Entry Log 021

The Frog, Cars, Bear & a Kind of Magic!

Hello, Explorers! Stan the Man here, reporting from the Terra Nueva Editorial Office!

Now, Captain Scott Woldian has decided to accompany Stu while he's on tour for the next few weeks, which means yours truly has been entrusted with the Terra Nueva Journals. And what an opportunity! Because while Scott has spent the last twenty entries introducing you to Terra Nueva, I've decided to do a little investigating into the life of the man who started the whole thing. And, Explorers, I've discovered something rather wonderful.

It turns out Stu has been finding himself in extraordinary situations since he was a teenager. Some life-changing. Some absolutely hilarious. And a few that sound like scenes rejected from a comedy film for being too unbelievable.

I've barely opened the archives and already I've encountered cars such as a Ford Anglia, an Austin 1100 held together by what appears to have been agricultural engineering, a bright orange Talbot Sunbeam, a Hollywood film set, a famous pop star's bedroom, eighteen teenagers in Scottish kilts and a rather alarming incident involving a cigarette lighter at a petrol station. And that's before we get to the frog.

Oh, yes.

THE FROG!

Because today, Explorers, we're going to discover how a young lad from Cheltenham wandered into a cottage for a cup of tea, painted a small green amphibian and unknowingly helped create a little piece of rock-and-roll history. And somewhere in all of this is a rather extraordinary explanation for why that same young lad would eventually spend his life travelling the world.

So, kettle on. Biscuits ready. Let's get started.

King of the Road!

Let's wind the clock back to Cheltenham in the mid-1980s. Stu was seventeen, working in an architectural office, discovering the joys of independence and, most importantly, learning to drive. His earliest adventures behind the wheel were in a Ford Anglia. And there's a rather wonderful twist to that, because years later he'd find himself driving a Ford Anglia while working on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Yes, Explorers. The flying car! Although I should point out that Stu's early motoring adventures involved considerably more contact with the ground. But we'll come to that.

His first car of his own was an Austin 1100. A perfectly respectable little British motor car. The sort of vehicle that could comfortably transport a family to the seaside on a Sunday afternoon. Or, in Stu's case, make an unexpected entrance into a farmer's field.

You see, he'd passed his driving test the first time after just two weeks of “proper” lessons. Two weeks! His dad had been sitting with him while he drove around the Cotswolds since his seventeenth birthday a few months previously; I can only imagine the experiences and additional grey hairs that appeared while gripping the dashboard!

So there he was, on his first official drive out at seventeen years old, with a car full of school friends, Status Quo, Saxon, Judas Priest and whatever else he had recorded from the Tommy Vance Friday Night Rock Show blaring with the open road stretching out ahead. King of the road! What could possibly go wrong? Well, quite a lot, as it happens. Because just up the road, two police officers were sitting quietly in their patrol car, probably enjoying a perfectly uneventful shift.

And then, out of nowhere...

An Austin 1100 came hurtling towards a sharp bend, completely misjudged the corner, launched itself across a ditch, sailed over a hedge and landed in a farmer's field! Now, imagine being those two police officers. One minute you're sitting there contemplating whether it's time for another cup of tea. The next, you're witnessing a flying car with a wide-eyed driver and four teenage passengers screaming Stuuuuuuuuuuu!

Which brings me to something rather topical. Apparently, Elon Musk has just unveiled a flying Tesla car! Well, excuse me, but who the hell needs Elon Musk, because, apparently, a teenager from Cheltenham had already demonstrated the concept more than forty years ago! No rockets. No batteries. No SpaceX engineers. Just a sharp bend, a conveniently positioned hedge and, of course, a Stuie at the wheel!.

Admittedly, the landing left something to be desired. But you can't have everything! And here's where the story gets even better. Years later, Stu would find himself driving a Ford Anglia while working on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. THE FLYING CAR! Coincidence? I think not! Clearly, the film industry had finally caught up with his earlier research. Although I suspect the two police officers who witnessed the original Gloucestershire demonstration would have preferred a little less realism.

Now, Explorers, we're saving the full story of Stu's early motoring adventures for our next journal. But I will tell you this. He somehow managed to get the Austin home that evening on what he remembers as three wheels. His dad rebuilt it the following day. Apparently using two tractors to stretch the poor thing back into shape. Which is not a repair method you'll find recommended in the Haynes manual. And Stu crashed it again that very same weekend. Yes. Really.

Over time, the Austin acquired a black wing, a blue bonnet and a green boot. A sort of automotive patchwork quilt. If Picasso had designed an Austin 1100, I suspect it might have looked something like that. And that wasn't even the most extraordinary incident involving the car.

There was also a freezing winter's day, a brand-new cassette stereo, a petrol station, a frozen petrol cap and a cigarette lighter. And several terrified school friends trapped in the back because the doors had frozen shut. Now, I'm not going to spoil that story just yet. But let's just say that the petrol station cashier was not remotely impressed. And with very good reason. It was an extraordinarily dangerous moment, and Stu knows how lucky everyone was. We'll return to that little episode in Entry Log 022. Assuming the Health and Safety Department doesn't confiscate my notes first.

FOLLOW THE BEAR!

Now, before we get to the Green Frog, there's something else you really ought to know about Stu. A lot of his oldest friends don't actually call him Stu. They call him...THE BEAR! And have done for more than forty years.

Why?

Well, back in the 1980s, there was a rather famous beer advertising campaign featuring the Hofmeister Bear. And Stu, being a big, hairy young chap, apparently bore a certain resemblance to the character. So naturally, his friends decided that he should lead the proceedings during one particularly memorable New Year's celebration. Picture the scene. Cheltenham. New Year. A bunch of teenage lads. Scottish kilts. Wellington boots. Sprayed red hair or red wigs. Jimmy hats. And an entire town centre about to witness something it almost certainly hadn't requested.

At the front of this magnificent procession? Stu Phillips. The Hofmeister Bear himself! Leading a conga through the streets of Cheltenham while belting out Queen's Another One Bites the Dust.

"Dun, dun, dun... Another one bites the dust! HEY!"

And on every HEY!, eighteen pairs of wellies went flying into the air. Kilts swinging! I would dearly love to have seen the faces of the people coming out of the pubs. And the cry from his friends?

"FOLLOW THE BEAR!"

And here's the wonderful thing. The name stuck. Not just for that night. Not just for that New Year. More than forty years later, many of Stu's oldest friends still call him Bear. And still shout those same three words. FOLLOW THE BEAR! Now, we'll be revisiting that extraordinary evening in Entry Log 022. But there's something rather lovely about it. Because there was young Stu, dressed in Scottish attire, leading a procession through Cheltenham while singing Queen. And decades later? He's living in Dundee, Scotland, creating Terra Nueva and introducing the world to a distinctly Dundonian digital character. And here's the really curious bit. At the time of that New Year's celebration, he'd already had an extraordinary encounter involving Queen. Only he hadn't fully appreciated what he'd stumbled into.

Which brings us neatly to our next car.

Enter the orange Talbot Sunbeam!

Eventually, Stu upgraded from the Austin 1100 to a bright orange Talbot Sunbeam. And when I say orange, Explorers, I mean ORANGE! The sort of orange that could probably be seen from outer space. Stu absolutely loved it. Eye-catching, different and, in his own immortal words, it went like a greased weasel! A phrase which, incidentally, I intend to introduce into the Terra Nueva technical specifications at the earliest opportunity. And its registration? FFH 4T. Remember that. Because it's going to become VERY important.

Now, this particular Sunbeam would go on to have a rather remarkable career. It would appear, according to Stu, in the background of filming for The Whistleblower, starring Michael Caine and Nigel Havers. It would carry him around Britain on all sorts of adventures. And it would eventually meet an end so spectacular that I genuinely don't know whether to laugh or cry. Let's just say that somewhere near the M5 and M42 junction, on a journey back from Manchester with Gaz, the singer from December Rose, the orange Sunbeam decided to distribute its engine across the motorway. KABOOM! Pieces of engine everywhere! And that, Explorers, is another story we're saving for Entry Log 022. Because today we're interested in a rather more important journey. A journey to a little cottage in Bibury.

Now, at this point in our investigation, I discovered something else rather interesting. While Stu was seventeen, he was working at an architectural practice in Montpellier, Cheltenham. The work took him all over the country. One day he might be surveying a building in London, another he'd be photographing development sites in Reading or visiting industrial premises in Dudley. There were private clinics, restaurants, commercial developments and even the occasional encounter with the film and music industries. In fact, one of Stu's earliest architectural projects involved designing the bedroom and internal renovations of a manor house near Cirencester belonging to none other than...RICK ASTLEY! Yes, Explorers. Rick Astley!

Long before Stu was travelling the world with musicians, he was already finding himself connected to the music industry in the most unexpected ways. And I have to say, there's something wonderfully appropriate about that. A young trainee architectural designer from Cheltenham, working on Rick Astley's bedroom design and house renovations. Now, I could make all sorts of jokes about never giving up on a renovation project, but I suspect we've all heard enough Rick Astley references to last several lifetimes. Moving swiftly on! Because it wasn't just the music industry. There was also the film industry.

The architectural practice became involved with work connected to The Whistleblower, starring Michael Caine, including creating a temporary roof structure for a Regency property used during filming. And Stu's bright orange Sunbeam apparently managed to get itself into the background of some scenes around Montpellier in Cheltenham. So there we have it. Rick Astley's bedroom. Michael Caine's film set. And an orange Talbot Sunbeam quietly pursui g a career in motion pictures. Not a bad collection of experiences for a teenager working in architecture!

But before we get to the Green Frog, there's someone else I really need to introduce you to properly. And this gentleman, Explorers, is going to have an awful lot of explaining to do.

The man responsible for all of this!

Chris Margenout. And Chris, if you're reading this...

YOU HAVE AN AWFUL LOT TO ANSWER FOR!

You see, Chris wasn't simply somebody Stu happened to work alongside in that architectural office in Montpellier, Cheltenham. Oh, no. These two were cut from remarkably similar cloth. Creative minds. Big imaginations. A shared fascination with possibilities. And an extraordinary ability to look at something perfectly ordinary and see something entirely different. Or, as certain people might politely put it, two individuals who probably shouldn't have been encouraged to share ideas without adult supervision.

From the moment Stu met Chris, something clicked. Chris became a huge influence on the young Stu, encouraging that curiosity, imagination and willingness to explore the unexpected. And more than forty years later? They're still in contact every single day! Every. Single. Day.

Which is rather wonderful when you think about it. Because that friendship has survived everything life has thrown at them, while the ideas, stories and adventures have continued to multiply. And here's something you might not know, Explorers. You already know Chris. Well, sort of.

Because the character we know as the Alchemist in Terra Nueva is actually based on Chris Margenout!

Yes!

The mysterious, imaginative Alchemist has a real-life counterpart. And suddenly, quite a few things begin to make sense. After all, who better to inspire an Alchemist than someone who's spent decades helping turn ordinary conversations into extraordinary possibilities? But there's something else. Remember that little cottage in Bibury? WHO DO YOU THINK SUGGESTED GOING THERE?

Chris!

Of course it was Chris! Which means that one of the most influential moments in Stu's early life happened because Chris suggested popping in to see a friend. Just a little detour. Just a cup of tea. And look what happened!

So, Chris Margenout, on behalf of the Terra Nueva Editorial Office, I hereby issue you with a formal notice.

YOU HELPED CREATE THE MAN THAT IS STU PHILLIPS!

And now, more than forty years later, that monster has created an entirely new world — and turned you into the Alchemist! There will be no appeals. No excuses. And absolutely no hiding behind the architectural drawings. You started this, Chris. And judging by what we're discovering in these journals... I suspect you've both been enjoying the adventure ever since. Now, Explorers, back to that little detour through Bibury.

Because the Alchemist has just opened a rather extraordinary door...

Would you like to make history?

Stu and Chris were heading towards London to survey a property in Inverness Terrace. They were travelling along the A40 when Chris suggested a little detour. He had a friend who lived in Bibury. Would Stu mind stopping by? Well, why not? Stu knew Bibury. He'd been there as a child, feeding the ducks, and had driven through there with his dad while practising his driving skills. It was just another familiar village, not far from home. So they turned off the main road and made their way to a cottage.

Chris knocked. The door opened. And they were welcomed inside by a gentleman called Richard Gray. Now, Explorers, some of you may recognise that name. But Stu? Not a clue. He was simply Chris's friend. A nice chap living in a lovely cottage. Richard invited them inside. Tea was offered. Biscuits appeared. All very civilised. And then things got interesting.

Richard was working on a rather extraordinary piece of artwork. As Stu remembers it, there was a large glass surface, dark in appearance, covered with illustrations, musical notes, little characters and all sorts of intricate details. Stu had no idea what it was. But Richard was busy working on it and asked whether Stu would mind helping him finish a small section. As Stu remembers it, Richard said something along the lines of: "Would you like to make history?" Well! That's quite an invitation when you've only popped in for a cup of tea. But Stu was happy to help. Richard handed him some green paint. And pointed to a little frog. "Could you paint that?" So Stu did. Carefully filling in the little frog. Nothing complicated. Nothing particularly dramatic. Just a young lad from Cheltenham painting a small green frog on a piece of artwork. Then he finished his tea. Ate his biscuit. Thanked Richard. And both he and Chris returned to his bright orange Talbot Sunbeam. Off to London. Job to do. Places to be. And that was that. Or so he thought.

STOP PRESS! A call from the Captain!

Hang on a minute, Explorers! I've just had a rather extraordinary interruption! Captain Scott Woldian has sent a message.

Apparently, Stu has just called him, absolutely bursting with excitement. Because he's suddenly realised something about this very story. Something that's taken him more than forty years to discover. And I have to tell you...

It's wonderful! Remember the orange Talbot Sunbeam? Registration: FFH 4T.

Well, here's something you may not know about Stu. As a young boy, he had a severe stutter. And words beginning with the letter F were particularly difficult. Even something as simple as saying the word four could be an enormous challenge. So imagine him trying to say the registration of his own car.

F-F-F-Four T - I am going to hell, I know!

Now imagine Richard Grey opening the door of that little cottage in Bibury. "Would you like to come in for tea? FOR TEA! And what's sitting outside? That bright orange Talbot Sunbeam. FFH 4T. F-F-F-Four T (yep, I am definitely going to hell now!!)

Oh, Explorers! I LOVE THIS! And here's the best part. Stu has only just realised it. More than f-f-f-forty years later (Ok, I will stop now - but I know Stu is laughing as much as I am!)

While recalling the story of the Green Frog, he's suddenly connected the registration, his childhood stutter and that extraordinary cup of tea. Now, I'm not suggesting Richard actually said those exact words, or that the universe had arranged some elaborate practical joke involving a number plate. But what a coincidence! And there's something rather beautiful about it. Because the young lad who once struggled to get his words out would eventually spend his life communicating with people all over the world.

Touring. Negotiating. Organising. Creating. Connecting people. And telling stories (Including this one). Apparently, Stu was so excited by the realisation that he immediately telephoned Scott. And Scott, being the excellent Captain that he is, passed the news straight to the editorial office. So there you have it. A forty-year-old coincidence, discovered during the writing of a Terra Nueva Journal!

Marvelous! Right. Where were we? Ah, yes.

The frog.

A Kind of Magic

Now, Explorers, here's where things get REALLY interesting. Because Richard Gray wasn't simply a talented chap working on artwork in a Cotswolds cottage. He was an artist and designer associated with...QUEEN! Yes! One of the biggest rock bands on the planet. And that extraordinary piece of artwork Stu had helped with was connected to Queen's album A Kind of Magic.

Of course, Stu didn't know any of this at the time. He hadn't gone to Bibury hoping to meet somebody famous. He wasn't trying to get into the music business. He hadn't asked for an introduction. He'd simply accompanied Chris to visit a friend. Had a cup of tea. And painted a frog.

Then, some time later, his mum bought the album. And Stu spotted something. There, amongst the artwork...THE GREEN FROG! His green frog! He couldn't believe it. "MUM! LOOK! I PAINTED THAT!" Now, his mother's response was perhaps a little less enthusiastic. "Don't be stupid!"

Well, in fairness, it's not every day your teenage son announces that he's helped create artwork for Queen. But Stu knew what he'd done. He'd been there. He'd held the paintbrush. He'd painted the frog. And, as Stu tells it, his mother never quite dismissed his unusual stories in the same way again after this moment!

The moment everything changed

But here's the thing, Explorers. And this is why I wanted to tell you this particular story. Because the most important part wasn't the artwork. It wasn't the green frog. It was what Stu realised afterwards. You see, when you're growing up in a town like Cheltenham or the Cotswolds, the world of international rock stars, famous actors, film productions and extraordinary adventures seemed impossibly far away.

Something you see on television. Something you read about in magazines. Something that happens to other people. Somewhere else. Somewhere special. Somewhere beyond your reach. But Stu had just discovered something remarkable. THAT WORLD WASN'T FAR AWAY AT ALL! It was just up the road. Literally! A short drive from his village. What most people thought of as dreamland was practically on his doorstep. And that realisation stayed with him. Because if that extraordinary world could be found just down the road in Bibury... What else might be out there? What other doors might open? What other people might he meet? What other adventures might be waiting? All he had to do was open his eyes. Reach out. And explore.

From Cheltenham to the world

Over the years, Stu's idea of what constituted his doorstep became considerably larger. First Cotswolds, then Cheltenham, London, Europe. And eventually the rest of the world. What followed was a life filled with music, touring, film, television and adventures that, frankly, I'm not entirely sure anybody would believe if we hadn't heard them directly from the man himself. And, Explorers, I've been looking through the archives. There are some extraordinary stories waiting to be told. But there's something else worth remembering.

That young lad who once struggled with a stutter...Who learned to drive in a Ford Anglia...Who rebuilt an Austin 1100 more times than anybody should reasonably have to...Who led a bunch of teenage lads through Cheltenham wearing kilts and wellies while singing Queen...Who became known to his friends as the Bear...Who met the man who would one day inspire the Alchemist...And who painted a little green frog in a cottage in Bibury...

Is now living in Dundee, Scotland. Creating Terra Nueva. Developing new ways of connecting people through music, entertainment, immersive technology and conversational digital characters. Still curious. Still exploring. Still opening doors. Only now, the doorstep is considerably bigger.

In fact...It's the entire world. And that's what Terra Nueva is really about. Not simply technology. Not simply entertainment. But possibility. Discovery. Connection. And the belief that extraordinary experiences should be within everyone's reach.

The story has only just begun

Well, Explorers! What an extraordinary first adventure we've had together. A Ford Anglia. An Austin 1100. A bright orange Talbot Sunbeam. A number plate that sounds like an invitation for tea. Rick Astley's manor house. Michael Caine's film set. An Alchemist who apparently helped create the man. A little cottage in Bibury. Queen. And a green frog. And that's before we've even properly explored the car crashes, the exploding engine, the frozen petrol cap, the New Year celebrations and the night the Hofmeister Bear took Cheltenham by storm!

Which brings me rather neatly to our next journal.

ENTRY LOG 022 — KING OF THE ROAD!

Oh, yes. We're going to have some fun with that one. Because I've got a whole collection of stories involving Stu, his cars, his friends and some truly remarkable adventures on the roads of Britain, Europe, and the World. But for now, Explorers, I'll leave you with one thought.

Never assume that the extraordinary is somewhere else. It might be just around the corner. Just up the road. Or behind a cottage door. Waiting with a cup of tea. And a green frog.

Until next time...

Keep exploring!

Stan the Music Man

Acting Editor, Terra Nueva Journals

Keeping the stories alive while the Captain's on tour.

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