Southampton VIP review – main review will appear below the photos
On entering the venue’s auditorium, Jim immediately reminds Saul that there are a number of young children present and to watch his language. Saul proceeds to tell Jim to F Off! Jim explains that they’ve started a swear box for Saul on this tour at £5 a profanity and they’re going to be opening a new hospital with the proceeds, with a special Saul Davies wing!
First song is Jam J and after this, Juliette brings Andy a dark red smoothie and Saul jokes that she’s now making band members drinks made of blood to keep them going!
Next up is I Defeat, and following the Nottingham soundcheck where there was a comment that Andy hadn’t been involved as much in the soundchecks, they do a version with trumpet accompaniment which sounds fabulous, so hope that it stays in the main set next time it’s played. Tim tells the audience the story of Sinead O’Connor’s involvement in the track.
A question is asked about a possible live album and reference the Orchestra of the Swan shows. Tim says that there’s a good possibility of another orchestral collaboration in a year or so, although whether that would be a one off or a tour is unclear. Joe Duddell remains a great friend of the band and was at the Bath gig but there’s currently no interest from the record company in a live album.
Another questioner asks Tim if there are plans for an autobiography. He says yes – though he’s actually writing a novel about a messed up singer who’s coming out of rehab, which he stresses isn’t him, but makes the point that as a writer, you can put a lot of yourself into a work of fiction that would be difficult to do in an autobiography. There’s definitely something in the pipeline though. Tim’s wife Kate has advised him not to write an autobiography because people will then realise how mad he really is – “and she’s right!”
A real surprise and treat for the soundcheckers next – they play Really Hard – a song last played live in 2011 as part of the Orchestral tour and not since 2007 in an electric set. It sounds great to us, but Tim declares it needs more work before it’s ready for an appearance in a show. Hopefully that won’t be long!
Another question asks about a new album. They have lots of songs written and demoed but nothing properly recorded. Tim says that their favourite tracks so far trip the norms of Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus but that there are too many good bits to discard any of them. They’re likely to end up as journey songs that are often hard for an audience to hear initially but that often grow into people’s favourite songs.
With that, Matt, the tour manager appears on stage to end the session and we’re encouraged to boo him as the pantomime villain!
James Fanzone 
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