My Blog
Copenhagen, June 28nd - Kløften Festival
I've put up a little vlog from our performance at a small Danish Festival.
It's a bit odd to play these afternoon shows in broad daylight, I'm sure you can imagine. It's quite a different vibe than when your in a venue surrounded by darkness and coloured lights... But good fun!
Next Sunday at 3 o'clock in the afternoon we're playing the main stage at Roskilde Festival which is one of the biggest in Europe, as far as I know. I've heard many stories of bands that have "died" on that stage!
London, June 22nd - Push-up...
Wow, it's been almost a month since I last posted anything! Where have I been?
I have been working on two different video blogs, actually, but they seem to be a bit harder to finish than the recent "on-the-road-on-my-own-with-not-much-else-to-do"-vlogs...
One of them is about... No, wait... Let me start from where I left it off. Might as well...
I came back from America and did a week of songwriting here in London which, if you were to look at it as an outside spectator, would look like I wasn't doing anything at all.
Aimlesly wandering the streets of my neighborhood, spending hours in various local cafes, listening to music on my too-big-for-my-head-headphones, scribbling in my notebook, phones turned off...
The songs were for the third ep of the trilogy that's coming out later this year. I'd pretty much finished them already but the final touches are usually the hardest. And when I'm at the end of writing an album there's always some intangible, intuitive inner struggle to try and figure out if "the overall journey" contains all the colours and textures I intended or whether there's a song missing / or something new needs to be built into an existing song / and most of all thoughts about arrangements and production.
It's a bit easier with these eps as the whole point of them is to do things intuitively and without too much thought. And also it's only 6-7 tracks on each. But still...
I love creating that journey through a collection of songs and I hope to God "the album" isn't going to die completely by the sword of "shuffle" and handpicking tracks from albums on Itunes...
A week later I went back to Denmark for a day's rehearsal with my band and then our first show of this summer, in Copenhagen. Thousands of people on the loveliest sunny evening - couldn't have been a better start!
After this I had four days in the studio with Dennis Ahlgren, my long-term music playmate. If you don't know already: Dennis and I have produced both Fuel, Notes, Count To Ten and now these eps together.
He plays the guitar in my band but is a skilled studio technician and also plays drums and bass and various other stuff on these eps.
They're fun to do 'cause both of us just jump in whenever we feel like putting something down. And we deliberately work under heavy time pressure. This way, if the song isn't strong enough you hear it instantly and you haven't really got time to "fix it" - you move on, go with the flow, go where the music wants to go... So there's a lot of "killing darlings" which I've become an expert on by now...
Another three festivals with the band - one where I got on stage and realised I was standing right in the burning sun with no sunscreen on and no chance of escape. After 75 minutes my shoulders, arms and feet were roasted and my guitar was at the melting point.
The next weekend - on the contrary - it was so cold I was doing push-ups behind the curtain in high heels and summery dress 5 seconds before going on stage...
That's Danish summer weather for ya...
Anyway, now back to the video blog thing.
One of the ones I'm gonna post before too long is an introduction to my band - who I've played with for over ten years now! - and is meant to take you out on a couple of festivals with us...
We're playing the mainstage at Roskilde Festival in 2 weeks - one of the biggest in Europe with about 100.000 people, I think. So keep your fingers crossed for sunshine on July 6th!
I'll make sure to film...
The other video blog will take you to the studio with Dennis and I for a peek at the recording process and all that. What I've discovered is that it's SOOO boring to watch people in the studio, though, but I'll see what I can do to spice it up!
Anyways, all for now but will be back soon...
Los Angeles, May 25th - "The Manager" + Tour Finale in Seattle
Here's a vlog about me and my manager, Jonathan Morley, who's been by my side for the past 7 1/2 years!!
Also a bit about this year's travelling and finishing my American tour in Seattle...
San Diego, May 16th - Tina + Teitur + Helgi Jonsson
I've played some shows with these two guys in Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto and Detroit and put a little vlog together.
Teitur's got a new album out: "The Singer"
www.myspace.com/teitur
And Icelandic Helgi Jonsson's got the ep "Aska" out + a new album in September
www.myspace.com/helgijonsson
Check them out!
Los Angeles, May 15th -
Just a quicky until I get another vlog put together.
Over this past week I've been in Philadelphia, Annapolis, Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, Ann Arbor near Detroit, and now L.A. So just another week at the office, really :-)
I've been travelling with Teitur and his band for most of it - great times! You'll see more in the vlog very, very soon if you're interested...
Tonight I'm playing here in Los Angeles. Can't wait, actually! I've got some of my most devoted and lovely supporters here on the West Coast!
Then San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and then back to Europe for a week of hardcore songwriting before I go back to Denmark to start up the festival season + record the 3rd ep!!!
It's only 2 weeks away now and I'm not at all finished with the writing! It's not such a bad thing, though: sometimes good things come out of being un-prepared - at least for a mathematical, perfectionist girl like YOU, Tina Dico...
I can't wait - I've SO enjoyed recording the first two and I can only hope that this third one will be the perfect "Open Ending" to the trilogy... It will, I feel it...
All for now - the minibar doesn't empty itself of Diet Cokes and there's a lovely sunny day in California to enjoy from the air-conditioned inside of the Starbucks around the corner... Looking for lyrics...
Chicago, May 6th - American Tour Kick-Off
+ the week leading up with an Itunes session in Berlin and a video shoot in Paris for Sacre Coeur...
Berlin, April 29th - the gig in Mainz...
Finishing the German tour...
Saarbrücken, April 24th - Kölner Dome and the daily routine...
Still in Germany...
Cologne, April 19th - Der Autobahn, "the party" and other random clips
Now on tour in Germany...
London, April 15th - The Secret and Sacred Art Of Speed-Packing
My two days at home are up and I'm just about to do what I'm best at: packing!
I'm about to leave home for another 5 weeks and I'm quite proud to say I can probably get my stuff together in 20-25 minutes. Concentrated, professional speed-packing. And that's remembering the various adaptors for computer, phone chargers, guitar pedals, guitars, cables, microphone / dollars, euros and pounds / stage clothes, casual, dressed up, high heels, flats, boots / shampoos, conditioners, vitamins and aaaaaall that stuff - my whole life, basically... And most importantly I can pack it into very little space which is of course a key skill in the art of packing.
And what have I been doing these two days? To be quite honest: missing New York. Like crazy... Has it already gotten under my skin...? I'll be back there in two weeks to find out...
But first my German tour. I'm joined now by my good friend and sound guy from Denmark so it'll be lots of fun, I'm sure!
There's a bit more pressure on me in Germany, though, because I'm signed to Universal down there. This means that a lot of people are hoping and keeping their fingers crossed that it will be succesful and that I'll be a star! I'm not used to having to please anyone but myself and my audience so it's kinda strange. But they're all nice people and I'll make sure I don't let them down...
New York, April 12th - Beautiful Beat
I've taken my computer to "The Bean" on 1st Ave in New York's East Village. The cafe is unusually busy on this Saturday. Spring is in the air...
I've got another 6 hours before I leave to go back to London.
I'll only get two days at home, though - barely worth unpacking my suitcase - before I'm off on German tour, then a couple of days in Paris to shoot a video for... yes: Sacre Coeur... And then back to America for 3 weeks to do a full solo tour!
It's another one of those mad periods where I'm thinking "Is that physically possible!!?" but I know once I get started it'll all be ok, the days will roll by one by one, no questions asked, and I'll find myself too tired to be anything but present in the moment which is not such a bad thing...
The thing that stresses me a little bit at the moment is that the third EP is due to be recorded in the beginning of June so the pressure is on to get the songs ready... I'm still looking... But I find that I need my four white walls in London and my local cafe to really get into the zone...
New York hasn't been very helpful. Too much action! I've been here for 10 days now. I've probably been here 20 times before over the past 4 years but always in-and-out for gigs so it's been great to finally piece together all my earlier impressions and get a proper overall vibe.
It really is an extraordinary place and I can imagine that anyone who's lived here and got under the skin of this city would find it hard to settle for anything else. The pace, the energy, the possibilities, the stylishness, the flirtatiousness, the food, the art, the diversity - and the fact that everything is crammed into such a small area that makes it possible to get to everywhere and everything quickly and easily.
You really do feel you're at the center of the everything!
Seductive as it is, I don't wanna fall too madly in love with this place, though, because I realise that what this city has to offer is probably not what is "missing" in my life.
I'm looking forward to the peace and tranquility of my life's desert island that is London... Even if it's just for two days...
My album came out here in America on Tuesday and I went for a lovely dinner and night-on-the-town with "the team" to celebrate. It was great to be here for the release this time - made it feel a lot more "real"!
Went and saw Nada Surf last night, by the way - what a great band! Went home with my palm full of inspirational scribbles - that's always a sign of a good gig for me!
Before I leave today I'm dropping by Rivington Guitars to pick up a Gibson semi-acoustic from '66! I'm in love...
A short round-off of the Bob-tour:
Seattle was unexpectedly nice - A LOT of love from the crowd! I can't wait to go back in May!
Another long drive to Boise, Idaho, where I had the evening off as Bob was supporting Blind Melon. I sooo needed that evening to just chill at the hotel!
Another loooooong drive to Salt Lake City where the gig was so-so. I've never been to SLC before and only 5 people knew me beforehand! (Gotta start somewhere, eh? :)
The last night in Denver was cool. Great venue, The Bluebird, and a nice crowd.
After the show I said goodbye to Bob and his guys. They were driving back to hometown Austin that same night and I was staying at a hotel to fly out to New York the next morning.
It's been lovely getting to know them - I hope we'll meet again, probably at South By Southwest sometime...
Bob wasn't as recluse as I had been warned, by the way. The whole roadtrip was a pleasure and adventure, I got to see some beatiful nature and parts of the country I've never seen before... Yei!
Portland, March 30 - A rundown from a not yet run down:
On the way from San Diego to San Juan Capistrano we stopped by the Taylor guitar factory and got the full tour - really interesting to follow the journey from "block-of-wood" to finished instrument. I would've prefered to visit a smaller, more exclusive company, though. I have to say, there wasn't much musical magic or love of craftsmanship in this factory! They churn out 7.000 guitars a day, if I remember correctly...
San Juan Capistrano was a sit-down crowd and they actually listened!!
Next morning I had breakfast - alone with my beloved notebook - in a archetypal American diner, gum-chewing waitress in uniform bringing out re-fill after re-fill of black coffee and endless stacks of pancakes, milkshakes, burger and French fries - or "Freedom Fries" as they re-named them at some of the government cantinas when France didn't want in on the war!
I got back to my hotelroom 15 minutes before departure but somehow managed to get the guitar out of its case, write the best part of a new song AND record a demo - and I still got to the bus before everyone else...
Short sunny drive to Los Angeles where there was time for a few hours of sheer luxury at the hotel before my soundcheck. The gig was fine! Not too much noise and good, supportive vibe!
Good food with business partners turned friends after the show... Again, I felt like coming back and spending some more time in this strange, strange city... Is it just the weather?
Long, beautiful drive to San Francisco. Endless talks of politics on the bus. You always end up talking politics in this country - it's fascinating to hear "insider" stories and thoughts of the state of the country, its political situation, the war, the power and the seeming complete lack of moral of the big corporations, 9-11, and the constant planting of fear and unease in the population...
On this day the oil companies had collectively put a full-page add in "USA Today" with a threatening:
"WHO WILL REALLY PAY WHEN CONGRESS TAXES OIL?" written across a photo of, guess what!? ...a father holding an inconsolable baby on his arm... Oil companies... - using a crying baby to get their message across?
Anyway, back to rock'n roll...
I checked into Phoenix Hotel which is where we stayed with Zero 7 back in the day. Aaah, the crazy memories! My last ever flirt with Vodka was at the Phoenix and it wasn't all that pretty... :)
The gig at a sold out Independent was great and again, people listened!
5.30 departure next morning and an 11 hour drive to Portland. Gig was VERY noisy but I don't mind so much anymore.
It's great to have settled into a routine - however strange this routine may be. Getting up, driving, checking into hotel, soundcheck, food and gig.
My head starts to relax a lot more than it ever does in my otherwise messy every-day-life where not two days are ever the same.
A bit of routine and the mind goes: "Aaah, ok - this is easy! I'll just let you chill while I take me a little nap then, if you don't mind?"
Still having a good time with the Texas lads. They're super relaxed and fun to be around!
We're driving on to Seattle today... 4 nights to go.
San Diego, March 26th - Step up / Shut up...
A quicky before we drive on to San Juan Capistrano (visiting the Taylor Guitar factory on the way - yeii!)
I spent Monday on my own in Phoenix. Of course I didn't make it to the botanical gardens or the zoo (who was I kidding?) I didn't do much, really... Went for a walk along a not so charming 6-lane road to get to a supermarket to stock up on healthy-ish food for the drives, did a few "office hours" and hung out by the pool...
Met the guys at the venue - 5 of them. Bob, two musicians, a tour manager and a sound guy who also opens each night with a few songs. All really nice guys.
I played my 40 minute set and I don't think anyone in the crowd will be offended if I say that I didn't enjoy it at all! Bob had warned me beforehand that his crowds are pretty rowdy but this...!!
I was reminded how spoilt I've been these past years with my audiences who are always so lovely and attentive! (I love you guys!! :)
Bob put on a really good show - and as a note to all of you: a fan brought him the most fantastic homemade oatmeal cookies and "Bob Bars" (!) - beautifully gift wrapped! ;)
(On second thoughts don't make a note of that - it's actually a bit weird; not that I don't trust you guys but who knows what's been put in there!? Actually, I've been feeling strangely happy since we've started digging into the box...)
The drive to San Diego - which ended up taking us 8 hours - was beautiful, for the most of it. The Shins' "Wincing The Night Away" and JJ Cale's "Natural" as the perfect soundtrack through the desert, dry mountains on both sides, past trailer and windmill parks and an endless stream of truck stops with greasy chain restaurant after greasy chain restaurant...
The gig in the evening at the Belly Up where I supported Nancy Sinatra a few years back (nice place, actually) was equally horrible and I've realised that I've gotta step up on this tour and actually find a way to tell people to SHUT UP! - with humour and charm, of course. So we shall see how that goes tonight!
I don't think I'll win many fans on this tour which is a shame but hopefully it'll be a another healthy challenge in my education as a performer!
After the show I had dinner with some San Diego friends I met when I was here with Nancy so all in all a good day! :)
Phoenix, March 23rd - Roadtrip ahead!
I woke up in London this Easter Sunday morning to heavy snow but 16 hours later (5 hours of taxis and airports + an 11-hour flight) I was lying at a swimmingpool, reading my book on a backdrop of the sun setting on a mountainous horizon in Phoenix Arizona of all places! Still Easter Sunday...
Now I'm in bed with coffee and "Grandma's" vanilla cookies. My body's exhausted but I HAVE to stay awake for another 3 hours to get into the new rythm.
I'll be alone 'til tomorrow evening. I have no idea where I am: somewhere in the outskirts, quite far away from the city center, I think, so I might just go to the nearby "Desert Botanical Gardens" tomorrow, once I've finished cooking at the pool. God, I love this job...
Ahead of me is lies 10 days of supporting Texas-singer/songwriter, Bob Schneider in 9 different cities. We'll be driving everywhere - in the daytime - so it's gonna be quite an exciting roadtrip for me!
Phoenix to San Diego and all the way up the East Coast - San Juan Capistrano, L.A., San Francisco, Portland and Seattle and then all the way to Salt Lake City and finishing in Denver on April 2nd.
Bob Scheider - so I've been told - keeps to himself most of the time so I'll probably be left to my own daydreams for most of these beautiful drives which suits me fine!
I can't wait to get on the road with music in my headphones. Hopefully it'll inspire songs for the ep... Still thinking about it loads...
Count To Ten is coming out over here on April 7th and I'll be in New York for the 10 days following these Bob Schneider-dates.
I'll be sure to keep you posted!
Manchester, March 3rd - My week...
Another run-down of the past week:
Monday I started my UK tour in Norwich. Great start! I enjoyed playing the set - with new songs, the JamMan-pedal and my semi-acoustic guitar that adds a bit of "rough".
I was a bit worried after my recent solo shows in Frankfurt and New York that playing a solo tour would be a depressing come-down after the big tour with full band but NOT AT ALL! I really do enjoy both!
It was great to meet the support for this tour, 23-year-old Irish "Ain", as well as the local opener Sean Seraphim!
Tuesday me and my manager, Jonathan, drove on to Cambridge. I'm in love with this place and I had lots of time to potter around and look at the old buildings.
After the show Jonathan dropped me off at the Radisson Hotel at Stansted Airport.
Wednesday morning I flew to Copenhagen and went straight to "Forum" to rehearse and soundcheck for the Zulu Awards that night. The show went really well - I didn't win but it was a big "victory" for me to be able to get out on that stage, alone with my guitar, in front of thousands of people and national tv without even the slightest hint of nerves. It was quite strange, actually...
Over the years I've done lots of "therapeutic work" on myself to deal with nerves and find the instruments to control my body and thoughts in these potentially nerve-wracking situations but it was almost like I realised that there's a whole new gear of giving in to the moment, allowing for anything to happen and potentially go wrong, almost welcoming imperfection and thin ice. It made me really happy - it felt like there's a layer of this "job" that I haven't yet dug into...
Needless to say I partied all night!!
Thursday I had my first day off in a over a month... as well as bad hang-overs.
Friday I flew back to London and was picked up at the airport to go to straight Milton Keynes to continue UK tour. Great venue and good crowd!
Saturday on to Bristol where I played Thekla, a really cool, but smelly old boat.
Sunday on to Birmingham to play the Glee Club which is always nice!
And now it's Monday again and I'm in Manchester on the way to soundcheck...
My thoughts are pretty obsessed with the 3rd EP at the moment. I have to write it over the next 2-3 months and I'm trying to get my head around it; looking for "the key", an angle, looking for something familiar in the unfamiliar...
For me it's usually one of the most exciting and frustrating parts of the process of making an album: looking for the music - before actually getting stuck into the songwriting.
It's clear now that I can no longer write songs without having the best part of the words first. I have to know what I want to say... So I'm looking for stories, words...
I find that at the moment I don't feel like listening to slow, melacholic, feel-y, touch-y music which is quite unusual for me. I listen to old uptempo stuff with lots of good musical ideas so maybe this third one will be quite lively... We shall see...
London, Feb 24th - My week: Copenhagen-New York-Copenhagen-London
Here's a run-down of the previous week:
Saturday I did a front cover photo session for the Scandinavian Airlines mag, Scanorama. Great clothes and crazy ideas like me throwing an old guitar directly at the photographer and lying at an iced over swimmingpool in almost no clothes getting attacked by a raven. So cold I could've cried...
In the evening we played the final show of the Danish tour – in a sold out KB Hallen in Copenhagen. I was worried about my voice and also worried whether it would be possible to give the audience an intimate and moving experience in such a big venue but both worries quickly disappeared and it was probably one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had on stage. I actually found myself screaming with my arms over my head when I came off stage which is not something you often see me do!
I would have gotten ridiculousy drunk at the party afterwards if it wasn’t for the fact that I had to fly to New York the next morning at 9!
Sunday I arrived at my hotel on Times Square in the afternoon and went straight to bed – forgetting to turn off the air conditioning which caused me to wake up – jetlagged – in the middle of the night with a terribly sore throat. Great...
Monday I treated myself to room service breakfast, enjoying my 23rd floor view of Times Square, and then on to do a tv show. When I got there, however, it turned out it had been cancelled as had everything else that was planned for me that day (it had dawned on everyone that it was ”President’s Day” which is a day off) so I went straight back to bed and stayed there ALL day apart from venturing 12 blocks north in the evening for a facial for my tired tour-face. Here I met the lovliest elderly woman, originally from Eastern Europe, I’m guessing, who took such good care of me. I will no doubt visit her in the future every time I come to New York. My American substitute Mum!
Tuesday I did the tv and everything else that had been cancelled the day before. In the evening I played a solo showcase, mainly to press people.
Wednesday I had to get up at 5 to do a video shoot for Universal Germany. They’d sent over a couple of guys to film me in my hotel room plus running around Times Square singing ”On The Run”. Again, I was so cold I could’ve cried but hey... Hey! Hey!
In the afternoon I jumped on a plane back to Europe, arriving in Copenhagen Thursday, 14 hours later. Without my suitcase which, as it turned out, had stayed back in New York with my life in it...
I had a photo session the next morning at 8 so I had to go out and buy new make-up and get a hold of some clothes. Jeez...
Friday morning again, I was so cold I could have cried – now on a beach outside of Copenhagen in boots I had borrowed from the photographer’s twin sister and a scarf woven by his Mum. Improvisation...
Straight on to rehearsals for the Danish Music Awards and then a couple of phone interviews with UK press.
Saturday I played two songs at the Danish Music Awards but ”lost” in all 4 categories I was nominated in! The very talented Danish singer/rapper ”Natasja” who died last year in a car crash in Jamaica won in 3 of the 4 categories.
Today, Sunday, I’ve arrived back in London to start my UK tour tomorrow. Now... must... get... some... sleep...
I've realised that work in January / February this year has already sent me to the following cities!!!!!!!:
Copenhagen
Aarhus
Herning
Copenhagen
Munich
Tübingen
Baden-Baden
Oberhausen
Frankfurt
Cologne
Hamburg
Bremen
Halle
Potsdam
Berlin
London
Copenhagen
Esbjerg
Kolding
Skive
Frederikshavn
Ålborg
Grenå
Silkeborg
Aarhus
Frankfurt
Vordingborg
Frederiksværk
Roskilde
Holbæk
Copenhagen
New York
Copenhagen
London
Norwich
Cambridge
Copenhagen
Milton Keynes
Copenhagen, Feb 15th - Magic Of Medication
The last two concerts have been good! Hard physical work - but good fun at the same time! When the voice is struggling you've got to use more "body" to make it come out right and that's actually not a bad thing for the performance. These two shows have been a bit more "rough and rock"!
I still don't know if it's going backwards or forwards (I'm going to the doctor again today) but now I know that tonight's and tomorrow's shows will be fine whatever happens!
I might have to give EVERYTHING!!!! tomorrow in KB Hallen but I'm sure it'll be worth it!
(Even if it means that my tv show plus showcase in New York on Monday and Tuesday will be rough as hell... Hmm...)
Copenhagen, February 13th – The leash tightens
Ok, the voice dryness hasn’t gone away – if anything it’s getting worse... At the show last night in Vordingborg it was OK but this morning I’m starting to get worried. I’ve got another 4 nights back to back, the last of which is 3000 people in KB Hallen in Copenhagen. I DON’T wanna mess that one up!
I’ve gone as far as to text the guy that gave me a magic pill at the tv show earlier in the year. So I guess Steffen was right: ”It always starts with one free pill from a colleague!”
No, actually I just want to get the number for his throat doctor who recommended him these pills – just to get a professional’s opinion.
Later in the day:
Ok, been to the doctor and got LOTS of medication + pictures of my voice chords + a diagram of my voice + a percentage put on my hoarseness...
I’m dead scared of tonights show in Frederiksvaerk. I’m scared I’ll lose my voice comletely!
Frankfurt Airport, February 12th – Panic on 53rd floor
I’m on the way back to Copenhagen to continue the Danish tour. We’ve had one day off from the tour and what better way to wind down than a radio concert in Frankfurt. Yes, I’m crazy, I know, but there are people working hard to set these things up and I don’t like to let them down. Plus to be honest, once I’m in the ”work”-frame-of-mind I don’t really need days off that badly....
The two shows in hometown Århus over the weekend were a blast! 1500 seated each night and GOOD vibes! Buddy Steffen Brandt did a surprise guest performance Sunday night which brought the intensity up another gear...
Monday morning I got on a train to Kastrup Airport to catch the flight to Frankfurt. I arrived late afternoon to play the concert in ”Main Tower” on 53rd floor overlooking the whole of Frankfurt by night. Probably one of the most spectacular places I’ve ever performed! Absolutely amazing – a bit dizzying, though! I could swear the building was swaying...
I was completely ”dried out” from the flight and my voice felt rough as hell. Still, cockily, I decided to start my set with ”One” which has a fair amount of high notes in it – and when my voice broke on the second high note which caused me to play a bum chord on the guitar, I started to panic comepletely:
”Shit, there’s no way I can finish this song!! My voice is going to break on each and every high note the WHOLE way through and it’s gonna be the most embarrasing experience ever! How on earth am I gonna make it through this evening?”
And every time I approached a high note I was sh****** myself!!
I didn’t help that it was being taped for radio and the 80 people in the audience were all competion winners who had never heard me live before and had no idea what to expect. For all they knew, I could be totally rubbish – and I had the feeling that was exactly what I was gonna be...
It’s interesting what can run through your head when you’re put on the spot like that – indescribably unconfortable and STUCK! I actually think I learned a lot from this evening: ways to get back on top and relax into the music however many problems you may have on stage...
Aarhus, February 6th -
Just about to get back on the bus after two days off from the tour.
On the first day, though, there were two charity events in my hometown - one for a friend and colleague who lost everything in a fire on New Year's Eve and one for better conditions for people with mental and social difficulties in Århus - and of course I was happy to take part.
At the latter I did a couple of duets with the Danish pop icon Thomas Helmig which was fantastic! Absolutely lovely guy!
A few people have commented on my last blog, saying they thought life on the road was rather more glamourous than the picture suggests. Have you not learned anything from my diary notes over the past couple of years?!! :)
Ok, truth be told touring in Denmark IS pretty glamourous at this stage. I don't feel completely comfortable about it but there are actually people taking care of EVERYTHING around me.
I don't have to worry about "Where's my guitar?" "Did I remember to buy picks and strings?" "Is everything going to be ok?" Everything IS going to be ok - I just have to get on stage and sing...
I jump off the bus, go to our dressing room and cry out "Where are the celery sticks!? And could somebody get my suitcase from the bus?! NOW!"
Nah, of course not. (Well, maybe sometimes...) But there are 10 of us on tour and they're all my dearest friends through the past 100 years so it's all like the ol' days:
Table tennis, loud music and "fiskefillet med remoulade" in sleazy harbour joints. Only now with nicer hotels, extensive snack buffets, slightly better wine and a lot more free liquor...
Frederikshavn, February 3rd - Action packed...
LATE night in Skive last night after a good show...
Action packed hangover-day today: one of my guys mooned the support band when we past them in our bus on the way to Frederikshavn... (Are we ever gonna grow up?)
We arrived in Frederikshavn quite early and decided to follow an old man on a moped without his knowing... A very exciting way to see the city!
He lead us down to the harbour where we hoped to find a good "fiskefillet med hjemmelavet remoulade" - but the charming and very promising "Futte's kantine" (photo) was unfortunately closed for the Sunday...
London, January 19th - Here we go...
Ok, 2008, here we go!
It's been a while since I've blogged in English but now I'm back! (Undskyld til jer danskere, der helst vil have med æ'er, ø'er og å'er!!)
Now the new international site is up and running and Count To Ten is about to hit the unsuspecting English and German speaking parts of this world... Probably not like a massive cascade of worldwide fireworks, I suspect, more likely like little feet tip-toeing across a soft carpet but nevertheless! I'm looking forward!
I've just done 5 days of radio promo in Germany. Cruising up and down the autobahn with my speed devil of a press woman, Karin. She's working wonders in Germany and it's proving to be such a lovely place to work - great people!
I hit an all-time low half-way through the week, though. Groggy from what already felt like thousands of radio interviews in Munich, Tübingen, Baden-Baden, Mannheim, Frankfurt, Oberhausen and Cologne, I'd forgotten to place my liquids in my suitcase, flying from Cologne to Hamburg, so security took my favourite deodorant which I'd gotten from Santa in the boot I'd put in front of the fireplace at my Mum's on December 24th! You're thinking "It's just a deodorant, for God's sake!" but no! It was my favourite and it's only available in Denmark and on The North Pole!
Anyway, that wasn't all because when I got off the plane, I'd left my wallet in the pocket in front of my seat and Lufthansa told me it was no-where to be found. But the plane was packed with business men in suits! Would one of them lean in to grab a wallet on the way out? There was lots of money in there as well as credit cards and my driver's license.
Losing my driver's license could be a sign that I need a new one, though. I'd had it for 12 years and the photo was me, 16 years old with dreadlocks...
From Hamburg on to Bremen, Halle, Potsdam and Berlin before the work was done.
Now back in London for a breather. A bit sick of hearing myself talk about myself so I think I'll shut up and listen for the next couple of days...