Blaster Bates
For the non-alcoholic drink recipe, see Blaster Bates (drink)Blaster Bates is the name used by
Derek Bates, a
British explosives and
demolition expert who made a series of sound recordings in the 1960s and 1970s, recounting bizarre and funny experiences from his long career, and also tales of his hobbies of
motorcycling,
hunting and
shooting. He was also much in demand as an after-dinner speaker. He speaks with a strong
Cheshire accent which can make it occasionally hard to understand him at first hearing. His tales feature much coarse language. The content of the stories is equally strong stuff. For instance, he was hired to clear out a farm
septic tank with explosives, with predictably gruesome results.
He was also famous for carrying sticks of explosive in his pockets, even producing them while giving testimony in trials, to the horror of the court. Most
high explosives are harmless unless used with a
detonator, but this is not generally understood.
It is reported that he retired from active work in 2001, aged 79. However he continued his speaking engagements. He lives in the town of
Sandbach in
Cheshire.
The titles indicated below have been re-released on CD in the UK.
TNT for Two (CD) (2003) Label : Big Ben
1001 GelignitesWatch out for the bits (CD) (2002) Label : Big Ben
Laughter with a Bang (CD) (2003) Label: Topic Records
Stand Well Back (VHS Video, PAL format, UK only) - live on stage
