Hard-Rock Havoc and Heavy Metal Hellraising

Last night we took in two of London's best heavy metal venues: The Ben Crouch Tavern and The New Intrepid Fox. It was a great night. I was lucky I was able to go out at all as I was completely knackered from the previous night. I went out to Kenrick's bar on Essex Road Friday night with Jen and Alfie. They had karaoke on and I entertained the masses with my renditions of Deep Purple's "Black Night" and "Don't let me be misunderstood" by the Animals. Alfie belted out "Love is the Drug" and Joy Division's "Love will tear us apart", and Jen fulfilled a karaoke ambition by performing "Seven Seas of Rhye" - a song we had not previously found, and also did a brilliant version of T-Rex's "Twentieth Century Boy". Me and Alfie have an ongoing debate: T-Rex vs. The Sweet. Alfie is a big fan of The Sweet whereas I lean more towards T-Rex. Personally I think T-Rex piss all over The Sweet.


It was not a bad night although we kept being bothered by some old biddies who probably thought they were in the post office. To make them go away we had to shout "Cashier Number One, Please!" at regular intervals. We also got followed outside the pub by a drunken Italian man who wanted to share a taxi with us, even though we pointed out that Alfie's flat was two streets away. He kept talking to Jen and would not go away so we had to tell him to fuck off several times. Alfie went to get a kebab and as we were waiting outside for him the dickhead came up to us again and started to get all aggressive. However we were saved from confrontation by a very kind gentleman and the Italian guy walked away; and so did the peacemaker before we had a chance to thank him. Alfie returned from the kebab shop and invited us all back to his flat. the Italian AGAIN tried to bother us, but in the end we just couldn't be asked and ended up briskly walking away in the direction of Alfie's. As we turned the corner to Alfie's street we ran into the guy who'd helped us out and thanked him for his help. Then we spent the rest of the evening watching old bottom videos.


Woke up at Alfie's; had a nice breakfast of toast, ketchup and a double decker, and then went with Alfie and Jen to Angel as Alfie was due to meet up with his friend Ella. We had a few drinks in the Camden Head and then Alfie went off; me and Jen had a brief wander round the textile / antique shops and the French market, then I headed off home, hoping to have a few hour's kip before going to the Ben Crouch as arranged for Amelia's birthday, but no such luck. My mum sent me out to Tescos as soon as I'd got in, all because she was too busy watching the cup final and couldn't be bothered to go. Eventually got back, had something to eat and then got ready to go out. Arrived at the Ben Crouch to find Alfie already there - He had been drinking the whole way through. Lee was also there, and of course Amelia, who had hired out an entire section of the Ben Crouch. I wished her happy birthday and in return she covered me in little heart-shaped stickers. Alfie got talking to this absolutely GORGEOUS blond called Alex - I was quite jealous. The Jammy bugger. Apparently Lee had got off with her in the past and I noticed he seemed more than a little interested too. However, fate has a way of kicking you in the bollocks. I discovered she hated everything i stand for; Led Zeppelin, Heavy metal in general and football, and loved The Kinks and The League of Gentlemen - two of the most important things in Alfie's life. I left them to it and Jen and Will turned up with my accessories that I had left at Jen's flat a few weeks ago. Last orders was called and everyone else went off to some club to celebrate the remainder of Amelia's birthday, and me and Dean decided to walk to the Intrepid Fox.

Dean stopped off to get some chips from McDonalds and we eventually got to the Fox around midnight - surprised to find Alfie, Jen and Will already there. Apparently they had gone to the club but decided that the queue was too long, and made their way here instead. Apparently the blond went off with Lee. Met some guys in there from a band called Ad Alta (www.myspace.com/adalta) including one guy called Jonny who had the most amazing tattoos - ALL FOUR Led Zeppelin symbols on his right arm and a work in process on his left - the famous monk graphic from the Stairway to Heaven artwork. Showed him my Jimmy Page tattoo:

and had a bit of a chat. His friend Gaz whose birthday it was also had a Zeppelin tattoo - the swan song logo above his elbow. Drunk a lot of guinness and then headed home with Dean as he was feeling tired. By that point I had gone past tiredness. Got the Number 8 back to Bethnal Green and had to endure come college boys being drunk and disorderly on the bus. Dean went to get another 2 packets of chips - the greedy bastard - and then we walked home where I ate a lamb moussaka and watched half of the "Peckham Spring" episode of Only Fools and Horses which I had borrowed from Alfie that morning. Hilarious!