Newsletter - November 2005

Hi!
Just back from Granada – and still trying to recover from the Piorno Rock experience! The “mañana syndrome” was never more apparent than on this weekend. A catalogue of hold-ups starting with the hired equipment arriving a whole day late (resulting in only 1 day’s rehearsal), missing equipment (one of my own keyboards had to be couriered in from England at the 11th hour) the show running an hour and a half behind schedule – no time for a sound check, and no transport arranged to get us back to the hotel after the show!

Under those circumstances Andy put on an absolutely sterling performance – having not played with us for 11 years and having no drum monitors to mention for the majority of the show! All of us encountered technical problems so if anyone reading this was witness to the event – please be a little forgiving, I know it wasn’t the best performance we’ve ever done but I hope we managed to hold it together sufficiently to give the audience a decent show.

On a lighter note, it was great to have Andy back – almost like being reunited with a long-lost family member. Phil, Andy and I were all on the same flight out and there was much reminiscence and laughter. The backstage banter was just like the old days – ruthless repartee ricocheted across the dressing room – it was every man for himself!

Pete was in good spirits and showed remarkable restraint given the fact that we were imprisoned in the dressing room for two and a half hours before our performance with copious amounts of beer and some strange local brew at our disposal. Vinnie was, as always, the consummate professional, overcoming jet-lag to put on a blistering performance, and thanks must also go to one of our incredibly overworked technicians, Andre, who not only had to look after Vinnie’s guitars but ended up having to sort out all the problems with Pete’s bass, my keyboards and Andy's and my monitors, whilst encountering total indifference from the Spanish in-house crew who must have been direct descendants of Manuel from “Fawlty Towers”. QUE?!!!

Check out the photos hot off the press to see Mr Parker at the helm of the tubs once more!
Cheers,
Paul