British Sea Power

Australia

We’re heading off to Australia soon for the first time, leaving ‘Frozen Britain’ behind for a week.

We’ll be playing a few standard issue rock sets and a couple of Man of Aran shows too, that is if Yans 3/4 size Cello doesn’t get smashed up by the airlines game-for-a-laugh baggage handlers.

The first few things that sprang to my mind when i found out we were going to Australasia were firstly, sunshine, and the chance to have group break before we mix our new album in March.

Secondly, was the fantastic Flying Nun Record label, especially the recent-ish Stephen Malkmus cover of the Verlaines song “Death and the Maiden” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-GqgN00Kr0

Thirdly, was the time jovial aussie Barry Humphries stole our rider.
It was at Sir John Betjemans (the late Poet Laureate) centenary celebrations.
The event was at the hoity toity ‘Prince of Wales Theatre’, and we performed a cover of Jim Parker and John Betjemans song ‘The Licorice Fields in Pontefract’.

Backstage, sat amidst Richard E Grant, Ronnie Corbet, Nick Cave and Joanna Lumley, we were asked to hide the bands drinks rider from Barry Humphries.
While our backs were turned, a litre bottle of vodka went missing.
30 minutes later Barry Humphries alter ego ‘Sir Les Patterson’ was fervently spraying saliva over the front 3 rows of upper crusters. Good Lad.

Later that evening our shopkeeper, wearing nothing but a victorian bathing suit, shook the hand of Prince Charles and caused a full security alert whilst the newspapers snapped away. Sir John Betjeman would have laughed.

Australia here we come.

Noble

(We aren’t able to make it to NZ this time, but we live in hope)