Greetings from the Winter family - Jim, Tina and Keith at the top of Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.
Goodwill to all men (and women and children and cats) - we love you all!!
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Happy Christmas to all my readers
Greetings from the Winter family - Jim, Tina and Keith at the top of Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.
Goodwill to all men (and women and children and cats) - we love you all!!
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Nous allons a Paris!
Proof if proof is needed that Keith and I paid a fleeting visit to Paris last weekend. We did a lightning tour of the Louvre, particularly the Egyptian collection which was amazing - I'll try to put some more pics of that on here later. Also saw the Arc de Triomphe (see above), the Tour d'Eiffel, the Quartier Latin and Notre Dame. The city has a lovely atmosphere and one of the high spots was just looking at the food shops and market stalls - bringing the perennial cry "Why can't they do stuff like this in England??".
Impressed myself by managing to be reasonably comprehensible in French (GCE O level Grade 3, 1970) - but then it was mainly buying stuff in shops and restaurants, and its in shopkeepers interest to make sure they can take your euros off you I suppose. Nevertheless, it made me feel good.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Saturday, November 26, 2005
This young guy should go far!
Just found this pic of me and Mike Randle on my computer. Can't remember where it was taken, it may well have been York as it was sent to me by the fabulous Mr Chris Jones.
Lizzy and I have met some great people and had some great experiences all the way through the Love thang - here's hoping that there's more of the same in the foreseeable future.
I was listening to something on Radio 2 yesterday about the boom in "old" music i.e Cream, Pink Floyd reformed, etc etc, and Johnny Walker came up with a quote from David Lee Roth - "We're giving people their youth back..." Well here's to all of you rockers out there giving us our youth back, and long may it continue.
Happy Birthday to me!
This is a picture of Keith and me on our recent holiday in Crete looking very cheery - it was a lovely holiday, although it seems a long time ago now. Freezing cold British weather and the stresses and strains of life have taken their toll on both of us since we came back home.
I am 52 years old tomorrow.
I don't feel good or bad about that, its just a fact. In some ways I'm in good shape for my age - some of the people I work with who are younger than me, look and act a lot older than I do (or so I'm told - it may just be flattery, to which I am very susceptible!!). In some other ways I feel about 90 years old and that I have the weight of the world on my shoulders.
But I have some really good friends, a great family, and, apart from a few minor blips along the way, good health - so lets count those blessings peeps!
Hey ho
Saturday, November 12, 2005
View of Myrtos, Crete from the west.
This is the village in Crete we visited in October half-term. I feel very much at home there, its a "real" place rather than a tourist resort. People remembered us from last year - maybe the very drunken night in Katerina's taverna with a group of German bikers had something to do with that.
I'm off to see Lizzy tomorrow. Just a day trip but it'll be really good to see her, it seems like a while.
Right at the start of this blog I said that I had been on the periphery of something terrible that had happened in the family of some very close friends of ours. The whole sorry case reached some sort of conclusion this week - details are here
Its the stuff of your worst nightmares, especially if you're a parent.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Positively 4th Street
You got a lotta nerve
To say you are my friend
When I was down
You just stood there grinning
You got a lotta nerve
To say you got a helping hand to lend
You just want to be on
The side that's winning
You say I let you down
You know it's not like that
If you're so hurt
Why then don't you show it
You say you lost your faith
But that's not where it's at
You had no faith to lose
And you know it
I know the reason
That you talk behind my back
I used to be among the crowd
You're in with
Do you take me for such a fool
To think I'd make contact
With the one who tries to hide
What he don't know to begin with
You see me on the street
You always act surprised
You say, "How are you?" "Good luck"
But you don't mean it
When you know as well as me
You'd rather see me paralyzed
Why don't you just come out once
And scream it
No, I do not feel that good
When I see the heartbreaks you embrace
If I was a master thief
Perhaps I'd rob them
And now I know you're dissatisfied
With your position and your place
Don't you understand
It's not my problem
I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
And just for that one moment
I could be you
Yes, I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
You'd know what a drag it is
To see you
Copyright © 1965; renewed 1993 Special Rider Music
Johnny Echols cited this song as his favourite Bob Dylan track in a recent Mojo magazine and said it was about false friendship. I heard it on the radio this morning (covered by Mick Hucknall for chrissake - even he couldn't make it sound bad) and it just made me wonder if Johnny felt it was reminiscent of his relationship with Arthur Lee.
Hey ho
To say you are my friend
When I was down
You just stood there grinning
You got a lotta nerve
To say you got a helping hand to lend
You just want to be on
The side that's winning
You say I let you down
You know it's not like that
If you're so hurt
Why then don't you show it
You say you lost your faith
But that's not where it's at
You had no faith to lose
And you know it
I know the reason
That you talk behind my back
I used to be among the crowd
You're in with
Do you take me for such a fool
To think I'd make contact
With the one who tries to hide
What he don't know to begin with
You see me on the street
You always act surprised
You say, "How are you?" "Good luck"
But you don't mean it
When you know as well as me
You'd rather see me paralyzed
Why don't you just come out once
And scream it
No, I do not feel that good
When I see the heartbreaks you embrace
If I was a master thief
Perhaps I'd rob them
And now I know you're dissatisfied
With your position and your place
Don't you understand
It's not my problem
I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
And just for that one moment
I could be you
Yes, I wish that for just one time
You could stand inside my shoes
You'd know what a drag it is
To see you
Copyright © 1965; renewed 1993 Special Rider Music
Johnny Echols cited this song as his favourite Bob Dylan track in a recent Mojo magazine and said it was about false friendship. I heard it on the radio this morning (covered by Mick Hucknall for chrissake - even he couldn't make it sound bad) and it just made me wonder if Johnny felt it was reminiscent of his relationship with Arthur Lee.
Hey ho
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Forgive me father it has been two months since my last blog...
A lot has happened in the interim, some of it good and some of it bad. I can say for sure though that I feel a lot more rational and together than I did between February and July when I wrote most of the blog - but it was a great cathartic experience. I even feel better about my job! Hopefully I'll get back to more regular entries shortly, but in the meantime here are a few pictures for your delectation...
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Its been a strange few weeks...
It just has been.....
I don't even know how much of it I can write about - partly because I don't really know yet how I feel about it, partly because some of the stuff is about other people and not about me.
But I will be back...
and in the meanwhile here are some pictures of Love without Arthur Lee taken at Stourbridge Rock Cafe
I don't even know how much of it I can write about - partly because I don't really know yet how I feel about it, partly because some of the stuff is about other people and not about me.
But I will be back...
and in the meanwhile here are some pictures of Love without Arthur Lee taken at Stourbridge Rock Cafe
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Steve's 50th birthday meal 18th June 2005
Rush of blood to the head time here, like buses there's none for ages and then two come along together...
Anyway, here's a pic of Keith and I at Steve's celebratory birthday meal at the rather fine World Service restaurant in Nottingham
Anyway, here's a pic of Keith and I at Steve's celebratory birthday meal at the rather fine World Service restaurant in Nottingham
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Its ages since I last posted...
It is ages since I last posted - I've been trying to concentrate on my job, and to some extent have succeeded. I've also been on a great holiday on the Greek island of Symi. Love are back in the UK in a couple of weeks, first show Stourbridge on 1st July, so normal serice will be resumed asap
In the meantime, some nice pics of my holidays!!
In the meantime, some nice pics of my holidays!!
Friday, May 20, 2005
No 23: Edinburgh Liquid Room 11th April 2005
Lizzy and I are up at 4.45am - Keith asks me why the f**k I'm getting up so early, then I remind him that we're on the early flight to Edinburgh - he puts the pillow over his head and goes back to sleep...
We're out of the house at 5.15am and drive into town to pick up Aake, who is sitting on the pavement outside his hotel waiting for us. I drive the 10 miles or so to East Midlands Airport, park up and we check in - we're numbers 1 2 and 3 to check onto our flight, the 7.30am Easyjet to Edinburgh. I've flown to Edinburgh several times before from here, but still manage to get us sitting in completely the wrong part of the airport, i.e. the part where we can't hear the calls for our flight. Never mind, we figure it out on the end, and we're all aboard with about 10 minutes to spare.
Off the plane and onto the airlink bus to the city centre, a really good service - we arrive just before 9am. Lizzy and I are staying with Fiona and Billy who are some of the brilliant people we've met before at Love gigs - we're meeting up with Fiona in Jenner's cafe at 9am - and there she is!! Its wonderful when a plan comes together.
We have a nice greasy Scottish breakfast and then all get the bus to Portobello, where Fiona and Billy live - its a lovely area, the Edinburgh seaside, their house overlooks the beach and the Firth of Forth. The three of us chill out for a while then Billy arrives back from his optician's appointment where he's had weird stuff squirted in his eyes and is finding it hard to see. We go for a walk to see the sights of Portobello, then back for a great lunch, then we all decide we could probably do with a bit of a kip to get a bit of energy back for tonight's proceedings after the very early start.
The next door neighbour Molly is coming to the gig as well - we've also arranged to meet up with Aake and Old Man (George) and his daughter Lorna who have come down from Aberdeen so we're going to be quite a large contingent. We decide to defer the great curry that Fiona has cooked for us and set off for the centre of town at about 6pm, to meet up with Aake, George and Lorna at the Last Drop pub in the Grassmarket. Everybody seems to hit it off famously - Fiona and Billy say that Aake must stay with them next time he's in Scotland, even though at one stage Billy accuses Aake of looking like one of the itinerant Grassmarket alkies!! (it must be the tattoos).
We head off towards the venue - I spot Troels typing away in an internet cafe we pass on the way and rush in to say hello. The unmistakable tourbus is parked up outside the Liquid Room, which is on one of those old narrow streets in the Edinburgh Old Town, however nobody seems to mind that. Lizzy's cousin Joan is driving down from near Perth as well, we had asked Glenn on Friday if her name could go down on the door as its late in the day to get tickets, but it doesn't seem to be there - anyway, the nice lady lets her in anyway, we mention Scottish Keith's name and his was on the door, I think it is for every show!
Inside and Lizzy, Joan, Aake. George, Lorna and I take up our familiar positions right at the front. Fiona, Billy and Molly prefer to be upstairs on there balcony where there's a good view and not such a crush - Lizzy and I filmed from there last time we were here. Its Primary 5 in support again tonight, as good as ever - Paul Quinn has a real stage presence. There are some real heavy bouncers in the area between the crowd and the stage, definitely no flash photography here tonight. We're joined near the front by the prodigious Loveshack, who's come over from Glasgow - he can't make the Glasgow gig because of some football match or the other.
The place is packed when Arthur and the band come on stage - I seem to remember Johnny getting a particularly warm reception. Another cracking show!!!!
At the end, after the encore, Johnny comes over to the edge of ths stage - he shakes my hand and I can feel that he's passing me something - its his guitar pick, which is now among my most treasured possessions.
Our (quite large) party all heads outside after the gig - Arthur and Johnny haven't come out to sign autographs tonight but Billy is determined that he'll get his album covers signed, so we wait around for a while for them to come out to get into the taxi back to their hotel. Billy isn't taking no for an answer and gets his autographs.
Mike is around as well as Brummy Jim - we all pile into a nearby bar and have a cracking hour or two drinking and having a great time - then its a taxi back to Fiona and Billy's house where we eventually get to eat that curry - very welcome it is as well. Off to bed for a few hours - Lizzy is getting the early train back to Newcastle, and I'm flying back to Nottingham, so we've got a taxi booked for about 5.30 am again. Fiona gets up to see us off - they really have shown us fantastic hospitality! The taxi takes us to Waverley station, Lizzy goes off to catch her train and I get the bus back to the airport for the 8.20 plane.
Back in the East Midlands, I head for the great services near Junction 24 of the M1 where they have showers and everything - I've left my work gear in the car , so I shower, put on some make-up and my work suit and head for my 11.30 meeting in Leicester. I pick up my colleague who's come up from London at Leicester station and we head for the organisation where we are pitching for some business. I'm pretty tired but things seem to be going OK. Its going to be an early night tonight.
We hear a couple of weeks later that our pitch was not the successful one.
Hey ho
We're out of the house at 5.15am and drive into town to pick up Aake, who is sitting on the pavement outside his hotel waiting for us. I drive the 10 miles or so to East Midlands Airport, park up and we check in - we're numbers 1 2 and 3 to check onto our flight, the 7.30am Easyjet to Edinburgh. I've flown to Edinburgh several times before from here, but still manage to get us sitting in completely the wrong part of the airport, i.e. the part where we can't hear the calls for our flight. Never mind, we figure it out on the end, and we're all aboard with about 10 minutes to spare.
Off the plane and onto the airlink bus to the city centre, a really good service - we arrive just before 9am. Lizzy and I are staying with Fiona and Billy who are some of the brilliant people we've met before at Love gigs - we're meeting up with Fiona in Jenner's cafe at 9am - and there she is!! Its wonderful when a plan comes together.
We have a nice greasy Scottish breakfast and then all get the bus to Portobello, where Fiona and Billy live - its a lovely area, the Edinburgh seaside, their house overlooks the beach and the Firth of Forth. The three of us chill out for a while then Billy arrives back from his optician's appointment where he's had weird stuff squirted in his eyes and is finding it hard to see. We go for a walk to see the sights of Portobello, then back for a great lunch, then we all decide we could probably do with a bit of a kip to get a bit of energy back for tonight's proceedings after the very early start.
The next door neighbour Molly is coming to the gig as well - we've also arranged to meet up with Aake and Old Man (George) and his daughter Lorna who have come down from Aberdeen so we're going to be quite a large contingent. We decide to defer the great curry that Fiona has cooked for us and set off for the centre of town at about 6pm, to meet up with Aake, George and Lorna at the Last Drop pub in the Grassmarket. Everybody seems to hit it off famously - Fiona and Billy say that Aake must stay with them next time he's in Scotland, even though at one stage Billy accuses Aake of looking like one of the itinerant Grassmarket alkies!! (it must be the tattoos).
We head off towards the venue - I spot Troels typing away in an internet cafe we pass on the way and rush in to say hello. The unmistakable tourbus is parked up outside the Liquid Room, which is on one of those old narrow streets in the Edinburgh Old Town, however nobody seems to mind that. Lizzy's cousin Joan is driving down from near Perth as well, we had asked Glenn on Friday if her name could go down on the door as its late in the day to get tickets, but it doesn't seem to be there - anyway, the nice lady lets her in anyway, we mention Scottish Keith's name and his was on the door, I think it is for every show!
Inside and Lizzy, Joan, Aake. George, Lorna and I take up our familiar positions right at the front. Fiona, Billy and Molly prefer to be upstairs on there balcony where there's a good view and not such a crush - Lizzy and I filmed from there last time we were here. Its Primary 5 in support again tonight, as good as ever - Paul Quinn has a real stage presence. There are some real heavy bouncers in the area between the crowd and the stage, definitely no flash photography here tonight. We're joined near the front by the prodigious Loveshack, who's come over from Glasgow - he can't make the Glasgow gig because of some football match or the other.
The place is packed when Arthur and the band come on stage - I seem to remember Johnny getting a particularly warm reception. Another cracking show!!!!
At the end, after the encore, Johnny comes over to the edge of ths stage - he shakes my hand and I can feel that he's passing me something - its his guitar pick, which is now among my most treasured possessions.
Our (quite large) party all heads outside after the gig - Arthur and Johnny haven't come out to sign autographs tonight but Billy is determined that he'll get his album covers signed, so we wait around for a while for them to come out to get into the taxi back to their hotel. Billy isn't taking no for an answer and gets his autographs.
Mike is around as well as Brummy Jim - we all pile into a nearby bar and have a cracking hour or two drinking and having a great time - then its a taxi back to Fiona and Billy's house where we eventually get to eat that curry - very welcome it is as well. Off to bed for a few hours - Lizzy is getting the early train back to Newcastle, and I'm flying back to Nottingham, so we've got a taxi booked for about 5.30 am again. Fiona gets up to see us off - they really have shown us fantastic hospitality! The taxi takes us to Waverley station, Lizzy goes off to catch her train and I get the bus back to the airport for the 8.20 plane.
Back in the East Midlands, I head for the great services near Junction 24 of the M1 where they have showers and everything - I've left my work gear in the car , so I shower, put on some make-up and my work suit and head for my 11.30 meeting in Leicester. I pick up my colleague who's come up from London at Leicester station and we head for the organisation where we are pitching for some business. I'm pretty tired but things seem to be going OK. Its going to be an early night tonight.
We hear a couple of weeks later that our pitch was not the successful one.
Hey ho
No 22: Nottingham Rescue Rooms, 10th April 2005
Nottingham - my home town - or at least the place where I live - I must admit that I continue to hold a torch for Newcastle where I spent the first 18 years of my life.
Lizzy is not too well over both Saturday night and Sunday morning - we have a quiet day at home as Sunday night and Monday are due to be pretty gruelling. Its a nice warm day in Nottingham.
We drive into town and park up and then wander round to the Rescue Rooms. Mike is walking through the bar area, we stop and have a chat - I've printed up the picture of Coops licking him at the Irish Centre in Leeds and give him a copy, he thinks its great and plans to put it up on the tour bus.
In the main room, we spot Aake who's over from Sweden. He's flying up to Edinburgh the next day, on the same plane as us (Easyjet!) so we arrange to pick him up from his hotel in downtown Nottingham at 5.30 am the next day (a good reason if ever there was one for not drinking too much beer tonight). Aake is taking in Aberdeen and Glasgow as well before heading off back to Stockholm - a true fan if ever there was one!! My old Nottingham friends Paul and Pam are there as well, Paul has been a fan since the 60s - I've prewarned him that Arthur and Johnny are likely to be in a signing mood , so to bring his old album covers. We all take up position near the front. Another guy, Mark aka Barber John, introduces himself, he's travelled down from Leeds - having your picture on Torben's Love website is a guaranteed way to get your face known at Love gigs.
Its a different support band this evening - I can't even remember what they are called so they obviously did not make much of an impression. Then the band come on stage, all bar Arthur who ambles on slightly later...
I'm not one to cast aspersions, but lets just say his mind and him are going on slightly different paths this evening. He starts to play his harp, something a bit bluesy and rambling - all this time Troels is standing nearby holding his guitar, and the rest of the band are looking on. He gets his act together after a few minutes and they start the normal show -which is great. The Rescue Rooms is a small venue and standing at the front, you're within a few feet of the band, which is brilliant as far as I'm concerned. Paul and Pam are having a fantastic time as well, their first time in the front row so to speak, and they love it.
At the end of the gig both Johnny and Arthur wander out from backstage - and Paul gets his album covers signed. We don't hang around, its going to be an early start tomorrow - Edinburgh.....
Lizzy is not too well over both Saturday night and Sunday morning - we have a quiet day at home as Sunday night and Monday are due to be pretty gruelling. Its a nice warm day in Nottingham.
We drive into town and park up and then wander round to the Rescue Rooms. Mike is walking through the bar area, we stop and have a chat - I've printed up the picture of Coops licking him at the Irish Centre in Leeds and give him a copy, he thinks its great and plans to put it up on the tour bus.
In the main room, we spot Aake who's over from Sweden. He's flying up to Edinburgh the next day, on the same plane as us (Easyjet!) so we arrange to pick him up from his hotel in downtown Nottingham at 5.30 am the next day (a good reason if ever there was one for not drinking too much beer tonight). Aake is taking in Aberdeen and Glasgow as well before heading off back to Stockholm - a true fan if ever there was one!! My old Nottingham friends Paul and Pam are there as well, Paul has been a fan since the 60s - I've prewarned him that Arthur and Johnny are likely to be in a signing mood , so to bring his old album covers. We all take up position near the front. Another guy, Mark aka Barber John, introduces himself, he's travelled down from Leeds - having your picture on Torben's Love website is a guaranteed way to get your face known at Love gigs.
Its a different support band this evening - I can't even remember what they are called so they obviously did not make much of an impression. Then the band come on stage, all bar Arthur who ambles on slightly later...
I'm not one to cast aspersions, but lets just say his mind and him are going on slightly different paths this evening. He starts to play his harp, something a bit bluesy and rambling - all this time Troels is standing nearby holding his guitar, and the rest of the band are looking on. He gets his act together after a few minutes and they start the normal show -which is great. The Rescue Rooms is a small venue and standing at the front, you're within a few feet of the band, which is brilliant as far as I'm concerned. Paul and Pam are having a fantastic time as well, their first time in the front row so to speak, and they love it.
At the end of the gig both Johnny and Arthur wander out from backstage - and Paul gets his album covers signed. We don't hang around, its going to be an early start tomorrow - Edinburgh.....
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Cream, Royal Albert Hall,6th May 2005
I had the great good fortune to win three tickets for Friday night at the Royal Albert Hall for the Cream reunion - the company I work for receives an allocation of complimentary tickets and staff can enter a ballot for them, and this time my luck was in. My husband Keith and our friend Steve Nelson came with me - as Steve wanted to be back in Nottingham that night, he said he would drive down and we were happy to let him. I'd prearranged parking at Imperial College, which was surprisingly easy to find.
I've only been to the Royal Albert Hall once before, for an Al Green concert in 1999 - great night, great sound, but we were up in the Gods and Al was a long way away.Tonight the tickets were for the front row of the stalls, just behind the mixing desk and the arena which seemed to be full of friends of the band - these were £125 face value tickets, with a brilliant view of the stage. Its a lovely venue, completely round,with great acoustics, and although it holds a lot of people it feels very intimate (or at least it does from the good seats!).
We took our seats and their was a bit of a buzz behind us - the whisper was that Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney were in one of the boxes behind us - I didn't see them so can't confirm that. It was definitely an affluent crowd for a rock gig, no surprise at these prices, and there seemed to be an awful lot of American voices in the audience. The atmosphere was great waiting for the main event to start, every seemed very happy and out to have a good time.
Shortly after 8pm the lights dim and they come out on stage - Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton - obviously a lot older than when they'd last been here in 1968, but not looking bad at all. Eric is the youngster of the trio at 60, but Jack and Ginger are looking lithe and pretty well considering the fact that they've both suffered from bad health and Ginger is reported to be suffering from arthritis. They launch into "I'm so glad", with the background of a psychedelic light show, and its like being transported back in time.
This was and is a band pared down to the essentials - drums, bass and guitar. I know that there have been a couple of successful duos with just guitar and drums lately, but that doesn't do it for me, I need to hear that killer bass line - and Jack Bruce provided that in bucket loads - remember the opening riff of "Badge" and you'll know what I mean. He was also the main vocalist, he always was the one with the voice, Eric only got into it really when he became a solo artist, and he seemed content to be second line/backing vocalist.
I read a review in the week that said that Ginger looked like Wilfred Bramble from Steptoe and Son, and he definitely had a gaunt look to him. I never saw Cream live when they were going, only bits and pieces on TV, but it was always the pure physicality of Ginger's drumming that I remember. He hasn't got the energy that he had then but he is still a great drummer and still gives a very physical performance - he pulls in your eyes on stage, whatever the other two are doing. He took over for vocals only on one number, the quirky "Pressed rat and warthog" - the sort of strange track that bands thought they had to do in the 60s, still very entertaining. He raised a laugh at the end of the track when he said " I have to tell you that Pressed Rat and Warthog have opened a shop and are selling T shirts in the lobby".
The bluesy numbers brought Eric to the fore - "Crossroads" in particular. Eric Clapton is an international megastar, and I remember seeing "Eric Clapton is God" written on every blank wall in Newcastle back in the 60s, so this is a man with an awesome reputation and back catalogue - but he came across as one of the most balanced, non-ego driven artists I've ever seen perform. His guitar playing is just ... I can't come up with an adjective that does it justice, at several points it just makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. He makes the guitar cry and sing, and gently weep.
They did all the classics (apart from one - more about that later) - "Badge", "Strange Brew", they have a great back catalogue to plunder. Jack switched to harmonica for a couple of numbers - OK, but I prefer that killer bass line. Ginger does the obligatory drum solo -not the 45 minutes of yore, more like 10 and just about bearable. Then they're off stage to tremendous applause.....
.....and then they're back
.....and its the one we've all been waiting for, "Sunshine of your love" - do do do do do, dit der der derrrr der - the riff beloved of air guitarists the world over. We love it, we're all 16 again, its the 60s and peace and love and we don't have to worry about pensions and mortgages and university fees and all that crap, we're free as birds...... and then they're gone, and we're off into the London night. I talk to two American guys on the way out, it was definitely worth the air fare as far as they're concerned.
Nights like these, and the great Love gigs I've been too, and the Magic Band and the other stuff, are what makes life worth living as far as I'm concerned - those hair on the back of your neck moments when Eric makes it weep, or Arthur goes "I want to love you, but wo wo wo wo wo wo wo" and and and
And with that, ladies and gentlemen, its goodnight from me.
I've only been to the Royal Albert Hall once before, for an Al Green concert in 1999 - great night, great sound, but we were up in the Gods and Al was a long way away.Tonight the tickets were for the front row of the stalls, just behind the mixing desk and the arena which seemed to be full of friends of the band - these were £125 face value tickets, with a brilliant view of the stage. Its a lovely venue, completely round,with great acoustics, and although it holds a lot of people it feels very intimate (or at least it does from the good seats!).
We took our seats and their was a bit of a buzz behind us - the whisper was that Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney were in one of the boxes behind us - I didn't see them so can't confirm that. It was definitely an affluent crowd for a rock gig, no surprise at these prices, and there seemed to be an awful lot of American voices in the audience. The atmosphere was great waiting for the main event to start, every seemed very happy and out to have a good time.
Shortly after 8pm the lights dim and they come out on stage - Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton - obviously a lot older than when they'd last been here in 1968, but not looking bad at all. Eric is the youngster of the trio at 60, but Jack and Ginger are looking lithe and pretty well considering the fact that they've both suffered from bad health and Ginger is reported to be suffering from arthritis. They launch into "I'm so glad", with the background of a psychedelic light show, and its like being transported back in time.
This was and is a band pared down to the essentials - drums, bass and guitar. I know that there have been a couple of successful duos with just guitar and drums lately, but that doesn't do it for me, I need to hear that killer bass line - and Jack Bruce provided that in bucket loads - remember the opening riff of "Badge" and you'll know what I mean. He was also the main vocalist, he always was the one with the voice, Eric only got into it really when he became a solo artist, and he seemed content to be second line/backing vocalist.
I read a review in the week that said that Ginger looked like Wilfred Bramble from Steptoe and Son, and he definitely had a gaunt look to him. I never saw Cream live when they were going, only bits and pieces on TV, but it was always the pure physicality of Ginger's drumming that I remember. He hasn't got the energy that he had then but he is still a great drummer and still gives a very physical performance - he pulls in your eyes on stage, whatever the other two are doing. He took over for vocals only on one number, the quirky "Pressed rat and warthog" - the sort of strange track that bands thought they had to do in the 60s, still very entertaining. He raised a laugh at the end of the track when he said " I have to tell you that Pressed Rat and Warthog have opened a shop and are selling T shirts in the lobby".
The bluesy numbers brought Eric to the fore - "Crossroads" in particular. Eric Clapton is an international megastar, and I remember seeing "Eric Clapton is God" written on every blank wall in Newcastle back in the 60s, so this is a man with an awesome reputation and back catalogue - but he came across as one of the most balanced, non-ego driven artists I've ever seen perform. His guitar playing is just ... I can't come up with an adjective that does it justice, at several points it just makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. He makes the guitar cry and sing, and gently weep.
They did all the classics (apart from one - more about that later) - "Badge", "Strange Brew", they have a great back catalogue to plunder. Jack switched to harmonica for a couple of numbers - OK, but I prefer that killer bass line. Ginger does the obligatory drum solo -not the 45 minutes of yore, more like 10 and just about bearable. Then they're off stage to tremendous applause.....
.....and then they're back
.....and its the one we've all been waiting for, "Sunshine of your love" - do do do do do, dit der der derrrr der - the riff beloved of air guitarists the world over. We love it, we're all 16 again, its the 60s and peace and love and we don't have to worry about pensions and mortgages and university fees and all that crap, we're free as birds...... and then they're gone, and we're off into the London night. I talk to two American guys on the way out, it was definitely worth the air fare as far as they're concerned.
Nights like these, and the great Love gigs I've been too, and the Magic Band and the other stuff, are what makes life worth living as far as I'm concerned - those hair on the back of your neck moments when Eric makes it weep, or Arthur goes "I want to love you, but wo wo wo wo wo wo wo" and and and
And with that, ladies and gentlemen, its goodnight from me.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
No 21: Leeds Irish Centre, 8th April 2005
Leeds is a Friday night so Lizzy and I are staying over, in the Jury's Doyle Hotel which Multimap shows as the nearest hotel to the venue. I've got a lunchtime meeting in Sheffield, so go straight to Leeds from there - I need to get some work done at the hotel in the afternoon but its worth it to miss the late Friday afternoon rush on the M1.
I check into the hotel and we've got a nice twin room on the 1st floor. I get changed, get my work stuff sorted out then decide I could do with a bottle of mineral water so go down to the hotel bar to buy one - and who should be there, sitting in the corner, but Mr Lee and Mr Echols, just finishing a late lunch.
I try to act cool and walk up to them and say "Hello gentlemen" - Arthur says "Hello Lizzy" (not that old one) and I say "Its Tina, the other one". He asks what I'm doing here and I tell him I'm here to see them perform tonight. Its obvious from the ensuing conversation that Arthur associates Lizzy and I very strongly with videoing and not just as fans, as he immediately starts to tell me about his video camera being stolen by his ex-girlfriend, and how good it would be if we could video some of the upcoming shows, and also let him know which gigs we filmed last tour - the tapes presumably are with the New Guy. He also tells me that someone wants to make a documentary about him here in the UK. Johnny is silent all through this exchange, I then say that its great that they're over here at the moment and how great it is to see Johnny touring - Arthur tells me that Johnny can't believe what a good reception he's getting over in the UK and thinks he in Disneyland! Johnny continues to be silent but smiles happily throughout. After that I leave them to their lunch and repair to the room to try and get some work done.
Lizzy, Chris and Scottish Keith arrive at about 7pm - only Lizzy is staying because she's coming back to Nottingham with me for the gig on Sunday night at the Rescue Rooms. She's not very well, full of cold. We have a drink in the bar and then set off for the Irish Centre.
The venue has the appearance of a working men's club - there's a party going on upstairs with a big "Dad" poster in the window. Downstairs is very much the same, with a seated area with tables at the back, and a standing area at the front - its quite a large place. We immediately see Mike and Rusty who are there with a number of the York crew including Ringo's parents who we are introduced to by Mike. The lovely Coops is there as well, the man with the strange licking fetish - more about that later.
We stay at the back while the support band is on, a different band tonight and IMHO not particularly memorable. The place is filling up and its obvious we're not going to get our preferred spot of down the very front, so we don't even try. Love come on and we can see quite well from near the back but is not the same, we need to be near the action, so we move down one side and end up fairly near the stage. Then Lizzy and I stand on chairs to get a better view - everything is going swimmingly until I decide to try standing on a table and send several glasses flying, so give that idea up as a bad job. Its a lively gig with a crowd who are really up for it, a really good show.
After the show, we see Glenn guiding Arthur and Johnny out towards the merchandise stand which is right at the back near the door, quite a long walk from backstage. There's a buzz around the venue, it seems like everyone wants to get Arthur and Johnny's autographs. There's a young lady standing near us who is desperate to get herself signed for some reason, I take it on myself to guide her to the table and she gets her arms signed by both Arthur and Johnny!! I take her picture and promise I'll send it on to her.
Mike is around at this stage and Coops starts licking his face - I take a picture of this lovely scene as well. Lizzy and I have a quick chat with Kose and Troels, they're staying at the hotel as well so we say we'll meet up with them for a drink later.
Chris and Scottish Keith drive us back to the hotel and then leave us to drive back to Newcastle via Darlington. I have had the foresight to bring along a bottle of whisky (extortionate prices at these hotel bars!!) so we collect that from the room, Kose and Troels join us fairly soon once all the gear is packed up. We engage the Polish barman in conversation to see if any food is available - it isn't, but he gives us some leaflets from nearby takeaways which deliver so we order some pizzas.
Sometime after that the bar is closed, although we're still drinking the whisky, when two chaps arrive who engage us in conversation. It transpires that they have just been to see British Sea Power at a venue somewhere in Leeds, we tell them what we've been doing and how wonderful Love are (they've never heard of them) and invite them to have some of our whisky. The pizzas have arrived by this time. At one stage one of the chaps ( I won't call them young men, they were probably mid 30s) who is an accountant from Middlesborough, tells me I'm quite attractive for an older woman!! I'm regaling Lizzy with this story the next day when she reminds me that I was sitting in a closed hotel bar with a bottle of whisky in one hand and a pizza in another - in those circumstances even Camilla Parker-Bowles would look attractive !! I take her point and decide to forestall my career as a femme fatale.
Lizzy isn't too well through the night, nothing to do with the drink, she's got a terrible cold and gets the shivers. We get up for breakfast the next morning, a quick hello to Kose and Troels who are down there as well (dear readers, read into that what you will but I can assure you the assignation was pure chance). We're checking out when we see Mike and Daddyo walking into the lobby, each wearing a fine hat - its fairly cold in downtown Leeds today. They've slept on the tour bus but are swapping over with Kose and Troels - oh what a life of luxury these rock star types lead! We say we'll see them in Nottingham on Sunday - they've all got a Saturday night off in Leeds. With that its off down the M1 back home, with a sick Lizzy who needs some more sleep.
I check into the hotel and we've got a nice twin room on the 1st floor. I get changed, get my work stuff sorted out then decide I could do with a bottle of mineral water so go down to the hotel bar to buy one - and who should be there, sitting in the corner, but Mr Lee and Mr Echols, just finishing a late lunch.
I try to act cool and walk up to them and say "Hello gentlemen" - Arthur says "Hello Lizzy" (not that old one) and I say "Its Tina, the other one". He asks what I'm doing here and I tell him I'm here to see them perform tonight. Its obvious from the ensuing conversation that Arthur associates Lizzy and I very strongly with videoing and not just as fans, as he immediately starts to tell me about his video camera being stolen by his ex-girlfriend, and how good it would be if we could video some of the upcoming shows, and also let him know which gigs we filmed last tour - the tapes presumably are with the New Guy. He also tells me that someone wants to make a documentary about him here in the UK. Johnny is silent all through this exchange, I then say that its great that they're over here at the moment and how great it is to see Johnny touring - Arthur tells me that Johnny can't believe what a good reception he's getting over in the UK and thinks he in Disneyland! Johnny continues to be silent but smiles happily throughout. After that I leave them to their lunch and repair to the room to try and get some work done.
Lizzy, Chris and Scottish Keith arrive at about 7pm - only Lizzy is staying because she's coming back to Nottingham with me for the gig on Sunday night at the Rescue Rooms. She's not very well, full of cold. We have a drink in the bar and then set off for the Irish Centre.
The venue has the appearance of a working men's club - there's a party going on upstairs with a big "Dad" poster in the window. Downstairs is very much the same, with a seated area with tables at the back, and a standing area at the front - its quite a large place. We immediately see Mike and Rusty who are there with a number of the York crew including Ringo's parents who we are introduced to by Mike. The lovely Coops is there as well, the man with the strange licking fetish - more about that later.
We stay at the back while the support band is on, a different band tonight and IMHO not particularly memorable. The place is filling up and its obvious we're not going to get our preferred spot of down the very front, so we don't even try. Love come on and we can see quite well from near the back but is not the same, we need to be near the action, so we move down one side and end up fairly near the stage. Then Lizzy and I stand on chairs to get a better view - everything is going swimmingly until I decide to try standing on a table and send several glasses flying, so give that idea up as a bad job. Its a lively gig with a crowd who are really up for it, a really good show.
After the show, we see Glenn guiding Arthur and Johnny out towards the merchandise stand which is right at the back near the door, quite a long walk from backstage. There's a buzz around the venue, it seems like everyone wants to get Arthur and Johnny's autographs. There's a young lady standing near us who is desperate to get herself signed for some reason, I take it on myself to guide her to the table and she gets her arms signed by both Arthur and Johnny!! I take her picture and promise I'll send it on to her.
Mike is around at this stage and Coops starts licking his face - I take a picture of this lovely scene as well. Lizzy and I have a quick chat with Kose and Troels, they're staying at the hotel as well so we say we'll meet up with them for a drink later.
Chris and Scottish Keith drive us back to the hotel and then leave us to drive back to Newcastle via Darlington. I have had the foresight to bring along a bottle of whisky (extortionate prices at these hotel bars!!) so we collect that from the room, Kose and Troels join us fairly soon once all the gear is packed up. We engage the Polish barman in conversation to see if any food is available - it isn't, but he gives us some leaflets from nearby takeaways which deliver so we order some pizzas.
Sometime after that the bar is closed, although we're still drinking the whisky, when two chaps arrive who engage us in conversation. It transpires that they have just been to see British Sea Power at a venue somewhere in Leeds, we tell them what we've been doing and how wonderful Love are (they've never heard of them) and invite them to have some of our whisky. The pizzas have arrived by this time. At one stage one of the chaps ( I won't call them young men, they were probably mid 30s) who is an accountant from Middlesborough, tells me I'm quite attractive for an older woman!! I'm regaling Lizzy with this story the next day when she reminds me that I was sitting in a closed hotel bar with a bottle of whisky in one hand and a pizza in another - in those circumstances even Camilla Parker-Bowles would look attractive !! I take her point and decide to forestall my career as a femme fatale.
Lizzy isn't too well through the night, nothing to do with the drink, she's got a terrible cold and gets the shivers. We get up for breakfast the next morning, a quick hello to Kose and Troels who are down there as well (dear readers, read into that what you will but I can assure you the assignation was pure chance). We're checking out when we see Mike and Daddyo walking into the lobby, each wearing a fine hat - its fairly cold in downtown Leeds today. They've slept on the tour bus but are swapping over with Kose and Troels - oh what a life of luxury these rock star types lead! We say we'll see them in Nottingham on Sunday - they've all got a Saturday night off in Leeds. With that its off down the M1 back home, with a sick Lizzy who needs some more sleep.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
No 20: Wolverhampton Robin 2, 6th April 2005
I've been a bit lax recently in keeping this blog up to date - lots of stuff going on in the real world as opposed to the virtual one I guess.
Anyway, its Wednesday evening, 6th April - I'm stuck at a client's house on the wrong side of Nottingham so the trip to Wolverhampton / Bilston is a bit of a tricky one, done at some pace down the M1 / M42 / M6. Lizzy is working in Birmingham that day so she's making her own way to the venue, then coming back to Nottingham with me before travelling to London by train the following day.
I finally arrive at about 7.30pm, go into the venue which has been smartened up considerably since my last visit, and immediately run into David (The Castle) Housden and his wife Chrissie. They think I'm Lizzy (common mistake) but have seen the real Lizzy in the bar. I head upstairs to Noddy's Bar (named after local lad made good Mr Holder) - no Lizzy, but the entire band and crew (exc Arthur and Johnny) tucking into a meal. A quick hello and they tell me Lizzy is downstairs - which she is, sitting in Woody's Bar (named after that other local lad made good, Roy Wood). A solitary beer and a plate of chips, and we're ready for the fray. We make our way to the gig room and take up position down at the front by the stage with David and Chrissie. A chap called Ben introduces himself, he knows our faces from the pics on Torben's site.
Primary 5 are very good again - and the lead singer, Paul Quinn, dedicates a song to me!
Then Love are on and its another cracking show. I'm beginning to wish I'd written this earlier as the details are quite vague now after a couple of weeks, but it was a good show for sure. The Robin is one of my all time favourite venues, its just about the perfect size for a Love gig IMHO - probably about 500 capacity. Too big and its very impersonal, too small and the sound isn't as good. This one's just right, as Goldilocks said about baby bear's porridge.
At the end we see North London Hilary - she's driven all the way from - you guessed it - North London - the 60 miles or so I've driven seem paltry in comparison. She tells us that this was the first venue she ever saw Love perform in, so its bit of a sentimental journey for her. Mike comes out for a chat, you really can't fault the man for his PR skills. He always seems to have loads of time to spend with the fans.
Lizzy and I don't hang around because its a 60 mile drive back as well, and its work tomorrow. My petrol light is on and the little computer thingy that tells you how many more miles you can go before you run out completely gets down to about 4 miles before we hit a service station at Tamworth -fortunate really, the M42 at midnight is not an ideal place to run out of petrol. Back home, Keith has left us some cooked pizza in the fridge to assuage the late night after gig munchies.
The next day I'm rung on my mobile phone by my bank's anti-fraud squad - "Your credit card was used to purchase petrol on the M42 after midnight last night, not one of your typical transactions, can you confirm it was you?" - I can and no, it wasn't typical, it was f***ing fantastic!!
Anyway, its Wednesday evening, 6th April - I'm stuck at a client's house on the wrong side of Nottingham so the trip to Wolverhampton / Bilston is a bit of a tricky one, done at some pace down the M1 / M42 / M6. Lizzy is working in Birmingham that day so she's making her own way to the venue, then coming back to Nottingham with me before travelling to London by train the following day.
I finally arrive at about 7.30pm, go into the venue which has been smartened up considerably since my last visit, and immediately run into David (The Castle) Housden and his wife Chrissie. They think I'm Lizzy (common mistake) but have seen the real Lizzy in the bar. I head upstairs to Noddy's Bar (named after local lad made good Mr Holder) - no Lizzy, but the entire band and crew (exc Arthur and Johnny) tucking into a meal. A quick hello and they tell me Lizzy is downstairs - which she is, sitting in Woody's Bar (named after that other local lad made good, Roy Wood). A solitary beer and a plate of chips, and we're ready for the fray. We make our way to the gig room and take up position down at the front by the stage with David and Chrissie. A chap called Ben introduces himself, he knows our faces from the pics on Torben's site.
Primary 5 are very good again - and the lead singer, Paul Quinn, dedicates a song to me!
Then Love are on and its another cracking show. I'm beginning to wish I'd written this earlier as the details are quite vague now after a couple of weeks, but it was a good show for sure. The Robin is one of my all time favourite venues, its just about the perfect size for a Love gig IMHO - probably about 500 capacity. Too big and its very impersonal, too small and the sound isn't as good. This one's just right, as Goldilocks said about baby bear's porridge.
At the end we see North London Hilary - she's driven all the way from - you guessed it - North London - the 60 miles or so I've driven seem paltry in comparison. She tells us that this was the first venue she ever saw Love perform in, so its bit of a sentimental journey for her. Mike comes out for a chat, you really can't fault the man for his PR skills. He always seems to have loads of time to spend with the fans.
Lizzy and I don't hang around because its a 60 mile drive back as well, and its work tomorrow. My petrol light is on and the little computer thingy that tells you how many more miles you can go before you run out completely gets down to about 4 miles before we hit a service station at Tamworth -fortunate really, the M42 at midnight is not an ideal place to run out of petrol. Back home, Keith has left us some cooked pizza in the fridge to assuage the late night after gig munchies.
The next day I'm rung on my mobile phone by my bank's anti-fraud squad - "Your credit card was used to purchase petrol on the M42 after midnight last night, not one of your typical transactions, can you confirm it was you?" - I can and no, it wasn't typical, it was f***ing fantastic!!
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Thursday, April 07, 2005
No 19: Sheffield Leadmill, 3rd April 2005
I stayed in Leeds overnight on Saturday 2nd April - Keith was away in Dublin watching Leicester Tigers play Rugby and Jim wanted to have a party, i.e. he wanted me out of the way, so I booked myself into a hotel. Good time shopping on Saturday pm and Sunday am - Leeds is a good shopping town!! You can even buy Burt's Bees Foot Cream, previously only spotted in the US of A.
I set off for Sheffield early Sunday afternoon - and what a difference from Leeds. Even the weather is a lot colder, and the whole place has an air of decrepitude (sorry any of you out there who live in Sheffield - but you must know it's true). Lizzy and Chris were arriving from Newcastle at about 5pm, so I did a quick tour of the city centre - the Millennium Gallery and Winter Gardens weren't bad I must admit - and they did a nice afternoon tea in the cafe there.
Lizzy and Chris arrived at the station car park at about 5pm - after giving Lizzy a gift of the aforesaid BBFC, we set off to try and find somewhere open to get some food / drink - and after about 5 minutes we ran into Scottish Keith and Caryne, near the Leadmill where the Love tour bus was already parked. Time for a quick drink with them, then Lizzy, Chris and I headed off to Pizza Hut for some nourishment.
We had arranged to meet various folks at a pub called the Rutland Arms, and when we arrived there at about 7pm, we were greeted by Old Man and his daughter Lorna in addition to SK and Caryne, closely followed by Gill and Colin. Lovely pub, lots of artefacts from around the world and some unusual music - something like the Shadows play Queen's greatest hits. I had a call from Chris Jones, who then arrived at the Rutland just as the rest were about to leave to pick up the support band, Primary 5. We hung around with him for a drink then we were all off to the venue, calling back at the carpark first to pick up our old vinyl album sleeves as we had heard that Arthur and Johnny had been coming out after performances on this tour and signing autographs.
Into the Leadmill and Primary 5 were already playing their set - and very good they were too. Shades of Neil Young IMHO. Kose and Troels then came out and set up for Love - we managed to attract Troels' attention, which is pretty difficult when he's focussed on getting the stage ready for the band, and we said hello to him and Kose.
During the interval our party all got into position at the front - there were quite a lot of us so we could fend off all comers. I was feeling no little apprehension by this stage - remember that my last gig had been Liverpool, which was not one of Arthur's best performances. Out came the band, smiles and waves from Mike and Rusty... and then there was Johhny Echols, looking cool in leather trousers and what looked like two pairs of specs (prescription glasses then shades over the top)...followed by Arthur, in baggy T shirt, bandanna and some sort of army cap -looking a bit tired but pretty alert.
And I was not disappointed - the band were great, Dave Nolte fitting in really well, covering Dave Chapple's paternity leave. Arthur's voice started off a bit weak, but he got into his stride and gave a really fine performance, with no funny business whatsoever. A fantastic relief - here was the band I'd come to know and love, back on form again. Johnny looked like he was really enjoying himself, and appeared to be a man without an ego - and he played his guitar behind his head at one stage, note perfect.
After the performance, both Arthur and Johnny came out to the merch stand to sign autographs - and I had my Da Capo vinyl sleeve signed by both of them, and made out to me, not some friend or the other (see previous gigs passim). Great. I drove the 40 plus miles back to Nottingham still buzzing, looking forward to the week ahead and four more gigs to follow.
I set off for Sheffield early Sunday afternoon - and what a difference from Leeds. Even the weather is a lot colder, and the whole place has an air of decrepitude (sorry any of you out there who live in Sheffield - but you must know it's true). Lizzy and Chris were arriving from Newcastle at about 5pm, so I did a quick tour of the city centre - the Millennium Gallery and Winter Gardens weren't bad I must admit - and they did a nice afternoon tea in the cafe there.
Lizzy and Chris arrived at the station car park at about 5pm - after giving Lizzy a gift of the aforesaid BBFC, we set off to try and find somewhere open to get some food / drink - and after about 5 minutes we ran into Scottish Keith and Caryne, near the Leadmill where the Love tour bus was already parked. Time for a quick drink with them, then Lizzy, Chris and I headed off to Pizza Hut for some nourishment.
We had arranged to meet various folks at a pub called the Rutland Arms, and when we arrived there at about 7pm, we were greeted by Old Man and his daughter Lorna in addition to SK and Caryne, closely followed by Gill and Colin. Lovely pub, lots of artefacts from around the world and some unusual music - something like the Shadows play Queen's greatest hits. I had a call from Chris Jones, who then arrived at the Rutland just as the rest were about to leave to pick up the support band, Primary 5. We hung around with him for a drink then we were all off to the venue, calling back at the carpark first to pick up our old vinyl album sleeves as we had heard that Arthur and Johnny had been coming out after performances on this tour and signing autographs.
Into the Leadmill and Primary 5 were already playing their set - and very good they were too. Shades of Neil Young IMHO. Kose and Troels then came out and set up for Love - we managed to attract Troels' attention, which is pretty difficult when he's focussed on getting the stage ready for the band, and we said hello to him and Kose.
During the interval our party all got into position at the front - there were quite a lot of us so we could fend off all comers. I was feeling no little apprehension by this stage - remember that my last gig had been Liverpool, which was not one of Arthur's best performances. Out came the band, smiles and waves from Mike and Rusty... and then there was Johhny Echols, looking cool in leather trousers and what looked like two pairs of specs (prescription glasses then shades over the top)...followed by Arthur, in baggy T shirt, bandanna and some sort of army cap -looking a bit tired but pretty alert.
And I was not disappointed - the band were great, Dave Nolte fitting in really well, covering Dave Chapple's paternity leave. Arthur's voice started off a bit weak, but he got into his stride and gave a really fine performance, with no funny business whatsoever. A fantastic relief - here was the band I'd come to know and love, back on form again. Johnny looked like he was really enjoying himself, and appeared to be a man without an ego - and he played his guitar behind his head at one stage, note perfect.
After the performance, both Arthur and Johnny came out to the merch stand to sign autographs - and I had my Da Capo vinyl sleeve signed by both of them, and made out to me, not some friend or the other (see previous gigs passim). Great. I drove the 40 plus miles back to Nottingham still buzzing, looking forward to the week ahead and four more gigs to follow.
Friday, March 25, 2005
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