Neil Gits To Be A Turkish Barber

Sometimes it’s the littlest things in life that hammer home the fact that, yes we are definitely OLD now ! Maybe when you try and buy something nice to eat from a supermarket that you haven’t had for a little while – and it turns out they discontinued it about three years ago. I’ve had that experience numerous times, trying to go back to something I recalled enjoying 10-15 years ago and wondering if it’s still around …nope ! Whatever happened to the fruit Club biscuits that always used to be on the shelves next to the mint and orange flavour ones ??

Meanwhile, moving from the kitchen to the bathroom, I’ve obviously been shaving since I was in my late teens and ever since I started work, I have been using Boots Shave Sticks – they were 21p when I started and were nearly £2 the last time I bought one ! – but I noticed that three or four years ago they were a bit scarce on the shelves. So when I was stuck indoors in 2020, I put in an online order for LOTS of Boots toiletries that I would normally have popped instore for and purchased EIGHT of the sticks to stock up on for the foreseeable future …

Forward to September 2023 and I now have just ONE left. I have looked everywhere but they seem to have been finally discontinued. I know a lot of blokes have big bushy beards these days, but we don’t ALL want to look like grizzly bears ! So … I had a right good search online and found some “Arko” ones that seem to originate out of Poland and are favoured by the many Turkish Barbers popping up in our High Streets – and by buying a big box of 12 they worked out at around £1.40 each, less than I was paying for the ones four years ago. I still have about a month’s shaving left on my last Boots stick, but I can’t wait to try the Arko Shave Stick and when I do I will report back on here with my thoughts ….

At the weekend though my mind is fully focussed on Soul Music, preparing Monday’s show and making sure that everyone is aware of the ‘Repeat Play’ on Saturday at 5pm and the “Listen Again” service for catching the show any time. Here are the tracks you can enjoy :

The Tunes – Monday 25th September 2023

Taste Of Honey – Boogie Oogie Oogie
James Brown – She’s The One
Cornell Stone – Never Get Enough Of Your Love
First Choice – Armed & Extremely Dangerous
First Choice – Let No Man Put Asunder
Will Downing – Everlasting Love
Marvin Gaye – Distant Lover
Output Input – True Love
Intrigue – I Like It
Odyssey – Inside Out
Level 42 – Are You Hearing What I Hear
Lee Ritenour – Rio Funk
The MVPs – Turning My Heartbeat Up
Lisa Stansfield – The Real Thing
Whispers – Imagination
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – Heatwave
Dwayne Scivally – Point Of No Return
Ingram Street – Throwback
Luther Vandross – I Won’t Let You Do That To Me
Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy
Earth Wind & Fire – Star
Randy Muller – Booty Bump

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 and available nationally via the Radio Player at Sky 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” !