.. ..

Who remembers the Sunshine Underground? They released one of the best albums of 2006 and played some pant-wettingly amazing live shows to follow. Then, they disappeared into zippidy-squit for three years. In fact I’d almost forgotten about them until they appeared on the listings at the pub opposite the Tea Party mansion. So, after convincing Sam and Jonny that I was DEFINITELY right about this band and that my past praising of ‘Louis XIV’ and ‘Brian Jones Town Massacre’ were minor blips on an otherwise impeccable list of recommendations, off we trundled to watch them.

.. ..

I was excited, and the band were as good, if not better than I remembered them to be! Only, I did something that a gig goer should never ever do. I started watching the crowd. These people were all there, in fact, they seem to be at every gig:

.. ..

Timmy Lyric: Let’s be honest, having a crowd sing the line to a chorus is awesome and uplifting…..Me and Timmy were roaring out the choruses to all the big tunes, jumping up and down, spilling beer over each other. Embraced in a big hug, grinning at each other like little girls…we were in love…until the band started up the slow, emotional number in the middle of the set and Timmy Lyric stood next to me shouting in his toneless fart-breathed voice EVERY single word to the otherwise beautiful song.…. and that was the end of that romance

.. ..

Soundman Sammy: Soundman Sammy knows that if he was doing the sound mix, it would be frigging AMAZING! He isn’t actually a soundman, in fact he’s often talking out of his tight bottom hole. But, for his own self worth, he finds it necessary to comment LOUDLY that the vocal mix is ‘all over the shop’ or ‘the guitar is just too loud’….

.. ..

Jock-the-Mosh: Everyone loves to jump around and have a bit of push and pull don’t they?! When else do shy 14-year-olds get to have a rough and tumble with the opposite sex?! However, Jock-the-mosh isn’t here for a playful push around, no way ‘man’. He’s been training. He’s come to destroy lives. He grins, his pupils get wider as he uses a combination of kung-fu and ultimate wrestling to knee a 14 year old girl in the throat. He only struts off for warm a beer after leaving a pile of bleeding bodies at his feet.

.. (the next photo is a big group cuddle)..

Jeeves the cameraman: You’ve got a shit cameraphone, it’s dark, there are flashing lights and smoke, it’s VERY VERY loud, you are stood at the back with 100’s of bobbing heads between you and the stage, you’re filming the guitarist from Sunshine Underground tuning up…. and you have your hand in front of my face! Trust me, the video looks crap.

(This is the Foals via cameraphone....obviously!)

…..and of course, me: Richie the pessimist : I fill the necessary gig role of grumpy muso who is too tall to be near the front, so hangs round the middle-back to avoid annoying little-er people. But, Gawd knows why I’m complaining about these other folk. I’ve sang along to songs, been frustrated by poor sound, had a bit of a mosh, taken rubbish blurred pictures of Michel Stipe that make him look like a sweaty ballbag…Yet, I can’t help but have a moan. Well…. I promise to stop now. Next time, I assure you that I’ll be in the thick of it, grinning away and doing one big lanky pogo dance. It’s a promise. Just don’t complain if I’m in your way.

R x

Jinglejangle,

Well we've got some gigs - finally!!!

See here it's true, promise: http://freshonthenet.co.uk/

We're also finally returning to Bristol!

Oh, and we've got a new bod! G-face is one of the many new additions to LTP, and what a fine specimen he is. These are his shoes!

It's all a bit exciting, bit like going on a ferry!

THERE'S A BASS IN YOUR FACE!!!!

S x

Thought I'd put some words down here

But everybody else here cares

I’ll meet you, up on the roof

Our demons will not find us there

When we rise, let’s not fight

These streets are made of fire and smoke

I’ll kiss you, up on the roof

Nothing to lose because we started off broke"

maybe or maybe not from a song in the pipeline.

x