Hello Dudes and dudettes,
Italy is not proving to be the most reliable place for working internet so I am reduced to sitting on some steps in Bologna and bumming a connection of some office or other. It is however, one smashing place to be doing gigs. The days are long and warm, the Wisteria is in full bloom and stinks of summer and the band and it's associated employ are in high and gushing spirits. Oooh, it gets me all poetic you see. I spent some time sitting in an ancient hillside garden yesterday, Mr Lizard was basking on the worn red bricks and I drank 4000 bottles of Peroni. The gig was in a scout hut and there was at least 80 people in there, but it was really quite good fun. The adience did this thing where they looked really excited but didn't say very much at all. When we left the stage they fell silent very quickly after a short burst of rapturous applause. I looked at them and they at me, they just looked and smiled. Then I realised that they did really want an encore, they just didn't quite know how to say it. One guy just walked over to me and said "look, they want more, you must play more". Tom had already gone back to the dressing room so Jimmy went of to get him. I think we should call Norris and see if we have an official entry for the Guiness book of records for the longest gap between the main show and the Encore. I think Norris would only alow it with an invigilator present but we can dream.
We also made up a new game last night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1NaHNFTX0I
"The most dangerous thing in the world is bored people."
Henry Dartnall (his blog, 24th April 2008).
I am going to make some more proper video soon too. I never have the camera on me when good stuff happens.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
European tour 2
It's pretty good touring Europe. They feed you like a king and give you showers and apartments and all sorts. On Friday we played Zürich. Zürich is a quiet town but at night people seem to go Bananas. The club after the gig stayed open until 5, and a lot of people (including me) made it to the end. I slept in for a while the next day, but when I woke up and pulled back the curtain of my bunk I got the best view of the tour so far. We were parked in an Alpine foot hill about a mile out of the Austrian town of Dornbirn. There was an amazing river rushing through the pine trees and we were soaked in dappled sunlight. Then i looked up and saw the snow capped mountains. I can honestly say that i liked it more than waking up in a disused building plot in Crewe. Not to dis Crewe too much but a view like the one I had on Saturday takes some beating.
I didn't really get how you can have a gig that far from town, but the people came. The hilight of the night was our own beer tap and the support band nicking an entirely full barrel of beer. The venue guy didn't even seem to care. Cool.
We were supposed to be driving to Rome the next day (day off) and then playing in Rome today, but the water pipes burst in the Rome venue (that's exactly how the Italians roll, nothing ever works). So we blagged our way into a gig in Innsbruck (which is where I am now). It looks like a really cool little club and they gave us an apartment for 2 days. sweet.
We have done some extreme tourism yesterday and today, including Alp climbing in trainers a cable car, a couple of museums and a Zoo. Pics and vid to follow.
Byesy bye
Henry
I didn't really get how you can have a gig that far from town, but the people came. The hilight of the night was our own beer tap and the support band nicking an entirely full barrel of beer. The venue guy didn't even seem to care. Cool.
We were supposed to be driving to Rome the next day (day off) and then playing in Rome today, but the water pipes burst in the Rome venue (that's exactly how the Italians roll, nothing ever works). So we blagged our way into a gig in Innsbruck (which is where I am now). It looks like a really cool little club and they gave us an apartment for 2 days. sweet.
We have done some extreme tourism yesterday and today, including Alp climbing in trainers a cable car, a couple of museums and a Zoo. Pics and vid to follow.
Byesy bye
Henry
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
On the road again. Moscow and Paris
Hey sexy,
Well I had 10 days off and they didn't seem eventful enough to warrant blogspace. I guess there was a bit to tell though. As soon as we stopped touring, and I mean the day after, I got the lergie. BASTARD. We had one day off and then we went into the studio. We did this stripped down recording of Turn tail at Westbourne studios in London. It was cut straight to Vinyl. We just stood inf ront of two mics and the cutting machine sat next to us, we played and the record was cut in the room. You can hear the machine on the recording. It was quite cool. The problem was that I had developed a cough and every time I coughed we had to start again and it cost £40. Still, it worked out OK in the end but I felt terrible.
Then we went straight to Bristol for the two day Turn tail video shoot. At this point i was shivering and could have definitely done with a day off or four. It was a hard shoot, but luckily it was inside and involved sitting down, so it could have been worse. I watched the almost final version last night and it's a cool looking video. It reminds me a bit of She's attracted to but I think it's even better. It's also the first YK video with CGI in it - Futurismo.
So after lying in bed for a few days after that and then just fixing guitars and amps and stuff, we are back on the road. We flew to Norway on Thursday and did a day of strange TV programs. The gig was cool it was. I love Norway.
Then we went to Moscow on Saturday and Played a gig on Sunday night. It is a strange place. Here is my breakfast:
That's right, it was weird. The pink cakes were my least favorite food I have ever eaten I think.
I was reasonably wary of wandering the streets on my own. Ed (Tour manager) had stories of being "done over" by bent cops, where they take all your money and perhaps your passport. He does exaggerate but I guess it's better to be safe. Luckily because we are an international jet setting bunch, we had a guide. Her name was Eugenie, but I couldn't remember it. We did a good 4 mile walk around the grey blocks of Moscow. It is quite grey, but it also has a strange but not unpleasan
t atmosphere. I was particularly taken with the packs of stray dogs giving you the "I'm really hungry" eyes. Of course we did the whole tourist thing. Here is a picture to back that up.
I guess it's probably a good time to do an introduction to the people in the picture.
standing from left to right; Me, House of Lords, Jimmy Curry the tech, Ed Hutchinson the Tour Manager. Kneeling from left to right; Martin O'Grady the sound engineer; Oliver.
Jimmy is the guitar tech and we normally have Alex Baker with us for drums. Sometimes, however it gets a bit too expensive to have both so they have to have a brawl and whoever wins gets to go. Al is off with the Courteeners at the moment. Hope it's going well.
So the gig in Moscow was very cool. Lots of people came and laughed at us. There also seemed to be loads of people that knew the words. So that was nice.
Then we did Paris and I finally got my computer back so I could write to you. Then of course I didn't get internet until today. So, sorry about that. Paris was a co-headliner with Gravenhurst. Gravenhurst were really nice and played some good stuff. We got drunk on red wine and ate nice cheese. The audience were a bit dry. I think that is the Paris way though.
I have brought the video camera in case there is something funny to film. I doubt it, but if there is I will post it. MINT.
Lille tonight. The food is once again, amazing.
See ya
Well I had 10 days off and they didn't seem eventful enough to warrant blogspace. I guess there was a bit to tell though. As soon as we stopped touring, and I mean the day after, I got the lergie. BASTARD. We had one day off and then we went into the studio. We did this stripped down recording of Turn tail at Westbourne studios in London. It was cut straight to Vinyl. We just stood inf ront of two mics and the cutting machine sat next to us, we played and the record was cut in the room. You can hear the machine on the recording. It was quite cool. The problem was that I had developed a cough and every time I coughed we had to start again and it cost £40. Still, it worked out OK in the end but I felt terrible.
Then we went straight to Bristol for the two day Turn tail video shoot. At this point i was shivering and could have definitely done with a day off or four. It was a hard shoot, but luckily it was inside and involved sitting down, so it could have been worse. I watched the almost final version last night and it's a cool looking video. It reminds me a bit of She's attracted to but I think it's even better. It's also the first YK video with CGI in it - Futurismo.
So after lying in bed for a few days after that and then just fixing guitars and amps and stuff, we are back on the road. We flew to Norway on Thursday and did a day of strange TV programs. The gig was cool it was. I love Norway.
Then we went to Moscow on Saturday and Played a gig on Sunday night. It is a strange place. Here is my breakfast:
That's right, it was weird. The pink cakes were my least favorite food I have ever eaten I think.
I was reasonably wary of wandering the streets on my own. Ed (Tour manager) had stories of being "done over" by bent cops, where they take all your money and perhaps your passport. He does exaggerate but I guess it's better to be safe. Luckily because we are an international jet setting bunch, we had a guide. Her name was Eugenie, but I couldn't remember it. We did a good 4 mile walk around the grey blocks of Moscow. It is quite grey, but it also has a strange but not unpleasan
t atmosphere. I was particularly taken with the packs of stray dogs giving you the "I'm really hungry" eyes. Of course we did the whole tourist thing. Here is a picture to back that up.I guess it's probably a good time to do an introduction to the people in the picture.
standing from left to right; Me, House of Lords, Jimmy Curry the tech, Ed Hutchinson the Tour Manager. Kneeling from left to right; Martin O'Grady the sound engineer; Oliver.
Jimmy is the guitar tech and we normally have Alex Baker with us for drums. Sometimes, however it gets a bit too expensive to have both so they have to have a brawl and whoever wins gets to go. Al is off with the Courteeners at the moment. Hope it's going well.
So the gig in Moscow was very cool. Lots of people came and laughed at us. There also seemed to be loads of people that knew the words. So that was nice.
Then we did Paris and I finally got my computer back so I could write to you. Then of course I didn't get internet until today. So, sorry about that. Paris was a co-headliner with Gravenhurst. Gravenhurst were really nice and played some good stuff. We got drunk on red wine and ate nice cheese. The audience were a bit dry. I think that is the Paris way though.
I have brought the video camera in case there is something funny to film. I doubt it, but if there is I will post it. MINT.
Lille tonight. The food is once again, amazing.
See ya
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Off the beaten track tour 3 - End of Tour
Last 2 nights were pretty mental. Chatham Tap n Tin is a sweet venue. It reminded me of a bar in Austin with free burgers but loads of rain. Never been to the Medway towns and some friends gave me a guided tour of Rochester Castle. Sweet culture.
The gig was a sweat box and I deffo nearly died twice.
Lost the bus today, went into a van for the last 2 days to save money. I have aquired too much shit on this tour to stick in a van. I have been to charity shops in loads of the towns we have visited and got some pretty swish old men clothes, but my luggage is now massive.
We rocked up to Southend and the sun came out. I don't remember ever having been to Southend but I like it. Frode said it reminded him of The Lost Boys. I can see what he means. As it is the last day of the tour I buy Ungdomskulen some rude lollies which I subsequently forget to give them and still have in my bag. I considered buying them "Shit in a can" and "Small pecker condoms" but couldn't muster the courage to ask the shop vendor.
Tonight's show is extra special. Ungdomskulen do a sweet set which is probably their best of the whole tour. The we have them join us at the end of the show and give them our instruments during an extended version of The decision. This has been captured on film and is going to appear on Youtube soon.
I wake up on Monday morning at home and I immediately have the lergie. That's what happens when you stop after 3 weeks of continuous rocking. I am now at the video shoot for Turn tail which is looking amazing to me. It looks a bit like Steptoe and son.
Yesterday was a bit special. Despite my raging cough and aches we go to Westbourne studios in west london and cut acoustic versions of Turn tail and Mummy light the fire, directly to record. Apparently this hasn't been done commercially since the mid 70's. I think it sounded good. We recorded it in a very dry way and we were suffering a bit from the tour but it was definitley an interesting thing to do. Obviously it is also double geeky, but then that's The Young Knives for you - massive geeks.
Still feeling shit today but have eaten all of the flu drugs in the world. One more day of shooting tomorrow here in sunny Bristol and them I am going home to see my wife and have a play on Guitar hero 3. Sad I know. I don't do gaming much but The HMV in Cardiff sorted me out with a sweet discount and I buckled under the "thing of the moment" pressure of it all. The cynic of everything comercial goes capitalist crazy, next thing you know I'll have an iphone.
Love
Henry
The gig was a sweat box and I deffo nearly died twice.
Lost the bus today, went into a van for the last 2 days to save money. I have aquired too much shit on this tour to stick in a van. I have been to charity shops in loads of the towns we have visited and got some pretty swish old men clothes, but my luggage is now massive.
We rocked up to Southend and the sun came out. I don't remember ever having been to Southend but I like it. Frode said it reminded him of The Lost Boys. I can see what he means. As it is the last day of the tour I buy Ungdomskulen some rude lollies which I subsequently forget to give them and still have in my bag. I considered buying them "Shit in a can" and "Small pecker condoms" but couldn't muster the courage to ask the shop vendor.
Tonight's show is extra special. Ungdomskulen do a sweet set which is probably their best of the whole tour. The we have them join us at the end of the show and give them our instruments during an extended version of The decision. This has been captured on film and is going to appear on Youtube soon.
I wake up on Monday morning at home and I immediately have the lergie. That's what happens when you stop after 3 weeks of continuous rocking. I am now at the video shoot for Turn tail which is looking amazing to me. It looks a bit like Steptoe and son.
Yesterday was a bit special. Despite my raging cough and aches we go to Westbourne studios in west london and cut acoustic versions of Turn tail and Mummy light the fire, directly to record. Apparently this hasn't been done commercially since the mid 70's. I think it sounded good. We recorded it in a very dry way and we were suffering a bit from the tour but it was definitley an interesting thing to do. Obviously it is also double geeky, but then that's The Young Knives for you - massive geeks.
Still feeling shit today but have eaten all of the flu drugs in the world. One more day of shooting tomorrow here in sunny Bristol and them I am going home to see my wife and have a play on Guitar hero 3. Sad I know. I don't do gaming much but The HMV in Cardiff sorted me out with a sweet discount and I buckled under the "thing of the moment" pressure of it all. The cynic of everything comercial goes capitalist crazy, next thing you know I'll have an iphone.
Love
Henry
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