Saturday saw the closure of long standing Walsall drinking venue Rock Steady Eddies. Opened in 1996 by Eddie and Emma, it wasn’t until 2003 when I became friends with Woza and he introduced me to the Stafford Street scene that I started going.

Chris had tipped me off about closing night so I decided one last visit had to be done as it’s a place I’ve always enjoyed drinking in. My visits went through the roof when I moved round the corner to Lewis Street in 2010. They become sporadic when I moved back this side of town in 2016, limited mainly to when Craig came up from Coventry as he liked the presence of a quiz machine and the very reasonable happy hour beer price before 6pm. One day I was late getting out of work at Cardboard Boxes 2 Go and got there just after 6. He’d stocked up before the deadline and 4 pints of Strongbow Dark Fruit were waiting for me. I like a drink but 4 pints in pub 1 of a crawl is a bit much even for me. I begged him to help me with them. These visits dried up when they got rid of the quiz machine.

So last Saturday then. My shirt ironing song choice was random even for me. Little Jackie – The World Should Revolve Around Me. It’s a great song and I love the lyric “what came first the chicken nugget or the Egg McMuffin?” I’ve actually researched this. It’s the latter.

I got to Eddies not long after 7. Chris and James were already there. along with a lot of other folk including some I haven’t seen for many years so it was nice to be back. The Carling had already run out so it was Stella. Not my usual choice at all but needs must so a pint was quickly ordered.

Chris is an absolute regular here along with James and he is proper distraught at its closure. He was pointing people out who don’t live near the place and saying where they are from and it’s their local. Like when I lived in Darlaston and I’d walk to The Fitters by The Arboretum and back. When you find your favourite drinking venue it matters not if it’s not your nearest pub.

One of the last times that I was in with Craig, someone had locked the jukebox down with UB40 songs (we lasted for 3 before giving up on life and fleeing hastily). This time the jukebox was off and a dj was performing, and he was going through some 60’s classics.

They’d put a buffet on. The samosas and onion bhajis were amazing. Tunes continued and Chris was on good form. He always has a silly joke to hand and my favoruite of tonight was “I tried that new Cricket curry. It gave me the runs.”

The DJ then played 2 UB40 songs in a row. Was it the same person who had locked down the jukebox that time? It got me thinking though. I’ve only dj-d in pubs 3 times (Fitters x 2 and Hatherton Arms x 1) and I’d love to do it again. Next time I might just play Kelly Clarkson all night. It’s what the fans want.

We had a cameo appearance from Josh as he had never been in the place and wanted to tick it off. As always it was ace to see him. The dj played “We’ll Meet Again” which seemed appropriate, Red Light Spells Danger and then the National Anthem at 10.25. It went a bit more random after that with Bob The Builder and Fast Food Song by The Fast Food Rockers. For some reason I did the dance to The Birdie Son during that one.

Josh offered me a lift to the Walsall Arms so I said some goodbyes, to the customers, staff and the building itself. It mus have been a tough night for Chris as it was the first time I’ve ever known him to not eat a bag of crisps. I’ll miss Eddies. I have only good memories of the place. Some more fuzzy than others. I think given its prime location on a main road into Walsall with a car park and bus stop right outside it won’t be empty long. A desi pub with the barely used back room knocked into one is my guess.

The Walsalll Arms was class, with a male/female combo singing. John Heighway, Kimob and Mrs Kimbo (Kirsty) were in. I’d not met Kirsty before so that was good.

A man who I’d not seen there before decided that I look like like Michael van Gerwen and kept going on about me losing the darts the night before. I get this a lot. It’s my new like a like thing. I do miss the days when strangers would shout Matt Lucas catchphrases at me in the street.

I had a couple then left the others in there. Got home, fell asleep on the settee and woke up at 3am. What a great night.