19 May 2013
Just woke with the husky voice you would expect after 2 x 2hour shows and 2 weeks of rehearsals. Got a good deep sleep last night after I got home and the drive buzz wore off. Bottle of wine and an episode of ‘Vegas’, stage clothes in the washing machine before the Zed wall hit me. Woke up to get the phone and wandered into the main room in my underwear to be greeted by Yatta and the boys who’d just arrived from Aberdeen. Steve and I made the correct decision.
The drive was easy but getting out of Aberdeen was a trial. They must have more traffic lights on the longest sequences than anywhere else. Funniest moment was a very large drunk fan who I saw outside the gig while signing autographs in the rain while desperately trying to launch home. Wearing only a soaking wet “Stay Calm” shirt he wobbled away into the night shouting “I love you Fish!”. As I exited the “Lemon Tree” load in area we only got about 100 yards before a red light trapped us and up walked the fan who recognised the car and waved and again proclaimed his love for me. We waved and smiled and on green sped off to be trapped by another red. Again the fan caught us up and shouted his affections while late night Union Street dwellers looked on in mild disbelief. It happened another couple of times as we waved embarrassed from the motor.
For an oil city there’s a dearth of petrol stations and I was getting a bit nervous as the fuel light tripped on while Steve told me a story about how he broke down on the A90 and didn’t get home till 7am just before he started work in a record store. I hoped I wouldn’t be cursing Murphy!
2hrs and 10 mins it took to get back with a fuel stop and we were more than half way before the band got to the hotel. My own bed was a luxury and the lie in welcome.
Now to pack the suitcase and head off into the World for real.I’m driving the tour as there’s not enough room for all the merch in the Clown Carrier. It’s not ideal but it does mean I can leave slightly later than the FTC as I’m not needed at sound checks till after the band have set up. More Zeds for singers is a good thing!
I was glad all worked out with the “Magical Mystery Tour” and the date switch between Glasgow and Aberdeen didn’t ruin the weekend for the 12 or so fans who got caught up in the fall out and had to get the mini bus up from Glasgow last night. Just like to publicly thanks the promoter and the Glasgow ABC for covering the cost of the transport and for Rab the Motherwell Jester for the logistical effort and making it happen! The EU mountain of Parmegano cheese that our Italian Fishheads brought over for the band and the crew was most welcome and it was great to see them over in Scotland again!
A hot, steamy shower, a large Columbian coffee and the caravan heads South. Gavin is driving his own clown car down to York where he will be dropped off after the tour to get back the shorter distance to Wales, Hutch is following me to Gateshead and I am picking up my daughter in Newcastle as she has offered to help Yatta on the merch on this short tour. She will be riding shotgun with me and it’s going to be great having her company on the drives. Having a glamorous model on the merch stall should help move shirts as well!
The Tyne bridges are in our sights now! See some of you later.