I arrived safely yesterday and found my way to the hostel fairly painlessly. Well, except for the slight confusion figuring out which train to get... oh, and that little run in with the ticket inspector, which saw me narrowly escaping a fine for an unvalidated ticket. Typical, less than two hours in the country and I'm already a fugitive of the law.
Like London, it was pitch black at 5pm so it didn't make a lot of sense to go out sight seeing last night. Instead, I checked into the hostel, said hello to a couple of fellow travellers and headed out for some food and a few drinks with one of them (and a brief look around, of course).
Waking up this morning at 8.30am reeking of cigarette smoke (never, ever forget how wonderful the smoking bans are!), I quickly had a shower and tried to figure out what to do and see today. After perusing some of the pamphlets for the various tours around the city, I discovered a nice walking tour was leaving just down the street from me - in 20 minutes. Rushing out the door with my bag, camera and warm clothes, I caught the U-bahn to the station and made the tour in plenty of time.
Oh yeah, it's frickin' freezing here! Last night it was apparently -2 degrees. Today it was 5 degrees. I am ever so thankful I decided to buy gloves and a new beanie on the weekend, I think I'd be a block of ice otherwise.
The tour was a good four hour, five kilometre walk that mostly focused on the eastern side of the city (history buffs will know this was the Soviet side until recently). Our guide was a really friendly American girl who's gone native, and she detailed a great amount of the history of every place we visited. Photos will be posted when I get back, I promise - there was some good stuff!
The Pink Floyd freak in me was most excited by a visit to Potzdamer Platz which, in addition to being one of the most infamous areas of the Berlin wall, was also the site where Roger Waters performed his massive star-studded staging of The Wall, just months after the actual wall was dismantled. Interesting enough, part of the area is just an empty block of land. There's a lot of this around the city, actually: there are still disputes over the rightful owners of these areas - the Potzdamer Platz area in particular was forcefully taken from a famous Jewish-German family by the Nazis in the '30s, and it was only recently that reperations were given to the descendents of the original owners.
There's a lot of pretty spectacular architecture around, although the vast majority of it is recreated from how things looked before it was all bombed to pieces. Of course, the most infamous of all structures is the wall itself, which thankfully no longer exists beyond a few small pieces. That said, there are plenty of reminders of its presence if you know where to look: the most obvious being the cobbled path that winds throughout the city to mark where the wall intersected east from west.
One of the other memorable areas we visited was the memorial to the millions of Jews killed in the Holocaust. Only recently constructed, it consists of 2711 (I think it was) concrete blocks uniformly spread over a five acre area. No two blocks are apparently the same height, and the ground they are embedded in is also non-uniform, so it's a bit of fun to walk through. The guy who designed it made it this way specifically, but refused to offer any explanations to what they mean - instead, it's up to individuals to make up their own minds as to its significance. Not surprisingly, I have my own theory - but I'm not going to share it with anyone.
Not far from this is the area where Hitler's bunker lies, where he committed suicide during the final days of the War. The original attempt to build new apartments over the top of it were scuppered when the ground was found to be too unstable to build on, so instead the bunker was filled with concrete and a car park was put there instead. Oddly, this seems a fitting tribute to the psychopath who destroyed so many lives.
After the tour, I considered my options and decided to head back to the hostel to figure out what to do for the rest of day. And rest, I'd been on my feet walking for over four hours straight!
I still haven't decided what to do yet, but I'm strongly considering going on one of the pub crawls offered - it seems like a decent introduction to the night life here, plus it'll give me an opportunity to meet some new people.
As for the rest of the week, there's plenty of other tours to do, museums to see, shops to visit... too much. Should be fun, can't wait to find out what I end up doing!
Wednesday, 21 November 2007
Monday, 19 November 2007
Twas the night before...
It's hard to believe that I've been living here in London for eight months now. I still wander around and marvel at the fact that I'm living in one of the greatest cities in the world - last night, in particular, I was wandering through the rain and the cold, along the Thames, with the Houses of Parliament (and Big Ben) lit up in the distance. I couldn't help but smile.
Even harder to believe is it's been six months since I last went travelling! Aside from some minor excursions to Birmingham to see some gigs, the last proper travel I did was to Amsterdam just before I started work. Yes, that also means I've been working here for six months too. There's an old cliche about time that seems to apply here.
However, this is all about to change! For the next week, I'm going to be spending my time in Berlin - and I can't wait. With all of the work, bands and other stuff I've been doing I feel like I've settled into the same stale groove I was in before I came over here, so it's nice to shake things up again and actually get out and see a bit more of the world. Plus I could really do with some time off right now!
The only bummer about it is I've picked up a nasty bastard cough that I just can't shake. A couple of weeks ago I was sick (AGAIN!!), but this time it only lasted for a day or two - I felt perfectly fine afterward. The most annoying part is that, one week later, I started coughing. And coughing. And it's still here a week later! I don't feel sick at all, I just can't stop coughing. I've tried throat lozenges, cough syrup and various other remedies, but it's stubbornly refusing to leave. This means I'm going to have three very annoyed room-mates at my hostel in Berlin as I spend the night coughing up a lung.
In other news... there is no news. Well, we had another gig last Saturday night which went fairly well, but not many people turned up in the end, which was a bit of a disappointment. The next one is a few days after I get back - on a school night too! We're still auditioning drummers for the new band, we're seeing two the night I get back so hopefully one will turn out okay.
If all goes according to plan, my next post should be from Germany.
Even harder to believe is it's been six months since I last went travelling! Aside from some minor excursions to Birmingham to see some gigs, the last proper travel I did was to Amsterdam just before I started work. Yes, that also means I've been working here for six months too. There's an old cliche about time that seems to apply here.
However, this is all about to change! For the next week, I'm going to be spending my time in Berlin - and I can't wait. With all of the work, bands and other stuff I've been doing I feel like I've settled into the same stale groove I was in before I came over here, so it's nice to shake things up again and actually get out and see a bit more of the world. Plus I could really do with some time off right now!
The only bummer about it is I've picked up a nasty bastard cough that I just can't shake. A couple of weeks ago I was sick (AGAIN!!), but this time it only lasted for a day or two - I felt perfectly fine afterward. The most annoying part is that, one week later, I started coughing. And coughing. And it's still here a week later! I don't feel sick at all, I just can't stop coughing. I've tried throat lozenges, cough syrup and various other remedies, but it's stubbornly refusing to leave. This means I'm going to have three very annoyed room-mates at my hostel in Berlin as I spend the night coughing up a lung.
In other news... there is no news. Well, we had another gig last Saturday night which went fairly well, but not many people turned up in the end, which was a bit of a disappointment. The next one is a few days after I get back - on a school night too! We're still auditioning drummers for the new band, we're seeing two the night I get back so hopefully one will turn out okay.
If all goes according to plan, my next post should be from Germany.
Sunday, 28 October 2007
Rockin' all over the World
Ha, and I bet you thought I'd dropped off the face of the planet!
Yes, it's been three months or so since my last post - I guess that means I've been busy, right? Well, I guess you could say that. Let's recap, shall we?
Let's start with the end of my last post: the audition went very smoothly and I've now been playing with that band for three months. I slotted in pretty quickly, so much so that we had gigs organised almost right away - and the first one was just two nights ago! That's right, I've now played my first gig in London. It was so much fun, the crowd was surprisingly large (in the end a smidgen over 60 people showed up specifically to see us - the venue fits 100) and we all had a brilliant time. But hey, don't just take my word for it - here's a couple of videos!
The first one is from a song called Cut:
This next one is from a song called Turn. It has a really cool bass line, so naturally I like it a lot:
There's also heaps of pictures on my flickr page, so if you're interested check them out. We have another gig scheduled for November 10, then we're going to do some recording and hopefully a couple more gigs - unfortunately, our lead guitarist has decided to head back to Australia at the end of December so I'm not quite sure what's going to happen after that.
On to the next band. Well, a couple of weeks ago I decided to quit the first band I joined. Things just weren't working out, I was becoming very bored with it all and I was becoming less and less impressed by Dave's intentions. For some reason, I just happen to think that the most important thing a band needs more than anything else is songs - not a tailored image dictated by costume designers and DJs. I guess I don't know anything about the music industry in the UK though (at least, that's what Dave tells me) because he was far more interested in these things and completely neglecting to write new songs. After five months together we only had three songs, which if you ask me is a bit pathetic. I hope he manages to get the success he's desperately craving, but I'm afraid he's going to have to do it without me.
Funnily enough, the night I'd decided to quit Dave's band I thought I'd take a look on Gumtree to see if there were any interesting offers going. After a short search I came across another band looking for a bassist, so I took a listen to their tracks - and was totally blown away. I instantly wrote to them expressing an interest, and the next day I had an audition scheduled for the next weekend. I was also sent three songs to learn, but I was so into them I went ahead and did a fourth as well.
I turned up to the audition around 10.15am on a Sunday morning, met the band and plugged in - then played as if I'd been with them for years. It was pretty much perfect, and it was the same for all four songs. After we played, we chatted for a while and I had a good feeling about how it was going - I'd been shitting myself all week, I really wanted to be in this band. They told me they had a couple of other guys to see and they'd let me know later in the week. I said my goodbyes and headed home. Not 30 minutes later my phone rang - it was the guitarist, telling me they decided I was perfect and they didn't want to see anyone else.
I'm beyond excited about this band, the singer has an amazingly strong voice and she writes really interesting and slightly quirky lyrics that I like a lot. The guitar work is fantastic, the drums are cool and, most importantly, they have really solid bass lines that I enjoy playing. I'm already perfect with half a set's worth of songs, I should have the other half ready by our next rehearsal.
That's the exciting stuff out of the way. Work is much the same, although it's been a bit busy the last couple of weeks (and frustrating at times), but I'm still pretty happy there. Not a lot else to talk about there, really.
Haven't done a lot of travel lately, mainly due to work and the bands. I did take a trip to Dudley to see the Aussie Pink Floyd Show which was kind of interesting. The main attraction in Dudley appears to be the zoo, which has been constructed around the ruins of Dudley Castle. Sadly, the zoo was quite a depressing place - most of the animals were in some pretty small and shabby cages - the orangutans in particular had a truly awful area and they looked miserable.
At least the gig was good: I met up with my mate Brian and we hung out for most of the day, having a few pints and some food before the show. And wow, what a show! I know I'm never going to see the real Pink Floyd, but these guys do a pretty damn impressive imitation - at times you could close your eyes and you'd swear it was the real thing. They also had a massive light show complete with multiple lasers - but no inflatable
I also recently spent the night in Brighton so I could go and see vileevils playing - which I think was worth it, in the end. As it turns out I could've easily made it back to London after the gig, but it was nice to have a day off work and just chill out by the seaside.
So now I'm digging through my memories to try and recall any other important events and nothing is sticking out, so I guess that's about all to tell for now. I've had a couple of people tell me they're not as interested in these music posts, but I'm afraid you're going to have to bear with me as it's pretty much all I've been doing. The good news is I've just booked a week's holiday away for the end of November - I'm going to Berlin! I had to take a week off before the end of the year otherwise I was going to lose my holiday time, so I was racking my brains where to go. In the end my flatmate said I should go to Berlin because she had a brilliant time when she was there, so I did a small amount of research and decided it sounded good to me! So fear not, faithful readers, there will be more travel posts coming soon!
Until then, you're going to have to put up with a couple more music posts - Carter USM is next week, plus the Young Gods are coming back to the UK for a lengthier tour than last time so I'll be going to see them a couple of times again. Oh yeah, and EMF are doing a one-off show too - with Richard Poppie on bass!
In the mean time, I'll leave you with this:
Yes, it's been three months or so since my last post - I guess that means I've been busy, right? Well, I guess you could say that. Let's recap, shall we?
Let's start with the end of my last post: the audition went very smoothly and I've now been playing with that band for three months. I slotted in pretty quickly, so much so that we had gigs organised almost right away - and the first one was just two nights ago! That's right, I've now played my first gig in London. It was so much fun, the crowd was surprisingly large (in the end a smidgen over 60 people showed up specifically to see us - the venue fits 100) and we all had a brilliant time. But hey, don't just take my word for it - here's a couple of videos!
The first one is from a song called Cut:
This next one is from a song called Turn. It has a really cool bass line, so naturally I like it a lot:
There's also heaps of pictures on my flickr page, so if you're interested check them out. We have another gig scheduled for November 10, then we're going to do some recording and hopefully a couple more gigs - unfortunately, our lead guitarist has decided to head back to Australia at the end of December so I'm not quite sure what's going to happen after that.
On to the next band. Well, a couple of weeks ago I decided to quit the first band I joined. Things just weren't working out, I was becoming very bored with it all and I was becoming less and less impressed by Dave's intentions. For some reason, I just happen to think that the most important thing a band needs more than anything else is songs - not a tailored image dictated by costume designers and DJs. I guess I don't know anything about the music industry in the UK though (at least, that's what Dave tells me) because he was far more interested in these things and completely neglecting to write new songs. After five months together we only had three songs, which if you ask me is a bit pathetic. I hope he manages to get the success he's desperately craving, but I'm afraid he's going to have to do it without me.
Funnily enough, the night I'd decided to quit Dave's band I thought I'd take a look on Gumtree to see if there were any interesting offers going. After a short search I came across another band looking for a bassist, so I took a listen to their tracks - and was totally blown away. I instantly wrote to them expressing an interest, and the next day I had an audition scheduled for the next weekend. I was also sent three songs to learn, but I was so into them I went ahead and did a fourth as well.
I turned up to the audition around 10.15am on a Sunday morning, met the band and plugged in - then played as if I'd been with them for years. It was pretty much perfect, and it was the same for all four songs. After we played, we chatted for a while and I had a good feeling about how it was going - I'd been shitting myself all week, I really wanted to be in this band. They told me they had a couple of other guys to see and they'd let me know later in the week. I said my goodbyes and headed home. Not 30 minutes later my phone rang - it was the guitarist, telling me they decided I was perfect and they didn't want to see anyone else.
I'm beyond excited about this band, the singer has an amazingly strong voice and she writes really interesting and slightly quirky lyrics that I like a lot. The guitar work is fantastic, the drums are cool and, most importantly, they have really solid bass lines that I enjoy playing. I'm already perfect with half a set's worth of songs, I should have the other half ready by our next rehearsal.
That's the exciting stuff out of the way. Work is much the same, although it's been a bit busy the last couple of weeks (and frustrating at times), but I'm still pretty happy there. Not a lot else to talk about there, really.
Haven't done a lot of travel lately, mainly due to work and the bands. I did take a trip to Dudley to see the Aussie Pink Floyd Show which was kind of interesting. The main attraction in Dudley appears to be the zoo, which has been constructed around the ruins of Dudley Castle. Sadly, the zoo was quite a depressing place - most of the animals were in some pretty small and shabby cages - the orangutans in particular had a truly awful area and they looked miserable.
At least the gig was good: I met up with my mate Brian and we hung out for most of the day, having a few pints and some food before the show. And wow, what a show! I know I'm never going to see the real Pink Floyd, but these guys do a pretty damn impressive imitation - at times you could close your eyes and you'd swear it was the real thing. They also had a massive light show complete with multiple lasers - but no inflatable
I also recently spent the night in Brighton so I could go and see vileevils playing - which I think was worth it, in the end. As it turns out I could've easily made it back to London after the gig, but it was nice to have a day off work and just chill out by the seaside.
So now I'm digging through my memories to try and recall any other important events and nothing is sticking out, so I guess that's about all to tell for now. I've had a couple of people tell me they're not as interested in these music posts, but I'm afraid you're going to have to bear with me as it's pretty much all I've been doing. The good news is I've just booked a week's holiday away for the end of November - I'm going to Berlin! I had to take a week off before the end of the year otherwise I was going to lose my holiday time, so I was racking my brains where to go. In the end my flatmate said I should go to Berlin because she had a brilliant time when she was there, so I did a small amount of research and decided it sounded good to me! So fear not, faithful readers, there will be more travel posts coming soon!
Until then, you're going to have to put up with a couple more music posts - Carter USM is next week, plus the Young Gods are coming back to the UK for a lengthier tour than last time so I'll be going to see them a couple of times again. Oh yeah, and EMF are doing a one-off show too - with Richard Poppie on bass!
In the mean time, I'll leave you with this:
Tuesday, 14 August 2007
15 Years - Well Worth the Wait
I think I was around 15 when I first heard of Skinny Puppy. One of my friends had just come back from a trip to America and had brought back a CD of theirs called 'Too Dark Park'. It was a twisted, nasty and thoroughly amazing album which helped open my eyes to a new form of music I was slowly beginning to appreciate.
Tonight, I finally saw them live - and it was entirely worth the long wait! Before I discuss it, though, let me go through what I've had to endure to finally see them.
First of all, they've never - ever - toured Australia. There were constant rumours that it was going to happen, but that ended rather obviously when they split up in 1996. Once again, one of my favourite bands I'd never see live. Things turned positive a few years ago when they announced they had reformed and were touring again - with the band even saying they were planning to finally make it to Aus!
It never happened. Word on the street was they asked for too much money, so they never made the trip. Another tour missed.
Tonight, however, all of that changed!
Before they took the stage, however, a rather bizarre chap named Otto van Schirach did... something. His accoutrements involved a laptop, a mixing desk, a strange looking stuffed bird and a flashing (what looked like a) dog. The music was crazy and so was he - he waddled around the stage dressed in a kind of superhero costume (complete with eye mask, cape and underwear), then proceeded to make incoherent noises along to the music.
To be honest, it was utter rubbish, but it was hilarious at the same time. He was very obviously taking the piss, which became even more apparent when someone came on stage with him dressed in a giant woolly monster costume - with a pair of bananas for teeth. Otto then pulled out a flashing toy sword and pretended to duel the beast, eventually slaying it along with the music. Later on, more costumed weirdos hit the stage, but nothing could top the banana-beast.
Then the time came - finally, I was going to see one of my all-time favourite bands! This time around they're only a three-piece: cEvin kEy, Ogre and some dude on drums. Their last tour, Otto van Schirach was their guitarist, so I was a little surprised he didn't turn up on stage.
The first couple of songs Ogre was hiding behind a shadow screen, making weird shadows to go along with the vocals. It wasn't until the third song he finally stalked out looking like a cross between a geisha girl, someone from KISS and a vivisection patient - fake blood everywhere and pumping nicely.
For the entirety of the show I alternated between dancing and taking some pictures (and videos - check YouTube!) and by the end I was drenched in sweat. The crowd was okay, although there were far too many tall people in front of me standing still and elbowing anyone who accidentally nudged them. I had a good time regardless.
The set list contained these songs, but not necessarily in this order:
Anger
ugLi
Dogshit
Tormentor
Rodent
politikiL
Amnesia
daL
Hardset Head
Dig It
Worlock
I'mmortal
Fascist Jock Itch
Far Too Frail
Blue Serge
I'm ecstatic I finally got to see them - once again, proof of why I have no intention of ever leaving this city. I'm just having too much damn fun!
This was the first gig of music month too: next week is Tool, the week after is Sonic Youth and a couple of days after that I'm heading back to Birmingham to see the Aussie Pink Floyd show. Then a few days later I'm off to see David Gilmour! Did I mention how awesome it is living here?
I guess you may be asking what I've been up to the last few weeks? Well, it's been ups and downs really. My first week in the flat was relatively sedate, full of work and band practice. It became somewhat exciting on the second weekend when I went to Denmark Street to buy a new bass - oh boy, is it beautiful. I'll get some pictures up at some point - then again, maybe I'm the only one interested in bass guitars?
Later that afternoon, after arriving home, Dave sent me a message that he was a pub near Tottenham Court Road and I should join him. Always looking for an excuse to get out, I was on my way there in minutes. We proceeded to chat, bullshit, drink and have a great time for the evening - until Dave's girlfriend arrived with two of her friends.
By this time I was very, very happy (read: acting like a drunken dickhead) so I made a bit of a fool of myself, but that's okay because we were all doing the same. Anyway, by the time it was time to leave, Dave and Murielle headed on their own way - while one of the friends asked me where I lived. I told her, to which she responded that she was in North London as well and we should share a cab ride home. Not one to say no to a beautiful woman, I agreed. Then she surprised me by saying I should just stay at her place. Not one to say no to a beautiful woman asking me to stay at her place for the night, I agreed again.
On the way home, I started flirting like crazy with her - and I'm certain she was returning some of it. When we got close to her place, she insisted we stop off at an off-licence and buy some more drinks - which we did. Arriving back at her flat, I plonked myself on the lounge while she sat on the rug - and then called me over to sit with her. Not one to say no to a beautiful woman urging me to sit by her on the rug, I joined her.
We spent the next hour or two chatting, bullshitting and listening to music until the light started to appear outside - at which point she panicked a bit as she had to work the next day (but not until 1pm). Feeling a bit tired myself, I agreed we should retire. Ready to hit the lounge for the night, I was stunned when she told me to follow her to the bedroom.
I am ever so tempted to leave this story right here to let your overactive imaginations to run wild, but I'm not that cruel. Other people are, as you're about to find out.
As it turns out, her bed was quite huge so she offered to share it with me, so long as I didn't make any moves on her. She lent me some clothes and we hopped into bed, chatting some more and making eyes at each other - I swear, it was not a one-way thing. After a bit more bullshitting, I plucked up the courage and decided to make a move - fortune favours the bold and all that.
I leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. Then I leaned forward and kissed her on the nose. Then I leaned forward and kissed her on the lips - to not a great deal of response. I tried again, to a bit more response followed by her stroking my face. Taking this as a positive sign, I leaned in for another kiss - even better response.
Until she suddenly exclaimed shock about how she'd kissed a 22 year old guy earlier in the night.
That effectively put an end to my advances, which I'm sure was the intended effect.
I tried to put my best face on, smiled then rolled over and went to sleep. Woke up many hours later, showered then headed into the city to meet Kylie for a catch-up day. We'd swapped numbers before I left, and I actually felt really positive about the whole thing. Hell, I may have been turned down, but I still managed to spend the night in the bed of a beautiful woman. Things are definitely looking up!
I'd dearly love to say this story had a happy ending, but it doesn't. The aftermath is long and complicated, which has lead me to feeling very angry and used in a way. I haven't seen her or heard from her since, but I've been told to stay the hell away by the only person who knows her at all. For once, I've decided to take this advice.
Once again, this little escapade has just proven that I know absolutely nothing about women and that they're the most wonderful and frustrating creatures on the planet. Then again, I've only told my side of the story.
There's still more to tell, though. Yesterday we kicked the singer out of our band. He's a really nice guy, but he's been thoroughly unreliable when it comes to rehearsing and the final straw came when he announced to Dave his intentions to move to America or, if that fell through, back home to Italy. This was the point when we realised his heart simply wasn't in the band, so we started looking for new singers. Two days later, we found her in a close friend of Murielle's. Now all we need is a drummer and we'll finally have a proper band!
I might also be joining a second band this week, too. I ran into an old friend from Newcastle a few weeks ago and his fiance's band has just had to kick their bassist out after ruining a very important gig for them. When I mentioned that I'm a bassist, his eyes almost popped out of his sockets and I was quickly having an intense conversation about music with the lady in question. I've been given a handful of songs to learn and I'm going to have my first practice (I guess it's an audition, really) on Thursday. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
Umm, that's about it really. If anyone is reading this, please send me an email (andrewontour@gmail.com) so I have an idea of how large my audience is - it's something I've been curious about for a while.
Tonight, I finally saw them live - and it was entirely worth the long wait! Before I discuss it, though, let me go through what I've had to endure to finally see them.
First of all, they've never - ever - toured Australia. There were constant rumours that it was going to happen, but that ended rather obviously when they split up in 1996. Once again, one of my favourite bands I'd never see live. Things turned positive a few years ago when they announced they had reformed and were touring again - with the band even saying they were planning to finally make it to Aus!
It never happened. Word on the street was they asked for too much money, so they never made the trip. Another tour missed.
Tonight, however, all of that changed!
Before they took the stage, however, a rather bizarre chap named Otto van Schirach did... something. His accoutrements involved a laptop, a mixing desk, a strange looking stuffed bird and a flashing (what looked like a) dog. The music was crazy and so was he - he waddled around the stage dressed in a kind of superhero costume (complete with eye mask, cape and underwear), then proceeded to make incoherent noises along to the music.
To be honest, it was utter rubbish, but it was hilarious at the same time. He was very obviously taking the piss, which became even more apparent when someone came on stage with him dressed in a giant woolly monster costume - with a pair of bananas for teeth. Otto then pulled out a flashing toy sword and pretended to duel the beast, eventually slaying it along with the music. Later on, more costumed weirdos hit the stage, but nothing could top the banana-beast.
Then the time came - finally, I was going to see one of my all-time favourite bands! This time around they're only a three-piece: cEvin kEy, Ogre and some dude on drums. Their last tour, Otto van Schirach was their guitarist, so I was a little surprised he didn't turn up on stage.
The first couple of songs Ogre was hiding behind a shadow screen, making weird shadows to go along with the vocals. It wasn't until the third song he finally stalked out looking like a cross between a geisha girl, someone from KISS and a vivisection patient - fake blood everywhere and pumping nicely.
For the entirety of the show I alternated between dancing and taking some pictures (and videos - check YouTube!) and by the end I was drenched in sweat. The crowd was okay, although there were far too many tall people in front of me standing still and elbowing anyone who accidentally nudged them. I had a good time regardless.
The set list contained these songs, but not necessarily in this order:
Anger
ugLi
Dogshit
Tormentor
Rodent
politikiL
Amnesia
daL
Hardset Head
Dig It
Worlock
I'mmortal
Fascist Jock Itch
Far Too Frail
Blue Serge
I'm ecstatic I finally got to see them - once again, proof of why I have no intention of ever leaving this city. I'm just having too much damn fun!
This was the first gig of music month too: next week is Tool, the week after is Sonic Youth and a couple of days after that I'm heading back to Birmingham to see the Aussie Pink Floyd show. Then a few days later I'm off to see David Gilmour! Did I mention how awesome it is living here?
I guess you may be asking what I've been up to the last few weeks? Well, it's been ups and downs really. My first week in the flat was relatively sedate, full of work and band practice. It became somewhat exciting on the second weekend when I went to Denmark Street to buy a new bass - oh boy, is it beautiful. I'll get some pictures up at some point - then again, maybe I'm the only one interested in bass guitars?
Later that afternoon, after arriving home, Dave sent me a message that he was a pub near Tottenham Court Road and I should join him. Always looking for an excuse to get out, I was on my way there in minutes. We proceeded to chat, bullshit, drink and have a great time for the evening - until Dave's girlfriend arrived with two of her friends.
By this time I was very, very happy (read: acting like a drunken dickhead) so I made a bit of a fool of myself, but that's okay because we were all doing the same. Anyway, by the time it was time to leave, Dave and Murielle headed on their own way - while one of the friends asked me where I lived. I told her, to which she responded that she was in North London as well and we should share a cab ride home. Not one to say no to a beautiful woman, I agreed. Then she surprised me by saying I should just stay at her place. Not one to say no to a beautiful woman asking me to stay at her place for the night, I agreed again.
On the way home, I started flirting like crazy with her - and I'm certain she was returning some of it. When we got close to her place, she insisted we stop off at an off-licence and buy some more drinks - which we did. Arriving back at her flat, I plonked myself on the lounge while she sat on the rug - and then called me over to sit with her. Not one to say no to a beautiful woman urging me to sit by her on the rug, I joined her.
We spent the next hour or two chatting, bullshitting and listening to music until the light started to appear outside - at which point she panicked a bit as she had to work the next day (but not until 1pm). Feeling a bit tired myself, I agreed we should retire. Ready to hit the lounge for the night, I was stunned when she told me to follow her to the bedroom.
I am ever so tempted to leave this story right here to let your overactive imaginations to run wild, but I'm not that cruel. Other people are, as you're about to find out.
As it turns out, her bed was quite huge so she offered to share it with me, so long as I didn't make any moves on her. She lent me some clothes and we hopped into bed, chatting some more and making eyes at each other - I swear, it was not a one-way thing. After a bit more bullshitting, I plucked up the courage and decided to make a move - fortune favours the bold and all that.
I leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. Then I leaned forward and kissed her on the nose. Then I leaned forward and kissed her on the lips - to not a great deal of response. I tried again, to a bit more response followed by her stroking my face. Taking this as a positive sign, I leaned in for another kiss - even better response.
Until she suddenly exclaimed shock about how she'd kissed a 22 year old guy earlier in the night.
That effectively put an end to my advances, which I'm sure was the intended effect.
I tried to put my best face on, smiled then rolled over and went to sleep. Woke up many hours later, showered then headed into the city to meet Kylie for a catch-up day. We'd swapped numbers before I left, and I actually felt really positive about the whole thing. Hell, I may have been turned down, but I still managed to spend the night in the bed of a beautiful woman. Things are definitely looking up!
I'd dearly love to say this story had a happy ending, but it doesn't. The aftermath is long and complicated, which has lead me to feeling very angry and used in a way. I haven't seen her or heard from her since, but I've been told to stay the hell away by the only person who knows her at all. For once, I've decided to take this advice.
Once again, this little escapade has just proven that I know absolutely nothing about women and that they're the most wonderful and frustrating creatures on the planet. Then again, I've only told my side of the story.
There's still more to tell, though. Yesterday we kicked the singer out of our band. He's a really nice guy, but he's been thoroughly unreliable when it comes to rehearsing and the final straw came when he announced to Dave his intentions to move to America or, if that fell through, back home to Italy. This was the point when we realised his heart simply wasn't in the band, so we started looking for new singers. Two days later, we found her in a close friend of Murielle's. Now all we need is a drummer and we'll finally have a proper band!
I might also be joining a second band this week, too. I ran into an old friend from Newcastle a few weeks ago and his fiance's band has just had to kick their bassist out after ruining a very important gig for them. When I mentioned that I'm a bassist, his eyes almost popped out of his sockets and I was quickly having an intense conversation about music with the lady in question. I've been given a handful of songs to learn and I'm going to have my first practice (I guess it's an audition, really) on Thursday. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
Umm, that's about it really. If anyone is reading this, please send me an email (andrewontour@gmail.com) so I have an idea of how large my audience is - it's something I've been curious about for a while.
Friday, 20 July 2007
End of an Era
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.
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.
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.
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