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!