Tonight is my last night staying in a hostel. I've been here just over two months, so needless to say I'm really, really, really looking forward to leaving.
Funnily enough, I think I'm going to miss it. Okay, so I'm not going to miss sharing a room with five other smelly, snoring bastards. I'm not going to miss having to lock my valuables up every night, nor will I miss waiting for a bathroom to become vacant while busting to go to the loo.
However, there are a few things I've enjoyed. Primarily, it's actually been a lot of fun having so many people around. Take last night, for example. Rather than come home and just sit on my bed (there's no lounge room here), instead a bunch of us had organised a trip to the Slug at Fulham for a night of drinking and debauchery. Which is precisely what happened! Then there's the Sunday afternoon gatherings at the pub, the Friday nights out on the town... there's almost always something to do. Having thought about it, most of it seems to involve abuse of the liver. I never used to be like this - what happened?
But all good things must come to an end, and there's a few things I'm really looking forward to that I'm going to put into practice as soon as I'm out of here. Number one on the list is getting myself in shape! Since I've arrived I've been eating, quite frankly, like a bit of a pig. That's going to change, I plan on changing my diet significantly to include as much fruit and veg as possible, and little to no junk food (oh, I'll miss it).
Then there's the exercise. Aside from my daily walk at lunch time to get something to eat, I've been doing very little in this department. Again, this is going to change. I've never noticed it all that much before, but I'm starting to become a bit porky and I really hate it. In the rehearsal rooms we go to, one whole wall is lined with mirrors - and the last thing I want to be is the fat bass player, which is what I see every time we go there. Even Dave and Alessio were giving me shit about it the other night.
For this, I've decided to hit the gym - ah, yes, that old chestnut. The thing is, I'm really sick of having a bulging belly and I swear I have bigger boobs than some girls I know, so much so that I feel embarrassed walking around in tee-shirts (which comprises 99% of my current wardrobe). I hate bulging in the wrong areas. Really hate it. This is going to change. I'm also considering buying a bike, but I'll see how I go over the next few weeks once I'm in my new place.
That's number one on my list of things to do.
Next on the list is to buy a new bass and two new guitars (I want a nice acoustic as well as an electric), then to get my butt practicing as hard as I can to become brilliant(er). I've actually surprised myself quite a bit with my latest band, I'm actually pretty pleased with some of the bass lines I've been coming up with - but I can do better (I know I can, simply because I hum them in my head all the time).
I must be doing something right, at any rate: while I was at the FLA gig the other week, Felicia was telling me about Dave and Alessio's previous attempts to find a bassist - apparently they went through around 15 others before I popped up. She said it's because Dave is really picky about who he plays with (which made me feel pretty damn good!), but when I asked him about it he said it was more to do with the fact that the others simply couldn't play a note to save their lives, or were just wholly unreliable. I am neither of these things, so I've lasted - and I plan to keep lasting.
I've also had a simple acoustic pop song running in my head the last couple of weeks that I'd like to work on. This is what happens when I spend an entire week listening to the Wonder Stuff!
What's number three on the list then? Well, I haven't made it that far yet, to be honest. I'll let you know if anything comes up.
Friday, 20 July 2007
Saturday, 14 July 2007
So What's Been Going On?
It's been a pretty plain couple of weeks, not a lot going on really. Just been working, rehearsing, going out a bit - that sort of thing.
I've mentioned a few times how much I love the music scene over here. I've been to see another couple of bands since the PWEI gig which were ace.
The first one was Ned's Atomic Dustbin, whose name you may remember from the PWEI article - and the picture I had taken with their lead singer, John Penney. That gig was actually on the Thursday night after I was in Brum, so it's been a bit of time since then.
Ned's are another band I've really dug since I was in my mid-to-late teens but never had the chance to see. They have a really unique sound, from John's deep voice and crafty lyrics to their twin bass attack (of course I'm going to like a band with two bassists!), not to mention all of their bouncy pop songs that are infectiously addictive. Well, it was worth the wait! Their set was full of classics (some of which I craftily filmed on my trusty camera) and they were on fire!
Like me, the crowd was advancing in age a little, but that didn't stop us having a good time! There was lots of bouncing, screaming and singing along to be had, not to mention meeting up with friends from web forums once again (naturally, most of them were at the PWEI gig too).
Next up was Front Line Assembly, yet another band I've been aching to see for about as long as Ned's. FLA are an offshoot of one of my very favourite bands, Skinny Puppy, so when I found out about the gig I booked two tickets almost immediately. However, my silly brain forgot one important detail: Lee was going to be in Africa when they were playing (and he'd told me this several times, so it was my own stupid fault for forgetting). So here I was, several days out from the show with a spare ticket and nobody to go with - until luck finally prevailed. It turns out that Alessio's girlfriend is into lots of the same bands as I am, and was just as eager to see FLA - so we ended up going together! By the way, Alessio is the singer in my new band.
Again, it's been around 14-15 years of waiting to see FLA and damn it, was it well worth the wait. Stunningly good - I didn't take the camera along this time so no pics or videos, but I still have my memories! The set list was a bit surprising, especially considering they played only two songs from their latest album - in fact, they played more from Millenium, which was released in 1994! Nothing at all from Hard Wired (which was a shame as I think it's one of their best), but they did play Plasticity, which was unbelievable. By the end, Felicia and I walked out very happy - as well as loaded with merch. Well, I did - Felicia only had a poster which she snagged for me!
Next up on the list are the August gigs: Skinny Puppy, Tool and Sonic Youth. Naturally, I'm looking forward to Puppy most, but the others look like they'll be pretty awesome too. Better yet, a couple of guys on the PWEI forum are going to sell me some Carter USM tickets for November, so I'm going to that too!
I've also managed to pick up a couple of tickets to see DAVID GILMOUR! Easily my most favourite guitarist in the entire world, he's going to be launching his new DVD in September. There's going to be a world-wide premiere in selected cinemas showcasing 85 minutes of the DVD, one song being performed live as well as a Q&A session beamed to all the locations. But where will all of this being taking place? Only at the Leicester Square Odeon, which I just scored tickets for this morning!
Let's see... Roger Waters in January, David Gilmour in September. Is this shaping up to be the best year I've ever had? All signs are pointing to yes.
I love living over here, I think I may have mentioned this before. Again, why would I ever want to leave?
I've mentioned a few times how much I love the music scene over here. I've been to see another couple of bands since the PWEI gig which were ace.
The first one was Ned's Atomic Dustbin, whose name you may remember from the PWEI article - and the picture I had taken with their lead singer, John Penney. That gig was actually on the Thursday night after I was in Brum, so it's been a bit of time since then.
Ned's are another band I've really dug since I was in my mid-to-late teens but never had the chance to see. They have a really unique sound, from John's deep voice and crafty lyrics to their twin bass attack (of course I'm going to like a band with two bassists!), not to mention all of their bouncy pop songs that are infectiously addictive. Well, it was worth the wait! Their set was full of classics (some of which I craftily filmed on my trusty camera) and they were on fire!
Like me, the crowd was advancing in age a little, but that didn't stop us having a good time! There was lots of bouncing, screaming and singing along to be had, not to mention meeting up with friends from web forums once again (naturally, most of them were at the PWEI gig too).
Next up was Front Line Assembly, yet another band I've been aching to see for about as long as Ned's. FLA are an offshoot of one of my very favourite bands, Skinny Puppy, so when I found out about the gig I booked two tickets almost immediately. However, my silly brain forgot one important detail: Lee was going to be in Africa when they were playing (and he'd told me this several times, so it was my own stupid fault for forgetting). So here I was, several days out from the show with a spare ticket and nobody to go with - until luck finally prevailed. It turns out that Alessio's girlfriend is into lots of the same bands as I am, and was just as eager to see FLA - so we ended up going together! By the way, Alessio is the singer in my new band.
Again, it's been around 14-15 years of waiting to see FLA and damn it, was it well worth the wait. Stunningly good - I didn't take the camera along this time so no pics or videos, but I still have my memories! The set list was a bit surprising, especially considering they played only two songs from their latest album - in fact, they played more from Millenium, which was released in 1994! Nothing at all from Hard Wired (which was a shame as I think it's one of their best), but they did play Plasticity, which was unbelievable. By the end, Felicia and I walked out very happy - as well as loaded with merch. Well, I did - Felicia only had a poster which she snagged for me!
Next up on the list are the August gigs: Skinny Puppy, Tool and Sonic Youth. Naturally, I'm looking forward to Puppy most, but the others look like they'll be pretty awesome too. Better yet, a couple of guys on the PWEI forum are going to sell me some Carter USM tickets for November, so I'm going to that too!
I've also managed to pick up a couple of tickets to see DAVID GILMOUR! Easily my most favourite guitarist in the entire world, he's going to be launching his new DVD in September. There's going to be a world-wide premiere in selected cinemas showcasing 85 minutes of the DVD, one song being performed live as well as a Q&A session beamed to all the locations. But where will all of this being taking place? Only at the Leicester Square Odeon, which I just scored tickets for this morning!
Let's see... Roger Waters in January, David Gilmour in September. Is this shaping up to be the best year I've ever had? All signs are pointing to yes.
I love living over here, I think I may have mentioned this before. Again, why would I ever want to leave?
Sunday, 1 July 2007
At Last, the Truth
It's been a couple of weeks since my last post and quite a bit has happened since then. I think it's about time to spill the beans about what's been going on for the last couple of months.
As I've already explained, I've been working here in London for three weeks and have been looking for somewhere to live for a couple of weeks longer than that. What I haven't explained is why this happened. I didn't run out of money, if that's what you're thinking.
Just before I left on my big trip to Oxford and Ireland, two new tenants had moved in with Lee and Margaret - I think they'd only been there for a couple of days before I headed off. After three excellent weeks on the road, I arrived back in London on a Saturday afternoon to find nobody at the flat - and no one was there until Monday night. However, when that person did arrive I was greeted with more disdain than enthusiasm.
Now, at this point I had already realised just how much of a pain I've been to my extremely kind and patient friends, so I felt bad enough that I was again taking up space in their home - so much so, that I was already planning to head out on the road again in a week to see my cousin in Paris. However, I still had to wait around in London for the Young Gods gig. My original plan had been to stick around in Ireland for a few more days and catch the ferry to Swansea, then make my way back a couple of days before the show. Unfortunately, the Cork-Swansea ferry had stopped at the time so, panicked and not knowing what else to do, I thought I'd head back to London instead.
I knew something was wrong when the same person completely ignored me the next day, so it didn't come as a huge shock when I was sent an email the following day from Lee to tell me one of their new flat mates had complained about me being there - and that I had to leave.
Now, I know Lee and Margaret read this so I just want to assure them once again that I don't hold a grudge or any malice against them! Quite the opposite, in fact: they have both been so unbelievably kind to me that it actually woke me up to how much of a pest I must have been. Besides, we still hang out and do things together all the time - it's barely changed!
At this point, I had a few options available: one was to pack my things, place my tail firmly between my legs and head home defeated; another was to hit the road again; finally, I could face up to the responsibility I've shirked over the last eight years and actually start to make my own way in the world - on my own.
The day after the show I checked myself in to a hostel in Shepherd's Bush. The next day, I started looking for work and a place to live. As I've already explained in previous posts, it took no time at all to find a job. Finding a place to stay, on the other hand, is not as easy - who'da thunk it?
However, the story doesn't end here. I've now been working for three weeks and I'm thoroughly enjoying it - I like the work and, quite frankly, I do a bloody good job. I've made a bunch of new friends here at the hostel and we've been having a great time. I've joined a new band and I'm having a brilliant time, I'm still in the process of learning the songs but I'm really excited at how they're turning out. I've started venturing out on my own as well as with friends. I still haven't been hit by a truck, but I did have a mild side-swipe on Friday night which was quite pleasurable. Sadly, she bolted just before midnight without a number or even a goodbye, but it was far more than I was expecting to happen so I was quite pleased anyway! Besides, the truck with my name on it will come eventually. I'm in no rush.
And finally, the best news of all - this afternoon I received a call to let me know one of the places I looked at this week would like me to join their household. The final piece of the puzzle has been filled!
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that being forced to move on was the best thing to happen to me since I arrived - no, the best thing to happen to me for a year. There are a few other things that have happened since I arrived that I don't really feel comfortable writing about just now, but the good news is that I've recovered from it all far better than I could've imagined.
As I've already explained, I've been working here in London for three weeks and have been looking for somewhere to live for a couple of weeks longer than that. What I haven't explained is why this happened. I didn't run out of money, if that's what you're thinking.
Just before I left on my big trip to Oxford and Ireland, two new tenants had moved in with Lee and Margaret - I think they'd only been there for a couple of days before I headed off. After three excellent weeks on the road, I arrived back in London on a Saturday afternoon to find nobody at the flat - and no one was there until Monday night. However, when that person did arrive I was greeted with more disdain than enthusiasm.
Now, at this point I had already realised just how much of a pain I've been to my extremely kind and patient friends, so I felt bad enough that I was again taking up space in their home - so much so, that I was already planning to head out on the road again in a week to see my cousin in Paris. However, I still had to wait around in London for the Young Gods gig. My original plan had been to stick around in Ireland for a few more days and catch the ferry to Swansea, then make my way back a couple of days before the show. Unfortunately, the Cork-Swansea ferry had stopped at the time so, panicked and not knowing what else to do, I thought I'd head back to London instead.
I knew something was wrong when the same person completely ignored me the next day, so it didn't come as a huge shock when I was sent an email the following day from Lee to tell me one of their new flat mates had complained about me being there - and that I had to leave.
Now, I know Lee and Margaret read this so I just want to assure them once again that I don't hold a grudge or any malice against them! Quite the opposite, in fact: they have both been so unbelievably kind to me that it actually woke me up to how much of a pest I must have been. Besides, we still hang out and do things together all the time - it's barely changed!
At this point, I had a few options available: one was to pack my things, place my tail firmly between my legs and head home defeated; another was to hit the road again; finally, I could face up to the responsibility I've shirked over the last eight years and actually start to make my own way in the world - on my own.
The day after the show I checked myself in to a hostel in Shepherd's Bush. The next day, I started looking for work and a place to live. As I've already explained in previous posts, it took no time at all to find a job. Finding a place to stay, on the other hand, is not as easy - who'da thunk it?
However, the story doesn't end here. I've now been working for three weeks and I'm thoroughly enjoying it - I like the work and, quite frankly, I do a bloody good job. I've made a bunch of new friends here at the hostel and we've been having a great time. I've joined a new band and I'm having a brilliant time, I'm still in the process of learning the songs but I'm really excited at how they're turning out. I've started venturing out on my own as well as with friends. I still haven't been hit by a truck, but I did have a mild side-swipe on Friday night which was quite pleasurable. Sadly, she bolted just before midnight without a number or even a goodbye, but it was far more than I was expecting to happen so I was quite pleased anyway! Besides, the truck with my name on it will come eventually. I'm in no rush.
And finally, the best news of all - this afternoon I received a call to let me know one of the places I looked at this week would like me to join their household. The final piece of the puzzle has been filled!
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that being forced to move on was the best thing to happen to me since I arrived - no, the best thing to happen to me for a year. There are a few other things that have happened since I arrived that I don't really feel comfortable writing about just now, but the good news is that I've recovered from it all far better than I could've imagined.
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Is Everybody Happy?
Yeah!
12 years ago I went to see PWEI in Bondi Junction, then again the next day at Eastern Creek Raceway.
Three days ago, I finally saw them again! Okay, so it was minus Clint - but it was still worth all of the trouble I went through to get there!
It all started early Saturday morning... on a bus. Although they're far more efficient, I can't justify taking trains willy nilly. Still, I arrived in Birmingham around 12.30pm and met up with my friend Brian - who I met only a couple of months earlier in Caernarfon!
After dropping my bag off at my cheapie hotel, Brian proceeded to give me a guided tour of Birmingham. First we walked past the Rainbow, a pub part-owned by Fuzz (the drummer from PWEI), then went for a walk through the Custard Factory and its small market before arriving in the city proper.
Despite the weather being so crappy in London, it was spectacular in Brum - blue skies and really hot, but this didn't deter us from exploring. Of everything I saw, the most memorable would be the modern art gallery - which contained, quite literally, some real shit. Honest.
About a month ago, two of these modern art type guys decided their next project - you're going to love this one. The gallery held an auction to raise some money, but it had to be a value that could be broken into two separate notes of any currency. In the end, the winning bid was €505 - which the two guys proceeded to eat. One note each. I am not making this up. The exhibit we saw was the result: two rather dirty and crumpled up Euro notes, as well as a video showing the whole affair. That's right kids, modern art is shit.
The only way of following this up was with a meal, so we headed to the pub for a drink and some lunch. Once finished, it was time to catch the number 9 bus to Stourbridge. Any PWEI fans out there will know why this was a big deal!
An hour or so later we finally made it to the home town of three of England's greatest bands: The Wonder Stuff, Ned's Atomic Dustbin and Pop Will Eat Itself. Pretty damn exciting for a fan, but realistically not the most exciting place I've been to. Brian was meeting up with some friends at the local Irish pub, so that's where we spent most of the afternoon - until it was time to head to the venue!
I was dead keen to arrive when the doors opened as they were going to be selling super limited edition tee-shirts and I didn't want to miss out. In the end, we beat the merch guys to the venue! I spent the next hour taking pictures and meeting lots of new people - most of them fellow PWEI Nationers, but I also said hello to John Penney who was DJing for the night. He's also the singer for Ned's Atomic Dustbin, who I'm going to see this Thursday night. I couldn't resist asking him if he remembered Def FX, as they both did a big tour of America in the early '90s. Surprisingly he did remember them, quite fondly as it happens!
At 8.30pm Miles Hunt took to the stage with his very lovely band-mate Erica Nockalls on the fiddle. He started off with a few songs from his new solo album, before band-mate Malcolm Treece joined them on stage to do a bunch of Stuffies songs. I don't have a lot of their stuff, but what I do have I really like - so it was a pretty damn cool set, I thought! Funnily enough, even though the night was billed as a vileevils gig, the crowd for Miles was pretty damn big.
When Miles ended, I quickly staked my claim at the front of the stage (with a bunch of my fellow Nationers). Despite the announcement a few days ago that Clint wasn't going to be here, there were still a few whispers around the place that he was going to turn up. That didn't really matter that much to me as I was about to see vileevils! I've been busting to see them ever since they formed, so I was buzzing with excitement - and I'm ecstatic to say it was miles better than I'd hoped!
Starting the set with Reaper (We don't fear the Reaper, We celebrate good times, We don't sleep 'til bedtime, honestly, sometimes), the boys were on fire for the entirety of their relatively short set. Only seven or eight songs all up, but they were all as brilliant as I'd expect them to be. They're absolutely a worthy follow up to the mighty PWEI juggernaut! With camera in hand, I did my best to snap as many cool pictures as I could while still jumping around having a good time. Alas, it was over all too soon... however before Gra departed the stage, he told us all to stick around for something special.
I think you can guess what it was.
Minutes later, one Richard March appeared on stage - followed by Gra, Fuzz and Adam! Sadly, Clint didn't turn up after all, but what we did get was some classic PWEI tracks from their long and sordid history. Starting with the inevitable There Is No Love Between Us Any More, they then stumbled their way through R.S.V.P., nailed Not Now James We're Busy, almost incited a dance floor riot with Get the Girl Kill the Baddies, before climaxing with Their Law. I'm pretty sure there was something else in there as well, but my memory is failing me for now.
Brian and I had already organised a taxi back to Brum with a couple of friends of his, which wasn't for another couple of hours, so I thought I might stay by the stage in the vain hope I could organise a photo with the boys. After a bit of waiting (and purchasing of more merch!) I managed to score a photo with Erica, who was on her way to the backstage area (not only is she stunning, but damn is she TALL!). Eventually, my waiting paid off as Adam ventured out with some gear - I asked if I could grab a picture with them, to which he was more than welcoming!
Heading into the backstage area with my favourite band... how to describe it? Unbelievable, to coin a term from another great UK group - how's that? During the show I had the bright idea of writing a text message on my phone to show Gra, explaining just how far I'd come to see them. It worked too, he mentioned it during the show - and now I was able to explain personally what I've been through in order to see them again. After a few minutes chat, I thought I'd best not to hold them up for too long so we all huddled together and took one of my most prized photos of all time.
I'm having such a brilliant time over here, there's always something to see or do practically every day of the week. Most importantly, I feel like my life has turned around completely from where it was a year ago: I'm happy again, I'm feeling positive about life and my self-confidence is growing back more and more every day. Now all I need to do is find somewhere to live and I'll be even happier!
Before I go, I'll leave you with a little souvenir from the show. This is Get the Girl, Kill the Baddies performed live by the greatest band in the Universe: Pop WILL Eat Itself. Enjoy... or else!
Thursday, 7 June 2007
Another Time
Oh well, looks like it's not going to happen. Gra and Fuzz have just posted that Clint won't have his visa in time to make it to the gig, so no secret PWEI show. Still, it's going to be unbelievably brilliant to see the vileevils, so I'm hardly complaining!
I guess I should tap out a few words about what I've been doing since I came back from Amsterdam. Not a lot, is the short answer. The long answer is...
Well, actually I didn't really do much at all last week except hang out and prepare for work. After everyone telling me it was going to be difficult to get a bank account, all I needed to do was turn up to a short seminar and fill out some forms. The next day they rang to let me know it was done. Easy!
I'm sitting here racking my brains trying to think what I did between Wednesday and Friday, but nothing is coming to mind - which makes me think I did bugger all. Which is highly likely.
Friday night, on the other hand, was my inaugural night out in London - on my own, that is. To start things off, I joined Lee and Margaret in celebrating Susie's birthday by going out for drinks and some food in the city. Poor Lee was still recovering from a cold and we being browbeaten by both girls to come out for dinner - to which he finally relented. We were then entertained by the restaurant staff tying balloons to Susie's wrists and arms, before presenting her with a massive birthday hat made from balloons.
After dinner, I headed off to the Inferno club in Camden - and had a brilliant time. With my rather eclectic tastes in music, it was wonderful to go to a club that only played the kind of music I like! I was originally planning to leave at midnight so I could catch the tube home. Instead, I left at 3am! I'd already planned for this contingency, though, and had written out which night buses I'd need to get back home. This took a good hour on its own and I eventually staggered into bed at 4am - with the sun coming up. Can't wait to do the same again next month!
On Saturday, I was invited to dinner at Lee and Margaret's place so, feeling a little under the weather, I made my way over there in the afternoon to watch some teevee, chat, help Susie load music on to her new iPod and, of course, eat.
The biggest thing to happen this week, of course, is the start of work! Rocking up on Monday morning at 9.30am, I spent most of the day becoming familiar with the business and the products they have. Was a bit of fun. By the end of the day I did get around to doing some work, but I didn't get into any serious stuff until the next day. It turns out it was a good week to start too, as on Wednesday the office was booked in to do a training course!
In the meantime, I've also decided to get back into music again. I came across an ad on a website on the weekend that had a link to a demo that I liked quite a lot - sort of like Joy Division/early New Order. I contacted them and met up with the guitarist last night and we hit it off pretty damn well. So well, in fact, that we both ended up drinking in the pub for almost five hours. I guess it goes without saying that I got the job!
I've also been looking for places to live. I've inspected a couple of places that didn't do much for me, but there was one that I absolutely loved in a fantastic area, a really nice place and brilliant people. It's not often that I absolutely click with anyone, but the girl living there was one of them. I don't find out if I get the place until Monday, but I really, really hope I get it. Not only because I hate looking for places, but because it was so perfect!
Only one more day of work until I head to Brum for the 'evils gig. I'm excited beyond the capacity to rationally describe it in words, so I better go before my head explodes.
I guess I should tap out a few words about what I've been doing since I came back from Amsterdam. Not a lot, is the short answer. The long answer is...
Well, actually I didn't really do much at all last week except hang out and prepare for work. After everyone telling me it was going to be difficult to get a bank account, all I needed to do was turn up to a short seminar and fill out some forms. The next day they rang to let me know it was done. Easy!
I'm sitting here racking my brains trying to think what I did between Wednesday and Friday, but nothing is coming to mind - which makes me think I did bugger all. Which is highly likely.
Friday night, on the other hand, was my inaugural night out in London - on my own, that is. To start things off, I joined Lee and Margaret in celebrating Susie's birthday by going out for drinks and some food in the city. Poor Lee was still recovering from a cold and we being browbeaten by both girls to come out for dinner - to which he finally relented. We were then entertained by the restaurant staff tying balloons to Susie's wrists and arms, before presenting her with a massive birthday hat made from balloons.
After dinner, I headed off to the Inferno club in Camden - and had a brilliant time. With my rather eclectic tastes in music, it was wonderful to go to a club that only played the kind of music I like! I was originally planning to leave at midnight so I could catch the tube home. Instead, I left at 3am! I'd already planned for this contingency, though, and had written out which night buses I'd need to get back home. This took a good hour on its own and I eventually staggered into bed at 4am - with the sun coming up. Can't wait to do the same again next month!
On Saturday, I was invited to dinner at Lee and Margaret's place so, feeling a little under the weather, I made my way over there in the afternoon to watch some teevee, chat, help Susie load music on to her new iPod and, of course, eat.
The biggest thing to happen this week, of course, is the start of work! Rocking up on Monday morning at 9.30am, I spent most of the day becoming familiar with the business and the products they have. Was a bit of fun. By the end of the day I did get around to doing some work, but I didn't get into any serious stuff until the next day. It turns out it was a good week to start too, as on Wednesday the office was booked in to do a training course!
In the meantime, I've also decided to get back into music again. I came across an ad on a website on the weekend that had a link to a demo that I liked quite a lot - sort of like Joy Division/early New Order. I contacted them and met up with the guitarist last night and we hit it off pretty damn well. So well, in fact, that we both ended up drinking in the pub for almost five hours. I guess it goes without saying that I got the job!
I've also been looking for places to live. I've inspected a couple of places that didn't do much for me, but there was one that I absolutely loved in a fantastic area, a really nice place and brilliant people. It's not often that I absolutely click with anyone, but the girl living there was one of them. I don't find out if I get the place until Monday, but I really, really hope I get it. Not only because I hate looking for places, but because it was so perfect!
Only one more day of work until I head to Brum for the 'evils gig. I'm excited beyond the capacity to rationally describe it in words, so I better go before my head explodes.
Saturday, 2 June 2007
I'm Excited
As everyone knows, Pop Will Eat Itself are the greatest band in the entire history of the Universe. Naturally, the world became a less interesting place in 1997 when they split up.
Eight years later, they attempted a reformation which began with five shows in January 2005 and an attempt to record a new album. Sadly, Clint and Rich were unable to keep it going - but the good news is, Gra, Adam and Fuzz decided to start a new band: vileevils!
I saw PWEI twice in 1995 and they are still my favourite two gigs I've ever been to. They've been my very favourite band for years and years and years, so I was a bit down that I missed the reformation gigs. The bright side, at least, is that I have a DVD of one of the shows and it was just as wonderful as I'd expected.
As one of my previous posts might have hinted at, I'm seriously loving the music scene here in London. I'm seeing so many bands I've either wanted to see for years and years but never had the opportunity, or I'm getting to see some of my favourite bands again after an extremely long time.
Next weekend I'm heading up to Birmingham to see vileevils. It's a special gig: it's a benefit fund-raiser for a little boy named Oscar who was born without hands or feet. He also happens to be the son of one of PWEI's old roadies, who also used to be in the very original incarnation of PWEI - when they were known as From Eden.
When I heard about this show, I knew I had to be there. It's starting to look like it's going to be an even more special event than I'd anticipated. Why's that, you ask?
First it started with a rumour that Clint was going to be in attendance, a plausible event considering it's a special show for an old friend.
The next inkling came with an announcement that Miles Hunt would be in attendance too, playing before the 'evils. For those not in the know, Miles Hunt used to be in From Eden too - but is better known as the lead singer of The Wonder Stuff. You know at least one of their songs: you know 'Dizzy'? I'm so dizzy, my head is spinning... that's the one. That's The Wonder Stuff - funnily enough, with someone else singing. But it's still them.
Finally came a posting on the PWEI forum this morning from a Mr. Fuzz Townshend which read a little exactly like this:
Subject: Hmmm. So That Makes Five Of Us , Then?
Message: One never knows what will happen at these kind of events.
Could it be? Is it possible?
I guess I'll find out in a week!
Eight years later, they attempted a reformation which began with five shows in January 2005 and an attempt to record a new album. Sadly, Clint and Rich were unable to keep it going - but the good news is, Gra, Adam and Fuzz decided to start a new band: vileevils!
I saw PWEI twice in 1995 and they are still my favourite two gigs I've ever been to. They've been my very favourite band for years and years and years, so I was a bit down that I missed the reformation gigs. The bright side, at least, is that I have a DVD of one of the shows and it was just as wonderful as I'd expected.
As one of my previous posts might have hinted at, I'm seriously loving the music scene here in London. I'm seeing so many bands I've either wanted to see for years and years but never had the opportunity, or I'm getting to see some of my favourite bands again after an extremely long time.
Next weekend I'm heading up to Birmingham to see vileevils. It's a special gig: it's a benefit fund-raiser for a little boy named Oscar who was born without hands or feet. He also happens to be the son of one of PWEI's old roadies, who also used to be in the very original incarnation of PWEI - when they were known as From Eden.
When I heard about this show, I knew I had to be there. It's starting to look like it's going to be an even more special event than I'd anticipated. Why's that, you ask?
First it started with a rumour that Clint was going to be in attendance, a plausible event considering it's a special show for an old friend.
The next inkling came with an announcement that Miles Hunt would be in attendance too, playing before the 'evils. For those not in the know, Miles Hunt used to be in From Eden too - but is better known as the lead singer of The Wonder Stuff. You know at least one of their songs: you know 'Dizzy'? I'm so dizzy, my head is spinning... that's the one. That's The Wonder Stuff - funnily enough, with someone else singing. But it's still them.
Finally came a posting on the PWEI forum this morning from a Mr. Fuzz Townshend which read a little exactly like this:
Subject: Hmmm. So That Makes Five Of Us , Then?
Message: One never knows what will happen at these kind of events.
Could it be? Is it possible?
I guess I'll find out in a week!
Tuesday, 29 May 2007
Mum - please don't read this!
I've had my Amsterdam cherry broken and I'll never be the same... for this reason, parts of this message will be coded in order to protect the innocent - mostly my mum. Sorry mum.
Waking up at the dog-awful time of 5.30am on Saturday morning, I managed to crawl out of bed, have a shower and still make it to the tour departure point on time. Hopping on the bus, my lack of sleep brought on premature grumpiness so I stuck my headphones in and listened to My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult while we drove to Dover - roughly 90 minutes from London.
The day's plan was to take the ferry to Calais (France), then drive up through Belgium until arriving in Amsterdam around 7pm. Not all at once, thankfully: we were stopping for a couple of hours in Bruges (Belgium).
As my first real taste of Europe proper, I couldn't really ask for a better introduction. Rich with beautiful architecture, it was all too easy to wander the streets just admiring the sights - and even easier to get lost. Which I did. Even during my worst directionally challenged moments, I've never panicked quite as much as I did this day.
With time ticking away, I knew I had to find my way back. Rather than simply backtracking the way I came, I caught a lucky break and recognised a landmark I'd wandered past earlier. Reorienting myself, I eventually made it back to our starting point and firmly planted myself close to the departure point. With a bit of time left, I figured I'd grab something to eat (sampling some genuine Belgian fries) and picking up some special souvenirs, before sitting by the water watching the swans and striking up a conversation with some of the others on the tour.
Unfortunately, not everyone on the tour was as lucky as I was.
While I was wandering around panic-stricken, I kept noticing two girls on the tour. Sometimes I was following them, other times they were following me - but they were always around. That is, until it came time to leave. The bus waited around for quite a long time - with the driver even taking a quick jaunt around the area just in case they were close by - but eventually we had to leave without them. Quite a start to the trip!
Back on the coach, I donned my earphones once again and napped the rest of the way until we reached the outskirts of Amsterdam. Now, the tour I chose was remarkably cheap - it turns out there was a reason. This time there were no fancy hostels to stay in: instead, we were sleeping 30 minutes drive outside the city at a campsite! Thankfully we were staying in cabins, but it still meant we needed our own sleeping bag and pillow (which I'd hurriedly rushed out to buy the day before).
After settling in, we once again loaded into the bus for our inaugural descent into the bowels of Amsterdam. Dropping us off at Central Station, I attached myself to a nice South African couple with fantastic music taste, and a pair of young American guys. Wandering the streets occupied most of the evening - most of the time looking for something to eat. In the end, the two guys decided to head off in a different direction. We were all meeting up to go back to the campsite at 11pm anyway, so the remaining three of us grabbed some Dutch fries and retired to a bar until the bus arrived. Some good news too - the missing girls had finally arrived via train!
I'd just like to point out at this time that the weather in Amsterdam was not as pleasant as I'd hoped it to be. It wasn't as bad as had been forecast in England, but it was still overcast and a bit chillier than I would've liked. The knock-on effect of this reared its head when I leapt into my sleeping bed with just a tee-shirt on. I'd decided against buying a really thick sleeping bag for some reason and I was rapidly starting to regret my purchase. My next step was putting a jumper on. When that didn't help, I had to get back into my only pair of jeans I'd brought with me. Not entirely comfortable as I'd like, but at least I was warm enough to get to sleep.
With the morning came a decision: what to do first? I'd originally hoped to go on the optional trip to Volendam so I could see some authentic clogs, cheesemaking and windmills - but I guess I was the only one, as it was called off. Instead, I joined the American guys from the night before - along with three girls, also American, as well as another Aussie - and headed off to see Anne Frank's house.
I've now been to several places rich with the recent history of human atrocities - I can now add another one to the list. It really is hard to fathom just how unbelievably evil people can be to one another until you come face to face with the legacy left behind by the survivors of any atrocity, and in this particular case it's in the diary pages of a young girl guilty of one thing: being born in the wrong place in the wrong time.
It is truly heartbreaking to read the various select passages from her period of self-imposed incarceration, but at the same time it is beautifully uplifting to hear the stories of those who survived this period, describing the sacrifices these incredibly brave people had to make in order to simply survive from one to the next with the heavy threat of persecution all around them. To describe this monument as a highlight almost seems insulting, it was a genuinely moving experience.
Next up, we thought we'd take in a bit of culture by visiting the Van Gogh Museum. It was quite a hike - with more than one wrong turn made - but, eventually we made it.
I'd like to think that I have a certain amount of appreciation of the arts, so I did my best to appreciate the Dutch master's works. Thankfully it's not a difficult thing to do, as some of his work was truly spectacular - and I actually learned quite a bit. As it turns out, Van Gogh only decided to become an artist late in his life - without even knowing if he had any talent for it! As it turns out, his dedication and determination eventually won out in the end, which is something I greatly admire of anyone. There were a couple of pictures I really enjoyed, and I even accurately detected some of the motives and thinking behind various paintings. All up, a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours.
Having soaked up history and culture, our next stop was a combination of both these things: a trip to the Heineken Experience! Arriving just minutes before the queue was closed off, I was initially a little wary of going here considering I was less than impressed by the Guinness Factory. Despite this, I was enjoying the company a great deal (having had some time to get to know the girls a bit more) so I figured it'd be a bit of fun. Besides, by the end of the tour we were given three drinks and a free gift.
Admittedly, it was a lot more fun than the Guinness factory, but they were both pretty similar: both are basically just big museums with a few artifacts from the past scattered around the place. There were more places for some amusing photo opportunities at Heineken, though. Plus, there were more drinks and each bar had a great atmosphere.
By now we were really having a good time - three beers in 30 minutes will do that - and we were all getting on really well, so it was quickly decided it was time to find a coffee shop.
This is where the code starts, by the way. If you know what I'm talking about, great.
We found one not too far from Heineken and headed inside. We each grabbed a cake, along with a few other local specialaties, and sat around for a little while relaxing. This didn't last too long, sadly, as half of our small group had to head back to the meeting point to join the rest of the tour group. Another optional extra on this trip was a live entertainment show down in the red light district - and I figured while I was here, I may as well sample a bit of everything on offer here.
If I had the choice again, knowing what I know now, I'd definitely skip the show. I'll refrain from a detailed critique, only to say it wasn't worth it.
When we eventually emerged from the theatre, our tour guide took us for a walk around the red light district. Now, I'd heard a lot about this area (primarily: don't take pictures lest you wish your camera to end up in a watery grave), but it's still quite a sight to behold. On the way around, two of the girls on the tour were propositioned by strangers on the street, too. After taking in the sights of all sorts of working women, we headed back to the bus and, consequently, the campsite. Funnily enough, I slept like a baby this night.
For our final day in the 'dam we were pencilled in for a boat ride around the many canals. Apparently there are more canals in Amsterdam than Venice, so there were plenty of areas to travel through. Sadly, this was our last taste of the city as we were soon herded back onto the coach for the return journey, which saw us arrive back in London by 9pm or so.
Admittedly, I was expecting Amsterdam to be smaller, a bit dirty and extremely sleazy - it was none of these things. In fact, it's probably the most beautiful place I've been to so far - in every possible way. Yes, there are areas of Amsterdam that aren't quite as nice as others, but even in places such as the red light district there's still an atmosphere of fun in the air that you don't normally see in most cities.
I only really had one day to see the sights, which wasn't nearly enough. I guess this means I'm just going to have to go back again!
Waking up at the dog-awful time of 5.30am on Saturday morning, I managed to crawl out of bed, have a shower and still make it to the tour departure point on time. Hopping on the bus, my lack of sleep brought on premature grumpiness so I stuck my headphones in and listened to My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult while we drove to Dover - roughly 90 minutes from London.
The day's plan was to take the ferry to Calais (France), then drive up through Belgium until arriving in Amsterdam around 7pm. Not all at once, thankfully: we were stopping for a couple of hours in Bruges (Belgium).
As my first real taste of Europe proper, I couldn't really ask for a better introduction. Rich with beautiful architecture, it was all too easy to wander the streets just admiring the sights - and even easier to get lost. Which I did. Even during my worst directionally challenged moments, I've never panicked quite as much as I did this day.
With time ticking away, I knew I had to find my way back. Rather than simply backtracking the way I came, I caught a lucky break and recognised a landmark I'd wandered past earlier. Reorienting myself, I eventually made it back to our starting point and firmly planted myself close to the departure point. With a bit of time left, I figured I'd grab something to eat (sampling some genuine Belgian fries) and picking up some special souvenirs, before sitting by the water watching the swans and striking up a conversation with some of the others on the tour.
Unfortunately, not everyone on the tour was as lucky as I was.
While I was wandering around panic-stricken, I kept noticing two girls on the tour. Sometimes I was following them, other times they were following me - but they were always around. That is, until it came time to leave. The bus waited around for quite a long time - with the driver even taking a quick jaunt around the area just in case they were close by - but eventually we had to leave without them. Quite a start to the trip!
Back on the coach, I donned my earphones once again and napped the rest of the way until we reached the outskirts of Amsterdam. Now, the tour I chose was remarkably cheap - it turns out there was a reason. This time there were no fancy hostels to stay in: instead, we were sleeping 30 minutes drive outside the city at a campsite! Thankfully we were staying in cabins, but it still meant we needed our own sleeping bag and pillow (which I'd hurriedly rushed out to buy the day before).
After settling in, we once again loaded into the bus for our inaugural descent into the bowels of Amsterdam. Dropping us off at Central Station, I attached myself to a nice South African couple with fantastic music taste, and a pair of young American guys. Wandering the streets occupied most of the evening - most of the time looking for something to eat. In the end, the two guys decided to head off in a different direction. We were all meeting up to go back to the campsite at 11pm anyway, so the remaining three of us grabbed some Dutch fries and retired to a bar until the bus arrived. Some good news too - the missing girls had finally arrived via train!
I'd just like to point out at this time that the weather in Amsterdam was not as pleasant as I'd hoped it to be. It wasn't as bad as had been forecast in England, but it was still overcast and a bit chillier than I would've liked. The knock-on effect of this reared its head when I leapt into my sleeping bed with just a tee-shirt on. I'd decided against buying a really thick sleeping bag for some reason and I was rapidly starting to regret my purchase. My next step was putting a jumper on. When that didn't help, I had to get back into my only pair of jeans I'd brought with me. Not entirely comfortable as I'd like, but at least I was warm enough to get to sleep.
With the morning came a decision: what to do first? I'd originally hoped to go on the optional trip to Volendam so I could see some authentic clogs, cheesemaking and windmills - but I guess I was the only one, as it was called off. Instead, I joined the American guys from the night before - along with three girls, also American, as well as another Aussie - and headed off to see Anne Frank's house.
I've now been to several places rich with the recent history of human atrocities - I can now add another one to the list. It really is hard to fathom just how unbelievably evil people can be to one another until you come face to face with the legacy left behind by the survivors of any atrocity, and in this particular case it's in the diary pages of a young girl guilty of one thing: being born in the wrong place in the wrong time.
It is truly heartbreaking to read the various select passages from her period of self-imposed incarceration, but at the same time it is beautifully uplifting to hear the stories of those who survived this period, describing the sacrifices these incredibly brave people had to make in order to simply survive from one to the next with the heavy threat of persecution all around them. To describe this monument as a highlight almost seems insulting, it was a genuinely moving experience.
Next up, we thought we'd take in a bit of culture by visiting the Van Gogh Museum. It was quite a hike - with more than one wrong turn made - but, eventually we made it.
I'd like to think that I have a certain amount of appreciation of the arts, so I did my best to appreciate the Dutch master's works. Thankfully it's not a difficult thing to do, as some of his work was truly spectacular - and I actually learned quite a bit. As it turns out, Van Gogh only decided to become an artist late in his life - without even knowing if he had any talent for it! As it turns out, his dedication and determination eventually won out in the end, which is something I greatly admire of anyone. There were a couple of pictures I really enjoyed, and I even accurately detected some of the motives and thinking behind various paintings. All up, a thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours.
Having soaked up history and culture, our next stop was a combination of both these things: a trip to the Heineken Experience! Arriving just minutes before the queue was closed off, I was initially a little wary of going here considering I was less than impressed by the Guinness Factory. Despite this, I was enjoying the company a great deal (having had some time to get to know the girls a bit more) so I figured it'd be a bit of fun. Besides, by the end of the tour we were given three drinks and a free gift.
Admittedly, it was a lot more fun than the Guinness factory, but they were both pretty similar: both are basically just big museums with a few artifacts from the past scattered around the place. There were more places for some amusing photo opportunities at Heineken, though. Plus, there were more drinks and each bar had a great atmosphere.
By now we were really having a good time - three beers in 30 minutes will do that - and we were all getting on really well, so it was quickly decided it was time to find a coffee shop.
This is where the code starts, by the way. If you know what I'm talking about, great.
We found one not too far from Heineken and headed inside. We each grabbed a cake, along with a few other local specialaties, and sat around for a little while relaxing. This didn't last too long, sadly, as half of our small group had to head back to the meeting point to join the rest of the tour group. Another optional extra on this trip was a live entertainment show down in the red light district - and I figured while I was here, I may as well sample a bit of everything on offer here.
If I had the choice again, knowing what I know now, I'd definitely skip the show. I'll refrain from a detailed critique, only to say it wasn't worth it.
When we eventually emerged from the theatre, our tour guide took us for a walk around the red light district. Now, I'd heard a lot about this area (primarily: don't take pictures lest you wish your camera to end up in a watery grave), but it's still quite a sight to behold. On the way around, two of the girls on the tour were propositioned by strangers on the street, too. After taking in the sights of all sorts of working women, we headed back to the bus and, consequently, the campsite. Funnily enough, I slept like a baby this night.
For our final day in the 'dam we were pencilled in for a boat ride around the many canals. Apparently there are more canals in Amsterdam than Venice, so there were plenty of areas to travel through. Sadly, this was our last taste of the city as we were soon herded back onto the coach for the return journey, which saw us arrive back in London by 9pm or so.
Admittedly, I was expecting Amsterdam to be smaller, a bit dirty and extremely sleazy - it was none of these things. In fact, it's probably the most beautiful place I've been to so far - in every possible way. Yes, there are areas of Amsterdam that aren't quite as nice as others, but even in places such as the red light district there's still an atmosphere of fun in the air that you don't normally see in most cities.
I only really had one day to see the sights, which wasn't nearly enough. I guess this means I'm just going to have to go back again!
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