Simon Campbell

Posted at 2013 hours on 21/04/10 | Posted in Life

Funerals and shoes

Can you have a good funeral? I didn’t think so, but even after he passed over to the other side, Dave Moore still entertained, as did Angela as she teetered home from the wake…

Dave Moore

Last week Angela and I attended the funeral of Dave Moore. We had only known him for 12 months, but felt we had known him forever. He was the second musician I met on the island and played bass in the first band line-up over here. Strangely enough, I had known ‘of him’ from my early musical days, as he played around the same Manchester circuit in the late 70’s.

Great bloke, lovely player and the same age as me: makes you think doesn’t it…

The funeral

The day before, we were called and instructed not to wear black, which for me is a problem as my wardrobe looks like an explosion in a ‘goths’ outfitters. I dug out my ‘little grey number’, set off by a pair of very old Yamamoto pumps (my favourite), and we drove to collect our pals and fellow musicians, Val and Barry Nelson.

We arrived at the Douglas crematorium, to be greeted by an ice blue sky and bracing Isle of Man wind, walking slowly up to the building where the humanist ceremony was going to take place.

Most people had received the message: it was like a bloody wedding, with bright colours lightening the initially sombre mood.

It was lightened further when Dickie Best arrived cracking jokes and being generally, err, Dickie.

The memorial was elegant, dignified, simple and effective, complimented by two fine eulogies.

I am really not sure that the ‘Celebrant’ directing proceedings expected the full 6:12 of Hotel California, and like all DJ’s, turned it off just before the guitar solo: Dave would have been furious.

If there is ever a good funeral, this was one of them and Dave, if you are reading this, please don’t rest in peace, continue to rock like a monster.

The shoes

Like any good funeral the wake took place at Dave’s local, the Albert in Port St Mary, the scene of many an extreme session. This was no different and was always going to be messy; muso’s and builders everywhere plus the king catalyst of many an alcohol fuelled incident, Mr Barry Nelson.

I was totally intent on driving Val and Barry back home, but after two pints of O’Kells it became clear that disaster was looming large. The whisky then came out…

So, the funeral finished at 1110, we arrived at the pub at 1140, left at 1600, totally messed up and of course then decided to walk home.

The Albert is only about 1.5 miles from our house along a relatively flat coast road and nowhere near the feared hill of doom.

Angela is known for her ability to drink. She is also known for relative stability on such occasions, even following extreme hepatic abuse, but this time the ‘shoes of the devil’ had her staggering, toes slipping between the straps, reeling, teetering, toppling and then, when she couldn’t walk any more, stamping her feet like a two year old in a tantrum.

I have mentioned these ‘devil shoes’ before, and each time she has pooh-poohed my erudite comments!!! Oh how I laughed, pissed off my face and dancing like Nijinsky down the path in my supremely flat and magnificently practical, Nipponese trainers.

Where had the desert boots, Doc Martins, Green Flash and Converse of the past gone my love? These were stylish and practical and surely the primary use of shoes is to protect ones feet from abrasion and damage. Of course, looking good is also a consideration but should we sacrifice completely form over function?

Well I don’t think so and I suspect neither does Angela now; I can hear Dave laughing his head off…

3 comments

1. anne alcock on 15/05/10 at 2114 hours

   Hi Si,  I have the same shoes… and have taken note of the warning… is this now how it is going to be? Have been studying Moyleisms in readyness.  When will you give up your driving license? lol   mrs. A xxx

2. Simonski on 17/05/10 at 0852 hours

   It is how it is going to be… God help us if you are called to the judiciary on the Island!!!

   x

3. Martyn on 13/08/10 at 0936 hours

   I’ve only just seen this. Terrible news about Dave, he was a wonderful, friendly, kind man.

   The work he did on my Jazz basss still stands firm now after a year.

   A big drink will be had for you tonight big man.

   Martyn

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