Beatles Bingo

We arrived in Liverpool at 4pm. The Villa were drawing 0-0 with Everton at this point [half time] which could have been worse. We made the pub but the stench in the Grapes [Lennons old haunt] is so overwhelming [a drains thing apparently] that the whole pub empties in seconds, us included. Next door the sports bar confirmed a 2-0 defeat so I'm glad I never made it to the game. I'd already put my head inside the Cavern where Vinny Peculiar producer Tim Browne is mid way through his Beatles Bingo session...pick a song any Beatles song...The place was heaving with tourists and Tim was dueting with some highly strung women from Luton...na na na na na na na...na na na na Hey Jude. It gets 'em every time and I guess it always will. Tim is a legend in covers world and a world authority on all things Beatley, and of course the orange women love him do. Helene and her band left early evening to sort out yet more complications with the replacement van concerning hire agreements, time constraints and maintenance schedules all too tedious to dwell on here hence they couldn't do the show which was a great shame. At 11pm I played for 45 minutes experimenting with Casio toy keys and delay pedals, not the biggest crowd of the tour but inspiringly, and not unsurprisingly, the most interactive. Then the support band ran off with my CD holdall which I just about managed to retrieve before they left for Newcastle [though I had to rummage around in the trunk of their 52 seater coach to find it]. I've played the Cavern too many times to mention. Each time there is some disaster or other, this one , compared to others, was a breeze, so, big thanks to those who came along to support me, and for buying albums [again in some cases] much appreciated [and I must check up with the VP distributor as to why HMV in Manchester don't think it's come out yet!]. Odd that. I'll call NOVA on Monday.VPx

Breaking down is hard to do

And so it came to pass, and pass us they did, trucks and cars and builders giving us the finger as Vinny Peculiar and the Helene band spent 4 hours on a freezing Friday afternoon waiting for the AA to remove us from the M602 Eastbound . We came to an abrupt halt after much wheel locking and skidding and well...it was a Friday afternoon. At least the heater was working, still we've no idea what's wrong with the vehicle. 6pm and we're still at a mates flat in Salford and by now it's impossible for all of us to make the tea time shuffle so apologies from Helene to the promoter and I'm on my way solo in the car. I get to the venue after getting lost on the infamous Leeds one way system despite a map [it's happened before, you dont want to know]. When I get there the Hi Fi club is in full swing, I get a pint of Boddingtons and in ten minutes I'm on. The gig goes well, the sound is somewhat challenging but I've had worse. Post show I get to meet several local student Sperm Donors, we swap notes and current prices and talk about the song and, well, donor stuff...I sell CD's, talk a little more and then I'm back off home to beat the snow. Today's show is at the Cavern and, replacement tour bus permitting, we'll all be there. VPx

Uncut Review...sneak preview

UNCUT MAGAZINE ALBUM REVIEW MARCH 2004 Vinny Peculiar GROWING UP WITH… SHADRACK & DUXBURY **** Autobiographical angst from glum Northern troubadour An album surely boasting the best song title of the year this side of Morrissey (a toss up between “We Didn’t Paint Our Nails When We Fought The Germans” and“ We Tried To Drown Our Music Teacher In 1974”) the fourth album from mordant Manc Vinny Peculiar plays like Adrian Mole The Opera if scored by Leonard Cohen. That his tunes are Prefab Sprout-pretty make the search reminiscences about vandalism, wanking and homicidal fantasies all the more beguiling. “He had no time for T Rex” pleads Vinny in defence of that attempted murder. Pthrtht! Should’ve let the bugger drown. Simon Goddard

Little Britons

Big thanks to Candy for bringing so many folk from the local Urbane Domain [affectionately known as The Community] to the VP Britons gig on Tuesday night, small and intimate is so much more rewarding with people in attendance. Jeep Solid, who'd traveled down from Inverness, opened with the instantly memorable Pink Pink Pink Pink Blue Blue Blue Chocolate complete with audience hand signal participation and much laughter, people really warmed to his spontaneous rapport and subversive wit. Autmn Ink played a sweet and sensitive set of cool and classy jazz tinged songs, they really are heart-breakingly good. In a perfect world a radio 2 session awaits, catapulting them to overnight success... So all in all a grand old night in pubsville, my trusty old casio didn't let me down and it's always nice to do requests, so thanks for the asking. The Big Issue in the North review of Growing Up is out this week [4 stars from Joe Shooman] and will be on the site soon together with the Almost Famous feature from UNCUT MAGAZINE. For more recent reviews check out the links http://www.americana-uk.com/html/reviews.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/music/2004/02/23/growing_up.shtml?comment=response#comment The Leeds gig on Friday 27/02 is an early kick off on stage 8.30pm. VPx

The Great North Eastern

Graham Andersons Jumpin Hot gig at The Tyne in Newcastle turned out to be one of those gigs that you'd happily re-do again...and again. Great listening people, musician focused, I shared the bill with one of the most accomplished blues finger style players you could ever wish to hear name of Gypsy Dave Smith. Turns out we're both Julian Cope fans and Dave toured the highlands with Julian on his first solo tour. Contacts were exchanged to sort out something similar on behalf of VP, a kind of adventure retreat into the wilderness tour, be great if it comes off. Stayed over at Bens from local progeccentrics JUMBO and shared sythesiser stories late into the night. Ben's house is like a science fiction art-horror gallery of comic book porn and boho sensibility- a giant Black Sun canvass dominates the living room, I forget the name of the painter-but someone should commission the place an arthouse. Tonight I'm at Manchesters snug bar capital The Britons Protection-from what exactly I've no idea- but the beer is from the wood [a good thing if you're a bitter boozer] and the promoters [popart] are local favourites of mine. Forward the buffs..VPx

Back-packers of the world...

I'm just home from Scotland, slightly worn and wasted. The Edinburgh Caledonian Backpackers perpetual house drone ensured that sleep just wasn't an option still the gig went well despite getting the face to face I'm gonna stare you out treatment from a local bekilted rugby fan mid way through the set who shook my hand eventually, though it could have gone either way. First on were The 55's , loud and buzz saw speedy in a Joseph K post Postcard Power Pop kind of way and really very good indeed. Almost worth losing your hearing for. We'll have to book them for Manchester. Today's toppermost of the tour award goes to James, drummer with Helene and driver of significant distances, oh how we salute you. Tomorrow I travel alone to Newcastle for more of the same, VPx

Get in the Van

So come on then, it's nearly half past eleven, I'll not tell you again, and so we're off. Helene has got a big van with seats and tinted windows, for once I wont be driving which is nice. There are 14 tour dates in all, on which I'll be experimenting with a temperamental droning casio keyboard as well as the usual guitar driven acousticality, all in the name of light entertainment. My drum machine has let me down which sounds like a Beck title but in fact a right old pain in the ass. Still onwards and...The Tom Robinson 6Music session passed off without any hitches. Craig was worried about a synth note in I work for god which when listening back sounds perfectly menacing and deliberate. So no worries there. We stayed over in London in the Rat Scabies neighborhood with Alan and Leslie of Indiscreet PR where spent half the night planning a Nick Lowe appreciation society. They've just got here, get in the van...VPx

Aftermath

Its not every day you get to pose with Dion Dublin for pics or to meet the legendary Gordon Cowans. Having been made so welcome at Villa Park I just wanted to say thanks to Rob Bishop, press officer for AVFC and our guiding light from the players tunnel to the hospitality suite, a beautiful day no less. There's a VP feature in the next Villa magazine and Replica Shirt has found a home on AVFC radio who want to do an interview, anyway, enough footie madness, I could go on and on but.... Next week we're off to the BBC to do the Tom Robinson 6Music session which goes out live on 17th Feb. Tim is back from Lapland tomorrow and should be all present and correct, other sessioneers include Craig Sinclair [toy box, keyboards] and Leah Wilkes [vocals] and we're staying over in the press officers mess which should make good copy. 6 Music have been really supportive of VP which is nice, I'm looking forward to it. VPx