Neil Gits A Smooth Ride

I frequently find myself driving along the same roads to the same familiar places these days and my big adventures ‘Up North’ or ‘Out West’ from Essex ave been put on hold for now -it’s not exactly ideal weather for a road trip at the moment anyway ! Although that can get a bit boring , one advantage is that you get to know certain stretches of your regular journeys very well, especially the exact position of the biggest potholes and when to expect a bumpy old road surface…

One road I have become ‘at one with’ over recent months is the A13 and I have developed quite the knack of avoiding the large crater just past the layby before Bonneville’s Roundabout, then skillfully avoiding the long’rut’ as you go off down the slip road onto the A130 – though I hit BOTH last Saturday as I was with Nathan on the way back from football as we were too busy chatting about the game ! However he was driving so it wasn’t my fault, even though I was giving him excellent directions most of the way so I blame his sat nav – stupid things, I never trust them …

Elsewhere on the A13, the notorious section that connects Pitsea with Vange is ever changing in degrees of roadworthiness. Over recent times the Westbound carriageways have deteriorated (again!) and you are well advised to slow down as per the temporary signage, but look out for the Eastbound side too in the coming weeks. Each year that gets hammered by rainwater rolling down on to the road and by mid-winter some serious bumps are formed by the relentless traffic, until it gets its annual makeover by the night-time highway maintenance crews before Spring …

I have also formed a close bond with he A127, a much better road when passing Basildon but not always the best option time or distance wise, depending on your final destination. I often nip off to the big Tesco at Mayflower Retail Park and right opposite the car park entrance at Nandos there is a huge dip in the road which I have learnt to respect with a significant reduction in my speed and a change of gear. My route in and out of home has about six of these, depending on the time of year, which seem to be caused by the surface melting and expanding in the heat of summer ! The Mayflower one though is there all year long though – at least it was until a few weeks ago … somebody’s only gone and fixed it !!

Not being one for change, even if it’s for the best, I miss my little baby rollercoaster after picking up my latest bag full of custard creams, chocolate digestives and shortbread biscuits – but at least none of them got broken this time before I’d hardly left the store ! My aim each week on air is to make your musical journey through the wonderful decades of soul, jazz funk & disco as smooth as possible, although I do get distracted from time to time and ‘hit the kerb’ ! Here is the latest playlist, just made for enjoying some nostalgic me-time alone in the car in & around Basildon :

The Tunes – Monday 13th October 2025

Ripple – The Beat Goes On
Linx – Intuition
Brian Power ft Hil St Soul & Mike Lindup – Take Me Away
Funk Deluxe – Dance It Off
Brass Construction – Love
Tracy Hamlin – Build Something With You
Emotions – Me For You
TMF – Making Love To The Music
Ashford & Simpson – Stay Free
Chic – My Feet Keep Dancing
Luther Vandross – I Really Didn’t Mean It (Full length Version)
Patrice Rushen – Arrival
Mockingbird Hill – High Wire
Al Green – Tired Of Being Alone
Al Matthews – Fool
Al Jarreau – Trouble In Paradise
Jupiter Gallery ft Castella – Sunset Drive
Shaila Prospere – Soulmate
O’Bryan – It’s Over
Second Image – What’s Happening?
Kano – Can’t Hold Back (Your Loving)
Bobby Thurston – Check Out The Groove
Lance Vantile Whitfield – How We Do

Feel free to get in touch with your soulful request or just for a mention on the show – put a post on “The Old Gits Soul Show” page on Facebook, text (01268)833978 or message me via e-mail : [email protected].

The Old Gits Soul Show is broadcast LIVE from 7pm–9pm every Monday, repeated on Saturday evening from 5pm–7pm, on Gateway 97.8FM in Basildon & East Thurrock, across South Essex on DAB and available nationally via the Radio Player on your TV as well as online via www.gateway978.com You can listen on your smart speaker or your phone too … plus you can hear it again anytime you like via the “Listen Again” button on the Gateway website – just search “Cool Soul” !