Tom Brown And The Phoenix

  Fuck me!!! I just had an idea to tell ye about one of my old locals, " The Phoenix ", (Duncan Rd, Southsea.) Then run by Tom Brown.

  This, looking back at it, and counting on my fingers, was fucking Decades ago! 

  How horrible's that? Remembering shit that seems like yesterday. Only to realise it was half a lifetime back?

  Drinking in 'Tom Browns' always promised adventure. I've had it All happen there. You name it!

  Conversation with some deeply fur wrapped lady, about how mini skirts, stockings and the Skin Head fashions had taken their toll on Finlands youth.

  A lunatic offering me out, after I'd asked if he'd done with his stool. Only to have another, complete fucking lunatic jump to my defense.

  Nutter No. 2 was missing two fingers on his right hand. Result of his attempt at " poaching " one night. Seems he was crawling through a hedge, dragging a loaded 12 bore ....!!!

  Fuck me! Looking back? This was just normal life, for someone born and raised in the shadow of the Dock Yard Wall!

  I had Phil Lloyd in there; Showing me black and white photo's of him Disco Dancing. 

  (Yeah; Real fucking photo's. Black and white, glossy things. No computers, or mobile phones in those days) 

  Only those who have met and known Phil could appreciate why, to this day, the memory of his Perfectly repeated, Welsh accent:

  " Yes. Very good, Phil! Now what are ye going to do with him? " 

  Still makes me laugh out loud! 

  Bloke in there I was ready to front up to. Knifes edge from going for it. Ferret and a little girl later? Life long fucking mutual respect. 

  (Especially handy, that one. Cunt turned out to be former SAS and actually gave me a life line of work! One beer, either way? He'd have fucking killed me, that night!)

  I dunno. 'Cunts' who turned out more like fathers. 'Brothers' who turned out to be cunts. The Phoenix certainly beat the shit out of that drivel about " The Queen Vic ".

  Sort of gone past the point I was aiming at, now. Just intended to show ye a mad clip I'd come across. Relate a story about it.

  Now? I sort of see how 'The Phoenix Years' really seem to encapsulate so much of me. 

  Fuck this. I think I'll start again. Do a 'Part Two'. Just tell a bit more about this wonderfully insane, back street, Pompey boozer.