Raport Nicko McBrain'a - OSLO, BERGEN, SZTOKHOLM

[WICKER MAN]

Nicko: Holland

Hotel room Eindhoven Holland
Time 1:30pm
November 27, 2006

Well, well, well, I hope you lot are doing fine today.
I have been a little under the weather this last couple of days.
Got a bit of the old tour curse, you know the lurggie that does its round of crew and band. Harry’s not feeling to well either. Been on a course of antibiotics since Friday, seems to be working.
Hence, boys and girls, no diary entries since Oslo. To be honest I haven’t had the strength over the last few days to get it together.

So, Oslo. ‘Kin magic night that was. The crowd at the Oslo Valhall was amazing; the 12.500 Billies were very load and singing all the new stuff at the top of their wee lungs. Brilliant night it was I can tell you!!!!!!
We played our socks off and we all had a great time on stage.
After the show we hit the showers and then made our way to the plane. We decided that a night home was in order.
I got to me drum at a little before 2am. Watched a spot of the glue tube and then went to me bed.

Wednesday I had a stroll down to the village shops to pick up my shoes and jacket that were being repaired. Picked up a few things for the flat as well.
New zip needed in me jacket and me shoes needed some TLC. I had a spot of breakfast in the local coffee shop, a nice fry-up!!!!! Yummy.

Me chum Geoffrey from Denmark studios came over to sort out me jam jar as the old electrics were playing up. I met him in the pub car park and we drove back to mine. Bless him; he was out sorting things out in the ‘Kin rain. After a while he was done and I had me indicators and head lights working again. He came in and we had a chat about the studio and what he’s been up to over the last couple of months. He’s a great mate. We had a nice cup of rossie and then it was time for him to head out.

In the evening I went to dinner with, H and Natalie, his misses, and a friend of theirs, Jane. We went to a really nice rubber dub called The Swan out close to where we live. Good tucker in there I can tell you. I had a nice piece of sole for me main course with spuds and veggies accompanied by a couple of pints of real ale. Oh Yes!!!!!!!
After dinner I went back home and watched a spot of telly. I had an early night. I could feel that I was getting that tingling feeling in the back of me throat. Took a couple of aspirins and went to sleep.

Thursday was up at 9 and started to get ready for me trip. We are off to, Bergen, Norway, for a show there. Car picked me up at 11:30pm and we were in Bergen for 5pm.

The show in Bergen was fantastic. Although I wasn’t feeling so good we had a blast. It seemed to fly by in no time at all. I thought that it was not one of my best performances. Well, you get days like that know and then don’t you??????

After the show we headed back to Blighty. I wasn’t feeling so good and new that I had to get in touch with me doc. I had been coughing pretty hard and also had the nasty green shit coming out of me lungs. When I get sick it always gets me in the chest.

Friday, I got up at 10am and called me doc, he was over in Austria on a doctor’s convention, bet there was a ‘Kin great party that night!!! He called in a prescription for me to the local pharmacy. I’m on a 7 day course of, Amoxiclav. Feeling a lot better today, (Monday). I stayed in front of the telly all day and just got to rest. I was going to go out and have a nice meal somewhere but didn’t have the strength to do that. I decided to check out the local Chinese takeaway. It is just over the road from me drum.
Well, was I happy with that decision? It was the best takeaway that I have ever had. It was really well prepared and tasted as though it was prepared at a good restaurant kitchen. I ate all the food that I had bought home with me.
After dinner I had an early night.

Saturday, I was up at 9:30am and started to get packed for my trip. We are away for six nights this trip. I was ready and waiting for me car to pick me up for 1:30pm. We are playing the third of our Stockholm shows. We made the flight in good time and were at the hotel for 6pm. I had to have a rest as I was still feeling rough.
Left the hotel at 7:30pm and met with Sola and some of the guys from J Lindeberg. I had a room set up for them with some drinks and stuff. We had a chat and then I got ready for the show. Did me warm up and boy was I feeling stiff and tired.

The gig went really well all considered. I again didn’t have me best gig but we still rocked the house. Not as good a reaction as the first two shows but I think that it was still a cracking show. Thank you to all our fans from Stockholm, Sweden and Scandinavia for making us so welcome and giving us the best tour so far. We all had the best time. Thank you all again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, we had the day off here in Eindoven. Yesterday we traveled in from Stockholm and arrived at 2pm. After checking into me room I went for a walk with Minnie and Ena but was still feeling a little tired. Headed back to the hotel and had an early meal in the hotel restaurant. After dinner I went straight to bed. I watched the telly for what seemed a lifetime and turned in at around 3 this morning. Highlight of me night was the ‘Who’ concert on BBC. ‘Kin fantastic. Not only was it a wonderful show it was from the ‘Kin ‘Roundhouse’ in Camdem. I played there meself in the seventies with a band called ‘Streetwalkers.
The place was closed down for ever but it has been used recently for videos and the odd bit of filming, we did the Rainmaker video in there. I’m so happy that they are having live shows there again. It is a fantastic venue.

Pete Townsend is just phenomenal, as was the rest of the band. The song ‘Mirror Door’ was awesome. The show really cheered me up. What a ‘Kin gig, I would have loved to have been there for that one

Well, got to go and have something to eat boys and girls. Not good to take medicine on an empty stomach is it????? AAAHHHEEE!!!


Stay safe and well
God bless you all.
=Nicko=