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Thursday 5th September - Flying Out
Why am I doing this?
I am 39 years old. Aren’t I too old to be going off on tour with a punk band?
Probably. I would prefer to be 17 again and doing this but it should be a bit of a blast!
My main man Steve (also known as Fish, for some strange adolescent, teenage hygiene thing, I presume) asked me if I’d like to go and document the whole affair, in words, pictures and on video, all expenses paid. I thought for about a nanosecond and said, “Yes!” Then I went home and informed Mrs GoT and the kids that I was going to America for a week, with a punk band.
Actually, they took it quite well. Mrs GoT thought it was great. The prospect of a week of having the bed to herself was quite appealing. She even got up with me on the day I left to make me some breakfast. That, I think, makes 5 times she’s done that in 19 years! She’ll not be best pleased when she reads that and will protest most vociferously. But we know the truth, don’t we diary? I suppose that she figures that if I end up face first in the 74th floor of the Chrysler Building, due to some towel-head, A-rab, nutball, hijack scenario, then at least we’ll have had that last breakfast together. Or, she just wanted to make sure that I didn’t miss the plane, I suspect. Personally, I would be real pissed to think that I died defacing one of (if not) the most beautiful buildings in the world.
But, I’m digressing…
I am 39 years old. Aren’t I too old to be going off on tour with a punk band?
Probably. I would prefer to be 17 again and doing this but it should be a bit of a blast!
My main man Steve (also known as Fish, for some strange adolescent, teenage hygiene thing, I presume) asked me if I’d like to go and document the whole affair, in words, pictures and on video, all expenses paid. I thought for about a nanosecond and said, “Yes!” Then I went home and informed Mrs GoT and the kids that I was going to America for a week, with a punk band.
Actually, they took it quite well. Mrs GoT thought it was great. The prospect of a week of having the bed to herself was quite appealing. She even got up with me on the day I left to make me some breakfast. That, I think, makes 5 times she’s done that in 19 years! She’ll not be best pleased when she reads that and will protest most vociferously. But we know the truth, don’t we diary? I suppose that she figures that if I end up face first in the 74th floor of the Chrysler Building, due to some towel-head, A-rab, nutball, hijack scenario, then at least we’ll have had that last breakfast together. Or, she just wanted to make sure that I didn’t miss the plane, I suspect. Personally, I would be real pissed to think that I died defacing one of (if not) the most beautiful buildings in the world.
But, I’m digressing…
The 25th anniversary year of the advent of punk in the UK, the week preceding the 1st anniversary of 9-11 – what a week to be going to the New York/New Jersey area – and a punk festival at The Stone Pony, in Asbury Park, New Jersey. I can’t see that the home of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Southside Johnny and favourite haunt of Jon Bon Jovi is a haven for punk but who can tell? I always thought that Asbury Park was sort of like the equivalent of Bournemouth or Brighton. Harrogate with a beach and sea. Oh, that is Bournemouth. Or is that Eastbourne?
I’d better get on with it. The photos tell the story, well, most of it. Obviously, they don’t tell the bits for which there are no photos, but there you are.
Left to right, row by row, here we go…
I’d better get on with it. The photos tell the story, well, most of it. Obviously, they don’t tell the bits for which there are no photos, but there you are.
Left to right, row by row, here we go…
It’s 4 ‘o clock in the morning…
Jeez, I look rough don’t I? I wouldn’t mind, but I’ve never even seen better days. It was 4AM. In the morning! That’s not a time to be getting up. That’s a time to be in bed.
I got to Stevie’s and knocked on the door, trying not to wake up the rest of his family. When he opened the door, I flashed in his face. Then I took this photo. The old ones are still the funniest!
Fish was still busy primping and poncing when I arrived, so I decided to snap this one to show what a hardcore punk legend looks like, in the privacy of his home.
Once we’d got Fish’s crap in my car we headed off round to meet Gash, where our ride to Birmingham Airport was waiting for us. Now, Gash is a bit of a star. The Skeptix original singer, Snotty, broke his leg about a month ago and is still in hospital. There was never any question of cancelling the gig because of that though. If the band doesn’t do HITS USA now, it’ll just be a question of stable doors, horses and locking mechanisms. Anyway, Gash was approached and offered the job of stand-in. He jumped at the chance and we’ll just have to see if he gets the job done and if the fans accept him.
We arrived at Usher’s and found that Ush had gone off to pick up Chig. We needed to be at the Airport for 8AM. We’d told Ush we’d be picking him and Chig up at 5:45. We were on time, but Ush eventually turned up half an hour late. We stuck their gear in the van and then Chig appeared with his luggage - the most hideous brown suitcase in the whole of Christendom. Really, this was the most hateful piece of luggage you’ve ever seen, in your entire life. It is some sort of 1970s-Benidorm-package holiday, cross between a wardrobe and a fake Chesterfield three-piece suite. Hateful.
Eventually, we got everyone in the van, headed off to Birmingham, got stuck in a bit of traffic, suffered Usher’s post curry night bowels and checked in at Continental Airlines, for our flight.
Jeez, I look rough don’t I? I wouldn’t mind, but I’ve never even seen better days. It was 4AM. In the morning! That’s not a time to be getting up. That’s a time to be in bed.
I got to Stevie’s and knocked on the door, trying not to wake up the rest of his family. When he opened the door, I flashed in his face. Then I took this photo. The old ones are still the funniest!
Fish was still busy primping and poncing when I arrived, so I decided to snap this one to show what a hardcore punk legend looks like, in the privacy of his home.
Once we’d got Fish’s crap in my car we headed off round to meet Gash, where our ride to Birmingham Airport was waiting for us. Now, Gash is a bit of a star. The Skeptix original singer, Snotty, broke his leg about a month ago and is still in hospital. There was never any question of cancelling the gig because of that though. If the band doesn’t do HITS USA now, it’ll just be a question of stable doors, horses and locking mechanisms. Anyway, Gash was approached and offered the job of stand-in. He jumped at the chance and we’ll just have to see if he gets the job done and if the fans accept him.
We arrived at Usher’s and found that Ush had gone off to pick up Chig. We needed to be at the Airport for 8AM. We’d told Ush we’d be picking him and Chig up at 5:45. We were on time, but Ush eventually turned up half an hour late. We stuck their gear in the van and then Chig appeared with his luggage - the most hideous brown suitcase in the whole of Christendom. Really, this was the most hateful piece of luggage you’ve ever seen, in your entire life. It is some sort of 1970s-Benidorm-package holiday, cross between a wardrobe and a fake Chesterfield three-piece suite. Hateful.
Eventually, we got everyone in the van, headed off to Birmingham, got stuck in a bit of traffic, suffered Usher’s post curry night bowels and checked in at Continental Airlines, for our flight.
The outward flight…
We checked in, no trouble. Everything was smooth and unproblematic. We got on the plane and started to taxi. As soon as we hit the main runway, Captain Smok’em lit the afterburners and we rocketed down the runway and we were airborne. Very quick.
Fantastic views.
Fish was already battered.
Gash was trying to teach Fish and Chig a card game. Strangely though, there appeared to be no fixed rules and Gash seemed to be making it up as he went along. Fish, in his advanced state of inebriation was getting all worked up and it seemed it would all end in tears.
Usher, was sat next to me and kept dozing off, the result of the six gallons of bitter he’d carried aboard in his bladder.
Chig was making an effort to stay awake but the similar amount of bitter he had brought aboard was causing him difficulties in remaining conscious. I swear that once he and Ush had been to the toilet we picked up speed. All that extra weight, you know.
I don’t suppose Usher will ever believe anything I say ever again. It started out when I began explaining why I seriously believed that the Earth was flat. Then when we spotted land, he asked where it was. I said it was probably Greenland or somewhere like Nova Scotia and promptly explained how the Earth is a globe, and how the shortest point between Birmingham and Newark is actually an arc… and well, let’s just say he didn’t exactly believe me! There was that and I also told him that we were flying over the North Pole…
We checked in, no trouble. Everything was smooth and unproblematic. We got on the plane and started to taxi. As soon as we hit the main runway, Captain Smok’em lit the afterburners and we rocketed down the runway and we were airborne. Very quick.
Fantastic views.
Fish was already battered.
Gash was trying to teach Fish and Chig a card game. Strangely though, there appeared to be no fixed rules and Gash seemed to be making it up as he went along. Fish, in his advanced state of inebriation was getting all worked up and it seemed it would all end in tears.
Usher, was sat next to me and kept dozing off, the result of the six gallons of bitter he’d carried aboard in his bladder.
Chig was making an effort to stay awake but the similar amount of bitter he had brought aboard was causing him difficulties in remaining conscious. I swear that once he and Ush had been to the toilet we picked up speed. All that extra weight, you know.
I don’t suppose Usher will ever believe anything I say ever again. It started out when I began explaining why I seriously believed that the Earth was flat. Then when we spotted land, he asked where it was. I said it was probably Greenland or somewhere like Nova Scotia and promptly explained how the Earth is a globe, and how the shortest point between Birmingham and Newark is actually an arc… and well, let’s just say he didn’t exactly believe me! There was that and I also told him that we were flying over the North Pole…
Newark, NJ airport…
When we landed, being early September, we expected to be frisked, searched, body cavities probed, shoes x-rayed, and what luggage they didn’t blow up, we expected to spread over half of New Jersey. Surprisingly, we breezed through immigration with no problems. Our luggage was not searched; in fact we had already passed through immigration when we picked our luggage up. Then we just walked out into the unbelievable heat of New Jersey.
I have to confess that the pictures at Newark Airport are too dark. My bad. I forgot to whack on the fill in flash to compensate for the incredibly bright natural light. Come on, I was still getting used to the camera! The first two pics are actually Gash and Fish.
We had to wait a while for Adi and John (of the New York Rel-X, who we were staying with for the first couple of days) to come and pick us up. But soon enough, we were on our way.
Click here for the next bit
When we landed, being early September, we expected to be frisked, searched, body cavities probed, shoes x-rayed, and what luggage they didn’t blow up, we expected to spread over half of New Jersey. Surprisingly, we breezed through immigration with no problems. Our luggage was not searched; in fact we had already passed through immigration when we picked our luggage up. Then we just walked out into the unbelievable heat of New Jersey.
I have to confess that the pictures at Newark Airport are too dark. My bad. I forgot to whack on the fill in flash to compensate for the incredibly bright natural light. Come on, I was still getting used to the camera! The first two pics are actually Gash and Fish.
We had to wait a while for Adi and John (of the New York Rel-X, who we were staying with for the first couple of days) to come and pick us up. But soon enough, we were on our way.
Click here for the next bit
