Andy "Fletch" Fletcher - A synth icon sadly gone

Where do i start with this passing, well i think i'll start with "F**K".

First reaction off Taylor Hawkins passing was shock, first reaction of Andy Fletchers passing was sadness.

1981, Depeche Mode "New Life", Top of the Pops. The vision i saw was a front man with terrible stage presence, bad moves and new romantic blouse with leather trousers BUT the sound was awesome. Accompanying Dave Gahan were a leather clad Vince Clark, bondage attired Martin Gore and on the other side of the stage was a tall awkward looking man who seems to have been dressed for the part but looked out of place, this man was Andy Fletcher.

41 years they have been a part of the soundtrack to my life, seen them live in Manchester, Birmingham twice and Athens with another Athens concert missed due to ferry strike.

Within 4 months 2 members of my favourite bands have passed away, Taylor Hawkins and now Andy Fletcher.

Music icons become your heroes and you see your heroes as immortal, never thinking of them linked with death. Even though each and everyone of us will die at some point these musical icons we worship at the live stage altar we believe as immortal, gods. Like all good heroes and gods throughout mythical history they will never die so when i read in a news flash Fletch had passed away it was a "That can't be true" moment.

Andy was never someone for the limelight, he was all about the music. Dave and Martin were the flamboyant face of Depeche Mode with Andy just quietly stood in the shadows creating his magic on synth. Like Hawkins and the Foo's Andy and Depeche Mode were the heart of the band. Like i said about the Foo's, i doubt we will ever see Depeche Mode tour again and there is no problem with that as it just wouldn't be the same.

I have 3 go to songs that if i'm in a dark place they can pull me back from it, Foo Fighters - Times Like These, Linkin Park - New Divide and Depeche Mode - Never Let Me Down.

At a concert you would never have known Andy was there until Dave would announce him, he just stood at the back behind his keyboard and the most flamboyant thing he ever did was raise his hands in the air, that was it. 

He was also a huge influence on other bands such as Smashin Pumpkins, Placebo, Pet Shop boys and The Killers to name but a few.

A huge loss to the music industry and to his family, Depeche Mode family and fans.

How many bands that are 40 years old can still sell out 80 - 100,000 stadiums all over the world including Athens where i went, not many, a handful, there are present day British bands who could never sell out that size concerts in the UK let alone the world.

When i told Sian i was taking her to see them in Athens in 2017, Sian said "What, that synth pop group?" she was very sceptical as Sian loves rock music, i explained they aren't like that, that was the early stuff. We didn't get to see them in Athens May 2017 so that same year i took Sian to Birmingham to see them in November and she loved it, so much so she was looking forward to when they would tour again, unfortunately now that will never be.

We really have lost a true icon and a music hero of mine but the memories will always live on, thank you Andy and your Depeche Mode family. Enjoy the Silence.

What now? I just don't know what to do!

Well then, how we all doing my beloved friends, readers and followers?

We all getting ready for holidays? Getting yourself in shape for the beach? Exchanging your money? Buying your sun tan lotions?

Well, Sian and i are playing the waiting game for now but not to long. 

We had a weekend in Monmouth 2 weeks ago which was great, we like Monmouth. The high street is hustle and bustle during the daytime then after 6pm its empty but they have a few nice bars and restaurants. Just a really nice peaceful vibe about it which we like, oh and lots of ducks which we like to go and feed.

So the heading of "What now? I just don't know what to do!" is to do with our free time between Monmouth and Milan.

Not a problem, i know what to do, BAKING!

Yes, folks I'm becoming quits a good baker. We all know from past posts that i'm an expert chef, my crumpet creations for one are legendary.

So here in all it's glory is my almond, sable grape and olive oil cake.

A nice blob of Creme fraiche on top, perfect!

Not only have i been baking we've been visiting lovely located restaurants like this one near Port Talbot, The Angel Inn.

Great view out over the valley from the beer garden.

We had seen the building from the motorway as we drove back from Swansea on a number of occasions so we decided to try out their menu which looked amazing BUT i booked us in for a Sunday forgetting almost everywhere on a Sunday does roasts so that is what we had to have as the regular menu wasn't available on a Sunday.

The starters we had were sooooooo good i would have been quite happy to stop there.

Sian had pork with some really tasty crackling.

I had a side of cow with a Yorkshire boulder, it was huge but tasted great.

They have 3 little cabins you can stay in overnight so we've decided to stay one night so we can try the weekday menu and have a few drinkies.

As i told you at the beginning we had a lovely weekend in Monmouth, this was in fact our third weekend there in total but we tried a different bar this time and what a great place to sit, relax and people watch.

Monmouth is quite a well to do town and we like to bring the tone down a tad but some of the people there seem to think they are so upper class.

The picture below was taken to show the bar but also in that picture was a pretty stuck up family. The boy with his back to us was 11-12 years old and a bit of a brat if i'm being honest but you get them everywhere.

The thing that amazed us was his dad and gran were cutting up his food for him and then he used his hands like some feral child brought up by wolves, not a fork in sight. Is that how upper class people eat because all their knives and forks are family silver kept in cases and not used?

Absolute idiot of a family i have to say.

Our round of drinks, the milk stout was really good.

Wherever we have been on holiday Paris, Switzerland, London, Monmouth, Penzance we always on one day use a food app. Now due to signed sworn secrecy i can not name the app but in Monmouth we got our best deal ever. We paid £2.59 for a mystery bag from Greggs, i like Greggs and for that £2.59 we got:-

8 Sweet Muffins

6 Doughnuts

4 different pasties

2 filled baguettes

2 yum yums

2 pain au chocolat

1 filled sub roll

1 pack of sandwiches

1 croissant

1 plain baguette

And here is or food bonanza........talk about stuffed!

As you know i moved from where i used to live in Swansea to just 300 metres from the beach in the Mumbles and this was the view out over the beach the one morning i woke. 

Doesn't get much better than that apart from our view from apartment in Calgary and view from our home on Zakynthos.

I know what your thinking......how's Squid? Well you'll be glad to know she now rules the house.

She no longer goes in to her house at night she has free roam and her house is just her poop and pee tray, she's very well trained. She's is becoming the boss though, nudging, standing on back legs when she wants something, squeaking when she has her treats and basically has a character now. 

All the doors are left open within the house and she just goes anywhere but she is a little madam but that makes us laugh.

Here she is claiming the living room as her own. She couldn't be in a more commanding position even if she wanted to be.

2022 isn't even half way through yet and we've started booking our 2023 adventures.

As you already know June is Milan for a break to go to what was 2 concerts but now sadly Foo Fighters is cancelled but we still have Imagine Dragons.

July is the big one Calgary and High River in Canada with tickets for Calgary Stampede, visiting where Tin Star is filmed that starred Tim Roth and going to see the ski jumps where Eddie the Eagle competed in the winter Olympics but the big kicker with this is, yeah baby, we're going business class. wooohooo!

September we have tickets for Freddie Mercury's birthday party in the Casino where Queens recording studio is, that's Montreux Switzerland, that will be a great event.

At little sneaky break in November and not decided if Amsterdam or Paris again but we'll end up somewhere.

New years eve this year is being spent in Barcelona and now on to 2023.

Our first trip is to Rome to Watch Wales play Italy in the 6 nations. Apartment sorted just 300 metres from the Stadio Olympico, tickets bought for the game and in the picture below there is a little black circle where our seats are that i've booked. You may need to zoom in lol.

If you click on pic i think it expands it.

Our amazing brilliant Cardiff Devils have become Playoff Champions for 3 years in a row, absolutely amazing and to top it all off i have Brodie Reids game worn jersey, he was our top goal scorer, top points and voted MVP (Most Valuable Player) already people have offered me £600 for it, not just yet Devils fans, i think i'll keep it.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

And finally, a really big announcement........

Sian and i are getting engaged. 

Now before we get people congratulating us, showering us with gifts and big wads of cash as i know you'll want to we haven't got engaged just yet.

What i did was i sent Sian i think 12 pictures of engagement rings and told Sian to pick her 6 favourite then out of those 6 i will choose the ring so she doesn't know which she will get ALSO she doesn't know where or when i will give her the ring, Sian only knows it's going to be in 2022.

It may be in a coffee shop, it may be at a Devils game, it may be in the gym (yes we go to the gym together now), it may even be in our local swimming pool but i don't think that would be very romantic me swimming up to her spluttering doggy paddling with a ring in between my teeth.

Sian does already know we're getting engaged, not given anything away on here but the rest is a mystery.

So watch this space for the big day.

And there you go folks, i'm trying to keep my blog going as it is amazing how many people still read it on a weekly basis, While your still reading it i'll keep writing it.

So until our Milan update.....Serve All, Love All, Peace All, Kevlar Out!