#becauseoflostprophets I am who I am today.
#becauseoflostprophets I have been to Birmingham, Edinburgh and Cambridge and met some absolutely awesome people :)
#becauseoflostprophets I now have an English essay to finish, because I was too busy seeing them gig in half term to do any work.
The world is a better place #becauseoflostprophets
I can honestly say I developed an unhealthy and expensive love of Welsh bands #becauseoflostprophets
This is weird. #becauseoflostprophets is 2nd in the UK but nowhere worldwide, and #becauseofjls is 7th worldwide and nowhere in the UK. wtf?
#becauseoflostprophets I have changed my trending list from Worldwide to UK, just so I can see them in the TTs :)
#becauseoflostprophets there is an amazing Welsh music scene :) Though that might not all be just their cause haha
#becauseoflostprophets I sort of want to get the last train home.
#becauseoflostprophets I giggle whenever I have a plastic knife (and I get weird looks)
#becauseoflostprophets me and @PositivelyLost have found Superman ;]
#becauseoflostprophets I have danced on stage in front of 3,000 with @_telenovela
#becauseoflostprophets I had my eyes opened to a wider world of music.
I am currently procrastinating #becauseoflostprophets (and formspring)
#becauseoflostprophets @Cherifly thinks @jockojohnson is a sexy beast. Hooooooo dear.
#becauseoflostprophets my Kitty Hat has become nicknamed The Mouse Hat.
#becauseoflostprophets @VeryWittyName read my blog and became a good friend of mine :D
#becauseoflostprophets I had awesome-fun Travelodge Timez (tm)!
#becauseoflostprophets I now have a really spammed Twitter Feed. Sorry!
#becauseoflostprophets I had discussions about pews flying everywhere via a church moshpit with @PositivelyLost sitting on my lap :D
#becauseoflostprophets Ian Watkins told me off for being unable to stop giggling at a joke that @rubberubberduck made about flying pews. :')
#becauseoflostprophets we have too many injokes. JAM AND CREAM!
#becauseoflostprophets being the number 1 TT in the UK, i am now neglecting my homework. My teacher would feel so #thebetrayed ;D
#becauseoflostprophets My wife just tweeted "#becauseofmywife" and made me giggle so much that it's now obvious I'm not doing my coursework
#becauseoflostprophets i have skipped 2 days of school and probably failed my maths test as a direct result :'D
#becauseoflostprophets @_telenovela tweeted something which made me choke on my cup of tea and start crying in laughter
#becauseoflostprophets I spent my entire February wishing I was somewhere else so I could see them live.
#becauseoflostprophets I know all the words to #thebetrayed and got such happy looks from @LeeGazeProphets for singing along so loudly :')
#becauseoflostprophets far too many teenage girls (and boys) want to do bad things to @ian_watkins
@Cherifly #becauseoflostprophets all people from Birmingham are now known as DIRTY BRUMMIES. I blame #sturichardsonISsuperman.
just typed "she had demonic possesion #becauseoflostprophets" in my english essay. FAIL.
because of my #becauseoflostprophets tweets, @rubberubberduck may soon have a broken keyboard
#becauseofStephProphets #becauseoflostprophets is a trending topic. YOU GO @STEPHPROPHETS COCO!
4 FOR YOU STEPH COCO! RT:@PositivelyLost #becauseofStephProphets #becauseoflostprophets is a trending topic. YOU GO @STEPHPROPHETS COCO!
... what's a rower doing above #becauseoflostprophets?
#becauseoflostprophets i now groan every time I hear the word "rinse".
#becauseoflostprophets I have the confidence to be myself and not follow the crowd :)
#becauseoflostprophets I have something beautiful to listen to while I fall asleep #thebetrayed
#becauseoflostprophets I'm not afraid to dance like a loon and sing my heart out at gigs :')
... I have a lot to thank them for, don't I? And, judging by the fact it reached Number 1 TT for a while, I'm guessing a lot of other people do to <3
Sunday 28 February 2010
Friday 26 February 2010
It's Friday I'm in love... (never mind it's now Saturday)
This blog comes to you in three parts.
Part One: Edinburgh
I should really post my Edinburgh tour blog, but... you know when you don't want to put things into words because it devalues the event? Edinburgh kind of feels like that. I've posted all about Cambridge and Birmingham (the best night of the tour for me), but Edinburgh, though it was more low-key, is something i'm not sure I can describe because it was so unlike a normal gig day.
Part Two: my bank account
Speaking of gigs, there is a good reason why my bank account is currently so empty (read: i have about £100 in there. That's the least I've had in there in about 7 years. This time last year, I had nearly £500. I get maybe £150 a year in christmas/birthday gifts). I have spent almost all my worldly wealth on seeing my favourite bands. This wouldn't be so bad... if I wasn't a student without a job. As soon as I turn 16 I am going to annoy everyone I know until I get a job. Before that - well, I don't know. Bank of Mum and Dad is getting seriously overused. I may have to try babysitting or something equally as atrocious. I know I can't legally help out at most gigs for money until I'm 18 because of insurance from venues, but maybe I'll have a word with my bosses and see if they know anywhere I could get paid grunt work.
Part Three: just general stuff
I miss my friends. I miss some of the most incredible times I've had.
The past year has been the best year of my life. I've made so many great friends, met so many amazing people, seen so many wonderful things. I've had the best nights of my life topped and topped again, and I've got to know myself better. This time last year I was pretty shy and reclusive, but I also had no concept of limits. I'm more confident now, but also more respectful.
It's also been the worst year of my life. Hormones have hit me hard and I can recall a lot more dark times in the past year than I can at almost any other time. I might be a more confident person but I don't know if I'm a better person. I'm also more arrogant, and I've stopped caring how people (except those close to me) see me. I'm eternally stressed now, whereas I used to be carefree. And I've lost some people very dear to me and I don't know how to rebuild the bridges, or if there's even much point if they won't be willing to try and rebuild them too.
I miss being able to be silly and free, and I miss not having things to look forward to. Does that make sense? I used to love just hanging in the present day. Now I'm always thinking about the future, anticipating the next time i get to see the people i love and the next time I'll get the adrenaline rush of live music.
This blog was utterly pointless but hey, maybe reading it, you'll get to understand my mind a bit better.
Part One: Edinburgh
I should really post my Edinburgh tour blog, but... you know when you don't want to put things into words because it devalues the event? Edinburgh kind of feels like that. I've posted all about Cambridge and Birmingham (the best night of the tour for me), but Edinburgh, though it was more low-key, is something i'm not sure I can describe because it was so unlike a normal gig day.
Part Two: my bank account
Speaking of gigs, there is a good reason why my bank account is currently so empty (read: i have about £100 in there. That's the least I've had in there in about 7 years. This time last year, I had nearly £500. I get maybe £150 a year in christmas/birthday gifts). I have spent almost all my worldly wealth on seeing my favourite bands. This wouldn't be so bad... if I wasn't a student without a job. As soon as I turn 16 I am going to annoy everyone I know until I get a job. Before that - well, I don't know. Bank of Mum and Dad is getting seriously overused. I may have to try babysitting or something equally as atrocious. I know I can't legally help out at most gigs for money until I'm 18 because of insurance from venues, but maybe I'll have a word with my bosses and see if they know anywhere I could get paid grunt work.
Part Three: just general stuff
I miss my friends. I miss some of the most incredible times I've had.
The past year has been the best year of my life. I've made so many great friends, met so many amazing people, seen so many wonderful things. I've had the best nights of my life topped and topped again, and I've got to know myself better. This time last year I was pretty shy and reclusive, but I also had no concept of limits. I'm more confident now, but also more respectful.
It's also been the worst year of my life. Hormones have hit me hard and I can recall a lot more dark times in the past year than I can at almost any other time. I might be a more confident person but I don't know if I'm a better person. I'm also more arrogant, and I've stopped caring how people (except those close to me) see me. I'm eternally stressed now, whereas I used to be carefree. And I've lost some people very dear to me and I don't know how to rebuild the bridges, or if there's even much point if they won't be willing to try and rebuild them too.
I miss being able to be silly and free, and I miss not having things to look forward to. Does that make sense? I used to love just hanging in the present day. Now I'm always thinking about the future, anticipating the next time i get to see the people i love and the next time I'll get the adrenaline rush of live music.
This blog was utterly pointless but hey, maybe reading it, you'll get to understand my mind a bit better.
Monday 22 February 2010
"STOP TRYING TO MAKE FETCH HAPPEN, ALED!"
So right now I am holed up in a three star hotel in Edinburgh.
Wow. Wow. Lostprophets in Birmingham. This is tour blog 2/3. Just... wow. Okay, let's see what i can manage.
(Note - this post was done in two parts... and I am now no longer in the hotel.)
Pre-gig:
- Getting up at 8. A positively late start.
- Reaching Brum at around 11 in the rain and sleet and crappy weather
- Getting stranded on the wrong side of the junction and having to beg Kath to come walk me across the underpasses to the Academy
- Realising very quickly that Birmingham in the rain is naaaasty
- Meeting various awesome people who I hadn't met before properly ^^
- Large fries and a muffin in Macdonalds. Nom.
- Getting very wet and sheltering with the Boys Like Girl queue because there was cover!
- Going to Macdonalds again and drying off hoodies/hair/hands under the hand dryers
- Kath passing out on a hand dryer.
- MEAN GIRLS QUOTES ALL DAY!
- Giving up and slumming back to the travelodge witth Aimee and Susie
- Susie dying for an hour.
- Getting back to the gig to a surprising lack of rain.
Gig:
- Getting in to be front row on the left, probably in front of Stu. Pretty decent.
- Slapping the security guard!
- "I love this girl. She has ISSUES!"
- Sharks sounding like The Clash. Pretty decent
- The, um... interesting dancing of the guitarist
- Wondering how old Sharks were (they looked like they were skipping school)
- Spending the entire set trying to work out who the lead singer reminded me of and I still don't know
- Aled being aliiiiiive in Kids' set!
- Having a good ol' fashioned dance and singalong
- Calling various friends and hoping they could hear it
- Mean girls quotes!
- Susie ending up with Aled's stomach in her face and commenting on its lack of squishiness
- Still not beating Leeds in the singalong (BOO!)
- The eternal cheering for Jocko!
- The whole atmosphere... it was amazing.
- "THEY WALKED ON STAGE" - Zoe's contribution to this blog.
- START SOMETHING!
- "Jocko! Jocko! Jocko! Jocko!"
"If you love him so much then why don't you get on stage and encircle him?"
- Getting lifted onstage by the security guard with the lobster red arms (he was the one we'd slapped) and getting deposited in front of Mr Watkins
- Ian staring at me as I scrabbled to my feet most inelegantly.
- Getting dragged onto the riders by Jay after I got lost
- Susie coming up too and a girl called Jad
- Epic grins from all the band
- Jocko being just... excited!
- Ian telling us to sit down and the three of us flatly refusing
- Jay laughing at my DANCE JAY, DANCE! sign
- Doing the Jay dance and singing along to Town Called Hypocrisy and generally making a twat of ourselves infront of 3000 people
- Being filmed by KEITH! (who is rad)
- Getting ushered backstage off the stage
- Adam the barman. A guy who knew all the words. EPIC.
- Moshpit for Shinobi!
- The Light. Just... words cannot describe. <3
Post-gig:
- Begging a plectrum off the security guard :D
- Confusion and hanging out in the wrong place for an hour >.>
- Meeting up with Fran, which was rad, and eating pizza.
- Going round the back and finding everyone
- Jay's drunkeness and general awesomeness... including nearly getting run over, and physically becoming speechless when he talked about wounded soldiers.
- Jocko literally running away but stopping to give me a hug
- Lee stopping to give me a hug and have a very quick chat. I gave him my letter but I have no idea if he's read it or not. Ah well.
- Jay yelling at Sketch and Zoe for getting cold. It was amusing. He practically offered them money for Travelodge rooms.
- Wandering back to Travelodge for sleep and managing to fit 8 people into a room. GOOD TIMES.
And that's about it. I think.
It. Was. AWESOME.
Wow. Wow. Lostprophets in Birmingham. This is tour blog 2/3. Just... wow. Okay, let's see what i can manage.
(Note - this post was done in two parts... and I am now no longer in the hotel.)
Pre-gig:
- Getting up at 8. A positively late start.
- Reaching Brum at around 11 in the rain and sleet and crappy weather
- Getting stranded on the wrong side of the junction and having to beg Kath to come walk me across the underpasses to the Academy
- Realising very quickly that Birmingham in the rain is naaaasty
- Meeting various awesome people who I hadn't met before properly ^^
- Large fries and a muffin in Macdonalds. Nom.
- Getting very wet and sheltering with the Boys Like Girl queue because there was cover!
- Going to Macdonalds again and drying off hoodies/hair/hands under the hand dryers
- Kath passing out on a hand dryer.
- MEAN GIRLS QUOTES ALL DAY!
- Giving up and slumming back to the travelodge witth Aimee and Susie
- Susie dying for an hour.
- Getting back to the gig to a surprising lack of rain.
Gig:
- Getting in to be front row on the left, probably in front of Stu. Pretty decent.
- Slapping the security guard!
- "I love this girl. She has ISSUES!"
- Sharks sounding like The Clash. Pretty decent
- The, um... interesting dancing of the guitarist
- Wondering how old Sharks were (they looked like they were skipping school)
- Spending the entire set trying to work out who the lead singer reminded me of and I still don't know
- Aled being aliiiiiive in Kids' set!
- Having a good ol' fashioned dance and singalong
- Calling various friends and hoping they could hear it
- Mean girls quotes!
- Susie ending up with Aled's stomach in her face and commenting on its lack of squishiness
- Still not beating Leeds in the singalong (BOO!)
- The eternal cheering for Jocko!
- The whole atmosphere... it was amazing.
- "THEY WALKED ON STAGE" - Zoe's contribution to this blog.
- START SOMETHING!
- "Jocko! Jocko! Jocko! Jocko!"
"If you love him so much then why don't you get on stage and encircle him?"
- Getting lifted onstage by the security guard with the lobster red arms (he was the one we'd slapped) and getting deposited in front of Mr Watkins
- Ian staring at me as I scrabbled to my feet most inelegantly.
- Getting dragged onto the riders by Jay after I got lost
- Susie coming up too and a girl called Jad
- Epic grins from all the band
- Jocko being just... excited!
- Ian telling us to sit down and the three of us flatly refusing
- Jay laughing at my DANCE JAY, DANCE! sign
- Doing the Jay dance and singing along to Town Called Hypocrisy and generally making a twat of ourselves infront of 3000 people
- Being filmed by KEITH! (who is rad)
- Getting ushered backstage off the stage
- Adam the barman. A guy who knew all the words. EPIC.
- Moshpit for Shinobi!
- The Light. Just... words cannot describe. <3
Post-gig:
- Begging a plectrum off the security guard :D
- Confusion and hanging out in the wrong place for an hour >.>
- Meeting up with Fran, which was rad, and eating pizza.
- Going round the back and finding everyone
- Jay's drunkeness and general awesomeness... including nearly getting run over, and physically becoming speechless when he talked about wounded soldiers.
- Jocko literally running away but stopping to give me a hug
- Lee stopping to give me a hug and have a very quick chat. I gave him my letter but I have no idea if he's read it or not. Ah well.
- Jay yelling at Sketch and Zoe for getting cold. It was amusing. He practically offered them money for Travelodge rooms.
- Wandering back to Travelodge for sleep and managing to fit 8 people into a room. GOOD TIMES.
And that's about it. I think.
It. Was. AWESOME.
Tuesday 16 February 2010
(I Want You To Be) Mine
I started humming something earlier which was kind of catchy, and I had some words floating around my head, and this was the end result. I think the melody and rhythm rips off Paramore of The Audition or someone like that but hey, it worked out fairly well...
Dedicated to my best friends in the world. You all know who you are.
(I Want You To Be) Mine
I feel like I’ve known you all my life
Like I’ve been in your company
For seven years now
I feel like I could hold you tonight
For a month or a century
You are my dear now
I know that I shouldn’t wish away the days
Until I see you again
And I know it’s selfish but I want you
All to myself
I want you to be mine
Dance, dance, dance with me for a weekend
With me until we can’t walk
On our own two feet
Laugh, laugh, laugh with me behind your hand
Break it down for some small talk
With strangers we meet
I know that I shouldn’t wish away the days
Until I see you again
And I know it’s selfish but I want you
All to myself
I want you to be mine
(You are my best friend
You are my best friend)
Dance with me, dance with me, dance with me,
Dance, dance, dance
Be with me, be with me, be with me,
Stay with me
I don’t care what we do
As long as I’m with you
It’ll be just like heaven
(You are my best friend
You are my best friend)
I know that I shouldn’t wish away the days (you are my best friend)
Until I see you again (you are my best friend)
And I know it’s selfish but I want you (you are my best friend)
All to myself (my best friend)
I want you to be mine (my best friend)
Dedicated to my best friends in the world. You all know who you are.
(I Want You To Be) Mine
I feel like I’ve known you all my life
Like I’ve been in your company
For seven years now
I feel like I could hold you tonight
For a month or a century
You are my dear now
I know that I shouldn’t wish away the days
Until I see you again
And I know it’s selfish but I want you
All to myself
I want you to be mine
Dance, dance, dance with me for a weekend
With me until we can’t walk
On our own two feet
Laugh, laugh, laugh with me behind your hand
Break it down for some small talk
With strangers we meet
I know that I shouldn’t wish away the days
Until I see you again
And I know it’s selfish but I want you
All to myself
I want you to be mine
(You are my best friend
You are my best friend)
Dance with me, dance with me, dance with me,
Dance, dance, dance
Be with me, be with me, be with me,
Stay with me
I don’t care what we do
As long as I’m with you
It’ll be just like heaven
(You are my best friend
You are my best friend)
I know that I shouldn’t wish away the days (you are my best friend)
Until I see you again (you are my best friend)
And I know it’s selfish but I want you (you are my best friend)
All to myself (my best friend)
I want you to be mine (my best friend)
Reasons why I want to be on tour...
After 2 gigs in 4 days, I'm now looking forward to 2 gigs in 3 days. Lostprophets are playing 4 gigs in 5 days and I'm going to 3 of them. This makes me more excited than I can articulate.
So, Tour Week started off yesterday with Cambridge.
Pre-gig:
- Getting woken up at 6am... then 6.05... then 6.10... then 6.15... then 6.20... Finally getting up at 6.25
- The mad panic of leaving the house at 7am to get to the station in time
- Trying and failing to fall asleep on the 7.27 train to Cambridge because someone was eating almonds really loudly behind me.
- Free extra cream and chocolate on my latte at Cambridge station (win)
- Walking down to the Junction before realising this meant I'd gone 20 minutes in the wrong direction
- Arriving a bit after 9 at the Corn Exchange
- Realising I knew Annie and Chloe at the front of the queue
- Huge, free tour posters being given out XD
- Ian Watkins' HAIR HOTLINE. "Hi, you have reached Ian Watkins' hair hotline. Press 1 if you think I looked awesome with a fauxhawk. Press 2 if you think I should wear a hat more often. Press 3 if you loved my blond stripes. Press 0 at any time for more options. Press 4 if you love my quiff. Press 5 if you think I have dandruff. You have pressed 5... I DO NOT HAVE DANDRUFF BITCH!"
- Buying a 5ft Welsh flag at the market for eight quid XD
- More coffee with free cream!
- Susie (KATH!!!) arriving with far too much Valentine's stuff for me :')
- Giving Kath her Valentine and watching her face light up
- Panda arriving!
- Jay and Jocko walking past but too quickly for me to give them my letter.
- Frequently getting asked by people if we were protesting (I love Cambridge) snd only being asked if we were homeless when we said no.
- Chatting to a gay guy in Lush about Lostprophets and how he went to the same high school as Stu. His dad worked at the same place as Stu's dad, too!
- "I feel so old!" "It's nostalgia night at Lush!"
- Buying Millie's Cookies, and Kath buying a huge multicoloured hoodie from a sports shop. Good times.
- Having Panda do my makeup
- Getting covered in glitter in the toilets
- It started snowing... "OMG IT'S IAN WATKINS' DANDRUFF!"
- Eating really nice food (pizza, dough balls, and chocolate fudge cake) for a tenner at a little restaurant opposite the venue. Did I mention I love Cambridge?
- "Eat?" "Why, are you trying to fatten me up?" "Yup!"
- Being the first into the gig and walking to the barrier. Not running. Walking.
Gig:
- Laughing at We Are The Ocean and spying Jocko and Lee sidestage
- Getting metal hands and a huge grin off Lee \m/
- Getting metal hands off Alfie, the guitarist
- Calling Sam for a couple of songs
- Poking Dan in the leg every time he came and sang on the barrier in front of us
- Dan crowdsurfing... and getting lost in the crowd... and re-appearing 10 minutes after their set finished
- Aled not being quite as dead in Kids' set!
- Calling my friends and having an awesome singalong
- Jocko laughing from sidestage at me and Kath doing the macerena
- Shay grinning madly at everyone who was dancing
- "We have a singalong challenge every night. So far Leeds are winning. You beat them in education, can you beat them in singing?" "FUCK LEEDS!" "Alright, calm down love!"
- Kath putting up the Valentine's card I made her with Sunshine lyrics on it and turning it over madly so it matched what Aled was singing
- Singing "Monday" instead of Saturday
- Getting a setlist :D
- Befriending a photographer and getting a sort-of job offer from her magazine - I have her business card with a photo of Jack Barakat on it.
- Lee stealing Ian's white jeans XD
- Epic fun just... dancing and singing and waving various Welsh flags
- Ian's reaction to my sign
- Mike seeing my sign for him and just shrugging in response. Yeah, I'm too cool to wear Nikes...
- Getting splattered by Ian spitting out water. Yay... wet
- OMEN! It's an omeeeeeen!
- JAY'S EPIC DANCING AND DRINKING
- Spending A Thousand Apologies just air-scratching records
- Getting mega-huge grins off Lee
- Stu spending the whole set looking like he needed his Superman cape billowing behind him, just grinning like yeaaaaah
- Yelling random shizzle at Ian and having him stare at us... so Panda got into an argument with him. And won.
- Happy birthday to Keith!
- Jocko giving me a wave when I spent half one of the songs just grinning at him
- "Can you play ballroom music on there? What about bar brawl music?" "No but I can play this!"
- Last Train Home... too beautiful
- "PLAY GODZILLA, DAMMIT!" It started off with just me and Panda, but we managed to get the chant going enough to get them to play Godzilla. Hellyeah!
- Ian pretending to be deaf when the crowd cried for Shinobi
- The Light That Shines Twice As Bright as the encore, holding Kath's hand and calling Vikki. <3
Post-gig:
- Kath finding an LP plectrum on the floor
- Walking past Joel at the doors out
- Phil coming up to Kath and telling her that he loved her sign ^^
- Chatting to Aled - I got a cwtch and my setlist signed,
- Aled proceeding to wish Kath a happy anniversary for her 10th show and signing her valentine's card and sticker... when really Shay should've signed her card XD "He's the only guy you'd ever go straight for!"
- Having a long and detailed discussion about the Hertfordshire music scene with Alfie from We Are The Ocean: "You've got Hitchin at the top which is My Passion country, St Albans in the middle which is Enter Shikari country, and the south is..." "Watford, Gallows country!"
- Alfie guessing I was 18 or 19... he's only just turned 18 himself, bless'im.
- Chatting to Dan about getting lost in the crowd and laughing at him
All in all, it was a mighty, mighty good day.
And I want it to happen every day for two weeks, for a month, for half a year. I want to get a job as a tech and scramble around gathering up cables and adjusting mikes. I want to be a merch girl, sorting out the tshirts and hats and display board. But most of all, I want to be a journalist and document my travels with whichever band I end up with. I want to tell the world about every amusing detail I can find, so that everyone else who wishes they were on tour too can feel like they are.
One day I'll be on a tour. I promise. For now, I'll have to put up with the £200 or so of expenses that comes part and parcel with Tour Week.
And I cannot bloody wait.
So, Tour Week started off yesterday with Cambridge.
Pre-gig:
- Getting woken up at 6am... then 6.05... then 6.10... then 6.15... then 6.20... Finally getting up at 6.25
- The mad panic of leaving the house at 7am to get to the station in time
- Trying and failing to fall asleep on the 7.27 train to Cambridge because someone was eating almonds really loudly behind me.
- Free extra cream and chocolate on my latte at Cambridge station (win)
- Walking down to the Junction before realising this meant I'd gone 20 minutes in the wrong direction
- Arriving a bit after 9 at the Corn Exchange
- Realising I knew Annie and Chloe at the front of the queue
- Huge, free tour posters being given out XD
- Ian Watkins' HAIR HOTLINE. "Hi, you have reached Ian Watkins' hair hotline. Press 1 if you think I looked awesome with a fauxhawk. Press 2 if you think I should wear a hat more often. Press 3 if you loved my blond stripes. Press 0 at any time for more options. Press 4 if you love my quiff. Press 5 if you think I have dandruff. You have pressed 5... I DO NOT HAVE DANDRUFF BITCH!"
- Buying a 5ft Welsh flag at the market for eight quid XD
- More coffee with free cream!
- Susie (KATH!!!) arriving with far too much Valentine's stuff for me :')
- Giving Kath her Valentine and watching her face light up
- Panda arriving!
- Jay and Jocko walking past but too quickly for me to give them my letter.
- Frequently getting asked by people if we were protesting (I love Cambridge) snd only being asked if we were homeless when we said no.
- Chatting to a gay guy in Lush about Lostprophets and how he went to the same high school as Stu. His dad worked at the same place as Stu's dad, too!
- "I feel so old!" "It's nostalgia night at Lush!"
- Buying Millie's Cookies, and Kath buying a huge multicoloured hoodie from a sports shop. Good times.
- Having Panda do my makeup
- Getting covered in glitter in the toilets
- It started snowing... "OMG IT'S IAN WATKINS' DANDRUFF!"
- Eating really nice food (pizza, dough balls, and chocolate fudge cake) for a tenner at a little restaurant opposite the venue. Did I mention I love Cambridge?
- "Eat?" "Why, are you trying to fatten me up?" "Yup!"
- Being the first into the gig and walking to the barrier. Not running. Walking.
Gig:
- Laughing at We Are The Ocean and spying Jocko and Lee sidestage
- Getting metal hands and a huge grin off Lee \m/
- Getting metal hands off Alfie, the guitarist
- Calling Sam for a couple of songs
- Poking Dan in the leg every time he came and sang on the barrier in front of us
- Dan crowdsurfing... and getting lost in the crowd... and re-appearing 10 minutes after their set finished
- Aled not being quite as dead in Kids' set!
- Calling my friends and having an awesome singalong
- Jocko laughing from sidestage at me and Kath doing the macerena
- Shay grinning madly at everyone who was dancing
- "We have a singalong challenge every night. So far Leeds are winning. You beat them in education, can you beat them in singing?" "FUCK LEEDS!" "Alright, calm down love!"
- Kath putting up the Valentine's card I made her with Sunshine lyrics on it and turning it over madly so it matched what Aled was singing
- Singing "Monday" instead of Saturday
- Getting a setlist :D
- Befriending a photographer and getting a sort-of job offer from her magazine - I have her business card with a photo of Jack Barakat on it.
- Lee stealing Ian's white jeans XD
- Epic fun just... dancing and singing and waving various Welsh flags
- Ian's reaction to my sign
- Mike seeing my sign for him and just shrugging in response. Yeah, I'm too cool to wear Nikes...
- Getting splattered by Ian spitting out water. Yay... wet
- OMEN! It's an omeeeeeen!
- JAY'S EPIC DANCING AND DRINKING
- Spending A Thousand Apologies just air-scratching records
- Getting mega-huge grins off Lee
- Stu spending the whole set looking like he needed his Superman cape billowing behind him, just grinning like yeaaaaah
- Yelling random shizzle at Ian and having him stare at us... so Panda got into an argument with him. And won.
- Happy birthday to Keith!
- Jocko giving me a wave when I spent half one of the songs just grinning at him
- "Can you play ballroom music on there? What about bar brawl music?" "No but I can play this!"
- Last Train Home... too beautiful
- "PLAY GODZILLA, DAMMIT!" It started off with just me and Panda, but we managed to get the chant going enough to get them to play Godzilla. Hellyeah!
- Ian pretending to be deaf when the crowd cried for Shinobi
- The Light That Shines Twice As Bright as the encore, holding Kath's hand and calling Vikki. <3
Post-gig:
- Kath finding an LP plectrum on the floor
- Walking past Joel at the doors out
- Phil coming up to Kath and telling her that he loved her sign ^^
- Chatting to Aled - I got a cwtch and my setlist signed,
- Aled proceeding to wish Kath a happy anniversary for her 10th show and signing her valentine's card and sticker... when really Shay should've signed her card XD "He's the only guy you'd ever go straight for!"
- Having a long and detailed discussion about the Hertfordshire music scene with Alfie from We Are The Ocean: "You've got Hitchin at the top which is My Passion country, St Albans in the middle which is Enter Shikari country, and the south is..." "Watford, Gallows country!"
- Alfie guessing I was 18 or 19... he's only just turned 18 himself, bless'im.
- Chatting to Dan about getting lost in the crowd and laughing at him
All in all, it was a mighty, mighty good day.
And I want it to happen every day for two weeks, for a month, for half a year. I want to get a job as a tech and scramble around gathering up cables and adjusting mikes. I want to be a merch girl, sorting out the tshirts and hats and display board. But most of all, I want to be a journalist and document my travels with whichever band I end up with. I want to tell the world about every amusing detail I can find, so that everyone else who wishes they were on tour too can feel like they are.
One day I'll be on a tour. I promise. For now, I'll have to put up with the £200 or so of expenses that comes part and parcel with Tour Week.
And I cannot bloody wait.
Friday 12 February 2010
Apparently my ideal life centres around my husband and nothing else.
Lostprophets was too awesome for words, so I may try to articulate it tomorrow. Today, you get a rant.
Yay? Have you missed them? If you have then... I'm not sure whether to be honoured or sad.
But first, a sidenote - I fell asleep in the brown chair in my living room today and had the best dream I'd had in a while. Yeah, it involved the LPizzles. Stu got a cape and turned into Superman; Ian ended up protecting the modesty of girls wearing skirts in windy weather; Lee had a huge grin all over his face, and of course all the 'Prophetlets had started a band at the tender age of a couple of weeks/months/years old (seriously, there should so be a Lostprophets Junior with their kids. Lee's son Daniyal is destined to be an epic drummer).
Today, in PSHE (Personal Social Health education... basically everyone talking to each other about "issues" and pretending not to feel awkward), our lesson started off by everyone lying down on the floor. Everyone sat there looking heartbroken for ten minutes whingeing about the crumbs while I was lying on my back having a nice doze. By the time everyone had spread out and settled down, our teacher decided to take us on an "imaginary voyage" through our dream life.
Right, I thought, this'll be fun. I instantly pictured myself beside a tour bus, laughing with one of my favourite bands as their friend or tech or both. I was cheerfully getting lost in my daydream when I heard my teacher's voice.
"Imagine your ideal man. Your potential husband."
Fuck, I know I'm not getting married! And though if I do end up with a long time lover then, though it'll probably be a guy, there's a pretty good chance it could be a girl as well. This, and who said my dream even involved being romantically involved with anyone anyway? I could just be single, footloose and fancy free, for the rest of my life. So straight away, I was pissed off with this. Our teacher assumed that, in our ideal life, our careers and ambitions played second fiddle to getting a guy.
Well... Okay, I could just about put up with this. I guess a guy could be part of my dream. I conjured up an image of my current biggest crush (Gus, OBVS), and settled back into my sleepy daze.
"How would he date you? How would he propose to you? What would the wedding be like?"
Um... what? So this isn't our dream future life, it's our dream future life if we were living a hundred years ago when all we had to hope for was a nice young man and a nice house. My dream future is so much more than just a lover. Sure, I've never been in love, and it'd probably be pretty damn rad, but would it really dictate my future life? If it was a choice between my friends and my love, well, I'd go for my friends as I love them all so much, and who says that friendship love is any less than romantic love anyway?
"Where would you live after you got married? And maybe, after a few years of being together, you'd have kids? Have many?"
Um, did you notice the whole I'm-not-getting-married thing? And kids ~after I'm married? What if I want kids and never want to get married? Does that make my life not ideal, not my dream, less than anyone else's dream just because they're conventional and staying within the non-controversial bounds of accepted society? Besides, if I ever felt maternal, I'd adopt. There are enough kids without homes in the world. We should sort out them before we start bringing more children into the world. And now on another note:
My cousin got pregnant at 19 and had a little boy, the best thing that ever happened to her. She got married at 23 to a man who is not his father, and now she's expecting twin girls. My point is, her life isn't conventional. She didn't get married to the first man she slept with. Maybe it didn't work out exactly as she planned it, but it's still her life and as long as she's happy, what right has anyone got to take it away from her?
This, and I was still lying on the floor, wondering why nobody had mentioned jobs yet. What am I going to do, raise the kids while my husband goes out and earns money? Hell no!
Afterwards, everyone was asked for various details. In a class of 14/15 year old girls, everyone had got an idea of their dream man. Fair enough, so had I at that moment in time, because Gus is beautiful inside and out. But nobody else seemed to have noticed the whole job issue. Out of 21 of us, I would say that 16 or 17 had mentally planned their proposals, already got their wedding perfectly planned, and worked out all the other details: "I want two kids, one for each hand. Girls, not boys." Everyone mentioned beautiful weddings and living in huge houses out in the country.
"What about you, V?"
"I'd get a cosy little flat near a tube station. Maybe in Edgeware or a nice part of London. Or maybe Cardiff. I don't know, I'm 15. Why would I have my life already mapped out?"
Everyone just looked at me like I'd told them I planned on spending my adulthood swallowing living kittens for a living.
So, that was my rant for today. My ideal life may involve a lover, but s/he will not be the be-all and end-all. And I think our society should stop encouraging girls to think like drones, a school of thought perpetuated by things like the Twilight saga, and let us be free. I bet if you'd done the same experiment in a boys' school, nobody would have all that all mapped out. My brother doesn't even know where he wants to go to uni, and that's six months away.
My dream for my life is this: be a rock journalist. Have fun. Laugh and sing and let everyone know I don't give a shit what you think of me. Screw marriage, screw a house in the country, screw kids who'll inherit my greasy hair and sore lips. I don't know what life will hold for me until I get there, and I certainly don't want to ruin it by planning too much.
Yay? Have you missed them? If you have then... I'm not sure whether to be honoured or sad.
But first, a sidenote - I fell asleep in the brown chair in my living room today and had the best dream I'd had in a while. Yeah, it involved the LPizzles. Stu got a cape and turned into Superman; Ian ended up protecting the modesty of girls wearing skirts in windy weather; Lee had a huge grin all over his face, and of course all the 'Prophetlets had started a band at the tender age of a couple of weeks/months/years old (seriously, there should so be a Lostprophets Junior with their kids. Lee's son Daniyal is destined to be an epic drummer).
Today, in PSHE (Personal Social Health education... basically everyone talking to each other about "issues" and pretending not to feel awkward), our lesson started off by everyone lying down on the floor. Everyone sat there looking heartbroken for ten minutes whingeing about the crumbs while I was lying on my back having a nice doze. By the time everyone had spread out and settled down, our teacher decided to take us on an "imaginary voyage" through our dream life.
Right, I thought, this'll be fun. I instantly pictured myself beside a tour bus, laughing with one of my favourite bands as their friend or tech or both. I was cheerfully getting lost in my daydream when I heard my teacher's voice.
"Imagine your ideal man. Your potential husband."
Fuck, I know I'm not getting married! And though if I do end up with a long time lover then, though it'll probably be a guy, there's a pretty good chance it could be a girl as well. This, and who said my dream even involved being romantically involved with anyone anyway? I could just be single, footloose and fancy free, for the rest of my life. So straight away, I was pissed off with this. Our teacher assumed that, in our ideal life, our careers and ambitions played second fiddle to getting a guy.
Well... Okay, I could just about put up with this. I guess a guy could be part of my dream. I conjured up an image of my current biggest crush (Gus, OBVS), and settled back into my sleepy daze.
"How would he date you? How would he propose to you? What would the wedding be like?"
Um... what? So this isn't our dream future life, it's our dream future life if we were living a hundred years ago when all we had to hope for was a nice young man and a nice house. My dream future is so much more than just a lover. Sure, I've never been in love, and it'd probably be pretty damn rad, but would it really dictate my future life? If it was a choice between my friends and my love, well, I'd go for my friends as I love them all so much, and who says that friendship love is any less than romantic love anyway?
"Where would you live after you got married? And maybe, after a few years of being together, you'd have kids? Have many?"
Um, did you notice the whole I'm-not-getting-married thing? And kids ~after I'm married? What if I want kids and never want to get married? Does that make my life not ideal, not my dream, less than anyone else's dream just because they're conventional and staying within the non-controversial bounds of accepted society? Besides, if I ever felt maternal, I'd adopt. There are enough kids without homes in the world. We should sort out them before we start bringing more children into the world. And now on another note:
My cousin got pregnant at 19 and had a little boy, the best thing that ever happened to her. She got married at 23 to a man who is not his father, and now she's expecting twin girls. My point is, her life isn't conventional. She didn't get married to the first man she slept with. Maybe it didn't work out exactly as she planned it, but it's still her life and as long as she's happy, what right has anyone got to take it away from her?
This, and I was still lying on the floor, wondering why nobody had mentioned jobs yet. What am I going to do, raise the kids while my husband goes out and earns money? Hell no!
Afterwards, everyone was asked for various details. In a class of 14/15 year old girls, everyone had got an idea of their dream man. Fair enough, so had I at that moment in time, because Gus is beautiful inside and out. But nobody else seemed to have noticed the whole job issue. Out of 21 of us, I would say that 16 or 17 had mentally planned their proposals, already got their wedding perfectly planned, and worked out all the other details: "I want two kids, one for each hand. Girls, not boys." Everyone mentioned beautiful weddings and living in huge houses out in the country.
"What about you, V?"
"I'd get a cosy little flat near a tube station. Maybe in Edgeware or a nice part of London. Or maybe Cardiff. I don't know, I'm 15. Why would I have my life already mapped out?"
Everyone just looked at me like I'd told them I planned on spending my adulthood swallowing living kittens for a living.
So, that was my rant for today. My ideal life may involve a lover, but s/he will not be the be-all and end-all. And I think our society should stop encouraging girls to think like drones, a school of thought perpetuated by things like the Twilight saga, and let us be free. I bet if you'd done the same experiment in a boys' school, nobody would have all that all mapped out. My brother doesn't even know where he wants to go to uni, and that's six months away.
My dream for my life is this: be a rock journalist. Have fun. Laugh and sing and let everyone know I don't give a shit what you think of me. Screw marriage, screw a house in the country, screw kids who'll inherit my greasy hair and sore lips. I don't know what life will hold for me until I get there, and I certainly don't want to ruin it by planning too much.
Tuesday 9 February 2010
An apology
Yo bitch,
So you've read my blog on how the world is going to pot and instead of focusing on the main point of it - the fact that we are all doomed - and decided to focus on the fact I called everyone at my school a wannabe chav in order to make a point. You then decided to take this personally.
Um... no. Look here dumbass, maybe I shoulda said prep. Frankly I don't give two shits if you're offended or not. You're still a shallow, annoying idiot who calls me by my full name and still cannot pronounce it correctly (it apparently ends in "aaaaaaar").
Lead a good life, and I hope you go to heaven, because I sure as shit don't want to see you while I'm partying in hell.
So you've read my blog on how the world is going to pot and instead of focusing on the main point of it - the fact that we are all doomed - and decided to focus on the fact I called everyone at my school a wannabe chav in order to make a point. You then decided to take this personally.
Um... no. Look here dumbass, maybe I shoulda said prep. Frankly I don't give two shits if you're offended or not. You're still a shallow, annoying idiot who calls me by my full name and still cannot pronounce it correctly (it apparently ends in "aaaaaaar").
Lead a good life, and I hope you go to heaven, because I sure as shit don't want to see you while I'm partying in hell.
Monday 8 February 2010
THE EPIC ADVENTURE OF THE YEAR 2010
My French is all about Young Guns.
Right now I am on MSN talking to Vikki and Sam about Lostprophets and Young Guns in Cardiff. It is gonna be THE EPIC ADVENTURE OF THE YEAR.
I will soon be going to bed, listening to Lostprophets and chilling out with an awesome Jodi Picoult book.
I have Lostprophets on Thursday. It is meant to snow, but I will get into London if it kills me on Thursday.
I spent Physics today doodling, and got out of doing History notes because my arm was killing me.
On Wednesday I'm going to dye my fringe again and potentially kill it.
Despite the fact I lost a lot of important stuff on Friday, I learnt my lesson and I found one of the things (my pick) on the driveway, and I'm buying replacements for Hoppy and Happy. They won't be the same but I'm sure toys can be reincarnated, so I'll stick to believing that. Crazy? You know it.
I hate the roundhouse, and my hatred of the concept of fanclubs still hasn't rebated, but if you're in one, I don't hate you. I may have issues with you, but as long as you're an awesome person I'm not that concerned really (:
All I can say now is - BRING ON THE EPIC ADVENTURE OF THE YEAR 2010! CARDIFF HERE WE COME YOU NOT-QUITE-MERTHYRDUCKERS!
Right now I am on MSN talking to Vikki and Sam about Lostprophets and Young Guns in Cardiff. It is gonna be THE EPIC ADVENTURE OF THE YEAR.
I will soon be going to bed, listening to Lostprophets and chilling out with an awesome Jodi Picoult book.
I have Lostprophets on Thursday. It is meant to snow, but I will get into London if it kills me on Thursday.
I spent Physics today doodling, and got out of doing History notes because my arm was killing me.
On Wednesday I'm going to dye my fringe again and potentially kill it.
Despite the fact I lost a lot of important stuff on Friday, I learnt my lesson and I found one of the things (my pick) on the driveway, and I'm buying replacements for Hoppy and Happy. They won't be the same but I'm sure toys can be reincarnated, so I'll stick to believing that. Crazy? You know it.
I hate the roundhouse, and my hatred of the concept of fanclubs still hasn't rebated, but if you're in one, I don't hate you. I may have issues with you, but as long as you're an awesome person I'm not that concerned really (:
All I can say now is - BRING ON THE EPIC ADVENTURE OF THE YEAR 2010! CARDIFF HERE WE COME YOU NOT-QUITE-MERTHYRDUCKERS!
Tuesday 2 February 2010
As long as there will be rain...
...there will be clear skies after. Hope that's true for my sake, as my Thursday/Friday/Saturday will be spent being very cold and getting very wet. Today's blog comes to you in several sections: pondering, pissed off, and... um, some other word beginning with p. P-amusing?
PONDERING
Life gets ups and downs, but it'll always be better. I guess you've just to grin and bear the rain and wait for the sunshine afterwards. Or just find a way to get yourself some instant sunshine, talking to friends or listening to a favourite song.
In other unimportant news, I frequently end up in awkward conversations. I just got the following tweet from a friend o'mine, Zak:
"personally one would think that gay guys would like skinnier cocks. less chance of hemmeroids that way"
And I have no clue how the hell to reply. Perhaps, "not being a gay guy, I wouldn't know either way"? I always have to be kinda careful about what I say to him though as he's going through some tough times - the rain. But apparently my English optimism always cheers him up.
Edit - now we are discussing my sexuality. I can summarise by the way my friend described her sexuality: "I like pretty people". Screw if they're male or female, so long as they're pretty, musically talented and nice people, I'll probably like them. That said, I don't like every pretty, musical person I know... Yeah, I'mma shut up about that now and go onto something else.
I've made so many new friends, and - weirdly - a lot of them actually seem to genuinely like me. I find this incredible, and very strange. Some of them, without any prompts, have just randomly said they love me and they're glad I'm friends with them. I'm normally the person saying that, and to have it the other way round is really touching.
PISSED OFF
Now I have an Ethics presentation to continue all about poverty. Dear overpaid footballers: you get £160,000 a week for kicking a ball around. Do us a favour and give that to the 90% or so of the global population who do real work and get appitance for it. I don't care if it means you can't afford a new car, there are people out there who can't afford to EAT. And dear all governmnets everywhere: sort it out, mmkay?
I'm studying the Arms Trade. It's really rather depressing. The small arms trade feeds off vulnerability; people don't have money, and that makes them feel weak. So what do they do? They buy something to protect themselves; arms. Crime rates rise through illegal trade, and with crime comes injury and death and a whole vicious cycle of poverty. And the global arms trade - well, it's one of the most expensive industries in the world. Governments, especially those of poorer countries, are spending so much on weaponry that their people are suffering. Godammit, it's like the Cold War all over again. Spending billions of weapons you'll never use and bankrupting your nation means a lower standard of living, higher poverty rates and general doominess for all involved.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE...
I... um... Dammit, I'm so pissed off thinking about the arms trade that I'mma have to shut up now and do my ethics! Seriously, governments, what the hell? You need food, not more friggin missiles!
We just have to try and understand the problems from the past and make it through all the bloody problems we're facing now, because tomorrow can only be better.
When I was a kid I filled bottles with messages of hope
Now I wake up clutching broken glass
Cause all my questions have been answered by the flood
Even those I never asked
All the storms that I've seen
Are countless reasons not to believe
But I know that as long as there will be rain
There will be clear skies after
Every day under the sky I stood, arms raised in imitation
Watching birds in flight
Now I'm older youth has passed me by
But I'll keep reaching till I get what's mine
All the storms that I've seen
Are countless reasons not to believe
But I know that as long as there will be rain
There will be clear skies after
No matter how far I go
I know that you are by my side
Together we'll see this through
As long as I am still alive
All the storms that I've seen
Are countless reasons not to believe
But I know that as long as there will be rain
There will be clear skies after
There will be rain, there will be clear skies after
There will be rain, there will be clear skies after
PONDERING
Life gets ups and downs, but it'll always be better. I guess you've just to grin and bear the rain and wait for the sunshine afterwards. Or just find a way to get yourself some instant sunshine, talking to friends or listening to a favourite song.
In other unimportant news, I frequently end up in awkward conversations. I just got the following tweet from a friend o'mine, Zak:
"personally one would think that gay guys would like skinnier cocks. less chance of hemmeroids that way"
And I have no clue how the hell to reply. Perhaps, "not being a gay guy, I wouldn't know either way"? I always have to be kinda careful about what I say to him though as he's going through some tough times - the rain. But apparently my English optimism always cheers him up.
Edit - now we are discussing my sexuality. I can summarise by the way my friend described her sexuality: "I like pretty people". Screw if they're male or female, so long as they're pretty, musically talented and nice people, I'll probably like them. That said, I don't like every pretty, musical person I know... Yeah, I'mma shut up about that now and go onto something else.
I've made so many new friends, and - weirdly - a lot of them actually seem to genuinely like me. I find this incredible, and very strange. Some of them, without any prompts, have just randomly said they love me and they're glad I'm friends with them. I'm normally the person saying that, and to have it the other way round is really touching.
PISSED OFF
Now I have an Ethics presentation to continue all about poverty. Dear overpaid footballers: you get £160,000 a week for kicking a ball around. Do us a favour and give that to the 90% or so of the global population who do real work and get appitance for it. I don't care if it means you can't afford a new car, there are people out there who can't afford to EAT. And dear all governmnets everywhere: sort it out, mmkay?
I'm studying the Arms Trade. It's really rather depressing. The small arms trade feeds off vulnerability; people don't have money, and that makes them feel weak. So what do they do? They buy something to protect themselves; arms. Crime rates rise through illegal trade, and with crime comes injury and death and a whole vicious cycle of poverty. And the global arms trade - well, it's one of the most expensive industries in the world. Governments, especially those of poorer countries, are spending so much on weaponry that their people are suffering. Godammit, it's like the Cold War all over again. Spending billions of weapons you'll never use and bankrupting your nation means a lower standard of living, higher poverty rates and general doominess for all involved.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE...
I... um... Dammit, I'm so pissed off thinking about the arms trade that I'mma have to shut up now and do my ethics! Seriously, governments, what the hell? You need food, not more friggin missiles!
We just have to try and understand the problems from the past and make it through all the bloody problems we're facing now, because tomorrow can only be better.
When I was a kid I filled bottles with messages of hope
Now I wake up clutching broken glass
Cause all my questions have been answered by the flood
Even those I never asked
All the storms that I've seen
Are countless reasons not to believe
But I know that as long as there will be rain
There will be clear skies after
Every day under the sky I stood, arms raised in imitation
Watching birds in flight
Now I'm older youth has passed me by
But I'll keep reaching till I get what's mine
All the storms that I've seen
Are countless reasons not to believe
But I know that as long as there will be rain
There will be clear skies after
No matter how far I go
I know that you are by my side
Together we'll see this through
As long as I am still alive
All the storms that I've seen
Are countless reasons not to believe
But I know that as long as there will be rain
There will be clear skies after
There will be rain, there will be clear skies after
There will be rain, there will be clear skies after
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
