emmoworld

It's been a long day - very early start down to London as new carpets being fitted. Had hoped to nip into office but problems with the carpet meant I needed to be on site. All the house re-laid but will have to re-do living room and bathroom. Now gearing up for the big move back to London at weekend. It's been a long time since we lived there - well 4.5 months.

Great lunch yesterday. Andrew is a fantastic manager - incredible passion and staying power. He is also very smart and it was interesting listening to his ideas. He used to manage Dodgy is responsible for putting them on the world map. Also has some great stories - small world as some were about people I know. Hopefully I managed to say a few sensible things during the conversation.

Off to everyone's favourite place to eat the New Piccadilly Cafe at lunchtime to meet up with Andrew who runs TARGO management which looks after M.A.S.S. one of my favourite bands. Sadly the amazing Justine won't be around as she's in Japan singing with Atomic Hooligan for a few dates. Maybe next year Greenbelt could do a double-header M.A.S.S. followed by Atomic Hooligan -I'm sure Justine would be up for it. I hope 2006 will be the year that establishes them as household names. They've already got a big following elsewhere in Europe but promoters in this country are reluctant to sign them up because the're not all under 18. Hopefully the new album will put an end to this nonsense - recorded by the Killer's producer Jeff Saltzman in San Francisco. Thy recently played a showcase gig in New York which attracted lot of interest from A&R folk over there. Nailing a decent record deal in this country is what is required next though. Not sure how I fit into all of this but I have a few ideas....

I see they tried to blow up my brother today in Baghdad. Fortunately failed. Just been watching the footage on BBC website - don't know how he keeps producing stuff like that when you don't know if the next explosion is going to be the fatal one.

On a more cheerful note, my man Mr McDermott is playing 9 dates in Ireland in November, including 3 with Juliet Turner - me very excited!

I see in the paper today that Cliff Richard fans are being banned from camping out at NEC Birmingham for tickets to concert in case they cause danger to people arriving to see Peter Pan which is on currently. Not sure what kind if danger they are expecting - telling the children that Peter Pan is really Cliff Richard in disguise, or worse still proclaiming to passers-by that they don't believe in fairies (feel a joke coming on here but censor steps in!)

Sunday - a day of rest - except when you have to be up for church for 9am service. Doing 3hr each way commute to work during the week means weekends tend to be a lie-in, but I do like to make the morning service when I can. It's a small church with pilgrims often outnumbering regulars, but it's a very friendly community and I've made some good friends there very quickly. I should add that I represent the youth element!

The afternoon over at Holkham Hall craft and tea room, followed by trip to their excellent wine shop - the only place I know in Norfolk that sells £100 plus bottles of wine - Helen's already told me I'm banned from the shop once the redundancy money comes through!

Being in North Norfolk this time of year is very special. It's the time when the pink footed geese arrive in their thousands and we stood and watched in amazement as the sky darkened with the arrival of the geese, after their journey of several thousand miles. If you venture out early in the mornings to the marshes you can see them take flight in their thousands - 50,000 plus geese suddenly taking to the air is an amazing sight.

So many photos and video clips to trawl through its taking time to sort NY trip biog so here's a start:

Friday:
Early start with 7am taxi to train station. Uneventful flight with United Airlines. Landed at JFK and grabbed yellow cab to hotel. Took the long route via Central Park - it's big! Check in at hotel (Michelangelo) which is a bit posh for me and in a great central location.





Unpack, shower and then taxi to 82nd street (NY road network based on a grid box - streets up and down and avenues left to right) to meet with Michael McDermott at his favorite Italian restaurant. Excellent meal - Michael's been going there for the last 15 years or so and is good friends of the owner/manager. Popular with the stars as small and intimate. Angelina Jolie goes there, Michael met William Hurt there night before.

After dinner hit the Dublin House (a bar) for a few drinks with guy who manages the Virgin Megastore in NY. Heated discussion about musical directions whilst I got into debate at the bar with some guy about thatched roofs - weird!

Then off to Greenwich Village to Employees Only to meet more friends of Michael.







Great bar, packed solid with queue outside - we walked straight in - cool! Crazy place with 2 Freddie Mercury lookalike barmen who moved in unison up and down the bar whilst preparing coktails (best cocktail bar in NY). Finally grabbed a cab to another bar in meat packing district ( I think). By this time I'd been up for over 24 hours so decided to call it a day. Grabbed a cab and crashed out back at hotel.

More to come... but in the meantime a couple of video clips from MSG

U2 MSG

U2 MSG

Still not had time to write my magnus opus about New York - hopefully tomorrow..... In the meantime, stumbled across this great quote when contacting a promoter in the States:


"I once went down to Neil Young's ranch and he rowed me out into the middle of a lake - putting my life in his hands once again. He waved at someone invisible and music started to play, in the countryside. I realized Neil had his house wired as the left speaker, and his barn wired as the right speaker. And Elliot Mazer, his engineer, said 'How is it?' And Neil shouted back 'More barn!'
- Graham Nash

Back from a hectic time in New York. Saw some great gigs, an amazing musical and lots of rain. I also met up with Michael McDermott who was in town seeing various agents and we went to some exclusive Italian restaurant where Angeline Jolie hangs out. Michael's being going there for the last 15 years or so and is good friends with the owner - they even play his music on the PA! U2 were amazing as usual - Madison Square Gardens is a fantastic venue although I've heard better stadium acoustics elsewhere. But it was good to see Bono forget his lines in Wild Horses, and Mary J Blige duet on One. Will stick full review of trip on here over next few days when I have time to write it. For now a few pictures.






Went to Norwich today - buzzing with students - very cool place when the sun is out. Tonight a pre-birthday celebration as I hit another milestone tomorrow. Rib of beef, expensive bottle of wine, log fire and good film. What more could a man ask for....

Off to New York tomorrow and just discovered that I appear to have mislayed my e-tickets for flight plus one U2 concert - probably sitting on desk at work so need to find a PC with internet and printer tonight to re-do - just hope work PC link active as emails sitting on it!