February.
I mentioned the new “website” I’m writing for, (people dont’ really understand the idea of an “online” only magazine yet, they keep asking when it’s coming out) in an email I sent to Thom late one night, and he replied a few days later. He said he was worrying about “finishing, touring, fax machines and parking, the usual stuff.” He also said “I could do an interview whatever that is”.
March.
Finally there is some tour news. There are half a dozen European dates in June and July. Ed’s diary, which he’s been posting online since last summer, says they’re getting their heads above water.
March 25, wake up to find that while I was out at a gig the night before, I missed Thom and Jonny playing a DJ set of their current favourite tunes as a webcast. My connection wasn’t really up to it anyway, and they do these things unannounced… It made me jumpy to miss it. Another gig, Coldplay and Terris to write it up for the web-magazine. They sound like EMI’s wet dream of the saleable bits of Fake Plastic Trees.
May.
Thom eventually answers the email full of questions I sent, he’d lost my email the first time and I had to send the questions again. I don’t know how to edit it, don’t feel I want to alter what he’s sent, so I send it as a Q&A piece and they run it without a great deal of fanfare. It’s the first interview he’s done this year, but not many people notice.
They are playing a UK show on July 1st, as part of the Meltdown Festival, curated by Scott Walker. He writes, “we’re a bit rough and creaky like old men.”
Caffy fixes me a press ticket for the show…