Tony Dowler's Hellcats is how they are described on the posters which have recently appeared around town.

The town is Tetbury in Gloucestershire, a modest little market town with a population of about 5,000.

The local "village hall" can hold about 200 people, so why this gig has been booked I can't imagine. It's on Sat 10th May  costs £8 on the door, and there's a supporting act as well. How the finances stack up, well...

From the soundbites on the band's website, it seems that the guy can play, so I might look in, assuming the place isn't sold out!

I've been contacted recently by 2 other members of this site.

Both are from Leighton Buzzard (?) and both are over 6 feet tall, as am I.

Weird or what ?

It's many years since I first started to play guitar, and I'm entirely self-taught, but I've always been interested in musical theory, so I asked for a few books on various subjects as Christmas presents.

I got "Music Reading for Guitar - the complete method" which the author claims will keep me occupied for about a year. Blimey !

The book has several complimentary write-ups on Amazon, mostly by guitar tutors, so I'll give it a go and see what happens.

I also got "Blues Solos for Guitar" which includes a CD which I hav'n't heard yet. Again, there are several good reviews on Amazon, and I've already got through a few pages. The author expects you to be able to bend notes from e.g. Bflat up to D ! I've seen Dave Gilmour on TV with a beat-up old Telecaster, pushing strings halfway across the fretboard, but I couldn't work out why he was doing it.

I can bend up to a half tone no problem, and I had a go at a full tone on my Tele, which has quite thin strings, but any more than that is just abuse of the instrument, and I don't want to risk busting a string. Not to mention the strength required ; the author says you have to use three fingers. Jeez! Why would you bother?

Mind you, I did acquire a new 9th chord, played on the 4 middle strings, so you never stop learning.

First-ever visit to Royal Leamington Spa on Sun 2nd Dec. Not to visit the Guitar Shop, unfortunately, but to celebrate younger daughter's birthday.

Had lunch in The White Horse in the middle of town ; food OK but service v slow - seemed that only 1 waitress was dealing with all food orders.

Lots of Christmas shoppers in evidence.

Seemed like quite a bustling place.

A few of the local bands have got together and have organised a gig at the local "village hall" on Saturday(8th Dec) night. £3 on the door. Soft drinks available.

Good luck to them.

It was always tough to find places to play when starting out, and I have some sympathy for them - might even go along although I might get a few funny looks.

This little town is so short of facilities and opportunities for youngsters - it took years just to get modest skateboard facilities in the local Recreation Ground.