| Finally I was navigating across the English countryside | | | | of Mike’s concept. The words of just one song are |
| heading South East to the M3 interchange, then onto | | | | descriptive enough to understand his motivation; |
| the M25 which paved the way off the downs and | | | | “Confrontation conquers fear, hope arises, truth |
| onto the grassy lowlands of Kent the garden County | | | | unfolds, fear has no substance of its own”. What |
| of England. Back onto the byways I would be able to | | | | was Mike implying through his thought provoking lyrics, |
| release the tension of my hands wrapped around the | | | | well you have to read closely to deduce; “we are |
| steering wheel, far removed from the madding Lorries | | | | imprisoned by our own minds and hold the key of |
| to the left, fast cars to the right, caravans ahead, | | | | release, but ironically are too afraid to unlock the door |
| flashing lights behind. And all the time inches away | | | | to the unknown” so we choose to live in fear. |
| from death, split seconds of space between the | | | | Fear of failure is the fuel that ergs me onward in |
| vehicles aside, ahead and behind, a sudden burst tyre | | | | pursuit of elusive successes. Driving down the A roads |
| and a dozen lives are spent. | | | | in county Kent all kinds of wild imaginings going through |
| When I was eleven I pushed and pulled around with | | | | my mind, philosophising, analysing, planning, pumping |
| me a trolley made mobile with old pram wheels and | | | | adrenalin. On the subject of fear, I imagined what was |
| makeshift axles, peddle power is traded for horse | | | | going through Mohamed Ali’s mind when |
| power. My 1983 Fiat Uno, is pushed and pulled around | | | | confronted with the awesome power of Big George |
| by a hot 1.3 litre petrol east west engine, maximum | | | | Foreman, rated as the hardest punching heavy weight |
| speed 85 MPH. Unbalanced wheels, but like my trolley | | | | in history. Later Ali admitted that fear motivated and |
| knew only too well, I’m in control, with peddles at | | | | guided him to an unpredictable success over this |
| foot and wheel at hand, quickly shifting through the | | | | fearsome opponent. The pain of loosing and the |
| gears through roundabouts and rousting the trucks and | | | | thought of humiliation after many months of talking up |
| vans just like sheep to the coral. On this subject, it was | | | | his fight predictions, insults, dispersions and taunts kept |
| the lure of earning many dollars by collecting Marino | | | | him upright against the ropes, while George pounded |
| wool from deceased sheep that lead me down a | | | | his body with one bomb after another. What makes a |
| dusty track to outback paddock tinder dry, shimmering | | | | man fight 12 rounds after having his jaw broken in the |
| heat haze, and hay stacks under tin roofs. It seemed | | | | second round? What makes a fighter strike a blow |
| like another life, far removed from the searing heat, | | | | that could kill an ordinary man? “Fear”. |
| bush fires and bush flies, now cruising across English | | | | So I was hurtling down the motorways, A road and |
| fields of green. But still with a childish hunger for | | | | byways, confronting fear, venturing the unknown, |
| adventure and still motivated by my youthful | | | | playing a new lead role, acting out a dream, setting the |
| introduction to business and textiles dead on a | | | | stage, living an adventure and conquering fear, the |
| sheep’s back. | | | | exhilaration of freedom is greater felt. |
| Business is a road well travelled by me in youth and in | | | | Meanwhile in Clifton, Margate, Shane McCoubrey, my |
| grey hair; the paths have been rough and smooth, | | | | first appointment is preparing to exhibit his designs, |
| through dips and dives of profits and losses, from | | | | waiting eagerly to be part of this new adventure. By |
| dusty dirt tracks to six lane freeways. Accompanied | | | | the end of two and a half days the first of a collection |
| by a set of principles handed down my Mum and Dad, | | | | of hand made silk ties and cufflinks would be listed for |
| a road map, some teachings from school, dreams and | | | | my proposed online shopping service due to be |
| wishes, and, a dogmatic desire to succeed in all | | | | launched in September 2006. And Shane the designer |
| attempts, I’ve made all that seemed difficult, simple, | | | | became an anchor brand online; while we watched his |
| its changing states of mind. | | | | products expand across a broader retail market. And |
| Powered by adrenalin, as a typical adrenalin junkie | | | | he became inspirational to the eventual creation of our |
| without the guts for hang gliding, abseiling, sky diving, | | | | own stylised brand. A relationship still inspired and |
| white water sport, rock climbing, mine is produced by | | | | foundationally sound for more three years there is still |
| pursuing more passive adventure, but not with out the | | | | a long way to travel. |
| fuel that fires adrenalin, fear; as singer song writer | | | | After downing an English breakfast I said farewell to |
| Michael Nesmith wrote in one of his obscure songs, | | | | the bed and breakfast over looking the channel |
| which is found on music critics A list of all time worst | | | | waters and headed back to the West Country. The |
| concept album, “prison” Mike, after being dubbed | | | | first leg of my new adventure was almost complete, |
| this award, with tongue in cheek followed up with | | | | there would be many such legs as I scoured the |
| another turkey, “The Garden” Nesmith was | | | | English country side meeting and interviewing |
| merely pursuing idea’s end, he was a great | | | | designers, weavers, textile printers, leather workers, |
| innovator and just did what he wanted to. I align myself | | | | jewellers, tie makers, fashion agents, PR agents, |
| with the lyrics in the songs and his philosophy too. | | | | copywriters, web designers. |
| Perhaps the critics over looked the inspirational aspect | | | | |