Anyone who’s seen Spinal Tap knows about that scene where the Manager tells them their Boston gigs are cancelled and he assures the band not to worry cause it’s ‘not a big college town’!!!! Well, we have Oxford in our sites after tonight’s Darlington gig. Too bad for Cambridge, although they made their decision BEFORE we even played one note. If we can clear one really good show with minimal refunds we can possibly pay off Arthur’s airline ticket that we got stuck holding the tab for. That would be nice. Well, I plan to be at that front door to greet you wonderful Oxford fans. Yep, Mike Randle and that big apple pie smile, asking you to come and hear a really damn good band play the great music that Arthur, Johnny, Michael, Ken, Snoopy, Tjay, John, and Bryan made so wonderfully just 39 years ago!

This morning I read through (and answered) about 60 emails. with the one exception, every email was just a blessing of kindness and joy from the two concerts we performed. People seem to remember the old days, like this one fellow from Los Angeles who said he was thankful that we ( Baby Lemonade) took Arthur on and made him better or as good as he was in the 60’s when this gu used to se LOVE. he said under no circumstances, would he have paid to see LOVE again after seeing 3 horrible shows from ’88 to ’92. But then he said the local papers began to encourage people ‘to give Arthur another chance because he was with a new band called Baby Lemonade who brought the nest out in the troubled Singer.’

this guy was one of them, i take it. he asked that i not print his letter so i shant. But i don’t know what to say after that. You either get it or you don’t. he said so much more but i think i’ve made my point, which is that, we’ve always loved doing the music the way we felt it ought to have ben done and Arthur always approved of that. But people misunderstood us so many times and sometimes just wouldn’t give us the benefir of the doubt. Like this one guy in Detroit who said i was ‘disrespecting LOVE by rocking out’ but how can i explin to him that Arthur wanted us tobe the greatest band in the world and insisted i take no prisoners and ‘go for it’ everytime a person buys a ticket. see, those were the good ol days. i havent lost my love for the music or performing but i have lost my patience with some of the rediculous antics that have embarrassed us somewhat lately. i like it when fans speak up. pleae, SPEAK UP, by all means. but call it like you see it. when i was a younger musician i used to make excuses for myself. excuses for my lack of success in making a living at what i loved to do. i was jealous of other people and had a general bad attitude about myself and life in general. then, one day, i had a kid and that changed me completely. i stopped being so selfish. people around me instinctively stopped making excuses for me and i, in turn, stopped making excuses for myself. if i can do it, anyone can because i was lost. and i didn’t have a load of people encouraging me on the internet either.

so now, i feel completely blessed and everything i achieve i feel EXTREMELY thankful for. and every person i meet i try my best to take the time to understand who they are. i know that’s not the cool thing in this world and i know it’s not the hip thing in the music business. But it’s the way i carry myself and for that, i can’t apologize. thats why i dont worry when someone posts on the internet that i’m a greedy so-and-so who’s trying to be this-and-that. I WAS worried. but not anymore. All it takes is a good friend to remind you. and so, if you are at all on the fense about seeing the LOVE BAND with Johnny Echols, trust me when i say you’re missing out, not only on something good but something very very special. Below are 2 emails i got today out of close to 60. i think they speak for themselves. If you are at any upcoming shows please say hello. and everyone, be well.

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Hello Mike,

Was disappointed to hear that Arthur Lee was not going to be playing but we
were confident that it would be a good night anyway. How wrong we were! It
was not merely good – IT WAS FANTASTIC. Thanks for coming out after the gig and signing my copies of MMLY and Barstool Blues.

Seen you play the Kings Dock (Summer Pops) last year (I’m a big fan of Echo
And The Bunnymen and I met Will Sergeant in the foyer) but the atmosphere
was much better in a smaller venue like the Academy.
Thanks again….

Pete Adcock
—————————————————————————————–

04/07/05

Dear Mike,

Congratulations on Friday night’s performance – the gig was as good as it gets.

I have no doubt that you will receive the same reception at all the UK gigs.

Although there was no need – we really appreciated you taking the trouble to thank us individually for turning up.

Personally, my night was complete when you played Que Vida. Although I have seen Love many times since Birmingham Town Hall in 1970 and you have included it since 2002, I have never been lucky enough to hear you play it.

If Arthur cannot find the energy or enthusiasm to continue touring, I very much hope that the Band will continue to tour and put on performances as good as Friday. Love music is at its best live and loud.

With Best Wishes

Alan Dawes

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all the best,

Mike Randle