I had one priority last month and that was for Frippy to arrive home to Christmas after five months of touring.
He came through the door (after a pretty terrible journey from Chile, where he missed his flight and was delayed for 8 hours) into the house, I was hiding around the corner to jump out at him, and he said “Oh! Lovie! It’s Christmas!”
It is so nice to have him back.
It takes time to adjust to being a couple after he’s been away for so long. The mess……the noise…….the underwear everywhere.
Even though he is greatly missed I’ve had 5 months of total silence, complete geographical and domestic freedom, it’s been great.
The house sparkles when he is away.
I go wherever I choose, never having to come home to bed or be around for a meal…it’s really great.
I rebel against routine and he badly needs routine. Not surprising considering most days he is in an airplane. But he is back and I am now used to being two. I didn’t jump out at him for two weeks, he was so exhausted but once his energy returned….I started to hide in cupboards and behind curtains waiting to pounce.
One of these slightly backfired when a workman came into the house who I mistook for Robert…… oh if you could have heard the poor boy scream.
The movie INVASION PLANET EARTH is getting distribution through VUE CINEMAS, and has its first national showing on the 5th December in select major cities then it will show again at smaller venues.
The feeling is it’s going to become a cult hit with audiences going especially to be part of the screening, like an event night. This is remarkable. Everyone who has seen this film has supported it. It’s a crowdfunded film that has taken close to 20 years to make. I wish it all the luck in the world.
The closing track STEP INTO THE NEW WORLD is released on Friday 8 November and is a perfect taster for the film. I loved singing it and I love that it’s a nod to Vangelis and the 80s synth sound.
On Saturday the band played CHALK in Brighton. There was a storm outside, the waves on the beach looked at least 15 feet or more high.
I was so relieved to be there.
Just the Thursday before, I passed out in my car with a stomach virus. I was driving to Leeds to film 5 one hour TV shows the next day.
This has never happened to me. I slept in the car at Wakefield services wondering how I was going to get help. Come 8am I woke feeling stable and made it to the studio and shot the TV shows, the crew where fabulous to me, so kind but I have been unable to eat since Thursday so by Saturday I was 50% but still not able to eat.
It amazes me how being on stage changes everything, physically and mentally. The show was great. On stage I felt well.
Nigel Glockler was there and so was Steve Oram, both giving support, the audience where terrific and very funny. In a club like Chalk it was more like a living room than a concert hall so lots of banter was going back and forth.
INDECISION went down a storm and to see so many young people singing the words was fabulous. The audience danced all night. It was a perfect last show for the band in 2019, because 2020 is going to be bonkers, our feet won’t touch the ground.
In 5 days I start shooting GIVE THEM WINGS. I will be based in Darlington for the whole of November with a quick trip to Seattle in the middle to see Bill Rieflin.
GIVE THEM WINGS is a remarkable true story about a disabled boy and his love for Darlington Football Ground. I won’t give too much away, the ending is quite something. Script wise I am in 70 pages of a 100 page script so it’s going to be full on, especially as there are 3 concerts this month, the last at the Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham.
On the 23rd Nov I play Pizza Express Birmingham. This is based on the acoustic show but will be in the style of The Humans. Mike Nichols will be leading on double bass, electric bass and vocals and Andy Doble will be building soundscapes. We are really excited because it’s going to be very cinematic sound wise.
It was great to be able to see STRICTLY COME DANCING from the front row last month. WOW it’s a slick show. I was awed at how much work goes into it and it isn’t easy on the dancers at all. They have to remain so focused for so long.
I was there from 4pm till 11pm, in that time they made the live show and the Sunday show.
It was really really impressive.
Barbara Windsor’s husband Scott was sitting close by and he says Barbara is doing as well as can be expected. He is raising huge amounts of money for her charity…..WELL DONE SCOTT.
Today I am rehearsing with Hazel O’ Connor for next April’s tour. We are working out the keys to surprise songs in the encore….so much to look forward too.
May your build up to Christmas be brilliant….more soon.
Thank you for supporting this autumn’s tour and……… ……..BE PROUD, BE LOUD, BE HEARD
HELLO THERE!
The movie INVASION PLANET EARTH is getting distribution through VUE CINEMAS, and has its first national showing on the 5th December in select major cities then it will show again at smaller venues.
