This is page three of the diary
Click here for page four of the diary
8th May 06
Funny old gig on Saturday with us (me and Nick as the Rude kids) playing "at home" in the Green Island Irish Pub in Bad Nauheim.
Strange in a way as a lot of old faces from the past turned up who we hadnt seen in years. So we had to give our best, especially as Nicks parents were there on visit from dear old blighty. The thought ocurred to me at one point that Nicks dad used to taxi us all over Newcastle for years from gig to gig when we were too young to drive. Amazing man who is now playing saxophone in jazz bands in Newcastle. I remember our first ever gig at the Bridge Hotel when we were 17 or 18 with us hanging out the window to try and get passers by to come in and with the first note breaking the lights with a loose tremolo arm.
In the seventies our biggest influence was a brilliant group called Southbound who we used to see every tuesday at the Gosforth Hotel. Not only did they play their own amazing songs which we learned faithfully in the cloakroom at school, but they were hilarious too and we hero worshipped them. They never made it unfortunately. When at last I did build up the courage to speak to Geordie -the lead singer -I said "How Geordie ah hear yez did well at the Battle of the Bands Competition last week", he turned to me and said "Aye we came last and Alan got eez guitar nicked".
What I wouldnt give to have a recording of them in their heyday. I bet me and Nick could still play a blistering version of "Branded" or "When the river flows deep" even now. Anyway here`s an old Rude kids duo photo...
13th May 06
Got the weekend off so I thought I`d tell you about the gig on Thursday with The Rock `n` Roll Gypsies.
This is a formation fronted by two of my all time fave performers, Frank Keller and the gorgeous Ina Morgen. I`m just a guest singer/bassist but look forward to any opportunity to play with them. Frank is of course "the Renaissance man" in sense that everything he does to do with music he does it well. With that I mean he has the voice, the guitar solo ability, the business capability, the showmanship and perhaps more importantly he is someone who cares about music. A complete professional.
Ina is just about the best thing I´ve ever seen on stage with a voice that ranges from raunchy Suzi Quatro to silky Billy Holiday.
Picture thanks to Anja and Uwe at www.rockpictures.de
Never thought at the start of the evening that we`d end up playing Easy Livin and a whole lotta AC/DC to the suit wearing businessmen, but it only goes to show that anything goes. I was too busy watching Ina shaking her booty to notice.
My nose isn`t arf playing up again. I`ve come to the conclusion that my nose is just there for effect and to stop my sunglasses from sliding down my boat race*, however as a functional part of this old body of mine it is a complete and utter failure. It refuses to let in any air and is continuing to grow along with my ears and make a mockery of me. Which reminds me. Have you ever -for want of something better to do of an evening - taken off all your clothes , turned the light off, stood with your back before a full length mirror, looked through your legs and shone a torch on your face and studied parts of your body that you`ve never seen before?.
If you havnt -Do not do this. It will only bring tears. Its not a pretty sight.
* boat race is cockney rhyming slang for face