Travelodge Man

The bass player with Russ Payne and the Shark Dentists (www.sharkdentists.co.uk), Mez, pictured above, is the master of booking Travelodge rooms at the right moment at the right price — an essential skill when the band is playing away from home (which it does with increasing regularity).

In fact, there have been so many discussions about B&B and Travelodge prices at soundchecks recently that I decided to write a new song for the road called, almost inevitably, Travelodge Man. I would really like JJ Cale (www.jjcale.com) to record it, because he would just do it so well. Failing that, I am still hoping that Russ Payne and Mez will agree to giving it a try with the Sharks.

And when it is finally recorded, whether by JJ or the Sharks, my master plan is to sell it to Travelodge (www.travelodge.co.uk) as a soundtrack for its web pages. Altogether now... "Travelodge man, he knows a good deal... "