LONDON shows for two nights

 London was quite agreeably warm in early May and we enjoyed the Kings Cross area we were staying in like it was our old manor. Clare and I caught a Stewart lee "work in progress" show at a great little place called "the Comedy Museum" which is underneath a church on High Holborn. It is a small museum with artefacts on the walls and in glass display cases from Spike Milligan, Russ Abbott, Little Tich, Freddie Starr, Bill Bailey and Steptoe and Son - to name a few. Stewart did an amazingly fresh show , reading from notes and "trying out bits" to an audience of about 100 people.

We played for two nights at a small pub in Clerkenwell called the Bestey Trotwood. I had asked around on the internet for information from London people about venues that were not real "industry" type places. Pete Astor - once of the Weather Prophets and the Loft-ssuggested this place.

It was a downstairs caven type affair, like playing in a small folk club. On the first night we played as a three piece and I had some trouble seeing due to sharp led lights.

The treatment we got was very European- very UN London. The man who ran the pub fed us really well and providied great geaar. A real social affair- the amps came in from a shop in Deenmark st and were brought by Andy and Patrick from the Rocking Birds. Joshua, the young man from Brisbane who booked us there, was extra nice as well. A terrific night.

Tony Harris, who engineered the Moodists album "Thirstys Calling" at Livingstone studios in 1983, poked his face into mine between sets. Many old friends. people who knew us from the Moodists and from the very first version of the Coral Snakes in London in the late 80s. People who knew the album "I was the hunter and I was the prey".

On the Friday night we were joined by Malcolm Ross and we played a fantastic show. Totally great sound. Again, the room was packed with comrades from over the decades. People travelled from Bath, Salford and all over London to be there. Had a wonderful time.

Bob Osborne left his spot at the county cricket in Northamptonshire to come to this show as well.

We stayed in London for another two days and caught a comedy show by Bridget Christie at the Water Rats inKings Cross. Lenins fave pub as well as the place where Bob Dylan played his first ever UK gig and where we used to go see teh Pogues in 83, before they recorded their first album.  When the idea of them ever beinga  recording act was mocked and laughed at.