No sex, no drugs, no wine, no women..
This doesn't really fit because it wasn't me but it was something I witnessed, but hey. I've nothing against buskers (my own musical abilities stretch no further than a vocally schizo version of Tiny Dancer at karaoke, yo-yo-ing between startled cat and Bing Crosby after a stroke) but the one I encountered back in early/mid nineties Nottingham really sticks in the memory.

Some friends and I would head into Nottingham on the train for a bit of shopping back in the day. They had some decent clothes shops back then (not sure about now, it's been years since I've been there) and we'd buy some sandwiches and take a walk up to the castle to eat them before heading home. It was nice. There was a spot somewhere near a church and a Marks and Spencer, if memory serves, where you'd usually spot some crusty with a guitar earnestly belting out Simon and Garfunkel songs.

This day was a rare treat as the spot was taken up by a rather smartly dressed man and his keyboard giving it his best Gary Numan. The problem with this guy was he never seemed to get through a complete song as, when he spotted a potential donor he'd quickly segue into whatever song he though would best get their attention and, more importantly, their money into his bucket. As we passed by clutching about four shopping bags apiece 'Are Friends Electric' quickly merged into "You're S.H.O.P.P.I.N.G..you're shopping!" accompanied by an encouraging wink, grin and nod towards the bucket. Pretty fucking cheesy but funny enough to get a few pennies from us.

We decided to sit by the church with our sandwiches to see what else he could come up with. Spotting a woman in a red dress approaching we prepared for the worst and were duly rewarded with the obvious. He managed to jump for Chris De Burgh to Come On Eileen with surprising ease on the approach of someone wearing dungarees (pretty tenuous) but I'll never forget the bemused looks he got from poor family he must've assumed were Japanese when he launched into The Vapors most famous (possibly only) hit. Why he felt the need to actually 'turn Japanese' during part of the chorus by pausing playing to free up his hands I'll never know. I don't know if his extra efforts got him any money that time as we'd already exited pretty sharpish.
( Ms Shenanigans put something interesting here later, Thu 17 Jul 2014, 10:12, 5 replies)

Needs more
Playing 'Born to be Wild' to a mong.
(RebelWithoutApplause My underestimation will almost be the death of me, Thu 17 Jul 2014, 10:31, closed)

The spot still exists
Although it's usually taken by big issue sellers or animal rights activists.
( Muns, Thu 17 Jul 2014, 11:10, closed)

turning Japanese is about wanking
apparently*


* propably not really
(sittingduck Attention seeking, bullshitting fuck-knuckle, Thu 17 Jul 2014, 11:56, closed)

No it isn't.
Urban myth.
(username failed moderation, Thu 17 Jul 2014, 12:00, closed)

Ninjaedit
I should look before I post ;)
(sittingduck Attention seeking, bullshitting fuck-knuckle, Thu 17 Jul 2014, 12:02, closed)