The piano player lives 3 miles away!

Photo by Liam Arthur

It's been a good few weeks since the tour ended. 900 miles completed; no lasting damage to the car and everyone still wants to be in the band! There were dramas of course, everything that goes wrong, went wrong. We were physically and mentally drained. The mishaps and miscommunications; I'll list them. It reads like this:

Couldn't reverse with the trailer, each time we'd have to get out, turn it round and reattach it.
Forgot the guitar; sent the drummer back 100 miles to get it.
Forgot the mic stands; used branches.
Forgot the CD's for at least two gigs.
Put diesel in the petrol car.
Drove off with the petrol cap on the roof.
Went fantasically over budget.
Forgot bedding; bass player slept in a rug, piano player slept in his case!
Record producer stood us up.
Piano player caught meditating during soundcheck.
Audience member wouldn't leave stage after being called up to fan us.
Bass mysteriously cut out during 1st bass solo.
Piano player then played all over 2nd bass solo.
Guitar player broke strings and forgot his shoes.

After the tour the guitar player and I fled to Spain and the piano player went to France and had a nervous breakdown. He arrived back in the UK and promptly moved to Bristol. He now lives 3 miles away!

Having 4 out of 5 of us in the same city is very handy, although as yet we haven't managed to practice; indeed i wonder if any of us have picked up our instruments, we're all still scarred by the three wknd tour!

Ah, but it was a great success; we played to 100's of people, made new fans, sold CD's, made a film, went on the radio. But because we had never done such a concentrated block of dates, in a very slow car with no heating, with lack of sleep and very little time, travelling great distances with no money, and eating bad food from expensive services, by the end we were pale and giddy, we were half our strength, we were ready to throw in the towel.

Spain did a lot to heal my mind, a while away from the whirling bite of England, although the guitar player spent his holiday with a fever. We returned to The Odd Folk HQ somewhat tentatively; we were all still a little fragile. When a new gig came through in London, we were all unnerved, we glanced at each other to gage if we were all still keen. We were.

It's coming up this Sunday 27th at the Islington, in Islington, obviously. We haven't practiced yet, we haven't summoned up the strength. After London, the following weekend, we travel to Cornwall to play with one of folk's great: Steve Tilston. In december we're hosting a big christmas party with a local bluegrass band, Flats and Sharps. 

So, it's picking up again. And we're almost back to full swing. The piano player lives 3 miles away, and our CD is on repeat at the dentist in Clifton; stardom is calling! Makes you think though, being this out of sorts after a three week UK run, what would we be like after a world tour? Destroyed.

www.theoddfolk.com