Embroidering: the truth

Band practice with the Crops at Alaska on Monday. The street's winter wonderland theme is continued across the road from the studio by the Igloo coffee bar, a place that holds much fascination for us. For starters there doesn't appear to be a door - do employees have to climb in through the hatch or were they bricked in years ago and have never come out? Secondly, every surface inside is covered in tin foil. Do they know something we don't?
Met Keith for a birthday pint after rehearsal. He doesn't look too bad for 50, does he?
Rehearsed again tonight, this time with the Bentleys at the house of Joss, where Kate showed us some of her excellent embroidery, which may very well be the new rock and roll. She's got an exhibition on in Upper Street that I solemnly urge you to visit.

The skin of our pants

Another relatively quiet week, brightened up by road testing some more of Shelly's masks. It's just been raining stair rods - pretty impressive but hard to capture in a photo. I'm not too bothered about the rain, but could do without the way it makes the straps on my cycle helmet smell when they get wet. Not pleasant at all.





A very fine show on Saturday. Here's Robin, our shy and retiring engineer, and Killing Joke stalkee Nina Walsh playing live. With my usual finesse I managed to announce several dates incorrectly, apparently believing at one point that we were still in September. Richard coined a particularly memorable phrase 'by the skin of their pants', which I shall be dropping into conversation at the first opportunity that presents itself.

On to the Salisbury in St Martin's Lane last night for Nigel's leaving do - he's being transported to Australia next week. It was also the debut public performance for Robert and Midi's as yet unnamed band. Here's Robert looking more like Sting the older he gets - in fact he now looks more like Sting than Sting does.

Nighttime and Littlefield

Excellent sessions on the show today from Nighttime & Damien Raison and Alan Tyler & The Lost Sons of Littlefield. Retired to the Angel after the show - here's Nighttime with TV Magic, who made a guest appearance on the session. A most enjoyable couple of pints of very reasonably priced bitter were consumed, accompanied by a stimulating discussion of the power of magnifying glasses, celebrity scientists and the world's biggest nut, among other things.

Chimp My Bride

A quiet week. Here's Shelly obscured by a monkey. It's no coincidence that Planet of the Apes was written in French. The way that they say chimpanzee is quite beautiful.

Bloody heck

Haven't mentioned the old blood sugar for a while. It's been behaving itself recently but this morning was at the giddy heights of 9.6, and that was after I'd been for a swim. That's what a Saturday night on the sauce followed by an entire Sunday on the sofa does for you.

Anyway, here's one of my favourite pictures, taken a few years ago at a floating animation festival in Russia. Perhaps the most fantastic 10 days of my life, though had I been diabetic back then I would quite possibly not have made it back to Britain.

All hail Macbeth

A very fine evening at the Macbeth last night. Cheers to the Teens for being worthy hosts. The bands were marvellous - Leicester's Supreme Vagabond Craftsman do a nice line in Maidenesque twin-guitar riffery, Lost Penguin managed to alienate the old gits in the audience but still won my heart for their sheer youthful abandon, even if they did make me feel as if I was one of their parents come to give them a lift home after the show. Stained Glass Heroes were also on very good form. Their bassist Al seems to have a fur fetish. His face was entirely covered in the stuff when I saw them at the Windmill and last night he was sporting this rather fetching number.

Radio

The Loves from Cardiff were on the show today as well as Jason Mcniff and Emily Barker , who did a terrific version of Kate Bush's 'Wuthering Heights', most impressive. Also on, though sadly not captured by the camera, were bonkers Hungarian duo Agaskado Televerek (which translates as Rearing Stallions) who played an excellent set, and have a fantastic eponymous album well worth investigating. Listening back to the show on headphones helped get me through a hungover and George Romero-esque visit to Surrey Quays Tesco's on Sunday afternoon.

Happy Birthday Mr Vonnegut

Rehearsal's not a life

Back in Alaska again last night with the Crops in preparation for tomorrow's gig at the Xerox Teens' Parlour Night in Hoxton.

A most enjoyable rehearsal with much juvenile chortling at inappropriate topics interepersed with sporadic bursts of badly performed music. Then we finished early because our fingers were hurting and went for a rather odd visit to the pub which ended up with us discussing shepherd's pie recipes over diet cokes.

If you've never heard the Crops you can visit our Myspace page, or simply imagine what 'Last of the Summer Wine: The Musical' might sound like.

Half Baked Alaska

Rehearsed with the Crops for the first time in a while last night and miraculously remembered how to play most of the songs. Which doesn't bode well for Saturday's gig. Repaired to the King's Arms for a few jars afterwards, but since it was a school night, I baled (bailed?)out after the third pint. I'm told everyone else kept the rock and roll flag flying in my absence and it all got rather 'messy'. I don't know who should be more ashamed - me for leaving or them for not doing so.

12 Bar

Great night at the 12 Bar. Salt & Blue gave a mesmorising performance. Jess plays the Hurdy Gurdy, which is a sight to behold as well as an amazing thing to listen to. Hamilton Yarns were sublimely charming and Tea and Toast Band, dressed like some kind of Woodland Creature Klansmen, got everyone chanting the word 'bicycle' with complete abandon. Hunting Lodge were probably at this point wondering what they were doing on the bill but gamely took to to the stage to up the volume level by about 500% for an intensely excoriating performance. They are a truly extraordinary band - it's not every day you see a man in his underpants playing a kitchen sink but it all seemed to make complete sense. Shame on the people who chose the last tube home instead of watching them.

Bags and Bags of Dander

Rob and Molly from Tea and Toast band played on the show today. We're always impressed by people who make the effort to dress up for the radio. The jury's out on whether these are swan, goose or chicken outfits though. Their song 'Leopards' was a big hit with Richard's kids, and quite deservedly so, for it is a very fine piece of music. It was a pretty hectic but most enjoyable 90 minutes with Hamilton Yarns, Salt & Blue and Virgin Passages all playing live. Tonight's gig at the 12 Bar should be fun.

Rowan and the Crops Failed

Here's some shots of the Crops playing in Halesworth in Suffolk at the other end of the bill from Suzi Quatro back in August. You can see more at Ian Narbeth's website. Well worth checking out the pictures of the mighty Serillian too. It all seems like a long time ago now. My Dad said I looked like Don Williams. He's a fan of the Don, so I took it as a compliment!