.....erm where did 3months go to??

Sorry folks (he says assuming anyone has been an insomniac in need of my witterings!)..... but you know how it is, with work/kids and various other bits'n'bobs, I seem to have found it almost impossible to find the time to scribe!

It's been an eventful time, chasing the ever decreasing pound...... preparing for Christmas, racking my brain for what to by my mum (sorry, I'm sure I'm not the only off spring to have the same conundrum every year!). But having said that, I'm now in the middle of an overdue and much needed two week break until the 7th.

Had a great time over the 2 main days, the purchase of Nintendo's finest gaming products were greatly received - "Wow I can't believe Santa new we wanted a Wii and a DS!" - and it must be said are being enjoyed by young and old alike!

Then had the great privilege of being Usher (click here if you are unaware of the duties of said person at ye olde British wedding - not to be confused with rap star of same name) at one of my best friends wedding, attended by the great and the good (and one or two of the not so good, but hey what would a good wedding be without the someone who should have stayed at home!) it was a bloody fantastic day, the best of all worlds, having your outfit provided, getting fed for the day, and being able to sing with the band, but not be involved with the setting up/breaking down!!

I did pay for it yesterday, and some of today, if truth be known, but think I'll be chipper tomorrow......

On the work front, it's been very interesting.... let's spin the tombola of memories and see what falls out....... these are not necessarily in chronological order......

So far, I have picked up 3 people who work at the HQ of M&S (v large department store in the UK) one lady worked in Men's Pants - not literally, but she was responsible for making sure that each store had required number of Y-fronts etc. Next a lady who sourced and arranged transportation for all the exotic fruits that discerning folk like to keep in their cupboards. And lastly a lady whose job it is to go round and buy set items to see if their up to scratch - a secret buyer if you will.

Celeb watch


picked up the v funny Justin Lee Collins which was the week of the Jonathan Ross/Russell Brand affair (those not aware pls see here for synopsis of "scandal"). His comments among many were top notch, best of all "I don't know Russell Brand but I think he's F'ng Sh*t"... along with amazement that Jonathan Ross had come out with the comments he did.


Another friend phoned me one night and asked if I'd heard of Paolo Nutini, yes says I, being aware of the Scottish singer/songwriter..... he had been conveyed by my friend from Soho one night in November, back to North London. He and friends had partaken of the hospitality and wares of several establishments and was unaware that his credit cards and phone had been left in my friends cab, luckily this was quickly realised and my caring cabby friend (is there another type!) made use of phone and located them (for they were neither walking quickly or in a specific direction) to return them.

I saw the rather brilliant Eddis Izzard in another cab unfortunately - and he was plugged into his Ipod, so maybe not one to engage in too much chat....

I must pass on a great web find that I've made (with thanks to Radio 5Live for putting me onto it....) the great/witty/knowledgeable and talented Stephen Fry has, for sometime now, been producing podgrams from his website, and they are quite brilliant, stand out episode has to be the "Compliance Defiance" where he waxes lyrical about the "PC" attitude taken with the production of some TV programmes..... get yourself to Stephen Fry.Com to see what I mean....

All that leaves me nearly finished, save to mention two completely different nuggets of information that I'm sure you've been missing ..........

Mash ups? yeah me too, but they're the collision of two songs that together are altogether more brilliant that either song on their own - well maybe I'm over egging it, but listen to this one below of Snow Patrol and the Police and you'll get an idea of what I mean




And finally, you couldn't make this one up, and I promise you I haven't...... In recent weeks as I said at the top, I've been working many hours to get to this hallowed holiday. One such way is to work nights, which led me 2 weeks ago to Canary Wharf one Friday night at around midnight. Here I was hailed by a couple, asking to go to London Bridge station. It's fair to say they made themselves very much at home in the rear of the cab, VERY MUCH AT HOME, if I were not already certain of the activity (she going up and down in a very sustained rhythmic pattern) then I was left in no doubt when, nearing London Bridge Station, I see that roles have been reversed, and her good gentlemen was now assuming control (!), and I turn to see a quite hairy rear end practicing his press ups (!)...... the story, if not unusual enough, gets better. We arrive at London Bridge, where suitably satisfied female passenger alights, and matey says "Highgate pls driver" - off we jolly well go.... we arrive and I ask for the £48 fare, and he dully gives me £50 and...... yes you may well have guessed, waits for change and asks for his RECEIPT!

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! (as they say in Wales) to one and all, and one of many resolutions is to be more frequent in the writing of this column......

It's September Baby.....

..... and finally this week, folk seem to have returned from their summer (he say's tongue in cheek, as August was "the wettest since 1912"....) breaks, and pickings are nearly consistent!

My Black Cab Sessioning carries on, I had a shout to do one on Tuesday, with a band called Lambchop, must confess had no prior knowledge of them, but it was a nice mellow end to the day as Kurt of said band did a cover of a Dylan song, can't tell you which one..... look out for it on their site in due course....

Here follows some musings/sightings from the last few weeks

Cabby etiquette - now here's a funny unknown by most fact, if I were to be travelling along one of London's many byways looking for that friendly hand gesture thus securing a fare, it is common practice that another cabby would not willingly pull out in front of me from a side road. Should I let him out then it is also common practice that he wouldn't nab the fare that would rightly be mine. So I do indeed let a fellow cabby out onto Fenchurch St one morning, and sure enough, no sooner had I let him in front of me, a hand shoots up! but fair play, the guy gestures to the punter that I am behind him. I stop and pick the guy up and he says "I don't know what the other guys problem was?!" I then explain aforementioned practice, to which he replies "It's nice to see that sort of thing still happens" - and he would be right!

This is a random fact I know, but I was pretty impressed at the ingenious thought behind this particular car design - not something I'm prone to taking much stock of..... I saw a car similar to the one below on the Kings Rd this week - get a load of the way round no side mirrors - just strap it on the spare tyre!

Finally, celeb spots, no fares for me personally but a good friend of mine (who shall remain nameless for tax purposes) had the following this last couple of weeks......

Alex Turner of T'Arctic Monkeys

Ricky Wilson aka Chief Kaiser, from Gt Marlborough St to Kings Cross

Lastly, my own top sighting on the corner of Gt Marlborough and Regent St Jimmy Page from the Zeppelin that is Led......

That's all for now, cheerio!

The Black Cab Sessions...

Well, the first 2 sessions were released yesterday and today, adding them below, a very enjoyable weekend had by all, and keep an eye on the black cab sessions for the remaining 3 this week....

Here's the official blurb!

Not a lot more to add at the minute, caught sight of Lilly Allen outside the Opera House in LDN today..... that brightened up an otherwise non-eventful day!

Will write more soon

TTFN

Fast Show/Coldplay and Police Bikes.......??

Evening all, some comments/customers of note from the past couple of weeks......


Charlie Higson..... he of Fast Show/Randall & Hopkirk & Young James Bond Novels, from Holborn Circus to Strand. He's working on some kids books for Penguin at the moment and is hoping to do another sketch show with Paul Whitehouse and some of the Fast Show alumni early 2009...... you heard it here first! Very nice bloke

Picked up a lady who works for the child support agency and she mentioned how much of a thankless task it is - the single mothers moaning cos they ain't got their money from the errant fathers, and the errant fathers moaning they haven't got the money to pay said single mothers! - anyhow, to my horror she recounted some of the "comprehensive" applications they receive " 'is name was John and he's from Scotland" and "he's got a tattoo of a shamrock on his arm", you'd think they would get to know these people in some way, thus increasing the chances of :

a) the relationship lasting
b) having a little bit info on tracking them down in those situations where they beggar off!

Anyway, where was I - oh yes summer !! erm, where does everyone go, they don't tell you that at the PCO! it's not the end of the world, but not having had a busy period to compensate, it's a bit tough..... oh well, all part of the practical learning curve of the job.

So there I am, approaching Cannon St from Eastcheap, wading thru the shocking traffic (in complete contrast to no-one around, summer holidays etc etc) and I hear sirens, so being the obedient fellow I slow down to discern from which direction they're coming, low and behold a traffic cop on bike appears and is turning right in front of the cab. He is doing so slowly, so slowly in fact that, cue embarrassing moment 1 - he loses balance and drops the bike, Then he turns the sirens off and begins lifting the BMW lump back up, he tries, and he tries but to no avail - cue embarrassing moment 2 - I ask politely if he would like some assistance, and bike is duly righted. As I drive there is if possible, a final embarrassment as the blethering thing just won't start for him, let's hope he didn't have to wait long for the AA.....

As some may know, I've only been doing the job since Feb, and full time since May, but I can't believe the number of celebs or just generally people that are famous/connected in someway that I have had the pleasure of transporting. On Thursday I spin down New Bond St, as it is a reasonable picking ground for work, and at the top a guy hails me, after telling his girlfriend where Berners St was, he jumps in and asks for Brook Green in Hammersmith. We get chatting and he say's he is going to EMI, who have one of their main offices there. So I ask if he works for them, "no, I work with one of the bands signed to the label" oh say's I, which one "Coldplay" he says......

So the nosey/muso type in me needs to dig deeper, it transpires he is Phil Harvey, who is a school chum of Chris Martin, used to manage the band and now works with them on the creative side (videos/artwork etc etc). A very interesting chat ensues, I don't think I came across too inquisitive, but should he ever read this - tks for indulging me!

Lastly an example of how a rotten day can turn round, this Friday I left home at 6.30 and by 12.30 had made a very VERY small amount of revenue..... then I'm ranked at Kings Cross and a saintly figure approaches the cab, puts a suitcase in the front and says those magical words "Heathrow, Terminal 5 please....!" How I could have kissed him.......

Tis all for now, just to say that following my Brian Wilson experience, I've agreed to head west in a couple of weeks to film some sessions at the Green Man Music Festival........ I'll let you know how it goes.....

Beach boys and other such happenings....

Well, well, well, following my last post on who's who I have a tale to tell which tops that and some.....

There is as some of you may have seen a bunch of guys who have got together and created something call The Black Cab Sessions and seeing as I have a foot in both camps, I decided to contact them.

We've been emailing since April and only recently could we agree on a mutually suitable time and date.... so 3 wks ago I rock up to Abbey Road studios and await the arrival of Mr Brian Wilson - yes that Brian Wilson! - he artistically arrives half hour later than scheduled.

In the meantime I have assisted in the tech set up and sound check (for which we could only settle on "Happy Birthday"). So all ready to go, as you may know, the licensed number of people in the back is 5, so we had to bend the rules slightly when Brian and 4 band boys get in, so Jonny, filming, had to squeeze between the jump seats.

So off we go to their hotel in Park Lane, trying to avoid as many bumps as possible! (easier said than done). A tune off the new album and a verse and chorus of "California Girls" later, job done. The fruits of this journey will be on the Black Cab Sessions in Sept to coincide with the release of the new album, word has it that it looks good.

Other than that, it's been fairly uneventful, I've taken to doing just days for now, it suits me and family better for now.

Thanks for reading, have fun

My who's who....

As promised, here's a list of some of my passengers in recent weeks, 2 from my meanderings today....

Joanna David - from Kensington up to her house in Little Venice.... lovely lady, was chuffed that someone remembered "the old bag" - her words not mine!

NB - Mum of Emilia Fox and married to Edward Fox......

Paul Merton - from HMV Oxford St to Adeline Place - he'd just bought a copy of the best of Paul Merton, his agent had yet to send him it so he wanted to check it out...... For anyone interested he has just done another trip for Channel 5, this time to India and it features an interview he did with the world record holder for consecutive kicks to the groin..... the record is 45!!

Stephanie Cole/Simon Shepard - Hot off the press, picked these two and 3 other luvvy types up from Equity House and took them to Pitfield St. They were all discussing the fortunes of a theatre in Bristol, read here for more details........

Other than that have had more jolly japes with various folk, got my first run out to SW19 today which was nice as it came around 10.30 when city traffic can be a bit light..... fairly busy most of the day and the last run of the day was Berkeley Square to Hanger Lane.... twas to the Diageo building there, which is accessed by using Hanger Lane roundabout and then coming back into town and doing a left at traffic lights...... this however was mentioned too late by one of the passengers and meant we had to go down to Greenford and come again..... oh well, it's all on expenses!

I'll try and write at least weekly from now, cheerio.....

Blimey, it's been too long.....

.... sorry for taking so long to post anything else, doing the job full time has taken a fair bit of adjusting and to be honest I've just not found the time to do t'blogging. Am taking advantage of the hour I have while Mrs Jester and the kids watch "Dr Who".....


Well it's been an interesting few weeks, the sheer physical nature of the job has been amazing, I know I'm not digging holes or anything, but driving for 10 hrs or so a day is bleeding knackering.

In the last two weeks I've tried my ideal working week, which is Mon-Wed in early and home by late afternoon/early eve and Thur-Fri, take kids to school and go in after lunch until whenever.

So far so good, although from talking to others long in the tooth, things are slow and the credit crunch etc (I do hate that term) have taken their toll - my philosophy is that if I can survive in this climate, things can only get better.

I've had some very interesting customers, a couple who I said I'd mention on here, as they're doing good things,

One lady, I picked up from Borough High St and took her to Waterloo, she runs a pet insurance company called Animal Friends Insurance , and had just had lunch with a journo who she had paid towards his trip to China to investigate cruelty to animals. The company are a non-profit organisation, and plough the profits back into animal welfare, have a look at them and if you insure your cat's 9 lives, think about using them.....

Another was a guy I happened to pick up one Friday as I was heading back down Regents Park Rd from Primrose Hill, we were equally surprised to see each other, but neither of us complained. This guy, a fellow SE Londoner originally, now living in Notting Hill, runs Reach To Teach, who run mobile schools for rural Indian villages that don't have access to these facilities.

It was great to here this guy speak with such enthusiasm for what he does, the area is where his parents are originally from, so he has an affiliation with the country and isn't just doing it because it'll look good on his CV - Good Luck Sanjeev!

In terms of the day to day cabbing biz, I must say that I have got all my nerves out of the way, and am starting to get used to the regular tram lines that you travel, rush hours meaning stations to office, lunchtimes offices to watering holes and evenings any of the above.

As I said before most people are very nice, giving you a preferred route if you ask, or in a lot of cases leaving to you "cos you know the best way...." However, this rule is always subject to exceptions, the example I cite I'm sure will be repeated many times as I travel this road to retirement.....

I'm ranked at London Bridge and I reach the front of the queue,

Lady X "Knightsbridge please, I'm going to Harrods"
Me " OK "

So off I set, seconds later we're at the bottom of London Bridge St

Lady X "Knightsbridge please, I don't want to repeat myself 50 times!"
Me "That's ok, I did hear you at the station"

Before we go further, let me paint the scenario, it's a weekday, it's 5.30pm, we're going from SE London to SW London.......... I've elected to go to Blackfriars/Embankment/The Mall/Constitution Hill etc etc (apologies to those non-techies among you).

So we're in the inevitable traffic in Northumberland Ave, when she pipes up

Lady X " You're supposed to take me the quickest way, I don't want to go the scenic route"
Me "Well madam, I'm sorry but this is rush hour and I can assure you I've taken the route that is best and others would do the same"
Lady X " I don't care, what choice do I have"
Me "Madam, you are entitled to get out if you are not happy, they're are plenty of cabs around"
Lady X " I can't do that can I, I need to ring my friend who I'm meeting" (no phone call made, intriguingly enough)
Me "Well, I'll do my best"

We then eventually get to Belgrave Sq and I cut through to get to the rear entrance of Harrods, anything to get this cow out of my hair!!!

Me "that'll be £13.40 please"
Lady X "Here you go (hands me £20), you'll need that on the dole queue, the DOLE queue is very long you know!"

And there we parted company, hopefully never to meet again....

Oh well, that's all for now, I'll post again tomorrow with my who's who list of recent customers..... you can't wait can you!