Billy Buckett @ Logan Entertainment Centre May 2018

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Mundy-Turner, in collaboration with Footlights Theatrical Inc, mounted the first professional production of the duo's award-winning musical May 16-19, 2018.

The full story of the show, cast, band & crew is available at the website: https://billybuckett.com

In the lead-up to production week, the cast & band played two promotional gigs, one at Logan Art Gallery & one at the famous Yatala Drive-In for the opening of 'The Avengers'.

Some images from both gigs are featured below...

Micah Project’s official launch of our video “Have You Forgotten Me?” was a great success on Friday night November 16, 2016 in the Edge Auditorium at the State Library of Queensland. It was thrilling (at least for us!) to see the film on the big screen. It looked amazing. Congratulations to the entire production and creative team!

The audience, many of whom were Forgotten Australians or Former Child Migrants, gave the film a standing ovation that lasted a long time. Many people sought us out to hug us and tell how much they loved it. Many tears.

A woman called Robyn Ellis, also a Forgotten Australian, had seen it on YouTube and had travelled from the Gold Coast to be present at the launch. It was lovely to meet her.

The evening was complete when we were joined by the voices of Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants from Lotus Place backed by With One Voice Brisbane choir to perform the song live. This was followed by a repeat performance encore with even more people joining us on stage! To hear it sung by so many diverse voices was beautiful. So much emotion! See video below.

Since its public release on YouTube, the video has had over 3600 YouTube views.  Keep SHARING and helping to spread the healing balm and raise our awareness of this sad and significant chapter of Australia’s all-too-recent history. Here is the link to share it on YouTube.

Many thanks to Micah Projects, Lotus Place, Mick Davis (poet), Katrina Graham (director/producer), Linton Vivian (cinematographer), Tom Francis (editor), Katrine McLeod (art direction), Emma Spencer (co-producer) for your wonderful contributions of time, expertise and heart. We are very grateful and honoured to have been involved in this project.  

To the Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants to whom the song and video is dedicated, both those survivors today and those who have passed on, thank you for inspiring us with your incredible resilience and courage.

COMMENTS
Here are some comments we’ve received from these very people:

“How beautiful and very fitting. Many would respond with Yes they have forgotten us. I will share and try and urge to have it played at the NSW Forgotten Apology Day this week at the Botanical Gardens.

As a Ward of 8 placements and a further 3 institutions. over 11 years physical, mental and sexual abuse from 8 years old. it is a crime beyond repair. I have prayed to die at a young age. It is the Governments that need to hear these words. I have asked Wattle Place, the providers through Relationships Australia to play it at our meeting at the botanical gardens in Sydney on Wednesday, when we reflect on those brothers and sisters in care who have passed on either naturally or committed suicide. as an Advocate I will fill every crevice on social media that I am able.
Kind Regards E.B.” 14 November 2016

“As a former child migrant, I was deeply moved by the sentiment expressed by Cath & Jay in this song. Their sincerity and emotive response to the pain and hurt we experienced as children in care following our arrival in WA provided a healing balm to quell the pain many of us still feel.
 A sincere thank you from me. Godfrey Gilmour, Child Migrant 1953” 14 November 2015

“Today was the first time I heard the song ‘Have you Forgotten Me?’ and I can honestly say it was beautifully sung. I enjoy the lyrics; appropriate for the 18th of November. I grew up in Renwick (Mittagong) and Glebe (Sydney) orphanages from 1969 to 1982 with 29 placements all of different homes and foster care.

Your lyrics and singing will continue to uplift my soul and as I listen, I know I am not alone and that someone cares enough to share the love. Thank you whole-heartedly for touching my life in more ways than you can imagine.

With warm regards, Robyn Ellis” 15 November 2016

 November 16 is a significant date for many survivors of child abuse in Australia’s out-of-home-care system. It is the anniversary of the National Apology to the Forgotten Australians and Former British Child Migrants, made in 2009 by then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd; our nation’s formal acknowledgement of the suffering of children, that occurred in our care-system up until the 1990s.

To mark the upcoming seventh anniversary of the National Apology, Micah Projects and Australian singer/songwriter duo Mundy-Turner are launching a brand new music video entitled “Have You Forgotten Me?”.

The video features Mundy-Turner performing a song especially written and recorded for Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants: children and young people who suffered sexual, physical and emotional abuse at the hands of so-called ‘carers’ in government-sanctioned institutional or other out-of-home care during the 20th century.

The video has been released online during the week of the anniversary of the National Apology, Wednesday 16 November.

The recent tragic murder of 12 year-old Tialeigh Palmer whilst ‘in care’ yet again highlights how important it is for the Australian and State Governments to adequately fund the close monitoring of the safety of vulnerable children within its welfare system and continue to support to those who have experienced the out-of-home-care system.

The problem isn’t new. For over one hundred years, between 1876 and 1996, more than 500, 000 children have been identified as having experienced institutional abuse in the care system.

Add to this Australia’s disturbing current immigration policy, where young children are kept incarcerated for unlimited periods in often-dangerous situations on and offshore, and it becomes easy to make a case that government-sanctioned child-abuse is shamefully not yet a thing of the past.

Former Prime Minister Rudd made two National Apologies: in 2007 to the Stolen Generations of Australian Aborigines and, on 16 November 2009, one to the Forgotten Australians and Former British Child Migrants.

Unfortunately, this second National Apology is often confused with the first. A large proportion of the Australian public still remain ignorant of the stories of those who experienced child abuse in an institutional setting, unaware of this sad and significant chapter of our national story. It is heartening, however, that the current government has recently announced the establishment of a National Redress Scheme, as recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.

QMF's celebration of everything Logan featured a cast of over 600 performers & played to an estimated audience of 15,000.

Cath conducted the 400-voice Children's Choir, Mixed Beans, Freedom Train choirs & the Under This Sky AllStars, contributing the haunting 'Children Of The Universe', whilst Jay played acoustic & electric  guitars & 6-string uke in the House Band in front of the 60-piece orchestra & contributed  'Waking Up The City' & show encore 'We Can Get There From Here' to the score.

DAY 20: Tues 17 Feb 2004:  Broadstairs, Kent

Arrived at 3am and sank thankfully into a warm feather-doona-ed bed after being let in by our wonderful host Dawn.  Awoke at 11.30am, our usual time on this tour.  It will be great to be here for the next three days, two of which are days off, interrupted only by a relaxed sortie into nearby Canterbury for the gig.  Yay!  Such a lovely seaside town.  We do love Broadstairs, and it’s great to catch up with our mates Dawn & Graham, do some laundry and tonight, ooooh we might just watch a movie.  We’ve almost forgotten what a quiet night at home watching a movie is like.

DAY 21: Wed 18 Feb 
2004: Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, Kent

Final night with the Dylan Project, which means again a 3-song set.  Quite posh venue.  The piano couldn’t go on tonight, firstly due to lack of space once PJ’s pedal steel is set up.  Secondly, the piano sound module got dropped last night by accident and it’s buggered up in some way.  Jay tried taking it apart and fixing it to no avail.  Must find an electrical repair-type person tomorrow and get it back on track.

With the shorter set, it was prettty difficult choosing what songs to do tonight, but finally settled on “Separation Street”, “Naked” preceded by the kookaburra of course, and “Markham Main”.  It means only one song with the fiddle, but something’s always got to give.  Most important are the dynamics of the set.

It was nice opening with “Separation Street” anyway as we haven’t done it for a while now.  And everyone loves the gorgeous “Naked” and the powerfully emotive “Markham Main”.  There was a worrying moment when Jay repeated the entire third Verse of Markham!  It’s the first time he’s done that, but he continued through and recovered well.  Did anyone notice?

The kookaburra has been going well. I’ve had so many comments about it, and children particularly think it’s cool.  It’s nice but also funny when someone says “I really liked your kookaburra.” I sometimes think, “But what about the songs?  Didn’t you like them too?”  But heck, as long as we’re bringing joy to folks, I don’t mind really.

Interval was a blast – didn-t stop signing albums, and the Dylan Project also went brilliantly.  Another Day Off tomorrow.  We won’t know ourselves!

From newly discovered relatives of mine that I met at the gig (first time!): 
“Hi Cath & Jay,  Thoroughly enjoyed your performance in Canterbury, and also the rest of the evening with Dylan Project and Freeport Convention.   It was nice to meet you, however briefly.   Good luck and rock on  – Is there a CD of your Kookaburra impersonation!!  Bob & Jenny”

DAY 22: Thursday 19 Feb 2004:  Day Off

Spent taking the piano sound-module to be repaired by qualified electricians in Ramsgate.  They couldn’t fix it.  But at least they confirmed nothing was wrong with the circuitry.  So Jay took it apart again and fiddled with this bit and that and got it going.  Yippee-yi-yay.  Jay is pretty bloody clever.  Phew.  In between trips to Ramsgate we vegged out and watched movies.  First time I’d seen “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” – very cool.  Those diatonic-melody-loving aliens are so cute.

DAY 23: Friday 20 Feb 2004:  Fairfield Halls, Croydon

After a leisurely morning in Broadstairs (mostly sleeping) and a relaxed lunch with Dawn & Graham, we set off to Croydon.  Weather: bloody freezing with a chill wind.  Fairfield Halls is somewhere I’d been looking forward to playing, because I’d read about the Beatles playing there in 1964.  A lot of very famous acts have played here.  It is BIG and beautiful, with a blond timber floor on stage and gorgeous acoustics.

It was good to arrive early, as we needed to check the piano module out with the keyboard.  The crew and the venue’s lighting team were all there busy setting up, and everyone was jovial and joking around with each other.  Our crew amaze me, as they are always so happy and positive.  They must be exhausted, but their sense of humour never fails them.  It’s a joy to work with these guys.  Onya Buff, John and Geoff!

Well unfortunately the auditorium is not full, but the Fairports are playing fabulously tonight.  They are hot.  Peggy’s impro-intro on bass to “The Crowd” was inspired.  Our set went well, but the best thing about tonight is that my lovely youngest sister Rachel is here.  She lives not far away in Streatham, and works in the centre of London.  We haven’t seen her since New Year – have been missing her lots.  I saw her in the audience close to the front, wearing a huge grin during “Get there From Here”.

Interval: nice to meet some folks we’ve seen at other shows.  Fairport’s fans are such that many of them come to multiple shows on the tour, so we are getting to know a few of them by sight, some by name as well.

We got Rachel backstage after interval to hang out and watch the show.  She’s not seen Fairport before and really enjoyed the music.  She told us she was enjoying it so much she wore a grin the whole time and Peggy was smiling back at her.  Well how could you miss that gorgeous smiling face?  Rachel’s I mean, although Peggy has a nice smile too.  But Rach is a stunner.

I’m so glad a member of my family was able to see us play on this tour.  My wonderful Mum and very supportive Dad are in Australia, not here.  That means they can’t see us.  But I’ve sent a copy of the programme to each of them.  The programme is very posh and glossy and has a beautiful page with our photo, biog, Spring Tour Dates and website and stuff.  Apparently both my parents have been taking it round to work and to show their friends, cos it’s so posh.

Jay’s parents couldn’t really come either.  They are quite a lot older than mine and not very well.  But we have so many friends and other Turner rellies, that we don’t feel like orphans.  Plus we have each other and that is fantastic.

Post-show: back to friendís Steve & Terri’s in South Norwood for a delicious take-away gourmet curry from The Banana Leaf, with another Fairport fan called Mark but who wasn’t at the gig, accompanied by some very nice champers and white wine.  Jay ate too much and went to bed with a grumbly belly, but what a great night!

DAY 24: Sat 21 Feb 
2004: South Parade Pier, Southsea, Portsmouth

This is not my first time playing on a pier (Cromer in 2002 was) but this place is different, quite grungy, and not like the other posh theatres on the tour.  Rob said it’s more like a working menís club but he was really glad that the promoter Barking Spider put the gig on, after the gig on the Isle of Wight fell through. This sometimes happens.  Well done John Roberts and all of Barking Spider!

It is very cold and windy on the seafront.  Met up with our best-ie Kaz and her mate Craig (who’ve driven down from Coventry) for a spot of lunch then to load in across the pebbly beach up onto the pier.  They are good roadies – great friends.

Could hear the sound of the waves and wind under the floorboards in our dressing room, which is cold, cramped and pretty dirty, full of empty glasses and mess from the last people who were in here.  Show-biz is all about these sorts of contrasts.  There is no point in ever getting up yerself.  Dan, one of organising team, was very kind in bringing us a heater for the room.  Excellent; now I can get undressed.

The crowd are totally going for Fairport tonight.  There’s a dance floor and those in the mood for dancing got up for Matty Groves.  The band also got long-term fan Griff up on stage to sing an impromptu “Wild Rover” backed by the band cos it was Griff’s birthday.  Quite a laugh and Griff was delighted!

Kaz got her drum-sticks signed by Gerry after the show.  She is doing so well at drums.  After only having learned for 6 weeks her drum teacher has suggested she do Grade 2 Exam!  She absolutely loves watching Gerry play, and got talking with him about stick-weights.  Drummer-speak is a bit above our heads.

Jay’s first-cousin Nigel who lives not far away in Emsworth is also here.  Nige remembers seeing Chris Leslie and his squeeze-boxing brother John play as a duo in a village hall in Oxfordshire in 1974 or ’75, when they were all in their mid-teens.  Tonight he managed to catch up with Chris to work out where and when it must have been.  Chris says he’s got a re-release on cd of the album he and John did back then, which h’íll give to us for Nigel.  Coolio!

DAY 25: Sun 22 Feb 2004: Palace Theatre, Westcliff, Southend-on-Sea

Gorgeous gig tonight – lovely old theatre with balconies right up in the Gods, the audience are just fantastic people, the sound is sizzlingly hot(thanks Rob & Geoff).   We were right on form.  I made an embarrassing “faux pas” at the off when I described the weather as cold and “a bit nipply” before singing “William Jolly”.  Luckily the audience had a laugh and were not offended.  Well this is the country that produced Benny Hill.

Nevertheless, I’m sure I went bright red.   It’s not what I meant to say to a group of 600 people who I’d only just met.  The crew were cracking up.  I looked over at John and he was making circles on his chest in the nipple zone.  Argh!  I had to blank him out because it was just going to crack me up again. It came after a sound check full of unintentional double entendres.  Simon and Rob were misinterpreting everything I said and putting an certain type of innuendo on it…  Ya gotta larf.

Then just before doing the Kookaburra I had a snotty moment.  Yes the dregs of that damned cold are still hanging around my nasal-passages.  So I thought I’d turn my back to the audience briefly and clear a blockage with a careful outward sniff before attempting said Kookaburra.  Unfortunately it was a bit closer to the surface than anticipated and… sploootch.

I had no tissues on stage, so with my back still to the audience I had to wipe up with my hands – yeach!  But Johnny Gale the very excellent young roadie came to my rescue with toilet paper.  I tell you – what a crew.  They will do anything to help you out of a (literally) sticky moment on stage.

The band is staying locally tonight.  We parked at our friends Bron and Ernie’s house just around the corner from the theatre and WALKED to the gig – very civilised.  Gerry is travelling independently from home at the moment with his partner Jacqui McShee in tow.  She is a famous singer in the legendary folk-jazz band Pentangle.  Jay says the very first folk album he bought (a rather long time ago – 1968?) was Pentangle’s “Basket of Light”.  Jacqui and I had a lovely talk in the Green Room before the sound check – I like her lots.

Gerry joined us and we talked about the confusions of his religious upbringing.  His surname was Cohen but his parents changed it to Conway.  This was because of difficulties with the orthadox synagogue about his Jewish Dad marrying a non-Jewish woman.  Amazing!  (This happened in my family too, the Jews marrying non-Jews bit, not the changing name bit).  Gerry was both Christened and Barmitzvah-ed, so doesn’t know what to say when asked what he is religion-wise.  Gerry subscribes to what Bob Hope replied when asked to what religion he belonged: “I belong to them all.  I don’t want to miss out on heaven on a technicality.”

He also revealed that he wears special drumming shoes.  This is something I didn’t realise. In the 1960s he wore Cuban heeled boots, but now he goes for functionality, over style.  Fair enough.  I’ve done the opposite on this tour, wearing these 3-inch heeled boots, suffering for style every night.  But his drumming shoes are actually quite fashionable.  Gerry  & Jacqui are both nice.  Can’t wait to see them in Pentangle on their April tour.

Met David Hughes at interval.  David did the support slot on this tour a few years ago now, I think in 1998.  He wrote an internet diary, later published as a very successful book.  Lovely chap whom previously I’d only admired from afar at Cropredy.  We got talking about how musicians can have (and keep) babies.  Not easy we imagine, but we’d like to try it.

Dave ended up being the house-husband looking after the kids by day and being a muso by night, while his wife went out bread-winning by day.  We are trying to work out how both of us could be musos AND look after the kids.  He could offer no solutions, just said to try it.  Hmmm – easy for him to say.

A wonderful night.  The crowd went off for “Get There From Here” and gave a standing ovation after “Meet on the Ledge”.  Bonzer all round!  Simon was kind enough to say that we’d done an excellent job of getting the people going.  I feel pleased and humble.

Not looking forward to the end of this tour, which is coming up rather quickly now.  It will be sad when it’s over.  David said it was real downer for him.  We must remember to do some very cheerful and enjoyable treat-type things in the days immediately following the tour to counteract that.  Jay is really very tired.  I probably am too, but the adrenaline keeps me going, so I haven’t noticed the tiredness.  I just love getting on that stage and singing my heart out, and telling people stories.  It’s great.  I could keep on going for another month I reckon.  Maybe forever.

Our friends/hosts Bron and Ern loved the show, particularly Peggy and Gerry’s playing.  They asked whether we were enjoying ourselves on stage as much as we appear to be.  The answer to that is, of course, a big huge YES!

From friends in Australia: 
“Hi Cath and Jay, Guess what we just had an email from English friends of ours saying they saw you performing with Fairport Convention and were very impressed!  So we were suitably surprised especially as they thought you live in Chesterfield now – is this right?  I am from Chesterfield – well Unstone and my mum still lives there!  Let us know how you are getting on – we are fine – Tommy recently finished making a CD of his own songs which he is pleased with and I am training as a counsellor.  Love Ruth and Tommy.”

DAY 26: Mon 23 Feb 2004: Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank, London

Another big day.  I can’t remember the last time I had a little one.  First stop – lunch at the Bell Inn in Horndon on the Hill, Essex, at the very kind invitation of Rob and the band.  Have discovered Fairport’s secret to finding their way around the country via the best nosheries -it-s the Good Pub Guide.  Rob and Simon say it-s a must.  It-s only let them down twice in 20 years.  Not bad.

If it yields places like the Bell Inn for lunch, then I and my stomach are all for it.  Tastiest top class gourmet tucker.  The company was first class too.  Had a good laugh, enjoyed the loveliest wine, the yummiest food.  How can we ever go back to Little Chef?  Everyone shared their desserts cos they were so scrumpti-licious.  We felt like a family.  The red wine went a bit to my head and I got very red cheeks and was very merry.  I don’t know how these guys drink so much at lunch time.  Chris had a smell of the wine but he never drinks it.  Very wise man.

Received thanks and “ripples” (not nipples) from everyone for being on the tour and doing a good job.  I think the thanks should go to Fairport, as it’s been such a brilliant time, and that is all down to them, and their wonderful audiences.  I apologised to the band for them having to go through the noisy Kookaburra sound every night.  Everyone said it was not a problem, as it actually provides the band with a very effective 5-minute call.  Glad to be of service.

We followed the band into Old London Town.  I am always filled with a sense of awe when I drive into this famous city.  We come here so infrequently, the incredible architecture never fails to inspire.  Beautiful sunny day but still FREAKIN COLD.

Queen Elizabeth Hall is part of the Royal Festival Hall complex on the South Bank.  There are three venues, the RFH where Brian Wilson (of the Beach Boys) is playing tonight, the QEH where we are, and the smallest venue the Purcell Room where there is a classical piano competition.  The QEH is a nice auditorium but to be honest, not as impressive as the Symphony Hall in Birmingham. Maybe itís just the interior colour scheme (see dull black vinyl chairs and Buff in foreground on drums).

But who can complain – not everyone can say they’ve played the QEH.  We can!  Haha!!  There were even groupies waiting at the stage door for Fairport’s autograph and they asked for ours too.  Were they just being polite?

Got the sound check out of the way early cos we’d been given free tickets to go on the London Eye by a nice man called Simon (another Simon)!  YAY!  YIPPEE! Very exciting!  I was hopping up and down with excitement last night when Brav (the Tour Manager from heaven) told me about it.

What a way to prepare for a show!  Went a-way up in our own little pod with Gareth, Frances and Buff/Boof.  A spectacular sunset.  It was gorgeous.  Felt really unreal – the movement of the pod is so slow you hardly notice it.  You’re out there gliding through the air looking out on this amazing view.  I love my job.

Buff/Boof went very quiet, which is unlike him. He is scared of heights, poor bloke.  He is normally very outgoing.  I think I forgot to write about the time at the Corn Exchange when he was bored.  He lay face-down on one of the backstage-trollies (a flat board on wheels) and went careering around the dance-floor.  He looked like a beached whale sliding around on his stomach on ice.  Hilarious!    Buff is not a man who sits around quiet and demure.  So it was weird seeing him go silent and pale.

Jay doesn’t like heights much either.  The two sat on the bench in the middle with Jay gently keeping up a dialogue with Buff during the “flight”, to calm both himself and Buff.   Jay is a darling.  Got some great pics.  Buff’s wife Maria called during the flight and advised him to “hold onto yer bollocks”.  “Her words,” said Buff.  Wise woman.

Walked back to the theatre to get ready, do our usual warm-up exercises.  Time is really tight tonight as the venue charge a big fee if the show finishes any later than 10.30pm, and then apparently another bigger fee if the bump-out goes beyond midnight!  This is the only place on this tour that does this (to my knowledge) and it’s pretty bloody serious.

The other strange thing here is the venue won’t let our merch crew sell CDs or books or programmes, only T-Shirts.  So our albums are not on sale tonight.  It feels not nice.  Not nice for Fairport either because CD sales make up a huge part of the equation when engaged in the expensive business of taking a show out on the road.  But ce la vie, ya take the rough with the smooth.

The audience here are really fantastic – very happy and responsive and we had a brilliant time on stage.  I LOVE playing with Jay – it’s the biz!  He did something very weird in “Markham Main” on the line “he hung himself one night” and I got thrown off the beat.  I thought he was doing something different on the guitar for extra dramatic effect, and was unsure what might be happening, but we managed to keep on going.  The crowd always go for that song, I think because it tells a story of pretty horrendous times not forgotten in this country.

I love it when the band come on to join us on our song “Get There From Here” – these blokes rock.  I wouldnít mind playing with a band more often. I do enjoy the rockiness.  And playing cow-bell on “Si Tu” is just sooooo rocky – clonk-clonk-clonk-clonk-4-on-the-floor-baby!  Sometimes Simon forgets the words in the verses and it is very funny.  No one knows what he is singing in the verses anyway, unless they are good at French or actually French – and maybe not even then.

Everyone at interval was asking why our albums were not available.  We had to explain and hand out mail-order forms instead.  Loads of folks signed onto the mailing list so that is a good thing indeed.  Met friends of Ric’s – Paul and Judy, who made a DVD about the life and music of Stephane Grappelli, the late great Hot Club de France jazz fiddler.  They wanted one of our CDs and we were keen to have a copy of their DVD, so we did a swap!  Very cool.  Looking forward to getting home to watch it.

My sister Rach came to see us again tonight, at interval this time, after her belly-dancing class.  She was backstage and Ric invited her to come to sing “Meet on the Ledge”!  Hehe!  She didn’t though.

“Si Tu” was fun, especially when Simon stopped the song a few bars in, and demanded a re-start!  I spoke to a man called John in the foyer who has been to see the show a heap of times during the tour.  He must be a very serious Fairport fan.  I said “You must be getting sick of us all, the amount of times you’ve seen the show.”  He explained, “No, I never get bored.  It’s different every night, especially with Fairport.  Something different goes wrong every time!”

Quote of the night came from a punter who spoke to Gareth.  “Have Fairport Convention got any hits?” he asked,  “You see, I thought I’d booked to see Fleetwood Mac.”

The bind moggles.

DAY 27: Tues 24 Feb 2004:  Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, Sussex

Oh I do love to be beside the sea.  We’ve played at so many different sea-sides on the tour.  It brings the fact home – the UK is an island.  A small one.

Arrived just as the crew were loading in.  Geoff yelled out to us “Go away, we’re not ready!”  So off we toddled into the town centre to do some errands (Post Office, Dixons for blank cds, Holland & Barrat for a munchies stop – love their dried figs on those long journeys) and to have a spot of lunch.

Worthing has so many cafes from which to choose but why do people smoke in them all.  Resisted the temptation to have fish and chips.  I was planning to take Jay on a romantic stroll out on the Pier, but by the time we’d got back from lunch it was pouring with rain and bitter cold, so we had a romantic snooze in the car instead.

The venue is another “On the Pier” type place, but unlike Portsmouth, boasts a real theatre and stage. The stage has a big curving arch with plaster muses all around it – Calliope, Terpsichore, Melpomene, etc.  Don’t ask me to name them all.  The sound in here is top-notch.  Band were a bit late coming down from Banbury, having been stuck in hideous traffic.  That is par for the course on the roads in the afternoon in England.  Rob was feeling the stress, but all was well when they got in.  Sound-check just goes so smoothly now so there’s no need to panic.

Gerry was there before the rest of the band – he is still travelling from home, as he lives in the South.  We had a D&M whilst he was setting up his drums – not a DM (that’s Dave Mattacks the previous FC drummer) – but a D&M about life and death. We gave him a copy of our album “Crooked House”.  It has our version of “Banks of the Nile” on it, inspired by Fotheringay’s version way back in the 1960s.  He said he wanted to hear our version.  Gerry was the drummer for Fotheringay and Sandy Denny was in it too – just for anyone who didn’t know.  This was all before I was born and is Very Important Musical History to know if one is going to be part of anything to do with Fairport.

Peggy gave me a pressie –  the book of annA rydeRís internet tour diary.  Fabola!  Simon said they didn’t want me to read it before the tour.  Why not?  It’s great.  Her comics are just so hilarious.  Very talented woman!  I love the “Many More Faces of Rob Bravinor” and Ric and Chris in their jostick and herbal tea dressing room.

Enjoyed playing our set immensely tonight.  The sound is just so great, a sheer joy.  Geez, we are gonna miss Rob and Geoff’s sound big-time.  I want them on tour with us all the time!  Who knows?  One day we may be as rich and famous as Fairport (Ha!).  Though the audience seemed a little quiet at first, they soon warmed up and gave us a fantastic cheer at the end, then came up with lots of smiling faces and happy comments in the interval, and lotsa albums for us to sign!  Yaya!  The FC boys are sounding as great as ever, and the crowd just adore them.

The finale is always “Matty Groves”, followed by a set of rockin’ tunes under the title “Dirty Linen”.  My fave part of the Linen medley is the tune done over a grooving reggae beat.  It always makes me dance in the wings, it’s such an arse-shaking rhythm!  I asked Ric what the name of the tune was, but he wasnít sure and said to ask Chris.  Chris said it’s “Paddy on the Turnpike”.  I’d like to learn it.  Chris knows all about these folk tunes.  Chris said the reggae beat was Simon’s idea – he just started doing it during a jam one day.

Fairly big drive tomorrow up to Preston, Lancashire.  The crew are travelling there overnight and won’t arrive until 6 or 7 in the morning.  Bluch.  Buff has the day off, so Andy Salmon the owner of the rig is doing the driving for the Preston gig. We will miss Buff, even if he does disgusting things like blowfish on the windows.  He always sings the opening Bah-Baars of “Monday Monday” by the Mamas and Papas whenever I come into earshot.  Mundy Mundy.

The band is going home for the night, which makes sense, as they live around Banbury which is en route.  We are staying nearby in Emsworth at Nigel and Sarah’s again.

Fan Email:  “Hi both!  I thought I just had to mail you to say how fantastic I thought you were last night in Worthing. I was slap bang in the middle of the front row and was treated to some of the best new music I have heard in a very long time.

I think the thing that shone through the most (even more than the passion you feel for your music – as shown by your excellent rendition of “Markham Main” – I used to live in North Nottinghamshire, nr. Chesterfield and my family were miners, so I know how hard the miners strike hit the area) was the love you two have for each other – it really showed in the way you performed, and it made the evening that much more special.  I think Fairport made the right decision, giving you the chance to take your show on the road.  I think you will gain a lot more fans in the coming few weeks!

I will definitely be at your gig in Arundel in a few weeks time, so I look forward to meeting you then, and buying you a beer!  Oh, and it was great hearing someone say “Ayup, me duck!” again – it fair takes me back!  All the very best for the rest of the tour.  Kevin”

And Some More: 
“Hi cathy,and jay,   Hi its martin a fairport convention fan and now you are a new group that i will try and come to the arundel concert in april 2004.   Iv e been a fan of fairports for about 5-6 yrs now and they are always a pleasure to see and it was nice to see a new folk band as surport at their concert and i wish you well and im sure ill like your cd the one that i brought last evening.   I thought the howling call of that bird the cooker bourghs was very good and so loud.  best wishes  and good luck with your tour with fairport and your own tour as well.  regards from martin.”

DAY 28: Wed 25 Feb 2004:  Charter Theatre, Preston, Lancashire

“Where is Johnny Gale?”  Dear John – he’s always in demand for running about doing all sorts of jobs, plus he’s responsible for tuning and restringing instruments, etc.  He works really hard and is such a pleasant chap.  But it’s uncanny the knack he has for disappearing.  He’ll be hanging about for ages on stage, and no one asks for him.  As soon as he has gone off to do something else, Brav calls out from his usual post at the front-of-house mixing desk “Where is Johnny Gale?”  And Johnny Gale is no where to be found.  Brav says “That lad has a cloaking device the Klingons would envy.”

I feel a little flat tonight.  Jay says I look tired and my eyes look sad.  I reckon it’s because we’re now nearing The End.  It’s been such a fantastic time.  It’s like facing the end of a run of a musical.  The cast and crew become like a family for that short and rather intense time working together.  Then it finishes, and the family dissipates.  The band have the next album to look forward to recording in March, but what will I do to get my daily fix of Fairport now I’m addicted?  Hmm.

Driving home last night we got flashed by a speed camera.  Drat and dammit!  It was a dual carriage way with no houses so assumed 40 would be alright, but it must have been 30 cause the camera definitely flashed us.  Could see no sign stating the speed limit after the camera.  And it was deserted dual carriageway ring road around the edge of town.  How could 40 mph be an offence?

We heard on the radio about someone blowing up these speed cameras in the West Country using dynamite.  Not a bad idea.

It was a long drive up here today.  Jay and I got a bit hysterical in the car, laughing at very silly jokes. This is always a sign of having gone over the edge of mere tiredness into near madness.  Jay was singing to the tune of the old standard “All the Way” but he sang “If ya go to Preston, ya have to go to Preston –  aaaawwwll the waaaaaaaay.  You cannae go to Cannock – ya have to go to Preston – aaaaawwwll the waaaaaaaaaay.”  The Cannock bit cracked me up.

Good show, and nice to meet some of the Scottish fans who’d travelled such a long way to be there.  A camera crew were filming “Si Tu Dois” tonight for the next Fairport DVD, so they couldn’t have us singing it tonight.  Hmph.  They said this was for Continuity, but I think it’s really because we’re not good-looking enough for cameras.  We try, but not everyone has the natural charisma of Fairport.  Instead of singing and playing as usual, our sole contribution to this number tonight was to shuffle on sideways like a pantomime act holding the big sheet of lyrics, stick them on the front of the stage, bow and shuffle off across to the other side.

At least I could give my poor cowbell-stick a rest.  It is moulting every time I hit with it, showering splintery bits of wood all over Ric’s fiddle FX pedals.  Sorry Ric.

Fan Email.  I like getting fan email!  “Hello Cath and Jay, Attended Fairport Tour with my husband last night at Preston.   Enjoyed your set.  Please add me to your mailing list.  Also enjoyed the song about Miners strike in Derbyshire.  Please advise if this is available on CD.  I understand you will take time to answer as your are still travelling with Fairport.   Regards, Wilma”

DAY 29: Thurs 26 Feb 2004:  Winding Wheel, Chesterfield

As we drove home from Preston last night (ye have to go to Preston – aaawwwwl the waaay), we noticed SNOW on the sides of the road.  Tempertaure: minus bloody 3 celsius.  But ever since Barnstaple, we’ve noticed the signs of an early Spring – daffodils and bulbs coming into bloom, lambs being born, fruit trees in blossom.  Will all this growth cease now there is this cold snap?   I dunno – this is my first winter here.

Aaah, but it was good to sleep in our own bed again, after 16 or so nights away.  We slept in (bliss), awoke to a crisp sunny day, then ran around like headless chooks doing the errands that build up when you’re away – laundry, emails, banking, posting mail-orders.   Oh the glamourous life we lead!

I’ve driven past the Winding Wheel a heap of times, being in our “home town” an’ all, but never been inside before – it’s real nice.  Used to be the Odeon Cinema I believe.

Kaz (best friend from Coventry) turned up and surprised us – she was not due till Lowestoft!  What a darling. She was video-ing us tonight, which made me feel a bit nervous.  And our other special guests are Jayís cousin Brian Turner who lives not far from our place and his friends.  They are musos too.  Jay dedicated “Markham Main” to Brian.  Jay & Brian both are descended from the coal-mining Turners of Hepthorn Lane, not far from here.

Great to play to a home crowd – we only live 8 miles away.  The organisers from Belper Folk Club are in the audience – they’ve been very supportive of us during the last year.  The sound was excellent as usual but I couldn’t see the audience at all.  The follow-spots were blinding!  And they kept following our every move.  That’s what follow-spots are supposed to do I know, but surely this chap took it too far.  Surely one does not need to be followed by a big light every time one bends down for a subtle sip of water.

Tour Manager Brav had a very good day yesterday, apart from losing his hat.  You can see him in his hat pictured in the programme.  It kept his ears warm, so I hope he finds another one.  I asked what size he was, thinking we might see one for him in the shops, and he asked if I’m always so forward.  These guys.  The double entendres keep flowing.

Buff was back today and said that he spent some time last night reading my internet tour diary.  He said he thought the crew didn’t feature enough.  But I thought I’d given him a starring role!  Well it goes to show, you can never please everybody.  Hope he likes the picture of him blow-fishing the glass door at Worthing.  Brav said I was going to get in trouble about something in the diary.  I bloody hope not!

Saw annA rydeR again tonight, and chatted about her internet diary.  She said she worked really hard on it, doing a comic strip every day as well.  How did she manage the comics AND the writing?  I find it’s hard enough keeping up with the written stuff!  Because we’re driving ourselves etc, the only time I get is during Fairport’s second set before “Si Tu”, which means I miss out on some of the music.  We do hear it through the tinny dressing room speakers, but that’s not the same.

Simon had a joke on me when I came on for “Si Tu” tonight.  I think he was getting me back for standing there facing HIM (instead of the audience) with the big sheet of lyrics a coupla nights ago.   So tonight, I went out with the sheet and Simon asked me, on mic ,”Have you got it up the right way this time?” Touche.  Gave the audience a chuckle.  Smacked him on the bum with my cowbell stick as I went past.  Just had to.

I got some lovely pics of Gerry in full flight on the Winding Wheel stage.  He gets so deeply involved that basically, he IS the drums.  It’s poetry.  Some people have said to me they think he’s like the character Animal from the Muppets.  I reckon Gerry is Animal minus the aggro.

From the Belper Folk Club folks: “I don’t know when you’ll get to read this with all the touring etc but we just wanted to say how much we enjoyed your set last night!!!!  As I said at the time, it passed too quickly – something that doesn’t happen with other support acts we’ve seen (and I don’t mean Jay in 1991 ‘cos we weren’t at that concert)!  We’ll certainly be along to the Arts Centre next month when you are on there.   All the best – CU soon, Kath and Geoff.”

DAY 30: Fri 27 Feb 2004:  The Anvil, Basingstoke

Woke up to another sunny day.  Our backyard was covered in 3 inches of the lovely white stuff, which must have fallen overnight.  You can’t hear snow fall.  It’s really magical.  Coming from a non-snowing place like Brisbane, I’m always as enamoured with it as a child.  Jay says “As long as it doesn’t stop us driving to Basingstoke!”  Well it didn’t – we are here in Basingstoke.  Jay doesn’t feel well again -sore throat and pretty tired.  Bummer.

Called my Dad before we left the house to let him know we are alright.  He’d left 3 messages on the home phone while we were away touring.  He’s like that.  Dad said he’d been reading my Tour Diary on the web-site and found it very interesting.  Good to hear.  I was worried it might be boring for people outside the tour.

The Anvil is big, swish and modern inside – a really lovely auditorium with a huge open stage, no proscenium.  At the soundcheck, Peggy said it was here that he played his last gig with Jethro Tull and that the previous Fairport drummer Dave Mattacks played his last FC gig here too.  Then Peggy said “I wonder who’s last gig it will be tonight?”  Tempting fate?

Martin is here again tonight, a very kind FC fan who has been backstage at lots of the shows on tour.  He really likes my song “William Jolly”.  He introduced us to a lady called Gabbi from the BBC.  She is a producer for Radio 4 and is going to do a special feature on Fairport’s fans.  Ric told her, “We think of them as more friends than fans.”  That is the nice thing about Fairport’s relationship with their audience. You don’t get that with pop-stars.  Gabbi said she’d read lots of good things about us on the Fairport chat page on the net.  “Everyone is saying how fantastic Mundy-Turner are,” she said.  Wow.  How do we get into this chat-room?

There was a review in a national paper about Fairport’s performance at QE Hall.  It didn’t mention much about the actual music or the support-act AT ALL, so it just shows what a stupid reviewer he was. Perhaps his interest was more fashion than music.  He said that Fairport looked like a country pub darts team, which Brav said was a compliment.  So tonight, for a joke, John Gale has put a dartboard on Gerry’s drums, the type with magnetic darts.  Seeing there was no table-tennis on this tour, I thought it was a shame we hadn’t had the dartboard all the way along.  It made for lots of fun at soundcheck.

We changed our set tonight because we have effectively sold out of our album “Crooked Houses”.  Yay!  It is a good thing to have sold so many.  But we didn’t realise till this morning when we went to the stock cupboard at home and the cupboard was bare.  So instead of “Rainmakers” and “Markham Main”, we sang “Dreamtime” and “Little Birds” from the “High Life” album.  Wonderful to revisit these songs after such a time away from them and the audience loved them just as much I think.

My turn for a stuff-up on stage this time!  I ruined the entire third line, 2nd verse in “William Jolly” which normally goes “Let the twilight thread stars one by one”.   Instead of real words I opted for mushy sounds disguised (not very successfully) as words.  Drat!  The audience seemed very friendly about it though.  John, the man who made the comment “I like coming to multiple shows cos something different goes wrong every night” was in the front row.  He would have enjoyed this.

Interval was such a blast!  Bloody fabulous audience!  Non-stop signing cds and handing out the mailing list to so many eager new recruits.  Most nights are great at the Merch stand for us, but this was really fantastic.  Run off our feet.  Everyone saying wonderful things to us.  Yep, I love it here.  So do the Merch crew.  Gareth said “Can we play here every night?”  It was nice to see more Turners here tonight -Nigel again with his wife Sarah and their fab Emsworth friends.  They really loved the show, and thought Fairport were wonderful.

Quote of the night:  Goes to a male punter who came up and asked me “What happened to Sandy Denny?”  When I explained about her untimely demise some 25 years ago, he looked shocked.  Obviously he’d been following her career with close attention to detail!  But still even after all these years, it is sad and shocking to think of her talent not being around anymore.

DAY 31: Sat 28 Feb 2004:  Marina Theatre, Lowestoft

I’ve been given the Yellow Card.  Oh dear and oops.  It was an innocent comment that did it, but I’ll not argue, as Brav told me that any arguing with the Ref gets you a second yellow card.  Then it’s the slippery slope to a Red Card.  Brav is the Ref.  He says he never gets carded, he only gives them.  Someone said, “But didn’t you get the Red Card in annA rydeR’s diary?”  Rob said “So she’d like to think!” Hmmm.

I didn’t know the rules (not being a football fan), so asked Rob to explain.  Apparently a Red Card means you have to buy drinks for the entire band and crew for the next day.  Eeek!  I better shut up my face, as tomorrow’s the last night and I bet they will want to drink more than usual.  The usual is pretty impressive (the gentle Chris Leslie is obviously not included as he NEVER drinks).

At interval it started!  Beautiful huge big snow-flakes falling in front of me!  Wonderful!  I ran outside in my stage-clobber and soaked it up for a while, until it got TOO nipply.  Gareth followed me out and got some great shots on his digi-camera.  I love the snow.  Jay says “Wait till you have to drive home in it!”   I don’t seem to care!!

Never been to Lowestoft before – another seaside place.  Couldn’t find the theatre when we arrived.  There were signs saying “Marina Theatre”, then they petered out.  We seemed destined to drive around and around the one-way system forever.  In desperation we pulled up and asked a local, but his accent was so weird I couldn’t understand a damned thing he said something about “rude-works” and “roondaboots”.

Then we found a man called Wayne who hopped in the car – he knew about the Fairport gig – and accompanied us to the theatre.  He asked what it was like being musicians, and we said it was hard, probably because we were tired & cranky from going around the one-way system.  I gave him our Spring Tour postcard in return!  Nice man.

Lowestoft has a lovely crowd who were willing to have a laugh.  They went crazy for the Kookaburra.  Astounds me still.  But funniest thing for me during the set was being afflicted with a severe case of Drooping Mic-stand Syndrome during the opening number “Dreamtime”.  By the instrumental, it had dropped considerably, and by the end of the song the mic was pointing in the vicinity of my belly-button.  I couldn’t do a damned thing about it with my hands full of violin plus the added need to be playing said violin.  So I just kept bending my knees lower and lower and sang more loudly.  John came out and fixed it all up before “Little Birds” – bless him.  He’s always there when I need him.

Kaz and her mate Craig came tonight, Kaz bearing gifts of chocs and champers for the band and us as a “thank you”.  She is sooooooo generous.  Chris Leslie went straight for the chocs and they had to hide the champagne from Peggy.  She is too much!  Love ya Kaz.

DAY 32: Sun 29 Feb 2004:  Alban Arena, St Albans, Hertfordshire

Driving back to our friend’s place last night was a bit hairy with thick snow falling.  I’ve never really driven in heavy snow before.  Fascinating!  It looks so weird in the headlights coming towards you out of the dark – a spiralling tunnel effect.  Mesmerising.

We are so lucky to have a fabulous place to stay with our friends Steve & Jill.  They live in a pretty thatched cottage in the countryside and are the loveliest couple.  Steve is sort of related to me – a special cousin of a special cousin.  Last year they put on a brilliant house concert for us.  As with all our friends/hosts, it’s great to be able to see them during the tour.  BIG THANKS GOT TO ALL OUR HOSTS!  You made the tour possible for us.

Woke up to a beautiful sunny morning with an empty realisation in the pit of my belly – “it’s the last show tonight”.  Youch.

Strange how it feels like it went so fast, but, as Ric says, the start of the tour in Tewkesbury feels as age away.  I feel like a different person than then.  My hair has grown for a start.  It takes more and more hair-goob to get it into shape every night now.  I like my hair sticking up on top.  The longer it gets the higher and wilder it looks when I goob it up to go on stage.  Simon says I should try sticking my tongue into an electrical socket.  Hmmm.  Dangerous, painful, potentially lethal – but it would save money on goob.

The Alban Arena auditorium is dank and dim when we walk in – the lampies are checking out the lighting plot.  There were cakes on the front of the stage and Geoff and Buff/Boof were eating them.  Typical.  Geoff says that the cakes are from James, a melodeon-playing boy who looks like Harry Potter who has come to help out the crew at some gigs.  My hands are full of gear, so I don’t eat them until later.  As I eat, it is suggested that there may be something adverse in the cakes.  “You do know that Fairport always play a trick on their support act on the last night of the tour?!”  But surely they’ve not had time to bake cakes with funny stuff in them, not with their gruelling schedule?

Gerry came to our dressing room before the show with a bottle of Moet as a gift!  How very wonderful and kind and too-much of him.  He said “thanks for the company”.  Geezz Gezza – you are a koala.  He, like the rest of the band, doesn’t take compliments very well and gets all sheepish (or koala-ish).  We are really touched by his kind and generous gesture.

Ric did an extra special intro for us tonight, saying what a success we’d made of the tour.  Thanks Ric!  Our set was OK but a bit funny, I think because it was the last night.  I didn’t feel settled at all.

But the best unsettling thing was yet to come – THE NAKED GEOFF.  Nothing prepared me for the sight of Geoff the monitor engineer walking on at the end of our set to clear our stuff, COMPLETELY IN THE NUDE, except for a piece of cardboard on a string dangling uselessly from his neck.  (I better be careful where I use the phrase “dangling uselessly”..!)  Yes the tour of double entendres and bawdy humour goes on to the last…

The cardboard was supposed to cover his parts, but it (the card) was swinging from side to side as he walked and failed dismally in its mission.  We were all on stage – the Fairporters, Jay & I having just finished “Get There From  Here” and taking our bows.  I squealed in shock and surprise.  Peggy was speechless.  It takes a lot to do that to Peggy.

Then I realised Geoff was acting out the opening line from “Naked”, his favourite song in our set.  “Youíre the only one who sees me naked, though many more have seen me undressed.”  He’s either crazy or brave, or both.

I ran downstairs to the dressing room to get my camera, but by the time I got back to the stage Geoff was already sitting at the mixing desk with his jocks and a t-shirt on. Chris Bates, official photographer of the night, was spitting chips because his camera battery had gone down and he missed the whole event.  Bummer.  Why was his battery down only 30 minutes into the show?  He missed the best bit!

Exhilarated by his nude onstage experience, Geoff was egging us all on to go on naked for “Meet on the Ledge”.  Then he got fixated on me and was begging me to go au naturale for “Si Tu” using the lyrics-sheet to cover my bits.  No Chance Geoff!  I’ve got to play the cow-bell.

Peggy said more nice things about us to the audience – how we were wonderful people and musicians.  It was hard not to get teary!  During “Meat & Two Veg” (Meet on the Ledge) the crew came on and sang too.  It was great, although no one was naked much to Geoff’s disappointment and, I reckon, the audience’s relief).

Then it was over.  All too soon. 32 days gone forever.

After the show, there was merching in the foyer and then merriment in the dressing room.  Chris Pegg, the Powerhouse of Woodworm, was there tonight, looking gorgeous in bright luscious outfit.  Peggy said she was dressed so brightly tonight that she outbrighted even me.  We opened Kaz’s champagne and ate the rider sandwiches that had gone a bit dry by this time.  I got everyone to sign me programme – my turn to be a groupie.  I love these guys.

Jay made sure that everyone had received the cards and chocs that we’d left for them in the dressing room.  The crew were given theirs during the show, because after the show they are too busy working.  Mr. Leslie loved his card, which was decorated with all sorts of tea-cups.  We inscribed it with “You’re our cup of tea!”  Because he is.  Simon said he liked the card but he didn’t eat the chocs.  He said he is more of a savoury type man when it comes to food.  Yes, I could tell that by the way he tucked into those desserts at The Bell last Monday.

Ric said that at 7.30pm tomorrow he will be introducing us to whoever he is with at the time.  I understand what he means.  It will be hard to let go of the routine.

Will I need counselling to get me through this transition?  It’s been the most fantastic time EVER and I hope that we get to work together again soon.  REAL SOON!

Everyone had bought a big bunch of gorgeous flowers for me.  I was most touched.  The card read:

Well done!  All the best Chris Pegg x

Much Love TM Rob B

It was great working with you Love Gerry Conway

Always, Simon xx

Thanks – you were and are fab – love Peggy xx Youíre fab!!!

With love and thanks, Ric

Love is Geoff Jeff

Two lovely people!!! With lovely music!!!! With my love and thanks to you! Chris

A picture of an electric guitar. Buff/Boof

Zoomed up the motorway to Banbury, the Fairport boys’ bus going very fast indeed and overtaking us.  We went to stay with the lovely Pam & Oliver near Banbury.  Drank G&Ts till really late and really tired and really tipsy.

Fell asleep while visions of Fairport danced in my head.

Day 33: Monday 1 March 2004: Oxfordshire countryside, Somewhere near Banbury

Oops, we slept in!  Had to rush to Woodworm for 1pm.  Missed Rob and Geoff and the truck which came at 12.45 to drop off all the instruments.  Pooh.  Missed Simon too.  Pooh.  But luckily did not miss Gareth, Frances, Christine and also Tracey who works in the Woodworm office.  Tracey wasn’t there last night, so we gave her a card of Thanks for all the hard work.  She is fab.  Collected our instruments whilst Gareth and Frances counted our remaining stock. We’d kept topping them up with stock throughout the tour but happily there wasn’t a lot left.  Our albums sold soooooo well, especially when you realise that there was one night when we couldn’t sell cds at all (thanks QEHall).  Yippee!  It is a great feeling.

Home via Birmingham to visit our two of our Admin-Angels, Martin and Irene.  With their wonderful and so clever daughter Naomi, they are helping us with our mailing-list.  Martin and Irene do the stamping and sending, while Naomi enters the data into the computer and prints off the address labels.  This helps us incredibly much.  We are very grateful to them.  Throughout the tour, we had so many people sign onto our mailing list.  I sent pages and pages and pages to Naomi and she’s done a great job with them, typing them all in and deciphering all the funny handwriting.  Not easy!   Through our mailing list we can stay in touch and hopefully see these lovely folks again at our own concerts.

When we finally arrive home we check the odometer on the car to see how many miles we’ve done on the tour – 5380 total miles!  Ohmigod!  There are cd mail-orders coming through the door and cd orders coming from our website and it’s all very good.  I think we will be kept busy with trips to the Post Office.  Fan mail is still coming in too 📷

“Cath and Jay, Came to see you with Fairport in sunny(!) Weston last month and was blown away. Your music is wonderful, got to come and see you again soon. Your songs cover so many different emotions, and touch so many different aspects of life, and it’s a treat and a priviledge to listen to you.  Once again, thanks for your music, it’s beautiful. Hope to see you soon.  Cheers, Jack”

“Hi, We saw you in Southsea with Fairport Convention, for someone we have never heard of before, we thought your music, writing, & performance was magical. We have looked up your gigs, & note you will be in Arundel on April 21st 04, we are looking forward to seeing you again.  Is there any possibility that you could include Refugee & Youíre no angel?  We already have two of your CD’s ( signed by yourselves )  and they are nearly worn out.!! Kind regards”

John Gale wrote us: 
“Hope you are all well…. have you both recovered yet? I haven’t! Thanks for the CD… had a listen this morning… it’s top! It was great working with you guys and hope to work with you again.   Keep in touch, and next time you’re down my way give us a call and we’ll meet for a few sly drinks. You are both top chaps! Cheers, John”

No we haven’t recovered yet, and I wonder if we ever will!  Thank you everybody for the Best Tour of our Lives.

HUGS and HUGE THANKS TO: Fairport Confection (sweeties ;-)), the Crew, Christine Pegg & Tracey at Woodworm Records, Rob the Great TM, all our Kind and Generous Hosts, every Venue and their Staff, and not least, every Person in Every Audience, especially those who applauded, cheered, arrived on time to see the opening act, wrote or said nice things to us, bought our cds and signed to our mailing list!  You are all really….BONZER!