It’s always rewarding when ideas get thrown around between us and the team spirit brings out the individual strengths. With the increased need to brand things these days, webmaster and former MCA / Universal PR man, Leon Tsillis came up with the Real Deal concept and it proved a winner. Thank you Leon for your inspiration as well as the impetus to record the live version of Argus, which was available for this tour. In fact, I can never thank you enough for ALL you do. Period.
With Leroy Powell’s band caricatures, inspired by Joe Crabtree’s love of card tricks, we featured some of Joe’s onstage visual programming to complete the vibe. I’m proud to have such a competent, positive and creative team on board. Factoring in the road crew, lead by Monsieur Daniel Vetter on sound, Andy Clark on visuals and Olaf Broders on backline & guitars and Dave Wright on merch and accounting, this band now has a multi national approach. We are bringing a wealth of abilities and years of experience to you, and what we hope, is the highest in rock entertainment.
The challenge to finance a band on the road in these tough times is proving greater, and that’s no bad thing. We have to work harder, be slicker and budget more tightly. With more and more bands vying for fewer and fewer live venues, and with tribute outfits producing better and better shows, everyone out there is an expert and the lines between reality and ersatz are being blurred. The four of us have been treading the boards for a combined 57 years in this band alone, to say nothing of the years of experience gained with others. That’s a lot of road miles, songwriting and recording sessions. Here in the U.K. having the mutli-talented band, the Hamsters, on the bill, not only ensured good recession – proof audience numbers in these tough financial times but raised the performance bar, being a worthy and tough act to follow. Thank you Slim, Rev, Zsa, Zsa and Dougy et al. real pros.
And what of the band? To quote a certain rotund Geordie drummer who claims the phrase as his own “I (too) love this band!!” Bob, Joe and Muddy – thank you and please enjoy your well-earned month off. The Real Deal Tour will be heading to La France shortly, winding up in Monaco. Maybe we’ll get to visit the Casino and Joe can use his dexterity with a pack, for real. I know Bob will probably wish to visit Princess Stephanie with whom he shared many a limo journey in his capacity as her bass player (yes, you heard right). He worked for her during her brief stint as a Euro Pop star in the 1980’s.
After all that, the Real Deal will find itself in Holland and Belgium and then on to the Autobahns of Germany where we’ll complete our umteenth consecutive annual January tour (along with our now annual ski trip in Samoëns, France). We’ll take a short breather for some Spanish and Swiss dates in March, and then you’ll see us in the U.K. again come mid April where the tour will wind up on May 16th with a special show at The Shepherds Bush Empire, just as we did in 2000 when we celebrated the band’s 30th anniversary. At that point we’ll change tack and issue in a new theme - 40 Years and Counting. This will have particular significance for me, having performed on each and every Wishbone Ash gig and album recording for what constitutes the work of a lifetime. There will be a pause for thought about all the band mates (perhaps someone can tell me how many?) past and present, their families, the managers, road crews, PR people and cast of thousands who have been part of this incredible journey. We are hoping some of those alumni will join myself and the guys in our planned celebrations.
All that remains is to say Hasta la Vista, and by a strange quirk of fate, I arrived in New York last night, just in time for my visit to the polling booth today. I texted one of my sons last night to remind him to vote today and I quote his response; "What? Is there an election or something?" Smartass. I will be glued to the TV this evening, like all other Americans, as I’m sure many others around the world will be. This one is momentous.
Peace ~ A.P.
