steve's blog

OK, I'm from the North West the root of the country's wealth during the industrial revolution through to the late-mid 20th century. Here we have new creative industries like music with the major cities having a significant contribution to exports and GDP - in Manchester it was bands like the Happy Mondays and Stone Roses' latterly Doves and Elbow. Take That..... mmm, yes, weren't they that band that cavorted in bondage gear and leather in front of middle aged confused men in gay bars. Indeed.

Oh dear, we wound down on the gig-getting front last year for a number of reasons, finally exhausting our booked gigs in February this year - playing just two or three gigs between September and December 2009 but still racking up nearly 70 gigs in that year.

 What's happened -well venues have shut and we are in competition, ahem, with a whole load of new bands playing covers where we do them and a bit of a lull everywhere else. We can get gigs but very little is around until much later in the year.

Brilliant! When asked "what's the biggest myth about the rock world?" Brett Anderson from Suede said "That it's a procession of carnal glamour; it's actually about spending a lot of time backstage, sitting on grubby sofas and fiddling with bits of cheese"

... to you all. 2010, who'd have thought we'd have got here 10 years ago when everyone (well except those geeks who convinced right-minded people to pay them a fortune to stare at a VDU screen for hours on 31st December - they took the piss and drank champagne whilst watching a re-run of Breakfast Club) was worrying about the Y2K Bug.

Regular visitors to the site may have been a bit disappointed that there has been little new in recent weeks. Well that's going to change real soon as we start to announce news and our plans for 2010 - including our return to the USA. And David and Larry are really busy preparing the ground for that. Meantime Larry has been building a home for us on meez.com - have a look at http://www.meez.com/roomz.dm?act=view&room_id=dr1.Kj5yAbcqlkDb&r=536223

A dead laptop battery, limited internet access and lack of opportunity have meant very few (no) blog activity from me. When we have had the chance the pics have come first - hope you have seen them.

They like rock in Chesterfield, and they are starting to like The Amplifires. A whole bunch of guys who we have met before at The County came down to the Vic - quite a long trek really - and they danced, pogo'd and well adored us. We autographed posters as well. We were told the sound was great and we are being re-booked on cancellations and whenever they can fit us in. We also manged to get some gigs in Sheffield too - not Gleadless!

 Thanks guys, its great to feel wanted! See you next time