When you eat something from the back of a cupboard with a “best before” date of 06/29 and it tastes a little bit “off” but you carry on anyway. Then you check the date again the following day and it turns out it’s actually 06/23. That. Still no harm done…so far…hopefully. 😳

Could today actually get any better? First I become a *grandad* then possibly the best thing I’ve ever seen in a pub. Last minute “Too Good To Go” bargains from our local @GreggsOfficial. £3 for a shit load of scran!

*Breaking News from Wilsonworld!* I appear to be a *GRANDAD*!!! Youngest son and his partner have just served up this wee cracker! The young lady arrived today at 9:52am. Mum and baby both doing fine. Still trying to get my head around being a grandparent when I’m still only 21 years old… 😎

Had fun playing with former Bay City Rollers front man Nobby Clark at a charity bash in Edinburgh last week. He was on excellent form with some cracking anecdotes along the way. (Photo credit: Stuart Stott)

Delighted to have been asked to provide the live music programme for this event on Saturday 22nd November. Last year was excellent. This year will be even better! If you love your fine wines, ales, gourmet food…and live music, grab a ticket and come on down to Peebles! Link to tickets in comments.

Psyching myself up for another bus trip to Edinburgh. Today’s mission involves ales, curry and a large helping of this…

Went to the EastgateTheatre cafe in Peebles for lunch and ended up sitting beside “The Lady Boys of Bangkok” who were eating there prior to performing two shows later today. Seemed like nice lads. They were in (relatively) plain clothes. No photo as I’m sure they wouldn’t appreciate it.

Ok, I said a while back I’d be buying no more vinyl and I’ve pretty much stuck to that. But nobody mentioned 8-Track tapes! I’ve had my eye on this for a year or so. It was just hanging around on eBay. Deal done. It’ll now be on display unopened in my music room. It’s the first LP I ever bought. 🎼👍🎼

I notice a Swedish fella just bagged $170,000 for breaking his own *World Pole Vault Record*. I’m now sitting here on my couch thinking I should’ve tried harder at the Pole Vault when at school. Sadly, it’s too late now…or is it..?

One of the high points of the “two-gig Saturday” is that I can kill time between shows in this superb and long established Edinburgh eatery. Always welcoming, fairly priced and very, very good. Ladies and gentlemen…I give you…*The Kebab Mahal*!

The welcome albeit brief return of the 4 gig weekend. Cracking memorial gig last night for the late Shorty Rodgers. Today it’s Bannerman’s as usual from 3:30pm followed by a night of Rockpile and Dr Feelgood at B-Bar, Edinburgh at 9pm. Tomorrow it’s deepest Midlothian for some more classic tunes.

As I stumble through my early 60s I’m acutely aware that hospital visits are becoming more frequent. Today’s appointment is 3 months late due to a delayed referral letter. It’s never straightforward either. My current issue has been causing concern for a year…and it’s an odd one to say the least.

Heading off to a rehearsal for the Shorty Rodgers (Ron Woodbridge) Memorial show on Friday. He was from Liverpool originally and was a founder member of The Searchers before relocating to Edinburgh in the 1960s. If you knew Shorty or are simply curious, grab a ticket and come on down!

Well that’s the 5 minute warning sounded. Just waiting for the big flash and mushroom cloud. Probably got just enough time for one last beer. Slainte!

I always fancied going to Easter Island to see the “heads”, however as the years fly by my gut feeling is that it’ll never happen. So I went to my favourite garden centre and haggled with the manager to secure this pair of likely lads. “Tribute heads” as it were. Love ‘em!

Edinburgh’s longest established rock’n’roll residency continues today, Saturday 6th September, at Bannermans, 212 Cowgate, from 3:30pm-5:30pm *The Rab Howat Band*. Serving up excellent live music every Saturday since 1986. Free Entry! Maximum rock’n’roll! Come on down!

Playing with *BASHER* next Saturday, 13th September, at Biblos, Edinburgh. Come on down for a large helping of Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds with a side order of Dr Feelgood and Tom Petty. 8:30pm. Free Entry. Probably no dogs welcome at this one sadly.

I’m visiting a “beer kitchen” in Chuckletown. I don’t see any cookers, hobs, napkins or indeed Gordon Ramsays but there is apparently a decent menu of beers. I think the word “kitchen” is possibly stretching it a bit tbh….daft even.

Potentially been offered some film work paying £125 a day for 3 days. Wrap times as late as 2am. Fairly remote location 70 miles from home so can’t really commute. Agent takes 20%. Cheapest hotel is £198. Fuel £30. This means I’d take home £72 for 3 days work. I think I’ll pass.

The Bins Of Niddry Street seem a bit lost now the Edinburgh Festival’s done. It’s a bit like Quadrophenia when Jimmy returns to Brighton but the Bank Holiday weekend’s over, everyone’s gone and “ace face” Sting’s just a Bellboy. Still, only another 48 weeks until it starts all over again!

The Festival is over so Edinburgh’s longest established rock’n’roll residency returns to its usual Saturday slot at Bannerman’s, 212 Cowgate, from 3:30pm-5:30pm today! *The Rab Howat Band*. Serving up excellent live music in the city pretty much every Saturday since 1986. Free Entry! Come on down!

First day of my new job at The Bridge Inn. Its a real eye opener being on the other side of the bar for a change! (Just kidding. I’m simply sitting “side bar” drinking some Premium Continental nonsense. Love the place but wouldn’t want to work here.)

It unexpectedly poured with rain for two hours this afternoon so I took the opportunity to watch “Wedding Belles”, an @irvinewelsh.bsky.social film from 2007 which I was unaware of. Thanks for the heads up Grant Stott and @nicolameighan.bsky.social. www.junctionfilms.com/portfolio/we...

I’ve never really been a fan of Del Amitri. I’ve been aware of them since the mid-1980s and they’re a perfectly decent band. However this superb interview with their main man Justin Currie on his music and indeed his Parkinson’s diagnosis is well worth a listen. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Cracking episode of BBC’s “Fake Or Fortune” tonight featuring the long lost painting “The Bean Harvest” by Helen McNicoll. Sadly its owner declined an offer of £300k from a Canadian collector and put it to auction where it only achieved £150k. Still, he only paid £2,000 for it!

Gigging at Bannerman’s, 212 Cowgate, Edinburgh today. Shorter set than usual due to tight Edinburgh Festival and Fringe scheduling, so it’s just 1 hour between 4:30-5:30pm. Maximum rock’n’roll. Free Entry. Come on down!

Excellent “A Kick Up The Arts” show this afternoon at The Stand, Edinburgh. Take a bow Nicola Meighan and indeed your scintillating star guest Grant Stott with his highly entertaining tales of showbiz and indeed family life. From high heels to high jinx. #MaximumBanter #EdinburghFestival

Heavy AC/DC fan presence in the Guildford Arms right now. Lotsa fellas in their 60s & 70s wearing branded merchandise. Some new some well worn. They’re clearly about to rock and for that I salute them!

This is a pint of Cromarty Brewing’s 80/- and it’s bloody marvellous. Not a hint of grapefruit or indeed any other citrus nonsense. Thanks Guildford Arms, Edinburgh…and the steak & ale pie was top notch too! 👍

Flashback to 2010 when incredibly Elvis Presley’s original TCB band played a High School gig at Duns in the Scottish Borders. Delighted to have grabbed a photo with ace drummer, the late and much missed Ronnie Tutt and guitar legend James Burton. TCB bass player Jerry Scheff lived in Duns back then.

Gigging at Bannermans, 212 Cowgate, Edinburgh today. Shorter set than usual due to tight Edinburgh Festival and Fringe scheduling, so it’s just 1 hour between 4:30-5:30pm. Maximum rock’n’roll. Free Entry. Come on down!

I’m in Chuckletown for the Chuckletown Music Festival…or Innerleithen as the locals prefer it known, for the Innerleithen Music Frstival. Booze-wise, as far as grapefruity pish goes, this one’s not too bad. #StrikeUpTheBand

Absolutely stoked to bump into Callum Beattie at Murrayfield today for #Oasis. He used to get up with my pub band when he was a nipper and now he’s filling the OVO Hydro. A proper hard working trooper. Love ya pal. x

Does anybody currently at The Murrayfield Hotel opposite the stadium have a *legitimate and scam free* Oasis ticket (preferably seated) for sale. If so come and see the big bald fella sitting on the swing seat at the front door. He looks like this. #Oasis25

My eldest is going to see Oasis next week. He was born 8 weeks before they released their first single in 1994. I was born the week after The Beatles released their first single in 1962. Neither of us are big fans of either band but I’d like to see them both now. However, The Beatles are gone and…

52 years ago my Godmother very kindly gave me the £2.49 required to purchase this Mott The Hoople LP in the record department of St. Cuthbert’s Co-Op on Edinburgh’s Bread Street. I was 10 years old and it was the first “proper” album I ever owned. Loved it then and still love it now! 🎼👍🎼

Here’s Billy Nomates at Fringe By The Sea. Saw her on Jools’TV show a few months ago and now I’ve seen her live and she’s very good indeed!

Aside from the woeful selection of beer, Fringe By The Sea is actually quite funky. Nice vibe. We arrived 3 hours early to secure an excellent, and apparently *Free*, parking space near the entrance. Hopefully the Parking Attendants Of Doom will stay well away.

Today’s Edinburgh Festival event involves a trip out of the city (which I’m certainly not complaining about) to the delightful coastal town of North Berwick to see what the @hamishhawk.bsky.social combo are up to at Fringe By The Sea, along with an intriguing bunch of artists. Bring it on!

BBC at the Edinburgh Festival round 2!

Early bus to Edinburgh for some BBC festival shenanigans. Nice walk across town, narrowly avoiding the rain.

Just back from the doctor’s surgery where I recognised more men round about my own age than I do in the pub. All suffering from mainly age related health issues. All teenagers at heart. Who knows where the time goes eh? youtu.be/OkOB57UcYk8?...

Jeez. 10 years since I almost had a very nasty accident which would have wiped out me, my house and probably part of the surrounding neighbourhood. I still get chills thinking about it. 😳😳😳

*The Pants of Biarritz*. Bought 5 pairs of pants before I left home and I’ve either lost them or forgot to pack them. Ran out of clean ones today so had to buy more. Cheapest I could find were £26 for 3 pairs. Add that to the beer and breakfast and it’s been an expensive morning.

Final day in Biarritz before flying home early tomorrow and it’s absolutely pissing down. Grey and mildly miserable. Feels just like home. Went swimming at 8am just before the deluge hit. Turn off the sun and this place, as with most places to be fair, is a bit shit.

A brief skip back over the border to the French town of Hendaye. It’s twinned with our adopted hometown of Peebles, so given we were only 15 miles away it would’ve been rude not to pop over for a light ale and some scran.

8:15am. Went to the beach at San Sebastián for an early swim. Beach was pretty quiet but some fucker still managed to steal Mrs $linger’s distinctive Banksy tote bag with our towels in it. Thankfully there was nothing of value. Luckily we found it dumped behind a nearby wall with contents present.

Jane reckons we suffer from “Portion Distortion”. I however, see no problem with having 6 Pintxos between the two of us along with a couple of local beers at 2pm. I fail to see a problem with this. Pintxos are certainly tasty but genuinely tiny.

Ladies of a certain age “kicking the arse out of it” on a Thursday night. The wine is flowing. And why the Hell not eh! 👍😎👍 #SanSebastian

Quite a sunset. #Biarritz