Blog: Bristol

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On Thursday I woke once again feeling HEALTHY and WELL after a big KIP, although a bit AFEARED as i'd had a Nasty Message on my mobile phone - i spent all day wondering who on earth could be sending me THREATS, only to find out that my brother-in-[common]law had been MUGGED and had his phone nicked!

Anyway, I met Warren who once again GUIDED us back to Piccadilly station where i had CHILLI for breakfast. This is the kind of INSANE KRAZINESS that occurs when one is On The Road. Pete arrived and off we went, pausing only to notice that Piccadilly is full of BUSINESS PIGEONS, sauntering up stairs, wandering into first class lounges, and hopping aboard trains.

It was another journey of CHAT and TEA, pausing only to consider the CONTINUING GHASTLINESS of Hell On Earth (Birmingham New Street). As the song states, the contrast with Bristol Temple Meads was EXTREME, the latter being a BEAUTIFUL building that fills you with PRIDE to be part of a nation that could build such fantastic temples of transport, it really is GORGEOUS. We waited a few minutes before being joined by Marianthi, who was there on Record Label Duty for Pete. Where was MY record company in all this eh? Oh yeah...

We split up once again, wiht me checking into my room and then getting a taxi across town to the BBC, where I was recording a session for Bristol Uncovered. The taxi driver was a lovely old chap who told me MANY fascinating facts about the city, and got me there with plenty of time to have a check of my emails on the free BBC Interweb Computers. Mr Gary Smith arrived and took me through the MASSIVE BBC ENCLAVE, which includes and entire PUB, just for people who work there!

It was lovely to see Gary, and especially to see him doing so well - I first met him when he had a show on the commercial station, and knew it was a constant battle to keep his show on, a battle which they eventually lost and ended up broadcasting ONLINE, so it was BRILLIANT to find him so happy on the BBC. We got ourselves ensconced in a studio and i recorded THIS:

Ctrl-Alt-Delete

I Did A Gig In New York

Chips And Cheese, Pint Of Wine

It all seemed to go OK, although I was a bit distracted by one of the BBC Presenters (who had a Big Picture on the wall) looking through the door with a big GRIN on his face when he saw the Ukelele! You should be able to Listen Again on their show page after it goes out, on Saturday I think. We then did a LONG old interview, which I suspect will be editted a bit but was a WHOLE LOT of fun, and then Gary explained to me The Obit Light, which is apparently installed in every TV and Radio studio in the land, so that if THE QUEEN or Prime Minister should peg it everyone can launch into Sombre Mode.

We packed up and Gary dropped me back at the hotel where I got my gear together, met up with Warren again, and headed out once more to The Cornubia to meet Pete. When we got in I asked if all was OK and he said "Sort of..." then The Landlord came over to explain things. I was filled with DREAD as he said we weren't really supposed to do gigs upstairs... but not to worry, as long as it wasn't too loud. PHEW. It was actually a LOVELY pub with REALLY nice beer in it - OK, going to non-gig-tastic places means you don't get much Casual Audience, but you DO get nice drink!

We went upstairs to set up then came back down for a quick few rounds of POP TRIVIA - there were questions on the table - before being joined by our SECOND Dandelion Radio DJ of the week, Rocker, who'd popped in. The lads from The Lauras (the proper band they were in, and a lot easier to remember/type out than Rescue Aid Society vs. The Black Terror, which they were calling their DUO act) were there too and we were having a FINE old time, it almost seemed a pity to have to break up the party and go and do a gig. Still, that's what we did, and as usual I went on first to do some ukelele songs, as follows:

Ctrl-Alt-Delete

Red & White Sockets

Programming Is A Poetry For Our Time

Chips And Cheese, Pint Of Wine

Leaning On A Lamppost

It was ALL GOOD, and after me our Run Of Good Luck With The Local Bands CONTINUED, as The Rescue Society of Versus... the Lauras were DEAD good, especially their finale, which was a ROLLICKING ride through "We Could Have Been Anything That We Wanted To Be" from Bugsy Malone.

Pete was up next, and once again did a GRATE set, especially a NEW song called, I think, "One Monday Morning". It was brilliant, funny and touching - he'd actually DEBUTED it the night before, but i'd been outside on the phone, but hopefully i'll be hearing it a LOT more. Hopefully he won't have that pillock on ukelele again tho...

Talking of which, it was then my turn, and this is what I played:

I Did A Gig In New York

The Peterborough All-Saints' Wide Game Team (Group B)

Billy Jones Is Dead

It Only Works Because You're Here

The Fight For History

Born Yesterday

The Gay Train

The Lesson Of The Smiths

Easily Impressed

Clubbing In The Week

Boom Shake The Room

It was a set of THREE PARTS - the first chunk was FINE, until i got to The Fight For History, which I haven't played on my own for a while and rather badly messed up. I also made a bit of a pig's ear of Born Yesterday, though luckily Warren was on hand with the words (having a lyric sheet with your CDs can be VERY handy) and my special GUEST GUITARIST AND SINGER, Mr Pete Green, ended up rather CARRYING me through the song!

Still, it picked up again after that and I think I did all right, and felt rather SAD to be doing Boom Shake The Room, knowing it was the final song. Still, that finality DID mean we could go back downstairs again for some BEER and CHAT, which was all VERY nice. SHOCKINGLY I believe Pete had had a bit much to drink, and the image of his BEAMING GRIN will stay with me forever - aaah!

We said our goodbyes... actually we said them several times, as there was EMOTION. It was a really nice few says, just the right length and just the right people, and next morning, sat on the train skipping into London, it was already taking on the ROSY GLOW of a happy memory. Being on tour is GRATE!

posted 2/11/2007 by MJ Hibbett

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Comments:

A bit much to drink! Of course. I was wondering why I couldn't remember going to bed that night. The ale in that Cornubia was a bit good, eh?

Anyway, ta again for having me along, old chum. It was bloody lovely! See you on the 2nd.
posted 4/11/2007 by Pete Green

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