Finding my old Siouxsie autograph recently motivated me to have a hunt round looking for all my other autographs.
This is what I found:
I was driving accross Leeds from the Gelderd Road Offcie to the Seacroft office thinking of the Peter Hammill concert I would be going to that evening. I drove past the Irish Centre and noticed that the carpark had a van parked in it with the Peter Hammill logo/symbol on the side of it. Without further ado I turned off and drove into the carpark.
I noticed that a set of double doors were open and I could hear music coming out. I very gingery walked in through the doors into a darkened room with a stage to one side. Peter Hammill was just walking off the stage and he turned round and saw me walking in. I appologised for disturbing him and mumbled that I had just been passing and had seen his van and would it be possible to get an autograph? In a very welcoming voice he said of course but much more important is to shake hands. We did so and I produced the Enter K cd I had in my suit pocket and he kindly signed it.
I spotted a rack next to the mixing desk containing 3 ADAT recorders (pressumably to record the gig with) and felt like I wanted to start up a conversation about them, but I also felt like I had intruded and taken up enough of his time so I just thanked him and left.
It is the only time I have met him, but the main impression that he left was what a thoroughly nice and friendly person he is.
As I left the room Nic Potter began playing the bass line to Empress's Clothes - they didn't play the song during that evening as far as I recall.
Around about the time following the release of Toyah's second album (The Blue Meaning) I remember going into a pub with my uncle. I cannot remember where the pub was, but I remember we sat in wicker chairs in some kind of conservatory.
There were two elderly ladies at the table next to us and one of them was telling the other all about her grand daughter who was called Toyah. She was telling her friend that although she looked very punky on the TV she was really a very nice quiet respectable girl and all the hair dye she used was just water based and she would wash it all out when she got home.
Toyah was my absolute fave rave in those days and my bedrom wall was covered in Toyah pictures and press cuttings.
When I used to go to concerts in the early 80s I would always try and go backstage afterwards to get autographs. I managed to do this many times and usually had a chat with the bands. After this gig in 2000 I was walking towards the exit when I spotted one of the band waling past me. I asked him if he could sign the CD I had bought that night and he said yes and asked if I wanted to go backstage to get the autographs of the other members. This was the first time I had done this for ages. I suddenly felt that I was a bit too old to be going backstage asking for autographs.
As I walked towards the dressing room Karen was just coming out of an ajoing room so I asked her to sign my cd cover first. I mentioned I had seen her sing at the Celtic Connections Gaelic concert and just loved the song Mi Le M' Uilinn that she sang there. I made a complete balls up of pronouncing the name. Then I went into the dressing room and suddenly I felt very old and out of place. The rest of the band signed my cd and cracked quite a few jokes and tried to make me feel at home, but I singularly failed to think of anything to say to them other than thankyou and felt very self conscious.
I had gone to the gig with a friend from work, but he had declined to go backstage so I said my thankyous again and left.
We arrived pretty early for this so went to the bar for a drink or two. I noticed Eirik Glambek Bøe walk into the room and go up to the bar so I went and asked for his autograph. All I had for him to sign was one of our tickets so that is what he signed. I told him I could speak a bit of Swedish for some reason (he is Norwegian) and then was hit by a sudden wave of self conciousness similar to the Capercailie gig. I felt very old again so I mumbled "Tack" and went back to my seat. As one of my work colleugues failed to turn up this ticket didn't end up getting used.
After the gig I bought one of the King's of Convenience/Call and Responce T-shirt's that had been made by members of Call and Responce and also bought teh aboce CD. The band members that were on the stall were kind enough to sign it for me.
Paolo fancied a night out in Edinburgh so we had a good look online to see if there were any gigs worth going to see.
I spotted this one and looked them up in t'internet. When I saw they were on the Bella Union record label (set up by ex Cobteau Twins members) and heard the clip of Sister Sneaker Sister Soul on their website I knew this was going to be good.
I rang the box office number, but by this time I had forgotten their name so I asked if they had any tickets left for My New Book, they said "who?" but soon realised what I meant.
This was the first time I had been to see a band I didn't already now alot about for ages. The venue was really small, but alsi realy cool looking. There were 2 support groups and we managed to get right to the very front. Paolo particularly liked St Jude's Infirmary and bought a copy of their cd. I thought My Latest Novel were fantastic and bought a copy of their single, even though I didn't (and still don't) own a record player.
I noticed that the singer was wearing Nudie jeans, which is the only brand I have worn since 2000. I wondered if he had bought then in Sweden (where I have bought all mine).
As we were leaving I spotted a few scatered members of the band and asked them to sign my single. The violinist was with her parents when I asked her to sign and I could see she felt very embarrassed as she signed. I am sure she is fully used to doing that sort of thing by now.
It is a shame that most of my autograph collection has been sold, given away or lost.
It used to include:
Magazine from Leeds University - Secondhand Daylight tour.
Human League from Wakefield Unity Hall - the last date of their Travelogue Tour.
Donovon from a gig in Manchester - can't remember location or even the year.
Hawkwind - Tour programme for Choose your masques tour - I should have this somewhere. I had it when I worked in Scotland a few years ago, but I seem to have mislayed it since then.
Steve Hackett - from Sheffield City Hall and also Bradford St Georges hall.
John Martyn from Leeds University.
TG - I used to have loads of stuff signed by them - goodness knows were it all is now, apart from the autograph on my arm from the Rafters gig (I know where that one is).
Robin williamson from Square Chapel - Halifax. I should still have this somewhere so I will report back if I find it.
I was also lucky enough to get to spend a whole evening with the Buzzcocks and get an "access all areas" sticker for the gig at Sheffield City Hall, bit for some reason I didn't ask for any autographs.
lördag, december 01, 2007
Dag 1398: Sign the picture, and throw it away.
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