- Observer Music Monthly,
- Sunday January 20 2008
Christmas and New Year were spent skiing in Verbier in Switzerland, which was just terrific. The previous six months had been non-stop promotion - from Australia to Mexico, from Europe to Japan, the States, playing with people like Duran Duran in Dallas - so two weeks off were sorely needed. I was there with friends and family - my sisters and my parents - and that time with them was really all I wanted, not just lots of presents.
I'm lucky: I've been skiing since childhood and when I was in the army I was taught how to race by ex-Olympic Swiss ski team instructors - an amazing opportunity. So I can just about get down the slopes. The après-ski side of it has moved on from the Eighties cliche of Swiss fondues; for me, it mainly revolved around drinking beer. Lots of beer.
Now I'm back on the road, on a tour that started in Glasgow 10 days ago. Scottish audiences are good fun! We don't normally stay in hotels - they're still a bit of a luxury. Instead, it's the tour bus, which is a bit like a travelling camper van. We each have our own bunk, and they're all exactly the same - we're a pretty tight-knit band and crew, so nothing bigger for me.
After each show, there's normally a backstage after-party, and then come 2am or 3am, whenever the tour manager drags us away, we get on the bus and carry it on with another drink. Then to sleep. We'll wake up in a different city and go straight to the soundcheck. There's not much time for cultural pursuits, but we might try and squeeze in a game of footie.
After the UK, it's Europe, south-east Asia, Australia, Japan and China, South Africa and - if the wheels don't fall off - down to South America. The rest of the year! But you know, people in this industry tend to take things so seriously, when in fact it's fun. It's really not the hardest job in the world.
