Australia
Queen: Great Driving Anthems
Legends of Music
Don’t Stop Me Now… because I Want It All… and I want to ride my Bicycle… while I’m rushing Headlong out of control. It’s a Hard Life…because I am the Invisible Man… but The Show Must Go On. It is a Kind of Magic… and Friends Will Be Friends… and most importantly I Am In Love With My Car.
Queen are quite simply my all time favourite band. No other band can even come close to the majesty that is made up Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon. With a career spanning from the early 70s, Queen have become one of the legends of the music industry. I do not possess enough fingers, toes or even limbs to count the number of smash hits they have had, nor the number of genres they have conquered in their world domination. To describe them as international just does not do them justice. They were one of the first bands to open up South America as a territory, and were the first band to play behind the Iron Curtain in Budapest in 1986. This does lead me flawlessly into the undeniable fact that Queen were probably the greatest live act to set foot on stage. The 20 minute ‘Live Aid’ set in 1985 has gone down in history as ‘one of the worlds greatest bands, performing one of worlds greatest sets, on the worlds greatest stage’.
The Legendary Queen Set at Live Aid 1985
On occasion I have heard many cynical little surrender monkeys describe Queen using the phrase, ‘jack of all trades, master of none’. Yes, Queen did span a multitude of genres, but if they were indeed ‘masters of none’ then they would not be considered one of the greatest bands of all time. Whether they were bringing the rock, the metal, the rockabilly, the pop or even the Motown, they always ensured themselves success with their fusion of the Freddie Mercury vocals, the monumental harmonies and of course that melodic powerhouse that is the Red Special guitar of Brian May. Chances are, I could spend hours, days, weeks, months or even years going on about just how much I love Queen. After all, Freddie Mercury is my idol, musically and culturally. He was not just a great musician, but he was an incredibly powerful yet humble human being. Even though he was battling one of the most destructive diseases on the planet, Freddie Mercury had an inner strength comparable to none, and yet he continued making amazing music up until his death on November 24th 1991.
The Man, The Voice, The Legend
I know what you are probably thinking… Why am I going on about Queen? What have they got to do with cars? Well the reason I bring this all to do with another aspect of the everyday motoring experience. I am of course talking about one of the central parts of any driving date: listening to music.
Many of us may not realise it, but listening to music is an integral part of our relationship with driving. I have had the pleasure to have driven and been driven in vehicles all around the world, and one of the common factors that links all of these experiences, forgetting the place, the people and the vehicle is music and sound. Humans and music share a special relationship; it mirrors our own emotions and gives us somewhere to escape from the stresses and strains of modern life. For example, when I am at home, I like nothing better than to put the headphones in and be transported into a world of my own choosing. Music can make us smile when we are sad, express feelings for others we do not have the courage to say, and most importantly it can bring people together.
Chances are that wherever you may be going in your car, you will have the radio on, be playing a CD or have your iPod plugged in to the sound system. Speaking of which, no one can really argue that music and driving do not share an intimate link; just look at some of these people that spend gargantuan amounts of their hard earned money on sound systems with the power to shake the very earth they are driving on. Each one of us is different, and with our own music selection while we drive we really do make driving our own. There is a sense of belonging and intimacy created when you have the power to control your journey. Many of us will spend many hours driving from place to place, so why not feel as comfortable as possible? Music gives us something familiar and relatable, especially if we are passing through an unfamiliar land with nothing but a SatNav to guide us.
Whether are driving to work, driving to the shops or driving just for the sake of driving, sometimes we all need to crank up the volume and let the emotion, power and theatre out that is hiding away inside of us. Each and every one of us will have our own favourite bands, our own favourite albums and our own favourite songs. They define who we are. And the cultural icon that is Queen has indeed defined who I am as a person today. I shall now present to you a list of some of my favourite songs of theirs and just why they make great driving anthems for all occasions.
Queen doing what they do best
Tie Your Mother Down – This song from 1976 is one of Queen’s iconic hard rock numbers. Imagine a drive to the local shops on relatively empty roads, with this song blasting out on the radio. The song simultaneously gives you the sense of power and speed of the empty roads, while relieving any stress about the shop. It gives you the chance to chant the stress away. What more, at the traffic lights there is always the chance for a cheeky outburst of air guitar.
Don’t Stop Me Now – Any song that is voted the greatest driving song of all time by Top Gear UK cannot be ignored now can it? You could be driving alone or with friends, this is a great sing-a-long song. You could be stuck in traffic but if this song comes on, I can definitely argue that you will be dancing along in your seat and you will no longer care where you are. A great beat. Amazing catchy vocals and killer guitar. What is not to love?
I Want To Break Free – Even the manliest of men will dissolve into a camp mess of hoover based dancing when this song comes on. This song gives you the chance to stop caring about the world around you and be a little silly for those three minutes. After all, your car is your kingdom, what you do in there is your business. Especially if you work a job that involves staunch professionalism, I urge you whack this little beauty on while you drive home and it will make your day a whole lot better.
Who Wants To Live Forever (Live in Budapest 1986) – Sadly not every moment in life can be a positive one. There are those moments in life where we all feel a little sad and just want to scream. I don’t know about you, but a lot of the time when I am sad I do feel like belting out a classic power ballad full of emotion. Imagine it if you will, you have received some bad news and you are driving down a coastal road in the evening, while the rain beats down on the windscreen. As you swing around each corner, while there may even be tears streaming down your face, this song will come on and the raw emotional undertone of this song will propel you into a world of song. It reminds you that it is ok to feel sad every now and again.
Innuendo – This relatively unknown number one single from the early 90s is full of theatre and passion. As we all know, long motorway journeys can seem endless. However, with the right song on it can keep us awake and keep us motivated. This is one of those songs. The 6 minutes include heavy rock, Spanish guitar and searing vocals make this song the perfect driving song for when you need perking up. Just remember, the end of the journey is near. All you need is a little dose of Queen and you’ll be there
Breakthru – This song is not only my favourite Queen song, but my favourite song of all time. The driving beat. The cheesy romantic lyrics. The epic guitar solo. This song is everything to me. And from my own experiences, there is no driving scenario that cannot be improved with this song blaring out of the radio. This song can be the light in your usual dark day. It can be the soundtrack to your countryside pedal to the metal thrash. It can even be that song you play after the girl you’ve been chasing for months has rejected you. There is always hope.
Bohemian Rhapsody – And finally, I present to you one of the greatest songs ever written. The song for every occasion. But whenever I hear this song I can just imagine me and my friends driving while we attempt to sing along. Operatic section included. This song is the ultimate song for you and your mates. Sound familiar? Well, would we all not want to recreate THAT scene from Wayne’s World? As I am writing this, the operatic section is building into that riff we all know so well. And yes, I am indeed head banging as I am typing. This is the perfect driving song. There will always be a smile on your face when this song is on.
…unless you do not like it or Queen. But that cannot be right. You just cannot be human (I joke of course)
There are of course a host of other songs in the Queen arsenal. Sadly I have not got time to talk about them all. But this is where you come in. If you have indeed liked what you have heard here today, then it is now up to you to find out more for yourself. The driving experience is a special one. Music can really enhance this experience. Even though I have spoken only about Queen, I wish for you to go out and find your own Queen. Find your own perfect playlist.
What makes your perfect driving playlist?
In the meantime, I will leave you with the Queen song written by Roger Taylor, who was by the way a massive car fan. Ladies and gentlemen, it has once again been a pleasure. Here it is…
Keep Driving People!
Follow me on Twitter: @lewisglynn69
Peace and Love!
Road Wars: Part Time vs Full Time Drivers
I would like to formally welcome you, dear reader, to a new chapter in my Private Fleet journey. Since getting the opportunity to write for this wonderful little site, I have dipped my toes into a variety of subject areas. One might even say that I was making sure I had my fingers in many pies as it were. But then, everything changed. In a moment of mind bending realisation, I saw it. For no more will my posts be random shots at the motoring world from the barrels of different guns. Instead, I would like to introduce the opening salvo in a new blog series that deals with those everyday aspects of our automotive society. Well let’s be honest I will still continue with the randomness, this is me after all. Anyway! Ladies and gentlemen, this is Road Wars.
For my first instalment I would like to address an issue that rattles me to my very core. We all have different names for what I have described as ‘Part Time Drivers’. Some might call them, ‘Sunday Drivers’ or even ‘Holiday Drivers’. In fact, over my many encounters with these beings I have given them ever more colourful nicknames. In our modern world, driving has become a near necessity for most of us. And as such, most of us will have learnt to drive and have access to a car. However, it is my view that the term ‘driver’ is now an all encompassing term that spans two very different voids of existence. To place all drivers in one of only two categories may seem a little strange and most likely inaccurate. There are most likely to be numerous sub-categories involved in both of these, but the basic message remains. Either way, stick with me on this one.
Definitions
A Full Time Driver: A person who drives for the joy of driving itself. A full time driver will enjoy the thought of driving and will aspire to drive a large array of cars in their lifetime. This person will spend much of their time driving and feel at one with their machine.
A Part Time Driver: A person who only drives because they have to. Their driving experiences will focus around the necessity of driving, whether this will be the school run, taking the family away or doing the weekly food shop. A part time driver will not spend very much time behind the wheel and see the car as nothing but a method of getting from A to B.
Since the dawn of the ‘Driving Age’, there has been an unspoken, indirect and passive war waging between the ‘Full Time’ and ‘Part Time’ drivers. I am a self-confessed full time driver. Think of this as the part time driver from the viewpoint of the full time driver. Maybe you may share share some of my views. Maybe some of you may oppose them.
I have had many an experience with these part time drivers, and I must say my view of them is not entirely positive. Now usually, as a driver I am usually nothing but the epicentre of patience. A feeling of calm serenity grips me as me and my machine float through the labyrinth of London roads. I would love more than anything to be able to tell you that this driving mode never falters. But then… But then I come into contact with… them.
The only saving grace is that there are warning signs; these are both temporal and geographic in nature. Firstly, chances are that if you are in close proximity of a shopping centre, supermarket or school, the probability of running into a part time driver (literally in some sad cases) does increase quite rapidly. Secondly, the reason I often call these glorious human beings ‘Sunday Drivers’ is because here is a shock horror for you, it is on Sundays and Public Holidays that they most often come out to play with the rest of us.
Sunday Drivers Are A Special Bunch
No argument can be made without evidence. And well, to illustrate just why I am not a fan of the part time driver I would like to draw your attention to the example of my road at home. Part way down the road stands a nursery school. And like clockwork, every morning my road becomes infested with some of the worst driving I have ever seen in my life. When a road is not particularly wide, you would think it would make perfect sense that those parked on the side of it would leave room for other cars to still drive up without issue. However, I have lost count of the times that I have found myself trapped up my road because these part time drivers have decided to park on both sides of the road opposite one another, therefore not leaving any room for any cars in between. I thought it was common driving logic that you never park directly opposite another car on a small road. But then again the intelligence (or lack of) of some people does so baffle me.
One of the prime territories for the showdown between full and part time is the car park. Whether it is people driving the wrong way down one way lanes, backing into the side of my car, managing to take three (yes I am not joking, I do mean three) parking spaces to park their car. Most of the time no one will question the stupendous stupidity of these people. Although sometimes I just cannot help myself. It is at this point that I am brought to stunned silence at some of the verbal diarrhoea that comes forth from the faces of these people. Usually part time drivers are those with a family of their other half and children, and it would seem that this gives them an inflated sense of self worth. Apparently, they are the most important people on the planet and they are exempt from the rules of society. Words fail me.
One of the times I am most worried by coming into contact with part time drivers is on the motorway. They either charge from lane to lane, with some crazy thought that they can outsmart the other traffic on the road or drive so outrageously slowly in the fast lane that they cause massive tailbacks and in some cases, accidents. And do not even get me started on the people that seem to prioritise their mobile phone, the makeup or catching up with their friends over actually driving sensibly and safely.
The ‘Part Time Driver’ has every right to be on our roads, and I would never begrudge them that. I mean, I am just a man currently sitting at his laptop after all. However, I do really think that the plight of us full time drivers should be made more public. If our worries could be expressed, then maybe we could begin to work toward educating these people on how best to make the most of driving. Yes, some drivers only have their car to get from one place to another, but that does not mean that they can get away with driving like an absolute moron.
Let us work toward a better future.
Let us bring in a new age of driving.
And so concludes this issue of Road Wars, tune in again soon for more from the every day motoring mayhem that we face!
Follow me on Twitter: @lewisglynn69
Keep Driving People!
Peace and Love!
A MINI Problem
I have mentioned previously that I am not a native to Australian shores. Alas, my origins are much more British in their nature. But I see this as nothing but a good thing. This gives me the opportunity to bring together two wonderful worlds in a colourful explosion of thought and opinion. Now, I spend many an hour scrolling through the underbelly of the Internet looking for the latest news from the automotive universe; every now and again something catches my eye that is just perfect. News has reached my ears regarding the spread of MINI in Australia. It would appear that MINi are struggling to sell the MINI Paceman.
The Mini Paceman
Within the first 7 months that the model was on show to the public, only 93 were sold. In fact, overall MINI seems to not be doing too well in its introduction to Australia. This did get me thinking; what is going on here? Is there any explanation?
Traditionally, the Mini is a very British invention. In fact, not only does it characterise what it meant to be involved in British culture, but the Mini Cooper was a fully fledged film star. ‘The Italian Job’ is one of THE most successful British films of all time, gaining worldwide success. Here is a fun fact:
Due to the Italian filming location for the film and various funding sources, the cars for the film were originally going to be Fiats. Fiat was the most popular everyday car in Italy throughout the mid-20th century after all. But the film makers put their foot down and it was confirmed that the Mini would be the car used in the film.
Original Theatrical Trailer for ‘The Italian Job’ (1969)
The Stars of the Show – ‘The Italian Job’ (1969)
However, in more recent years, MINI was taken over and transformed, when the name was bought by BMW. And so began the modernisation of the Mini. At first, the relaunch of the MINI Cooper brought back the entire Cooper-craze across the world. The Mini even found fame in the USA with the absolutely terrible re-make of the Italian Job, made bearable only by Charlize Theron if I am truly honest.
One of my personal confusions with this new Mini was the fact that it was well, massive. I can assume it was some sort of symbolic oxymoronic construction having a rather large car being called Mini, but still. The old Mini was small, zippy, plucky and full of character. This new one however, although definitely an individual sexy little so and so, had lost some of that original character, mainly down to the fact that it was no longer that small.
Everything was going so well… It may not have been the old Mini but it was definitely a positive step… It was all going well…
Too well…
The new MINI – It went through various forms after the initial relaunch
As with so many of the great things that exist upon this fair planet, everything took a sudden downhill tumble. It would appear the BMW owners decided they wanted to squeeze as much life as possible out of the MINI name. I am sure there are a few good ways to use the MINI name to bring out some new cars. I always thought a MINI GT or Supercar would have been wonderful. They may have looked a little on the strange side, but I liked the idea behind the Coupe, Convertible and Roadster. It was making the MINI into a fully fledged road going brand. The only thing I would have definitely said should be avoided was the spacious 4×4 route. I mean who would be stupid enough to start introducing a 4×4 edition of the MINI onto the market. Only a complete idiot would do something like tha-
*phone rings* “…hello? You’re joking right? They didn’t did they? a 4×4 MI- well thank you for telling me”
Well this is a little awkward. It turns out that is what MINI actually decided to do. At first they thought the best thing to do would be to elongate the Cooper into the Clubman. Horrifically enough, this then ‘inspired’ them to construct the ClubVAN. I mean seriously guys, what is going on? The best way to describe them is taking a the front end of a MINI and adding the back end of a Ford Transit onto its behind. Words fail me. Literally fail me.
And then came the turn of the Countryman and the Paceman. The SUV/4×4 style MINI that was meant to give the customer the perfect MINI for when ‘they ran out of road”. The problem with introducing a 4×4 MINI is that MINI is owned by BMW. And BMW are not exactly known for manufacturing the best off road machines known to man. I mean the BMW X5 failed both on road and off road.
The MINI range. Notice the size… Bigger and Bigger… Uglier and Uglier…
And so we have returned to the original subject matter. Why is it that the new MINI range is failing in Australia? I would like to think that the fault lies in the range itself. The designers at BMW/MINI did not really think of how the new cars could fit into the market. They do not seem to have a certain audience. If I was to be totally honest I thought that the new MINI models were meant as a bit of a gimmick or a joke, either that or the designers happen to get bored and decided to see what was the most ridiculous thing they could come up with was.
Maybe MINI should scrap everything and start again. The MINI brand did have some pace and power initially, but with this new ridiculous output it has lost a lot of trust and excitement. If MINI were to introduce a dedicated sports range I think they would gain a lot more success.
So, to conclude, the failure of the new MINI models is down to the cars themselves and their lack of direction and place in the current market. Dearest BMW owners, you have heard my views, and you have heard my suggestions. I will leave the rest up to you.
Keep Driving People!
Follow me on Twitter: @lewisglynn69
Peace and Love!
A Jealous Englishman: What the World Needs to Learn from Australia
Good day fair readers!
I do very much believe some introductions are in order. My name is Lewis and I am coming to you from the distant shores of the United Kingdom. If I am to be totally honest, my aims are very simple. All I would like to do is to bring a little happiness into your lives through my automotive ramblings. My love for the motoring world runs deep into my family history; motor sport has been the unifying factor that has pumped passionately through the genetics of my family. As long as I know I am spreading some of the happiness that cars have brought me, I am a happy man.
Every generation has a legend. Every journey has a first step. Every saga has a beginning
…Just a little something for you Star Wars fans out there.
As you are reading this, you will come to realise just how special you are. Your eyes now have the privilege of seeing my first blog post, here on the online majesty that is Private Fleet. Finding THE article to start with is always going to be tricky. After much searching, it came to me. And as I write this, there could never have been any other option. As a Brit with a love for motor sport, I have been possessed by the green eyed monster. Australia has everything that I am looking for. Many of my favourite things come from Australia; Jack Brabham, nice weather and Tim Minchin to name but a few.
Tim Minchin – Dark Side (2009)
But most of all, you raging beauties hold the answer. You hold the answer to one of the largest problems that has befallen the modern world. When you mention ‘motor sport’ to any average person on the street, chances are their reply will have something to do with Formula One. Formula One was a once great sport that has now fallen into crisis. Hard, adrenaline fuelled racing has now been replaced by tyre choices and pit strategy. And APPARENTLY, one or two overtakes in a race marks them out as proof of amazing driving talent. But that is another story.
Similarly, British motor sport was once spearheaded by the British Touring Car Championship. But with the onset of the 00s and the decline of the ‘Super Tourers’ the sport became unpopular, and the great racing descended into thuggish behaviour and unfair driving. the BTCC during the 90s included some of the greatest racing I think I have ever seen, and to say that i grew up with it makes me so very happy.
The Greatest Few Laps of Any Race Ever – BTCC 1992 Season Finale!
Although I must say that the BTCC is back on the rise again in the UK, it is still to reach the meteoric levels of the 90s. And well, the less said about Formula One the better really. I have spent many an hour pondering over how motor sport can be improved. And then I realised that I have known the answer all along. The V8 Supercar championship is the beacon of hope in an ever darkening world.
Everything about the sport is exactly how I wish motor sport could be. The cars look phenomenal, they sound like the bellow of some holy deity and the racing is pure and unfiltered. If I could ask for anything, it would be for the drivers of the V8s to head on over to the paddocks of the Formula One and BTCC grids and give them a lesson in how racing should be. This sport alone proves just how amazing Australia is and, even though it may be geographically many thousands of miles from where I am, I feel a better connection with the sport than I do with many on my own shores.
And not just the sports themselves, but the arenas for these automotive showdowns are rivalled by very few others across the world. I mean, is there a more exciting, heart pounding experience possible than a full throttle lap at Bathurst? I would like to see a Formula One car deal with a track like that. The Bathurst 1000 is an incredible event that makes me realise just how great some of these racing drivers truly are. There have even been occasions when my heros from the BTCC such as John Cleland and Matt Neal have attempted the Bathurst 1000 and proved that it really is no piece of cake.
So, as I bring my love fuelled rant to a close, I would like to leave you with one final message:
Dear Australia,
Whatever happens, please do not go changing. You are the beacon by which the rest of the world should follow. Whether we are talking comedy or motor sport, there is no place like Australia. I can only wish I had the chance of heading on over and sampling this majesty for myself.
Thank you for the motor sport!
All the best,
Me!
Until next time my lovely readers.
Keep Driving!
Peace and Love!
Level 2, 9 Help Street