Monday, 28 September 2009

Well today's 5 hour drive seems like a mickey mouse affair compared to tomorrow's 13 hour drive-athon.  650 miles from Dusseldorf to Bologna.  The up side here as that we don't have to gig tomorrow night so we can get a good night's kip to be well rested for the  240 miles/5 hours from Bologna to Rome the following morning. Is this the rock and roll life style that you all thought I'd be leading?  It's certainly not what I signed up for.  Where's all the Champagne and late night parties on rich folk's yachts eh? eh? that's what I want to know...

Today consisted mainly of some flaccid conversation due to tiredness, followed by a couple of Ricky Gervais radio Shows that were provided by my mate Josh to try and keep me sane on the long drives; it worked a treat.  I listen to them when I'm driving and then watch movies from the passenger seat.  Today I watched Eagles Vs Sharks.  It's sort of a poor man's Napoleon Dynamite (which is a great film), but without the funny bits. I kept watching in the hope that it would get better but to no avail.

I watched Vicky, Christina, Barcelona last week, which is a wonderful film.  Woody Allen's back on form.  It's a really thought provoking look at love...essentially.

I've taken a few pictures for those of you that dream of getting from the main hall to the glories of a rock 'n' roll back stage...

...in fact, I'm just thinking this kind of thing probably pisses you off...maybe you want me to perpetuate the myth!(?)  Michael Jackson spent his career trying to make people see what artists do offstage as a mystery, and I seem to be spending mine telling you that for every magical moment on stage there are many more very regular (and irregular) hours spent in pretty dull spaces.  Maybe that's why all these big name artists have their dressing rooms arranged with flowers and velvet drapes and whatever else... to keep the wool over their eyes. 

As for me?  I actually quite like the nothingness of backstage areas.  I wouldn't want them to look any different. It feels like the right balance.  Let's face it, it's not terribly natural to stand on stage singing songs for hundreds/thousands of people that you've never met, and having them clap and cheer for you while you absorb their adulation (due or undue).  And to be honest, when you're caught up in that moment, it doesn't feel natural.  It feels very comfortable, but not natural in the true sense of the word; it feels unreal. It's a major high; better than any drug!

SO... when you come off stage feeling like you've just swallowed the best high available and see the reality of long empty corridors, boxes of leads, florescent lights and toilets, it's very humbling.  It helps you remember what is real and natural and - for me at least - it heightens the experience of what happens on stage, not takes away from it....

Monologue monologue monologue...enough... I'm off to drink pink champagne out of a lily, freshly picked this morning in Provence and flown up specially for the gig tonight, then sack a few roadies and maybe punch a photographer...till tomorrow...f

Toilets


Dinning Room


Empty Corridor


Immediately Back stage


Portable Kitchen


Empty Stairs


Dressing Room (complete with my traveling artwork and pictures)