Saint Helen

I think I saw her as we were leaving the Citadel wearing a little bo peep outfit with micro skirt, suspenders and garter belt; she threw several chips in our direction before vomiting into a shop doorway. In a tried and rather tested tradition we [ Ben Mike and I] spent some time after the saints gig loitering outside the venue watching the nightlife on route from pub to club. Craig meanwhile was engaged in another tired and tested tradition known as avoiding loading the gear. There was a lot of ‘avin it large’ going on, hoards of young people marching through the cobbled streets at the very heart of booze culture [they have opened a lot of new bars here in last year so I’m told]. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people so wasted. The drink business is blooming in St Helens for sure but be warned high spirited youthful ones…with oblivion comes political impotence... bare that in mind dear children of the bottle when you’re complaining about recession and unemployment and the ozone beneath your fridge magnets. The gig was enjoyable, nice to see a few familiar faces from the outreaches of the region; talking about past shows in Widnes and Runcorn I got quite nostalgic for the acoustic days of olde peculiar. It was noticeable during the set that my song story introductions were interrupted by people who’d heard it all before which was as nice a way of ruining a tired story as you could wish for…hence the shorter stories as the hecklers got a few good words in edgeways…something that would have pleased our old bass player no end. Am I having a bitter and twisted day as I wonder to myself ? On Monday night we played four songs live in Deansgate at The Revolution Bar for revolution radio 96.2 FM, Mike was DJing from the venue, there was a decent crowd and we gave it our best punk rock shot playing ‘Pete Shelley’ a song we recorded during the fall and rise sessions but it never made the record as its sonically referenced in 1977 as opposed to the album which is…well…more contemporarily considered in comparison. It’s a bit of a tribute to the joys of Boredom and Nostalgia. Keith…the imaginatively names youngsters who played after us blew us off the stage apparently but I wasn’t there to witness it. I’d gone home to finish my Alan Bennet memoirs. Shame really as they are a wonderful little band with nice haircuts, there will be other times I’m sure, that’ll do for now, VP x