You're your own worst enemy! (Vivid description, Mark - I hope it finds its way into the magazine.)

..the last time Dylan was in town. Cost a fair bit, parking a problem, late getting in, Dylan had his back to us the whole night, hours to get out the car park (with voices raised).

Mrs W, who is probably his biggest fan, has vowed "never again".

I wasn't planning to go to this because of the Zombies show at Hammersmith, but when I looked on Ticketmaster yesterday lunchtime, tickets for the front row of block A1 came up. I presume they'd tried to sell these as part of a VIP package and then released them at the last minute for regular price. I got there on time via the rail replacement bus from Stratford and spend most of the night unable to believe that Bob fucking Dylan was performing about three feet away from me. It was only when I went to get a pint during a new song that I realised how difficult it was for everyone else to hear and see him. I'm sure there were 18 000 or so disappointed fans, but those of us who only decided to go yesterday lunchtime had a great time.

Blows my thread out of the water somewhat:

http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/i-have-seen-dylan-live-and-wish-di...

but can i make the obvious point that south London is only in accessible if you start your Journey from wales like you did. I can get a bus to the O2 (15mins) but my heart sinks at the thought of trying to get to Hammersmith!

The O2 is horrible. Unless you are very lucky where you are sitting, which is about 5% of the audience, the sound is awful, and i find the whole corporate environment soul destroying. I don't think I will be going back, whoever is on there. Not having a working Tube on a concert night is unforgivable for most of us coming from Central London and beyond.

It was taking 40 minutes just to get on a bus and get out of the O2 area last night Chris. And we were one of the lucky ones. Still hundreds of people in the que for various buses.

You would have thought TFL/The O2 would have sorted out some rail replacement double deckers to be ready and waiting and have some go straight to London Bridge and have some go round the houses but no.

I was there last night and thought he was actually "quite good". I was with a friend who had never seen him before and, despite Bob's special "reinterpretations" of his hits, she loved him. Properly loved him. Clapping-for-joy loved him.

It was far from the worst time I saw him (that will be at The London Arena about seven years ago). but I thought the old goat done good. I won't put up with rubbish acts/sound and will walk out, but Bob kept me there all night. And the vocals were absolutely fine (cue: "he sings like a constipated fox in a bin" jokes).

And I had the trauma of having to go via Bow to get there. Bow. Have you been? It's like being shown blurry charcoal etchings of your own funeral.

Actually, it reminds me of the last gig I walked out of. It was "The" Verve and their recent "comeback" show at The Roundhouse. I never liked them (I still think they were a bigger force for mediocrity in the 1990s than Oasis as Oasis never claimed to be anything but a lumpen rock band but "The" Verve though they were operating some sonic-and-lyrical-loom that spat out a golden carpet called The Future).

I invited as the guest of Someone Very Senior At EMI and told by all that I really had to see "The" Verve live to really get them and experience the 'communion' they have with their audience. They came on and jumped into the kind of "space-rock jam" that The Grateful Dead are still laughed at in the street for. This lasted perhaps 10 minutes. They started another song that sounded like the first one, just weaker.

Another 10 minutes of that, and no sign of the song ending or even skirting the border of "melody", myself and Someone Very Senior At EMI looked at each other, didn't say a word, and headed for the door. Outside we tried to find words that expressed how, let's not mince words here, utterly, toweringly wank it all was.

Tickets were apparently swapping hands before the gig for £150 each. I would have paid twice that not to have experienced how very, very bad music can be.

Still, Bob Dylan, eh? Lovely hat and jacket last night.

reports in the mag, on the web, in the 'cast, Dylan quite obviously doesn't give a flying f*ck about the audience at his gigs nor has he played a decent show in a dog's age, so my question (and it's a genuine one) is this: why do people still bother going?

Is the problem with gigs like this that Dylan had never been to a gig as a punter? The sound will have been good on stage, he got from his nice hotel to the gig with ease in a speeding car/chopper. The white wine back stage was chilled and the snacks the right mix of savoury and sweet, isn't this what it's like for everyone he'll think. So he neither knows nor seemingly cares what the event is like for paying customers. Sadly until we vote with our feet or complain in large numbers nothing will change.

I've mentioned this before it would be refreshing to see acts asked about this in interviews aside from the usual cliches about " the fans are the important people it's who we play for etc" how about asking Bono if £4.50 for a pint of tepid carling is a good deal or how much he'd pay to see his favourite band half obscured by the sound desk. Sadly I don't think any band would understand the idea of fans not wanting to have to get the nightbus instead them having to start playing at 8.30 instead 10:15pm!

...in the media that seems to have decided its cool to like Dylan. In the weekend papers there seems to be a ground swell of people coming out the wood work claiming to be looking forward to seeing him or buying the new album.
There was a similar buzz around the latest U2 album. Both events reaching a level of interest not seen before. All very odd.
Dylan's not been on my list of gigs to go to for the all the reasons above. If I paid £50 plus for a ticket I'd want a guaranteed qality show if I paid less than £20 then I'd be much more inclined to be experimented with in terms of set lists etc.

you could have come straight out and got the 486 back to our house and had a nice cup of tea!

Friday evening. Sheffield. My first live Bob experience. A reasonable 5 quid to park AT the venue. Enjoyable banter with tout to dispose of 2 tickets I couldn't GIVE away to friends (touts who actually stand around at gigs are FAR more preferable to the leeches with a PC and an Ebay account). £3.50 for a can of Tuborg (par for the course these days and at least it was cold). 18th row seats, stage right so result there. Friendly banter with the chap from Manchester who'd taken a chance with no ticket and was made up with the one he'd bought from me, via the tout - no takers for the second ticket it would seem so he'd only broken even, another result! Bob & the band were fantastic to these ears. I'd avoided seeing him for years because of what you read about him live but the band kicked it and Bob seemed very into it (not bothered that he doesn't chat or tell stories, I've got Bruce for that). Especially liked the version of Highway 61 they played - anyone with a link to a download? Afterwards, 10 mins to get out of the car park, 70 mile drive home and in our local for 11. Two pints later and a quick walk home with a takeaway curry. A GREAT night was had by us, sorry to hear the London experience was less than satisfactory.

Sorry your evening was a catastrophe, maybe take the bike next time? I heard Dylan's new single for the first time yesterday and it sounds new and ancient. Bob's withered vocals, sound like someone who's smoked 50 million Benson and Hedges, washed down with fifteen thousand pints of road tar. Still looking forward to hearing his new long player. He's certainly a bloody hard working old pensioner. His current workload would put some of these young indie whipper snappers to shame.

Dylan's been somehow 'allowed back in' after a couple of decades of phoned-in albums and performances. Time Out Of Mind and Love & Theft were very good, coupled with the fact he's always touring, means he's an accessible legend that might be worth a punt. Trouble is we are all loath to admit that he still doesn't always hit the spot; the residual goodwill from the aforementioned albums gave a lot of commercial and critical momentum to the Modern Times album, and to my ears that sounds a bit like a pub rock band playing Dylan. Dire Straits even. Just my opinion obviously.

You can get lucky with him though. My one and only Dylan experience was at the NEC around the time L&T came out, with a great band featuring Charlie Sexton on guitar. Despite the fact that I was so far away that Dylan might actually have been Ken Dodd, the performance was solid. But, as many above have noted, I only went because I wanted to catch him in case he dropped dead any day.

The point is, his stinkers far outweigh his blinders, but we all forget that, because he's Dylan, maaaan...

I'm rather glad I couldn't get there last night. I remember coming out of the Springsteen gig there 18 months ago and being somewhat distressed that there was no quick or easy way home. However, although the O2 is a transport disaster, it is by no means unique. The Emirates stadium, in terms of journey time home - and considering that I live half an hour's direct train journey away - was just as bad. Basically, London Transport is abysmal but it'll all be fine by 2012, right?

who's going to the Roundhouse tonight?

I too fell foul of the London Arena shows in 2002 and swore I would never go again. However the next year a friend had a spare for the Hammersmith gig so I went along. It was brilliant and he played an absolutely ace set - Romance in Durango, Hattie Carroll, Dear Landlord. I was hooked back in but decided to avoid the arena shows. So apart from the Brixton run tonight will be my first since then.

compared to likewise in our neck of the words (the MEN arena, city centre manchester) it's a veritable heaven. no extra tier of genuine vertigo-inducing seating, decent facilities, nice sound AND frozen tequilas!

never a dylan fan, having recently watched much of NO DIRECTION HOME with my jaw on the carpet i really fancied seeing him this time. glad i didn't now.

You would think the esteemed editor of the popular Word magazine would be in the first few rows of the venue as a guest of Mr Dylan or his record company.

I do recall once standing next to Mr Ellen amongst the great unwashed at a Stones show. Shepherd's Bush Empire 1999 if I am nor mistaken. Great show BTW although they finished after the tube had stopped running ...

Pity the poor buggers who had to pay to see Bob last night.

Not always the venues fault though. I worked at a large venue that was like a railway station inside - probably because it used to be a railway station ;). We used to imagine a scenario where we sold brilliant beer at low prices and gave the venue away free to the promoter. Ticket prices would not go down a single penny. Guess who would still get the blame if the artist/sound was crap, the buses/trains were late and the seats they speciafically requested were too far from the stage. That's right, the venue. Rarely does the artist or promoter get the blame.

I just wished I had kept some of the whingey, whiney letters that enevitably come after a big show from punters trying it on for a refund. The best one was from somebody complaining how dirty the bus was on the special excursion to Manchester from Yorkshire and could they get a refund. A bus trip they organised to a completely different venue to ours! Hope the Thames was not too bumpy for Mr.Ellen, otherwise he could sue for his money back. All £0.00 of it...

Bob's playing in Liverpool on Friday so I will report back. If indeed he doesn't say anything he may go down in history as the first American artisit to play Liverpool and not mention the Beatles once. Luckily I can walk to the Echo Arena (doesn't bode well for the sound though that name does it?) and there's a great pub near by called the Baltic Fleet that brews it's own beer. I'll be in there from 6pm with my dad if any Word types want to say hello.

What you went through to see ol' Bob sounds hellish ... I've experienced something similiar before. I'm going to see Dylan in Dublin and,knowing the old Point (now renamed Oz) I am hoping it won't be as bad ... Here's hoping anyway. Ps ... the new album is very good and you can make out most of the words on it!

Firstly, I cannot conceive of going to a gig at any venue the escape from which requires joined-up thinking of any kind. I like to keep my options open, and advanced refreshment is generally one of them.

Secondly, after a rocking good time at Blackbushe I guessed that Bob might be a let down on future occasions, and have avoided his gigs for 30 years. I have no plans to change this approach. Especially now.

can we now expect a Zimmercast?

I was reading one of those free sheet interviews with Billy Ocean who's back touring and he had no problem playing the hits. His view was play what they want and get them on your side which seemed a humane and sensible way forward. Maybe BD would surprised at the reaction to some decent "old".

I haven't been to the O2, but I did see Dylan at the NEC in 2002. The problem with these venues is that they are too large. In 1995, I saw Dylan at Brixton Academy, and it was a fantastic show and I was near enough to the front to actually be able to see him without the aid of binoculars.

Gerry Smith, the man behind the fabulous Dylan Daily and Music for Grown Ups websites, has issued a very enthusiastic review of last night's show here:

http://spacemonkeylab.com/dylandaily/blog/archives/00001056.php

Was at the O2 last night and it was OK, no more or no less than what I expect of a Dylan live show, plenty of name that tune moments but also a couple of genuine hair on the back of the neck moments (Til I Fell in Love with You followed by Workingmans Blues was fantastic).

As for the venue, well for a 20,000 capacity venue I was impressed, none of the crowding or queuing that I've experienced at most other places.

Big plus for the venue was that I had an e-mail from the O2 and the ticket agent in the week saying that the Jubilee line would be closed and offering other options, hence we took the express boat there and back. Been stranded getting to and from too any places to not appreciate advance notice from both the venue and promoter about potential travel problems.

Left at the start of the encores to get the boat but, generally, would do this anyway at a huge venue, traveling into London for 20 years for gigs makes you used to leaving before the end to catch trains.

A spectacle or an event? Or just a plain spectacular event...

At least you missed Santana jamming in the encore...

This morning's Financial Times has a fairly glowing review of the O2 show. Four stars out of five. There is a bit about his voice:
"Capping it all was the singer's groaning rasping voice: a magnificent wreck, like crumbling masonry falling from a decrepit world heritage site. Yet for all the ruination of his vocals, Dylan sounded vibrant and alive."

I haven't seen Dylan live for years but it was hit and miss when I did. I seem to recall seeing him at the Hammersmith Odeon in the early 90s when one song just ground to a halt and I think they had to start again.

You mean the time the entire band fell apart during Don't Think Twice, It's All Right? Excruciating. Although I'll take that any time compared to the agony of two years earlier, when he performed entire songs with his head down, attempting neither scansion nor melody. It was like an amplified version of someone mumbling in their sleep.

It is somewhat hard to sympathise with this article when the views expressed by the author and his fellow naysayers on the boat - that Dylan had murdered songs, that the sound was dismal, that they'd like to commit acts of physical violence - are exactly identical to the views expressed by the disgruntled folkies who walked out in 1966. (And see how favourably history looks on them!)

It's even harder to sympathise when half the article can be summed up as "I didn't have enough common sense to look at the TFL Journey Planner before I left the house."

Dylan's top of the list of acts I want to see before they pop-off. Couldn't go this time as the wife was expecting (son arrived last Wednesday as it goes.) So decided to miss out.

Thank the lord I did judging by Mr Ellen's reviews.

I too am not a fan of the O2. I've been 3 times now (Zeppelin, Springsteen, Stevie Wonder,) and each time the view/sound has been appalling and getting out of that joint to the train is a mad panic/run otherwise you will be damned to spend a couple of hours trying to get home.

When you start worrying about how to get home just three songs into the set. I've been to the O2 four times now and each time it was fine, boat there and Jubilee line back. Emirates fantastic too, though that may be due to the fact I can walk there and back. Wouldn't go to see Dylan if he was playing at the end of the street, but that's another story. Mind how you go. Etc.

Looks like there are lots of different issues going on here and I'm not sure how much Dylan has to to with any of it.

He doesn't organise trips to and from the venue so can't be held responsible for that side of the experience can he?

He isn't a time capsule of a character from the 60s and he doesn't claim to be. That's not what Bob Dylan is about is it?

Don't expect some sort of miracle to happen and he suddenly develops a sweet voice now that he is 67 years old.

When I was 13 years old in the early sixties I remember people hating his voice just as much as now but, back then, people were sensible enough not to spend money on going and see him if they didn't like him. Things have changed but Bob doesn't care, it's not his fault.

I saw him on Friday night in Sheffield and I didn't expect him to talk to me, why would he? His communication is the music and his voice was exactly what I expected. If you listen to his most recent recordings you will know what to expect, don't get upset when he doesn't meet unreal expectations. Do we get this sort of polarisation when Tom Waits sings? Dylan grunts and growls, but he grunts and growls in all the right places, like all the great bluesmen did and do.

Listen to the new album, out today. Thats the voice I heard on Friday night. Some of the songs on the new album are outstanding. He isn't trying to con anyone. His voice has changed and in some peoples opinion it might be shot but he is not pretending to be anything other than Bob Dylan.

If you want to see the Bob Dylan of the sixties, seventies etc etc, buy a DVD. If you want to hear the song as it was when it was recorded, buy the CD. If you want to see / hear Bob Dylan as he is today then go to a concert.

I am so excited about going to Liverpool on Friday night. If he can 'mash up' another song and perform it as well as he did with 'Boots of Spanish leather' in Sheffield last Friday, or give a beautiful rendition of 'Make you feel my love' again then I will be very pleased.

As for that boat trip Mark, take a listen to 'Bear Mountain Picnic' again. The guy who wanted to punch Dylan? 'arms and legs were broken, my feet were splintered, head was cracked couldn't walk, talk, smell, feel, couldn't see, didnt know where i was, I was bald...quite lucky to be alive though'.

I guess he had lost all his picnic spirit too?

The one and only time I went there (to see a horribly Disneyfied Tutenkhamen exhibition on a press night) there was no Tube, no buses, no boats, no way out. We eventually got a taxi after about a 90-minute wait.

I vowed never to go again, and seeing as I don't like the thought of seeing bands playing shopping centres that won't be an issue.

For an entertaining fifteen minutes reading all your contributions to the Great Bob Debate!

Mark, as he gave it a pretty good reception

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/bob-dylan-...

Reminded me of bad memories at trying to get out of Cardiff in December 2005 after a concert at the Millennium stadium, and when network rail decided they needed to do routine work on the rails between Cardiff and Newport and lay on replacement buses which by the time they arrived at Newport the last train England bound had already gone.

The taxis did a killing that night getting concert goers home to England.

...and nothing that's been said here makes me regret that in any way!

On a similar theme to the above, I stopped going to Van Morrison concerts, having been to five or six over maybe 12-15 years, when I decided that the transcendental experience that diehards kept promising simply wasn't going to happen - all I kept getting for my money was a shouty, grumpy old boor who kept mistreating his audience, having taken significant amounts of their money. And I'm FROM East Belfast, for goodness sake (if anyone wants some Paris buns washed down with Wordsworth & Coleridge and Mahalia Jackson with potted herrings in case we get famished down on Cyprus Avenue, my guided tours are competitively priced). It pains me that this sour-faced, dysfunctional bollox is the best we can offer the world, it really does...

That said, 'The Man' may yet have grasped some kind of 11th hourdignity from the jaws of fan-weary disinterest by making an uncharacteristic effort and presenting 'Astral Weeks' in its entirety with strings and winds. I don't particularly want to hear it personally, but it's a decent gesture after all these years of black-suited bar-band R&B stodge. Bob could learn something from him.

No doubt Bob's diehardiest apologists would be appalled at the suggestion but their man is, after all, just another individual in the entertainment game. I get a feeling here that a large part of his audience at the O2, at least, might have appreciated some old-fashioned effort on the crowd-pleasing front. What's the betting he'll be back next year doing the complete 'Blood On The Tracks' with the original musicians?

(...sound of tumbleweeds blowing wistfully through the massive as few dare to hope, and many more have finally, wisely decided they wouldn't bother taking the ticket-buying risk even if he did... ...Mark Ellen tosses coin; Mrs Ellen swiftly remembers sock-drawers needing tidied that night; whichever night it is...)

[audio only]

..the point about how FUNNY these "manglings" often are.
My wife and I howl at some of the live footage we've seen.

Jesus wept, I had no idea it was THAT bad. What's wrong with him? Sounds like a dog growling at a fairground.

As someone who regularly comes to London for concerts I'm always astonished at the transport situation at most venues. Now I live in Berlin which has 24-hour public transport (which we always complain about of course) and a situation like the one described above is unthinkable here - not because Berlin transport is more efficient than their British counterpart, but because they handle it differently.
For big concert (and sports) events here the fee for any public transport is already included in the ticket price. The transport company gets money from the promoter for this, so they do everything to get it going smoothly (otherwise they had to pay the money back). So a fleet of busses or trains is waiting when the concert has finally finished (!), and as there's no need for ticket control or paying, no-one has to wait too long. And as for "London Transport arranging repair work around Dylan's tour schedule"? Why not?! That's why they have "Public" in their company's name.

Oh, and maybe Dylan used up all his charm at the Berlin gig on April 1st - he smiled a lot, chatted a bit and even felt the need to croak "Hello Berlin, how'ya doin..."

(She being the expert in all things Dylan)

I have been traveling to London from Dublin since 1990 for a great many Bob Dylan ,Stones,Wilco,Ben Harper,Iggy Gigs etc to name a few.
I have just read the various comments about getting to the venue,Bob was brutal etc.
Christ on a Bike!! What a bunch of moaning pussies you all are! .Oh I couldnt get to the far side of the city.Boo Hoo! Whatever happens,happens! re getting too and from shows.
Set out early is my advice.
I caught a London Gatwick flight at 2pm.Just about to take off when someone choked down front.Que Fire Truck,Ambulance and recovery vehicles.A 30 min delay and away we went.I then caught the Gatwick express to Victoria,no time to check in to hotel so got tube to Westminster.I then hotfooted it across the bridge to catch the 5.30 boat that did not leave till 6pm.Arrived at the 02 to catch second half of United V Spurs game then headed into venue.
I thought Bob was great,slightly below par of Brussels show earlier in week but a better perf than the Roundhouse gig the following night which I would say was very good.And I did meet Bill Wyman and had a chat so Yippee there.
After the 02 show we trickled out (I was in 10th row on left side on floor) and wandered back to the quay for the boat back to London Eye(a 10 min wait at most).
So I have no complaints and even if I did its my problem to get too and from a show even if I have to walk!.
What a bunch of whingers! Grow up for chrissake!
And as for Mark Ellen, he needs a good kick up the arse!
A Free ticket as well and still moans!
I met him at Bishopstock some years ago and thought he was sound enough,but now I think he should be ran out of London on a rail!

...if its as dreadful as this one so very clearly was.

I seem to remember on last week's podcast that Mark wasn't going to stay for the encores, and he'd be on his way as soon as Bon kicked off Maggie's Farm. Let's hope Mark missed the start of the gig, since that's what Bob premiered with.

And yes, the transport was a nightmare. I'd subscribed to the TFL updates, so I knew the tubes were screwed. But even taking a taxi in meant that we took 2 hours from Fulham :-( Note that the Jubilee line is down for most weekends, so bear that in mind for your next weekend enormo-dome excursion.

I have seen two concerts at the O2. Had good seats for both shows (i.e not up in the clouds) and the sound was utterly abysmal on both nights. It's a colossal dome that was never designed to host music. Clearly, playing to 20 000 paying punters in one night is a big payday for the artist but a really lousy deal for the fans. Stay away.

Symphony Hall Birmingham has the best accoustic I know, whether CBSO, Paul Brady, Jackson Browne, Elvis with only Steve Nieve and, hopefully, in 2 days time, Madeleine Peyroux. I would love it if the NEC and NIA fillers would be brave enough to try a night or several here.

That Costello / Nieve show from a few years back was spellbinding as much because you could hear everything as the pure performance itself. Saw Lou Reed there in 92, and that was equally as good.

I dont understand why when you go to see a band, the sound seems so irrelevant. You don't go to an art gallery and see the paintings through an opaque glass do you?

That's why I'm not bothering with the Dan this time, much as I'd love to, because it's the NIA again. Saw them there last time and for a band so intent on detail, you can't hear any in there. 50 quid is a lot of dough to be disappointed.

saw Elvis there with Nieve and another with the Imposters.

Find the Barbican old, stuffy and clapped out in comparison. The sound in the RFH has definitely improved since the refit. The mix for David Byrne was simply spot on the other week.

He's Bob Dylan. He can do pretty much what he likes. I would have thought that these days his audience know to expect just that.

on reading Mark Ellen's comment " the seats are so far away we can only assume Dylan is the one in the white hat. "

Many, many moons ago (oh, alright, 1978), I saw Bob Dylan at a big open-air gig in Blackbushe - from afar as the coach from Swansea took ages to get to Surrey. Soon after the start of Dylan's opening number, a mexican wave of sorts rippled back slowly to where we were standing. The man in front of me turned round as it reached him and passed on this comment about the matchstick figures faintly visible in the far distance.

"Dylan's wearing a Top Hat - pass it on".

I agree with Andrew Collins that Dylan fans, and anyone who continues to pay extortionate prices, are their own worst enemy. There comes a point, and we have reached it with Dylan, the Stones and The Who, where they should just stop. I saw the Stones on their last tour and, apart from Mick, they were pathetically awful. I didn't go see the Who on their recent tour but reviews suggested they are now a pale imitation.
But of course they won't stop, not while people are willing to travel for hours and pay 50 quid a ticket to stand miles from the stage and drink warm beer at a fiver a pint. As FZ one said, I think, save your money don't go to the show.

I think Dylan is well past the point where he cares what people think. But I think he carries on touring because he's a working musician, and he probably feels that that means he should be playing music live. Of course, being paid for it is a considerable bonus. Better than working for a living, as they say.

Ah, Dylan at Blackbushe. I was there. I know this because there is a photo of me there, beard and 70s check shirt like a bistro tablecloth. On the horizon are some minute figures on the stage. Can't remember what Dylan sang, how he sounded, who else played, etc. Do remember chaos getting away, got back to London in middle of night and ended up sleeping on Waterloo station - by the ticket office, since you ask.
Next Bob experience, the Fleadh, sometime in the 90s, he used his duck voice and struck heavy metal axeman poses as if he found the whole thing a joke. If I'd been sober and gone just to see him I think I would have been dismayed, but it was quite enjoyable in a preposterous kind of way. The report next day on GLR said people in the crowd were laughing, and they were right. Nice short walk home though.
NEC 2000. Pretty damn good I thought, haven't wanted to risk disappointment by going to see Dylan since. Got lost in urban motorway jungle on the way home...

Myself and a friend hitch hiked overnight on the Friday from Oop North, got to Blackbushe at about 4pm on the Saturday, hitch hiked overnight again on Saturday and all of Sunday, getting home at 5am Monday morning.
No sleep since Thursday night (and no we were not on drugs -wish we had been).Also got a fine for attempting to hitch hike on a motorway.
You London boys have got it easy

Luxury! As stated above, I'm still on my way back. Current whereabouts uncertain but the walls are very soft.

Damn! OK Retropath2 - you win.

Completely OT here --

I came across an old interview Mark did with Jimmy Page and Roy Harper courtesy of Youtube. It was HILARIOUS! Good job Mark! Yes, each year that passes shows what an intergalatic GOD Page/Zep was, but hey, what fun to kick them in the balls a little bit.

The fact of the matter is Zep WAS excessive in many respects. 20 MINUTE GUITAR SOLOS with Page all alone and some insipid effects box? WTF?!?!

..the Theremin, Pagey wasn't big on effects, other than a bit of fuzz and wah.