Londonderry NH
Jul 31 '07
Londonderry
Outside the hotel in Boston the familiar face of Robin our tour bus driver from so many years ago, and a tour bus. Walking up the steps into the bus brought back some rare emotions, it has been some time. On the bus the smell that only tour buses can own, not sure how to explain it, a cross between toilet cleaner and faded leather. Some things have changed, both Robin and I need glasses to read, the engine is running on vegetable oil, and there is Wi Fi outside the gig. The gig being a small club bolted onto the back of a house 45 miles north of Boston. Inside 150 chairs all lined up, a small stage, lovely people and a crew busy at work. I'm excited. Our first gig in the US for over eight years and the 150 people who saw us enjoyed a great night, we played well I thought and the atmosphere was warm and loving. Here in America smiles reach out and touch the very soul of why you do what you do, its so nice. Although we were on a small stage I thought we handled it well, we even had a back drop showing video of us down the ages, surreal.
Back on the bus and an hour back to the hotel, my jet lag stayed in tune most of the day, but I hit the pillow like a brick. A really lovely club, nice people a good crew, a tour bus, what more is there in life. We shall see.
tea up x
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Luton
Jul 30 '07
In Luton I was playing back with my band in the town square, in front of about 50 people, this is my reality. We played well, there were lots of empty blue seats to play to and a good view of the town hall clock, that lit up half way through the show. I could also see planes taking off from the airport. It was odd playing the Squeeze songs in such a way, slower and more emotional, and with me singing. Just before the last number a woman walked up to the front of the stage and asked me to play Lady in red, she thought I was Chris De Burgh, I felt touched by this and laughed all the way to the M1.
It was so good to see my team again, all so wonderful and supporting me at times like these, which is most of the time.
Cd
tea time!
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Studio call
Jul 25 '07
I'm in the studio finishing off my album with Boo Hewedine and John Wood, its been a great week and I'm very excited about the new songs. Working in Eastbourne is right up street, no yellow lines to park on, nice food, old people to bully and the best green grocers in England. We now have far too many songs, the completed album will now be mixed while I'm on tour with the big boys. Boo has been amazing at helping me wrap the album up, and being with John is a very grounding experience. Next week I will be in the states being Chris Difford of Squeeze, and the week after that…who knows. It’s a creative time right now, I have to embrace the time I have, the now is where its at. Man.
Cd
big cheese
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Guilfest word search
Jul 20 '07
Guilfest is held in a park, 22,000 + people attend, they camp or walk in from the town, it’s a family show, and our family all arrived together. Glenn in his RV with his crew and me with my crew in my car, we however stayed in a gated mews just off the park owned by an untie who was conveniently away in Spain on holiday. Suzanne who manages Glenn called me early on the Saturday morning, the day of the show, to say that Glenn had lost his voice, but that we would not be pulling the show. He rested in his motor home all day while doctors were called on to jab him full of stuff, not sure what, but I think vitamins. The rest of us sound checked without him and learnt some songs that I could sing just in case, it all seemed suddenly very tense. Love circles and slaughtered were run up the flag pole. An hour before show time Glenn appeared back stage, he sounded awful, I felt so sorry for him on this big night, Brandy and Port also appeared, that well known voice repairer, everything was being tried, even buckets of steaming water disappeared into his dressing room. On stage he made it through a few songs and then it went slowly down hill, but the crowd took his side, they willed him through each song and the feeling was extraordinary. By the end of the set it had gone almost completely. It was such a great night, our first major show in eight years. Poor Glenn was feeling cheated. He needn’t fear though, everyone loved him for the effort he had made, it was a troopers performance. We were back. With a croak
frog it x
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Where's my dad's CD's ? (Albany)
Jul 20 '07
The Albany show was our warm up, home turf, a club we had played many times in the dark distant, the excitement was huggable, everything percolated nicely. It was rammed with about 600 people. Our loving audience beamed as we took to the stage, the sound was wonderful and it was great to have a road crew back again. My in ear’s helped me stay in the moment, it’s a real treat to hear yourself on stage, but not everyone likes them. We came off stage hugging and kissing each other, not like old times but like new times. A taster of what might be to come, or was this the old pink cloud forming, I didn’t care I just embraced it. After the show we mingled with our guest list in the bar, and there I found some very old friends, including Eric from school, who I had not seen in 30 years or more. I was touched. I was emotional with all of the hugging and the words of love, this was like no other after show I had known before. I drove home to Brighton with Emma, Grace my daughter and Riley my son, all very proud of me. Not quite over the hill then, just on the incline maybe. Natalie, one of my other daughters now works with us in production, its been nice to have the family on board, this has become a family band, something I'm not sure it ever was before. Old hippies. And with no style to cramp I feel very at home with the gang along side me. Grace took pictures and wants to become a rock photographer, her pictures turned out really well. A great night out, we were looked after with love by Stuart Calder and I thank him and all the team down in Deptford.
Keep it in the day x
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