Aftershow News: 20th August 2004

19 August 2004 Madonna ,Earls Court Arena , London.There are 2 rooms catering for about 200 people .Madonna does not show up but her band and dancers are here .Will Young is in the corner hiding underneath his hat .Lots of free booze and a nice lively atmosphere . 14 August 2004 Dio ,Astoria ,London. Drinks party in the dressing rooms for over an hour after this sold out show . A couple of members of Girlschool are here as is an ex member of Rainbow .The band are all friendly and in good spirits .Ronnie James Dio himself is polite and chatty. The keyboard player Scott told me he went to audition for punk rock legend John Lydon in 1997 for his last ill fated solo American tour.The reason he did not get it ? They were looking for someone who looked "middle eastern" .There were four German girls who come over just to follow the band around on their week long UK tour .Overall a great night. 08 August 2004 Finn Brothers ,Open Air Theatre , Regents Park ,London. Lots of media here so everyone was kinda expecting something pretty good .It was held in a room near the Open Air Theatre but half the guests arrive and leave pronto as there is no free booze . When the band turn up there are only about 30 of us left .Band are friendly .Noel G from Oasis pops his head in and Chris Difford from Squeeze is here .Ok party but should have been a lot better really. 01 August 2004 Twisted Sister ,Astoria ,London. This was more of a meet and greet than a proper aftershow .The bar had shut and most of the band are teetotal anyway .Old rocker Bernie Torme was here in the small crowd of maybe 30 people held in the balcony some 30 mins after the end of the show .The band are all friendly and over the moon with the reception they got tonight in London and last nights show in Derbyshire where AC/DC singer Brian Johnson had come on for the encore .Tonight there was a girl fan from Torquay who had got singer Dee Sniders autograph on Saturday in Derbyshire and this afternoon had gone to a tattoo place in London to go over it to make permanant on her arm ,dedication eh ?? The band were mighty impressed . 18 July 2004 The Stray Cats ,Shepherds Bush Empire ,London. Here tonight are Glen Matlock and Paul Cook from The Sex Pistols ,rock legend Robert Plant and Gem from Oasis . Cool stuff but why is everyone smoking so much ?? Robert Plant told me he is a massive Stray Cats fan and had been to all 3 Stray Cats UK shows on this tour and joined them on stage in Manchester. 11 July 2004 Beach Boys ,Silverstone Formula 1 Grand Prix after event party .This was great fun.Promoters CMP have laid on a massive BBQ and booze fest from 4pm to 10pm . Beach Boys are here along with Kerry and Bryan McFadden (He was really getting stuck into the free booze now he is free from Westlife shackles ).Racing drivers here are mainly the UK ones , Jenson Button , David Coulthard ,Johnny Herbert ,Jackie Stewart also Murray Walker ,Sato, Kerry and Bryan McFadden .Everyone is chatty and friendly and the 300 guests here really enjoyed themselves . 07 July 2004 Lenny Kravitz ,Wembley Arena , London. When Lenny comes to town you are sure to get loads of lovely looking women backstage and there are plenty here tonight ,most look like they are models ,all the band are here ,Lenny turns up for 5 mins then goes back to his dressing room with some girls and we are left with one of the white boys from Eastenders. Great aftershow atmosphere though. 25 June 2004 Red Hot Chilli Peppers ,Hyde Park , London . For these big outdoor shows there are usually a few different backstage areas for band , promoter, record company etc so there may have been a few celebs in the bands hospitality tent but we are in promoters Clear Channel tent where they have laid on lots of food and booze before and after the RHCP with nice comfy sofas but the only face here is pop idol Darius . Great to come out an hour after the show and all the crowds and traffic has gone though. 22 June 2004 MOJO Awards,Noon, Banqueting House , London SW1 . To celebrate 10 years as a music mag MOJO hold their first ever awards show in this lovely 300 year old building in Whitehall . About 300 seated for lunch and a few standing for the buffet with plenty of booze . Loads of bonafide rock stars here tonight who have had proper careers in music over the last 40 years , James Brown ,Morrissey ,The Shadows ,Mick Jones (Clash), Tony James ( Gen X ),Noel Gallagher , Red Hot Chilli Peppers ,Sting ,Libertines ,Beth Orton, Ray Davies ,Arthur Lee ,Black Eyed Peas, Lemmy (Motorhead) ,James Dean Bradfield (Manics),Melissa Auf De Mar ,Roger McGuinn (Byrds ),Tom Verlaine ( Television) ,Jimmy Page from Led Zep who won 2 awards ,Marianne Faithful,Roger Daltrey . Excellent event . Funniest sights were James Brown turning up in a tacky white stretch limo with a young blonde at least a foot taller than he was . Lemmy and Sting all loved up with their arms around each other and M .Faithful still oozing sex appeal by sexily drawing on her ciggies for the photographers.No real rowdiness as it was a lunchtime do which probably feels like the crack of dawn for the likes of Lemmy. 16 June 2004 New York Dolls ,Royal Festival Hall, London. Excellent aftershow party for the Dolls first show anywhere for over 25 years .Morrissey pops his head in for a few mins also Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream ) Patti Palladin, Bob Gruen , Andy who owned punk rock club The Roxy in 1977 .All the Dolls are here and are friendly and chatty even though David Johansen is well out of it .Plenty of free booze for the 50 or so people here.Mega. It was the same a couple of nights later for the second New York Dolls show with Paul Cook (Sex Pistols ) Mick Jones ( Clash + C Silicon )Tony James (Gen X + C Silicon ) Bob Geldof ,Don Letts, Shane McGowan and Primal Screams Bobby Gillespie all here.

Posted 20th August 2004