Another year and another album. We were sitting in the van cruising down some unknown streets and listening to new mixes from the latest studio sessions. I wasn’t pleased with the mixes, but in typical fashion the rest of the band didn’t share my opinion. I was happily sitting in the back seat sipping a lager and twiddling with something more highly valued in the market.
It was an all day ska festival and we couldn’t be a
ny more ill fitted on the bill, but I was then advised to go and give out free badges to girls I fancied. My attention was taken by an architect student from Norway. By this time I had already finished my duties (or so I briefly thought) and I was free to get engaged into a conversation about taxes, foreign policies and my relationship to domesticated household animals. She had no interest in music. We happily occupi
ed the damp basement and spent a pseudo-romantic evening together. About 3am I was apparently staggering on top of an amp in the basement with my lips having turned blue. It was time to go and play another show.
You could say that this location was slightly less upmarket and audience was acting accordingly. I was in a similar state and the sound check mostly consisted of me giving abuse to the soundman. Didn’t know what songs we were playing. I couldn’t think that the audience even realised. Beautiful images flashed through my eyes in the cacophony before it all went blank…
The next morning I woke up in a freezing cold van in a location that was completely alien to me. Had lost half of my clothing, keys to my flat, my travel card and everything of any value, apart from my loyal guitar of course. As I was wandering down the street wearing the drummer’s oversized hoodie I was thinking if there would have only been one gig would I now be on my way to Norway to become a fisherman? While the fjords echoed her name I remembered I had a gig to play…
