June

I had a great time in June, much to talk about, however, as most days in the Arts Game were much the same, I wont go on about it - I wouldn't like to bore you...cos you know how I don't already!

'The Arts Game?' I hear you ask... Well, I went for the interview to get the same gig as last year, running the summer arts programme in Ferguslie Park. I got the gig and am in the throes of it now...not long to go...

Anyway, I played in the Cumbernauld Theatre at the beginning of June. It was a brilliant fun show. The audience were great and gave us a good bit of banter to be going on with. In fact, on the drive through to the gig, Wee Stuart and Alby were having a bit of a competition about who knew what about their specialist subject (a guy thing I think). You know, they were doing that thing where one had to ask the other about their chosen subject - James Bond and Star Wars movies - very mature and stimulating conversation! Anyway, they were doing my head in, so I decided that I was going to invite the audience to join the game. It was great...only because Wee Stuart didn't know the answer to a question (you have no idea how unusual that is!) Anyway, the poor wee guy who asked the question had to then come up and play a song with the band - his request was Home to Sister! Fun..fun..fun.

We did a lot of old requests that night...Raincloud Court and Close Your Eyes (for the mad fan - Paul - who was at his SIXTIETH Carol Laula show!) and stuff. The best thing about doing those types of tunes is that we hadn't rehearsed them, so we were playing by the seat of our pants...and, of course, the guys pulled it out of the hat every time...even the mistakes sound magic.

(By the way, my chosen subject was the West Wing - buy only because I knew neither Stuart nor Alby watched it!)

I was very cool for the second time this year...I went to London for my pals fortieth party. It was a great night, lots of great food and booze. The next morning we sat in her back garden and breakfasted in the most glorious weather, playing with her kids and stuff. Then, we got on the plane and could see the border coming up...ie the big front of heavy black cloud! Honestly, we stepped off the plane and it was torrential rain. How can that be? Its only an hour away and it seems like a different continent!

I went to enjoy the opening night of Euro 2004 - England -v- France - I did want England to win, I did, I REALLY did. Then they scored and I realised that I am cursed by small-minded racism through and through! I know you've heard it all before but, its not the players (particularly not the gorgeous David Beckham) but the commentary and the commentators. You know, before England scored, all I heard them talking about was Tiere Henry and how great he was and how did he manage to do that and wow look at him go. Then England scored and the commentary goes '...apart from Henry, who has practically been anonymous in this game' *!%@ eh? Were you not listening to yourself? So, when France scored twice in extra time, I was SECRETLY very happy...well, I don't know why I felt the need to keep it secret, especially when everyone in the pub was deleriously happy - phew, so I'm not the only one who is a small minded racist-against-the-English Scot - phew!

Still, I went back to England a couple of days later. I was fully prepared for the fact that the previous weekend's weather had been a fluke and that it would be raining in England. And what d'ya know? I drove down this time to Barnsley - only about a 3-4 hour drive. Well, as soon as I left Scotland, the sun came out! What is this? Is it a massive anti-Scotland conspiracy by the weather? Does George W bush control the weather too???!!!

I got the gig in the Blah Bar in Barnsley. It was a lovely Carol Laula fan - Lee Noble - who had set it up. Lee and John did the opener and played a lot of great songs, with the most amazing delivery...this guy is good. He also sings backing vocals on the road with Elkie Brooks - how cool is that? Then it was my turn, what a magic show it was. Sadly there were very few people there, but it was a great show. It reminds me why I love to play and sing and how much I love to do it - its a gift and not many jobs come better than this!

I went to a couple of shows this month. One was Bic Runga in King Tut's. A massive hit in New Zealand who has sold five times platinum. She sounded great on the Janice Forsythe show but I felt a wee bit disappointed at the show. I don't know if it was because the sound wasn't too great, or if it was because I was sandwiched between two record company guys who proceeded to talk all the way through the show and spend their expense account on more and more beer. They didn't listen to a full song all the way through...god bless the music business...

The other show I saw was my goddaughter in the Theatre Royal with the Scottish Ballet - of course there were about four million people on the stage and of course there were about two million dances, but of course, I really only saw one, Wee Caitlin was just superb...of course she was the star of the show! Biased? Me?!


July

July started VERY WELL - ie me in the David Lloyd club watching the tennis final over a nice long family lunch. Quickly followed by a drive up to Glasgow to watch the football final and I was very happy that my team - GREECE - won. Well, they became my team when Sweden went out!

I was also involved in the Sma' Shot Celebrations in Paisley. This is a centuries old celebration of the Paisley Weavers fighting for, and realising, their rights. Every year, on the first Saturday in July, there is a big parade through the town centre - with my big brother up front beating the Charlston drum. This year, I had been working with a crowd of about thirty kids to perform some songs that we wrote about the weavers. A really nice thing happened...

For the set, the kids and I wrote two new songs about the weavers and added one I had written last year - the Weaver's Song. Well, last year I taught it to a few kids and this year I was surprised to see a new wee girl singing it. 'Where did you hear that song?' I asked. 'My teacher's teaching us it in school.' I felt great - this is how folk songs are...they just go round and round and on and on.

Now, well into July, my days are revolving round kids still. I don't have long left of the Arts Game, and it has been really good fun. A wee bit easier than last year. Not that the work's different, its just that I know how to handle the stress of working with hunners o' weans - The guide book, if there was one, would go something like this
1. go on your scooter to Paisley
2. go in and set up for the day
3. work and stuff
4. go on your scooter to Glasgow
5. run a hot bath
6. open a bottle of wine and pour a LARGE glass
7. enter the bath whilst drinking the wine
8. go to bed, usually around NINE PM!!!

Like I said, this work thing is getting in the way of my social life...not only that, I have many songs to finish and many more to start! roll on August!

Mind you, into August - the US is under a terror alert...God forbid that anything should happen. God forbid that anyone should lose their lives. Still, I fear that things are going to be made to look so bad that GWB will find a way to postpone the election in November - but no, there's no way such a thing would be allowed to happen - right?

See you soon -

Carol