OH LITTLE TOWN OF LIPPSTADT

Last nights show could be considered a home fixture, not because any of the band have any ties [or affinity, or affection] to the little town of Lippstadt but because our German Label 'Tonetoaster' is situated a half hour away. The venue was pretty good and the crowd that attended was surprisingly our biggest of the tour. Not our most passionate but good none the less. The gig got off to a wierd start because of a fucking idiot who was making a cunt of himself up the front. Dancing aggressively [to really slow songs] intimidating those around him and getting up onstage and trying to grab the mic. I had to even stop and re-start a song on his behalf. Youd think there was one person in the venue who would have the authority to fuck the guy out on his ear...but no, his meat-headed handicapped-looking presence had to be endured by us, and by the kind people who paid in and were trying to enjoy the gig for about 8 tunes. It almost ruined the gig for me personally as i kept on getting blood visions of having to deal with him myself. That would have involved a broken guitar and a gormless inbred shitebag picking his face up off the floor. Thankfully it never came to that, although after the gig Gary told me that he was edging close to levelling the guy with his bass. At one point when he was trying to get up onstage Gary pushed him off in the midst of a bass riff, without missing a note - Keith Richards eat your heart out.

When eventually the piece of shit realized he had little audience left for his idiocy he left and a really good rock n roll show took his place. We played two new songs, one of which 'Horrid Prayers' we pretty much only got together in the soundcheck [i love that shit] and the second tune 'Milk Fight' let to an inspired moment where Brian went from banging the keys to doubling up on the drums with Ken to jumping out into the crowd embroiled in a wild feral carny-dance while banging a spare tom drum that was hanging about. Legendary actions from the curly headed fella, what made it even more entertaining [for me anyhow] was the stern looks of blank bewilderment in the faces of the packed audience [with the exception of only a few] while this was going on. I have a great love for the German audiences and they are always very good to me, I'm puzzled by them sometimes, but try to not let that puzzlement take away from how much passion the band and I believe is necessary to do what we do. We were firing on all cylinders last night, the gig ended in chaos, it was fucking great. Id also like to mention our support band 'Western Comfort', they seem like a bunch of young guys who have a bright future ahead of them, they did a great Devo cover and the singer had a really powerful voice.

After the gig we hung around to try and sell a bit of merch, offload some of our new record etc etc. Inspired by Brian's earlier antics i decided to stand by the merch stall beating a drum to try and 'drum up' a few sales as it were. It actually worked...I might try it again, sense of humour was in short supply in Werkstaff last night but im thinking in a more punk type venue such a marketing strategy might actually pay off. Beating a drum to try and sell more CDs?...that really is flying in the face of everything thats cool about rock n roll isnt it? But being on the road is what we do and selling our trinkets is what makes that possible so coolness [as ever] doesn't really come into it for me.

The post gig drinks was a lot of fun. We had great laugh with the Barstaff, they plied us with Tequila I gave Kenny a ring that i have been wearing on my finger since 1998 [when he was 10] as a reminder of life on tour with The Mighty Stef, we had a drink and an owl sentimental chat n' hug session and then we all ended up around a grand piano while Brian wheeled out as many Queen, Bowie, Elton John and John Grant tunes he could hash together and we had a singsong until home time. It was the earliest night of the tour so far, We are all knackered. My voice needs a bit of a rest so thankfully today is our day off, the only day off of the german tour.

Good times brothers and sisters, good times. We are still on top! - I think today might involve all of us lying in one double bed eating milk tray and watching the Commitments. We have given our souls to rock n roll, precious reader. There is no going back now. Happy Sunday!!!

Guest Books are popular, Bands are usually keen to express themselves with witty statements and cute drawings, here is our attempt at being 'funny'