We didn't sink anyway! I slept through pretty much although I did wake up briefly and it seemed a bit rough. Belfast? I never know what to make of it. First thing I did was get breakfast, which was ok, nothing special. Then I went and bought the new Isis album since Olly went on about it so much. It's great!
We got the same old shit we always get over here. The promoter is lame. Fucking us around. He's doing the next 3 shows. Things better improve with that cunt! Our fucking agent too! Arsehole! All these people are arseholes. They come from a different planet than me. I ain't hanging around these wankers my whole life..
The gig was pretty cool anyway. We played good, and the crowd was good. Couldn't find anywhere to eat after the gig. Capital city of Northern Ireland and you can't eat after 11. It's like a ghost town. Belfast is a strange place.
Just as we were leaving, 5 kids, out of their minds on glue, started shit. Useless situation. You need a bat for that situation. We all got off the bus and told them to fuck off and then we left with them trying to smash the windows. Good riddance to this place. Dublin tomorrow, we'll see what that holds? Can't wait to get back to Swansea personally, at least I can get a bath at Ben's house. 12 days until I meet Jenny. Can't wait!
Jan 31/03 – Dublin
More bullshit today! We turn up at the venue, an old converted church, and we're dirty and hungry. We get a shower, well a few of us, and then some twat starts going crazy at Daz because apparently he wasn't informed we're in there. Bullshit is the word. The promoter is nowhere in sight..again! He really is a fucking wanker!
The venue is absolute huge and there are no posters anywhere around town. Some kid came up to Frank earlier for an autograph and he didn't even know we were playing tonight! The guy who runs the venue is being a right twat. Can't wait to get the fuck out of Ireland!
I heard Olly and the J.T. Boys just got home, they first broke down and then got stuck in a 14 hr. traffic jam because it's snowing in England. What a joke! A bit of snow and the country freaks out and comes to a standstill. Take me back to Sweden where it's normal! Please!!!
Feb 1/03 – Waterford
The gig last night was really good apparently. I say apparently because everyone else was buzzing about it. I felt really shitty. I've got this cold and it's hard to get into it when you feel like shit. There were a lot of people there though. I feel wore today! I got myself some Lemsip so I hope that works.
There isn't much to Waterford. It's a nice enough little Irish town but there isn't much here. It took me about 15 mins to walk around the whole place! The venue is massive as well. I didn't know we were that big in Waterford!
Watched Live at Pompeii by Pink Floyd last night on the bus, gave me some inspiration for the band I'm getting together with Olly and Paul. Been listening to the Isis album again, amazing record. Just waiting for a shower now, apparently you have to let it warm up for 10 mins between every shower taken. I'm behind Frank in line. I'll get back to the Vivian Stanshall biography while I wait.. Jen might call soon, always cheers me up when I hear her voice.
Feb 2/03 – Limerick
One more Irish gig to go. Last night was okay, another huge venue which was about half full. I really don't know why we were playing there. I guess there aren't any other venues around there. The kids that were there were really great anyway, really enthusiastic. I think they're pretty starved of entertainment around these parts. After the show last night we went to a real local pub, I don't think we went down to well in there. I only the one then went to bed. Still full of a cold.
Today's been pretty boring. Got a shower at last though. Feels good to be clean again, if only for a short time. Jen told me she’s spending the day at home, lying on the sofa watching tv. I'm so jealous!! I'd do anything to be there right now. Got to plough on with this shit for now, don't know how much longer though. I'm really not sure if I'm gonna be in this band this time next year. I've really got to the point where just looking at certain people pisses me off. I can't imagine doing this for another 4 or 5 years.
I just had a bit of a stand off with one of the guys for acting like a real prick to some kid who was trying to give away a cd of his band. I hate it when people act lie that. Fuck this! When I'm out of here I'm cutting off all correspondence with these cunts.
I feel like I've been a right moaning bastard recently. I knew I'd feel like this in Ireland though. I can't explain it really. The gigs are usually good and the kids are pretty great but the place just depresses me a bit. Feeling ill doesn't help. I'm looking forward to getting back to the UK tomorrow. Get a proper bath at Ben's house and check out his record collection. Erik's getting in tomorrow. Should be a fun week. He's become one of my closest friends since I moved to Stockholm. From tomorrow things will be cool.
Jen will be with me a week on Tuesday. Can't wait! I hate moaning but I seem to do it a lot these days. I miss home a lot more than I used to, guess that's got something to do with home now being Stockholm and not Corby. No offence mum and dad. Gotta go on stage soon. Shake yourself boy. Swansea tomorrow...
Fen 4/03 – Sunderland
Hungover! Erik turned up last night and we partied hard. Paying for it today! It was cool to finally play Swansea last night. We've got loads of friends there. I got a couple of 7”'s from Ben. The gig was ok. Gordon fucked up something in his arm so he struggled a bit, but he'll be ok.
Limerick gig was great. There were loads of kids stage-diving, which is illegal there. The promoter got on stage and onto the mic, telling the kids to stop diving off the stage. After that they just started diving off the bar and the balcony instead! The promoter was going fucking crazy, it was great! He kept getting on stage and making threats to pull the show, which really wound Gordon up. Gordon got into it with him, “Fuck off you twat, it's supposed to be a fucking hardcore gig!” I fucking loved it! The kids in Ireland are crazy.
Today's been a bit boring. Pretty cold here in Sunderland. Still loads of snow in England. Jen said it's really heavy back home. Hope she still makes it to Germany next week, don't even want to entertain the idea of not seeing her next week. I miss her more than words can say.
Tuesday April 29/03
I'm on the plane home. Just been reading through what I've been writing on the last tour. I really do fucking moan a lot! I have to stop doing that so much. I'm going to LA in a couple of weeks and I was moaning about it because it's over my birthday. That pissed my dad off a bit and that made me feel guilty. I'm living his dreams and doing nothing but moan about it. It's hard being away from home but I should try enjoying it a bit more. I won't be doing this forever and then I'll wake up every day in my own bed.
I didn't end up writing any more on the tour because I was hanging out with Erik and then Jen for the next 2½ weeks and then there was only a week left.
There were ups and downs but we had some great gigs in Germany, Denmark and Holland. Italy was horrible! It was fucking nice to get home at the end of it all though! Right now? I've just been writing with the boys in Northampton for five days. We've got 6 new songs towards the next album. I'm pretty happy with them. I still get pissed off with some people in the band but I can handle that for now. We'll see what happens in LA?
Right now...I'm just looking forward to a couple of weeks at home.
Posts
I was at the 3 RoI shows (not that surprising really), I remember helping Ken interview you guys for Sorted Magazine (http://sortedmagazine.com/Features.php3?nID=442), you were actually doing a good job of being nice but Frank was raging about coleslaw on the sandwich rolls and other crap. To be fair the promoter was well known as useless, the shows were killer though.
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