June 2017. During the time that I was writing, I would regularly start the day by checking Facebook, and looking back at the ‘On This Day’ section, which would recall the different statuses that I had posted on that given day, in years gone by. It was a useful way to clarify dates and remind me of events, which we worthy of adding to the original collection of anecdotes.
On the 3rd July, I was reminded of my 2015 status, that was posted on that sad day. It had been announced on the news, that morning, that Val Doonican had passed away two days previously. I had, throughout the day, been inundated with messages from many of my Facebook friends, and some from people that weren’t too.
I posted at the end of the day, in reflection…
“It’s been a weird old emotional day. There’s a man whose name has been on my lips, nearly every da,y for over 9 years, whose family deserve my most heartfelt condolences. To them, I give my ultimate respect and deepest sympathies, where it is due.
Today’s news was horrible to stomach… more so, as message after message hit my Facebook page and it made me feel guilty for those that hadn’t seen the irony of our band’s personas. I shed a tear or two because it truly felt like a member of the band had passed. I still feel numb with disbelief now.
Sadly, there were also a few people who thought that our band was a malicious thing… so for them, I wish to point out, that Val Doonican was held in my highest regard, as one of the greatest entertainers of his generation.
He was the very best in his field – a truly special entertainer. He was Mr Saturday Night, long before Ant & Dec were a glint in their fathers’ eyes. He was also an outstanding musician, regarded highly by his peers.
When we released our first ever 12” vinyl LP, I contacted his former-agent, to be able to post a copy of our record to Val, for approval. It was one of the proudest achievements of my life, to hopefully be posting our very first 12” slab of vinyl, to the person who spawned our band’s image, name, and so much more. Our ‘local record for local people’ was shipped off to Buckinghamshire, along with a humble letter, hoping for acknowledgement from the great man, that he ‘got’ what we were doing.
I never got to meet Val, which I will always regret now, but also never got the reply that I had hoped for, that may have vindicated what we do. It makes no odds… you were a fine, shining star in the world of entertainment, Val, and I intend to keep your legacy of ‘entertaining’ people alive and well, wherever I can.
I raise a glass to you tonight, and every gig from here onwards.
God Bless you Michael Valentine Doonican… may you rest in peace, but gently.”
On the morning of 3rd July 2017, two years on, I re-shared that very post, in tribute to Val. About twenty minutes later, I received a Facebook notification, that Fiona Doonican (one of Val’s two daughters), had commented on it…
“Oh, we knew about you Scott! He wasn’t one for the internet, but we told him about you and he chuckled. x”
She will probably never know how much that made, not only my day, but my whole career. Just knowing that Val knew about us in his lifetime, and that he got the joke, was something I will always be immensely proud of.
Coincidentally, Fiona has made friends... she's currently working on an exhibition of her dad's artwork in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. She's dead nice, and I wouldn't have found that out if I hadn't been in this daft little band.
Peace and love peeps
Scott
A Level 4 Curmudgeon
