Category Archives: Blog

Staring out of the train window yesterday, as we journeyed between Nagoya and Osaka, I found myself looking down at an immense river, quite shallow in places and almost an electric blue colour in the dazzling sunlight. As we sped past exotic bird life diving for fish (which is quite exciting in itself for me at least) I noticed floating serenely on the surface, it’s head exposed and it’s legs spread to all points of the compass, an enormous turtle or possibly terrapin – I’m not sure I know the difference. “Look everyone”, I screamed, (some might say, girlishly) “An enormous turtle or possibly terrapin – I’m not sure I know the difference”. Our charming Japanese hosts looked at me rather as though we might have been stood in any English city and I had cried out “Fuck me they’ve got pigeons! Look an actual pigeon”. I was immediately transported back to the mid 1990′s when touring with Honeycrack. We were inching up a motorway somewhere, doubtless watching some poxy Cheech and Chong movie for the millionth time, when out of the window on the grass at the verge, I spotted a family of rabbits nibbling at the grass. “Look everyone” I screamed (the more I think about it ‘girlishly’ would almost certainly be the word that some might describe it as). “A family of rabbits nibbling at the grass!”. I braced myself expecting a crush of bodies fighting to push their eager faces to the glass to share the moment. When nothing of the kind happened, I turned to see my four band mates looking at me, their expressions split between equal amounts of disdain and what can only be described as pity. It seems I’ve always been a bit of a tosser. I think when we play ‘Animals’ tonight in Fukuoka, I shall have a wry smile all to myself.

When Japanese people like your band they let you know it. Snaps are taken, autographs requested and charmingly, small gifts are given (like these socks – how practical!) The show at the Apollo Theatre was one of the more memorable ones in my time treading the boards with Willie and the distance between stylish pop, acoustic thrash and Jim Reeves was covered in a few short bounds…. You had to be there really. We’re in Osaka tonight at the Sunsui – watch this space.

Ok, strap in or switch off, and somebody fetch me my saddle for I am mounting my high horse for a minor rant. As I’m sure you are aware, Japan is a very crowded island and as the cliche goes, for the most part everything is extremely well organised. Everybody is tolerant and considerate of each other and there is a genuine sense of a society that more or less operates for the benefit of all of it’s people. No riots, barely any vandalism, with drinks, cigarette and food dispensers on every street corner, and yet no one breaks them or steals from them….. You know, stuff you just can’t imagine in the Uk. Why is this? Well to me it’s really simple. There just aren’t the very obvious visible extremities of wealth and poverty that you see in Britain and America. Much like Denmark, Norway and Sweden, (and this is of course a generalisation) , without the huge gaps between those who have very little and the immensely wealthy, there is a sense that most people have a stake in society and are therefore far more likely to feel that it is worth protecting and a worthwhile exercise to cooperate with each other. Generally speaking, those who disagree with me will argue that the Scandinavian countries have smaller populations which lend themselves better to the idea of shared community. Not so Japan. I believe there are in the region of 120 million people living on these islands. That’s twice the UK population. They can do it. We should give it a go. Quite simple really. In the 1970′s the difference in the ratio of pay between the highest wage earner and the lowest was 20-1. Since the 1990′s that gap has risen to 200-1. Share it out more evenly or expect more riots. There. I’ve said it. (“Baby I’m a Killer”). I think I’m turning Japanese, I think I’m turning Japanese. I really think so…..I should probably mention that the show in Tokyo last night was fantastic. As I write this, we’re sat in the air-conditioned comfort of the bullet train to Nagoya. There are mountains in the far distance.while close to the tracks are endless rice fields, lush vegetation, vast space age urban sprawls, or impossibly quaint little villages, baking in 29 degrees heat. And still I find myself thinking of the shopping centre in Plymouth. Ah well. I suppose I can’t have it all.

Sendai
I have to confess to feeling slightly overwhelmed. This is my first visit to Asia and I think I may struggle to describe it, but I’ll give it a go. First of all, the people we have met have all been extraordinarily generous & kind. This is apparently an extension of the Japanese culture of courtesy and respect for others which is completely disarming. Secondly, it’s an absolutely beautiful country. The rolling hills and lush green fields span the distance between the cities and as I write this they are alternating rapidly through the window of the bullet train. (Incidentally, the cities are truly spotless and put our grubby town centers to shame). We’ve played two shows so far, a festival in Koutoudai Park and last night a club gig at Sendai’s Park Square. Cue culture shock number 3 – Japanese audiences really listen hard (you don’t hear a murmur until the song is finished and when the applause comes, it’s as a huge relief). We’re heading to Tokyo to play the O-Nest in Shibuya tonight, but before we left Sendai we visited the coastal region which I’m sure you’ll recall was devastated by the recent earthquake and tsunami. I won’t get mawkish – I’ll just say I’m glad I’m alive and I’m glad you are too.
Mata aimsyou.

I had eel for breakfast this morning. Ok I grant you, not the traditional opening to a blog or indeed a breakfast, but better shared I feel, and I wish I’d felt the same way about the eel. Tonight, we are in Sendai, Japan which you may remember, felt the sharp end of the tsunami not so long ago. Where we played with Ginger tonight, there was no sign of the devastation you will have seen on the TV, but I am told that it looks very different a few kilometres away. Like the wuss I am, I am experiencing jetlag in waves, while John and Ginger ride through it like real men. After the gig (which was outside as part of a music festival weekend) it was a tremendous pleasure to meet a few Japanese people armed with copies of Jackdaw4 cd’s. It’s pathetic I know but I still get a thrill when someone I’ve never met knows our music. Sometimes it feels like we’re a well kept secret among a few thousand people, and perhaps destined to remain that way, (you know, during those moody spells that come to visit me) but it would appear that we’re building a little something out of my sight and it’s enormously validating. (is that grammatically permissible?). Anyway, I’ve used up my daily allowance of brackets (here are some more) so I’ll leave you with a shot of the magnificent 3, backstage pre-show. Tomorrow is a club called Park Square, also in Sendai. Expect more from the sticky end of the ricebowl in 24 hours or so. Matana! Willie.