The Bad Notes

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Aidan and I had a duo . We called ourselves the Bad Notes . After a
week in London we managed to get a gig one night in a pub in the East
end .
Due to the troubles in Northern Ireland and us being Irish it was
always tricky to get a spot . I guess Aidan and I were used to the
suspicions in parts of the city . It was as if we had to explain who
and what we were .
Never the less being Irish in London brought its own complications . So
after we had a body search , our guitars were checked out and then we
were allowed to take the stage . Once we started playing most of the
crowd didn't care anyhow . We opened up with a few well known cover
songs that most people would have known and then slipped in a few Irish
numbers .
Then as I stood there looking out into the crowd I sensed what was
going to happen . One always expects trouble playing live in East
London at night . Most nights there would be a rough crowd and if you
were complacent in any way at all about night life in the East end
there would be no room for you on stage with a guitar singing into a
microphone . You had to have a hard edge and be street wise .
It was near closing time when I had give Aidan a certain nod which
meant it was time to leave in a hurry . I saw at the back of the bar
the Bishopsgate Brigade walk in with some weapons in their hand . When
the tables and chairs went up in the air we unplugged our gear and
escaped just in time out the back door before the knives drew blood .
We had seen it happen too many times before . Heads would roll and we
wanted out of it . Off we went like two greyhounds along the rails of
the back alley down into the main drag at Kingsland Road . We heard the
sirens and saw flashing lights as havoc again penetrated the darkness
of the night . Recently there has been a lot of trouble in the East end
and the two rival gangs seemed to be at war over some turf issue .
Control was a big thing on the street . Some of the gang leaders would
be so fanatical about it that they would kill to keep it . London ate
you up and spat you out unless you satisfied the hungry lion . What the
lion required was money and it's greed for more was habitual like a
daily feed I fact . We had really had enough of it and as Aidan and I
darted in and out the traffic we looked at each other . A little out of
breath Aidan stopped and pulled out a smoke and said ,
"Anybody would think we were back in Belfast Bobby ."
I lit up as well and said ,
"Shut up and put your hands up against the wall ."
We both laughed and Aidan said ,
"Was our music that bad ?"
I spat on the ground and said ,
"They just don't appreciate Irish music ."
Aidan looked hard at me and said ,
"Well that's their problem ."
I smaned and said ,
" No . I had a feeling that there was going to be trouble in there
tonight ."
Aidan replied .
"Why . Was it the colour of our skin ?"
"No Aidan . It was a drug issue . Nothing to do with us "
He nodded and said ,
"Drug issue but we don't take drugs ."
I put my hand on his shoulders and said .
"I know but there were lots of people in the crowd who do ."
"Well that's there problem ."
He said with a touch of apathy in his voice .
I looked at him and replied ,
"Aidan just because we both got off the stuff and are straight doesn't
make us better than any of them . The thing is our customers in the gig
are users and we know what that means so don't get on that high horse
of yours ."
"I suppose you're right Bobby . So what are we going to do now ?"
I checked the small change in my pocket and said .
"Well we still haven't the price of a boat train ticket to get home
."
"So what are we to do now ?"
I confidently answered .
"We'll get the head down in The Bullring tonight ."
"Not Cardboard City again Bobby ."
He answered .
"Sure tomorrows another day and I know a place where they're crackers
about Irish music . I'll take you there ."
I put on a steady pace and Aidan chased close behind . I could hear his
heavy breathing and he said ,
"Slow down Bobby . I can't keep up . You're walking much too fast
."
I stopped and let him catch his breath then looked at him and said
.
"It's just as well I'm the one who is doing vocals in this outfit . Now
c'mon .
We made our way to Waterloo and soon were surrounded by the residents
of Cardboard City who always loved to see us come . After a few songs
we settled down for the night .
In the morning we were up and at them again . Aidan and I started
walking double time to get the double decker to New Cross . When we
jumped off the bus I led the way to a place where I had been to before
. I pushed open the door and made my way to the bar . The manager
remembered me from another gig I had done and gave me the ok . We got a
booking that evening to play . With lunch and a room thrown in we had
new look on things .
After resting up Aidan and I rehearsed before the gig . We had some new
songs we wanted to try out . The time flew and soon it was time for the
show .
The pub was packed with people and there was more than enough for the
bar . The air was thick with Irish accents and laughter filled the air
.
The craic was mighty thick all right . You could almost taste it .
After a few numbers the barman sent over two pints in the corner for us
. We got the thumbs up from him and Aidan and I did a few sets of
lively tunes .
The music was flowing like the Lagan under the Ormeau bridge . By the
end of the night the crowd had enjoyed us and we had earned our sleep .
It was almost closing time when I saw a group near the staircase and
another few by the door then I realised there was going to be trouble .
I looked at Aidan and gave him the nod . We finished the number we were
doing and took off our guitars .As we did all mayhem broke loose
.
The front window went in and fists were flying . The crowd started
throwing punches and broken glasses were used . In the middle of all
the blood and guts Aidan and I did another runner .As we headed out the
back door I heard Aidan say ,
"You're amazing Bobby ."
" Good luck Aidan . I'll see you in Belfast . "
His eyes were almost laughing as I heard him say ,
"See you in the morning ."
Next day I got up and saw Belfast city in the morning light . Belfast
always looked brand new after being away . I knew that there was no
time to waste and went to find Aidan .
Aidan and I had stuck together for years. We were like brothers who had
a lot in common . Apart from being musicians we both could use our
fingers in light skilled ways . We were both good pick pockets .
Although both of us dreamt of getting a big break we both worked it out
years ago . It was never going to happen for us and that's when we
forgot the dream and started picking the pockets of the patrons before
each gig we did . Usually no one suspected us and wee were the
musicians on stage . So we usually mingled among the crowd before the
gig and did our work undetected . Needless to say there was always
trouble wherever we played .
We gad given up the idea of trying to change the world with our little
songs and we in the end we found how people in the world out there
could contribute in someway to making the world a better place for us
.
I met up with Aidan in the usual place in the Crown . He looked at me
and said ,
"I think the trouble is behind us now Bobby ."
"Do you want to go back to London then ?"
I asked .
"Well do you ?"
Came the answer . I smiled and emptied out my pockets . He did the same
and we divided up our stash . The pub was half empty and with no one
around . We counted out a few thousand pounds . We had a good
collection of wrist watches and other jewellery this time .
"Well you know Aidan " I said ,
"I think London couldn't be much better than here ."
He looked at me and took a deep breath and said ,
"You're right you know Bobby "
I went through the small change in my pocket and said , .
"Right then we'll stay here for a while until we can raise the boat
train fare ."
"Sounds good to me"
He replied and after a brief pause I said .
"Follow me . I have an idea where we could get a gig this evening
."
We headed back into Belfast thinking positive . Both of us knew
competition was fierce but as Irish musicians we went looking for work
in the pubs abd clubs . As it turned out we struck gold right away .
Lucky for us that the band who were booked to play in one of the bars
had suddenly struck a problem with their drummer . Apparently both his
hands had been broken and the band were unable to do the gig that
evening . Lucky for us Aidan knew where the drummer lived . Lucky for
us nobody saw us pay him a visit .
That evening the publican had a big night with live music organised and
weren't we lucky to have just walked in off the street looking for a
gig .
Sometimes in this business things go just right .

By Paul McCann

THE END