'The skill in attending a party is knowing when to leave...'

So there I was, minding my own business on the main stage at Butlins in Skegness as Ruts D.C. were in the process of closing this year's Great British Alternative Music Festival - to my left Segs is flanked by Jake Burns and Kirk Brandon, behind me Dave Ruffy is on the drums and steering the ship in customary fashion while Stan Stammers is with me at my microphone; we're all singing 'if you're in a rut, you've gotta get out of it' - as the song ends Stan throws his arms around me and I shake hands with Kirk and Jake before the three of them leave the stage. We're about to slam into 'Babylon's Burning' when I allow myself a moment's thought - 'how the bloody hell did that just happen?' followed swiftly by 'and didn't Richard Jobson say that he was going to join in too?'
All in all it was a suitably surreal end to a wonderful run of Ruts D.C. shows. In the last month or so we've played all over Britain and Ireland and barring the odd mad moment or two it's been an absolute pleasure from start to finish. Our new friends Harry, Adam and Mike from Riverjuke have shown devotion above and beyond the call of duty (well I think that they have, they'd probably say that they're 'just doing their jobs') which has made the band's job immeasurably easier, and even though I say so myself we've played some really great shows. After a batch of gigs like these there's often one or two that stand out as being better or indeed worse that the rest, but I can honestly say that's not the case this time. Ok, maybe Aberdeen (where we were to say the least concerned that the P.A. system wasn't up to the job but which turned out to be a classic evening) and Cardiff (which saw my Marshall amp go wrong again meaning that I was in a less-than-cheery mood; thankfully the Riverjuke boys had thought to bring a spare and the show saw one of the best audience reactions of all) stand out, but not by much. Incidentally my amp's back at the factory for repair and I'm looking at buying the spare - there go the wages. Again. But maybe nothing tops the 'crikey, I'm on stage with members of Theatre Of Hate and Stiff Little Fingers' moment. Strange days Indeed. Most peculiar mama.

So - what now? Well Ruts D.C. return to the stage at the start of November so it was back to basics on Friday night when I rejoined Big Al Reed and The Blistering Buicks for a show at no lesser venue than Hayes Working Men's Club. Al was recovering from a minor operation on his left hand and so wasn't playing acoustic guitar (we usually start the evening with a few acoustic numbers) and so Pete and myself split the duties on his very nice Martin HD 28 - I really must get myself a good acoustic guitar one day... I'd spent a while revising the songs as I'd not played with the band for over a month and had restrung my Stratocaster accordingly - shame I'd neglected to try it through an amplifier as the volume pot had developed a fairly serious-sounding crackle when used. This sort of thing can happen when a guitar isn't played for a while, and hopefully will be cured with a squirt or two of switch cleaner when I get five minutes. (Thinking about it I should perhaps be doing that instead of typing this? Hmm...) And last night I went to The Hope And Anchor in Islington to see the debut performance by RiVeR who feature Matt on guitar - he writes the excellent Elvis In The Clouds blog and attends many of our gigs so it was good to go along and give him a bit of support. A highly enjoyable night saw your humble narrator chatting to quite a few people who had seen and indeed enjoyed Ruts D.C. on this tour, and one gentleman who recognised me as a member of Big Al's band. As I say, strange days indeed... but proof were it needed that you don't get something for nothing in this godforsaken life comes with the news that this coming Friday's Upper Cut gig at The Dolphin in Uxbridge looks like being the band's last ever show. Shame - but nothing lasts forever (sadly!) and we've had a good run so hopefully we'll go out on a high. What was that line that Michael Stipe said when REM split up? A lofty comparison perhaps, but a comparison nevertheless - let's we don't leave our dignity at the front door eh?

R.I.P. R.E.M. / T.O.T.P. / O.G.W.T etc

Well I for one was sad to hear that R.E.M. have decided to 'call it a day as a band'. I've not always liked their music but I've always liked them if you know what I mean - given their immense level of success they seem to me to have remained as independent as possible (always a good thing don't you think?) as well as supporting environmental and human rights causes (something that's often a controversial move particularly in the U.S.A.) and, let's not forget, producing some very good music. For what my opinion is worth I think Peter Buck is one of the great alternative rock guitarists - his anti-guitar-hero approach to playing (perhaps best summarised as 'do what's right for a song rather that what might make you look good') is something that a lot of musicians could learn from; Michael Stipe has always been a fabulously eccentric frontman as well as being a brilliantly original singer (not sure what some of those lyrics are about though!) while the original rhythm section of Mike Mills and Bill Berry are as good a combination as any that you care to name. Since Berry's departure due to illness in 1997 the band have perhaps struggled to reach their earlier heights (although I personally think that 'The Great Beyond' is as good a song as anything from their earlier catalogue) but they remained a classic live act, and as their comments on their website regarding their decision to disband confirm they're a band that will be missed in a rock music world that sadly often devoid of the kind of principals and intelligence that they had in abundance.

No gigs for me this weekend (and none next weekend either - bah!) which meant I was able to catch a typically splendid performance from The Good Old Boys at The General Elliot in Uxbridge on Friday evening. Alan, Pete and myself all agreed that The Rikardo Brothers should chase some more gigs (we haven't been able to get together through the summer due to us all having other work etc) so we're all going to get busy looking for gigs. I've also had time to catch a bit of music on the television - B.B.C. 4 have been re-showing episodes of 'Top Of The Pops' from 1976 over the last few months and I've seen as many of them as I can and apart from the odd appearance from the likes of T. Rex it's been as dreadful (make that dreadful) as you might think it would be. But this week it featured none other than Eddie And The Hot Rods whose barnstorming live performance of Bob Seger's 'Get Out Of Denver' was witnessed by your humble narrator back in the day. I witnessed it again on Thursday night and it was simply fantastic, and a portent of punkier times to come over the next couple of years. I really hope that they continue to show further programmes as some remarkable performances could well be on the horizon. And the same station also showed a compilation of 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' footage this weekend too, some bad, some good, all of it a priceless reminder of the role played by the show in giving many people their first television exposure. And if that wasn't enough 'Later... with Jools Holland' last night featured Wilko Johnson - yes, the King Of Canvey Island live in your own front room. If you missed it then here it is - and there's hopefully more from the great man and his cohorts on Friday evening's show! Maybe I should watch the telly more often!

'Death is pretty final, I'm collecting vinyl, I'm gonna D.J. at the end of the world!'

Tomorrow is Record Store Day.

(Yeah, I know it's very American to use the word 'store' - but that's what the day is called, ok?!?)

So - why am I telling you this and, by implication, why do I think that it's so important? Well, if you're my age it's very difficult in these days of uploads and downloads to tell younger people how exciting, how brilliant and maybe above all how much FUN it was to go out to the shops and come home with a record. Leaving aside all the wondering whether or not you could afford the single and the bus fair home (no credit cards for us kids in them days!) or which of you would buy which single (because you and your mates who you went record shopping with all had a cassette recorder which allowed you to all swap and therefore enjoy and become inspired - whoever said 'home taping is killing music' clearly wasn't a music fan) because it was a real event, even a ritual, to go out with the express intention of coming home with more music to listen to. Well, it was for me anyway... and if it wasn't for you then, well, I had more fun than you did!

The Internet is a truly amazing thing - I would think that we can all agree on that, not least because I wouldn't have something called a 'blog' for you to read without it! - but for me it's nowhere near as amazing place as a record shop (not 'store'!) used to be; that's why I'm happy that there is a 'Record Store Day' as it implies (proves?) that they're still out there, but sad that there has to be a 'day' for something that in my naive little world still existed anyway... and let's face it, if it's good enough for Joe Strummer then it's good enough for me and you!

11.50 a.m. - the publication time is genuine as I wrote the above missive after I got in from having a few beers (a 'pre-gig drink' we used to call it!) with East. I thought I'd better check it this morning as I must admit that I wasn't exactly sure what I'd written... it'll do!!

25 x 4 - The Continuing Adventures Of The Price

Well - that was the weekend that was. Here are a few thoughts and reflections on the last 48 hours written quickly at the times when I could get near a computer. Hope it all makes sense...

Saturday midday

Meat Loaf is on the telly (hang on, I'll just turn it over... ah that's better, LFC TV - well, they won this week so I like 'em again!) and I'm starving. I shouldn't be as I had some beans on toast at the excellent Frank's Cafe in Uxbridge Station earlier but I am. Or maybe - just maybe - I'm nervous?
I re-strung my guitar last night and I made a right mess of it. I've restrung guitars hundreds, thousands, even countless times but it was like I didn't know what I was doing. Weird. While I was attempting to resurrect my ailing SG I got a text message from Malcolm who had just been singing along with some of our songs to practice for the gigs - he felt like he had 'no control' over his voice. Seems I'm not the only one feeling the strain
This day may go slowly; days like these often do. We planned a surprise birthday party for my dad's 65th birthday (incredibly that was 13 years ago!) and when the day finally came it seemed to last forever. About an hour before we were due to leave for what he thought was to be a night of boxing nostalgia I felt as though my stomach was connected directly to the mains electricity; when we finally got him through the door to where everyone was waiting for him I was instantly ok. Amazing. But there's no subterfuge today - we all know exactly what's involved.

Saturday 3 p.m.

Right! I'm about to leave to meet up with everyone at East's for a quick acoustic run-through before going to the venue. I've checked everything twice. Three times. Several times. I don't know how many times. I know I've got everything but that doesn't matter, I'm going to check it one more time. Argh!

Sunday 10 a.m.

I've not long been up. My head aches. Not from drinking (honest!) for once as I only had a few pints; it was almost impossible to get to the bar such was the number of people in the building. No I think this is probably due to dehydration - I don't remember the last time I was sweating so much after 3 songs let alone at the end of a gig. Loads of people, so many surprises (Colin who used to come to the gigs with his brother Gary, Wayne who last saw us 20-odd years ago, Squirrel from the CBB band, and many many more) and more handshakes after the show than I've ever done before. Looking out and seeing practically everyone singing along with practically every song - how do they do that? My SG covered in sweat - or is it condensation? Grown men with tears in their eyes - and that was just the band. We're doing it again tonight. Why can't we do it every night?

Sunday 6 p.m.

My headache's gone. Good. I've checked all my gear again. And again. Time to go back to the venue. Good.

Monday 11.45 a.m.

Another headache, although this one can be accounted for... just spoken to East - he woke up feeling guilty. I told him that I don't think he did anything too untoward although I'm probably not the best person for him to ask... another amazing, emotional, sweat-soaked night. Despite working perfectly the previous night the power supply to my pedal board started to only work intermittently so I called the long-suffering Shirley who bought some PP3 batteries with her - good job it was such a local gig eh? At least that happened before the show - Huggy's bass amp stopped working (possibly overheated?) during our 4th song 'Crazy Times' so we unplugged my microphone and plugged him straight into the P.A. system. Well, it wouldn't be a Price gig if some things didn't go wrong would it? But plenty of other things went right, in fact it's hard to think of how the weekend could have been any better. If you were there you'll know what I mean.

'It's crazy what you could have had' as someone once sang, and it looks as though they were right. I don't know what I'm going to do tonight. Why can't we do that every night?

Well we might not be able to do it every night but here's the next night that we can - Friday 16th April at Tropic At Ruislip where we're supporting The Members, with local legends The Attendants also on the bill. It should be a great night, and there's a downloadable flier on our website that gets you in cheap! Excellent!