Outside there are clear blue skies, it’s about 30 degrees and all is tranquil and sedate. This is all in stark contrast to my week in the UK, which I shall now recount.
I arrived into St Pancras after a smooth train ride to be greeted by the usual throng of thousands of stressed commuters. I made my way to the platform for the next train to Bedford, due in 10 minutes. Then 7, 6, 5… and then suddenly cancelled. The crowded platform en masse then had to sprint down to another platform and squeeze themselves onto an already packed train. This took about 50 minutes to reach Bedford and was rammed most of the way. I also noticed that a good dozen or so people were sniffling and coughing ominously all around me.
Mum took me from there back to Olney where we had a quiet evening in. Dad made a delicious pizza for dinner and we all had an early night. Dad continues to be far too busy at work and has taken to getting up at 5 to get in an early start – and he’s doing this 6 days a week too. I was determined to have a lie-in but was awake a little before 5am, something which was due to become a regular theme of my trip – it currently gets light just after 4am in the UK. Mum had booked the day off so was able to drive me to an engraving shop up the road. I had bought my friend Anna a small gift to say thanks for sorting the Blur tickets (a collectable clipper cigarette lighter, of which she has 100s) and wanted a Blur lyric adding to it. We dropped that off and then went on to Milton Keynes for a quick shop. That afternoon I called around to see my Nan for a couple hours before heading home and enjoying the fact that the sun was out to sit and read in the garden.
That evening’s meal was a stir-fry and this was followed by another early night and failed attempt to lie-in. Mum and Dad both had to work the following day, and as it turned out, I had a few bits to do as well, so I took advantage of the solitude to do just that. That evening we were invited over to Dave and Amy’s new place for dinner. They live on a very pleasant and quiet cul-de-sac in Market Harborough, which is just under an hour’s drive due north of my parents’ place. Their house is modern (the first modern house Dave has ever lived in) but has lots of lovely features including an oak floor, a good size garden and a decent bathroom. It has 2 double bedrooms and a third office room with a sofa bed. We had a very copious meal of Indian takeaway and then retired for the night. They’re a ways back from the main road so I was hoping to sleep later but for the third morning in a row, I came to at 5. As Mum and Dad had to feed the cats, we left on the early side that morning, leaving Dave and Amy to get on with wedding venue research. It’s all early days yet, but they plan on getting married in the spring. One potential venue is Nan’s (large and very lovely) garden in Olney, but I think the feeling is that somewhere a bit more neutral might be best…
Speaking of Nan, she wanted to see me once more before I left, so I called around that morning for a chat. Given that she’d been fine just 2 days ago, I was surprised to find her in the thrall of a cold so not at her best. Back at Mum and Dad’s I discovered that there was a problem with the trains running from Bedford and I was looking at a replacement coach service. This filled me with cold dread so although I’d already bought my ticket, I decided to go via Milton Keynes instead. It’s a bit further to drive to but the trains are quicker and had the advantage of actually operating that day.
I made my way to my habitual London pied-à-terre, Iain’s in Dalston, dumped off my luggage, donned my Blur t-shirt purchased specially for the gig, and set out for the West End. Anna got in to London around 4 and we met up in Soho for a couple drinks. The weather, which had been lovely the day before, had been ominous all day, and just as we hit the bar, the heavens opened in torrents. Luckily, it stopped before we left and largely behaved itself for the rest of the day.
We took a cab to Hyde Park where we managed to meet up with Katherine (AKA Dionysus, our recent visitor) who was already inside and had a good spot picked out. Already a few sheets to the wind, we topped up with some extortionate vodka cokes while we waited for the magic to start. Blur had done a few warm up gigs so I knew roughly what to expect, and they did not disappoint! They played 23 songs, a career-spanning mixture of old and new, including to my geeky delight, a few that hadn’t seen the light of day in many a year.
After an emotional closer, the band bade us good night and we got a cab from there to Dalston. Anna was all for getting the last train home that night but eventually caved in and came back to Iain’s with Katherine and me. Our host himself was down in Brighton so we had the place to ourselves. Tragically, the shop over the road was open as we got in, so we purchased a superfluous bottle of vodka and proceeded to stay up way too late dealing with it. Unlike previous days when I woke up at 5am, this time I reached it from the other side. Katherine left us at this point, and Anna and I maybe had a few hours’ sleep.
When we came to, we quickly agreed that some sort of greasy breakfast was a necessity. After a short stroll, we stopped at one of the very many trendy new places that have sprung up all over Dalston. This was a Turkish café called Che-Men and to our mutual delight, they had eggs benedict on the menu, which we both ordered. I don’t understand what transpired next, but it seems the staff took a dislike to us. An hour passed, no food. We asked and were told it was coming. When the 2nd hour passed, we couldn’t believe it. Other people had arrived, eaten and gone in the time we’d been waiting. Anna went to have words and when she asked where our food was, the waitress laughed at her. Needless to say, we decided at this point to leave. Anna asked for the bill, and this at least arrived promptly, but was wrong with extra drinks having been added to it. As a new café, it didn’t have an entry on Trip Advisor. Well, it does now.
After that unfortunate experience, Anna got a cab to the train station, and I went back to Iain’s to try and sort myself out in time for my evening activity. This was to meet my friend and ex-coworker Fran for a pizza. We had a pleasant catch up during which I learned that nothing has really changed at my old company so I remain pleased to be long shot of it. I got back to Iain’s around 9.30, focused on a very early night. Minutes later, Iain came home, so of course, a bottle of wine was opened and my early night wasn’t so early in the end. As I greeted him with a hug and a kiss he told me he was suffering from a cold, so my odds of escaping unscathed diminished even further.
Monday was shopping day part 1 for me, while Iain worked from home with a stuffy nose and sore throat. I had a few small items on the list but the main purchase was my delightful new acoustic guitar. London’s Denmark Street is home to at least a dozen guitar shops. In fact, they’re the only shops it does house. I went to the one I’d been in contact with, who had a staggering 30 or so left-handed guitars in stock. After a talk with the assistant, I was presented with a choice of 4 and left to my own devices. I’d already mentally picked one out but as I sat and played some more, I found myself drawn to the only one I’d automatically ruled out. There are various body styles of acoustics, ranging from the smaller, easier to carry ones with a tinnier sound, all the way to dreadnaughts which can be cumbersome but sound much fuller. I’d always avoided dreadnaughts due to their size, but this particular one was a very lightweight version of its kind and I just could not believe how much richer the sound was that it produced. After a final chat to the assistant, my mind was made up. He sold it to me for 200£ less than the RRP, and with some free strings and a strap so I was well chuffed.
I carted it home that afternoon and gave it a wee test drive. While I was back, I also heard from one of my clients whom I’d been waiting on. He gave me the thumbs up so I got his site live for him. That evening I returned to the west end to meet our friend Kevin for a few drinks. He was fresh out of an exam (he is re-training to be a horticulturalist at Kew gardens) and had done well so was in the mood to celebrate. I enjoyed seeing him again, but as the day wore on, I found myself suffering from a sore throat. I’d treated myself to a small pack of tobacco for the gig on Saturday so told myself it was just from the smoking and ignored it. Anyway, after a few beers, we parted ways and I came home via a cheap and nasty chicken burger for an early night.
The following morning (at 5am) I discovered my sore throat was a bit worse and that my nose was a little runny. I tried desperately to go back to sleep but couldn’t so eventually got up and went to tick my last 2 chores off: a trip to Sainsburys and a trip to see ‘Mr Green’, purveyor of fine and exotic herbs. By this point in the trip, I’d been charging all over London for days and my feet were sore and blistered before I even set off. It took most of the day to get my purchases and I then came back and packed everything away.
Iain made quiche and tapas for dinner that night and we were joined by his partner Giancarlo and also by Steve from next door (the ones who moved to Russia and whose house we rented). I was feeling utterly shattered and had a cab booked for 7.30 the next morning (for which I didn’t bother setting an alarm) so turned in right after dinner.
With my new purchases, I was very laden down so was praying for empty trains for my return trip. Unfortunately, a strike in Calais the night before had caused chaos at the Eurostar. I arrived to see it more crowded than it’s ever been with some poor folks having been stuck there overnight. Luckily, I still got on my train, but it was heaving and there was barely room for my guitar. At Lille, I had to change stations to make my connection. It’s only a short walk, but laden as I was, it took about 20 minutes and my left leg has a lovely bruise where the guitar kept banging against it. My train was on time and I arrived at Angouleme at exactly the same time as Matt, at 5.30. By this point, my symptoms were becoming more pronounced and by the evening, I could no longer pretend it was anything other than a cold. I just hope I’ve already passed the point of being contagious, as we have our gig this Saturday!
On that, we’ve had some last minute drama. Jenny normally gets a loan of the mikes, amps etc. for the fete from a friend. Both she and I had tried and failed to get a hold of him before I left for the UK. Jenny came around to see us just as we returned to say that she had finally heard from him… and he couldn’t help this year! We suggested she try the association that provided all the equipment for our gig in Milhac last November, but we were less than optimistic they’d be either able or willing to help. This morning however, she called around to say they can do just that, so we’re going around there now to talk about what we need. I just hope he or someone can help us set it all up too as we’ve never done it before… So, after a last minute panic, our gig is still on and we’d better resume rehearsals asap! Right this is a tome so I shall stop here. I shall end on our setlist for Saturday:
Rock Around The Clock (Bill Haley)
Hound Dog (Elvis)
Rebel Rebel (Bowie)
Is She Really Going Out With Him (Joe Jackson)
New York Avec Toi (Téléphone)
London Calling (The Clash)
Another Brick In The Wall (Pink Floyd)
Wonderful Tonight (Clapton)
Let’s Dance (Bowie)
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Rolling Stones)
Money For Nothing (Dire Straits)
Ziggy Stardust (Bowie)
Creep (Radiohead)
J’t’Emmène Au Vent (Louise Attaque)
Purple Rain (Prince)
Come As You Are (Nirvana)
Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes)