A Birthday Ode to Richard. .
 

Now I,m no poet Laureate, 'too right!' I hear you shout, .
you're probably all thinking, 'what the hell's he on about?''

Well I'd like to take a little time, to say a word or two,
about our good Friend Richard here, who is well known to you.

I've known this fellow man and boy, since nineteen sixty nine,
when I joined the simms-watts company, he was known as Rick at the time.

Alongside Rick was a young Dave Simms, & a young Pete Tulett too,
with a range of amps & speakers, which were relatively new. .

I had the perk of a company car, well... a Transit van I recall,
it was all fitted out with sample amps, plus Disco-Dex and all.

Rick designed amps, both small & large, from 70 watts to 200,
4x12 cabinets & tube guitar amps, (that's Yankee for valves if you wondered.)

I did have an edge, 'cos, I'd just left Vox, "who had gone into liquidation, ~ T" "'
so I visited all my old customers, & simms-watts had a good reputation.

In 1970, I travelled to France, to demonstrate amps & P .A. ' s,
I went round the country, playing my guitar; as 'Celebre Guitariste Anglais! '

Though music's our biz, the reason we're here, is to celebrate Rick's special day,
you'll be 60 quite soon, with a host of nice things; for which you will no longer pay.

Doctors prescriptions, eye tests & such, and a new law that sure takes some beating,
there's a cheque you'll receive, for 200 pounds to help with the cost of your heating.

Well that's all from me, stay healthy old chum & enjoy the rest of your years,
can I ask everybody to raise up your glass, & let us all say, "Cheers!"
 

From Mike Borer (C.G.A.) 26th July 2003