I Love Rock n Roll

Afternoon Bloggers,


When you're a 20 year old into your 3rd year as a university student some people may think that the last way you could possibly describe your life is 'Rock n Roll'.


However, if you look at it from my way of thinking, you may just come round to agreeing...


It all began almost 5 weeks ago now, but it takes times like last night as the 3 day long storm continued to hammer down up the cobbled streets of Cadiz, soaking Sam's washing for the 3rd consecutive day (poor lad), to make you reflect upon the time you have spent in a place. Whether its teaching local barmen how to make JaegerBombs, watching Sam be tricked into shotting Fernet Blanca (A bleach like taste is being kind to what is a truly devilish drink), or a 15 hour drinking session in the stunning Spanish sunshine with wee Mattito followed by busting out some serious 'Rock n Roll' moves on the Imagina stage at 5am more than drunk with the ever enthusiastic Mattito, staggering home at 7am trying to choose which sidestreet is the one you have to walk down when each one in fact looks exactly the same, conversing in pefect spanish at half past 7 to the local street cleaners as you battle with against the ingredients in your stomach for words not vomit in order to find directions home and not in fact, to the cop shop, 6 am phone calls back home to James Walsh listening to what mess he got himself into that night, which girl he told he loved, who he wrote a love note to introducing himself as their neighbour; 'Shy James' or how superb his night has been but how he's just made the mistake of annoying Laurie 'The Rhino' Troke, and the conversation drifting away from me as he attempts to outrun the collosus shouting 'We're even' in a poor attempt to profess his innocence, or walking into class on your first day of uni, sitting down on the back row with the 'gang' and having in excess of 30 pairs of Spanish eyes stare at you as the lecturer kindly explains that your timetable is in fact incorrect and the lesson actually started at half past 8 not half past 9 :(


But even as you look back upon these 'incidents', you may not be overawed by what has happened, and may not be thinking to yourself, dude, this guys 'Rock n Roll' to the core, (does it help if i tell you the story of how one Mr. Ano-Ash-mous staggered back to the Hostel alone on what was one of our first nights here, with the police in tow watching his every, swaying, impossibly intoxicated movement followed by the slight failure of his bladder as his keys (or his brain) seem to fail him in his time of need?!)


I may even agree with you on this point, maybe im not Mick Jagger or Keith Richards or even Bruce Springsteen (however my t-shirts disagree and state that i am indeed 'rock n roll' legend), but after sitting in this very spot last night, (my usual position laid out on the sofa feet up blogging away, a position which i have in fact fallen asleep in, waking up at 8.30am with the worlds biggest neck and back pains yearning for the comfort of my uncomfortable bed... that's when you know its now home!), with my laptop providing ample entertainment for a rainy night. It was as i sat here watching The Runaways, a story of an industry changing band featuring 'rock n roll' legends Joan Jett and Cherie Currie or 'CherryBomb', in that hour an a half i learned the meaning of 'rock n roll' and that is that it is what you make of it, just like life.


Look at the evidence nowadays, in the past we have had such 'rock n roll' gods as Elvis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Blondie, The Runaways, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and Kiss among a host of other individuals and bands to shape the music industry and define generations, but who do we have nowadays? Our last remaining 'rock n roll' artist is none other than Cliff Richard! A poor excuse for 'rock n roll'! So that can only mean one thing... 'Rock n Roll' has evolved, it has moved on from the days of 'sex, drugs and rock n roll', they are still very important ingredients to the hallowed institution, but it has never been about being the same as everyone expects, as Laetittia Sadier from Stereolab said "Rock and roll has now become a conformity, which is completely anti-nature to rock and roll; therefore, it's dead."


Rock n Roll is about standing out from the crowd and making most of your life, enjoying it to the full, now how i see the rest of my days in Cadiz set out is as follows:


- Wake up around the midday mark
- If its a weekday get ready for an afternoon at uni (99% of lectures in the pm!)
- If its a weekend pop onto the balcony and check out the weather, if its sunny and warm enough, get short on, get stuff together and head down to Santa Maria beach
- If its a weekend and it just isnt warm enough for the beach then figure out something to do, play football, head into New Town or lounge about with the amigos
- Work behing the bar at Cuba (couple of nights a week if i get the job, the trial went very well)
- Hit the town with the amigos, pre-drink at someones piso, hit Cuba, Bhopal/Nahu and then finish off the night at Umec or La Punta, then the innevitable 5-7.30am stagger home after dancing my ass off on a stage or dancefloor somewhere.
- Wake up and do the same again....


A few exceptions to the rule include;


- Surfing when the waves begin to pick up
- Explore Spain, Gibraltar and Morroco
- Time on the side for una chica
- Get my ass playing Football and Tennis regularly!
-TIME FOR BLOGGING


Now this may not seem very 'Rock n Roll' but when you look into the meaning of the term, then i hope that my life does not seem too dull and un-'rock n roll' to you. Its inevitable that i stand out, as explained before, as a tall, lanky, ginger, english-man in Cadiz, its impossible to ever fit into a crowd! But as i strive for enjoyment, watching films and tv programmes and listening to music that others disregard, spending time out from the same old trip to the beach to blog, getting maximum enjoyment out of the 'rock n roll' music blaring out of the speakers down at La Punta which other people just stand about and moan about (ey Lassy) and looking to make the most of this incredible opportunity that has been given to me this year by getting a job, trying to integrate myself into different groups, trying new foods, drinks, and as a whole just living life to the max, i think i may not as you say be living the run of the mill; 'sex, drugs and rock n roll' lifestyle, but what i am doing is making the most of a bloody amazing opportunity handed to me, and that to me, is just right.


Anywho, i'm a ginger in spain, if i'm not 'rock n roll' then im a frikin national treasure and a god to these people, and that makes me 'rock n roll' in my eyes ;)


Until next time guys stay safe, stay cool, and most of all, make the most of the opportunities you've been given not only in areas such as partying, but the important things in life too, make sure you are the best person you can be at all times, make sure you do the best you possibly can in all you do, make sure you always help out others if you are able, and most of all make sure that you take every single situation by the horns and succeed in all that you do.

If life throws you lemons, make some Vodka, Lime and Lemonades and party your asses off.


Happy Blogging :)