Blog: JULES’ USA NEWS

JULES’ USA NEWS

ApallIingly late but here it is… Jules� USA news…

Where has the time gone? 2000 has been something of a blur in the Petersworld. I barely see Mp these days, �he� of the dedication maker… We�ve been on the road with Big Country, with Mike Peters and now with Alarm 2000. We�ve been off road, compiling the much-applauded Alarm 2000 Collection where Mike spent the better part of the last two years, never giving up in his pursuit of making the Alarm records available on compact disc throughout the world. As sole distributor of the Alarm 2000 collection, the MPO has expanded into a fully working record companyy, an experience that we are enjoying to the full.

We have become pretty much self sufficient for the year 2000. We have been employing the press direct, dealing with the agents direct and MPO is now the exclusive management office of Mike Peters, Alarm 2000 and Coloursound. As well as dealing with the mountain of �fan contact�, the office is also coping with all the hustle and bustle of managing an artist who tours all across the world and who now has a total of 18 titles on his label, 21st Century Recording Company.

Mike is loving every minute of it. Recently quoted as �saying yes to everything and dealing with it later�, Mike�s feet have barely touched the ground, so much so, �he� the holder of the Man Utd season ticket has not even seen his beloved reds this season!

On top of that, Mike was approached by a young band, X-ELL who turned up with their mum on his doorstep on the back of their dad�s milk float (I kid not) asking for Mike�s help. The band were so impressive (aged 11, 15 and 17) that Mike agreed to help, and recently successfully negotiated a publishing deal for Xell with Universal. Watch out for the boys at a future concert as they are all now budding Alarm fans!

Mike and I also indulged in a bit of role reversal with my annual holiday, (I mean job) with the Mission as their official �merch bird� in the UK. Lots of fun and frolics were had by all and Mike even managed to join us at the end of the tour and drink himself into a Stella Artois stupor at the London�s Shepherds Bush Empire. I seem to remember him and Wayne Hussey snogging at one point at the Aftershow and I definitely remember him puking all the way back up the M40 back to Wales 🙂

Puking on tour is usually my speciality. In new strange and undiscovered territory that is, places like Japan, Mexico, not Shepherds Bush. I have a feeling Missoula might be my place of puke on this American Second Generation Tour. It�s a tough life, struggling to drink the rider of endless chilled corona. I have to stay away from the screwdrivers (God love the American measures) after I once left the entire night�s merchandise takings on the dash of the bus after a spectacular drunkard session in Kansas City ( and yes, it was my first visit).

It�s been a spectacular start to the US tour actually. Here we are as Alarm 2000, (that is Mike, Jim, Dirk and Steve for the record and not Mike, Eddie, Dave and Nigel) charging through California and it has to be said the fans are loving it, loving hearing Alarm songs played in their full electric glory. I�m in the firing line, fronting the MPO desk, meeting all creeds of Alarm fans and it is very touching to see the positive effect of this Second Generation tour.

We�ve had to rename Dick Llewellyn, �Dirk� after a Californian fan (trying to get us pissed on shots in Hollywood�s Barneys Beanery) was horrified by the name �Dick� and all its implications in the U.S.. of A. ” I mean it�s like being called Willie in the UK!” said �he� of the lover of �Declaration�. I didn�t like to tell him that we had plenty of Willies on the other side of the pond.

I�ve been having quite a ball actually, touching base with all the American fans (please don�t tell Pete at MPO as I have convinced him 4 weeks out of the office is a necessity) and relinquishing tour management control to the original Alarm stalwart, Lighting Engineer and Tour Manager, Bobby Blue Troman. Bob�s captaining an admiral ship and all 8 of us are having a blast.

There�s Big Jim, my all time fave guitarist who has mastered Sharp�s licks to perfection, there�s Dirk of Cartoon and Poets fame, enjoying his first trip to Californina and Steve Grantley /Heath Rowe of Stiff Little �Chicken� Fingers fame powering the whole thing together with his unbelievable rhythms. All the guys have studied the Alarm catalogue with academic attention and the result is having a dramatic effect on diehard Alarm fans everywhere. What you get on this Second Generation tour is pure and unadulterated Alarm greatest hits.

Keeping it all together is Bobby �Ladies Man� Blue on logistics and lights, Steve Jones (no relation) keeping the backline in check and Mike Jones (no relation), engineering the sound and keeping the dedications in check.

Mike is recording dedications on the night for people who make their requests in advance or on the night of the show. It makes the whole evening pretty edgy as Mike is kept guessing all night as to what he is expected to play and the dedication chooser sits on the edge of his seat awaiting his special �three minutes�!

Billy of Duffy fame joined us at Hollywood�s Key Club and we hung out for breakfast together planning the next flurry of Coloursound activity. Looks like there will be some kind of US official release and of course commencement of work on a future Coloursound album. Billy and Ian Astbury have just started on the new Cult album so if you are a fan, expect some kind of release next year.

Wayne of Hussey fame came to say �Hullo� at the sold out Santa Ana show in the very lovely Southern California�. I�m also in charge of the Mission merchandise for their forthcoming European November tour so the King of the Goths and I were able to play �catch up�.

As Mike doesn�t seem to understand the word vacation, this is as close as it gets. We had managed to squeeze in a little rest and recreation earlier in the year in the Balaeric Islands but the tan lines are already starting to fade. Lets hope Alarm 2000 hits Hawaii in the Spring as promised. You never know…

So as we cruise away from gorgeous California into the spectacular scenery of Oregan, I�ll love and leave you. For those of you planning to attend the shows, please drop by and say hello. It�s been a pleasure to see y�all so far. To the Fultons (webmasters extraordinaire), Dougieieieieie from Texas, Martin all the way from England, Nancy from Texas, Matt, the original UK Alarm fan, now resident in Cal-if-ornia and so many more. It�s been a pleasure…

Ciao for now,

Miss. Jules XXX

Publication::
Author::