Band Blog

This is where we all just kind of say what it's like to be a Normal.

Everything from playing gigs to drinking tea. We'll keep you informed about our lives. Like you're interested!!!!!!!

5th September'08

BIG Hello to everyone sorry it’s been so long since the last update but we have been busy A Normal Night Firstly A massive massive thank you to everyone who helped raise over Ł1000 to our charity. Speaking on behalf of the band we were all happily shocked with the amount raised. Not such a Normal Night!!!! Last week The Normals hired a van and set off for Wokingham to play at a Wedding. What a great night it was. It all started being stuck on the M4 holding off a call to the best man about our problems of not even making it. Then turning up (on time) and having a “Great Night” as quoted by the bride. To finally leaving and Peter getting a black eye from a drum forcing us to cancel a gig the very next day. Still it’s all rock’n roll getting in at 3am What’s in the Diary Having been out and about playing Weddings and pub gigs we now have a bit of a gap in the Normals diary. So were are taking some time to record some new originals but if you know somewhere that needs rocking out give us a shout as were always up for that. Have a look on Facebook At last The Normals are on Facebook please check us out and become a fan……pretty please And Finally Please please please can anyone that’s been to a Normals gig so goes to one in the future please leave a message on our website. As this is what landlords and agents look at. Thank you very much Remember Keep it Normal Barry

26th May'08

Well it's been a while since I've had to type a blog out but what a night we had last night. Over 200 people (that's right I said 200) packed out The Slug and Lettuce in Staines to witness our beat gig yet. It's weird but people seem to enjoy me putting on the Abe Lincoln beard and giving Gay Bar my all. Truth is I enjoy too. June will be a slow month Blog wise as I'm off to the USA to record some solo stuff…and have a family holiday. Remember our next gig is on the 12th July back at the Red Lion Egham where I'm sure we'll be selling tickets for our big charity gig on August 9th. Keep checking the website for details. It's good to be Normal Barry

13th May'08

The Ash Tree has now been Normalised! A good mix of regulars and not so regulars turned out to see us sweat like very sweaty men indeed. Included in the crowd was ex-Normal Richard as well as the usual ne'er do wells. Starting a bit late we powered through two sets with just a ten minute comfort break and it all went rather splendidly (I even got Chasing Chords, sorry, Cars right!!). Onwards to the Slug n Lettuce for a Later with Jules Holland type late night experience. Hope to see you there. Jim

7th May'08

Well, an interesting weekend. A return to gigging at the Red Lion in Egham which went pretty well all things considered. A pretty busy pub, photos with 'fans' while we played and a special guest appearance from someone I still swear to be Carlton Palmer! Then on the Sunday a trip in the Normals Fun Bus up to Waltham Abbey to play at a prty for a load of WWII re-enactment people. Now the experience can only be described as strange. A platoon (company, whatever it was) marching up to the stage and being given the order to dance, which the promptly did. Then Steve McQueen riding past on his motorbike. HONEST. I kid you not. It all happened. Still all ends up we had a great night and everyone seemed to enjoy themeselves and got into the spirit of things by dancing their Army issue boots off. We look forward to seeing you mad, mad people again. Onwards for the Normals 'World' tour now as we descend on the Ash Tree on Saturday with, possibly, not a uniform in sight! Jim

1st May'08

Peter, you are such a GEEK!!! Jim

30th April'08

Had a hectic day today... For any anoraks who are vaguely interested in the following :- Went to get my custom made JD bass back from John Diggins in Birmingham (after three weeks in service I was getting withdrawal symptoms from her). I asked John if it was ok and finished ? Yeah he said "we have changed the screws in your strap locks as they were screwed from all your bouncing up and down at gigs !!! and the action has been lowered to a killer level now (real low) oh and by the way pete we had to change the whole of your circuit board too !!!" not much then !!!!!!!!!!! Funny thing is he said to me "The bass was distorting" and not working correctly so we have fixed it for you" Well anyone who knows me will know I had a thing about the bloody bass distorting...every one said it wasn't distorting WELL IT BLOODY WAS !. Anyway enough about that now yawn yawn. Funny thing is it's not as powerful now as it was back then and I am having to adjust to what is now the "correct" set up and bass sound which is weird and may take some time. I remember John saying to me that Mark King from Level 42 has the bass on full, the middle on mid and the treb on full while on stage. Well if I had done that with mine the bass on full would have blown the bass rig up and the pub to go with it so I was never sure about that one but I can see the light now. While in deep discussion with John about how he watched Mark King play live and Marks strap locks came off in mid stage as well (which made me feel better) I cheekily asked if he would look at my cheap Warwick Fretless bass as the action on that was too high as well. OHHHH Alright he said. Well within two minutes he had taken off the neck, put in a shimmy under the neck bolts, put it back together and re se the action. All done in 7.5 minutes flat !!!! and that I guess is why John was Toni Iomi's guitar tech when he was in Black Sabbath !!!!! Excellent stuff. Also was told that my JD bass was star of their new website under www.jaydeeguitars.co.uk under Supernatural Series III. Apparently mines one of the only ones bound and custom made differently so he used it as an example of the Series III WOW what an honour. He also requested pictures of us live to put on their site which receives thousands and thousands of hits monthly which is good....chaps if we make it big we got a good guitar tech on our side !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. P.S also purchased a rather nice Fender Squire Jazz Precision Fretless Deluxe with Seymour Duncan Pickups in natural sunburst just like the Jaco Pastorious one (for any Jazz fans out there) This ones got a bit more treble and bite which is part of the Normals sound. NIIIICCCCEEEEEE Goodbye.

15th April'08

Great band meeting on Saturday night (Andys wedding) although I must admit I was looking forward to not having to play my bass for a change (spoke to soon) Yes Andy pulled out his trump card and asked if the Normals could play a "one off special" which we duely obliged !!!!! Stuck in the middle at 11.00pm after an evening of heavy drinking......mmmmmmm well I wasnt drunk but Rob was !!!! and I think Andy had a few sherberts too !! Barry was a bit sloshed and we went straight in after my intro. Fair play to the other band who let us borrow their equipment !!! Although the snob in me did turn up my nose to playing a ropey old Ibanez bass from 1983 !!!!!! but hey it was FUN ! FUN ! FUN ! I think Andy had the best deal with what looked like a nice newish SONOR kit (We will ask him on his return from honeymoon about that one) Lots of discussion about the Normals European tour too which I am going to miss now due to my call to nature at the Glastonbury 2008 festival !!!!!! 3 days of mud and mayhem...oh well more about that later. It was while talking about Glasto that Barry asked me if I lever listen to normal music ???? NO I replied and then swiftly rattled off a list of my last couple of weeks particular favourite albums : Emerson Lake and Palmer Anthem for the common man / Gary Moore Live / Level 42 Live / Chaka Khan best of / Mahavishnu Orchestra cica 1973...OH DEAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Never mind..... Peter

9th April'08

All a bit quiet at the moment. No gigs, no rehearsals. However it's drummer Andy's wedding on Saturday so it's likely we'll get somthing up about that. Jim

3rd April'08

It took me a while to put it up but I've just worked it all out so below is Barry's views of the Redan gig. I had a great time. Apart from Chasing cars coz man I screwed that one up!!! Jim

29th March'08

Well it’s the morning after the night before and what a cracking gig we had at The Redan in Wokingham! The evening began a bit shaky as Rob took us to some dodgy back-street car park, which apparently nobody knows about…??. Some secret, it was chocka and we ended up abandoning the cars on the pavement and trekking the gear down Wokingham High Street!! Entering The Redan for our first gig at the venue we asked “Where do you want us to set up”? The response was “Next to the fireplace and the sweethearts having the romantic meal!!!” Now that really is Rock n Roll!?!?!?! The gig itself went really well. It was great to see all the old Normalites as well as some VIRGINS amongst the mosh-pit! It’s good to know that we can have fun and still perform well as a tight band. We must’ve rocked the roof off at The Redan as the owner was swift in asking us to return. Always a good sign! Unbenones to us there was an agent in the crowd who loved what he saw and has already been in touch…… watch this space!!! Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading these blogs I hope to post one each time we do something worth writing about….so probably won’t be that often.....!!!? Take care and remember “there’s nothing wrong with being NORMAL” Barry