LARM spoken word festival OSLO NORWAY/ Valencia

“Who controls the present controls the past: Who controls the past, controls the future” GEORGE ORWELL

I have not been abroad for a while, so reluctantly dragged myself to the airport, got there............. and was very pleasantly suprised to find the Airport empty? security empty? My book prominently displayed in Terminal One and Phil Saxe sat in my gate! (Factory’s Legendary A n R man and ex Happy Mondays manager). He told me that when they fell out he ripped the management contract up in front of them saying:

“YOU CAN KEEP YOUR EFFIN MONEY!”

WHAT A MAN!

If only more managers were like that eh? Would have saved me a few quid i’ll tell you!)

A truly wonderful suprise made all the more poignant by the fact that my only trips to the old FACTORY building were either to his office, at the back bottom corner of the ground floor, for one of his wonderful pep talks ( never was there a more positive A.R. man) or summoned to THE BOARDROOM for a bollocking off Tony (these were rare but fearsome!)

But now my trips to the new FACTORY are much more enjoyable, i must say a quick few thank you's here to : AARON, BEN KELLY, JAMES, LIFE P.R., ALL THE BUILDING WORKERS, BAR STAFF,NIGEL, KIRK AND MILES, SECURITY etc. etc. for the most exciting few weeks i've had in a long time.

Getting the Club ready was a task i left mainly to the experts, but getting THE LIGHT ready was a hell of a ride and ably assisted by Jack, Nat, Andy and Old Lead Foot, Rowetta, Howard , Gary and Mani really made for an unforgettable time, they all worked really hard and apart from the serbian cold i was given by Ro it was hugely enjoyable.

The Set List 

DARK STARR with Howard,

SHE SAID with Gary,

YOU DON’T KNOW THIS ABOUT ME with Gary,

DREAMS NEVER END with Rowetta

CEREMONY with Rowetta

WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME with Rowetta

SHINE SISTER with Rowetta

BROTHER INSIGHT with Rowetta

ATMOSPHERE with Rowetta

TRANSMISSION

SHADOWPLAY

SUNRISE

PICTURES IN MY MIND

WARSAW

INTERZONE

LOVE WILL TEAR US APART (COME ON FREE ZONE)

BLUE MONDAY were  all chosen purely from a desire to play some of my favourites and to ROCK OUT!

The only thing i didn't bear in mind was learning 16 sets of lyrics? that came as a bit of a shock i'll tell you! But apart from a couple of bloomers on the night, i think it went well.

The 5 new songs? DARK STARR/SHE SAID, YOU DON'T KNOW THIS ABOUT ME, PICTURES IN MY MIND and SISTER and BROTHER, I felt were very important so we could celebrate THE FUTURE as well as THE PAST.

The rehearsals were very intense and difficult and aided greatly by Phil Murphy's sterling efforts, I felt we were finally ready on the Wednesday night before the gig, which came as no small relief I'll tell you!

THE SOUNDCHECK

Was absolutely nerve wracking, not aided by the dreaded press presence and promo schedule, but i was very glad to have Dian there on the controls, another weight off our mind! We went through a few number's,not being too demanding, we all had too much to do, but settling down nonetheless was a nice feeling, watching someone as confident as Howard so nervous about his rap was weird? but we're ready.

Watching Aaron running round screaming at everyone, more with encouragement than frustration, made me feel as if i had definitely made the right decision in choice of partner in this next crazy endeavour, how a man acts under pressure, to me, is a great indication of their character, we lead with smiles not with fear! Very glad to have Fletch and James and Chad on either side to spread the load.

As later i looked out of my hotel room window later watching the huge queue snaking down the street, bristling with anticipation and excitement, I smiled, a huge big smile and shivered at the same time.................a ghostly presence? Who knows? But i was as excited as everyone else, and as Sarge accompanied me over the road later on my first entrance to a finished FACTORY H.Q. I felt very happy, and very proud indeed of all my compatriots!

The rest of the evening before gig time flashed by in a blur of faces, some known some not!

Then we were on.............. I loved Howard going to great lengths briefing us Backstage on when to come in on Dark Starr, then going on and completely forgetting it? Ha ha! Gary was GREAT! And watching the Band’s beaming faces gave me great hope for the future It’s addictive this playing I may do it again!

The gig tore past and as I said felt great and seemed to go great too selling out in 6 minutes was a shoot in the arm I really needed.............. THANK YOU ALL!

 Back to earth afterwards when I lost my ticket to the car park and was locked in? Had to call the mobile security who were very unhelpful over the phone? Telling me they would send someone but that I’d be locked in till tomorrow until the office opened?~? SHIT! They duly arrived and tho frowning, greeted me with those immortal words...... ”I’VE JUST SEEN YOU ON THE TELLY! ARE YOU PETER OOOK?” It really does open doors doesn’t it! Safely on our way home after bidding goodbye to the University security, three autographs light, and Sarge and James, our minders for the evening, the wife and I were glad it was all over.

SATURDAY with SHAUN RYDER

This evening went very well too another round of Press before my Dj SET but what a great crowd in THE BOARDROOM, everything seems to be settling in GREAT SOUND, LIGHTS etc but note to self.............. GET FAN and liGHT for DJ BOOTH! shit it was hot and dark!

Great crowd and was my most enjoyable Manchester gig ever! Normally i’m very underwhelmed or underwhelming but THIS ROCKED! It felt like Manchester had been waiting for us! FECKIN GREAT STUFF! HERE’S TO THE FUTURE! Back to Larm................ It's freezing minus 10. I’ve arranged to go into OSLO to meet Phil so i’m told to get the Airport Express from outside the hotel (staying at the airport cos of early flight to Spain see?) It is beautiful though a blizzard in the weird light, but the train arrives and I panic at the machine and end up £75 for a £5 ride dickead!

Get to Oslo very easily and Phil and i traipse around freezin trying to find a Japanese Restaurant, settling for a Vietnamese, we both laugh as he tells me a story about me turning up to a Japanese meal with him and Rob in London, with Kev The Hammer (he doesn’t support West Ham) and a couple of others in tow ordering £700 worth of food and drink, spending most of the time in the toilets? Then disappearing and leaving Rob with the bill, he said Rob was fuming! I can’t even remember??

We literally never stop talking and exchanging stories one of the best has to be his story about the Mondays laying waste not only to Ronnie Biggs but also his entourage, who were open mouthed at the Mondays capacities BLOODY HELL! Strangely enough on the way back to the station we get an attempted mugging? Three guys come over a bit too touchy when i get my phone out to call the missus. Phil dispatches them very swiftly with a very Manc cry of............... “FOOK OFF BEFORE I TWAT YAH!” They do!

The next day the talk goes very well, which bodes well for my SPEAKING TOUR, a huge British presence here GEOFF TRAVIS, ALAN MCGEE, KEVIN CUMMINS, JOHN ROBB , FEARGAL SHARKEY to name but a few? We get our Japanese meal after all, courtesy of the Larm promoter, THANKS MATE, and as we swap stories Phil, Kev and I, to see who can tell the most revolting story, we go through Morcheeba, Mark E ,Smith, Mondays, Smiths, Roses, Oasis, Pistols P.I.L.,etc. etc. then I leave as they start to involve me? Steady on Kev?

I head for the station and watch Phil Saxe disappear in a blizzard I smile again, look round for muggers and DO ONE! (he did win with the most revolting story i have ever heard) a sad win.

It's 5 a.m. I’m up and Freezing, the walk to the Terminal is beautiful but i’m glad to be back in the airport! Uneventful but tiny seated plane to Alicante.

Y VIVA ESPANA!! HACIENDA CLASSICS, QFESTIVAL 

L’IZARA SPAIN A weird bill! Wayne Hussy Acoustic (Sisters of Mersey) I call ‘em that after Pete Wylie introduced me to him one night at the KENTISH FORUM, shall we say I was the worse for wear?  I dragged him into to the toilets telling him what a twat he was and how bad the Sisters Of Mersey were too, I think it’s cos I was with Pete? But he was very gracious about it and didn’t bat an eyelid. God Bless Him.

Midge Ure. The only one to talk to us when we supported the RICH KIDS at Liverpool ERIC’S as Joy Division! seemed a nice bloke gave us some of their beers made him very popular i’ll tell you? Anyway it seems they are travelling round Europe together in a bus, they stop, play, get back on the bus and drive off?

BEWARE! If your planning a holiday in Spain in the summer! (Only Joking lads hee hee.) They were on very early, leaving REVEREND and THE MAKERS to end and me to finish. Met the lads in the bar in the afternoon, very Sheffield/Yorkshire and very funny, they were telling me that the Promoters had taken them out the night before to a local bar, buying them pints of JD an coke and making them listen to their own music for 4 hours?

Funny how people think that will make you happy ? Used to happen to us too? No wonder they peaked too early?

Ended with a PILE ON! Where they broke the arm of one of the promoters? “SHE WERE A DEAD RINGER FOR VANESSA FELTZ”

They said? Fantastic generosity though they won’t let us pay for a thing. Thank You qfestival!

So go for a kip....come back down for my lift to a genuinely funny sight.......... now this hotel we were in was BASIC shall we say? But for some insane reason each room had in the bathroom a HUGE JACUZZI BATH?? Mine worked well. But was difficult to turn off, so anyway here’s John from The Makers trying to explain to the Receptionist that his is stuck on??

Mad Flying Arm movement’s and everything.....in a broad Yorkshire accent, i wont even try! Saying............ “My wife’s still up there, it won’t turn off! It sounds like a dwarf driving a Vespa round my Bathroom!!” The Receptionist nods in agreement? and scuttles off?? As if he understood? I would’ve loved to know what he thought was going on! ha ha!! WAR OF THE ROSES!

Anyway gig is an hour late and is in chaos! Big cold old sports hall, so the Makers do their best, and i’m very pleasantly suprised! They are very good and go down well! Like a cross between the Rezillo’s and Madness!

I get on at 3.30 with a few left and the coldness is exacerbated by the stage crew leaving the bloody door open while i’m on? While they load out? It was like being back in Oslo i was shivering! They even take my foldback and half the P.A while i’m playing The Bastards! Trying to tell me something lad’s? But thanks to a leathered hard core the mix of Haçienda Classics wins a few friends and by 5.30 i’m in bed knackered!

The next morning i’m picked up by the same bleary eyed Taxi driver from the night before ? For the hours drive to Valencia? After an hour of pidgin english to keep him awake i’m knackered again! Fly to Paris then to Manchester! What a life! Fooking Great!