What Are You Miscreants up to This Weekend, Then?
So, plans, people, plans. What are they, what’s going on, what am I missing out on? Tonight, despite the blazing sunshine and hugely inviting back garden I shall be indoors, with the shutters and the curtains firmly closed, recording the guitar bits for what is probably going to be the next release on Song, by Toad Records. It’s a demo really, although it’s going to be the best demo recording we can manage using the kit we have in the house, so not a deliberately scratchy pile of old rubbish.
Robert Fisher of the Willard Grant Conspiracy told me, unprompted, that he would like to do a Toad Session in the Autumn when he’s touring with a stripped down band. That would be after Meursault, Down the Tiny Steps and Eagleowl. Fucking brilliant.
Saturday will be spent working on the Alela Diane Toad Session, which is very close to publication, and trying to avoid the lure of the back garden and a bucket of gin. Tanqueray, Sir? Ooh, don’t mind if I do Philpott. In the evening there will be the absorption of culture (local community theatre in which my friend Morgan – Toad Sessions’ cameraman, cinematographer, grip, best boy, etc… – will be playing a starring role) followed by the absorption of industrial levels of botanically infused spirits at Euan from Trampoline’s birthday festivities.
Then Sunday will see the acquisition of some new speakers, to replace the ones Mrs. Toad and I have blown yet again, getting the posters sorted for the Song, by Toad Records launch night on the 14th June, followed by cleaning up the house so our downstairs floors can be restored on Monday, followed by the Mae Shi at Cabaret Voltaire. Full, I would say, and little room to sit and do fuck all which is what the weekend is really for. But plenty of fun to be had in there somewhere I would say.
The Victorian English Gentlemen’s Club – Ban the Gin
think i’m going to spend the weekend doing trampoline sessions with meursault, down the tiny steps and eagleowl……:OO
Just moved back to the New York area, so I am relaxing and enjoying the outside world.
Just attended a birthday party in the lovely pre-summer night warmth with a ton of writers/novelists & managed to wangle myself & TWoTH press passes for the Green Man Festival (on the pretence I’ll be doing something/interviewing people for TWR at the Literature Tent). So I’m well chuffed. & mashed. Lots of gin, Toad. You’d be proud.
End of year party for work. And Gin. And I’m bringing a wife to say “Dear, it’s time to stop drinking or stop talking. Your choice.”
I’ve definitely spent a miscreant weekend, though my poison wasn’t gin. One house in the Highlands+five friends+ two whisky distilleries = mildly hedonistic wonderfulness. Oh, and I also prepped my last radio show for 11:30 AM today. My plugging is shameless, but since it’s my last one, I don’t feel terribly guilty!
Mowed lawn / went to tree farm looking at ginkgo biloba trees to possibly put in the front yard / barbecued. Generally behaved in manner consistent with age / station in life. Asleep by 9:30. 7-year-old son still awake. Downed bottle of good Italian red table wine with next door neighbor. Still able to spell and control bladder / bowels. Barely.
Golly we’re a rock ‘n’ roll bunch aren’t we. Relaxing (I like this one), scabbing tickets to gigs (you jammy bastard), bringing the wench for crowd control purposes and guzzling whiskey. Nice. Makes my party with local rock illuminati seem positively tame. And yesterday? Spent almost six hours installing final cut on our fucking Mac. How anyone can claim these stupid fucking machines are superior to PCs is beyond me. They’re fucking playschool computers and I hate them.
Was at the Great Escape in Brighton.
Utterly failed to see any other bands apart from during soundchecks. Boo
Succeeded in making it to the Fat Cat night just in time to watch the Twilight Sad packing up at the end of their set. Boo.
Utterly failed to spot Nick Cave wondering around town. Boo
Utterly failed to spot Julie Burchill wondering around town. Thank fuck.
Succeeded in eating very well at some of Brighton’s nicest restaurants with my good lady and polishing off a large but ill-advised combination of red wine and red stripe. Hurray!
A rather nice weekend all in all!
But more to the point where/what-time is this Toad Records launch thingy? Tell me!
Saturday June 14th mate, coming along? Celebrity Chimp, Meursault and The Byrons are playing.
How did you lot go down at Great Escape then? Good thing you didn’t see Nick Cave wandering about. For a good laugh read my live review of his Glasgow gig. He might have punched you just for knowing me!
Looking forward to the Limbo acoustic set. Are you actually involved in that or is it just those strings chaps again?
I’ve never tried barbecued Ginko Biloba trees.
C&B does indeed sound like a creative chef. Perhaps the bark allows the interior to soften over a slow flame, such that it can be served with butter, salt and a little blackberry chutney.
At present it looks like there might be a Song By Toad shaped hole in the rapidly filling BR diary (assuming it’s evening that is) and I’m most certainly up for it if there is! But you never said where….
The Limbo thing will be everyone bar Gill who’s got a weekend pass for good behaviour and is off to sunnier climes!
Great Escape was rather good fun apart from me needing to now run up to Scayles before it closes to help out with some minor guitar surgery! And although the audiences seemed to get bigger each night the stages definitely got smaller each night.
Hopefully there’ll be something up on youtube somewhere/sometime showing what could be the definitive “Slow Parade Silence” complete with comedy heckle!
Comedy heckle – do tell!
Monty Python Holy Grail style – “Get on with it!” followed by a withering but good natured “fuck off” from Mr Sutherland, and finale!
Oh brilliant. I love that bloke, whoever he was! I can picture that perfectly even without the benefit of being there.
Yup – was a bit of a magic moment! Now, for the last time – where’s the launch thingy at? Don’t make me have ta come over there…..
The Meridian on Leith Walk. Salubrious environs and no mistake.
Splendid! that’s proper near my new flat that is!