Wondrous Stories

Spider
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway I have decided from this post
onwards that the link to my old livejournal will be severed.

If you are a livejournal user, you need to subscribe to my xml or atom
feeds from my blog contained at http://krishudsonlee.blogspot.com to
continue to recieve my posts.

I'll be closing my LJ account probably sometime around the end of the
year.

Me!

2/254:365 - Wedding wear
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway Today was the Rotherham
Show... they decided to hold it in Rosehill Victoria Park, Rawmarsh
instead. A decision I can say I approve of - although it has left the
entire town of Rawmarsh gridlocked for the early part of the day (even
though the council provided free park & ride) it was nice being able to
walk to it for a change.

My ear (thanks to all who asked) is still rather sore... no, it's very
sore, but thankfully painkillers are keeping the pain at bearable
levels... regular dosings with olive oil seem to give temporary relief,
although it then leaks out for the rest of the day. I've been advised
against sitting out in the cold and getting it wet.

Tomorrow is Manor Castle for the Nevilles. I want to go, but if I wake
up and my ear is sore then I definitely won't be.

Now finally... onto my wedding outfit for the gig we have next month.
Is this too much leather? - I really like the look (it's a 3 piece
suit) but probably wouldn't wear the jacket with it - just the
waistcoat and trousers... in a similar way to the style of my moleskin
suit. Well?

Having spent many years working from the "other side" of music, I've
spent too long taking shit off people... and the worst shit givers?

MANAGERS.

"I'm the Manager" is three words that can make a shudder go down the
very spine of any promoter, right down to the bottom of the monkey
stump.

Managers are this special breed of person, usually failed solicitors.
They still manage to piss everyone off, but don't get paid quite as
much to do it. I will give you an example and I will name names because
after all... what do I care?

Many years ago, whilst in Crimes of Passion, I booked a gig at
Sheffield Corporation featuring Vaughn (with the talents of the
whingebag himself), COP and In the Name of as opening band.

I was then contacted by Denise from Goldstorm Records. She asked me if
she could squash a band in after us, but before Vaughn... stupidly I
agreed.

Little did I know she was queen bitch from hell who on the night
insisted that Violent Storm were bigger than Vaughn and should be
headlining... and then demanded that Violent Storm get exactly the same
set length as Vaughn otherwise it wouldn't be a co-headliner... er...
sorry... who said it was a co-headliner?

She lost, but we didn't get a soundcheck and I personally wanted to
kick her up the chuff.

Yes. That bad.

Secondly... Threshold... their tour crew of a few years ago who
insisted on having a 32 amp feed to their tourbus, thus taking one of
the three 32 amp feeds at the Herringthorpe Leisure Centre (RIP)...
sadly a CRS gig requires 2 x 32 amp feeds for the lights and one for
the PA, but explaining to the bus driver why they couldn't have the
feed seemed to fall on deaf ears. Thick as a whale omelette springs
instantly to mind.

So, what is the point of a manager? - apparently, to wind up the local
venue crew, wind up the promoter, and attempt to "look after the band".

Today marks the start of a new era - not the beginning of an ice age,
nor the laying down of new coal seams - but the first of the Manning
back catalogue appeared on itunes today priced at a rather reasonable
£7.99.

Why don't you go over there and buy yourself a copy now? - or better
still buy two!

I was rather surprised how efficiently the entire release process went
- I had it scheduled for the 19th September (mainly due to the fact
that I didn't launch it online until about 4 weeks ago) and even though
I set the electronic release date for today's date I expected it didn't
make it in time... thanks Tunecore. Thunecore.

Daniel Robinson thinks I look like this...
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway I didn't really get to see
Magenta, but I did see some of Godsticks. Cool huh?

Meanwhile - Daniel, record label boss David's son drew a likeness of me
which is rather uncanny... although my neck and face is a bit fatter
than his version, although he has got my angular jaw very well!

Other things were discussed at the gig... yes the bad news I said about
at The CRF was indeed the leaving of the band of Phil and Dave - sorry
I didn't mention that on my blog - although recruiting other members is
going well so far. Plenty of interest, auditions etc. If you're at all
interested... get your dibs in now as we may well be closing
applications soon.

Finally... Manning at the Wesley in Maltby in December (the 12th)
clashes with Pendragon... 3 HOURS OF PENDRAGON... somewhere miles away.

Yes, I like Pendragon... but 3 hours of ANY BAND is comparable to
having root canal work... the perfect gig for me is about an hour in
length, any more and I start shuffling... and after 3 hours? - yeah I'd
probably be eroding my wrists with a blunt butter knife.

Facebook Avatar Version
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway An "unnecessary 4x4 owner"
(seeeth) yesterday learnt a lesson.

Driving through the roadworks between Junction 33 and Junction 35 on
the M1 I was tailgated very closely by a 4x4... now normally they annoy
me anyway when they do this, but he was REALLY CLOSE. It's 50mph (SPECS
speed camera system, folks) and I was indeed in a line of traffic doing
50.

When I came to leave the M1 at J35, I drove up the slip road - not
hanging around and doing about 60-65... Mr. 4x4 came flying up behind
me waiting to turn right... and then followed me... and then tailgated
me very closely again - all through the 30 zone of Thorpe Hesley.

Anyhow... a couple of hard brakes in front of him, and then a glare out
of the back window certainly sorted that... but it wasn't me who did
the sorting out. No, after the second stop and glare his missus started
REALLY going off on one at him and she gave him a slap!

Result!!!

2/244:365 - I will bring you the Moon.
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway Today was the first batch of
auditions for Manning. I won't say how they went... you'll find out in
good time.

We have decided to pull the Akoustik gig in October, however, we have a
private function booked in October which we will be doing... I'm quite
looking forward to it too.

Did you know Blitz Basic is available for PC? - Neither did I!... I may
well start programming again...

For now, though, Populous on the DS is keeping me entertained.

2/239:365 - Reeling
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway Today has been a pretty
f*cked up carbuncle of a day.

Apart from a random meeting with a flickr friend, it's a weird sort of
picking up the pieces day.

The pieces of me deciding my time with the CRS is up... but making sure
I don't leave people in the lurch (yes, I'll be at Magenta but not as
early as I used to go), but also of picking up the pieces of the entire
Manning thing.

As a little nicety - it's lovely to read an album review which names
someone else intead of you as the bassist. Nice. Just for the record -
I wrote the basslines and played them all on the first Crimes of
Passion album. Not bitter here, but credit where credit's due eh and
er... read the cover notes?

The picture for today shows me leaning against a fence. I don't have
time to lean against fences often, but this one needed leaning against
as apart from my family and Manning it seems the solidity of the planet
is the only stable thing in my life these days.

2/237:365 - Strength.
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway I've made my decision, I've
thought about it for ages.

Myself and the Classic Rock Society are to part ways. I can't carry on
devoting the time I have previously to the CRS. Manning must come first
for me now - it's my time to enjoy my music from the stage and not the
pit or the wings.

It's not just a time thing either... I am absolutely fed up to the back
teeth of Manning being called the "CRS Bitch Band" and getting
told "Manning only get these gigs because..." and then tethering the
CRS in there. There you go. Rumours squashed. Let's rely purely on
talent eh?

I will retain my shareholding in the CRS (5%) and you may occasionally
see me at gigs - however - I would expect my appearances to be rare
although on these occasions I probably would still help out when
required.

December's Manning gig will still go on as usual because after all - we
are now just another band using the superb facilities provided by the
CRS, as well as earning money for the CRS which is still a damn good
cause.

I sometimes feel a sense of dread.

I sometimes feel a serious sense of dread.

I sometimes worry about the people I have to share the roads with...

Why do I spend far too much of my life following wankers who drive at
35-40mph on a perfectly straight and clear 60 road, only to pass the 30
speed limit sign and see them disappear into the distance still doing
35-40mph when I decide to obey the speed limit?

I can imagine what these pricks would say to the police when pulled in
for speeding:

"Well I don't drive fast"

The same people who when I'm going 30mph in a 30mph speed limit sit 6'
from my rear bumper, only to be left behind when I accelerate up to
60mph when we pass the national speed limit sign?

Rant over.

2/229:365 - The Last Human Gateway
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway I have decided to colour my
hair again. Not bleach, not boring... in fact you could say this
picture was my inspiration. It's now blue at the front, purple across
the top and red at the back - nicely blended of course.

It's coloured with:
Rusk Scream Colors (Passion Purple and Rage Red)
Renbow Crazy Color (Capri Blue)

Note the latter is an English made product but is spelt using the nasty
American spelling of colour. It only works on bleached hair (you see my
hair a few weeks ago!?) but looks stunning when it's applied and only
takes about 15 minutes to actually take.

It says professional use only, but to be honest apart from a few
harmless food colourings I can't actually see anything in the
ingredients that could make it particularly hazardous... most of the
ingredients are contained in the average shampoo...

...now I wonder if it works on beards... ;-)

So far the response has been mixed... the guys and gals at one of my
customers thought it was rather cool, but silly... my friends in
general have made very reserved remarks (then again... it is me they
are talking about) and my parents... well... nothing!

Now another discussion has come up - pleated pants (trousers to us
English people). Yes... this has really stirred up a hornets nest
around the world with pleats coming and going in fashion circles.

Personally? - I prefer single pleats.

Flat fronts end up with bad pant tentage and generally don't look very
nice on me. When I ordered my moleskin suit even the tailor recommended
single pleats for someone of my build... and to be honest - he was spot
on. It fits me great and looks superb (even if I do say so myself)...
however - pleats in leather trousers... the photo accompanying this
post has me in my leather suit. I will one day wear this fully, and
have worn each part separately, but haven't worn this as a suit yet...
until this photo!

The trousers have twin pleats. I'd prefer single... but that's how they
came - after all, it is from a rather famous designer (bought off ebay)
and actually, yes the braces do work with it!

Dressy leather trousers has come up recently in the group on facebook
leather trousers (pants) on men are NOT gay (which has rather strict
joining criteria) and it seems that the consensus is no pleats...
although one picture which has been raised in the discussion appears to
have mini-pleats...

The cornfield, well it was a nice backdrop however, I do have to say -
I don't like the modern term that this can't be called a cornfield any
more. It's wheat, yes I know, but traditionally it's a wheatcorn (hence
the term)... just as barley can be called a cornfield. Where did that
come from?

James' Birthday BBQ
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway I came... I saw... I ate.

flickr has pictures!

I've recently been building the new website for Manning and it has
given me a little bit of an insight into what constitutes a BAD band
photograph and a GOOD band photograph. I give you the example at right
- I won't name the band (unless you email me and REALLLYYYY PLEAD) but
the example in question shows a few faults:


- The lighting is awful - it looks like it was photographed with the
house lights on!
- Why do the band NOT actually fit together at all? - we have clubland
singer, with mekkal guitarist.
- The backdrop is awful - again the stage generally looks like a
working mens club.
- It's too wide! - not a problem if you're getting a photo of 2000
audience members, but where's the audience here?We were offered this
gig as Deadline and we declined it. I am so glad we did!

Now my second example is how you SHOULD take a gig photo. This was
taken in a similar sized venue, but has the advantages of both
experience and equipment. Believe it or not this venue had less than 30
people in and the front stage presence was non existant... so why does
this still look great?


- Get in close if you haven't got a crowd in front of the stage. There
is nothing nice about a back of house shot showing an empty venue.
- Lighting - even the restricted front only lighting in here was
emphasised by avoiding flash and using timing and aperture.
- Bokeh - open up your aperture as wide as possible. Your depth of
field will suffer, but you can use this to your advantage - the items
on the top left hand side are out of focus and it draws your eye to the
artiste.
- Your camera should be fast - 800 or 1600 at least! - this means you
can keep your exposures fairly fast, although the cost of this will be
noise on the images.
I hope this guide has helped you. I don't profess to be an expert, in
fact I'm hardly even a novice but I will share what I learn.

... I decide to follow in the tradition of many bands who are doing
the "scene" these days and go out as xxxxx's xxxxxxx...

I'm sorry if I sound opinionated, and I often do, but why do many of
these original artists form bands around one particular member - who
often wasn't actually that major a member - and then strut around with
their ego swinging like a pair of cannonballs dangling between their
legs?... and why are so many of them the band whose CD's you find in
the wire mesh bins at the end of the aisle in Woolies HMV for £2.99?

May I add one exception here though - Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash
which is FAR SUPERIOR in both performance and attitude to another
Wishbone Ash and certainly doesn't need a wheelbarrow anywhere near as
big to get the ego into the room.

There. I said it.

Kris Hudson-Lee's Manning.... nope, doesn't work for me either.

Woodstock Comes To The UK

Classic Rock sponsored tribute to the greatest 60s festival announced
for the UK.
Classic Rock is proud to announce its involvement with the the 40th
anniversary
Memories Of Woodstock festival, taking place August 7-9 at the West
Midlands Showground – Shrewsbury.

The three day event features artists who played the original Woodstock
in upstate New York in 1969 with the likes of Alvin Lee and Jefferson
Starship taking to the stage. Other acts confirmed so far include Asia,
Focus, Barclay James Harvest, Jethro Tull, Melanie, Carl Palmer – and a
rare appearance by San Francisco psychedelic folk-rockers It’s A
Beautiful Day.

Organiser Brian Davies promises flower-power and peace and love galore.
He commented: “When the 1969 Woodstock came about it was – and still is
– the greatest festival ever anywhere. Many of you today missed this
event. Here now is the chance to make amends and see what it was like
at that festival…”

Check back for more announcements – or find out more at this site!

Confirmed so far:

Friday 7th August:

Alvin Lee
Steve Howe
Jefferson Starship
Icon (Wetton & Downes)
The Carl Palmer Band
Mostly Autumn
Quill
Viva Santana

Saturday 8th August

Asia
Bruce, Trower & Husband
Focus
David LaFlamme’s It’s Beautiful Day
Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash
Glyder
Kilminster/Hockridge

Sunday 9th August

John Lees’ Barclay James Harvest (with National Symphony Orchestra)
Jethro Tull
Melanie
The Strawbs

With more to be announced, it’s going to be a weekend to remember.
Check back for updates



Here's what Ian Anderson (The Tull) had to say about this entire sorry
affair...

Cambridge Rock Festival (webshots)
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway The Cambridge Rock Festival
was superb! - an amazing gig, with an amazing crowd and an absolutely
superb experience. Here's a photo.

Sadly, there is bad news to follow this superb gig... but that's for
later. I'm still on a high.

2/212:365 - Big Announcement!
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway I can now announce, after
many months of absolutely bursting to blurt it out - Manning are
playing RoSfest 2010.

More details will emerge over the coming weeks and months up to the
festival, but for more information:

http://www.rosfest.com

http://www.guymanning.com

Manning @ The Grove
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway Last night was possibly the
most enjoyable gig I've ever done... ever!. A fantastic little old pub,
overshadowed by some particularly massive new buildings, and yet - it
had an atmosphere which was amazing.

Manning - as an 8 piece - took up almost half the concert room, but the
other half was packed to the rafters with punters... so much so that we
had people standing in the hallway watching through the door.

A couple of sets including some classics and a few select tracks from
the new album Number Ten went down very well, as did two encores - In
My Life and Lost in Play.

Some photos are available on my flickr... they've not really been
edited (as of writing) but I may go through later and give them a
little spit and polish.

This sign amuses me.
Originally uploaded by Last Human Gateway Sometimes adverts annoy me...

I get easily annoyed, as you know, but adverts... grrrrrrrr....

Perfect world adverts:
o The guy who beats his kid with a newspaper and then brags about how
he's earning "up to £30,000 a year" working for RED driving school.

o I want to do a poo at Paul's house. Why? - doesn't your mummy wipe
round the gritter enough? - no - because Paul has a clicky pushy air
freshener. One of the branded ones, not the 4 for a pound specials from
Poundland that smell vaguely of lemon, but somewhat of dishwasher
solution.

o This advert... for a local very large housing estate full of little
boxes made of ticky tacky which informs us that if you live here, as
well as being saddled with a huge mortgage, you will be a young couple
- the male version wearing pale coloured chino trousers with his shirt
tucked in but open, whilst being cuddled by a wife wearing a little
black number. You will, of course, drink wine (although with the size
of your mortgage it will more likely be Lambrini).

Meanwhile... a couple of things I've noticed...

1. Why, in adverts for things such as washing detergent etc. do people
only wear white or very pale coloured clothes. You never see "New Ariel
Goth Protect with added blackeners".

2. also... have you noticed that all number plates are totally
reversable? - flick any advert number plate in a mirror and you still
have something readable. Plenty of W, O, V, U, 8, 0 ,1 and other
flippable digits. I guess it's so they only have to make an advert for
one hand of drive and then mirror it when they show it in a country
where they drive on the wrong/right side. I bet it makes it difficult
to find a location with no writing on any signs on it...

Anyway, I'm now going to put on my beige chinos, pastel blue shirt and
live at Woodlaithes Village, because if you live there... you can.

I hate adverts.