Art and War in Lleida

Well we are just 5 gigs into the tour. And we have been spending our downtime wisely on our days off. Visits to ghost towns, art exhibitions etc..

We spent a day off in Lleida, one of the oldest towns in Catalonia, with settlements dating back to the bronze age.

Became part of a Roman Provence, named Llerda, under Augustus.

Later involved in many wars, being occupied by the Moors, involvement in the War of Succession, Up to bombing by the Condor Division in the Civil War in the 20^th century.

In 49b.c. the town was besieged by Julius Caesar himself, defeating the 7 legions of Pompey the Great under Africanius and Petreius.

As a result of this, the Latin phrase ‘Ilerdam videas’ is said to have been used by people who wanted to cast bad luck on someone else.

We also saw an art exhibition by the Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota, well worth going to see if you are anywhere near Lleida.

A big thanks to Mariona for her hospitality.

After a long drive, made interesting with many a  game of Cards  Against Humanity, we arrived in Eibar. A small Basque town, scene of fighting in the Spanish Civil War, where bullet holes are still visible in the walls of buildings.

Great show there at the Coliseo Theatro, being a theatre we changed the set around a little, to include another acoustic song, ‘That’s The Way’. Also  a return to  the set for ‘Babe I’m Gonna Leave You’. This song has a tremendous effect,never fails, really a crowd favourite, and we do it real justice,  when you see the crowd reaction it makes me wonder why we dropped the song for this tour, may have to rethink that,

the start of 5 gigs on the trot. So I better get some rest

TBC.

The second show of the five was in Villadolid was indeeed a great night, great sound and everyone played really well, we tried out ‘Gallows Pole’ it could make a return to the set. Although El Gremlino, our driver I have warned you about previously, said he liked the song with the lyrics ‘Hangman, hangman, Hey diddle diddle wah’.

Well. At least he is good driver and does well selling the merch. OK.... well.... he sells the merch.

And we were incredibly sensible and weren’t out until silly o clock as usual, just the normal 2.30am.

We found out in Villadolid that we actually has 2 full boxes of the old DVD 'In Concert' in the van, yay!

Of course this meant we didn’t have as many of the new DVD, 'Live at Wacken' as we thought, so a bit low on stock there.

On the subject, Letz zep were the very first tribute to perform at Wacken and on the 25th anniversary of the event too, so a bit of a feather in our cap and a proud moment for us.

We met Michael Lang there, who was the man behind the Woodstock Festival, he still lives on the site of the festival. and also went to visit the Star Club in Hamburg, or rather the site of it as it is no more.

                               with Michael Lang at Wacken

A prestigious event for the band, about 12,000 people came to watch and gave us a great reception too, and it's all available on DVD, available on amazon etc.. oh, and the soundtrack on itunes, spotify etc.. shameless plug there!

Early start to the day, most of us missed breakfast, thank God we have a scorched Earth policy, bought a new pair of sunglasses and off to soundcheck.

Oviedo tonight – Letz Rock

El Gremlino

12 noon, 24/01/16

The first 3 shows in Spain under our belt.

Great opening for the tour in Terrassa, nice to see a few people actually have flown in for the show. A good review for the show too, tho’ it called me the ‘always horny Billy’.

Must be a mistranslation of ‘I am happy to be here’ to ’I’m horny to be here’, though I have no idea what they meant actually.

I do speak a fair bit of Spanish, just enough to introduce the songs and the band. But sometimes the Scouse accent is a bit weird sounding for the locals, much to their amusement.

My French is half decent too as it happens.

Not as bad as El Gremlino, or Mark the driver, who, last show we did in France proclaimed that the French do not have a word for ‘goodnight’ but instead say ‘Good Yes’ and that is what they use for goodnight.

A strange man our driver, maybe too much staring at white lines.

I explained the French say Bon Nuit, to which mark replied ‘Exactly. They say Bon Oui, which translates to ‘good yes’. No Mark that’s ‘bon nuit’, not ‘bon oui’.

Next he will be saying that Vitamin C in Spanish is Vitamin Yes!

                     Now you see now what I have to put up with?

The second show in a new territory for us, Vilafranca.  A really good crowd and an excellent turn out for our first trip here.

Being a late show, 12.30am onstage, it was always gonna be late to bed. But as the crowd seemed in no rush to go home, and 3 encores later they were still shouting for more. We will definitely return again.

Being British we have to talk about the weather, which has been unseasonably mild, today tho’, thick fog as we drive to Zaragoza.

More later, and until then ‘good yes’ to you all.

it is 4.30pm when we arrive at Hotel Sauce in Zaragosa, last night was Lograno, centre of the Rioja area, so needless to say we had some great wines, and some really good tapas. I do like the Spanish way of life, good food, good wine, good weather. A bit of a kip in the afternoon then out in the evening for good beer.

Anyway it was a cool gig, sold out, the dressing room was a bit like Grand Central Station, where it seemed anyone could just pop in to ask what time we were onstage?

We were glad of an early show time, 9.30pm, as we could get a much needed early night, but still managed somehow to conspire to I did not manage to crawl into my bed ‘til 4am.

Zaragoza, a truly lovely place, fantastic cathedral and the 5^th largest city in Spain.

And todays ‘Billys’ Fact of the Day’ is - Its name comes from the ancient Roman place name, Caesaraugusta , in honour of Emperor Augustus Caesar in 14 a.d. Zaragoza= Caesar Augustus. 

The city holds the titles of Very Noble, Very Loyal, Very Heroic, Very Beneficial, granted after the Napoleonic army resistance.

              This is the view from the front on tonights' venue.

25-01-16

En route to Lleida we pulled into Belchite, a famous ghost town here in Spain. Experiencing heavy fighting during the Spanish Civil War and then abandoned by the locals.

On August 24, 1937 the Republican army launched an offensive in order to take Zaragoza, an operation that did not have the expected results.

After heavy fighting the siege was completed, leaving small pockets of resistance.

Once it reached the town, house to house fighting developed, maintaining a core last resistance around the town hall and adjacent homes, and the tower of the church of San Martin. These last strongholds fell on Sept 6.

The Battle of Belchite had a second episode in 1938, although the town had neither strategic or military importance.

Now, slowly collapsing upon itself, it has a very eerie feel to it, more so due the fog that had descended during the night.

We often see photos and news reel of the devastation left after war, but this as it was, is frozen in time.

The overall atmosphere is one of deliberate neglect. Even the soil has a red hue, as if stained.

As we slowly walked we could hear the eerie sound of falling masonry, as time takes it’s inevitable toll.

Belchite stands as a grim reminder of the many who lost their lives, and the futility of war. It has been used as film set, parts of Pans Labyrinth was filmed here.

We enjoy a day off tomorrow.

Nicks Nada

11.15am 18-01-16

At last, flying out to Spain for the start of the meaty 18 date tour. put together by our wonderful Spanish manager 'Nobby' Mills.

Perfect timing actually as the snow just arrived in England, mind you, it ain’t that warm in Spain either right now. We have had some freezing cold gigs out there in the past.

Marks van was not too warm at the best of time, we named it The Great White Whale, or Moby Dick for short.

Mark, our trusty driver, is known as El Gremlino, this is due to him drinking too much one night, and running along the balcony in our rather posh hotel, he had taken the glass lamp shade from the carved female figure holding it aloft, and was running around naked singing ‘I’m a  little gremlin, here’s my spout’ and waiving his knob about (very small knob btw)

Until it fell from his pointed head and shattered into a thousand pieces, the glass I mean not his diminutive knob.

He, of course, denied this the next day, but unfortunately for him Andy had filmed the entire episode for our continued enjoyment.

I wound him up that they had it on cctv and the police were called, he shat!

it was at this point we renamed his van the El Grem-Limo in recognition of the momentous occasion.

Anyway, Andy went out on Saturday and is already tucking into the Sangria, and the gear leaves London tomorrow (I Hope)

Off to Gatwick now and tonight I’ll be patrolling the streets around Las Ramblas with Nobby Mills. who enjoys nothing more than entagonising the ladies who patrol the area looking for gainful employlent.

I’ve known robert since the 80’s, when he hung around Londons’ West End, he and his ‘Comradres’ called themselves ‘The Cock Squad’. I don’t know why, and i never wished to enquire either.

Mind you, back then he was good looking, tall, slim, with thick long flowing hair cascading all the way down his back, in fact, he still has hair all the way down his back, just none on his head.

5.30pm

About to land at Barcelona, and it brings to mind the story of Nicks’ Nada.

Nick is the long suffering and gallant Guitar tech, and a great job he does. Excellent company on tour always a stout fellow who lifts our spirits.

Works hard too.

He is particulate remembered fondly by our crew in France, where he is nicknamed Le Chameau, The Camel. Not because he resembles the Ship of the Desert, but cos he humps stuff about…….. Or is it the other way around?.... Is it cos he looks like a camel?....... No……I remember now.. it’s cos he humps the guitars around, yes that’s it !  I think….

Here’s a pic decide for yourselves.

Nick the guitar tech

Also fondly remembered for necking a glass of the french apperativ  Ricard straight, as he thought it was a shot of Jack, he went a lovely shade of purple and nearly expired on the spot!

Much to our amusement.

But he is most famous exploit is the Nada story. Poor Nick had been driving all over Spain and we pull into a small quaint village for lunch high up in the picturesque Basque region.

Now Nick describes himself as a vegetarian, but eats fish, so maybe a fish-eterian. 

And vegetarians are not really catered for in some regions in the North of Spain, so he had trouble finding something on the menu.

We suggested the local delicacy called Nada.

Nick couldn’t see it on the menu, but we assured him it was a local dish eaten every day and they could knock some nada up in a minute or two.

And also good for his veggie diet as it is very light on the palate.

So, in turn, we all ordered our food, and Nick asks for Nada, the waitress looked a bit surprised and repeated ‘Nada?’ back to Nick, and he affirmed ‘Nada’.

For those who don’t speak Spanish, nada means nothing, Nick ordered ‘nothing’.

Our delicious meals arrived, all cooked with local produce, Nick looked a bit puzzled and called the waitress back and asked where his nada was?

She waived her hands wildly to motion that he ordered NOTHING!!!!!....NADA!!!!

Finally, we thought, Nick had twigged, but no,  as he turned to us and said ‘ahhh the nada is off’

How we larfed.

We tried it again in France where we told him to order the ‘Rien’, but he was wise to us by then.

Nick can’t be with us on this tour as he is recovering from a minor op., however, whenever we eat out anywhere in the world, we always have an empty plate for Nicks Nada, and send him a pic to cheer him up.

Get well soon mate, we miss you. Cool hat dude!

Spain 2016

Happy New Year to you all, may you all be prosperous and safe.

Sad to hear the news of the death of Lemmy. I used to talk to him as he played on the fruit machine down the St Moritz Club in Wardour Street.

He was always good company and the heartbeat of rock and roll.

A real Gent.
The St Moritz was the best club on Earth back then. All the bands that played at The Marquee had their after show party there.
A well as all the faces on the London scene.
Some riotous nights there.
Someone had an after show party there one night, and there was equipment for a jam. I got up for a version of Rock and Roll, by Zeppelin of course.
Who walks through the crowd in none other than Jason Bonham himself, who throws the drummer of the kit and sits down and starts the song again. Fantastic to perform Rock and Roll with Jason Bonham.

I took Guns 'n' Roses there one night, after their show at The Marquee, The doorman wouldn't let then in as Slash had a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale in his hand. so Slash threw it through the window of the club.
We went to another bar instead!

We start the 2016 world tour in Spain, it’s where we tend to start our tours.

And we have been very successful out there due to our constant touring. We have been just about everywhere now. From the Basque region, Catalonia, from the islands to Ceuta in North Africa.

Many, many great tales to tell, where to start is the question and which are actually suitable!

The first time I went to Spain was as support to Saxon, in Barcelona, Madrid and Bilbao, wherein lies a tale! But maybe another day.

I liked Spain the minute I got off the plane, the food, the wine, the people who came the shows, they really know how to rock.

We were out ‘til 6am after the shows, and then the locals would go to work.

A couple of years ago, our drummer Simon Jeffrey, needed some time off, he was starting a family.

So we needed a temporary dep drummer for  a short while.

Finding a drummer of the calibre of our Simon wasn’t gonna be easy, we did, however, have this Canadian drummer recommended to us.

A decent drummer, or so we were told, but came with some ‘baggage’ but hey, it’s only temporary after all.

Turned out to be more than just a little baggage. Name of Merkin.

He was not up to the task being a full time band member but could fill the space until Simon could come back.

He would often start the set with ‘Rock and Roll’, despite the set list saying ‘Good Times Bad Times’,

His first time out with us was in Spain.

As Simon was my room-mate on tour, it made sense that Merkin would too.

Big mistake……

The very first time I shared a room with him. I was straight to bed after the gig, but Merkin, in what was to become a usual occurrence, was out drinking, and other things!

It wasn’t ‘til 5am he made it back to the hotel room, laying on the bed fully clothed with boots still on.

I got up at 8am for breakfast, and went into the bathroom, not that I am squeamish, but the sight I was to witness was enough to question the wisdom of sharing with him.

Perhaps not as well travelled as the rest of the band, he had obviously never seen a bidet before, or had any clue what it was used for.

He had sat on the bidet for a dump, he must have noticed mid-crap that he was not actually on the toilet, so he shifted his arse, still crapping, across the bathroom floor to the toilet.

Seems he wasn’t to experienced in using the flush either.

Somethings once seen, cannot be unseen.

He is not too fondly remembered as The Turd, and was quickly thanked for his deputising and retired.

Welcome back Simon Jeffrey!

We are really looking forward to Spain 2016, 18 gigs in 24 days, including, by popular demand,  for the very first time, some special acoustic shows.

Looking forward also to meeting up with some old friends, and meeting many new ones

I’ll keep you updated