Saturday, June 21, 2008

Work And Play

Well, the ISDNs weren’t TOO BAD?! Erk! 33 interviews in one day sent me into a pretty deep brain frazzle, but hey, that’s my job! Worst question of the day? “God Bless Texas? Tell me, what’s that about?” Anyway, what better way for the day to end than the glorious Russia, inspired by the crazily talented Arshavin, beating the Swedes 2-0.

The following morning, Steve and I head over to the BBC Club to soundcheck for our early afternoon ‘win ‘em over’ session. There’s some great people at the BBC and it appears most of them were there later to wish us well and smile away to the 4 or 5 songs we played.

On to Q Radio and more smiling faces, the Attic Lights getting my 4 star vote. Then the award winning Simon Mayo and more smiles, more songs and off to Euston. Sadly missed the German team beating one of the most over-rated sides, Portugal. I noticed on the highlights later that Ronaldo kept his top on after the loss. This alpha male thing of winner takes top off, loser keeps his shirt on is getting more and more prevalent. Both Medal Muttley Lampard and Trophy Ho’ Ronaldo strip off for win, stay fully clothed for loss and for a draw or if they both get substituted top up to wipe sweat off forehead, revealing 6-pack slightly. Vanity has seen to the good old fashioned wipe of the brow with cuff of sleeve.

Friday morning and it’s back to New Islington to rehearse. New Islington isn’t easily described other than to say it’s a @!?@ of a hike to anywhere that sells fruit and veg but you’re never far from a takeaway. Rehearsals are brief as we only have an hour on stage and none of us have packed. So it’s a quick salad at the slightly more fortunately fruity Withington and off to Manchester airport.

Flying is becoming increasingly easier, especially since giving up smoking and also being sat next to Mr Cool Air Wings, French Tom. Land at Frankfurt at 18.30 and what should’ve been a 4 hour trip turns into 8 as our tireless tour manager, Daniel Craig lookalike and all round good guy, Liam Rippon pulls into the small town of Pfungstadt to watch the Croatia-Turkey epic.

Watching the game and extra time in a German pub and moving onto a kebab bar for the penalties proves to be the night’s cleverest decision by a mile and Turkey win and our new bezzie mates go wild.

Saturday and a beautiful drive from Schwenningen to the festival in Neuhausen ob Eck. Smiles and joyful grins soon turn to grimaces as the festival approaches and we slowly realise that the audience who are a classic Rock Goth mix are going to enjoy us like a hole in their neatly ironed Neph shirt! It soon becomes clear that unless I can grow my hair very rapidly or get Alice Cooper’s make up artist in, that we’re going to be the first turkey roasting of the day…

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