Hey folks,
Well I thought I’d start writing a blog to fill you in on all the exciting stuff that’s happening in Diello Land at the moment. I’ve been crazily busy organizing my first UK tour, have got most of the dates booked but still a couple to confirm. Have found that so many venues/promoters don’t bother to reply to emails/voicemails and general harassment it’s quite disheartening, I’m sure they must get requests from many a performer wanting to play at their venue but soon, once I’m bigger than Madonna, they’ll be sorry they ignored my emails, mwah ha ha!!
Had a great photo-shoot last weekend with my fabulous photographer Paul Jackson (pauljacksonphotography.co.uk) I was dressed up in my puffed sleeve blue ensemble with big hair, glittery blue eyebrows and platform shoes (my new exciting flea-market purchase!) I am sat along a wall with 9 green bottles in a row next to me. Luckily the shoot took place on the same day as gay pride in Brighton so I didn’t stick out like a sore thumb sat there in all my camp glory!
I got the pictures back from Paul last night and they’re looking great. They are being used for the new artwork for my first album The Last Green Bottle. The album, which I self-released in April 2009, has been picked up by my record label (Total Creative Freedom) and is being re-packaged, re-mastered and re-released. I’m really excited about this as when I released it back in ’09 I really had no idea what I was doing with it so it pleases me no end that it will now reach a wider audience. The release date will coincide with the tour in Oct. It will be available on hard copy from my website and digitally, I’m going digital baby!
So between now and the tour kick off date (22nd Oct) me and the band will be rehearsing loads, we’ll be doing a mixture of songs from the album and some new tunes. For the most part of the tour the line up will consist of me, Tim Craig on keys, Embob on backing vocals and Anthony Nicholson on guitar. However when we hit Brighton and London we’ll be joined by Tessa Gilles on violin, Andy Maclure on drums, Mark Jesson on cello, Rose Randles on backing vocals and Nigel Ball on bass, the whole Diello musical family will reunite. The last date of the tour will be in our home town of Brighton so I’m sure many a Morgan’s Spiced and ginger will be necked with friends after the show!
My new PA (and oldest friend) Stevenage will also be joining us on tour and he’ll be making his directorial debut with a mini tour documentary. Expect some drunken tour antics coming to a youtube link near you anytime soon!
Last night I booked the hotel rooms for the tour, it’s Travelodge all the way and as we’re on a bit of a budget, all 5 of us will be squeezing into a family room (meant for 2 adults/2 kids). This combined with the fact we’ll be travelling from city to city on the Mega-bus means that comfort will be a thing of the past for that week. We’ll be playing each show hunched over and cranky as hell- fun!
In other news, Tessa (my gorgeous violinist) is off to V festival today to perform with her other band The Mummers (themummers.co.uk) if anybody reads this before they go, do check them out- they’re amazing.
Right my lovelies I must sign off, today will be a productive day of rehearsals with Tim and Beryl (his very lovely Nord Stage keyboard) I’ll see you all in October (unless you’re coming to Komedia, Brighton on Sept 9th to see me open for Alistair Griffin-ex Fame Academy contestant?)
Much love all round,
P
