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I have made some youtube videos for some tracks from Heavy War.

Predeliction For The Blues :

Undertow

Way Beyond Tore Up

High Risk Times

Some reviews coming in

Some reviews of Heavy War now online :

The Herald - Glasgow's longest-serving suppliers of quality garage rock

Blabber n Smoke - Howling from the gate with the energetic Way Beyond Tore Up

Let's Rock It Or Say Why - I've never been unconditional Scots despite ingenuity deployed by well-intentioned minds to indoctrinate me. (This is en francais - I can kind of translate it but if anyone reading this speaks French well enough to provide a translation, I'd be delighted. He likes it, anyway!)

Home is the sailor, Home from the sea

I've been back a wee while now - adjusted back again to home life.

The whole tour was a joy, from first to last. Many special moments where the music really lifted off, many great times meeting friends and fans, and also lots of hilarity as we travelled. From sharing a bottle of wine as we set out on the Eurostar to sharing a jug of Amstel at Bristol Airport we looked out for each other, enjoyed each other's company, and represented fully. 

At the very end of the last gig in Toulouse, Michael put one sweaty arm round me then corralled the rest of the band into a hug as we bashed out the last chords of Sister. I do hope someone got that photo.

We haven't made much money - but we pretty much covered our costs. That is as good as it gets, at this level.  

There are a couple of things we will look at for next time 

1) better detailed planning of exact location of every venue - we did well, but we could do better

2) we stayed with friends / promoters every night. It might be worth looking at a hotel or two next time. 

3) we need to make a bigger noise about having a vegetarian and pescetarian in the band - people who do not eat meat are unusual in France. (everyone did their best to help once we made things clear)

We couldn't have done the tour without the support of our friends in France, in particular  Bernard who set up a lot of the tour and drove - his brother  Christian & his wife Fabienne, Jes, Thierry, Manu, all of The True Faith, all of The Dick Tracy Lords, The Jerry Spider Gang ;the promoters and bar-owners - JB, Malik, Eric, Lo from JSG, Pif & Frank and all at Le Rad. It is an honour and a privilege to take our music to a country where people really get us. 

2 Scottish gigs set up - The Parlour, Leith on Sat Nov 10th, and Cumbernauld Sat 8th Dec. 

I hope we'll have a Glasgow show confirmed soon - most likely date is Dec 28th. 

Videos from Rennes

A couple of videos up from Rennes - La Paillotte


It Don't Feel Free

Saint Jack

Toulouse

We got to Toulouse OK, then found that it is a very complicated place to drive! Tiny streets, radiating out from our destination, plus massive roadworks - but Paul stayed calm and finally we approached from the other side and arrived at the venue.

Tree-lined boulevards

The Black Hat Gang hit Toulouse

Support tonight were The Jerry Spider Gang, hard rocking dudes who have been criss-crossing around our tour - a few days before us in Lille, last night in Tarbes with The True Faith. We used most of their amps and their drumkit. Good big stage, good crowd, including a fan who saw The Primevals in Toulouse in 86 with The Cramps. Laurent, the JSG singer told me that when he was 14 he bought the "Stompin At The Klub Foot" Lp, which was mainly psychobilly bands but the 2 Primevals tracks on it were very different and blew his mind. He was delighted when I told him that they were both in tonight's set - St Jack and Lowdown.

My godson, Harrison, came to the gig too - he's working in Annecy. The True Faith were all there too, and Christian, and Kat - all impressed that he had made the journey!

The crowd before the show

Tom and Harrison - Toulouse

That night we stayed in a flat round the corner (which was arranged through the JSG) and Paul was wakened by water dripping through the roof at 6am - the last 4 days had been pretty rainy, and this was torrential rain on a roof that was being worked on. I went out for a walk even though it was damp - I hadn't had the chance to walk around much with gig timings. Toulouse looks fabulous - great alleyways and tiny streets and funky history. 

Damp Sunday Morning

Au Revoir, Toulouse

So that made 7 gigs in 7 days, all rocking and well received. Just under 3,000 km in the van, much hilarity throughout, and great times with very appreciative fans - old and new. 

And on to the airport, Bernard at the wheel 

Pau -> Dolmayrac -> Toulouse

We had a good drive out of Pau - good maps to get us to the tiny village of Dolmayrac. Le Rad is run by a collective, and 2 of the guys came to see us in Nimes 18 months ago. They were excited to have us, and we were delighted to go. It's not a big venue, but when you walk in and see a poster for the All Tomorrow's Parties gig of The Stooges playing Funhouse, then you know you are in a rocking joint. 

As usual in France, we had a lovely meal before the gig, and our non-meat-eaters were especially well-catered for. The meal finished with one of the food highlights - un flan made by Katia 

Katia's delicious flan

The support band was Not Right, Jacques & Pif's band. We really enjoyed them - they sounded like themselves, not like other musicians, and they were relaxed and not forced. Very good indeed. Pif is a very cool drummer, too. Our set went very well - the place was packed, and because of the small stage I was up on a small podium at the side. Our gig went very well - great reception. Then afterwards we drank and chatted and danced until late. A lovely crowd, a great place to play - highly recommended for any bands considering it!

Les Primevaux - Le Rad ! View from the bar

Jumped down from the podium for Blues At My Door

Up On The Podium

Then a foggy drive in the dark to the gite where we were staying, and we were back on the road at noon to load the van and drive to Toulouse. 

Some Live Photos

I'll add more as they come in

Lorient : (photos by Jean-Michel Baudry)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanmichelbaudry/sets/72157631774268595/

3 from Dolmayrac - photos by Pif, who helps run Le Rad and is an all-round dude