A Postcard from John (Birmingham)

News
All press / news

Hello everyone,

Last night was the big one, you probably know that. The homecoming. We are a Birmingham band, despite SLB being from Middlesex and AT from 'Toon. We all met in the middle. We are a MIDLANDS band, and we have had some historic dates at the NEC over the years, not least the filming for 'Arena', the night there on Wedding Album tour and the fantastic Reunion of the Snake show there.

Last night was the first time I had driven past the A435 since the death of my Dad two years ago. That road was once the artery for life, to me, the road into the city, and for the last few months of Dad's life it was mine to his. It was impossible not to get caught up in the depth and sentimentality of higher things when I passed that road-sign to Hollywood.

But Roger's Mom made it, in a wheel-chair after a fall, but looking great. And Nick's Mom Sylvia full of energy as usual, as were all his cousins and nieces. Every year we seem to grow new ones, nieces and nephews that is, that's life for you! I met some cousins I had never met before, interesting to look at them and think, 'We're from similar DNA strands..'

The show. Phew.. I think we pulled it off. I had a bad night in Bournemouth Thursday, tech problems that would not quit, so both Bernie, my tech and I were jittery. By about halfway through we both began to relax and I started having fun. As Nick said, 'Just about everything went right', the projections, the pacing, the heads.. those fucking heads!.. And the music .. well, we just have to hold our instruments these days and the songs play themselves. They are like white rabbits in magician's hat's- they just cannot wait to get out!

The audience was brilliant, everyone came to dance and have a good time. You can't blame the Brum crowd for their sense of ownership of songs like 'Planet Earth' and 'Rio', they were written in their back-yard.

We have lived in a lot of cities over the years and there have been a lot of places I have called home for a time, but you know, there's really only one, and that's the city of Birmingham. It beget us and it made us. Thanks to it for a great night. X JT