Reviews
London England

 

   
 

 May 6th &  7th 2000

  

Review by Bob Winward USA Heepster

So much has happened in the last 5 days, I cannot even begin to deal with
the reality of it all yet.  I am going to attempt to just give a
chronological review of my stay in London.  I have never been to Europe and
never seen Heep live, so this was very new territory for me.  I understand
the envy of those who could not go to Hv2k.  I know, because I feel it
myself every time I see a heepgig review or tales of someone meeting the
band or Ken.  I wll do a separate review of the 2 evenings.

Thursday May 4th
    Janice and I arrived at Heathrow airport and stood on an endless Q.   We
finally got through customs and walked for awhile and found Alex waiting
with Pete Wharton and Janine.  At that point, I felt much better, all the
travel anxieties disappeared.   Pete drove us to the hotel  (on the left
side of the road)  and he wove through trafffic like a cab driver!!  Awesome
talent behind the steering wheel!!  I am sure glad I did not attempt to
drive in London, and as it was, almost got hit several times crossing the
street.   We arrived at the travel inn, but it was too early to check in, so
we went for lunch at the Beefeater pub next to the hotel.   There I got my
first taste of the famous English Ales!!   It was love at first sip!!!
MMMMMM!!!  Creamy heads, no gaseous carbonation, just pure foamy ale!!!!!
It wasn't that warm either, but in America they chill everything and that
hurts my teeth.   This stuff tasted great, went down smoothly!!    At lunch,
we chatted, Pete and his wife, Alex, Janice and myself.  I felt at home
instantly.   The Whartons should be London's official welcoming
committee!!!!   The lunch was good and Alex had the chili.   Alex also gave
new meaning to the term  "shoot the shit"   Hee hee!!!  I can proudly say,
"I farteth not"  the whole weekend.  Of course, my mannerly behaviour may
have had something to do with the wife being there to keep me in line.
Anyhow we checked into the hotel and took a nap.

    I got up around 7 pm and rounded up Alex and Paul.  The wife opted to
sleep, and I was happy to be unshackled for awhile!!  :-)    So Alex, Paul
and myself ventured over to the London Tubes, our quest was to make it down
to the pub called the "Monkey Puzzle", but first we had to solve the Tube
Puzzle!!  Naturally we got on the wrong train and ended up soemwhere far
away!!!   It didn't help that Paul was out of control, shouting funny things
at all who were in earshot!!   We finally found the right train, and ran
into a bunch of blokes that had just gotten off work.   We kept them in
stitches for awhile until our stop came up.   Then we got lost on foot,
finally our tongues hanging out for beer, we hailed a cab.  The cab promptly
took us around the block to the pub!!  Seems like we walked around it 3
times, :-)      Once in the pub, we met Moshe, Chen, Muzzy, Phil from Sweden
and the Madman, along with Pete.  Not a big crowd, but we had fun and did
close down the place.   Paul, Alex and myself decided not to mess with the
tubes, we took a cab back.  When I went back to the room, Janice was still
sleeping.  Paul and Alex rushed in and tried to pull the covers off of her,
hee hee.

Friday May 5th
    Janice and I got up and ventured out into the tube system.  The first
train was delayed, so we had to walk to another station.  I was quickly
learning the hard way, the intricacies of the London tube system and later
got to be a pro at it!!!   After several changes, Jan and I made it to
Waterloo station but missed the train to Salisbury, but caught the next one
and took an hour plus ride through beautiful English countryside!!  At noon,
we met Mike Taylor and Denise at the station.  What a lovely couple!!!
Mike, I took to instantly, he was very easy to like and talk with.   I have
heard so much in America about Southern Hospitality, but the British
Hospitality beats it hands down!!  The four of us got lunch at a pub called
the Hogshead (sounds like the south)  I tried an ale called  "strong Ale"  I
thought that meant taste, after 3 of them and staggering abit around
Salisbury, I was informed it meant in alcohol content.   We saw the
Alexander house, all the quaint shops, then walked to Salisbury Cathederal,
built in the 1200's.  This place was awesome and a real treat for us.  You
should have seen the huge pipe organ, with pipes 20 feet high.  If only Ken
was there to play them!!!  They also had on display one of the 4 copies of
the original Magna Carta!!   And all this time, I thought it was a record
company!!  :-)
    Mike drove us to Stonehenge.  It was roped off, so my dream of
recreating the Who's Next lp cover went to naught!!  :-)   Mike also drove
us by Paul Newton's childhood home and then back to the hotel.   At the
hotel, the fun really began.  In the parking lot was Dave White, Sir Alan
Keetley, Lord Graham and their families.   What a huge thrill it was for me
to meet the British folk that have become so beloved to me over the years
onlist.   To finally put personalities and faces with the names, it was
priceless.   We all went to our rooms and agreed to meet back in an hour for
the trek to the Prince Alfred pub.   When the time came to head off to the
pub, there was some confusion over which way to go on the subway(tube).   I
had gotten lost so much already, that by that time I was an expert.    Alan
and Graham had a huge laugh over the American coming over and showing every
one how to catch the right train and giving advice.  I must have been a
horses ass, but I can blame it on the excitement of being there!!!  :-)
We got to the pub and found it standing room only.  Wall to wall heepters.
I met many famous Euro heepsters, and most of all got to meet Tapio!!  How I
met Tapio was funny!!  I went up to Dave White and asked him if Tap was
there.  Dave laughed and said that he did not make it, so I walked away.
Little did I know, the smiling, tall blonde guy next to Dave was Tap!!
Great night, slamming ales, meeting people, trading heep tales!!

Saturday May 6th
    The day started solemnly, as we had all gotten word that the North
Carolina heepsters were having problems getting to London.  I even called
poor pete in the wee hours and woke him up.   Janice and I got on the tubes
and headed down to the Westminster section for a fine morning and afternoon
of siteseeing.   I still cannot believe I pulled off this HV2K thing.  I not
ony got to Heep out, I was able to cram in enough site seeing to make her
happy.   I can't wait to get the picture back of me standing with a Bobby in
front of Parliament.

Sunday May 7th
    Did some more site seeing in the Oxford area of London with Mike and
Denise.  Saw the Bronze headquarters and the theatre where Raging in the
Silence was recorded.  Jan lost her glasses in london, so it is good they
have the beeping noise for blind people at the pedestrian crossings!!  :-)

Monday May 8th
    The day I was dreading, heading home!!  Yuck!!  I am in love with London
and did not want to leave.   After breakfast with Alex, we packed the
bags!!!  I went down the hall to Alex and Paul's room to say goodbye, Alex
went back to bed and Paul was fast asleep.  I motioned for Jan to come down
and said, here is your chance for revenge!!  :-)   Pete then came by and
picked us up, but on the way to the airport we stopped off at Windsor
Castle.  We then went to Hanwell Community Centre, a former heep hangout for
the band.  Then it was off to the airport.  Jan was searched 3 times at
Heathrow, and the funny thing is, I am the sleazy looking one!!   I got away
scott free!!!!   We had a great flight home and an empty seat between us!!
I got to catch up on all the email!!   And to those who couldn't go, don't
envy what I spent, accckkkkkkk!!!   I will write a separate and proper
review later of the heepvention festivities themselves.   Please feel free
to ask questions.  Now comes the tough part, the Return to Reality!!!!!

Bob "the broke bloke"   Winward


bwinward@skyweb.net
Bob@bobwinward.com
http://www.bobwinward.com (web page)