Throughout 1984 and into 1985 the Miner's Strike, the last throw of the dice of the British working class, had been taking place. Armchair, forever the champion of the downtrodden and a perpetual organiser or attendee at charity gigs, decided Tamworth should hold a Miner's benefit gig. The gig was duly organised with local bands The Parade and Love on Board and Edward ended his temporary retirement to perform on the night.

Returning to the wilderness for another couple of years, the Armchair was at this time still in touch with local bands via his printing business, Thistle Print. Printing record sleeves, taking band photographs, but mainly printing t-shirts, he was still very much aware of changes in the local scene. His business was very successful locally, with meetings with Prince Charles and Prince Philip proving excellent photo opportunities, but, it was always contact with bands which most excited the Armchair. In 1987, a young band Rape in Yellow paid a visit to the Armchair's print works, asking for some publicity materials and photographs. The enthusiasm of the band and their quite unique sound, inspired the Armchair to return from retirement yet again. A gig supporting Rape in Yellow took place and the Armchair was back!

The Armchair had got the performing bug again and was on the look out for any gig he could get. In desperation and much to his eternal embarrassment he agreed to perform at a gig organised by Ian Gibbons. To make things worse, the gig was a fundraiser for the SDP. "How could I do it, the man who had been in the Socialist Workers Party, the local contact for the Workers Revolutionary Party, the man who at seventeen had organised a trip to the Anti-Nazi Carnival in London. Here I was raising funds for a bunch of Labour cast-offs and on behalf of Ian Gibbons. I'm sorry, honestly, please, please, believe me, I am so sorry!!"

The bill for the night was made up of all of Tamworth's 'poets'. The Armchair, it goes without saying, was the headlining act, the supporting cast included Jed Moore and Kevin McGeough. The highlight though was Ian Gibbons, performing his poem describing his first encounter with the SDP. The Armchair quivered in his boots at the poetic talent on show, tremble, tremble!!

At this time, the Arts Centre was also the venue for regular comedy evenings and the Armchair was asked to review such a night for the Tamworth Herald. Always the one to speak his mind, he described one or two of the acts as being less than wonderful. This was to backfire on the Armchair at the next Comedy Evening where he was to perform on the supporting bill to Frank Skinner. Introduced to the audience as 'The man who slagged us off in last week's Herald' the Armchair took to the stage to a deafening silence, this continued for the entire set - the Armchair died on stage for the first and last time.

To celebrate the return of the Armchair, guiding light of the local music scene, Sam Holliday, decided to pay tribute to 'The Herald of Punk'. Now, in 1987, the Armchair had been around for 10 years. Eddie was soon tp hang up his armchair and return with gusto fronting the lastest incarnation of The D.H.S.S., number 3.

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