I'll tell you where to go
I’ll start with a bit of ‘business’. The feature Can I Help You? is in abeyance at the moment, just because it takes time to do and it’s not the sort of thing I would farm out to a helper. But I do try to respond to individual queries/cries for help when they come up, especially if they’re on subjects close to my heart. Like this, yesterday, from Stuart.
Mark, I know you’re a big fan of the Super Furry Animals. I’ve decided that this is a band I need in my life. What’s the best album to start off with?
Glad you asked, Stuart. Yes, SFA are probably the band who’ve had the greatest total influence on my life and certainly my chosen career; it was from following them around the country as a teenager and young twentysomething that I learned the joy of a chaotic but perfectly executed live show, and also concluded that making the most of my slight Welsh accent might be a good idea. Even now, 15 years or so after I was first smitten with them, I think their unique, hyper-energetic rock/pop/country/techno/everything else compositions stand out in recent British music history, and they will come to be regarded as one of the most surprisingly influential groups of the era.
(Folds up notes, shuffles down from lectern). Thank you.
Anyway Stuart, I recommend listening to the first three albums in order – that’s Fuzzy Logic, Radiator, Guerrilla. Then come back and we’ll plan onwards.
Toblerun news: the ever-reliable Misha has begun a thread on my fan forum, which people kindly run as a companion to this blog. Anyone interested in helping with January’s Toblerun, in which a bar of novelty ridged chocolate will be conveyed from Birmingham to Sheffield to reward two people for their courage, should ideally get chatting there. It’ll be more efficient than me trying to marshal discussions via this blog, which, as we’ve seen, isn’t always a good way of getting things done quickly.
http://www.markwatsonfans.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=468
And now for something important-ish:
Back in the summer you might remember I posted a blog soliciting ideas for places I could go when I resume touring next year. There were lots. The original idea was to take a few of them and add them as special-edition ‘request stops’, but I’ve now decided to plan the tour much more around these suggestions. I want to visit lots of more unusual destinations and reward people in less well-trodden areas of the country who have kindly propped up my career/ego. I’ve hugely enjoyed this autumn’s tour, and a big part of the satisfaction has been meeting the kind of people who read this blog and have been looking forward to the shows much the same way I used to count down the days to the Super Furries. It’s the best bit of my job and so I’m going to be seeking out those sort of audiences, rather than cruising round the big cities in a more mechanical way. (I WILL still be coming to places like Manchester, obviously. It would be silly not to. But as well, rather than instead of.
So the link is below- leave Comments on the original blog rather than this one. No need to do it all over again if you voted before, obviously; you’ll have been ‘(b)logged’ already. But there are quite a few new readers since then. And we’re in a golden period for people joining in with the blog, as the birthday-hunt shows. So. Have you say! Like the election. But with clearer winners.
http://tinyurl.com/mwrequests
Posted by Tibbs on January 13, 2011
I have quite a backlog of music that I’ve been meaning to check out from before my computers both decided to stop working, and I’m pretty sure these guys were on there. I now have my tiny laptop back at least, so it’s nice to have a starting point!
Posted by Aislinn on December 10, 2010
My comments on that old blog were surprisingly humorous. Well done, me.
And, er, well done, Mark. On, sort of, having the whole idea.
Posted by Kathryn on December 10, 2010
I remember last time Can I Help You? was mentioned and I thought I had something to ask for advice on. Somehow time has moved very strangely and that situation has progressed incredibly quickly from needing advice all the way back round to needing different advice. Maybe that sounds cryptic. I’ve had almost no sleep so nothing seems to make much sense at the minute.
I’d be interested in gaining something interesting through the post. If only I didn’t already have a huge amount of stuff myself.
Posted by Weaselspoon on December 10, 2010
May I put in a small cry for help?
I’ve got too much stuff. I’ve got too much stuff that I can’t throw away because it’s perfectly good stuff. Things like books I’m never going to read again. I would like to give some of this stuff away. I propose that anyone who is willing to email me a postal address will get a package in return with a mysterious surprise in it. I get less stuff and people get random presents. If anyone wants to do this drop me an email to surprise at weaselspoon dot com. If this is really cheeky to ask here, please just delete this comment and I’m very sorry for overstepping the line.
Posted by Glamlovinkitty on December 10, 2010
I’m afraid I have to disagree with Tracey – I think the clyde auditorium is rubbish for comedy. No atmosphere whatsoever.
For Glasgow I’d recommend somewhere like the theatre royal or the kings, even if you had to do a couple of nights to get the same numbers. The SECC in general is just pants – hard to get to on public transport (or rather, home from), super-expensive to park at if you drive there, rubbish bar, no atmosphere! And the security staff are arseholes (generally).
I try to avoid it whenever possible, but with you and Minchin both playing there this year I’ve had no option!
Posted by Tracey on December 10, 2010
Hi Mark. I remember the Super Furry Animals and that made me reminisce about the gigs I went to years ago – The Damned, twice, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark… those were the days! I’m only sorry I never got to see Kate Bush but she only toured once and that was enough for her. Would you take in Glasgow SECC on your next tour? I know it’s a mainstream venue but the Clyde Auditorium is great. Take care, Traceyx
Posted by amycool on December 10, 2010
If you play Manchester though, could you find somewhere other than the Apollo? It’s a horrible venue. Rude staff, uncomfortable seats, and they rummage around in your bag like you’re a criminal, removing bottles of water that you’ve cherished and re-used for months. Maybe that’s how it works in all the big venues nowadays but the staff at the Stockport Plaza treated me like royalty. And they were volunteers!
Rant over.
On the topic of SFA, I can’t help but move my hips whenever I hear Northern Lights.
Posted by Rachael on December 10, 2010
4 days until you get to see me!
Posted by Misha on December 10, 2010
As an admin fairy I can also reccomend general useage of the forum&TYSIC FEATURE
*NUDGE NUDGE WINK WINK.
Since i’m commenting on a phone I leave this to say I shall check out sfa at home and for any apollo bound Watsonians, see you tomorrow!
Posted by Helen on December 9, 2010
I might give SFA another go after this blog. I’m sorry to say I have never really taken to them, but then again I haven’t really heard all that much of their work.
Also I just had another look at the birthday comments to see how it’s all going and I noticed that today is Jess’s birthday, so Happy Birthday Jess!
Posted by Stuart on December 9, 2010
Thank you very much, sir. I’ll nip into my local record store at the weekend and pick up the debut and take it from there.
Also, I live in Edinburgh, so I think that requesting more comedy is just being greedy.
Posted by MusicalLottie on December 9, 2010
Can I second Beth’s First Comment Question (FCQ) yesterday? It was very interesting.
Also, I have no thoughts about today’s blog, but I’m coming to see you tomorrow at the Apollo and I’m quite excited because it’ll be my first comedy gig ever
Posted by MusicalLottie on December 9, 2010
First comment – in the style of Beth, this is a ~placeholder~ …