Molara's Diary

2006-05-19T10:05:00.000+01:00

Stressed and blessed...

Friday 19th June 2006

The events of the last 48 hours have begared belief.
At 2 points on Wednesday I thought that the planned mini tour in Croatia and Slovenja were not going to happen. The lack of a vehicle to get 5 people to the airport until 5pm that day (I praise and worship Nelly and Commercial Garage in Narberth!) and then another total f*#°k up which cannot actually be mentionned for legal reasons made for the most stressful start to a tour in my touring history.

But oh wonder of wonders and delight of delights, last night we took to the stage in Gala Hala, Ljubliana, Slovenia and had a sweet, inspirational, musical, uplifting and generally top experience. Thanks to all who came and supported.
Fell happily into bed at about 2 this morning having had 4 hours sleep in 48 hours. Am typing this direct in the lovely Gala Hala band room as the rest of the crew snore in the background!

2006-05-13T19:15:00.000+01:00

We are the champions again...

Saturday 13th May 2006

I don't love Raffa Benitez and Peter Crouch.
I do love Stephen Gerrard, Sammi Hyypia, Jan Arno Riise (sorry for spellings!) and Liverpool Football club.
I have a soft spot for West Ham now (something I thought I'd never ever say!).
WHAT a cup final, what a rollercaoster of emotions, what a RESULT!!!
2 texts I got from fellow fans sum it up:
˝Never EVER say die! We said to Jake (my cousins 2 year old) we'd let off party poppers for every Liverpool goal... the place looks like a ticker tape parade went pas. F*#°k me I'm buzzing˝.
˝I have just cum real hard...again! LFC have the finals in operatic stylee always!˝

2006-05-09T15:52:00.000+01:00

Speak out

Tuesday 9th May 2006

Not blogged for a while as life´s felt like there couldn't possibly be room or time, which is a daft head state to be in because there always is but once you start to get a backlog of what you think you want to say in your head you feel that you don't have time but if you just post something quickly as I'm doing now and get back on it then you're in the zone again. Clear? Well that made sense in my had.

Anyway the thing that's forced me to speak out is the selection of the England squad for the world cup. I love and support Liverpool football club but how the hell is Peter Crouch selected over the likes of Wright-Phillips, Harewood and Bent???!!!
And as for the fact that calamity James is in the squad - does Sven never learn, how many cock ups does a goalie have to make before he's chucked out?
And is Owen Hargreaves Sven's bastard love child and due to some mad blackmail plot he has to be selected to play for England?
I can't believe it.

2006-03-19T21:59:00.000Z

Number 1!

Sunday 19th March 2006

The Versionist download chart came out today and 'Heart of Dub' is at number 1. Maximum thanks and respect to all the dub download crew.

I really wanted to sing a song about music a couple of years ago and talked to Colin about what I wanted the lyrics to express. I went off to Tesco and came back to to a song called "Magic". It's been through several incarnations and the latest one (tune number 2 off the new album ) is now available dubwise onVersionist.

Decided I'm going to make a series of podcasts about the story of tunes. It's taken a long time for the solo project to properly gel and therefore some of the tunes have gone through several different styles/phases with different musicians having different takes on them. Fascinating to me and hopefully the world at large!

2006-03-10T13:07:00.000Z

First new tune available...

Sunday 5th March 2006

Just put the first dub of the first mix of the first tune from the "Molara Meet's Dubmerge" album on Versionist.
Very exciting - firstly to have new music out there and secondly to feel like my solo project is really starting to bear fruit.
:-)

2006-01-01T20:38:00.000Z

Free!

Sunday 1st January 2006

I love those days like Christmas Day and New Years Day when you know that the world is sort of shut down and nobody's plotting to send you an evil bill - the world is in free fall slow motion and it's peaceful like no other days (I appreciate this is my subjective and idiosyncratic world view).

Anyway to cut a long story short I received an email from DJ Perch which illustrated to me how different our perspectives on our personal and working relationships were, and as a result of this I decided to quit Zion Train. Much as I love performing live, going through the motions of something which originated in the heart at another time with other people was becoming hollow. To continue doing it just for the money would not reflect the spirit of what I do, and the vibe of the audience versus the vibe of the people I was working with wasn't enough to sustain the desire to be involved.
Zion Train for me was music originated by Cod, mixed by Perch and performed live by at least Perch and myself (and ideally a brass section), so for me Zion Train is no more – whatever continues using that name will be something new and different.

Tune of the day

If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out

by Cat Stevens
This is going to be the last "Tune of the Day". I think I'm going to do a feature in my "Music" section called i&itunes (my iPod is called "i&iPod" so all essential listening will be covered there and I'll do a centralised round up of top listening:-)

2005-11-27T20:35:00.000Z

Back on the outside...

Sunday 27th November 2005

Big D’s birthday so off ten pin bowling tonight – in Milford Haven. Sound incongruous?
We have been snowed in since Friday so should be looking forward to seeing the outside world, but in fact it’s much nicer to have an excuse not to have to interact with it! (For a few days anyway).

We all had Horlicks for breakfast today. I loved it as a child with the lumps it used to form but nowadays it has a special agent (probably some hideous chemical) that makes it mix smooth. Bring back the old style. And Horlicks tablets while we’re at it.

Colin has suggested I am a gay man inside a woman’s body. He could be right.

Tune of the day

Blitzkrieg Bop

by The Ramones

2005-11-13T20:36:00.000Z

Baka Narberth...

Saturday 12th November 2005

Great day today.
Did a workshop (no lathe) with Su and Denise from Baka Beyond - Baka and Bayaka songs, African dance to hand drumming. Loved the singing and was dreading the dancing but in the end really got into it and enjoyed. Great day.
At the end of the workshop this guy who'd been to my gig the other week said to me "why don't you start a choir?"
I thought - why not? I'd love it. Songs from around the world, lots of people to sing them. So I'm going to do it! Wow.

Tune of the day

La Londe

by Baka Beyond

***

2005-09-21T23:17:00.000+01:00

Summer stress subsides!

Wednesday 21st September 2005

I’ve been resisting writing in a petulant sort of way – it’s felt like too much history to attempt to relate and not enough time.
Then tonight, as Man City went 1-0 up against Doncaster Rovers in the league cup, I thought “now is the time”(though they subsequently lost on penalties sadly).

Main features
*My 500g niece is now 1.5kg, breathing for herself, feisty, and a total superstar.
*My girl is now 3 and my boy is now 5! Where did the years go? Incidentally how fantastic are the summer holidays – only this year have a truly appreciated the wonder of lie ins and having my children around 24-7.
*The vocal I did of Joy Division's 'Digital' for DJ Methodist is now out on a 7".
*2 close friends have been to see a psychic with amazing results – 99% accurate information, incredible revelations and apparently we ALL have a spirit guide. I’m going to go and see her myself and will keep you posted…
I am seriously hoping that neither of my Grandmothers are my spirit guide a) because they were both dour to put it politely and b) there are some things in life that one does not want ones grandmother to be witness too, even from the spirit world!
*Got bl**dy nits again. It’s not fair. If anyone near me has them (even when no-one I know has them) I always get them. Had to use the hideous chemical ‘Derbac’ twice, and for at least 6 weeks after I used it, every time I sweated – particularly after gigs – I could smell it. Horrible.

Gigs
*My two favourite Zion Train gigs of the summer were Ashton Court Festival in Bristol and Rhythms of the World in Hitchin. Both of them were just out there, thousands of people (me included) high on life together and just going for it big time.
Both were shortly after the July 7th London bombs and it was as if there were a visceral need to come together, unite as people of different colour skins and religions and dance wildly!
It was particularly moving in Hitchin that the local Vicar (whose office was our dressing room), Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist leaders went on stage together to denounce the bombings and call for unity. Rhythms of the World really is a very special festival, and genuinely involves the whole community.
*Loved the Molara band gig at Seasplash Festival in Croatia. Bonuses to this were guesting with Love Grocer the night before we played, and being followed on stage by Twinkle Brothers.
How amazing a voice, an energy, a presence Norman Grant is only seems to increase with age. If there were anyone on the roots circuit I aspire to it would be him. As for his band, the vocal combination of the lovely Jerry Lyons, Black Steel and Dub Judah was just amazing, and the rhythms were as tight as a gnats chuff.
The comedy journey there with an initially distressed and shouting Daddy Freddywas entertaining and eventful to say the least! After raging against all who had diss'd him, he went on to mention his love of Elton John (and other members of the gay community), Michael Jackson and how much he fancies Sarah Fergusson! He restored my faith in Jamaican humanity.
*Notable mentions Festival au Bout du Monde, Crozon, Bretagne – lovely mainly world music festival although bizarrely enough we went on after Joe Cocker. I was a bit concerned that the musical styles were a little too far apart for us to be appreciated, but all 15,000 people stayed and went wild. Vive les Bretons!
Also got in a trip to the beach which was stunning.
We finally did the first ever Zion Train gig in Spain – Tarrega near Barcelona. Lovely people lovely vibe. Also the first ZT gig featuring Earl 16 at Feeste in het Park, Oudenaarde, Belgium.
Rototom in Italy was a really nice sunny rootical day.
*Must mentions Vostrov Reggae Festival in Czech Republic, Hodokvas Festival, Slovakia and Endorset Dorset. All bouncy, positive and uplifting.
Molara band at Glastonbury was short but sweet if a little confusing!
*Better left unmentioned Sicily (the third 10 hour+ journey of the weekend combined with food poisoning and disorganised chaos made this a total nightmare. Thanks to all who did help).
The Powersteppers gig at Glastonbury was the day of the torrential rain so was sadly washed out.

Thoughts
*Plastic surgery has always given me the heeby geebies – unnecessary pain, cuts and bruises. But as I take to the stage these days or look in the mirror when wearing a vest I could well live without the bingo wings. I have learned to love and appreciate my Nigerian bum and thighs and can even generate affection for my post 2 caesarians belly. The scars on my face are my history, part of me. But the bingo wings, yuk. Still not been to the gym in 2005…
*What a joy it would be if Boris Johnson was elected tory leader. He’s such a twat.
*Lots of people seem to be wearing fur again particularly “supermodels” and American rappers. The latter are in general rich, conservative and stupid enough to possibly be excused, but what was the point of the campaign in which models denounced the wearing of fur in the 1990’s if only a decade or so later they are all wearing it again? Do their food starved tiny little brains not remember? Clearly it was fashionable then and isn’t now. Pathetic.
*When we were in Poland Perch was shown the internet video of one of the Americans kidnapped by the Iraqi militants having his throat cut. He was really shocked and horrified by it but said that everyone should see it because it was unimaginable.
I can’t agree. What he described to me I put images to which disturb me to this day, even though they are only from his description.
I hope never to see anything like that in my life.
I don’t hide from such realities and I do feel that everyone needs to know that these things are happening in the world we live in.
Those images will disturb him and he will never forget I’m sure, what he told me was enough for that to be true for me. I fear that actually seeing those images could push someone like me into a very extreme state of mind.
I cannot cope with fake violence in films never mind horror films – in which I cannot take the physical or emotional violence of the situations in which characters find themselves trapped. It’s not that I’m scared of blood, but that I abhor violence.
It profoundly disturbs and upsets me.
I hate big knives, guns, anything that human beings can kill each other with.
Every fibre of my being feels it’s not right.
*Women are weird.
I am one and therefore subject to some of the emotional territory - the stress, the obsessions, the jealousy, the mind games.
I’d feel sorry for men but they have their own set of built in baggage.
Furthermore it starts from birth – well at least 18months. My daughter and her girlfriends are already doing what women do!
The worst thing is that we are programmed to want and then entice/coerce/bully men into settling down to build homes and make children, and looking at my peers, when we get to the point when the men have finally said yes this is great this is what I want too and we have it all, we want something else.
Why are we like that?
It would be SO much easier all round if we could just be consistent. Just be satisfied with what we have when we’ve got it.

Revelations
*Podcasting. How great exactly? Adam Curry rock on. Dawn and drew are too whiney for me. Chef Mark Tafoyer has become most quoted in our kitchen. Respect to Trucker Llew. My two most enetertaining podcasts of the summer have been goyfire (anti Jewish/black/anything other than the Arian race). The goyfire news report had me falling off my chair with laughter, it was so funny, and they really mean it! Whorecast too is wonderful, SO dry, so wild in a totally ordinary kind of way and at times very very funny.
*Mashuptown.com - long may it continue.

Tune of the summer

Hope There’s Someone

by Anthony and the Johnsons

***

2005-06-20T23:14:00.000+01:00

Best birthday present my sister ever had…

Monday 20th June 2005

My niece rocks.
She’s tiny. She’s hooked up to all sorts of machines, but she’s there in the incubator with her tiny arms and legs kicking.
She’s a fighter.
Wow.

Tune of the day

Zion

by Lauryn Hill

***

2005-06-19T23:08:00.000+01:00

Still an Aunty in active service...

Sunday 19th June 2005

Short sleep. Plane. Taxi – the boot of which breaks and won’t close as soon as we have our equipment in it. Taxi no.2 doesn’t get us to the bus station in time for the bus to Goteborg. Train – 4 and a half hours.
I get a call on the train to say that the health of my niece is not good.
Isolated, frustrated. Angry and very sad.

We are met by a very enthusiastic, high spirited young lady who is daunted by our brooding weary appearance and endeavours to cheer us up as we are rushed to the venue for the sound check.
It’s a Womad style event – electronic meets African kora and voices. Galliano plays before us – he looks remarkably like Napoleon Bonaparte.
The gig is warm, strong and uplifting.
I come off stage to 5 missed calls on my mobile – TOTAL panic. None of them are from my family – big big relief.

Tune of the day

Shout, Sister, Shout

by Sister Rosetta Tharpe

***

2005-06-18T23:10:00.000+01:00

Viva Norway…

Saturday 18th June 2005

We get one and a half hours sleep at the Oslo hotel before heading off to the airport to fly to Bergen where we are taken straight to the hotel for a much needed sleep.
It’s a beautiful place nestled in mountains by the side of a fjord.

Norway is proving to be quite wild.
Drunk like Finland (really really drunk), dressed in random style – not so much the case in Oslo, here in Bergen people really do just wear what they feel the vibe to wear regardless of “fashion” or musical preference.
Having dined deliciously at Viva las Vegis – Elvis tribute vegetarian café, and gone up the mountain on a little train AND found our way back down again through the woods, the scenes in the town are amazing.
On one huge stage is a massive orchestra going at it 10 to the dozen.
At the base of a statue designed by one of the members of A-ha is an old van with a drum kit on the roof and a picket fence down one side making a little garden area. In the garden is a woman with 3 old record players, playing 3 different pieces of vinyl at 3 different speeds creating a total cacophony.
Some blokes nearby (very near the passers by) are juggling fire.

The gig is a wild wild frenzy, and when we leave the venue at 3.30am it is already light and the streets are full of drunken revellers – it is the kind of crowd you’d expect to see shopping of a Saturday afternoon except all the shops are closed and half the people are staggering!

Tune of the day

In the Ghetto

by Elvis

***

2005-06-17T09:43:00.000+01:00

I’m an Aunty!

Friday 17th June 2005

All other things are blown out of the water today.
I am an Aunty, right here right now, whatever happens.
It’s not straight forward. My niece was given 10% chance of survival and weighs 540g at birth. She and my sister are hooked up to various different machines/drips/monitors.

Oslo for the first time, Hausmania, rickshaw ride at speed through the city all great but come and go in a blur.
The Aunty business. Mega. Monumental. Emotional. Wow.

Tune of the day

Go Easy

by Forever Haqani

***

2005-06-16T09:43:00.000+01:00

Take the last train to Oslo…

Thursday 16th June 2005

Day off in Stockholm.
The hotel is a boat moving gently on the water – conducive to sleep, not so the clacking toilet door which is right next to my room, so from 6am onwards it’s none stop toilet door action.

The sun is shining hot like summer – shorts and sandals for the first time in 2005.
Wandered along one of the islands along the waterside.
Highlight of the day dinner; a picnic in the park (really nice food – cheers Oskar) with lots of other Swedes who have mini barbecues, major amounts of booze, mega picnics for 20+ - never before have I seen such gatherings. Several groups playing an apparently Viking game where you have to chuck chunks of wood at each other (the wood not the people).
Make hay while the sun shines mentality as they’ll all be suicidal come the winter?! Some folk even had a large wooden table (no sign of a vehicle so presumably they carried it from somewhere).

The lowlight of the day was the night train to Oslo – a 6 berth cabin containing 4 Zion Train, 2 strangers and too much luggage. Claustrophobic? I should coco.

Tune of the day

No Trophy

by The Bees

***

2005-06-15T09:37:00.000+01:00

Welcome to Sweden…

Wednesday 15th June 2005

I am usually very good at remembering certain things – phone numbers, places, birthdays. But there are areas where I simply cannot retain information for example birthdays at the beginning of September, April and May. One of my oldest school friends has a birthday at the beginning of September and after 30 years I can still never remember exactly what date. Scandinavia is a geographical black hole for me.
Today I am flying to Stockholm but to my shame can’t remember if it’s in Sweden or Norway. It doesn’t help that I’m flying Ryan Air. At Stansted Airport the destination is “Stockholm” – as soon as we are on the plane there’s no mention of Stockholm, but another place name (and when we land surprise surprise it’s over 100km from Stockholm!).
Further more me and Hakey are separated getting onto the plane and I can’t see him throughout the flight – I start to think that I’m on the wrong plane heading for a random destination. I am very relieved to see Hakey getting off the plane and he confirms that we are in Sweden – land of Ikea, Abba and Henrik Larson.
And it is very Ikea – neat, modern, efficient but with extremely friendly and courteous people – the ones who are dealing with us are anyway, the vibe on the street is a little more cool/reserved.
The venue, the Kulturhus, is like a Kafkaesque Ikea showroom – floors of theatre spaces, cafes, galleries and offices. We are playing on the roof terrace which is lovely and because it’s June in the north of the Northern hemisphere we are playing to a perpetual sunset.
Nice crowd. Mellow and positive vibes. Welcome to Sweden indeed.

Tune of the day

S.O.S.

by Abba

***

2005-06-12T09:37:00.000+01:00

Sublime to ridiculous…

Sunday 12th June 2005

June’s mega busy.
Back from Poland for 4 days with barely time to catch up before off to do a couple of UK gigs:
Shrewsbury – lovely venue, lovely crowd, lovely meal. Talked long into the night with the owner of The Buttermarket who is friends with Ian Rush (Liverpool F.C. hero).
The uptight idiot woman at one of our b&bs knows who she is! Enough said.

Lynton is an unmitigated disaster of a gig.
Initially it’s looking good – we go for a cream tea and wander round the town which is really beautiful.
The soundcheck is aborted due to terrible buzzing noise on the PA – nevermind.
We are then presented with an amazing array of food – sadly most of it involves meat (one dish looks like mashed up brains in jelly). We snack on what we can. It’s 6pm.
We are then lead to the place where we’re due to be sleeping – nice house on the hill looking out over the sea.
The festival eventually gets underway, by the time we are due to play it’s running an hour late. The band before us finish with a flurry and we set up.
Then the generator breaks.
They try to use a domestic supply from one of the pubs, this will only run a fraction of the sound system.
We eventually take to the stage 2 hours late playing music over a sound system which isn’t as loud as the hi fi in my living room and one white light pointing directly at us.
We haven’t eaten for 6 hours and there is no further prospect of food – we are assured of a hearty breakfast which, surprise surprise never materialises!
I didn’t wait around to find out but drove home and got into my own bed at 5am.
Respect and thanks to those who danced and got into it regardless;-)

Tune of the day

Golden Slumbers

by The Beatles

***

2005-06-06T09:35:00.000+01:00

Jaaazz. Grrreat...

Monday 6th June 2005

Back at The Blue Note in Poznan last night.
It’s a jazz club.
Happily Lucas (promoter of legendary 1st ever Polish gig in Poznan and every other gig there since – such long term relationships are great) has hired in a sound system and is not using the in house PA. On all other previous occasions we’ve played in The Blue Note, the diminutive black leather jacketed, slick back haired jazz loving owner of the club has hovered at the side of the stage wringing his delicate white hands and gesturing at Perch to turn it down or preferably off, as Perch leaps around bouncing wild dub effects round the building at ear splitting volume.

I had a really great time before, during and after the show.
I have run out of superlatives for Poland!

Tune of the day

A Spoonful Blues

by Charley Patton

***

2005-06-05T09:35:00.000+01:00

Oh Poland!

Sunday 5th June 2005

You see the most stunning flora and fauna driving round Poland. Stunning irises of all colours are in flower at the moment and I’ve seen an eagle, storks as well as random animals – we’ve just driven past 4 gazelles in someone’s garden! And we saw ostriches yesterday.

On first impressions Katowice seems dirty in a faded grandeur sort of way.
The venue is a huge communist era rabbit warren with endless corridors, stairs, rooms.
We are treated really well food, drink, sound system and internet access wise. The dressing room is enormous and a game of cricket is only cut short due to a breakage (Perch again).

The gig itself is like one of the earliest ever ZT gigs in Poland – raw and full on, almost overwhelmingly so. They chant and sing along to tunes that they know and beg for those they want to hear. At one point they surge forward and only a fast moving sound man comes between Fitta and a falling light stand. There could have been a terrible Michael Jacksonesque accident.
Health and safety doesn’t really exist in Poland. Outside CDQ, the Warsaw venue there were free standing upright logs on fire. Mad.

Tune of the day

Your Love is My Love

by Whitney Houston

***

2005-06-04T19:26:00.000+01:00

Lucky end to an unlucky day...

Thursday 2nd June 2005

For an anal retentive who can only read magazines from cover to cover starting at the beginning (and I'm a slow reader so 1 magazine may take several days if not weeks), my diary is surprisingly all over the place at the minute.
I am simultaneously writing about Istanbul last August, have ramblings from April to may 2005 in my powerbook waiting to be posted and am writing this in a pad as we bump along Polish roads (typing what I wrote by hand into a computer at Jazz Club, Katowice!).

We are listening to the late Junior Delgado's album which he recorded just before he passed.
I am quite cynical about a lot of modern reggae, especially that which is made by established artists, complacency often sets in and you hear bland reggae tropes, shadows of the great work you origiinally associate them with.
The Delgado album is good - conscious lyrics, currently relevant well thought out lyrics, strong strident, political and free. Musically there are soul and big band influences as well as some heavy weight roots rhythms. Respect and thanks for the inspiration.

Yesterday was a fucker of a day.
Left home knackered (post weekend) at 5.30am and reached Stansted at 10am having been closer to falling asleep at the wheel than I ever have been.
Met up with Hakey - always nice, and flew to Berlin where we met the rest of the crew, picked up a van and drove 5 hours to get to Wroclaw, arriving in town 1hour before we were due on stage.
Hurriedly ate part of a hot meal at a restaurant (a meal 3 hours before we are due to play is the optimum), then got lost and when we did finally reach the venue there was a problem with the sound. We took to the stage over an hour late, my throat/voice was playing up due to a minor chest infection so I had difficulty controlling the pitch of my voice.
After only 1 hour the gig was stopped by police enforcing the strict curfew.
As the crowd shouted "Zion Train" over and over we stood frustrated at the back of the stage.
As always we linked up with Tom the Wroclaw fire chief...
just realised I'm due on stage here in 20 mins so I'm going to run and finish this letter (never before in the history of my blog have I done this!)
Now I'm finishing this post at Berlin Tegel airport - how cool is that?
Anyway Tom had brought me a top cd. The on body image was a photo of us together the last time we were in Wroclaw. I know from what he said that there is music on the cd by Bach, Chopin and Zion Train - can't wait to listen to his eclectic mix.

Fortunately back at the hotel I made the decision to have a bath before I went to bed. The water was sputtering and brown and turned out to be the last of the hot water in the hotel tank - when the lads went to wash the following morning there was no hot water.

Tune of the day

Fire Brigade

by The Move

***

2005-06-04T09:33:00.000+01:00

Wodka, Poland and me...

Saturday 4th June 2005

It’s been a good couple of days.
The first ever Zion Train gig in Poland was in Poznan about 9 years ago. A coach load of people came from Bydgoszcz and Piwa, and after the gig by coincidence we had a legendary night of partying with them.
Thursdays gig in Bydgoszcz was always going to be an “away win”, but I hadn’t anticipated that it would be performed entirely in bright white lights (courtesy of the uptight bloke who filmed it) or that my clothes in there entirety – including skirt worn over top of trousers – would be dripping wet with sweat. Amazing vibes, wild dancing.
Before the show I’d had one of those bizarre go with the flow experiences which you sometimes get on tour but it seems more frequently in Poland. Before leaving home I’d had time to cut out but not sew 2 stage tops, and had brought a piece of gold lame (at his request) for Fitta Warri as a head tie.
I got Maken (music mad promoter, guru and sweetie) to phone ahead to see if we could borrow a sewing machine but this wasn’t possible.
I ended up being taken off by the local French teacher (which was great because we could communicate easily) to her mother’s house on the 9th floor of a block of flats to use her machine. Great.
Fitta gets stared at anyway as he wears lots of jewellery and his dreadlocks piled high on his head in a turban. With a gold lame turban, folk (there are a fair few in Poland who have never seen a black man) were practically walking into lamp posts.

I have been on a mission for some years now to persuade the Polish people as a whole that bison vodka – Zubrowka, is best drunk with blackcurrant juice and not the traditional apple juice. On this particular night I successfully persuaded everybody left in the venue (Mozg) bar.
I was planning to retire to the hotel but ended up drinking with my lovely friend Alicja who was one of the Bydgoszcz crew from the original gig in Poznan. We went to another club (via my hotel to drop off my bag and for me to quite spectacularly fall down a flight of stairs) then back to her flat to meet her rabbit.
A magnificent night. Got to sleep at 9.30am, 1 hour before we had to leave to drive to Warsawa. Dziekuje K. Dziękują za fantastyczny czas.

Warsaw as a result was lovely as always but a little blurred around the edges! In essence, caught up with some mates and had a full on exchange of energy and wild spirits with the Warsaw massive who never fail to be supportive, expressive and uplifting.
Moi przyjaciele wy wyrabiacie mnie szczęśliwy być żywy!

Tune of the day

If 6 was 9

by Jimi Hendrix

***

2005-05-30T23:16:00.000+01:00

Omolara Ayo Ade…

Monday 30th May 2005

Fantastic times all round.
Yesterday was first official “Molara” gig at Theatre Mwldan in Cardigan. Band line up was Ed Headmix on bass, Paul Dubmerge on drums, Jez “fresh talent” King on guitar and rapping, Sarah Headmix and Su Baka Beyond on backing vocals.
The super girls arrived at midday (having only had the set on CD), we rehearsed for a couple of hours, then headed off to soundcheck etc.
First punter through the door was the biggest ZT fan and only cross dresser in Cardigan. True to form he was wearing a skin tight bright royal blue glittery dress and a full face of makeup including that weird thing that women do – dark outline of lips which isn’t actually where the lips are, then lips filled in in pale pink. That with waist length dreadlocks. People like that make me happy to be alive. We had some banter during the course of the gig which involved talk of “a double page spread in the Tivyside Advertiser” (local paper) I believe, what kind of spread was never established!
Musicians, audience and vibes combined to make a night that was SO enjoyable I loved it. Thankyou to all.

Tonight I was a backing vocalist for the legendary Damo Suzuki (of Can – 70’s Krautrockers extraordinaire). He’s on a perpetual tour which he calls Damo Suzuki’s Network. If you want to book him you have to arrange to transport him from his previous gig and pay him a fee. You must also provide music for him to sing to. So me and the legendary queen of jazz & improvisation - Maggie Nicols sang bv’s, Colin and ZT Dave (Tench) did beats, keyboard and weird noises, Glenda our next door neighbour and long time lovely musician played bass, Jethro (Capri Sails) played guitar and his welsh farmer mate was on drums. 2 other guitarists and fans of Damo came on and guested too.
Over 2 hours of 10 people improvising – it was really amazing with some sublime musical moments.

Up at 4.30 am tomorrow to take Damo san to Cardiff airport, then the next day up at 5am to take myself to Stansted. I sense a tired few days coming on! But I’m loving it all.

Tune of the day

Sing Swan Song

by Can

***

2005-05-27T23:15:00.000+01:00

My sister’s a star…

Friday 27th May 2005

Whenever I think of Wednesday night’s win I well up! I think as Liverpool fans (and the team of course) we deserved that.
Supporting Liverpool is a bit like supporting England – the players are good and in theory they should be brilliant but in reality there’s something about the mentality of the players/club collectively which means they don’t achieve their full potential.
Winning the Champions League was repaying us for those defeats at the hands of Middlesbrough and Southampton (though happily those are now a thing of the past since Southampton were relegated, long overdue in my opinion).

Yesterday went to my sisters Masters degree show at The Royal College of Art. Her work is stunning. I don’t think I’m biased. I think that because we are sister’s maybe in some ways we have similar tastes but I haven’t liked everything she’s done over the years. The latest works just blew me away and were I rich, I’d spend serious money to own some of her work.
It must be hard being a visual artist in the 21st Century – so much has been done both in terms of images and technique. Some of the work in the exhibition across the board (painting, jewellery, photography) seemed so tired and un-original. Those who stood out really stood out though.
Dinner with the family, lovely.

Tune of the day

Umi Says

by Mos Def

***

2005-05-25T15:07:00.000+01:00

We ARE the champions...

Wednesday 25th May 2005

Never before have I felt so ill during a football match.
At one point I was nearly sick. The inside of my mouth was painfully dry and the surface of my tongue raw from abrasion due to tension.
I was due to drive to London after the game, but when we were 3-0 down at half time I considered setting off then, but Colin persuaded me to stay. Good job. I may well have crashed the car during the excitement of the second half and particularly the penalty shoot out.
I kept wailing “We’ll never win on penalties!” but the boys were magnificent – jedna milosc Jerzy Dudek.

Liverpool Football Club, champions of Europe.

Tune of the day

Perfect Day

by Lou Reed

***

2005-05-16T15:05:00.000+01:00

Gigs, gigs and more gigs...

Monday 16th May 2005

The election came and went then.

Last weekend did 3 UK dates – Frome, which also kind of came and went.
Exeter which was mental as ever and Bristol which also rocked – very nice to see the Trinity open again.

This weekend we are in Belgium.
Saturday in N9, Eeklo, which is a bit like a spiritual return to source as the first ever ZT gig on the continent was at Jan and Bernadette’s original club down the road “De Media” in 1992? They are an amazing and inspirational couple who have coordinated legendary performances by artists of all ages, races and musical styles, from Robert Crumb to Oumou Sangare, Buena Vista Social Club (before they were famous) to The Skatellites.
Respect, admiration and thanks.
Last night was a great night a VK in Bruxelles – another return to source in a way as we played with Russ Disciples whose music inspired so much when played by Shaka in the late 80’s/early 90’s, and also with Bush Chemists – Dougie Conscious Sounds music/mixing. Colin always sites Dougie as the man who first came round to the original ZT studio “Wibbly Wobbly World” and showed him and Perch how to dub mix…
Respect, admiration and thanks.

Tonight the newly built 4AD which replaces the old venue we’ve played a few times at in Diksmuide. The new version is an old building which has been completely encased by a new building. Very funky and great acoustics.
The support band are a friendly group of Belgian rootsmen and women (Dub An Der Over? – I can say it but not write it!), nice sounds and great effects.
Great amusement as we head round the towns fayre (it’s a bank holiday here). We have Fitta Warri (Jamaican MC) doing his first ZT shows this weekend and he wears his dreadlocks piled high on his head, covered by a turban. I’m used to being stared at in the white towns of Europe for being brown, but now people don’t even notice me and stare open mouthed at Fitta.
Seen all manner of cheese and sausage! Not to mention the most amazing aquarium shop where there were piranha’s and huge koi carp.
Bought a fantastic purple metallic space hopper for my gal (her brother already has a red one which he got at “The Big Chill” last year and insisted on space hopping the length of the festival site as his maiden voyage).

Tune of the day

Come as You Are

by Nirvana

***

2005-05-01T15:04:00.000+01:00

Saint Redneck the second?

Sunday 1st May 2005

All hail the new pope.
As a Bavarian friend pointed out he was only in the Hitler youth because at the time it was the done thing…
Somehow I don’t think he’s going to be making any radical popery – so it’s on with the AIDS epidemic and Conservatism.
I wasn’t a big fan of the last pope but he was Polish (as you know I’m a fan of his homeland) and he did have the hip hop dudes break dance for him in the Vatican. Maybe with the new pope we can look forward to some Bavarian guys in lederhosen slapping each other in the name of dance.

Tune of the day

Are You Washed in the Blood of the Lamb

by Da Costa Woltz’s Southern Broadcasters

***

2005-04-26T21:20:00.000+01:00

I blog therefore I am.

Tuesday 26th April 2006

I am going to set the date of this blog to the future and see what happens - of course 26th April next year won't be a Tuesday so I'll go back and change this, but i just want to see what the response from blogger.com is if you set the date of a blog entry in the future.

Received clear vinyl 7" copies of my voice featured on DJ Methodist's version of Joy Divisions' 'Digital' - check diary entry 7th April 2004. Now I know what I'd sound like if I sang through a paper and comb.

PS. It's August 4th 2005 and I'm changing the date on the post to 26th April because I'm sick of it being at the top of my blog:-)

Tune of the day

Digital

by DJ Methodist

***

2005-04-21T15:03:00.000+01:00

Saint Redneck the first?

Friday 21st April 2005

“Pope Idol” – what a great idea. My full respect to whoever thought of it first.

Found out that Hunter S. Thompson had killed himself.
I admire his courage and his wildness – living such an extreme and intensely hedonistic life and at the point when his quality of life began to suffer, saying right then I’ve had enough and having the guts to go through with suicide.
I think at heart I’m too optimistic for that – I would find it difficult to let go of the concept that something good was round the corner. Although that’s a daft thing to say because I’ve never suffered from long term illness and aspects of suffering like that must be soul destroying.
“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” is a great film.

Tune of the day

Fantastic Life

by The Fall

***

2005-04-18T15:01:00.000+01:00

Cool Croatia...

Monday 18th April 2005

Heading home after a really nice weekend.
Saturday we headed off to the town of Pula which is really beautiful, amazing clear blue sea and Roman architecture – amphitheatre, pillars and statues all over the place.
Apart from the cold and rain (I had dressed for something slightly more summery so ended up borrowing clothes) the vibes were tropical. Hot sweaty rocking gig to rammed venue.

Sunday we travelled back to Zagreb to chill. More nice food. I’m amazed at how good the vege food is in most countries these days.
Leisurely morning buying up local delicacies with our particularly beneficent and lovely host Vedran, before heading back to Ljubliana.

To my amazement there was yet another stag party on the plane – this time one of the really drunk among them had given his jacket to his mate, his mate had got on the plane, the drunk one then realised that his passport and boarding card were in the jacket. So we were all sat on the plane ready for off while another member of their party searched through all the jackets in the overhead lockers.
It got sorted in the end but in the process a complete strangers jacket was searched, moved and his glasses and sunglasses (posh designer ones) displaced – the row/scrap about that was still raging as I left baggage collection in Stansted!

Tune of the day

One Cool Remove

by Shaun Colvin & Mary Chapin Carpenter

***

2005-04-16T18:40:00.000+01:00

Lovely Ljubliana...

Saturday16th April 2005

Just when I’m banging on about crap tour situations a total dream of a venue comes along.
Last night in Ljubliana the dressing room was light, airy, huge, comfortable with an internet connection. The treatment/food/hotel/vibes was second to none – there was even a bloke proposing he ironed my clothes. I declined and this was treated with consternation by the intense and lovely promoter “You don’t think my guy can be trusted to do your ironing properly?” – No! I explained to him as best I could that I’d feel a total twat having someone iron my clothes for me.

A big shout of thanks, love and unity to the Slovenian crew.

Tune of the day

Faith

by George Michael

***

2005-04-15T21:30:00.000+01:00

About my job...

Friday 15th April 2005

This one goes out to all those who say "Oh you're so lucky to get away" as if when I go on tour I'm going on holiday.

Yesterday I got up at 6am, drove for 4 and a half hours to Stansted airport, waited around for 2 hours, did a 2 hour flight with the twats (see yesterday), was driven in a van from Ljubliana to Zagreb - 2 and a half hours, did a soundcheck, went for a delicious Mexican meal, went back to the venue (nice but cold) and waited around for 2 hours, took part in a fantastic and inspiring gig which started at midnight. Got to bed at 3am in a nice clean hotel 21 hours after I'd got up.

I'm not complaining, it's a great job. The most challenging aspect is having very little control over the environment you are in, so if you have been booked into a hotel where prostitutes are in and out of adjacent rooms, or a dressing room which is infested with fleas, it's tough luck. In the past I have been driven at speed along many a road by stoned and not stoned people of questionable sanity; been given a plate of bolied potatoes for "dinner"; been expected to sleep on a promoters kitchen floor with 5 other people, a few matresses and not much bedding and had electric shocks from bad equipment/set ups.

I am writing this on the journey from Zagreb to Ljubliana where we are playing tonight. We have just been stopped at the Croatian/Slovenian border where we had to empty the entire contents of the van while a sniffer dog sniffed the van interior and exterior - including the wheels and engine, and then all our luggage. The dog of course found nothing but it broke up the journey:-)

Tune of the day

The Wind Cries Mary

by Jimi Hendrix

***

2005-04-14T21:24:00.000+01:00

On twats and boring blogging...

Thursday 14th April 2005

Why is it that at the age of 55 or so the majority of people become rude, self centred, judgemental and aggressive when travelling?
It sounds outrageously racist but German OAPs are a nightmare. I’m sorry but in my experience it’s true.
Once while heavily pregnant, I was stood retrieving my bag from an open car door on a Berlin street, when the door clattered into my back – some elderly German bloke felt that I was taking up too much of the pavement so he pushed the car door into me. Can you believe that? Had I not been pregnant I would have run after him and given him at least a verbal assault (if it had been the US I could have sued his ass off!).
I’ve heard pregnant women described as lionesses – I’d have to go along with that. The defensive feelings one has for ones children are so powerful and instinctive – it’s not something that you consciously activate but is there ready to overcome you when triggered.
Anyway today at Heathrow there’s an influx of uptight OAPs clutching their passports and tickets with white knuckled hands, elbowing you in the back if you don’t shuffle along the queue quick enough, tutting at regular intervals.
Compulsory valium, spliff or brandy for the elderly traveller I say!

I realised 2 days before I was due to leave to come away on tour that my MOT ran out over 3 weeks ago – oops. Bless the nice man at the garage for sorting me out last minute style. Talking of cars are there any which have heated steering wheels? They’d be brilliant on cold mornings.
Talking of which the aforementioned garage man said of the heated seats in my car “feels like you’ve pissed yourself doesn’t it?”!

Why is it that gangs of lads on stag do’s become loud mouthed twats? Individually they can be the nicest most mild mannered blokes you could hope to meet, yet put them together they are unable to talk sense or talk at normal volumes.
I’m typing this hundreds of miles up on the way to Zagreb (via Ljubliana) for a ZT gig tonight, as the twats shout stupid jokes and dull comments to each other. I'm really ranting today.

I had a thought today – I wonder if anyone’s tried to do the most boring blog ever yet? (I’ll have to check next time I’m online). I could detail all my journeys by distance and list mode of transport, petrol consumption, engine capacity, serial numbers of planes etc. Although even then you’d be bound to get 1 person masturbating over the concept of a Fokker 950 (I have to say at this stage that I have no idea whether there is such a plane as the Fokker 950).
That’s what’s so nice about this planet – someone somewhere will be the kindred spirit who gets excited about what it is that you get excited about. Anyone want to see my button collection? ;-)

Tune of the day

Golden

by Jill Scott
Two very lovely friends gave me Jill Scott’s “Beautifully Human” CD and I finally listened to it today – this tune is straight into my top twenty favourite ever.

***

2005-04-13T21:22:00.000+01:00

"Let's be havin you!"

Wednesday 13th April 2005

COME ON YOU REDS!

Tune of the day

You’ll Never Walk Alone

by Aretha Franklin

***

2005-03-21T18:38:00.000Z

Loose ewes and split endz...

Monday 21st March 2005

I’ve got split ends so I need to cut the ends of my hair. I don’t go to hairdressers. Well I have been maybe 4 times in my life. My mum always cut mine and my sisters hair then when I was 17 she persuaded me to go to Vidal Sassoon in Manchester to have a hair cut from one of the students there. They didn’t have all the black hair products then so when this woman had cut my hair (seemingly with no particular shape or style) rather than it staying in nice ringlets she attempted to blow dry it – instant Afro.
I went to school after I’d got back from town and one of my boy friends said to me “You look like Cleo Lane”. I instantly borrowed a hat which I wore for about 6 weeks.
My next door neighbours teenage son comes to me for haircuts rather than go to the hairdresser because he says they never listen to or do what he wants.
Which I feel illustrates my point.

Colin says I have a receding hairline. Not sure what to make of this. I haven’t rushed to find old photo’s to try and see if it’s true as yet but I think I’m gently headed in that direction. It may just be hairline envy on his part – he was in recession when I met him 14 years ago. That must be one of the hardest things about being a bloke – going bald.
If it’s true and I am receding, if it gets bad I shall rejoice in a series of extravagant wigs. I’ve always fantasized about long curly blonde or ginger straight hair.
I’ve never worn make up regularly so maybe I’ll be an old age pensioner with a full face of make up and funky wig, I like the idea of that (if it works for Babs Windsor…).

About this time of year round our way there’s always a pack of ewes who manage to get themselves and their lambs out of the fields and onto our lane where they stay on the loose for as long as possible. For years I thought this was some kind of mother’s intuition - they knew of the impending separation and slaughter of their offspring. Then last year someone kindly pointed out to me that quality grass was thin on the ground post winter and with extra required for lactating ewes they were merely escaping to find better food for themselves and their young… Oh well, natures practical way presides over thought patterns which are probably only manifestations of liberal guilt.

Tune of the day

Wolves and Leopards

by Dennis Brown

***

2005-03-19T21:01:00.000Z

Back once again with the renegade blogster...

Saturday 19th March 2005

Have had my biggest blog break thus far - I think I've been suffering from blog disillusionment at the traditionally "low" part of the year, but the other day as I wandered through the BBC news site I saw the feature on the Bloggie's and "My Boyfriend is a Twat" has re-ignited the blog fire that burns within! Anyway I think it's my blogiversary in the next couple of days?

A lot has happened that I've thought about writing about, but the transition from random thought to computer keyboard has been slack if i'm honest. So in no particular order...

Tim Henmans teeth - have you ever noticed that they are exactly the same as David Bowie's were before he had them all capped? I always look at peoples teeth - I think it's my own particular brand of shyness that I look at people's mouths when they talk as much as, if not more than, their eyes. I once failed to recognise a friend of mine because he'd had all his teeth done.

At the beginning of January my boy started school.
When he started pre school nursery (Ysgol Feithrin here in Cymru) everyone said "ooh were you crying? isn't it awful?" and I was like "get a life", but the school thing is mega.
Firstly I miss him - the first saturday I limpeted him and hugged him just for being there.
Secondly there's the major outside influences ranging from chat back and poo/bum/willy jokes to pulling monkey faces and drawing ghosts all the time. He still says he wants his new bedroom to be pink though so that's a good sign.

Arthur Miller died and I was very upset.
The first serious play I ever acted in was "The Crucible" and I had the great fortune to meet him when I was at university - he was such an articulate, cool and intelligent bloke it was an honour in an understated (because he treated you like an interesting person rather than a dumbwit no mark student meets famous writer) way.
I have a photo of him and Marilyn Monroe (I love relationships between people you'd never dream would get it together) that I cut out of a magazine when I was a teenager and I have on several occaisions been unable throw it away even though it's quite tatty now.
Do I now put my signed copies of his works on ebay?!

8th of January saw me on the Ysgol Feithrin mothers night out in Cardigan.
Chinese meal followed by pub crawl finishing up at Cardigan's premier "nite spot" which was sublime.
The "club" seems to be a predominantly corrugated iron tunnel with toilets at one end, a bar at the other and a dance floor stuck on the side. It was populated by 1 pissed up groping middle aged bloke who tried it on with every mother in turn, and sullen teenagers. I supped a few bacardi breezers and let myself go on the dance floor when "Finally" by Cece Peniston came on. Sadly the rest of the music can only be described as shite, but an unmissable life experience none the less.

I think I cry a lot. I have tears in my eyes at least every other day, especially over sporting achievement.
Today I have cried twice - Des Lynam interviewing Ellen McArthur on radio 5, then the Welsh rugby team won the grand slam - LONGYFARCHIDAU! I support the England footie team and Wales in the rugby - although obviously if the Welsh football team are playing anyone other than England I like to see them win.
Not that I've ever sat through an entire rugby match on the telly...
There's going to be some serious supping in these parts tonight.

Today the sun shone like summer and I'm still in my t-shirt - fantastic.
The seeds we have planted are growing and the circle of the year is at the point where you start to feel refreshed and glad to be alive. Yee hah

Tune of the day

The Sun Will Follow

by Pianosaurus

***

2005-02-13T14:59:00.000Z

Happy to be alive...

Sunday 13th February 2005

I was driving back from the shop today doing 60 up the main road when there was a huge bang and I could no longer see the road in front of me. I did my first genuine emergency stop.
The bonnet of my car had flown up in the strong winds we were having, broken free of its hinges and smashed the windscreen.
My two year old daughter was on the back seat.
While people zoomed past me at 70 odd on both sides of the road, I managed to wrench down the bonnet (now reshaped to fit the windscreen) snapping off the windscreen wipers in the process. I used the belt of my coat to attach the front of the bonnet to the front of the car and limped home at 5mph.
Happy to be home.
Happy to be safe.
Happy to be alive.

Tune of the day

Live Forever

by Oasis

***

2005-01-04T23:16:00.000Z

That was clearly a goal...

Tuesday 4th January 2005

I have been saying for years that when it's either a goal, an offside decision or a penalty decision we NEED to use technology in football.
Too many decisions are made from a dodgy angle by a referee who is under pressure by fans or fooled by football playing actors writhing in agony or falling to the floor (like a ton of bricks).
Last nights none goal in the Tottenham game was a travesty - a censor in the ball? a laser accross the goal mouth? a ref's assistant who is following the game with the benefit of replay and can intervene when necessary for those vital decisions? I don't think it would hold up the game. It's so frustrating when ref's make wrong decisions.

Ended up in a bizarre situation last night - there was such an awful programme on the television, I couldn't go near it to turn it off. The programme was a documentary which followed children in hospital and showed them having operations, injections, blood samples being taken - sometimes screaming with agony. WHO WATCHES THIS? HOW? WHY? I kept getting near the telly then running away. In the end I had to do what I do when the radio is on by accident on a saturday afternoon and i'm planning to watch 'Match of the day' so don't want to hear any of the footie results. I walked to the telly with my hands on my ears singing very loudly and with my eyes almost shut.

Have been eating so rich and too much food, drinking quite a lot. In the last few days I've been yearning for lentil and vegetable soup and fizzy water. The party's been lovely but my body's telling me it's time to detox for the New Year!

Tune of the day

Boogie Nights

by Heatwave

***

2005-01-01T22:31:00.000Z

Happy New Year!

Saturday 1st January 2005

I hope that Christmas proved to be a mellow oasis in your life, pressure free in the knowledge that shops and work were closed so there was really nothing else to do than eat too much, drink too much and enjoy/endure time spent with the family into which you were born/you gave birth to!
I am blessed in both I have to say - love my Mum and my sister to bits and can't begin to express what I feel about my kids and Colin, so weh hey!

It's funny how just when we sit back and relax the planet acts to tell us that all of our sophisticated structures (socially, technologically and physically) count for sod all and shows us how mighty, destructive and dominating a force nature is... I'm talking here of the tsunami on 26th December. I respect the planet and will never feel so arrogant as to think that I as a part of mankind could out-do the forces of nature.
Love and blessings to all who lost people and homes and things that seemed solid for which they had worked.

Peace and love to all for 2005.
Love for yourself and love for mankind. It's the only way I feel.

Tune of the day

Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground

by Blind Willie Johnson

***

2004-12-22T21:19:00.000Z

Christmas is sick.

Wednesday 22nd December 2004

Christmas is sick.
Peace on earth and goodwill to all mankind yet the fighting in the supermarket is outrageous. Are we desperate for food? Will it all run out? I don’t think so, then why am I being pushed out of the way whenever I reach for something off the shelf. I am so glad I’ve been doing my Christmas shopping since September (I never thought I’d say that) and I’m going to do the rest on line as I can’t take the pressure of the supermarket – the feeling of stress and panic is infectious.
A woman I knew completely ignored me as if saying hello to someone under such circumstances would have tipped the balance for her and some sort of breakdown would occur. People in there are like the owners of dogs who are doing the obstacle course at Crufts, or show jumping riders – if they stop to say hello they’ll pick up time penalties, they’re trying to smile for the judges but it looks like a grimace there’s so much tension there.

Tune of the day

Anything that slags off Christmas

by Anyone who slags off Christmas

***

2004-12-11T21:21:00.000Z

All hail the mighty Cornwall

Saturday 11th December 2004

Falmouth – fresh sea, bracing breeze and a lovely reception at the Princess Pavillion.
There’s a great shop in town that does Hong Kong Phooey t-shirts as well.

I’m not sure if it was the release of last gig in this run but the gig was one of those getting jiggy with your godself experience to an immensely appreciative and inspiring audience.

Drove home through the night so I could sleep in my own bed for a change, and be up for my boy wonder’s first school Christmas concert.

Tune of the day

Mr. Sea

by Johnny Osborne

***

2004-12-10T21:19:00.000Z

Glorious Glastonbury!

Friday 10th December 2004

Glastonbury is a very special place.
I’ve never known such a mellow gathering of normal folk, hippies and freaks living alongside one another in seeming harmony.
Mad shops, great shops, weird shops and the best £1 shop you could hope to find.
But on the calm and mellow streets there’s danger - I’ve never know boy racers like it, you fear crossing the road!

We’ve all been split up and are staying at different B&Bs. I’m staying with Sig – an American and leading authority on dousing, and Karin - a Dutch painter. We are straight in at the deep end on spirituality and organised religion over a fruit tea. Love it.

Legendary gig in the town hall as always with the Lentil Soup organisation. I always get asked to dedicate tunes relating to local deaths, births and birthdays – strangely colloquial but meaningful. I drew the line at dedicating a tune to the Stoke on Trent Anti-BNP crew who were in the audience! In the old days sad to say I probably would have but now I’m politically disillusioned and cynical…

Tune of the day

Fly

by Zion Train

***

2004-12-10T05:16:00.000Z

Glorious Gloucester!

Thursday 9th December 2004

Had good time all round in London (3 days in total – was due to be in Reading last night but gig cancelled at the last minute). Have caught up with extended Ezer family; been to see my sisters stunning creations at the Royal College of Art; been to the dentist and for the first time in my life had an appointment with a dental hygienist/comedian (in my day the dentist scraped the tartar off the back of your teeth and that was that, and it never cost £45); had 2 injections and 2 fillings (£120).
Then last night (talking of new friends as I was in the last entry) I went out for a drink with a bloke I met on the plane on the way home form the Anti-Rascist World Cup in Italy (see 11th July 04 entry). Mad. Had a really good laugh and my instinct that he isn’t a psycho has proved good (so far – when he’s making soup from my children’s goldfish having broken into my house I might revise that!). And what’s more Steven Gerrard put Liverpool through to the next round of the Champions League with a stunning goal.

Headed down to Hakey’s a little the worse for wear this morning. Collected Bigga and the gear, picked up a cream cheese beigel from the supreme beigel bakers by Victoria Park and headed for Gloucester Guildhall.

Lovely reception there, nice people, it would have been an all round top experience but for the Gloucester one way system, the venue on a pedestrianised street and an ill German (Bigs is sick poor dear). Top last gig with Pama Outernational – one love lads.

Had to drive to a gloriously glamorous trusthouse forte just off the M5 to kip, where I foolishly stayed up late watching a Dianne Keaton film about a liberated 60’s woman who had lovers galore and a good time all round until she got stabbed to death at the end by a junky. I couldn’t believe it, I really hadn’t forseen that ending – a moral tale from righteous America. So girls, don’t shag around – you’ll get stabbed.

Tune of the day

Blank Expression

by The Specials

***

2004-12-06T22:58:00.000Z

Healthy is happy...

Monday 6th December 2004

Started the day feelin rough.
Stayed up til 4am drinking with a very nice friend of one of my oldest school friends whose house I was staying at. It’s funny but about 5 years ago I decided I knew enough people and I didn’t have the headspace or energy to get to know anymore! But in the last year or so I’ve abandoned the idea as a stupid one and put in a bit of effort with some people. If they prove to be interesting/intelligent/entertaining with some degree of emotional depth then I make more effort…I subsequently have a few new friends. Which is nice! I’ve also linked up with and got on really well with a few friends of friends which is inevitable I suppose, and generally rewarding.
When you have kids you start to meet a whole group of new people – a cross section of society brought together because their children attend the same playgroup/nursery/school. You interact with them all and gradually gravitate towards those who you get on with and start to go out for meals etc… so more new friends!

Before the Brighton gig last night met up with my old school friend, who was diagnosed with epilepsy a few months ago. I’d known one other person in my life who had suffered from it and she’d been a teenager – quite cool and dismissive of the whole thing. She ultimately had a frontal lobotomy. My mate had a mouthful of ulcers, clenched and twisted muscles particularly in his back and ribs from the spasms (which hadn’t unwound from the first fit 5 months ago) and bruises from having fallen. He can’t drive until he hasn’t had a fit for a year.
Your health is your wealth and your freedom.

Brighton gig was a really nice social and a lovely experience – Sarah and Nuala Headmix guested on melodica and vocals. Singing harmony vocals has to be one of the most rewarding and uplifting experiences and I LOVE IT!

Back in London now. Been for a walk on Hampstead Heath then just spent some time
driving round – nice music courtesy of ipod and pirate radio (some of the latest ragga and hip-hop is SO experimental and brilliant) then went to a fantastic (not expensive) Lebanese restaurant on Beauchamps Place? just off High St. Kensington.

Tune of the day

Incredible

by General Levy

***

2004-12-06T01:55:00.000Z

Stinkiest venue ever?

Sunday 5th December 2004

Went back to the Oxford Zodiac last night.
I have never known a venue smell worse (with the exception of the toilets at The Shrine – Fela’s old club in Lagos) but lo and behold an audience shouted like Poland. Didn’t get to talk between the last few tunes as the screaming was so loud. Felt very invigorated by such generous people – thank you all. Very much.

The support band on some of these dates are Pama International featuring Lynval Golding on guitar. As a teenage mega fan of The Specials I’ve felt a bit shy but last night I outed myself to him as a fan. He’s spent the last 8 years living on a Native American Indian reserve in the USA and seems such a humble, peaceable but lively bloke – am going to ask him for an interview as his life has been so varied I’m really interested in his perspective.

As regular readers will know I’m a crappy shopper so on this tour I’ve been dealing with the Christmas shopping thing by doing half an hour per day - seeking out specific items in each town so I don’t have to deal with any last minute stress lunacy. Done my food shop online so won’t have to face any supermarket rage.
I have one friend who does a lot of her Xmas shopping in the January sales ready for the next year – I’ve always ridiculed people who start Xmas early but the older I get the more I realise that last minute packing for trips away/Xmas shopping is actually shortening my life expectancy. If I start early I don’t notice. Not being smug here just feeling a sense of relief and liberation from the pressure/judgement I put on myself, and finding my way of navigating pressure that society puts on us all…

Tune of the day

Let’s Start II the Dance Again

by Hamilton Bohannon

***

2004-12-05T01:53:00.000Z

Travel expands the mind...

Saturday 4th December 2004

Yesterday drove from London to Torrington with Hakey as co-pilot regaling me with stories of his recent trip to Japan. Mind expanding.
Travel is one of the best things in life – educational, awe inspiring, challenging. Going to places where nothing is familiar and you don’t speak the language strips you of some your confidence and knowledge. Not knowing what’s what in a supermarket, what shops are from the signs outside, not able to even contemplate public transport. Felt like this when we went to Russia earlier this year, but Hakey’s tales from Japan sounded incredible…

The Plough Arts centre in Torrington is lovely – collective run, nice warm space. Got to speak French for a change with the bloke who runs the café (top food).

Went back to b&b after soundcheck and dinner – was watching kiddies do spelling on the telly one minute then the next the alarm on my phone had been going for ages with me trying desperately to make it part of my dream. Staggered off to the venue from such a deep sleep I didn’t really feel awake til 3rd tune in of the gig!
Mellow and appreciative audience…bless.

At all the UK dates are old friends – some people we’ve worked with, some fans we’ve befriended, some promoters who have become friends. Going back to places is in general a really nice experience, thank you all for being there.

Tune of the day

Back to My Roots

by Odyssey

***

2004-12-04T07:59:00.000Z

London's alright really...

Friday 3rd December 2004

Played at 93 Feet East on Brick Lane last night and it was really nice. Aprreciative, intense but mellow crowd, fantastic sound system, people I haven't seen for years and years.
The only shoddy point of the night was that the soundman turned us off and bouncer's refused to let us do an encore, but that's the way things go some times.

I did discover that it's possible to open a bottle of wine by placing it on the floor and pressing down on the cork with a stiletto heel. Everyone watching gets sprayed with wine but it's an impressive thing to behold - respect to Mr and Mrs Beveridge!

I've always slagged off London since I moved out - it's dirty and aggressive - but coming back this time I've enjoyed and appreciated the cultural diversity, the different interior and exterior spaces (Hampstead Heath to Knightsbridge to Brick Lane) and the fantastic food!

Tune of the day

Crosstown Traffic

by Jimi Hendrix

***

2004-12-02T15:51:00.000Z

Wild wild Hitchin...

Thursday 2nd December

Did 5 hour drive yesterday to Hitchin where Zion train were booked to play.
I'd never been there before, we'd never played there before, but I thought the promoter's must be confident of pulling a venue full of ZT fans or they wouldn't have booked us.

As I stepped into the venue it was like going back in time ten years to a free party. 30 seconds after I arrived I was offered a reiki massage by a nice gentleman with dreadlocks, who wasn't actually going to touch me physically but was going to enter all my chakra's with his cosmic energy...nice.

The night only got more surreal culminating in going onstage to 'The Birdy Song'. The gig was wild with people leaping around and screaming for 'Babylon's Burning' for the last third of the gig. We duly obliged and they duly went wilder.

Maximum respect to the collective who run the venue (Club 58) and thankyou for your hospitality and time travel experience!

Tune of the day

Red Gold and Green

by Burning Spear

***

2004-11-06T06:31:00.000Z

Lion bars are overated...

Friday 5th November 2004

Had a lion bar today and was shocked to find it wasn't actually covered with chocolate, but what I call dog chocolate/American "chocolate flavoured candy". Awful.

I also subsequently noticed that they too are made by Nestle - my all time most despised multinational corporation.
Years ago they sold off their old stocks of baby milk to some of the poorest African countries, whilst running a publicity campaign which suggested that their powdered milk was better for babies than breast milk.
Poverty stricken women were saving up money to spend on the milk which they then mixed with infected water and 1000s of babies died.
Scum of the earth.

Tune of the day

Dirty Work

by Poison Girls

***

2004-11-01T23:46:00.000Z

Acid Mothers rock Cardigan!

Monday 1st November

Went to Theatre Mwldan in Cardigan last night to see Acid Mothers Temple - legendary Japanese space rockers.
It blew my mind - I watched I enjoyed I laughed I hooted - I was inspired. They writhed and flailed wildly to some of the most intense and heavy rock/noise/jazz grooves some of which went somewhere and some of which stayed unrelenting in the same repetitive cycle.
Amazing musicians who don't think but feeeel...
I asked them if I could sing with them next time and they smiled and nodded politely!

Tune of the day

Space Bambino - Intersteller Over Dope

by Acid Mother's Temple

***

2004-10-25T14:27:00.000+01:00

Eulogy to John Peel...

Tuesday 26th October

Tench texted me this morning to say that John Peel had died.
I was really upset (more upset than when I found out my Grandma had died, but that's another story).
I felt very strange taking my son to swimming lessons with a group of people who possibly didn't know he'd died and probably didn't care, when I was feeling weepy.

I listened to the John Peel show religiously as a teenager in my bedroom on my first transistor radio.
He was the first DJ to play Zion Train and we did two sessions for his show in the BBC studio's. For one of the sessions we managed to persuade the Ruts DC (Ruffy, Segs and Foxy) to play together for the first time in years.
On the 'Love Revolutionaries' lp he was listed as a love revolutionary for contributions to culture, the expanding of the mind and generally inspiring people to open their ears.
When we met him he was always humble, appreciative and a good laugh. When I went to interview him (John Peel interview), he was honest, genuine turned out to be one of the nicest, most sound people you could hope to meet.
AND he was a Liverpool fan.
He will forever be associated with lovely memories musical and social, inspiration, good times with good people.
There's a bond between people who feel the way I do even though we never knew him in person, he gave so much of himself and his life that you felt you knew him.
He's been there all my adult life and I will really miss him not being there. Now that's got me blubbing!

Tune of the day

Teenage Kicks

by The Undertones

***

2004-09-19T16:49:00.000+01:00

Sunday 19th September 2004

Saturday after noon in germany is usually a dull affair because of a barbaric practise in which all the shops shut around midday.
I head from Stubnitz into Rostock town centre hoping for a post card and lo - a town festival! There are stages every 100yards along the main street with everything from teenage girls singing out of tune pop, to Mystic de los Andes playing outsize panpipes over new age synth sound washes. None of it my cup of tea but a great distraction, lots of people and the shops are OPEN!

It's funny but whenever you have high expectations of a gig they always seem disapointing and then unexpected gigs are the real gems.
I have high expectations for Stubnitz as we had a great time last time we were on board (it's a brilliant boat with amazing decor and lights in the club and bar spaces, it stays mainly in rostock but is seaworthy and heads off for certain outernational events).
Hopes are high after the ham breakfast (we're all veggie), the sound check and the boiled rice and frozen vege dinner. But when on stage the sound is badly distorted and painful to the ears and then something over which we have no control squeals with feedback all the way through the second half of the set I concede defeat. The audience seemed to enjoy and thanks for coming and creating a nice vibe, but on stage it felt like work which was a real shame.

We did get very nice toasted sandwiches at 4am which was appreciated!

That was last night this is this morning.
Raining.
Feeling like summer is well and truly over.

Proof of the unexpected gem theory; Flensburg where we are playing tonight couldn't give us a better reception - clean, light, spacious with a wonderful feast. It makes such a difference when we are away from home and at the mercy of someone elses culinary imagination, past comments include:
when Colin was on tour and vegan "there is no food for the one who eats nothing"
"what DO you eat then - grass?"
said with pride "I've made you just these boiled potatoes and green beans - no sauce"
(the concept of a sauce that didn't involve meat in some way was clearly inconceivable).
It has to be said that all the above quotes are from cooks in France, the culinary capital of the world (I'm being a little ironic there...).

Anyway Hakey has a plan - to walk to Denmark (we've never been) which is "just round the corner". We head off through an industrial esate, a housing estate then a wood... DJ Perch turns back as he's got to set up the equipment and we've been walking for over an hour - it's always "just round the next corner". We cross a beach another housing estate then walk doewn the side of a motorway! Just when we've decided to give up we see the old border control buildings. Walked over the border, sent postcards to our children then got on a bus which cosmically stopped right outside the venue. Well worth it, follow the man with a vision that's what I say!

Tune of the Day

Famous Blue Raincoat

by Leonard Cohen

***

2004-09-18T14:34:00.000+01:00

Saturday 18th September 2004

Dear diary.
I am living a double life - one in the past and one in the present.
In my powerbook I have half written entries for July and August which with touring, travelling and life stuff I haven´t had chance to finish, and I am now on tour in Germany catching up with everything but also wanting to write new stuff. So here I am. You´ll have to catch up on the inbetween life when I finally post it...

Left home with my Mum on the night of the 15th September, drove to my sisters in South London, kipped for a couple of hours, got cab to Stansted (picking up Hakey in Hackney) saw my Mum off onto her plane home to Spain and me and Hakey flew to Koln where we were met by Gondor - a glorious German (who bears a striking resemblance to Shrek - but he´s not green) who permanently drove Zion Train on "the Black Box" in the mid 1990´s and who very kindly has come out of retirement for this German tour...
We head for DJ Perch´s studio, load up and drive to Wuppertal for the first gig at LCB (16th September). Thanks to all who came and appreciated and made the first gig of the tour, at the end of a very long day a really nice experience.

Last night (17th) we were at Treibsand in Lübeck which was another lovely gig - small intense club which got very sweaty. Then lay in my bunk in the bus on which we are travelling listening to Leonard Cohen and Orchestra Baobab on the Ipod.

Today we are at Rostock - I am typing in the backstage room on the legendary Stubnitz, very much looking forward to tonights gig.

It is police appreciation day here in Germany (do they have this anywhere else in the world?!) So we have been treated to a display of putting out miniscule fires by the local fire brigade and a police helicopter rescue of a man pretending to be drowning in the river. Quite frankly at the speed they got to him he would have been long dead!

Tunes of yesterday

Bul Na Miin and Jiin Ma Jinn Ma

by Orchestra Baobab

***

2004-08-07T21:18:00.000+01:00

7th August 2004

Great Molara band gig tonight just down the road, at Llanfyrnach’s own “Celtic Rock Festival”.
It was a meeting of my two worlds – neighbours and people from playgroup with old school festival heads and some great musicians.
Dave Lloyd from ‘The Suns’ on guitar and vocals, Nuala ‘Headmix Collective’ on violin, keyboards and vocals, Ed on bass and local musical talent Jez on drums.
Nick Turner played after us, Tibetan Tony stage managed, Pete Brown co-ordinated
the whole thing. Long live le festival!

Tune of the day

The River

byDragonsfly

2004-08-05T22:55:00.000+01:00

5th August 2004

3rd August drove through the night from Kazimierz and got plane at crack of dawn to Stansted then drove home to West Wales – special family day so had to be there as early as possible.
And we did have a special family day just the four of us.

Next day we had a big party which started at midday and finished after midnight.
Had most of my neighbours round and the big gossip was that one of my female neighbours had been invited to join the ménage a trois (see diary entry 23rd August 2004). She was surprised by this but the rest of us who have been warning her for over a year that this was on the cards were surprised only at her naivety. After all if somebody in a motorised wheelchair drives 2 miles along a main road then down an uneven track to come and tell you about their permanent state of clitoral arousal surely you think “I’m being pursued here”!

Tune of the day

Jali

byEte

2004-08-02T22:29:00.000+01:00

Monday 2nd August 2004

It’s all been happening.
30th July Zion Train played to our biggest audience ever at the Wood stock Festival in Poland – around quarter of a million people. It’s a free festival (bands receive expenses only) and is a payback to the young people who raise money for a charity action day each year. Both the charity (the biggest in Poland) and the festival were founded by Polish musician Jurek Owsiak who personally chooses and introduces every band.
The state, church and politicians seem to dislike him and the event with a great deal of media focus on anything negative that happens at the festival (like reports of Glastonbury before it went corporate) robberies/fights and such – of course it was, from what we saw, peaceful celebrating life music and unity.
A surreal experience but definitely a buzz! A sea of people and flags, huge clouds of dust and television cameras all over the place. It is predominantly guitar rock music so not sure what they made of the electronic dub train!
DJ Perch was the only other black person I saw all day (which is quite amazing given the number of people there) and I was the only woman who performed as far as I know…

Anyone who’s been reading will know of my love for Polish gigs but as per usual the journeys can take an indefinite amount of time due to crap roads, congestion and erratic driving. Saw a few grim post incident scenes this trip as we zig zagged around Poland.

31st July was a return to the mighty CDQ in Warsaw. A strange night because we usually play to an intense sweaty crowd indoors, but on this visit we played outdoors to an audience predominantly made up of bike couriers in town for a convention. A great post gig social with Poles, Germans and Glaswegians!

1st August we headed for Zakopane in the beautiful mountains of Southern Poland.
Zuku, who on a previous tour was our erratic driver but on this tour is doing merchandise and boozing, has been going on about the cheese from this area and as soon as we arrive at the hotel heads off on a cheese finding mission… The cheese was most excellentJ

A small venue of excited intense punters rocks then next morning I go off in search of raspberry cordial which in combination with vodka and Tabasco sauce makes up one of the best drinks – “crazy dog”.
I also get gifted 2 Trebunie Tutki cd’s by Maken (of Joint Venture Sound System - the man who got ZT to Poland, old school punk rocker who suffered for his love of music and smiles so hard his eyes disappear, got to interview him one of these days…).
Trebunie Tutki are the band who worked with Twinkle Brothers back in the 1980’s - one of the least likely but most inspiring collaborations historically politically and musically.
I have to say at this point that Norman Grant is one of the few roots men who I have met who has always been humble, friendly and practising of the one love he sings about.

Next stop Kazimierz Film Festival – a lovely sold out outdoor gig dancing in the rain with enthusiasm like you only get in Poland.
Highlight of the day apart from the lovely gig was climbing a hill then a tower at the top of the hill with Hakey and looking out across the world.

Tune of the day

Tyler

by UB40

2004-07-24T01:51:00.000+01:00

Friday 23rd July 2004

I am so nesh when it comes to cold water so I hardly ever go in the sea, but it was pushing 40 and almost unbearably hot (to sleep I had to put my sheet under the cold water tap after an experiment with sleeping by the open French window which lead to 13 mosquito bites on my derriere!) so after a couple of blissful hours lying on the beach I took the plunge - gorgeous…

The day was just filled with lovely social encounters – in the shade of the trees by the beach, in the café near where we stayed, various members of Vibronics, Zion Train and Jah Free. Too hot to eat anything other than ice cream…J

Festival rocking - Radical Dub Collective played a great set and so nice to see women (3 in total!) playing in a roots band.
So much of the reggae scene is dominated by people singing about one love but actually practising rascism (black against white/white against white/Carribean against African), sexism, and homophobia. As a woman partially of Nigerian descent I have experienced all of these bar the homophobia. I appreciate that at one time the best reggae music was coming out of Jamaica and predominantly originated by men, but we’ve come a long way since then. There’s an obsession with pseudo Jamaican roots culture and patois that I sometimes find frustrating. I personally would feel a total fraud if I started speaking/singing in patois, I couldn’t infact do it even if I tried given that it wasn’t anything I’d heard until my early 20’s – although I have been encouraged to on several occasions. It its possible to sing and dj in ones own language/accent, although I do concede that some work better than others…
To thine own roots be true!

Z.T. stormed it then Jah Free played a killer set, a great night had by all.

Tune of the day

Rod of Correction

by Jah Free

2004-07-23T01:49:00.000+01:00

Thursday 22nd July 2004

Most of the time the way we tour as Zion Train involves being away from home for a few days at a time – maximum a week… But then there’s July.
Was away for 10 days at the start of the month then home for 10 days nursing the sick – everyone but me fully stricken with flu and puking lurgy, before heading off for another 10 today. On the one hand I look forward to the freedom, partying and massively reduced responsibility, on the other I don’t like not being able to share the day to day stuff of family living.
It beats by far having a nine to five job and being separated from the children every day 5 days a week so I’m quite philosophical about it – most of the time!

Head off before dawns crack for Stansted.
In the car on the long journeys of late I have been listening through my old tape collection, deciding what few I want to keep, what tracks I want to search out on mp3. Once I’ve listened to a tape and decided I don’t want to keep it, I leave it somewhere – like in phone boxes or on the bus to the airport terminal for people to find…
I just like the idea of passing on music and someone maybe discovering something they’ve never heard or something they love and haven’t heard for years.

Me and my mellow and lovely travelling companion Hakey fly to Trieste.
Why is it that certain pilots seem to be able to glide planes in and out of the air and others, particularly on the landings seem to nose dive then straighten out all the way down. Is it the thrill or are they just crap pilots?
Anyway the landing in Trieste leaves a few people somewhat shaken.

We are met by a nice Croatian bloke with very little English who drives us through the baking heat out of Italy, through Slovenia and into Croatia.
We are playing for the second year running at the Seasplash Reggae Festival just outside Pula.
It’s the most amazing place – an ancient fort on a hill surrounded by sea and rocky beaches. There’s a big stage and sound system in the courtyard in the middle of the fort a couple of smaller sound systems, mainly the work of one man – Vedran for whom I have a great deal of respect.
I have to mention at this stage that last year (the first year of the festival) we finished playing in the early hours, partied for a bit then went to the port of Pula at 6am to get a “ferry” to Venice which took 45 mins – allegedly. It was infact a tourist boat doing a day trip to Venice lead by a very loud and eccentric Croatian bloke who made announcements very loudly down the tannoy for the majority of the journey which took over 5 hours! “Lovely ladies anda gent el men we are going to the mosta beautifula city in the worlda of Venice, lovely Dutch girls I can see you looking at me, yes you will like it! Just follow my red umbrella…” Never saw how young the Dutch “girls” were but the guy was in his fifties so it sounded a bit dubious.
Befriended a Swedish family – there weren’t enough seats on the boat so we all got very close.
By the time we reached Venice we had long missed the plane to Germany we were due to catch, we made the gig and played a storming set (Bingen Festival) but it was one of the longest and most surreal days I’ve ever had with Z.T.

Anyway this years Seasplash was brilliantly organised!
We were met by Jah Free on great form who had been there a few days and later joined by the Vibronics crew. Was very glad I’d made the decision to travel the day before the gig as really enjoyed the social.

Tune of the day

Work It Out

by Beyonce

2004-07-12T06:16:00.000+01:00

Sunday 11th July 2004

Friday night we had lovely gig at Czech festival called ‘Colours of Ostrava’ – Ostrava being the name of the town. Great gig infact, but it shall be forever associated with one of the worst meals we’ve ever been given – fried cauliflower and instant mashed potato; and the woman in the hotel room next door to mine leaving her dog ‘home alone’. Every time anyone on the floor made any kind of noise (breathing) the dog set off barking and didn’t shut up until she got back after 4am.
I phoned her to thank her as I was leaving at 8am – bitchy but immensely satisfying.

So drove to Prague (4 hours) got plane to Milano then drove to near a place called Reggio Emilia (2 hours) for a festival that amazed me. Nearly 100 8 a side footie teams from all over the world competing in the ‘Anti Racist World Cup’ and partying in the evenings. Really nice.
Met up with some friends who go way back with the Zion Train – one of whom had a blood clot in the brain and has had to re learn talking and walking among other things – now that makes you think. It’s inspirational too when the medical profession said don’t bother trying, he’s up and about and going to festivals…

Anyway the ‘Anti Racist World Cup’ rocks and I would like to go there next year with a team of musicians who can play, maybe I could cheer lead (my footballing skills are non existant).
On the plane on the way back to London with me was one of the teams who had competed. Got talking to one of them and we talked for the hour we sat in the plane on the runway til a passing storm had passed, and all the flight back. Amazing – that’s never happened to me before. So I have a new mate (not as in reproducing like but going to the pub).

For the first time on tour I have had with me on this trip a Mac G4 Powerbook and my brand new Ipod – I am in techno heaven. Typing my diary as I go rather than scribbling into a little pad, 100’s of tunes to choose from, it’s been revolutionary.
When you get a digital camera it changes the way you take photographs, when you get an Ipod it changes the way you listen to music.
There is of course the dilemma of how to file tunes on Ipod…

Tune of the day

Dancing Queen

by Abba

2004-07-11T06:13:00.000+01:00

Saturday 10th July 2004

Since Salerno I’ve been to Augsburg for a couple of days to chill in theory but ended up reading some of the Disney classics in German at 7am to a lovely early rising little girl, and yomping round woods and lakes. All lovely stuff but I left more knackered than when I arrived!

Slept most of the train journey to Prague with a load of Americans. Met at the station by the lovely Petr.

Seeing the transformation of Prague since we’ve been going there has been quite incredible. The first time we went it felt really Eastern European – stunningly beautiful historical buildings in the relatively deserted in the centre and huge imposing apartment blocks in the outskirts. There were no tourists (it was winter but also there were no organised guides etc), subtle shops and vegetarian food consisted of boiled rice with boiled frozen vegetables mixed in…

Now there’s always a stag do on the plane on the way out and it seems every other person you meet is American. There are gangs of tourist guides with red umbrellas herding masses round all the “attractions”, there’s Macdonalds and fast food flashing signs and at Radost FX you can eat delicious vege food and drink cocktails til you’re sick (not that I was, but I did stuff my face).

Prior to Radost had gig at Roxy – running out of things to say about Zion Train gigs as they are in general all good in terms of the people who come and their vibrations and mainly really lovely, but Roxy’s another of those in “the zone” from the off affairs…
I love Prague and it’s (alongside Krakow) one of the most beautiful towns I’ve ever been to, but I kind of liked feeling it was a very special place that only a few people knew about!

Tune of the day

Treat ‘em Right

by Chub Rock

2004-07-05T06:09:00.000+01:00

Sunday 4th July 2004

I said at the start of last nights gig that we were happy to be back playing in Napoli our adopted Italian hometown and it’s true. There’s a similar vibe in down town Lagos to the one in the centre of Napoli and I love it.
It’s definitely in between Europe and Africa. It’s loud and expressive, the cars are all dented and bashed in because everyone drives like a lunatic, the food is second to none – you haven’t really eaten mozzarella if you haven’t tasted fresh mozzarella di buffalo from here (sorry to sound like a total ponce) and gigs are always in “the zone” from the start.

Today we are lucky enough to have the opportunity to chill for a few hours at a friends house in the country – big garden, hammocks and more delicious food. Then we head off to the social centre in Salerno for tonight’s gig.

One of the things that makes Italy so special for me is the social centres. Most of the major towns and cities have one. They are usually old industrial buildings which have been squatted, adorned and turned into music venues sometimes with food café’s, bars, Internet café’s or stalls selling everything from music to sexy underwear depending on what the individuals running the centre are into.
In the UK we have the welfare state which I think is brilliant but at the same time provides anyone living here with something to fall back on in life. That sometimes leads to complacency.
In Italy you either have to work, be dependent on your family or try to create something for yourself and social centres represent collective DIY culture at its best – people working together to try and create a space where other people can come and express themselves and be inspired. Gigs are always very low in price and generally well attended, and they rock – Salerno was no exception.

A culture has developed in the UK where people are not only complacent but feel justifiably impotent.
We are living in a time where the biggest demonstration of the broadest cross section of people was totally ignored by a government which had had a previously arranged agenda - to go to war with Iraq, for reasons which are yet to be revealed but which I suspect can only have been monetary.
We were given the shoddy justification “weapons of mass destruction” - which of course proved totally fabricated.
Politics of the party has taken over, appearance and spin and the party line are everything. Against a holier than thou, united and sanctimonious stance very few real people stand out in any political party.
At the Italian social centres people in general are fiercely and passionately political, organising demonstrations and direct action, proud to stand up, be counted and express their views.
When in Zion Train we were at our most political - campaigning and demonstrating against the criminal justice act; doing benefit gigs for various causes eg the Liverpool Dockers, I loved feeling part of a movement that at the time I felt was progressing, creating change and moving forward.
I was overjoyed when “New Labour” got in and I really believed that there would be genuine change.
Having seen what’s happened in the last few years I guess I am now as cynical and complacent as anyone else…
I could never vote tory – they are and always will be old boy network small minded scum as far as I’m concerned, no matter the changes in their outward appearance. I like some of the Liberal Democrat policies but can’t take the smug pontificating of Charles Kennedy seriously. I voted for the Green Party in the Euro elections and Plaid Cymru in the local elections (although some of Plaid are racist toss pots like Meic Stevens our local bloke seems genuine enough)…
Anyway respect to the motivated people of the Italian social centres!

Last week a friend of mine told me that the whole of Euro 2004 was rigged and that Greece would win and it was all related to money and corruption surrounding the Olympics. When they beat Portugal in the final I felt kind of deflated – conspiracy theory or reality?!

Tune of the day

Queen Majesty

by The Techniques

2004-07-03T05:04:00.000+01:00

Friday 2nd July 2004

I am sat in a courtyard full of exotic plants, palms and vines, with a stage and loud sound system behind me, a bar to my right and a pizzeria which is also part of the venue Zion Train playing tonight infront of me. Two groups of people are preparing fresh vege and smells of garlic are drifting about.
We have just come from the sea (which was a bit smelly and the sand was full of cigarette buts but you can’t have everything) and before that we were fed cold slices of water melon.
Heaven.
We do work as well! Spent 6 hours in a van in the scorching heat to get here (here being Taranto) from Roma where we played last night to a beautifully vibed up Roman crowd under a full moon.
DJ Perch is soundchecking and expressing himself through the medium of dub. People thinks he makes mad sounds during our gigs, but some of the wild oral excesses of the soundcheck have to be heard to be believed!

The owner of the venue is treating us very well in his own eccentric way. He must be 50 if he’s a day with large build shall we say and has been dressed only in a sarong which keeps threatening to fall off. His every pore exudes the spirits he must have been caning for the last 20 years.
Later in the evening he is dressed in pin striped trousers and white shirt and jacket which he even later tries to remove whilst offering DJ Perch the opportunity to smell his armpit.
At this point in the proceeding he has already danced wildly in front of the stage showing me his stomache then proceeded to come on stage and dance with me before singing what an Italian friend described as “nonsense” down my mic. He spends the rest of the night apologising whilst fondling various members of our entourage (“members” in both meanings of the word).
We are due to sleep at his villa but after the discovery of bed bugs and a piss bucket at the side of one of the beds we opt for a hotel.

I have to stress the gig was really nice and his antics were only a source of great amusement.

Tune of the day

Gargantua Del Diablo

by Zion Train

2004-06-29T04:59:00.000+01:00

Monday 28th June 2004

Can’t really think of significant events, just been living.

Did have a fantastic time at my Auntie’s 60th birthday this weekend, meeting up with people who have known me since I was a babe and who I hadn’t seen for 14 years since she got married. It was also our first family re-union since then too.
Whilst others camped in the wet at Glastonbury we camped in the mainly sunny but a bit wet Cheshire.

She had asked me to sing. As I do this a lot in public you may think this should really have been easy – they were hardly going to boo me off. But I was more nervous than I was when Zion Train played to 40,000 at Glastonbury NME stage one year.
Sang 3 accapella tunes at the lunch and then really pissed off the celidh by doing a 20 min Zion Train set at the evening do – just me and a CD but it was a great laugh (not really nervous when it was that).
I pointed out to people that this was the point in the evening when they could express themselves freely through the medium of dance, rather than following the deafeningly bellowed orders or the celidh fuhrer…
I was subsequently asked by their bass player whether I wanted to join his 14 piece funk band from Stockport...

Tune of the day

How Sweet it is to be Loved By You

by Junior Walker (well it’s not by him but it’s his Motown version that I love)

2004-06-11T04:57:00.000+01:00

Thursday 10th June 2004

Ray Charles died today which really upset me.
It’s funny but I realised when I heard that he’d died that he was one of the people I always expected to meet, not that I had any plan as to how or why, just a feeling. Weird. Maybe we’ll make music together in the afterlife. Not that I believe in the after life, I’ve always thought that it will be like trying to remember a time before you were born.
But I’m reading a book at the minute which is making me want to believe in some version of an afterlife – ‘The Lovely Bones’ by Alice Sebold.
I don’t think a book has ever made me cry quite as much as this book, it’s a very light take on the very dark and immensely heavy but in a sometimes flippant way. It just is. It’s going to be one of those books that you want to go on and on and you miss when you’ve finished reading it.

Not really sure what I’ve been up to but that’s the freedom of this, I’m not obliged to tell you anything!

Album of the day

Ray Charles Sings the Blues

by Ray Charles

2004-06-01T23:10:00.000+01:00

Tuesday 1st June 2004

Dear Diary
I am truly sorry for my wanton neglect of the last 23 days.
I half expected to return to the Blog site and find my diary had been deleted due to lack of activity. I hasten to add this doesn't mean there's been any lack of activity on my part. I have mostly:

*Spent 10 days chilling out where my mum and stepdad live in the south of Spain.
*Missed most of a Welsh heatwave by being in unusually unsettled Spain.
*Stuffed my face on Spanish crisps, tortilla and Anton Mossiman's dark and white chocolate ice cream (which my divine mother makes for me every time I go).
*Spent some quality time with DJ Perch's brother and family - he also lives in Spain.
*Had a horrible boil which a Dr attempted to "lance" by sticking a bl**dy great needle into it at which point he was shocked by the volume of shout I was able to produce. The next time I saw him was at the Zion Train gig in Cardigan:-)
*Been on 2 courses of heavy duty antibiotics which messed up my digestive system.
*Spent some happy time chilling out with my sister and her husband in London. They got married in Vegas in March, which I feel is impressive both in terms of commitment and spontaneity/wildness.
*Been to one of my mate's from schools 40th birthday party in Brighton and seen some other lovely people down there.
*Loved creating and recording in the studio.
*Watched 'Best in Show' again and seen 'A Mighty Wind' for the first time.
*Seen my son grow taller, browner more imaginitive and surreal. His current favourite film is 'Microcosmos' but he calls it 'Michael Cosmos'.
*Had a heart stopping 2 minutes when realised aformentioned son was no longer in the play area we were in (later found halfway down Brighton beach).
*Seen my daughter get taller, sturdier, cheekier and get a tan at last!
*Grown to dislike immensely childrens television programmes in which the protagonists seem to spend the whole time whinging or upset - specifically 'Tweenies' and 'Angelina Ballerina'.
*Lost a relative - Ibikunle Taylor rest in peace.
*Spoken to my Dad on the phone for the first time in at least 8 years.
*Invented the word 'regrannification' when a lovely friend of mine became a grandmother for the third time.
*Watched Colin reverse into my car.
*Done 4 Zion Train gigs in London, Bristol, Cardigan and Exeter - thanks to all who came and continue to support us, each gig was a delight in it's own way. Respect due to Jah Tubby Sound who played with us in Bristol and vibrated every molecule of the venue and me (there is very little in life that feels as good as standing infront of a bass bin).
*Been re-embraced by the friend who rejected me (see 22nd April entry).
*Felt compelled to start my second ever remix - of Finnish Ylivoima/Soul Captain Band's track 'Babylon System'.
*Watched the Malcolm McLaren video of the 'Duck Soup' album - music that I loved as a teenager and is still beautiful, inspiring.

On top of all this shopped, danced, cleaned, sung, gardened, cooked, shagged, painted, sewed, DIYed, listened, read (Ricky Tomlinson's autobiography and Zoe Heller's 'Notes on a Scandal - both reccomended tho I've finished neither as yet) and re gravelled the drive!

Tune of the month

Vuli Ndlela

by Brenda Fassie (I only heard this tune for the first time about six weeks ago and already it's in my top 30)

2004-05-08T23:05:00.000+01:00

Saturday 8th May 2004

Been a mellow couple of weeks.
Planting plants and decorating, doing the books and VAT returns and trying to look at my crappier elements in order to move forward with less baggage! In a nutshell.

Been recording vocals for the ‘Molara’ project and did my first ever remix - of the Zion Train tune ‘Peace and Justice’. I’ve never really been involved in the actual making of the music other than to express an opinion so it was really nice to choose rhythms, chuck out sounds I didn’t love (I do like 100% of Z.T. music and love about 40%) and overlay loads of layers of backing vocals, and have my voice sound how I like it to sound!

Had some lovely visitors from Bristol on the May day bank holiday weekend - a couple and their 6 year old son and 5 year old daughter. The kids all got on and really loved playing together but the thing that made the weekend so nice and relaxed I realised was that the parenting styles were very similar.

The whole thing surrounding having and rasing children is a minefield of emotion and hormones and animal instincts and philosophy and personal history.
~I have friends who desparately want children but can't physically and have to come to terms with and deal with the trauma of that.
~Friends who have tried everything including IVF, only to conceive naturally when the medical profession has given up on them.
~Friends who get pregnant and are very happy but have such set ideas about how the birth will go that when it goes unexpectedly complicated and messy (which it seems to more often than not) are so freaked out that it takes as long as years for the trauma and bitterness to receed and for them to get into parenting.
~Friends who have desparately wanted children and eventually succeed in having a child but are then terrified because they don't love the child immediately.
~Friends who have children almost by accident and either really get into it or totally buckle under the pressure.
~Friends who are so messed up as individuals that the whole concept of them raising children makes your blood run cold!
~Friends who seemingly sail through the whole experience...

The responsibility of trying to raise a balanced and happy person, be nurturing and supportive through all the phases of development - even the teenage years AND give them a name they won't hate AND try to keep a relationship going AND trying to keep growing and contributing as an individual is immense.
The parenting technique possibilities are endless and it's often surprising how totally different even your closest friends styles are to your own.

So yes what made the weekend so lovely was that we felt comfortable relating to and creating boundaries for each other's children. And that's rare!

Tune of the fortnight

Soweto

by Malcolm McLaren

2004-04-24T03:33:00.000+01:00

Friday 23rd April 2004

If you've been reading you'll know that I live in a sparsely populated part of rural West Wales.
Went up to see my next door but one neighbour today and caught up on local gossip.
There's a woman who lives a couple of miles away who is wheel chair bound through illness. One of the things she seems to revel in telling you when you first meet her is that since the start of her medical condition some years ago she's been in an almost permanent state of sexual arousal. She has voraciously persued my female next door but two neighbour and has a string of male lovers whilst living with her husband. Anyway the latest is that for her birthday present she and her husband went to Cardiff to pick up a bearded man woman with breasts and male and female sex organs who has now moved in with them...
Not my story to tell I know but in a period of relatively quiet domesticity it just seemed too good not to tell.
I never had such quality gossip when we used to live in Tottenham!

When I say we I mean Zion Train original four - Cod Tench Perch and me all lived and worked together for 10 years (we continue to work together but live separately). Remarkable if you ask me - we've seen Take That, The Spice Girls, Atomic Kitten come and go, lightweights.

So. Went down to the Queens Hall in Narbeth tonight to see The Mordekkers (Jez drummer from 'Molara' band, Ed 'Headmix' and 'Molara' too on bass, Peni bagpipes ex of 'Headmix' and her new partner Steff on a sort of mandoliny guitar type thing). Really nice once they'd adjusted the volume on the bagpipes! Funky.
They were supporting The Bagdaddies who were brilliant as always.
I drank quite a lot of beer and vaguely remember standing on a chair dancing at one point and telling a male friend of my friends that I'd only met that night about the lactating thing. Hmm. Apparently when I got home I did a 'Groundhog Day' version of my night out, ie. kept repeating one small section of it over and over, before falling asleep in a passing out kind of style.

Tune of the Day

Mordekker Rhumba

by The Mordekkers

2004-04-22T21:50:00.000+01:00

Thursday 22nd April 2004

Haven’t really felt like writing in my diary – not sure why.
Maybe because I started to feel like I was tailoring thoughts to suit it and immediately thinking about experiences as I would write them for my diary.
If I wrote an entry every day I think it would be really boring so I’m doing an entry when I feel like I’ve got something to say or experiences I want to relay to the world at large! It’s funny because when I started writing this I thought yeah I could put it all in but then it dawned on me that some of my more elderly relatives might decide to read it.
Am I making myself stalker bait here?

As I was writing this, Ed the bass player in the ‘Molara’ band phoned me to chat about music and then said "anyway I’m not going to ask you about what goes on with you because I’ve been to the website and read your diary and it’s all there in far more detail than you’d tell me!" I actually blushed! (This has happened about 6 times in my entire life). Am I really being that explicit?

So. It’s been a generally good time.
Fantastic visitors. First Radboud Mens – Dutch artist and generator of noise/music and mad ideas. We first met him in Staalplaat (wild music label and shop in Amsterdam) dressed in black, the most aggressive shop assistant ever encountered (and I quote "you can’t buy that it’s shit"). We’d go back there every time Zion Train were on tour in Amsterdam and Colin and I would dare each other to go and talk to him/try to buy things. Once you get to know him of course he’s kind, vulnerable, gentle, honest, funny and a joy to have around. The children loved him and since he left a few days ago M* has been walking round the house saying "Radboud, Radboud,Radboud…" not an easy word for a 1year old English speaker!
Anyway him and Colin made mad electro dub all week and we drank much beer and had long talks about life, universe etc (he’s another no bullshit friend).

Next visitors Nicky E who dropped off her angelic and beatific 10 year old daughter for a few days to work on one of the farms next door to us (not the Sufi Muslim whirling dervish farming next door neighbours but the idyllic model farm Christians who are currently hand rearing motherless lambs and feeding jersey cow milk to their Eastenders watching chickens). It was so lovely having her here, we did swimming with my kids, baking, football (she won the trophy in my first blog entry), dug up loads of weeds and planted seeds in our polytunnel. AND she changes nappies. It’s like having a brilliant au pair/older child/mate – we watched ‘Ghostbusters’ and ate popcorn together.

My Mum’s sister and her husband came for one night – excellent visitors as well, they always bring lovely foody type things and treats as well as mountains of biodegradable disposable nappies that you can’t get in the supermarkets round here anymore. They join in contribute and are generally entertaining and enlightened visitors.

So a full on but great week. Sun’s shining mostly.
Did drive to Cardiff airport/London to drop off Radboud and take the angel home.
The only down point of the week was when I went to see a friend in London after dropping off the angel and it was really weird. Where once there was a vibe the vibe was gone. Not a friend I’ve known for long but it was strange that that could happen as we’d had such a laugh prior to that. Oh well. Thank you for the lovely times anyway…

Tune of the week

I’m Going to Sit Down at The Welcome Table

by Jessie Fuller

2004-04-10T14:48:00.000+01:00

Saturday 10th April 2004

My life is bizarre because of the contrasting situations I find myself in.
One minute I am on tour being quite single and quite free and quite a party animal, whilst trying to entertain and inspire people having travelled to wherever I've travelled to with some businessmen or holiday makers.
Then I am at home with my children being inspired and amazed by them and Colin and the mad ideas and music and things which all three of them produce.

Tonight me and 3 of the other mum's from playgroup sat and drank wine and cut out and planned all of the craft for next terms playgroup sessions. We discussed the various different vibrators we owned (we all owned one which amazed me), the merits of the death penalty for paedophiles, the merits of the institution of marriage (2 of us married and 2 not), the acceptance by the community of the only gay and the only cross dresser in Crymych (very small local village) and general gossip. At times like these I hardly believe my other life exists.

Tune of the day

Gorecki

by Lamb a beautiful all time favourite

2004-04-10T01:11:00.000+01:00

Friday 9th April 2004

"Good Friday".
Don't really know what to say about it other than that I'm not sure how to approach it with my children as it's so obviously about Jesus Christ that it's impossible to do like Christmas and pretend it's some sort of pagan celebration too!
The children were very kindly given Easter eggs yesterday so every morning F* is asking whether he can eat it yet - Sunday is going to be the biggest sugar rush of his life as up until now he didn't get it. Well he still doesn't get "it" but he knows that big chocolate is due to him!
Feeling compromised - can't opt out of the egg thing, don't want part of the God thing. F**k I'm displaying protestant guilt!

Tune of the day

The Bed's Too Big Without You

by The Police

2004-04-09T00:18:00.000+01:00

Thursday 8th April 2004

I was thinking of Joy Division because of yesterday, and remembering that my mate Tom the fireman (actually he's now head of the firemen) from Wroclaw in Poland spent a whole months wages on buying 'Closer' when it first came out.
Talk about dedication to music. But it's not really dedication to music it's something about life and knowing what's important and what things are going to resonate with your soul. Some of these things you seek out and some you discover by accident. Even when times are really really hard there's wonder in the world to be had/heard/felt.

I have always loathed Nick Cave (I can be a right prejudiced pain in the arse at times and I decided some years ago that he was depressing and had nothing to offer me) but today I saw his 'Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow' video where he gets his mates together and takes them to a hall in the middle of nowhere in Latvia or somewhere, gets them pissed and films them dancing to his tune. It's magnificent. Jason Donovan puts in a stunning pissed up performance which is out there and has to be seen to be believed.
Loved it like Fatboy Slim's 'Praise You'.

Typed up the last of an interview I did with John Peel in 1996 to go on the Molara website. He is so totally sound and lovely parts of it made me well up, well worth a read for a life re-affirming look at life...

Tune of the day

Y'r Haid

by Kald

2004-04-07T23:56:00.000+01:00

Wednesday 7th April 2004

Dave from Post Office Records, a.k.a. DJ Methodist, came round to do a session today - he's working on a cover version of Joy Division's 'Digital' and wanted me to record a vocal for it.
I'm always really honoured when people ask me to sing stuff for them especially when it's something which is far removed from what people are used to hearing me sing. It's almost like they assume that because I am a singer I'll be able to sing anything well, and that feels like a lovely vote of confidence!

Joy Division have a special place in my heart as well because it's music that as an angst ridden teenager I vibrated on the same wave length as (and still do, not that I'm angst ridden anymore but still working on getting through without religion or an adopted belief structure to answer all the questions for me). It was like the musical equivalent of 'Catcher in the Rye' which I adored and thought the other day I must re-read. Have to mention another J.D.Salinger book of short stories which I also love 'For Esme With Love and Squalor'.

This is part diary and part everything that went into my life coming out as reccomendations/food for thought, my legacy to the world!
I do feel that everybody has something to offer and that a system whereby everybody worked half the day and pursued creative endeavours/were given space to express themselves for the rest of the day would solve much of the worlds ills... Anyway I digress as usual.

Not that there's anything major remaining to say about this day other than that the sun shone and I felt like planting seeds.

Tune of the day

Love Will Tear Us Apart

by Joy Division

2004-04-06T19:45:00.000+01:00

Tuesday 6th April 2004

Had a dream in the middle of the night that a very nice woman I know from a venue called The Junction in Cambridge, had given birth to triplets. One of whom didn't survive, one of whom was black, and one white.
Significant on two levels for me.
Firstly from the point when I had the dream the re-occurring thought that I must remember it to put it in my blog diary came into my head and my sleep was lighter as a result of this task - ie.the remembering.
For the first time I was aware of almost tailoring my life for my online diary rather than just letting life happen and then writing about it. For the first time I am writing about a day as it happens (it's 10am) as opposed to once it's over.
Is this the start of an obsession? Compulsion?

Secondly genes are mad.
My Dad is black Nigerian and my Mum white English.
Apart from my eyes which are dark brown, every other feature of mine is split down the middle (white coffee skin, loose curl hair) even to the point where I have one ear shaped like my Dad's and the other like my Mums (=very odd ears).
So anyway, that's me, and Colin is pale white with blue eyes and brown hair.
So we have one child who is pale brown skinned with brown eyes and curly hair like mine, and one who is white with blue eyes and straight hair.
Genes.
Mad.

Tune of the day

I'd Like to Walk Around in Your Mind

by Vashti

2004-04-05T19:29:00.000+01:00

Monday 5th April 2004

A week characterised by playing nursey to the sick three.

Escaped for 24 hours on Wednesday and Thursday and went exploring the coast near Bristol - sea, some nice sand and some sinking sand (if ever you see yellow triangle signs of a bloke with flailing arms take note as they totally passed me by) a bit of sun, hot bath (aren't bath's just one of the nicest things) and some quality lovely time up a hill...

The most surreal event of the week was that four months after stopping breast feeding my daughter I started to lactate again! What on earth is going on there?!
The worst thing is that the more I think about it and how bizarre it is the more I am lactating - stuck in a cycle of obsessive thought lactation! Help!
I had just got used to having my body back for me. . .

Tune of the day up Uphill

Just a Rascal

by Dizzy Rascal

2004-03-30T00:44:00.000+01:00

Monday 29th March 2004

My son's nursery school trip to Folly Farm today and most magnificent it was. I always feel iffy about zoo type animals so I didn't really know what to expect but apart from some psychotic chipmunks and an overly aggressive iguana the animals seemed to be happy. Saw ring tailed lemurs chasing and leaping round (they would have to be a contender for favourite animal), zebra's skipping and some immensely cute baby goats - these were the highlights you understand. Fair, tractors, ball pit - the usual suspects.
F* (my son) began vomiting just as the trip was coming to an end and didn't stop for about 5 days. M* and Colin got the bug too...

Tune of the day

Sick Man Blues

by The Goodies

2004-03-27T23:24:00.000Z

Saturday 27th March 2004

Got given a bit of money by my Mum so went to try and spend some of it in Carmarthen.
I am such a crap shopper - managed to spend £13.
Do any other women out there find trawling round looking at stuff you might buy as time wastingly mind numbingly dull as I do?
Went on Amazon when I got back home and bought "Ghostbusters" "Being There" "Harold and Maude" and "Grey Gardens" on DVD. All totally brilliant...

Tune of the Day

Any tune that slags off shopping

by Crass

2004-03-26T01:15:00.000Z

Thursday 25th March 2004

A day of family celebration marred only by the abysmal performance of Liverpool Football club who went out of the UEFA cup to Marseilles. Don't like to say it but I think Houllier has got to go.

Went to Cardigan and had chips and mushy peas in a cafe. Got some Finding Nemo bubble bath for the kids - how good is that film? Love it. I think the rant on the exploitation of children by the capitalist entertainment industry must come another day after all we are celebrating here.

On returning home drank far too much cava, had a lovely social with David and Victoria (the posh and becks of Zion Train) then more or less passed out by 10.30. Oops.

Tune of the day

She Wants to Move

by N.E.R.D.

2004-03-24T18:06:00.000Z

Wednesday 24th March 2004

Went to the beach at Tenby with my children and a picnic. Spent hours building sandcastles, walking in the sea, exploring rockpools and eating crisps cheese and sand sandwiches while the seagulls hassled us for food. Bliss.

Tune of the day

Sea breeze and rolling waves by Mother Nature! Twee but what beautiful sounds in reality.

2004-03-23T17:44:00.000Z

Tuesday 23rd March 2004

There's so much to tell on tour and so many thoughts to get my head round but when I get home it's constant doing...

Bed at 3am then awake with the children at 8am.
Washing.
Cooking.
Cleaning.
Catching up on office stuff.
Finances.
Playgroup/nursery.
Shopping - by this I mean for food really, I am a non girl when it comes to trawling round shops looking at stuff, I only shop with a purpose.
Playing with, dancing with, creating with and chilling with my children
Creating and music and web stuff - mainly with Colin Cod.
These are the things that my life at home is made up with. Very domestic but mainly great. I really enjoy the contrast between chilling in the countryside and partying in the towns and cities on tour.

Today I have been mostly dancing and playing with my children. Wonderful.

Tune of the day

U Mojej Matecki

by Kapela Ze Wsi Warszawa (Warsaw Village Band)
This tune is actually one of my favourite all time tunes and can bring tears to my eyes and a tingle down my spine everytime I hear it.

2004-03-22T17:23:00.000Z

Monday 22nd March 2004

Got up to the news that Israel has killed the leader of Hammas. This doesn't bode well for the peace process or stability of the Middle East. I am not anti-semitic but I am stunned by what the Israeli nation gets away with - no other country in the world could do this... (except perhaps the Americans). Anyway more on that subject another time.

Set off with the lads to Koln - home of DJ Perch. Sun shining, weather sweet - there's nothing like the first warm sun of the year to lift the spirits and make you feel happy to be alive.

Once in Koln chilled at DJ Perch studio, went to the supermarket to stock up on bread and mustard and got some lovely honey for the love three from a Turkish shop. Had my first demonstration of Bigga's culinary skills (good!) before heading for the airport with Hakey to get our flight to Stansted.

I am not the best when it comes to flying - I used to have to get drunk! But hundreds of flights to and from Zion Train gigs have forced me to get used to it so I can keep my cool, even during turbulence. I'm still always relieved to be back on land again...

4-5 hours driving and rocking to quality music and Man City v Leeds United match on 5-live (radio) got back knackered to the remote retreat in West Wales where I live with the love three.

Tune of the day

Ring My Bell

by Blood Sisters (a killer heavyweight roots reggae version)

2004-03-22T00:01:00.000Z

Sunday 21st March 2004

Weh hey it's spring!
Still freezing and windy but the sun shone.

Time for a last kaassoufle with chips satay sauce and mayonnaise before heading off to Bruxelles.

Got lost as usual trying to fing the venue - the legendary VK in the heart of Arab Bruxelles.

I think Belgian gigs for Zion Train are invariably good. It's almost like there's a little piece of Eastern Europe in the heart of Western Europe, the response is so open, celebratory and positive. The difference for me is that we have been spoilt for music and culture in Western Europe for as long as I can remember, whereas some of my peers in Eastern europe were locked in police cells for their hair do's or clothes, nevermind the music they attempted to get hold of! The Eastern response is therefore more intense, appreciative and expressive...

Anyway maximum respect to all at VK who are welcoming, organised and very nice.
One love to all who turned up and helped the vibes reach. A really enjoyable gig.
At one point I sang the lyric to "Do Your Thing" by The Chosen Few over a rhythm, and when I got to the verse;
"If you feel like you wanna scream
coz that's your way to let off steam
scream on, scream on"
and lots of people screamed and shouted. Rock on!

After the gig, a bloke who at one point had jumped onto the stage for a bout of wild dancing, came back stage and said;
"My girlfriend came 8 times because of the bass - I mean she CAME!"
At this point I was doubled up on my knees with laughter, clinging to a cupboard for support as DJ Perch managed to keep a relatively straight face and continue the conversation.

Tune of the day

Bass Adds Bass

by Family Fodder

2004-03-20T22:49:00.000Z

Saturday 20th March 2004

Due to high levels of thc resulting from copious consumption of nederweed, the lads communication skills are getting increasingly eccentric. (I personally don't smoke but would defend the right of anyone to have access to a plant which grows naturally on the planet on which we live). Bigga seems to be communicating predominantly using an impersonation of the cry of a peacock. Fear and Loathing in Los Netherlands.

Got an e-mail from my "partner" (baby father would make it sound like he wasn't the fantastic parent he is; we are not married so husband doesn't sound right either; he's clearly more than a boyfriend and partner sounds like we run a bookshop together - we need a new word, any suggestions?) this morning telling me he'd been playing the children old glam rock videos. My 1 and a half year old daughter loved and would only dance to Marc Bolan. My 3 and a half year old son loved Suzi Quattro but thought Gary Glitter was the best - running round the room shouting "Barry Glitter! Bally Blitter! Sally Shitter!", appropriate under the circumstances, how the mighty have fallen.
Sparks and Alice Cooper scared them both...

After a very relaxed Vera breakfast with Nynke we said our goodbyes and headed off to Amsterdam in gale force winds and lashing rain.

Once there I headed off on foot to see the head of Universal Egg's (Zion Train record label) Dutch distributor Konkurrent, not work but a social with the family.
I played peek-a-boo with her one year old daughter and discussed the merits of Thomas the Tank Engine , Bob the Builder and Miffy - in Dutch, with her soon to be 3 year old son. Am I sounding twee? It's always lovely (especially as a parent) to get a blast of domesticity and kids world when on tour, before heading off to party!

In complete contrast, then headed off to do some porn shopping. Found the centre of Amsterdam less comfortable and more seedy - drug pushers and crack pipes on the street. Shame. It never used to be like that.

I suppose I should say something about pornography (although in many ways I feel reluctant).
Personally I like it if it involves compus mentus, consenting, well paid or doing it for enjoyment adults. I was surprised to see on a Channel 4 documentary recently that out of the top 50 turn ons for women porn was in the top 3. So often the loudest female voice you hear is that of the "rad fems" saying it's all disgusting objectification and oppression of women.
Funnily enough I have never been comfortable with the soft porn page 3 girl big D peanut type thing (which clearly objectifies womens bodies), although that does seem to be balancing out a bit with mens bodies being used in advertising/titillation mags. I also have a big problem with the pop culture of only just pubescent girls in skimpy clothes and loads of make up, and the pressure put on girls at an ever younger age to be skinny, pretty and sexy. My gut feeling is that both these things are more damaging in society than people taking pleasure in watching other people involved in sex acts.

I would like to see some research into whether porn has prevented any sex attacks. I would also like to know whether those people who commit hideous sex crimes would have acted with or without porn (which is so often described as a cause for the behaviour) ie. did the porn contribute to the desire or satiate it temporarily?
From personal experience some of the things I have fantasized about I would hate to happen in real life, but I feel that as with most people, I know the boundary between fantasy and reality.
Clearly anything involving people earning drug money, children or inflicting pain on others is sick (unless those people are masochists and want to be hurt), but I don't think the fault lies with the porn but with our society. Porn only reflects the extremities within our society in the same way that many other things do eg. on the one had a relaxing glass of wine with yer dinner, on the other a can of Tennants Super in the street of a morning. The alcohol is not to blame, it's how different elements in society use it.

We are not giving people the inspiration or creative expression which would make them not want to do drugs as a form of escapism, and we are not successfully protecting our children (more often than not from members of their own families).
I very much wish to cause no offense to anyone who has suffered, but my feeling is that as a society we need to learn as much as we can from those who commit crimes which cause suffering/death to others, in order to collectively work out why and what it is that pushes a person over the edge, to try and prevent it.
Pointing the finger, calling them "monsters" and locking them up feels like an abdication of responsibility - don't get me wrong, they must be locked up but ut's what we do with them while they are locked up...

I don't believe this, 4 days into the diary and I am tackling religion, porn and the ills of society as I see them!

Where was I?
The Melkweg Amsterdam.
A venue where some really classic Zion train shows have taken place - always nice to return to. A great combination of Dutch efficiency and positive vibes. Lovely to meet up with old friends and to see Zion Train fans new and old in the crowd.
As always there was a Polish contingent > jedna milosc!
One love and peace to all who attended.

Tune of the day

Kalakuta Show

by Mix Master Mike and Mario Caldato

2004-03-19T22:43:00.000Z

Friday 19th March 2004

Headed out of Utrecht to Groningen with the lads in the Perch mobile.
Once in Groningen we went straight to the venue - Vera.

How to describe Vera?
It´s about as perfect as a venue can get. Firstly the people who run it are lovely (special shout of one love to Peter, Nynke and Miranda). Secondly they have four quiet (nicer than most hotel) rooms out back where you sleep so you only have to stagger up the stairs in whatever state at the end of the night.
The showers are hot the drinks are cold and the food delicious. There´s unlimited internet access, satellite telly. Poster designs are outstanding, lights and sound good - are you convinced yet?!

The chill out room is an amazing historical artefact. The walls are covered with pictures and dedications from all the bands who have played there over the years which is just about every non-mainstream artist in the world and some who went on to make it mega. From Junior Walker to Killing Joke; No Means No to Bo Diddly; Mud Honey to The Gladiators; Robert Crumb to John Cale. There are personal dedications from U2, The Pixies, The Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev to name but a few few few.

And then there´s the vibe.
During the gig on Friday night I said off the stage "You in the Netherlands are so cool - you´ve got the weed, booze, the arts, even a government that resigns if it screws up! But here in Groningen it´s HOT!".
Because Zion Train have never rehearsed and have no set list, what we choose to sing and play is very much of the moment and audience vibes play a very important part. When the audience gives of itself then the vibe and experience of the gig is always more intense. It´s not about numbers of people (once had a really nice gig to 6 punters and the barstaff the first time we ever played Cork in Ireland) but about the response.
It´s very difficult to put into words but it´s almost like energy flows in through the tips of your toes and fingers and the soles of your feet and your palms, and then flows out through your mouth, eyes, ears and the top of your head - that´s how it is for me anyway.
In the film/documentary "Scratch" (which is totally brilliant and I recommend to anyone) the legendary Afrika Bambaata describes the break in hip hop music as "the section that lets your god self get wild". This is the best description of that feeling I´ve heard.
Whether he means by "god self" the part of you that in touch with a higher spiritual force, or a state in which you feel like a living god I don´t know but it works both ways.
I don´t believe in a god and have a big problem with organised religion, but I do believe in spirituality. Matthew Fox who I consider a hero, said "there are many roads to the river, but there is only one river", and that sums it up for me. There´s a flow of spiritual energy we can all tap into. I reach that feeling/place at some point during most gigs, but at the Vera gig it came and stayed and kept washing over me.

That´s what I call Zion.
My god self definitely got jiggy with it;-)

Tune of the day

Music is Love

by David Crosby

2004-03-18T18:30:00.000Z

Thursday 18th March 2004

Made my way to Stansted airport and on the bus from the car park to the terminal I met UK hip hop pioneer Blade and his crew. We only chatted for ten minutes but they were such nice positive vibes people we had a right laugh. They were off to Poland - here's hoping it rocked for them. (Anyone who knows me will know that Poland is about my favourite place in the world to play).

Met up with the trumpet player with more nicknames than anyone I know: Dave Cosmic, Hake, Cakey (I think only I call him this), General Hardware, Camp David, El Legendario, and he is of course a founder Love Grocer. He had coincidentally just met Nucleus Roots on their way to Oslo.

Anyway to cut a long story short we flew to Amsterdam, got a train to Utrecht and met up with DJ Perch and the trombone player who is rapidly gathering nicknames: Bigga, Bimbi, Bimbo, Huchen aka Sebastian Harzmann of Ishen Rockers.

One love and thanks to all who came down to Tivoli de Helling for a very mellow vibes Zion train gig. Respect to the lighting people as it all looked really nice and to the sound guys who also did a fantastic job. The lack of encore was down to the strict curfew at the venue - sorry.

Tune of the day

Great Britain

by Scorzayzee

***

2004-03-17T17:13:00.000Z

Wednesday 17th March 2004

Greetings.
Day one of my online diary...
Left the love three in sunny West Wales and drove to London.
Briefly saw Nicky (Culture Promotions) and the girls (her two daughters) the younger of the two's (age 10) football team had just won their league, not only that but she won the top goal scorer trophy. Respect!
This made me realise that I have to deal with my prejudice re womens football. I am proud and delighted when it's a friends daughter who is playing but slightly embarrassed when it's full grown women. Time to change my attitude...

In my early 20's I studied drama at the University of East Anglia. One of the courses we did was with a psycho something or other called Tony Hall. The premis was that if you want to act ie. portray someone elses emotions, you must first be in touch with your own. Heavy.
Anyway as a result of bearing our souls to each other my friends from those times are no bullshit talk about the weather type friends even when we haven't seen each other for years.
I'll get to the point!
About a month ago I got an e-mail from one of my best UEA mates who I hadn't heard from for 6 years - she and another good friend were doing a play together.
The play is Angel Filth by Kate Maravan and Sophie Vaughan and is on until April at the Tristan Bates Theatre, 1a Tower St. London WC2.
It was funny, eccentric, well observed and wild.
Coincidentally at the start of the week I had texted another lovely UEA mate to thank him for introducing me to John Martyn's "Solid Air" lp which I'll love forever. He and his beautiful missus came out for the night and we all talked shouted, laughed and drank together after the play.
So lovely to be with people you can be totally honest with about yourself negative and positive, mundane and outrageous and know that you won't be judged.
I've said it many times in interviews but I really do believe that life is about the people you meet and the interaction/communication you have with them through laughing, crying, dancing, talking, sharing, loving, fucking...
Rounded off the evening with some intense and lovely sex.
A fantastic night.

Tune of the day

Do Your Thing

by The Chosen Few