birmingham – may 17
I have to wake up early. 8:00 am again. Have to go to work. Head down to a radio interview there in London. BBC 6 digital station. The dj is over the top with accolades about the new record. It feels so funny and unfamiliar to deal with such glee over one of my own records. I take it in with slight tickle, like enjoying a fine lunch but ends when the meal is gone.
They have a copy of giant sand’s first record there from 1985 that they were playing earlier In the show. We look very young on the back cover photo. It’s of the band; tommy, scott and me at the cathey de grand punk rock club in los angeles back in the early 80s. The dj phill said they got calls very interested in wanting to know what the music was when they played it. it occurred to me that that was the one thing rainer and I had decided to do so long ago; to make records that would stand up 20 years later. In hopes they would not embarrass. I am happy with the ilk of mine, though his records seem to soar way higher now more then ever.
Ok then. we play a track from Isobel and lanagen’s record.
And I am off to a couple more interviews, then back to the bus. And we ride in the rain up to Birmingham. I wonder if Robert will show tonight to sing o happy day. He had done so with Victoria Williams back up in pioneer town last month. I lament the absence of polly during this run. I find it funny how much I miss her when she’s never usually there anyhow.
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We hit Birmingham in the hissing rain. I like it. The venue tonight is a club, not a hall like the rest. It’s called glee. On the way up I happened to break out the moana glee club for a listen. The end.
The backstage is tiny with us all crammed in there, as if we actually stretched it out some by the time we left. Anyhow, since it was a club tonight and raining out, I authorized the use of the scotch prior to the show. The audience came in and set up very close to the stage. It was going to be good doing a club show after all the big halls. And so we hit the set hard. The folks there liked it. They were a great crowd. And brave too, since they had to chose between the big football match on the tube tonight.
Well ok. We left em satisfied. Robert plant was a no show.
The end.
Back to the hotel, which was like a skanky ‘shining’ hotel. But on the tv was a poker match between denmark and france. Never seen that before. Yip.