String Bean Jen's photo of spearmint from the ICA 30th September

Spearmint
Originally uploaded by String Bean Jen

String Bean Jen's photo of spearmint from the ICA 30th September

Best Ballroom from the ICA 30th September

Spearmint - ICA
Originally uploaded by manc_ill_kid

Manc ill kid's photo of spearmint from the ICA 30th September

A third of my life, from the ICA 30th September

Ticker tape parade
Originally uploaded by String Bean Jen

String Bean Jen's photo of spearmint from the ICA 30th September

Isn't it great to be alive? from the ICA 30th September

Isn't it great to be alive?
Originally uploaded by String Bean Jen

String Bean Jen's photo from the ICA show

Finally on stage at the ICA

When we walk onto the stage we get what sounds like a homecoming welcome which makes me feel quite emotional. The picture of Toby as a baby appears and BLAM! we're into "a week away" because of the gigs in Germany and all the rehearsal we play with the perfect mixture of rehearsed knowledge and off the cuff swarve that accompanies our level of excitment and fear. Sorry if that sounds bigheaded but tonight we just got it right. From the moment I'm on the stage I'm hopping around like a untethered Jack Russell, I really feel quite at home. Its having the support of the crowd it fills you with confidence. "Isn't it great to be alive" BLAM! "Sweeping the nation" BLAM! These songs are our favourites, close to our hearts and for many of the assembled people they feel the same, and its very apparent. During, "A third of my life" The Junipers come back on and throw confetti over us adding to the atmosphere and complimenting the picture of Andy's wedding. The stage is covered in a confetti and for a brief moment I worry about cleaning it up but then its gone and I'm filled again with the joy of the moment. "We're going out" BOOM! The old spearmint magic strikes again and we are all smiles, like we've won a competition to play at the ICA. "Start again" BOOM! 'Anyone who has bubbles start blowing now', announces Shirley before we launch into "Best ballroom" WOOOOOOOO! "You carry this with you" has this ever sounded as good? "A trip into space" PAZAOW! we're all in it together, nodding and signaling to each other. Call and response singing is great infectious fun a real group thing. There's something about the way we play these songs now that's refreshing. I remember when we were learning and recording them, for me it was all about claiming the audible territory as your own, there's a gap there I must make a noise to fill it. This time it's stripping it back and leaving space and it sounds bigger and better, did it take me 10 years to realize that? No it's probably longer. Over the years we've played "a trip into space" at the end we turn to one of the band and applaud, it's my turn, I milk it, naturally, teasing feedback out of my amp until Shirley looks at his watch, ok I get the point ha! "It won't be long now" CLANG! "Making you laugh" I join Si at the keyboard, I love this song! "You are still my brother" BLAM! sounds more soulful than ever. Then the very soft and sentimental delivery of "Saturday" with all of us singing along, very emotional, will this be the last time we play this album in full? For the encore we play some of the new "life in reverse" material peppered with a selection of oldies. We bow and we're off. After the 10 year anniversary champagne has been opened it's all a bit of a blur but what a night. Thank you so much to everyone who came and to everyone who has helped us over the years, we couldn't continue without your support, thanks for this big smile I've been wearing this week. JiM xXx

Before the ICA gig, I have somethings to do

The Junipers are on and I'm using up the last of my nervous energy making last minute arrangements, giving things out, lifting things up and putting them in different places, basically wasting time. My nerves are diluted by the sea of familiar faces many of which I haven't seen in more than 10 years but I can't escape the feeling that I should be backstage in my underpants with the rest of the boys. I get backstage just before the Junipers finish. No one is in their underpants but I do get to listen to The Junipers through the backstage monitors, they sound great. As soon as they finish we busy ourselves with setting up. Then backstage again and it's 20 minutes before the film starts. When we signal to Adam to start the film he comes and wishes us good luck, which is really thoughtful. When the film actually starts we are crossing everything hoping no one thinks it pretentious, then they start laughing at the funny bits and from then on we know its going to be alright.

Check, check 1-2 1-2

Lights, instruments, camera, seaside

Adam

with his large glittering ball

setting up at the ICA

Ladders, boxes, wires, people, equipment and the smell of fear

In the ICA

I'm in the 'theatre' at the ICA, there are about four staff running around setting up, its a properly organized and well ran ship, this makes me feel uneasy, I'm not sure why? Then they ask me questions that I should know the answers to. I mumble something about the mirror ball and then run away phoning for backup, Adam (lighting and wizardry) tells me he'll be about 5 minutes. So I go off and hide on my own. Shortly both Adam and Ronan arrive and with the safety of numbers I relax a little and it all starts to happen. Before long the van comes with Si, Andy and Shirley. With the whole family of spearmint in the building there is a lot more control. The sound check goes well; the visuals are ready; we have food; I iron my shirt for a third time and with an hour to go before doors open we can collectively return to the business of feeling nervous.

Heavy feet

Walking down The Mall

Outside the ICA

pausing to compose myself

Getting in the right head space for The ICA gig

It seems almost inconceivable that after planning and talking about something for so long that it should actually be happening tonight. Yet I have taken the day off and I am sat at home ready to go to the ICA. I don't have to leave for another 2 hours so I sit here fidgeting and worrying. There has been so much rehearsing, there have been so many plans, emails about confetti and bubble liquid, sleepless nights, bank accounts hemorrhaging money, I feel so uptight how can I possibly relax enough to enjoy the gig? I set off labouring over every step. Then I remember fourteen or so years ago I saw a great band at the ICA, they showed a film and then played a great set. Very inspiring and thoroughly arty! brilliant! Ever since that day I've wanted to do that kind of gig not just a gig but an event. Somehow tonight that will happen but also somehow my feet are getting heavier. I am utterly nervous. Ticket sales have gone well, rehearsals have been great, the German tour was successful but this is not filling me with the confidence it should.
Now I'm sat at the station totally on edge, I let the first train go. The second train I get on trying to empty my head. The Journey is too quick, arriving at Charing Cross I slowly leave the train making my way across Trafalgar Square toward the grand arches that lead to Buckingham palace. Bloody hell they are grand. Every step is heavy and slow, so slow. I pause when I see the ICA to take a couple of pictures and then I go in.

Getting ready to leave

Before the ICA, but look at my face do I look ready?

Art waiting for me when I got home

Thanks girls xXx

The ICA cometh man

Taking a look at the ICA, with Adam (pictured) and Chris (not pictured) in preparation for the gig which is a week tomorrow.

Ronan

Pre gig at Hörsaal, Hamburg

Andy Lewis

Pre gig at Hörsaal, Hamburg

Si

Pre gig at Hörsaal, Hamburg

Shirley and Shirley in background

Pre gig at Hörsaal, Hamburg

Hamburg, Hörsaal

We set off for Hamburg at 12 affording me a very respectful 7 hours of sleep. The journey seems quick at jusr 3hrs.

We arrive in Hamburg and check into, 'Kogge' the Rock'n'roll hotel we've stayed there almost every time we've played Hamburg and were the first band to stay there on its opening night. The bar is decorated with records and posters, the mens toilet has a painting of Joe Strummer and the ladies have Amy Winehouse. Each room has a theme and tonight we shall be sleeping in the sailor room. The sex museum is next door we are invited in by a kind mumbling man, we decline.

Tonights venue is on the Reeperbahn. Through a long chain of mis-communication and an unfortunate venue closure, we find ourselves in a nice venue with nice promoters but painfully inadequate sound equipment, particularly the tiny mixing desk, fortunately for us the sound engineer, 'Ölaf' is bloody good, some how we workout a way to make it happen but on paper it still didn't look like it was going to work.

We return to the venue after a quick freshen up. The first thing I notice is the audience are a little thin on the ground so coupled with the sound issues I'm feeling a little uneasy about the gig.

When we get on stage Shirley explains, "we will do the show in two halves, 'a week away' album in full in the second half" Big cheer from the audience, hmm promising! Shirley continues, "but first we will play some songs from the Shirley Lee album we released this year" no reaction, so I cheer, and that gets a hearty chuckle. From then on in I know it's going to be fine.

The Shirley Lee set goes down well a good response and very measured playing. When we hit 'a week away' the assembled members of the audience stepped-up their participation and we gladly follow suit. Shirley getting down from the stage whenever he could, dancing with the punters who we had now adopted as our new best friends. If they jumped up and down so did we. The keyboards were blasting out of the huge speaker stacks behind our heads with clarity and gusto, the bass and drums rumbling along like a beast, everyone smiling, its not a gig anymore its a party and everyone is invited.

After the show we bow just like normal only this time for the first time the audience bow back incredible!

Thank you for having us Germany, you were wonderful.
JiM xXx

Berlin, Privatclub

We arrive in Berlin in good time, even before the promoter. I have to recall pre sat nav days where we would blindly drive around the town looking for the venue, arriving late with drained spirits to meet a frustrated promoter, aha the good old days.

There's plenty of time before we go on for another cheese based meal. The venue, Privatclub looks great, a 60's vibe decorated with great enthusiasm and imagination and is perfectly spearmint.

Another great show tonight. Light, shade and enthusiasm despite our lack of sleep. You can tell Shirley is enjoying it because he keeps getting of the stage to join the audience. Tonight he is dressed as what can only be described as an off duty policeman trying be incognito, don't worry you haven't missed it he intends to repeat the outfit at the ICA.

Highlights this evening are the crowd pleasing, "We're going out" and the moving sing along of, "Saturday"

I completely crash after the gig and not even a couple of rounds of Jagermeister can force more than two words from my brain, I just smile and nod until someone carts me off to bed,

JiM xXx

Neil

Over 100 spearmint gigs and still happy

A statue, yesterday

How it should be done

Dresden

Some rare free time to walk around taking the same photos

Service

Another service station

Berlin

Si, setting up at, 'privatclub'

Berlin load-in

The load into the privatclub through this totally filmable and incredibly spooky basement.

Tourist

Doing the tourist thing

Ostpol - pong!

Ostpol, had a fine selection of Retro games

spearmint

at the service station with Mrs Wasp

Dresden- gig and statues

We arrive in Dresden at the venue, "Ostpol" in good time, yet the set up seems to take forever. Do we just have far too much equipment? We didn't explode onto stage like the night before and the calmer atmosphere of the Shirley Lee material suits me far better this evening. The film felt more uncomfortable tonight as, for many of the people it was the first time they had seen us. However I do enjoy how Ronan calls himself Ee-or (from Winnie the pooh) every time he appears.

We played well but I didn't feel as in control, When everyone knows the songs it carries you through the gig but I do stand and applaud many of the people in Dresden, who after seeing it on a poster thought they would check us out, for fun, just to hear something new, I don't remember the last time I did that.

Possibly unwisely after the gig we venture into the world of shots before we settle down for the night in the Youth Hostel. At 3am we are all putting the sheets on our bedding, this is how they do it at the Kangaroo backpacker or rather that's how you do it. Possibly due to the alcohol this is actually the funniest thing in the world, falling down snortingly hilarious. However a few hours later when I'm trying to get to sleep past the snoring, 6 grown men sharing one room doesn't really tickle the funny bone.

A rareity this morning though because we have a few hours to explore Dresden before our short journey to Berlin. We become total tourists drawing the line only when it comes to those stupid people who paint themselves gold and stand still pretending to be a statue, this especially annoys me when crowds of people gather around in amazement the whole spectacle obscuring the real statues behind.

Early start

So up at 7.18 this morning, we didn't over do it last night but we did celebrate a gig well palyed. Would have Been good to get more sleep on account of the long drive but that's why we're up so early crossing Germany from Freiburg, the most south westerly point to Dresden, pretty much the furthest west you can go and still be in Germany.

Neil's 100th gig, The first of the tour

Wow! what a gig, Freiburg didn't disappoint. I don't know if it's sitting in the van for that length of time but we exploded onto the stage like a rocket from a bottle set free.

It was hot it was hard work but it worked so well. We started with a selection from the Shirley Lee album, people smiling and gently swaying from side to side, a false start on the instrumental, "London ghost stories" stop then starting again, my absolute pet hate but it didn't matter we just slipped straight back into it. "Traffic in the street" was a highlight for me, so full of life, poppy yet littered with all those crazy jazz chords. I hit the solo on the nose, best I've played it since the recording.

We came off stage and showed a short film about "a week away" we all sat backstage feeling very uncomfortable, its amazing how long 5 minutes seems when you are feeling self conscious.

Somewhat inevitably when we returned to the stage to play "a week away" we had problems getting the slides working. Ronan spent a long time setting it it up but in the moment we couldn't escape the technical problems reminiscent of a school teacher grappling with an overhead projector. Rather than causing a problem it just forged a closer bond between us and the audience. The film started again so we stopped it and then it stated once again, when the picture of Si's son Toby finally came up there was a cheer and we launched into "a week away" There was a very uplifting atmosphere, an infectious feeling and pretty soon band and audience alike were grinning from ear to ear. The project over heated by the time we reached, "sweeping the nation" but we ploughed on with dancing and grinning and handclaps and harmony.

Hard to pick a highlight but I remember during, "a trip into space" lots of enthusiastic dancing and people at the back of the room standing on tables circling their arms in the air, a real buzz.

and that was the first time we played, "a week away" album live and in full

Tonight was Neil's 100th spearmint gig. I think that's pretty amazing. There can't be that many people who follow bands around with such dedication. To Mark the occasion we collected together some spearmint rarities, test pressings, demos, promos and printed a t-shirt with the quote,"it pains me to live in a world where nobody's heard of spearmint" from 500 days of summer only with a logo saying 100 gigs of Neil. He's driving us on this tour, I think it's the third time he's done so but 100 gigs ago in 1997 at the Water Rats, kings cross, Londinium he and his wife Cheryl saw spearmint for the very first time.

Jim xXx

First gig tonight

Shirley has this habit of turning on the TV in the hotel when he wants to use the toilet, so you can't hear his private business, its ok but this morning I was woken up by very loud French tv shoping channel. Followed by Madonna's new single which I can't get out of my head, I sung it in the shower and I am sure to sing it tonight at our first gig in Freiburg.

So, bad breakfast, but not as bad as dinner last night, and then back in the van.

Traveling can be quite boring but I thought it would be a great opportunity to write a blog. quite unaware of the technical issues that would turn me into the butt of all the jokes. Somehow its made me more determined, especially to get some pictures up, its my mission now, as well as doing the gigs obviously and after all this traveling I'm looking forward to actually playing. Shame about the early start and 8hour drive tomorrow!
Jim xxx

In the van again

Asume the position

St. Quentin Hotel

Like a motel

St. Quentin Hotel

Like a motel

Travel day

I swore to myself that I wouldn't post a picture of the van onto my blog, well technology has taken care of that for me, so be thankful that the internet connection in France has spared you a view of the back of everyone's head as we set off on the eve of the tour. I spend most of the time figuring out how I'm going to post the blog. I found that roaming charges are pretty expensive, so I'm now constantly on the lookout for wifi for free conection, all this has ment that I've had my head down on the phone whilst eveyone else is relaxing and having fun, I'll readdress the balance later. We drive to our Hotel in St. Quentin its like an American motel, the kind you see in films when something grizzly just happened but this one is in France. We head into town and show some self control by not overdoing it. Long drive tomorrow about 6 hours.

on the eve of the eve of the tour

Hi I'm writing this on the eve of the eve of the tour. Due to dragging myself up to date I can now send messages whilst mobile, probably not a big deal to most of you but a near revilation to me. However it will mean that anyone reading will be exposed to. my terrifically bad spelling. I'll be able to tell you how the tour is going, how the new and old songs are going down; who threw up on the hard shoulder; how much battery power i've got left that sort of thong. I've got to say I'm not in the best shape to go running around Germany with very little sleep and Autobahn sandwiches and too much beer but I will give it my best shot! love from Jim xXx