DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME;

"Countdown Shows 78-80"

Show #78-Sept. 2, 2002-Crewe, England-The LIMELIGHT

Everyone was telling us that Crewe was a really dull town and that all it was
known for was railway stations and such. They said we'd have a hard time
finding a good meal and that there was only one stretch of town where there was
anything interesting. THEY WERE ALL RIGHT.

But, I will say this much for Crewe; the people came to rock and the club owner
is a massive RUSH fan. he had pictures of RUSH everywhere, all though out the
club! My buddy, Steve Edmond, came to this show as well. He brought his mum
along and told me he grew up not too far from Crewe. I told him I was sorry.
(joking!...I didn't tell him that!)

The show came off well but we couldn't leave, or should I say the SINGER
couldn't leave, as all these fans surrounded the stage exit and demanding to
meet him! Since I was feeling a littel better, I was looking forward to a good
meal...the food at the LIMELIGHT was complete shite...nice club...AWEFUL food!
We got back to the hotel around midnight. I was sharing a room with Ringo and
it was a nice size room with a bathroom up some steps. We felt special. The
other guys (Ringo included) decided to go Party in Glenn's room...and may have
ordered pizza...I don't recall; I took my throat medicine and started counting
sheep...

Show #79-Sept. 3, 2002-Bristol, England-The FLEECE & FIRKIN

We left Crewe early and drove to Bristol. The hotel was located in a business
park, near a library and TGIF restauraunt. Also, there was a huge
"Heathrow-style" roundabout just outside the business park entrance. The club
in Bristol was an old style pub where I imagined groups like the Beatles or the
Who or the Kinks might have played. The people who ran it were unbelievably
nice folks. Next door was a small pub that served food and they told us to
order whatever we wanted. Ok, now get this straight...I don't make this "bad
food" stuff up, ok? there are 5 people in the group, plus Glenn and Sasha. If
7 people come to the same conclusion, what's that tell ya?

So, the show was majorly sold out and guess who made an appearance but none
other than the Diary's sometime-substitute, Mel C.! The former Spice Girl had
bussed it from Cardiff and was busily trying to roll a Spliff when I saw her.
She went backstage to chat with the SINGER and then noted that someone had
written on the wooden rail backstage,"ROCK IS A FOUR LETTER WORD...LIKE WANK!"
I thought the crackhead in Detroit would have got a blast out of that! Well,
as you may know from the Diaries, the show was sold out but people still
watched the show thru the windows and listened from behind locked doors. The
SINGER dedicated the last song to "those of you who didn't get in" and we were
off the stage.

As we pulled up to our hotel, Glenn got crazy behind the wheel and did the
roundabout 7 OR 8 times BEFORE PULLING INTO THE HOTEL! Lucky for us, our hotel
was located right next door to a TGIF. I don't know what Brits think of this
place (I know the prices are right thru the roof), but the food was a nice
change...and i hope this does NOT cause a bunch of ENGLISH-FOOD-POSTS on the
message board!

Show #80-Sept. 5, 2002-Athens, Greece-ELLINIKOS KOSMOS FESTIVAL

We flew into Athens on the 4th of Sept along with LONDON's "Porcupine Tree."
We were met at the airport by a HUGE tour bus. And that was nice since the
traffic in Athens is indescribable...I could write a book about it but this
subject goes beyond the scope of these Countdowns...

So we check into our 5 star hotel and then the Greek promoters take us to an
amazing restauraunt...my god the food was spectacular...and I couldn't have any
wine! I would have to wait till the next day which was the day we played the
festival...it had rained at Soundcheck...good thing Porcupine Tree wasn;'t
there to see their gear get wet...CAUSE THERE WERE HOLES IN TEH ROOF!...no
joke...big friggin holes, little friggin holes...holes, holes, buckets and more
holes...then it stopped raining and then it got hot and humid-all in 2 hours'
time!

By the time we got onstage, there were nearly 3,300 people there to check us
out, plau another 3 or 400 who had to watch from the sides because they
couldn't get in. We played about a 90 min set and the Greeks loved it. I had
no idea they knew ALL the words but people just had this look on their faces
like they couldn't believe it was really the SINGER. I remember seeing the
same look on some MANCHESTER fans right before they threw a beer at us....

So, after that show, I went up to the roof of the hotel with some of the wacky
Porcupine tree crew and band members and Glenn Povey. We drank alot of wine
and then called it a day. The next day, we said our goodbyes. All the UK guys
went back the England, the SINGER, his LADY and Chapple, flew back to LA (via
LONDON) and Rusty, Daddyo and I went to the Greek Island of AGISTRI for a 5-day
holiday. I think you know the rest of the story...

Mike Randle
mike@lovewitharthurlee.com

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