DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME;

"Countdown Shows 71-72"

Show #71-August 22, 2002-Aberdeen, Scotland-The LEMON TREE-

We'd flown to Aberdeen from Los Angeles (via London) the day before. When I
left LA, the weather was 88F (hot, ok?)but when we got to Scotland, it was
chilly and rainy. Luckily, our hotel was across the street from the Venue.
Unluckily, there was a mistake made with the reservation (this was to become
the theme for this tour, by the way) and, like a page RIGHT OUT OF "THIS IS
SPINAL", instead of 5 rooms for (tour manager)Mick, Rusty, Daddyo,Chapple and
myself, we were given 1 ROOM WITH FIVE BEDS!!!!! Although the SINGER was
spared this inconvenience, we had no choice but to wing it for that night. The
hotel Mgr. was very apologetic but there was not much he could do, as there
were no more rooms for that night and nothing across town as well. So to make
up for it, the hotel bartender gave us free drinks all that night (good) and
the hotel restauraunt gave us each a free English breakfast the next morning
(not good) and gave us the rooms free that night and discounted the next night.

So after all that monkey business, I stroll over with Mick on the next
afternoon to see the club and meet some of the sound people. We walked over
around 1pm and grabbed some soup and met MARGE, the manager of the club. Marge
was a hard-ass Scots woman who took no shit from anybody. Although I thought
she was kinda charming, she was WAY too serious in her job and too "by the
book" for my taste. She actually made us pay for beers at sound check! I
mean, our contract calls for a case of beer and all kinda goodies backstage and
it's usually there before the show. But not that day. So, sound check was
really good and the SINGER strolled over from the hotel and then we all had
dinner, which was some dried out chicken creation that the chef made especially
for us (GEE, THANKS!)

The show was packed and it was truly a great time. I thought the sound people
and everyone of else at the LEMON TREE were total proffessionals and the Scots
that came and cheered us on were just wonderful. Afterwards, a few fans wanted
autographs and photos with us, including a few female requests for a
"spanking", which I felt obligated to administer. (Kieth Stodart made me pay
him to keep these photos off the internet...) Afterwards, had some drinks with
the guys up in Daddyo's room adn then hit the hay in my room. I was dead tired
and slept thru my wake-up call the next morning. Dammit.

Show #72-August 23, 2002-Edinburgh, Scotland-The LIQUID ROOM

We had just played this very venue June 3, and due to some sort of arts
festival, we had to take a hotel 45 min away. But this was no ordinary hotel,
but a castle-type manor built in the 16th Century, if I'm not mistaken. It was
nice having a victorian bedroom and to look out my window and see rabbits
running about (which made me re-think the "Rabbit Stew" choice for lunch!)

We drove to town and while the sound people got everything together, Chapple
and I went to a nearby Internet Cafe but fans kept recognising us and I
couldn't write my diary that day! But it was cool to see people like Ainsey
Adams, who bought me a drink 30 min later at a pub next to the club. But then
it was time for the show so i had to split. And we played a really fun, good
show. Afterwards, I saw Paul Barr and a few other nice people. "Madchester"
Natasha showed up and handed me a book that I completely cherish (thanks N.D.)
which would make my down town on the road that much better.

After the show, we did our 45 min. drive back to the "Manor" where the owners
had a little party for us with an open bar where most everyone was drinking
whiskey and beer. The next, the SINGER said he'd had a dream where people were
playing bag pipes. I had to tell him, there was a wedding outside the hotel
with Kilts and Bag pipes and everything...it was great. We said goodbye to
Scotland (for now) and started our 6 hour drive to Northampton, England, for
our day off. The next day would be a 2 hour drive to Kent, where the Cantebury
Fayre was being held on the 25th of August. It was still raining (and cold.)

Mike Randle
mike@lovewitharthurlee.com

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