I’d just started working at a record store – FAB who had two branches at the time – one in Finchley Central and one in West Hampstead. I was primarily working at the West Hampstead branch (FAB II) and was also still doing some evenings at the off-license job that I’d also recently started just before getting the record store offer. So I was double shifting for a few weeks until the off-license could find a replacement. The double shifting had put a bit of a kibosh on my midweek nightlife, as I rarely finished the offlicense job before 11pm.

This Tuesday however I wasn’t working the off-license as it was the FAB Christmas Party. That entailed drinks and nibbles at a pub in Archway followed by a few hours of Quasar – a lasertag venue where we split into teams and shot each other. I’d played lasertag for a few years at various venues (although I’d never call myself any good) and it was great fun.

After the Christmas Party had wrapped up I popped down to Camden Palace to catch up with some friends and see the bands. The first band was a really good band called Seven – whom I never heard of again. The main band of the night was a short-lived rock band from Sheffield called Blameless. They had a little chart success (atleast one Top 30 single) but never seemed to manage to get fully into gear and disbanded in 1996 after their debut album was re-issued. Wasn’t so keen on them.