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