l'etranger
i just got home from new zealand
my impressions
physically new zealand is a gorgeous country
it is quite unlike australia in its topography and its flora n fauna
we started off in auckland which was last time my best place
this time i have ricky and the hoffmen with me
we have some guitar tuning issues but the gig is quite well attended
the crowd are very kind and generous
but my 12string tuning issue causes us to lose momentum
and everyones a little bit disappointed
wellington is an incredible little city
its weird and cool and remote and all that
not such a big crowd
we play ok they dig it ok
its ok
our accommodation is very good tho’
next night is dunedin
we fly there in a little prop plane…
gee it makes me nervous tho……
dunedin is the smallest coolest city ever
its got more rockstars coming from there
than you can shake a stick at…..
the gig is only moderately attended but the crowd and the band “go off”
wow good on ya dunedin…..
then we drive to christchurch
i thought christchurch an austere place last time
it seemed harder and sadder than the rest of nz
this was just my narrow personal impression in 2007
after the earthquake the lovely people are showing resilience
folks this place has been hit real hard and a lot of this town came down
there are fucking broken buildings everywhere and rubble and cordoned off bits
some scenes of desolation move me to tears i must say
oh i feel for this city and its terrible battering
anyway
our gig was moved to a kinda awful venue in the suburbs
it was completely unsuitable
als bar where we were gonna play was still not earthquake damage approved
the gig is not helped by the fact that our lovely promoter kurt
accidentally gets us lost on the way and we show up an hour late
an hour late on a sunday nite at 11 30
no dressing room
the lights stay on in the house all night (its horrible)
the people are very nice
but the gig never takes off
about halfway thru a bloke about my own age
and a decent looking enough geeza
tells me
ive been a fan for forty years but this is the worst thing ive ever seen…!
and walks out along with a few others
it was probably the worst gig of my life
i wanted to disappear i really did
the next day in napier was a totally different story
an incredible little sea side city
re-done after 1933 earthquake in art deco
the venue is fabulous
the manager is a fan …he used to sing electric lash…
we dont have a huge crowd
but fuck they like to rock
we let our hair down n we really play well
adrian n shaun hoffmann are just getting better n better
ricky can always turn it on
(in christchurch he kept saying
“i like this…its like we’re in a dream….”)
i’m good if conditions are in my favour
but i just cant fight the good fight no more
i dont wanna struggle in some place against all odds
i just wanna play to the converted…ok…?
i dont wanna try n win any body over now…
i had my days at the front
i really like kurt our promoter
i hate to see him losing money putting us on
and he does lose a bit….
the people in nz are very cool
they really are
they dont give a fuck about what anyone thinks or showbiz routines
they are real
you better be good if you want their applause
we had a good time
we sold some david neil records
we saw some amazing sights
we had some fucking laughs
we had a few arguments too
it was cold in some places but not too bad
and christchurch….the damage……
the spirit of its people however will prevail i believe
some protestant scottish stoicism…i dunno
ok thats it i guess
hi matt hi tony and ladies
hi rickys retinue of pretty girls
hi simon in dunedin ..you were very nice man
hi paul lightfinger how are you old son?
a lady in a cab in wellington didnt charge me cos i was lost
the lady in dunedin who gave me the flint
oh so many nice people
i dunno if i’ll be back on my own
maybe the church will finally come back
thats it!
bye
