Old Young Man

Becoming old has never really bothered men. I always had an old head on young shoulders. As a child, I did and saw a lot of things ‘too soon.’ Like going to nightclubs under-aged (before you needed to show ID). The truth is, I couldn’t wait to be a grown-up and stop having to pretend I was into childish things.

Growing old dis-gracefully

What concerned me more than growing old, was not realising I was old. I remember vividly being around 14 years old. I was in a club in the West End of London. I saw a man, in his late 50s or early 60s. He was dressed like a teenager. Rolled up jeans, diamond socks, Karl Kani dungarees. He was prowling around eyeing up the young women. I’m sure he had no idea that he looked like a sex offender. I remember turning to my friend. “If I’m his age and I’m still in the club like a teenager, shoot me!” I recall saying (or words to that effect). Nothing scared me more than being “the old man in the club.”

'Dropping game'

So I stumble across an article online a couple of days ago. It was about Tim Westwood. The now 59 year Hip Hop DJ. He was making the news. He had given out his credit card details while trying to “drop game” on some young lady.

Baby looking forward taking you to dinner on Thursday. I appreciate you may wanna get nails, hair and a wax. Even some new shoes or a clutch bag. Use my card it’s black with private banking so there’s no limit ( but don’t be buying a new car lol).

I thought messages like this were things of fiction. Unless he was taking his wife, daughter, sister or daughter to dinner such messages should never be sent! Westwood is old enough to know better.

If sending the message wasn't bad enough. He had accidentally broadcast the message to everyone on Snapchat, instead of just the desire of his affection.

Thus Westwood ended up being the butt of many a joke on Twitter, Instagram or any other social media site you care to mention.

Born Rebel

Clearly Snapchat was not designed for the elderly. However Westwood has spent his entire career doing things he wasn’t suppose to.

I remember as a kid sneaking into the Arches in Vauxhall to watch him DJ. Back then he would 'turn out' clubs where very few white guys would even dare to tread. I once remember being in a club night in Camberwell one New Year’s Eve. It was madness in there. I questioned what I was doing there … let alone some gangly looking, middle-aged white guy behind the decks.

Young Old Man

Fast-forward 20+ years and it appears the ‘Peter Pan’ of Hip Hop is still going strong. I shouldn’t be surprised to see news of Westwood ‘big pimpin’ his way into his sixties rather than curled up with his pipe and slippers enjoying his grand-kids.

The private school boy turned Hip Hop DJ. Still dressed like a 90s hip hop head well into his late 50s. Always defining convention. I guess if you have to be the old man in the club, at least make it your club on your terms.