Day 2754
Wednesday October 28th 2026
Winchester
Another mild day and a set up down at Nando’s, so a few yards from Monday’s spot. That woman’s voice that announces “power on” when I switch the amp on, still throws me but I’m becoming quite attached to it. She’s my constant companion through the trials endured out here. She doesn’t bother with a “power off” when I’m done. Maybe she’s got bored and buggered off somewhere else or she’s fallen asleep.
Lots of coinage from the kiddies today. They usually run to the case and throw it in. That or a gingerly approach, head down and eyes up at me, holding the coin at arm’s length. They always get a ‘hello’ and ‘well, thank you!’ anyway.
A young woman takes a photo of my Billy Balloon album propped at the side of the trolley. I just hope she doesn’t google it and come across that terrible review by that arsehole Calum Cummins. It’s from 16 years ago and it’s up there and there’s nothing I can do about it. It still pisses me off. I mean, what good does a crap review do to anyone? Arsehole. Don’t take any notice of that one, darling, there’s loads of good ones. Well, not loads but a few. Really, there are!
Near the end, a man older than me stops to hear some of the early sixties instrumentals; Wonderful Land and Telstar (haven’t played that one in ages). He then comes up and puts in a tenner – always a wonderful event. He asks if I make any money from my videos. I say I don’t – ‘…they’re all copyright control. I don’t write them. I’ve got one of me doing Albatross from years ago and it’s had over half a million views but I don’t get anything because I didn’t write it. Peter Green wrote it.’
He then asks how long I’ve been doing this, which prompts me to give him a very brief account of the Hard Luck Story – ‘I’ve been doing the busking for about fifteen years…no for SIXTEEN years, as from two days ago – that was my sixteenth anniversary. I started because I couldn’t play in rock groups any more. I was going deaf. I’ve got hearing-aids, see? Anyway, sixteen years.’
‘Well, you carry on.’
‘Thank you, I will…and thank you for your generosity.’
Well, I did carry on but only one more song – Bond, as my benefactor was walking off up the high street towards the Buttercross.
I did five minutes short of two hours because yesterday I did two hours PLUS five minutes. It makes adding it up at the end of the week, easier. Great coinage of £49.94.
One thing that’s crossed my mind a few times, lately. I haven’t seen Posh BrYan. He must be in his mid-eighties, at least.