Who is the fat monk singing Gloria?
And: what does it feel like to win big on a horse? A play in New York
Shane McGowan, I loved you.
I’m taken back to London, '84 and '85, just seventeen, boozing around Camden, crashing in a tiny bedsit in New Cross Gate. At 17, you think you've got the world figured out, don’t you? I felt like the King of London, at least that's what I bragged to mates back in Kidderminster.
Remember the GLC's free festivals in Battersea Park? In the summer of '85 the lineup was enormous - OMD, Aswad, Billy Bragg, the Communards. But The Pogues, they were something else. They had us all dancing like whirling dervishes. That day’s stuck with me, even after nearly 40 years.
That GLC festival also kicked off the idea of the Workers Beer Company. They’ve been a part of my life since then too, but that's another story.
I’ve been following Shane McGowan from afar over the years. Every rainy night in Soho I think of him. Every time I see a collection plate, I want to put a button in it.
Those Camden days are golden memories. They were the bridge from being a kid to growing up. There was one Saturday, my mate and I put the last of our wages on a place pot at an Irish bookie in Camden, trying to win rent money for the month.
Every race when our horse came in had us running to the World’s End pub, drinking our heads off to celebrate. From zero to heroes, from misery to joy. We ended up blowing all our winnings on a wild weekend of drinking, the conquering Kings of London.
If you’ve ever hit it big on a horse, or wonder what it’s like, give “Bottle of Smoke” a listen. It's like that - wild, reckless.
"20 fucking five to one,
Me gambling days are done.
I bet on a horse called the 'Bottle of Smoke',
And my horse won."
“Priests and maidens drunk as pagans, they had the Bottle of Smoke. Sins forgiven and celebrations, they had the Bottle of Smoke”
Spotify shows you the lyrics karaoke style these days, which is brilliant for Shane's songs. It turns them into something more; it lifts the poetry and makes you think. I’ve been hooked on “Victoria” from “The Snake”, 1994.
There’s this line in it:
"Victoria, you left me in opium euphoria,
With a fat monk singing Gloria."
It's been on my mind too much, a proper song worm, like Shaun Keaveny says.
Who’s the fat monk, Shane? And when I listen, it doesn’t really sound like you’re saying “monk”.
One Hundred and Eighty
Whilst I’m on the subject of betting, let me mention this Paddy Power initiative that is dear to my heart.
Paddy Power's partnership with Prostate Cancer UK, centred around the World Darts Championship, is impactful CSR. This campaign is not just about raising funds – although the potential donation of up to £1 million is indeed monumental. It's about reaching out to a key demographic, men of a certain age, and raising awareness about the crucial importance of prostate cancer testing.
The ingenuity of this campaign lies in its ability to engage and inform through a blend of cleverness and wit, in a way that resonates deeply with its audience. The 'BIG 180' campaign is a clever link between sports and social responsibility, turning each 180 score in the championship into a £1,000 donation towards lifesaving research and support.
On a personal note, Prostate Cancer UK holds significant importance for my family and me. I work with Steve Hawkes and the team at Flutter and am very proud of their campaign. It’s a prime example of how sports can serve as a powerful platform for raising awareness and funds for critical health issues.
If you are a man over 50, why not check your risk here.
Reading
Double of Nothing by Kim Sherwood. This is the first of a Bond trilogy that is an homage to the world of the 00. Think traditional values in a modern setting. Q, for example is a quantum computer.
Watching, well soon to be
My foray into authorship started with a collaboration with Martin Hickman. It resulted in Dial M for Murdoch, a thorough account of the early stages of the UK's phone hacking scandal.
I’m very proud and a little apprehensive, that the multi-award-winning playwright JT Rogers has drawn inspiration from our work. Mr Rogers is set to transform our book into a stage play, with a New York debut next year.
If quoting from this newsletter, please mention “Tom Watson’s newsletter on Substack.” Thank you.
Victoria had an affair with Van Morrison. He’s the Fat Monk
Pogues currently on loud play!