Early on a Glasgow morning...

Morning boys and girls... do you have any idea what time it is??!! Jesus!

We are off to do STV today in Glasgow. For those of you who don't know that is the Scottish version on ITV. I had a total twinge when I found out because the email said we were being interviewed by Lulu...... I have since found out that it is a different Lulu... How can anyone get away with using that name? I'm raging! Not as raging however as I was when I looked in the mirror this morning and realised that I looked like a hairy bag of nails. So I pulled on my finest fighting shorts and braved the early morning Glasgow "sun" on Maryhill road, dodged the commuter traffic and bought some new hair gel and a packet of Gillette Blue II razors. In many ways I prefer radio.........

So I am going to do a new video diary today as well for the lovely people at wristband4festivals.com. I was a bit disappointed with my last effort so I need to up the ante this time and learn a few lessons. In other good news this week I have finally up-dated the software on my computer so I should be able to leave people messages on here when they message me! Good news...

And finally, for anyone the least bit interested, I am slowly raising my profile as well. I am trying pretty darn hard to force myself into being a writer... I want to do so much I can't be ignored!!

Lots of love and I hope you're still in bed unlike me
M xx

Immy's 24 Redemption...

I been having an absolute nightmare for the last couple of days. I think it's a prolonged hang-over guilt designed as punishment for getting so disgracfully drunk on Saturday.........

You know that feeling when something gets under your skin and you can't put your finger on it or shake the bad feeling in your gut? It's giving me the boke. To top it all of I've been stuck with a rubbish internet connection and everytime, in the last two days, I've tried to log into my blog account my computer has crashed. it's not good at all... I am not a happy man.

So as I sit here procrastingating, staring at Top Gear, drinking tea and eating toast topped with an unhealthy amount of butter I have been trying to think of new things to write about on my blogs and on the festival website. I've come up with a few good ones I think. I always find that is the best way to deal with being a bit depressed, throw yourself into work and bury those issues deep, deep down until they've gone.

Hold on....I need a fag...

Thats better. So this week we had a dinner guest on Moonday night. My mate Immy brought her pet Morgan round for some salmon and mash. (You have no idea how much writing that sentence made me laugh.. Sorry Morgan). Immy was wearing the most amazing AC/DC t-shirt of which you will see a picture at the top of the page. I drank quite a lot of Port which I found temporarily theraputic and then we downloaded "24 Redemption" which we watched last night. Up to season 7 now. It's good times.

Anyway I don't know what else to write today, I've enjoyed this little ramble though. I'm off to do something vaguely constructive now.

M xx

The Mid-week ramble...

So this week I have had a visit from my favourite band "Ross Clark & The Sarves Go Missing". A two day trip to London for them to play at 229 on Great Portland Street. The show was, as always, terrific but I can't stress how much I wish there was a bigger audience. On Wednesday morning I went to visit aa man in Enfield who put polyfiller in my ears and charged me for the pleasure. I'm not as stupid as I sound though... I was being fitted for moulded In Ear Monitors... I can't wait to get them and try them out! The geek in me loves this stuff! The hope is that they let me feel more comfortable on stage and I'll at last be able to stop wearing plasters over my ears at every show. I look like a pillock.

TThe best thing that happened this week though was all the kind messages I got from people having watched my video diary. In honesty I really didn't expect much of a response so a massive thank you to all those who wrote to me. I am going to try and improve on it this week and show people more of what they want to see.

Anyway that really is it for now. Just a quick up date for everybody....

Oh wait a minute I want to say hey to my mate denise who is a million miles away in Cambodia living with a bear called Ralph. I miss you mate and I can't wait until New Year to see you and we can party like it's 1999.

Love
M xx

The day I went to a kids party...

I woke up this morning and the first thing I saw was Helen eating some cake for breakfast. I loved it so I had some. I of course did that man thing "Oh I'm not doing that it's discusting, YUK. I might go for a run..." and then ran straight to the fridge and destroyed 6inches of M&S Lemon Sponge Roll, a light golden sponge with a zesty, lemon curd and buttercream filling. It gave me a twinge.

And incidently a "twinge" is just what I got at T4 this weekend. For those of you who don't know, T4 on the Babewatch is essentially one big kids party. No other festival I've ever been to has had a "Parent Drop of Point" sign on the approaching road. But this sign lead us to wonder if the afore mentioned point a safe place for children to be dropped of by mum and dad or is it a bar, serving a tremendous Sunday lunch where children can drop off mum and dad while they go and dance inappropriately at Dizzee Rascal?



Call me a grumpy wee bum but it was raining mmost of the day. Nobody wants to go the beach in the rain, do they? Apparently they do and some 40,000 revellers proved that point, alothough, the look on Sophie Ellis Bexters face hinted that sge agreed with me. Either way a good time was had by all. I'm looking forward to next Sunday though when I can sit and watch the highlights on the tele with a fresh cake and a cup of Tetley's.

This is my "old man" blog.

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In other news this week I had a go at making a video diary for the first time. It should be available to see on www.wristband4festivals.com about now so go and check it out.

It proved a bit harder to do than I anticipated. It's just not cricket to go walking about back stage at these place with a video camera unless you're the BBC. So I missed a lot of the stuff I wanted to capture. But I am still full of new ideas and I think I'll be able to make a better go of it next week. It was a lot of fun trying though and I am going to have another go this week at Ben & Jerry's.

If you are reading this after watching the video please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought and/or what you'd like to see next time.

I'll get you next time Gadget
M xx

I might try voyeurism...

200 views!!! I know that most of them are probably me but they can't all be!

This week I am venturing into the wonderful world of video diarism. I've been doing things for the first time quite alot lately... TITP, being on the TV, getting published and last night I went to a restaraunt by myself for the first time... quite an exilerating experience.

So I want to talk today, a little bit, about the video diary. I've been asked to do it by Lyndsey Oliver who is the fanastic person that agreed to put my writing on her website, www.wristband4festivals.com. My heart skipped a beat when I read the email because it's not something I've ever thought about doing but it'll be great fun.

Now I'm technologically impotent so I've had to practice.... yep that image in your head is correct. I have been sitting in my living room talking to my mobile phone on my own but it has served a purpose. I needed to make sure I could get it on to my computer, try doing a bit of basic editing and make sure I was using the camera the right way around (which I wasn't at first!).

I've also made a bit of a plan. This weekend I'll do an introduction to me and the lads. I have a pretty good idea what I am going to film and it'll be as cool as flip. Next weekend I'm going to do something a bit different... the ideas are keeping me awake at night...

If anyone has any suggestions about what they would like to see please let me know and I'll see what I can do...

In other news I have started following a new blog with no writing on it. It'll be good when he gets his arse in gear.... GO BIFF!

Lot a love
M xx

17 things I did at TITP...

T In The Park? DONE! What a wewekend we had! We were treated like kings by everyone all weekend and the show couldn't possibly have gone any better! I spent Friday and Saturday with my old pal Murphy and my former manager drinking beer in the hospitality section while Tommy lit the Media Village on fire! I got to see a bit of Franz Ferdinand, all of my mates band Broken Records, a wee flick of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's and some Kings of Leon. I must confess however that I didn't go and see that many more bands because sitting on the grass in the sun was just way too much fun if you compare it to fighting your way through crowds of ned/chavs.

By the time it got around to Sunday and we were given our Artist Village passes I wasn't going anywhere. I had to spend my time figuring out who I could spot, what I could get for free and how much lavish food I could get in ma belly....

Here is a quick run down of Sundays events....

1 Got out of bed in the middle of the night (0700)
2 Got to TITP at @ 11am had some free coffee and coissants
3 Watched Edith Bowman play swing ball
4 Chatted to Paolo Nutini's band mate Michael
5 Met up with Keren and Paul Wilson from Snow Patrol
6 Had dinner at the table next to Kelly from Bloc Party
7 Had power nap and woke up to see Peter Doherty standing in front of me
8 Got a free luxury haircut from on site sylists, The Rainbow Rooms
9 Saw Lily Allen and fell in love with The Saturdays and Little Boots
10 Watched We Were Promised Jetpacks
11 Played a show in front of 1700 mad people. NB It was the first time they've closed the gates to the T-Break tent!!!
12 Had more free food (Salmon, profiteroles, coffee)
13 Met Matt who guitar techs for Elbow
14 Met some Dave and Robbie from Hip Parade... called Tim coz we were drunk
15 Got really hammered on Rouge
16 Watched Blur + entourage leave Artists Village to go on stage
17 Drove out of the arena to the sound of Blur singing "...A very big house in the country..."

Yesterday I got a lift home from the Dykeenies and listened to Wedding Crashers and Superbad from the front of the van.

Next week it's Love Box with Duran Duran on Saturday and T4 on the Babewatch on Sunday

Love
M x

T(ommy) In The Park!!!

Officially renamed by sponsor, Tennents Brewery, this year T In The Park becomes known as Tommy In The Park. The festival begings tomorrow when we arrive in transit to cut the tape and declare the festival open and the beer taps on.

To put my day today in persective for you last Sunday morning I arrived at a rave at 6.45am. Today I got out of bed at 6.45am. I was on a train from Euston at 8.30am and in a rehearsal at 1pm. Which one do think was my favourite 6.45?

Tommorrow starts a busy weekend full of press interviews, secret shows for compition winners and then a headline slot on Sunday on the T Break Stage. I'm excited. T isn't my favourite festival, anyone who knows me knows that, but for Scottish festival goers and Scottish acts it is the biggest and for that reason I am so excited about playing. I'll let you all know how it goes next week.

To celebrate the start of festival season here is my list of essential list of festival gear.........

Fashion
1 Wellies
2 Waterproof Jacket
3 Festival shorts
4 Festival hat(s)
5 Sunnies

Health
1 Vitamin B
2 Water
3 Fruit (do you believe me?)

For the gig
1 Hair gel/spray
2 The dangerous jeans
3 Sticks
4 Attitude! :-)

It basic but it'll do I reakon.

In other news today Gary and I gave ouselves new nicknames. I am "Snake-hips McIvor" and he is "Swedger Two thrusts". I thought long and hard about his new name and to break it down for you the first word is his hobby and the last bit refers to his longevity.

Anyway it's bed time so get it roon ye
M xx

Clowns ain't funny... you know and I know it...

Season 5 of "24" is blowing my mind! It is remarkable. I definately want to be Jack Bauer... I might go get a gun and a torch and some issues and see where it's at. Unfortunately Helen is at her mum and dads and I can't watch the final few hours until she is home... Baws.



In other news yesterday I met up with my mate Imran. We went for a walk down the south bank as far as Tower Bridge. At City Hall there was some crazy festival going on. In front of Boris' office there is a hole in the ground. My best guess is that it maybe used to be a hole for stoning Scots or tarring adulterous women or something... it's right across the river from Traitor's Gate... Anyway, last night it was being used for a wicked festival with a cover band playing a medley of Michael Jackson songs when we were there. They were dead good. There were kids and mums and dads and grand parents dancing like mad. Pretty cool. I was very impressed.



Anyway the whole point of this blog is to show you some pictures from the bank of the Thames that I took last night. The light was amazing as you can see. I want a proper camera so bad... hint hint for birthday Grandad...

Just to let you know I haven't been to see anything out of my book yet because I'm broke. BOSH

Oh tish and pish.... I forgot to tell you about the carousel (don't know if thats how you spell it!) It was really pretty and slightly haunting. Fair grounds are built to frighten children and I don't care what you say. It's like cartoons are quite clearly invented at 6am by a man who 's been up all night on an acid trip. Have you ever watch "The Magic Roundabout"? By the same token those men who dress up in big shoes and make up, live in a caravan, are married to a "psychic" with a crystal ball and who's eyes are a bit too close together, are not trying to entertain our children, they're trying to frighten them!!! Listen to the music for a start. Fairground music is used in horror films for goodness sake! It's obvious. We are all scared of clowns.

Its a joke

MWHAAAAAAHA!
M xx

BOSH and DOOSH....

In the words of Lister..."Smeg!!!!" This weeks show at Ragley Hall in Warickshire has been cancelled. Now I have an extra week in Londinium with which to spend money and not make any. So I have been trying to decide what I might do to fill mey time.

Number one on the list is to complete a few songs. Way back before time began in darkest January I started to write what I thought might be a little EP which I might record when I get my studio back. Initially it was to be a handfull of acoustic songs that I might or might not have taken to an open mic night somewhere to strip myself of the little dignity I had left. Now however I have "new balls", as they say at Wimbledon. I have taken a little dose of inspiration from a night I spent with "We Were Promised Jetpacks" in King Tuts a few weeks back and set my sights a bit higher. I'm going to get Ross on drums, maybe Raph on bass, borrow a guitar and amp from somebody, persuade Fish to dig out her keys and sign a major record label before christmas. Maybe.

I have also started reading a book called "I Nver Knew That About London" by Christopher Winn. It is a book filled with facts about London that, surprise surprise, you don't know. For example, did you know that the oldest church in London is called All Hallow by the Tower? It was built in 675 and in the Undercroft you can actually walk on a piece of tesselated Roman pavement that was laid there in the 2nd century. Did you know that the Whitechapel Bell Foundry was established on 1570 and is the oldest manufacturing company in the country?? No you did not. All this brings me to the second thing I'm going to do with my time off and that is go and see some cool stuff. And then I am going to force this information on to unsuspecting people like you.

Last night we went to see Dave Gorman. I'll be honest I wasn't that excited about it because I've seen him before and he didn't light up my life. But last night he crippled me. Very funny, great company, good times. Helen fell asleep on the bus home and started snoring... which was as funny as Mr Gorman.

I'm off for a banana sandwich.

"til next time... M xx