Purity

I've just collected the new fresh off the pressing plant copies of the Whatever Happened to Vinny Peculiar CDs from PURE music here in the heart of Manchester. They look fantastic which is down to Tim Metcalf's wonderful design work. So thanks Tim again for that, really appreciated. In case you haven't heard the album is now available via the store with full release planned later in the year and features twelve out-takes from recent sessions [last 3years] plus a couple of older tunes. I just listened to it for the first in ages and it sounds better than I remembered, Rob Ferrier who produced most of the stuff said likewise and he's always brutally honest, a good omen. Will and Kev who run PURE have been in the musical repro business for some tears now and have somehow managed to sustain a healthy passion for music, though this does not extend to them actually going out to gigs. They prefer the entertainment flat screen satellite in the living room approach together with the pipe and slippers; so they won't be coming to the Manchester gig on the 17th June. I mention to them my contemplating the purchase of a new music software system, Logic to be exact, but they've never heard of it. Theirs is a quaint nostalgia for the days of the Atari Cubase and the two inch tape machine [as is mine if I'm honest but I'm having a bit of a blag here] so I'm none the wiser with my enquiries. I think I need to get back to MIDI school for a few basics to help me decide what to buy. Later on I meet up with Ben Cooke [Ben designed the Two Fats sleeve] in the Knot Fringe [where else] for chips and cheese. Here we meet entrepreneur named Rob and talk about eBay and how it's changed our worlds. He's just bought the new single as have a few people, so thanks for that, and for mailing me with complements. It's always great to get feedback especially when it's positive. Not all the reviews have been great, got a couple of duds out there but mostly it's been well received. I don't mind bad reviews; some of them I actually agree with, it's just the angry juvenile approach that pisses me off; all that swearing, it's not funny and it's not clever. Andy is back from the US this weekend just in time for us to rehearse for forthcoming gigs in Liverpool [10th June] Shrewsbury [14th June] and Manchester [17th June] just as Chris [my partner] flies out for a naked yoga retreat in North Carolina. This means I'll be spending huge amounts of time at home eating pizza and smoking fags and watching Will and Grace. I miss her like crazy when she's away and work extra hard at things to take my mind off missing her'so I'm always worn out when she returns. Her parting words to me in the departure lounge this morning were 'keep the toilet clean'. And then she kissed me. Last night we watched 'Sideways' which is truly one of the cleverest funniest films I've seen in ages, totally inspiring, two middle aged men [I nearly said 'guys' but I'm trying to avoid Americanisms in my language..there's far too much of it out there and John Hirst will be policing these pages and fining me if I stray ] in search of themselves on the wine trails of California. Naturally I cried then turned around to share the moment with Chris who was asleep. That's the way it usually is here. We've never made it to the end of 'Paris Texas' either and I don't suppose we ever will........Fridays radio interview with Clint Boon on revolution 96.2 fm went off really well. Mike, Craig and I got to recollect as well as pitch and put up our stall; Clint played the single and we chose some of our favourite records. Craig picked John Barry [he's big into film scores], Mike's choices included Roxy Music and Julian Cope and I chose Simon and Garfunkel and Talking Heads, all in all an eclectic old chin wag was had by all. It was great to see Clint again who is blossoming in the role as director of music at the station. Clint and I once shared a manager but I won't into all that now, best of wishes, VPx Kev and Will @ PURE MUSIC............................................................