DRUG RUNNERS IN ATHLETICS AND ROCK N' ROLL EXCESS AT BURNTWOOD WAKES - THE STIRRER'S BRUMMIE BLOG FOR TUESDAY

15-08-2006

It's a strange old world we live in when athletes generate more drugs scandal that rock n roll stars, but there you go.

Darren Campbell refused to celebrate with his fellow British gold medal winners at the European Championships because two of them - Dwain Chambers and Mark Lewis-Francis had both previously tested positive for banned substances.

Meanwhile Campbell himself is coached by Linford Christie who was once found guilty of using anabolic steroids.

Blimey when Alf Tupper was the Tough of the Track, he was fuelled by nothing more exotic than a bag of chips.

What a refreshing change then to spend some time at Burntwood Wakes last weekend.

Burntwood is the name for the cluster of ex-mining villages north of Walsall (places like Cheslyn Hay and Chasetown) which are now thriving as semi-rural Birmingham and Black Country commuter towns.

The Wakes(an annual music and sports festival) died out with the decline of the pits in the late 1950's but have been recently revived -and how.

On Saturday, there was a free family day complete with an excellent local talent contest and Fireworks Fantasia; followed by an appearance on Sunday by Status Quo.

The only wild behaviour associated with the Quo was the erection of a temporary shower block that no one else could use.

I can also exclusively reveal that Francis Rossi's rider included provision for 12 pairs of sports socks and 80 towels.

What for? Does he take them all home afterwards and do a bit of moonlighting running a market stall?

Not very rock n roll at all.

But then to experience that, these days, you really have to head for the athletics tracks.