Part 3: Rockin' and Rippin'

Monday 29th May 2000. It was a bit of a pig, starting the tour the way we did. After we showered up in Emden, it was another 9 hour ripper to Rostock, in the Eastern side of the country, still what am I moaning about, as RP Parfitt says, you could be working down a mine, if there were any left in the UK that is. Ooh ah, how political (how queer more like it). A venue we've done many times before, the Stadhalle (Town Hall). You really get the vibe that East Germany is becoming more like the West when you do places like this, the Billy go much more crazy than they used to. I remember on the last Rostock show there was a woman in the front doing the dance from the Birdie song in Don't waste my time, ah, the good old days…. Band shaping up, getting on well, which of course is the other thing about having new people in, it's very much a suck it and see, (how queer. I think this Queers club thing is getting to me. I'll just ask me husband what he thinks) but Matthew is such a sweet bloke I can't see how anybody wouldn't like him. Paul gives a new meaning to the phrase laid back, laid out would probably fit the bill, he's a top geezer "Not a bad life really" The Gommor was heard to say, as we sat on the bus going back to the Hotel. Next day was only travel to Berlin, so a beanette was to be had on the bus, which, for anyone who wants to know, now has 3 clearly defined areas (we've written them on sheets of paper and taped them to the walls. Work work work……) "Queers" as it's now known has moved with the times, and t'committee's decided to let in the women, and very well it's going too, thank you very much. The rear section is now "Letley's Lounge", as Matthew can often be found there, engrossed in a video. Honestly, 15 years and did I ever get anything named after me? He's only in for 5 minutes and already he's taking over, better watch that one. This by the way is called padding. Last but not least is the "Parlour", the communal area downstairs where we all congregate from time to time. Some more padding for you there folks, loads more to come, trust me. Is this all padding? Are we really here? Do I really write total bollocks all the time? I know the answer to the last one. By the way, while I think of it... No, Spud is not going to rejoin the band, as a few people have recently written and suggested. Next... Berlin. Cracking gig. Just how I like it. Hot, noisy, very, very crowded and lots of lovely ladeees to lust after in the audience. Last time we played Burning Bridges here, I think, replaced it with Hold ya back thereafter. Then to Hamburg, for the first open air of the tour, in the Stadtpark, townpark for those of you with an IQ of less than seven. I loved it. I got to tell you god fearing Christian and people of other persuasions folk out there in Quoland, Matthew Letley is V.good. I liked it so much I even bought him a pigs afterwards. Apparently we got a right slagging in the paper the next day. Do I care? Do I F*** I was going to say fuck but couldn't bring myself to say it (Sorry Mandy). For those of you that know the truth, we were ROCKING! After 2 days off, during which Matt and I went to see "Being John Malkovich", the weirdest film a good old boy like me done ever see in his born days. C'etait demon. Bonjour Les Francasaises. Is that un mot? It is maintenant!. I, by the way, am out of my tree. Did you notice? Right, got to keep it together... Lemgo, Hot. Shit sound. Good, but not great. Not a lot more to add really, except that I'd really been looking forward to it, as I had a blinder last time, but maybe you get too high expectations (Is that a Charles Dickens drug influenced book? It is now!). Hate football myself. After Lemgo, on through the night to Kamenz. Went in and slept until about noon, then went a-walking. I have NEVER EVER EVER in all my born days been in a town as quiet as Kamenz. It didn't bode well for the evening's proceedings, but luckily I was mistaken. An open air amphitheatre type thing mate, and good fun. Before I toddle off, it may seem a bit Fab pics and groovy posters in a popstar manner, but, as I said before, we got to accept that we have a new drummer, and use the situation to move onwards and whatever, but it's good to have the edge of someone else. One more thing, boys and girls….. For those of you people who have no life, and choose to live in a timewarp, moaning about the fact that Francis and Rick now have 3 members of 4 Bills and a Ben as their backing band... Two things: 1) We, that being Francis, Rick and myself, like it or not dickheads, really don't give a toss what you say, and 2) If you don't like it, there are plenty of other bands on tour and lots of other albums to buy. Stay with old Quo. Enjoy it for what it was, but give us all a break from your mindless rants... Not that I'm fed up with it or anything. I know I've strayed somewhat this evening, and I would at this juncture like to sincerely apologise for the 4p or so it may have cost you to read this crap, but you know, as the great poet Gary Lineker once said "well". Sleep well, More to come..(If I write how queer again I'll slit me wrists. Agh!!) xxxx P.S. I love Andrew Bown.

Part 1: Before The Tour

Part 2: The First Gigs

Part 4: Bratwürst and Coffee

Part 5: The Home Run

Part 6: Delayed in Spain

Part 7: The Big Hangover

Part 8: Rockin' on GAS

Part 9: Rain in the Ukraine

All photos on this page were taken by Richard Tanfield, Thanks Richard!