Saturdays gig in Chorlton at one of the nicest manchester venues- I've been very special guested - on first, be early! best Vinny

A Day Out on the Manchester Wheel- 27.11.09. this song has been around while, it keeps coming back for more, - a good thing, I've no idea?? Vinny

Luke Haines is not Dead

It’s Monday, I slither down the greasy pipe, listening to Joe the Lion - I'm back home for a few days after the last of the current run of support dates with the esteemed Mr Haines – five gigs in seven days – all have been enjoyable, there’s one more show to go in Brighton on Wednesday at The Hanbury Club,83 St George's Road , Brighton , BN2 1EF. Do come along if it’s down your way. It's been one of the nicest tours I've had the pleasure to do - not just because I'm a huge fan of the man - which helps obviously– but because we all got along OK, band, Luke, it’s a small time operation. I watched every show – new songs and old, a real joy to behold, a hard on glam rock power trio logy of genius [I can’t seem to get enough of it - bizarre but true I know – it’s a fan thing].

In Glasgow I did some recording on a joint project I’m working on with State Broadcasters in Pete McDonald’s home studio. Pete also put me up and took me into China Town for a midnight feast. The Glasgow show at The Captains Rest was a highlight, more Broadcasters turned up, Grahame, Robbie, Susie, and we took to the stage again to sing ‘Sometimes I feel like a King’. It was a great night, the piano held its own, and next day I recorded a new song [Pathetic Lament], sang vocals on one of Pete and Grahams songs and put down the piano for a new version of Sometimes I feel like a King – with any luck we’ll have an EP ready for the Spring. It’s exciting.

I was late arriving for the Newcastle show but the sound engineer was perfectly accommodating – I truly appreciated his efforts. That’ll teach me booking a Travelodge some 10 miles out of town,I got seriously stuck in the rush hour. The show went well apart from an exploding cable dud connection issue caused by my new guitar strap which had become entwined in the jack socket – all this meant I delivered ‘Kiss Me I’m a Social Worker’ [the evenings final song,] in something of a stationary posture as every move I made resulted in considerable electrical bish bash bosh. Boom…

The drive from Newcastle to Bristol was a very long one as it’s a very long way. I arrived at The Thekla around 4.30pm, just as the third goal went in a Villa Park- it’s a gig on a boat, a boat Viv Stanshall used to own - no one was there so I went for a walk by the river. Then I had the same drama with the parking ticket machines as last time I was there two years ago. You feed the thing, pay the money and there’s no ticket – a groundhog parking day – how annoying. I sort of sensed it but I still went ahead and put the money in the slots. Stupidly annoying – end up shaking the machine and gently cursing and shoving all to no avail. Inside the gig on the boat everything feels damp, and it smells funny. I’m first to arrive, I change my strings, sat in the same place changing strings as when we were last here for a band show two years ago [almost to the day]. The groundhog feeling continues right up to show time. I then watch Luke’s sound check eat bananas in the dressing room, make coffee, do small insignificant stuff, consider asking a girl for a roll up, think better of it. In no time I’m on stage – it’s early – the venue changes into a nightclub at 10 pm sharp so all show times have been brought forward – 7.45 is too early though, really, when I go on there are just a few people dotted around the benches either side- it fills up to a decent swell after 20 minutes or so – then I’m off at half past eight. Later I watch the Luke show. I sing along to Bad Reputation, ‘Goodbye my love, it’s a hell of a record, they did it by themselves their leader was not present’- a proper glam rock stomper, and like so much of Lukes work, it’s brutally twisted in all the right places, ‘Gary Glitter, he’s a bad bad man, ruining the reputation of the glitter bands, - aproper live high- I’ll be doing much the same thing in Brighton on Wednesday. I am glad to be alive. I am supporting Luke Haines. I am kind of thrilled truly,  phew..Vinny

The American shows all over - I could have happily played on -, highlights included Philadelphia where I was introduced to The Phillies [currently on a world series roll] – I know, its only rounders for blokes but somehow when in Rome…And in Virginia where a set designer created something truly extraordinary from my most casual instructions. I felt humbled and inspired. The shows were a great success and I am planning to return in the spring of 2010 for a more extended tour.....

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Back on home soil I spend a couple of days sifting stats for the NHS [just call me Josef K] - before heading to ..Leeds.. on Sunday night for the first of six shows on the Luke Haines tour. The sat nav seemed to find the Brudnell Rooms a major challenge, after a few circles of the ring road I rang a mate and was there in no time. I say hello to Luke and his new band, young, funky – and sounding huge. We make plans for food but I’m on in half an hour so I take the nibbles option in the dressing room instead. There’s nothing worse than performing when you’re stuffed - or pogged [as they say in these parts]. I remember years ago Nils Lofgren telling me the story of how he ate a pizza a little to close to show time with catastrophic results, mind you he was vaulting on a mini trampoline at the time. My gig comes and goes – the piano sounds great, and somehow I manage to hit enough of the right notes to get through the songs. I’m using the piano a lot more nowadays – it’s a challenge for me, playing pianos on records is one thing, but live it’s a discipline. I like to think I’m winning, just…....

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Last night I played ....Manchester....’s Deaf institute – easily the best medium sized venue in the city. It was of course raining again, as it tends to be whenever I play. I don’t know what it is lately, but there is a definite pattern emerging, even in the states it was the same old rain, a washed out festival and flash flooding in ....Norfolk..... I park up behind the venue and got soaked carrying the gear in – there are a lot of stairs at The Deaf Institute – I then have a perfectly decent sound check....

 and retire to the flat backstage to eat crisps and dips whilst chatting to Harry the agent who’s head is buried in his lap top a world of pre sales and post scripts and press advance notifications. Ruth sorts us out some proper coffee. I’m onstage at 8.15 – people are still arriving – but it fills up throughout the duration. The piano holds up – the DI box dies mid way through Replica Shirt- otherwise we are hitch free and engaged. My tendency to waffle on does get the better or should I say worse of me from time to time – I’m working on it. After the show I sell CDs – but nowhere near as many as I thought I might. You never can tell, ha ha…I watch Luke’s set with Rob and we talk about drinking and staggering to the station, I smoke my one permitted after show roll up cadged from cousin John – [Kate Winslett has a similar attitude to the demon weed so I’m told]. I talk with various Buzz Aldrins on the roof terrace before leaving. The remaining shows with Luke as below – also have added a video clip from the Deaf Institute Show – 'Nurse of the Year' – accidental accolades are coming to get ya, indeed…hope to see you at a show soon, dates as follows

Thu 5 Nov ..Glasgow.. ....Glasgow.... Captains Rest....

b/o 0844 847 2487 www.ticketweb.co.uk.

185 Great Western Road

....Glasgow.. , ..G4 9EB........

Phone: 0141 331 2722 ....

Fri 6 Nov ..Newcastle.. ..Newcastle.. The ....Cluny........

b/o 08444 771 000 www.ticketweb.co...uk......

Ouseburn Warehouse Workshops....

....36 Lime St.. , ..Newcastle.... Upon ..Tyne.., NE1....

0191 230 4474....

 ....

Sat 7 Nov ..Bristol.. ....Bristol.... The Thekla....

b/o 08713 100 000....

East Mud Dock....

The Grove, Harbourside, ....Bristol.. , ..BS1 4RB........

0117 929 3301 

Wed 11 Nov Brighton ..Brighton.. Hanbury Club....

b/o 01273 606 312 www.seetickets.com....

....83 St George's Road.. , ..Brighton.. , ..BN2 1EF........

tel: 01273 605789....

Vinny Peculiar - Nurse of the Year - Live at The Deaf Institute, Manchester UK, 1.11.09

Vinny Peculiar & Paul Saulino - Tatorios, Philadelphia, 23.10.09

Live at The Taphouse, Hampton Virginia -18.10.09

From a little diy gig in Bar 67, Broseley 9.10.09 with Leah Wilkes - aka Baby Peculiar,