...or does anyone know if he is?

??? No idea. Since the demise of Borninblood, he only popped up here for a brief time some years ago.

His last post seems to be from September 2018...

thanks for checking I've looked him up elsewhere as well, and I am a bit uneasy about his "disappearance", seeing how he was a prolific poster... I hope it's nothing.

I did a search with his real name and there is not much on the 'net apart from some CAMRA (real ale) event he took part in last year...

His band - Heavy Goods Vehicle - videos are still on YouTube...

he was posting a lot when he was not on the road on business, he's never taken a year off before. from here and other forums... anyway. I hope he sees this and says hi.

I hope so too!

bummer.

Hi guys, still alive and kicking here. Retired now and focusing on my new job which is having a laugh, getting drunk and thinking about all those deep and meaningless things I never had time to think about when I was a wage slave. Spent most of my daytime downtime this summer on the sun lounger watching the undergrowth grow over me and thinking about the new plague of neo-liberalism/fake-socialism that is simularly creeping over us all at the moment. Spent 6 months last year thinking about love thanks to this board.

These days you'll find me at most heavy metal gigs down the front headbanging and doing the dancing baby dad's disco dance with a pint in my hand and no work in the morning. Haven't been face down in a puddle for 3 weeks now so I'm definately getting more mature (8 pints of 7.5% beer plus a Cosmic Dead gig, too much... too much), shoulder still hurts. Saw 10000 Russos last night, got Mary Gauthier tomorrow (folk), Mozart & Salieri (Opera) on thurs (the film Amadeus was based on it), High Reeper (Stoner) on friday, booze up with mates on Saturday at Snuffy Jacks micropub, and Earth (doom) on Sunday, so if you see me say hi.

I must scribble down some of my thoughts and conclusions on some of the thinngs I've been thinking about. Now I'm beyond the long arm of the politically correct I am pretty much uncensorable.

What a surprise... welcome back! I'm a bit jealous, I must say. I suppose my time of getting drunk everyday and no work in the morning will come for me too. Anyway, we are happy you are happy.

indeed thanks for stopping by enjoy your retirement...

Hi Beerman! Thanks again for The 499 Rules of Doom Metal:

http://www.doom-metal.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2063&p=44913#p44913

I remember those rules, man my band and I at the time laughed so hard at those.

There are 1400 rules of doom

1401. To stay the way you are would be torture, to change would be worse.
1402. It can rain forever if you want it to.
1403. You live on in the memories of others, and the things you did will be forgotten quicker than you.
1404. Never be content to start.
1405 No one cares about anyone but themselves except doomsters who don’t care about themselves.
1406. The darker the sin, the longer its shadow.
1407. We are all pointless peasants, we are all shadows on the wall.
1408. Where are you going said Pooh. Nowhere, said Christopher Robin. So they began to go nowhere together.
1409. Illness, insanity and death were the black angels that kept watch over your cradle and now they are your best friends.
1410. No one must know.

There are now 1410 rules of doom.

And our band Heavy Goods Vehicle is still alive, in that Dave and I get together at least once a year and knock out a song or two. We met up in Feburary of this year and recorded a track called 'Sister Stoner and Brother Doom'. Here are the lyrics I wrote for it, just waiting for the plague to pass and I'll get Dave down to do the vocals. For now, imagine they spoken through reverb like on Hawkwind's 'Warrior on the Edge of Time' which is how I sent them to Dave to give an idea of melody and timing.

Sister Stoner and Brother Doom (HGV)

When Spring was born, in morning dew
your infant eyes, were keen and new
and free from guilt, to weigh them down
shining bright, as you wore the crown
of a, lord who knew, he’d get his way
with cries and screams, and tantrum plays
as nettles green, stung your eyes of blue
you envied those, who envied you.

When Summer ripened, the fruit on the trees
and seasoned the wood, that would set you free
with thrill and song, you raised a toast
to love and life, with drunken boast
you’re a, lunchtime warrior, with tales so tall
called foes to fight, to see them fall
down the snake, to where they’d know their place
you trod on them all, to win the race.

When Autumn draped, in weary skies
of grey from regret, and blue from the lies
with misty air, and chill it calls
an end to summer’s, ridicule
for the, dawn of dusk you fear, rolls gently in
chilling the bone, and recalling the sin
and the realisation, of things to come
lays a hand on the shoulder, of the prodigal son.

When winter’s snow, casts stars of light
that settles on lips, and eyes and heart
with sparkle of ice, and chill to call
an end to hopes, and dreams and all
for there’s, proof and truth, and hope to find
that will toss and turn, in your sleepless mind
your bed grows cold, your mouth grows dry
your day is done, and it’s time to die.

Sister Stoner, and Brother Doom
like summer and winter, come visit my tomb
the sun sinks low, and shadows grow long
as the sins I’ve done, and the rights that I’ve wronged
and I’ve, soured my love, with ambition and greed
obedience, never did set me free
don’t waste your time, grieving for me.
It’s your turn now, so grieve for thee.

Excellent writing. Cult of Herodias is playing here, the song Of Lesser Pain and it fits the mood nicely. There was also a black bird sitting in my window sill and it flew off just as I finished reading. Sometimes things come together nicely.

Thanks. Checked out your recommendation of Cult of Herodias, ended up listening to the whole album. So, thanks for that as well.