Stuart Briggs

I think the first time I viewed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, it must have been the late 1960s, with my grandad and grandma Briggs, this would have been at Shipley, next door to the old Branch pub, I think it was called the “Princess Hall” will look this up, it changed to Unit Four…

My Grandad and Grandma took myself and my 16 Month older sister to see quite a few movies at the erm, again “Princess Hall” I do need to research this. I know another movie; Sound of Music, there was others, I just cant remember, sorry.

This link is one of my favourite tunes of all time, I simply love it… The link isnt working, it goes around and around – look it up, I will sort.

So a short one here on what my days can be like; Got out of bed, coffee and then sort of stomach cramps. Ended up nausea with right side of my head aching followed by toothache last night (only have 12 teeth remaining), was going to pull the fucker out as I have before, yet its now almost cleared up, the genius of sarcoidosis has no limits until it helps to kill me…

Phew, it’s finished. The special days during the year are something I can generally go without, just not for me or many others.

I tend to stay in bed.

This photo was taken Lake Como 1981. We had been to the Tour de France and then travelled down the Italian coast and then to Como. I’m trying to get hold of Steve Tayler, Paul Hulin (taking photo) and Ian Scott, they were the drivers as was Graham Saunders though he is not on the photo, would still be interested in finding him also.

I hope to do a ‘blog’ on that years holiday, we also went in 1982 but the novelty had sort of worn off for me and I had some personal problems.

From left, Phil Wilkinson, me, Steve Tayler, Martin Barnett, Ian Scott, Martin Hollingsworth, Graham Saunders was sitting to our left. Id like to know as much as possible about the organising of the trip and where we actually stayed.

Little known fact, Phil Liggett introduced that years Tour from Nice, he was on the beach, in the back ground was Barbara, John and their son – a very good friend of mine, Dave Rayner. Dave stood up looking into the camera, his first appearance on TV?! It must be online somewhere. After telling Dave to watch a mountain stage (only short clips in those days on The World of Sport with Dickie Davies), though live in Europe, I tried waving into a camera on the L’Alpe du Huez stage for Dave – I dream about you loads and miss you my good friend.

I think this is the only photo I have?

So I live in a flat, ground floor, super lucky and happy to be here. Ex forces charities Ssafa and The RBL helped settle me here over 15 years ago. Reasons are all over this site.

One thing since I got here, I can hear the night time looms blasting away, I can hear folks screeching at each other over the wretched environment. I can hear children’s high pitch cry when they are under a machine. I can hear the works cat scream while fighting a super large rat.

I get out of bed, open the door and look into the hallway only to hear my Tinnitus…

That is a question I ask myself all the time. It has happened all my life, if I cant get the word out I’m trying for then I do a stupid reaction, if I’m trying not to blurt something out I do a stupid reaction. These reactions can be verbal and or physical (actually spelt correct without researching!)

Thankfully, the previous few years I’m diagnosed with various ‘issues’ like being Dyslexic, ADHD with a hint of Autism, and Tourette’s. So are they really issues? well now I dont let it bother me as much, I chat with folks, those that know me sort of understand and those that dont know me I tend to apologise while trying to converse with them.

I have wrote elsewhere on here about school, in-fact I think I should write about each class teacher and rate them out of 10, keep an eye out!

Ah, below is from last week, I’m not on Facebook or Instagram or the TikTok stuff, someone sent it to me arrggghhhh I’ve lost my strength.

I have a great idea, a site called Only Hands, it simply shows pictures of folks hands in any environment, I think that would be mega, maybe I do it on here?

Right hand, longer nails looked after for guitar. Ah, its a leather swivel chair, two folks could fit and those marks are dried coffee, I know I know…

Left hand finger tips soft due to lack of playing guitar, still cropped though!

OnlyHands.co.uk is available!

I mean, why call this ‘Art-is-anal’ is it an art? Clearly that is not how to pronounce it but being dyslexic that sure stands out!

To being a reclusive hermit, away from humans. This has been going on for quite some time, especially since this last festive season. Many reasons though I constantly think…

When I can I do
If I can’t I try
When I’m empty I don’t

Through life I have very much been some kind of extrovert, I’m most certainly heading for the introvert. The relief when someone cancels a get-together that I would have cancelled anyway, it’s become a constant of trying to avoid folks.

It’s not giving in, it’s simply reeling in myself, for all my life I have blurted out and done daft stupid things, drives me nuts. Getting worse as I get older? certainly the anxiety is.

Meeting someone nice and understanding is just a dream now, I have numerous interests that I would love to share, where is she…?

You have probably noticed I’m into music, thought I would go through my instruments and gear.

I have had a few Gibson and Epiphone Les Paul’s through the years. I once had the Epiphone Les Paul Goldtop with the P90 pick ups, it sounded great but, the neck was a gloss finish, I could have sanded it but decided to sell it on instead.

Few years ago I got lucky and found this Gibson Goldtop, satin finish all round, very smooth neck. The body has no weight relief (full fat!) nice and heavy. It is the Tribute to the Standard.

As you can see this guitar goes through a Orange solid state amp, built-in dirty distortion through the 8″ speaker and at 30 watts it growls, this I control through the pick-up toggle switch and volume control knobs. I simply use a TC Electronic Echobrain delay pedal and use 10- 46 Gibson strings.

I reckon it has a fantastic late 1960’s to early mid 1970’s raw sound, I’m nowhere near how I use to be as a lead guitarist, it’s a fingers thing! I’ll do videos later of my performing, to join in with these posts.