XTC

I love it when you meet someone who offers you a copy of their favourite album. Especially when it is by a band that was playing on people's record players before I was even born.

During a quiet drink in Alexandra Palace last weekend I was asked if I liked XTC, I was obviously shocked at this at first but was soon informed it was in fact a band.

They are absolutely brilliant. Like the beach boys, the beatles and a bit of jeff buckleys voice and all the things I love rolled into one sound. (I can't describe it so well, you'd need to listen, plus I don't like explaining a bands sound by a comparision to others, although sometimes it does help)

It instantly grabbed me.

I was given a copy of Nonsuch, any recommendations on which to listen to next would be greatly appreciated.

~mel

The sad story of the lost blue hat

This is a long shot but has anyone seen the pictured hat?

It could well have fallen out of a van I was in around Christmas time, probably somewhere between London and Oxford.

If you see anyone wearing it please do let me know - I am beginning to suspect foul play.

mel x

Never bundle

I have learnt my lesson the hard way.

After maybe one sip too many mulled wine I got rather over-excited and starting rugby-tackling my 'friends' whilst we were all watching the fireworks from the top of Alexandra Palace hill.

I found it all very funny watching the big guys fall over, until someone took it too far. He did it back to me and now I can't move my neck. Moan moan moan.

This is war, he thinks he is forgiven but wait till it next gets dark. His name is Roshan, if you see him, tell him I'm looking for him.

And he laughed afterwards!!

New York

We are back! Still a little dazed after the flight as I stupidly took 2 night nurse with one hour left of flying thinking we still had another 4 hours....

We're in the lovely Brooklyn right now, staying with Ladybug's Gary before the first gig with Peter Bjorn & John tomorrow night.

Off alla spiaggia now,

Molti baci, x

Benicassim and beyond!

What fun we had in Benicassim!

I got stuck in the path of Iggy Pop as he finished his pretty amazing gig and ended up having his wiry and very tanned am around my neck as he walked back to his dressing room. The conversation went something like his....

"Good gig Iggy"
"Hey Baby, what's your name baby?"
"Mel"
"You from England baby?"
"Why yes I am Iggy"
"What you doing here baby?"
"I'm playing tomorrow night"
"what's your band called baby?"
"The Clientele"
He was also surrounded by what seemed 500 photographers at the time, all very confusing for me!

I have to say I was rather surprised at his size as I always thought he was a towering hunk of a man but he is actually very small, well-formed though, orange with very tight size 0 girls hipster jeans on.

We went off to Australia straight after and I ended up having my ticket stolen in Shanghai so nearly got stranded there, luckily James and Mark saved me - now we just have to get the £1000 back from the airline that they owe....


Had great fun playing with Robert Scott, he even let me have a go at some violin on a few songs in his live set. He has the most haunting voice, was a pleasure to get to see him play every night.

Sweden and Norway here we come!

Just 2 more days and we're off to Scandinavia. Apparently we're playing a festival in a hotel basement so after we've finished we can just pop upstairs to bed and have an early night!

We've been pretty busy since coming back from the states, we did a video shoot for the single, I got to be makeup artist for the boys which they obviously loved (have a look at James's radical makeover on our flickr site theclienteleflickr ) Al was probably the least keen to let me apply his blue eyeshadow.

The Yahoo music feature we did is up, sadly 50 cent or 25 pence as we kile to call him didn't manage to make into any of our photos.

Been listening to a lot of Robert Scott recently as we're playing with him in Oz and NZ soon. Everyone apart from me seems to have heard it but I'm loving his music now.

x

p.s. I have spell checked this as I am dyslexic and did spell genius wrong on my last blog.

Brian's Poem

Not meaning to jump on the bandwagon with The Brian of Bark Studios blog but I had to mention his great poem.

It is situated just above his loo in Bark Studios.

"If you sprinkle when you tinkle,
Be a sweetie, wipe the seatie."

Pure genious. It's obviously there for the male users and not ladies like myself.

x

p.s. Take that Al NO spelling mistakes today!