So where does "Box Hill or Bust" come from?

A few people have asked me where the name of this blog comes from. When I was first thinking about trying a bit of blogging, actually, deciding the name of it was the easiest part - finding something interesting to say is far harder! I needed something bike-related (obviously!), since this is primarily a biking blog but I also wanted to link it to other stuff I'm into. Therefore, in the case of "Box Hill or Bust", it's bikes and heavy rock music.

"Box Hill or Bust" is actually the name of a track penned by a reasonably well known biker rock band called Dumpy's Rusty Nuts, who were popular on the London pub and club scene back in the 1980s. Check out a live appearance by the band on "The Tube" in the mid 80s.

They were also a regular feature at various biker festivals around the country. I've seen them probably hundreds of times over the years - from humble beginnings in the back rooms of pubs like the Lee Green Old Tiger's Head and the Grey Horse in Kingston to bigger venues like Hammersmith Odeon (somewhat bizarrely, supporting black metal nutcases Venom) to the Reading Festival. They also hold the appearance record at the old Marquee Club in Wardour Street, Soho.

Being a "regular" at gigs, I got to know Dumpy quite well. He was bike mad - mainly British bikes and cafe racers, Norton being a particular favourite, as you can see! Box Hill and the Ace Cafe were his favourite bike meets and lots of the band's songs are bike related.

He had a reputation as a bit of joker but was actually quite a serious and thoughtful bloke away from the stage and his great love - apart from bikes - was blues and prog rock music (Peter Green, Hawkwind etc), a direction he's now gone in with the band (yes, Dumpy's Rusty Nuts are still going).

The 80s was a great time to be on the pub and club rock scene - there were some great bands on the way up and from various gigs and parties, I got to meet likes of Luke Morley (once of Terraplane, the band that subsequently became Thunder), various members of Girlschool, Rock Goddess, Engine, Chariot, even Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield of then little-known Metallica at the Royal Standard in Walthamstow(!). And then there was the bottle of vodka shared with Phil (Animal) Taylor of Motorhead at one of Dumpy's infamous birthday parties... Happy days.

I haven't seen the band since the mid-90s, since Dumpy moved up to Derbyshire and when he does venture out to play, he tends to gig locally there, plus the odd biker festival - but never say never. It would be good the relive the old memories once more.

So there you have it. "Box Hill or Bust" is an 80s biker rock anthem. If anyone can come up with something similar that also incorporates football and beer, I'm all ears!