(Click on the thumbnails to see the full-sized pictures.)

Boston - 26/3/01

DAY OFF: What is probably, well definitely, not immediately obvious to you is that this entry of the tour diary from Boston is handwritten. This is because I have a wandering laptop and today it decided to go off on chapter 2 of its travels, in this case to Maine when we are meant to be in New England. What happened was that we had just finished the ride up from New York and reached the hotel when I jumped out of the van to find a phone to phone my Mum because in the UK Mother's Day was nearly over and I try to remember such things because (a) I want to be nice to my mother and (b) more selfishly (should that be shellfishly?), to avoid the despond and guilt that I get stuck in if I forget. So I forgot the laptop instead, and it is still in the van which has gone off with Paul, sound guru / tour manager, to see a friend in Maine, and they will be back tomorrow. No arguing with that.

So, no uploading to do (god tracy webmistress must feel the same way), that just left chinatown and the oscars. Chinatown is where the hotel is and me and anything oriental are like moths and lamps at night. So, Hiromi having sold the house, I found myself down there and inevitably house-hunting and property does seem very reasonably priced around here

but all these playground massacres would put me off Kai or Daisy coming here at the moment ..... I think it is because kids do so many video games that they just don't realise people die when you pull the trigger, or if they do, that 25c won't bring them back to life again ..... this is what one of them said, I think ....... there is a very run down aquarium there which I photoed because I think it is a contender for most rundown aquarium in the world,

and it's inhabitants

look not too delighted about that (it must be so weird, floating beside packing cases all day – sorry, is this boring – well if it is, then you are probably not aware of the MOST BORING PHOTOGRAPH SEQUENCE so far, which I spared you at the time, which included a picture of the missing mini bar room in Austin) ....

... anyway so, still homeless, it is back to the Swisshotel for the Oscars so when Kim rings up and says they're going out to eat I drop out because I want to watch the show. Sting was a low point (he 'snubbed' me at Live Aid – I operate a "forgive and remember" policy with things like that) but a glimpse of Armistead Maupin, Britney Spears sticking her tongue out, Bjork and everything to do with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Steve Martin (except, actually, his joke about Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) were worth the night in ...... and if there's a "dress of the day" contest, then the underwatermoonlight.com award definitely goes to Renee Zulwegger (or however you spell her) (Renée Zellweger - ed.) and her canary yellow dress ... and for comment of the day that would have to be the "who are you wearing?" from one fashion expert to another in the CNN warm-up interviews .... I did think that the "Almost Famous" bloke might give us a plug in his acceptance speech but he did not....

Working back from there (this is a narrative technique I learned from Jo Silva, Robyn's official biographer, in Austin) ... there was the drive up from the Big Apple (hey .... can this be true ... etc.) and me, Kim and Morris playing our records/demos on an "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" basis .... I went first and I would draw to your attention the highly autobiographical "Sometimes I Wonder about my mind" which is currently available at no good record stores .... it is in fact to be released soon on my own personal label which I formed a couple of years ago to do my own stuff on although, unfortunately, I then rejected my first album in 1999 (which was called DISCONNECTED by the Other Otis) .... that was my most humilating rejection ever but this second lot, which I did with Jon Klein, is accepted and will be available somehow soon when I have time to sort it out ....... next up was Kimberley and his brilliant solo album. I loved the first two tracks, and "Beautiful Ruth" almost made me cry, if it was true which I think it might be. Lisa, the promoter from Washington, played a track on the 9.30 club sound system after our gig there and Andy, the pre-me soft boy, is playing bass on it and producing so it is good ........ Finally Morris's band, the Gliders who are the bee's knees, and some fab drumming thrughout from Morris ...... you HAVE to listen to track 5, Trinity - their singer plays harmonica and sings through an amp, it's so good I had to buy one for someone at Maxwells who I was trying to sell it to but then they lost their money so I bought it...their bass player, Mark Smith, was actually my bass teacher back in the 80's and taught me how to slap (up to that point, I had been getting the 'slapping' effect with a tea spoon, which was not quite so nimble) ..... And then one more step back to morning, and waking up still feeling great for 2 reasons ..... (a) the IP gig and (b) Robyn mentioning Fulham FC on mike, probably because I was wearing the away shirt at the gig, (which Ferris was good enough to snap ....... sorry I have to stop now this is definitely getting boring, but on the other hand so are days off without a laptop) ....

DAY OF THE GIG: Apparently, the show is neary sold out tonight, so this tour is picking up steam ..... other points of interest include the NEW ENGLAND SEAFOOD SHOW (March 27-29, Hynes Centre) which sadly we will miss by a day although I will try to persuade us to stop for some piccies on the way to Toronto .... we'll see ... It's 4.30 now and Kim has rung up to sort out cabs for the gigs .... meanwhile Morris is wondering where Robyn is, no-one's seen him today ..... correction, there he is with Michèle in the lift and they are both looking very fab .....

At soundcheck we do some Dylan song and a Beefheart song from his first album and then it's a quick thai meal and we sign Mike's (did I remember the name) baseball which was more enjoyable than signing UM covers because at least the ink says where it is put .... then Donovan the Matadorian arrives and gives us 7 UM vinyl covers to sign ........ it is always nice to see him.....

After soundcheck I photograph Robyn photographing some trams which always excites him, along with over-head wiring etc, and also Kim and the YFF arriving outside the gig .....

... then lots of beer and talking to people who came along including Eddie and woj and also Brett who did a nice interview .... then hotel and reunion with my vagrant laptop .... the high point or one of them was meeting Marco the guy who did the incredible artwork for UM Cd and vinyl ... a true classic, they even thought of printing the insides of the vinyl sleeves black so the thing wouldn't look scruffy, and those black dustcovers, they are to expensive to print like that any more but someone at Matador tracked down a job lot of 2,000 black ones and bought them up ... these vinyls are so obviously going to be worth a lot of money one day ... they are a beautiful thing ...... the rest is more warm glow, good feeling and getting ready to go to Canada which is not always an easy place to get into .... we'll see ..... meanwhile, we have to say bye bye to the YFF until the West Coast which is sad, but not goodbye, au revoir ....

— Matthew

Some QuickTime movies - you'll want the QuickTime Player for these.

Behind the scenes at the Paradise. 2.2 MB.	One night only. 1.6 MB.
Three familiar faces. 930 KB.	Welcome to the train. 1.2 MB.