Sunday 21st April

Posted on April 21, 2013 by karlhyde

BRUSSELS:

The AB, what a beautiful venue & thank you to all who came,

welcoming us back to a city that opened it’s arms to us when

we stepped out in the 90’s. Now it’s time to ride the black top

all the way to Essex with a sweet little stop off at passport

control, boy we’ll look prime as we emerge from sleep to stand

in line, shivering. It’s been a great little tour, I’m gonna miss

everyone. The crew, the band, Farao (sounded beautiful every night),

the laughs we laughed. Looking forward to London, the Union chapel,

our session on 6 Music the day before & releasing the album – but

first, the bin bags,

Ha ha ha!

Thank you sister Europe.

(K)

Saturday 20th April

Posted on April 20, 2013 by karlhyde

KOLN:

The first place I ever flew to is still magical. Pastel green

bridges span the river like memories of Tokyo, new builds line

the shore, enormous river cruise boats tethered wait for night,

floating palaces concealing crisp white linen table rhythms,

yearning for dinner dancers. We stroll & photograph each other

posing as a band outside the fabulous cathedral, entering at last

to pay respects, open mouthed in wonder at it’s architectural

magnificence. Triptychs spring from the dark, dripping gold & halos,

reminding me it’s high time I returned to the paintings I promised

& visit the rust I feel on the deep scratched steel I carry inside me.

Two hours cruising instruments at MUSIC STORE & coffee, Newsh buys an

acoustic then we catch a taxi to an evening of bowling alley laughter

with my beautiful traveling companions. These people smile & laugh & hug

& lift the soul every day then play with such passion every time we hit

the stage I have to pinch myself to check that I’m still dreaming.

Tonight we play the AB in Brussels, scene of so many great memories &

just around the corner from one’ve my favourite record stores in the

world – don’t let me near it! ha ha ha!

See you tonight

(K)

Friday 19th April

Posted on April 19, 2013 by karlhyde

HOMECOMING BERLIN:

Reunited with Steffan, Conny Plank’s son whom I last saw

when he was seven. We laughed & shed a tear, recalling

a time I can barely remember as he made his documentary

in search of the father the world knew as a legendary

producer & later, behind the stage I discovered he’d found

Freur’s original recordings made with his father in 1982.

In exchange I have a super 8 film of the producer in action

on that week we met him his son as a boy & turned him onto

the young Ones.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the middle of it all a gig unfolded

populated with enormous grins & cheers & howls that are fast

becoming the familiar features of our new audience, or is it

that these are in fact old friends, neglected for too long

as the other band turned it’s focus to infrequent festival

appearances too late & too far out’ve town. These happy people

are our family & this time I’m not going to stay away for years.

I want to come back again later this year, play & spend time

in the city of electronic dreams.

Also last night our dear friend Tony Buck from the Necks whom

was there on stage with us that night at Sydney Opera when I

imagined Edgeland & this wonderful journey.

Thank you Berlin – I’ll coming back again!

(K)

Thursday 18th April

Posted on April 18, 2013 by karlhyde

WHAT AN AMAZING WELCOME!:

Amsterdam you excelled yourself, greeting us with such warmth & joy

we couldn’t help but laugh out loud. So good to be back where it all

began, parked up next to the Paradiso where I first came with U/W

to play the Welcome to the Future party & now we play the sister

venue, the Paradiso De Duif, such a beautiful space, a church of

magnificent beauty. You started seated, filled the place so more

seats had to be added, your smiles luminous in the dark & when

we finished I was shocked that you rose to your feet, hands raised

in the air in joyous celebration like I remember you always

do, but for this new band…you were beyond my wildest dreams,

from the bottom of my heart…..thank you Amsterdam.

Now we drive through the night to Berlin, the magic city of Bowie/Eno

legend…..I want to share this journey with you in the place where

my electronic dreams were born, tell me you’re coming…& I’ll give

you my dream.

(K)

Wednesday 17th April

Posted on April 17, 2013 by karlhyde

WAKING UP IN AMSTERDAM:

Great to be back in Amsterdam, scene of many happy nights,

some of which I can remember! A journey of burst tyres

missed trains & smashed windows. I rise from deep sleep to

the howl of a singing axle waiting for something else to go

wrong, I lay awake harmonising with the howling. Its good to

be back on the bus though the monster bicycles of Amsterdam

pay us no head as we try to turn off the road to park up, they

just keep coming in waves of armoured metal, they’ll cut through

anything that gets in there way, the most fearsome machines in

the world! Can’t wait to play for you, share my my new band with

you at the Paradiso De Duif tonight.

(K)

Tuesday 16th April

Posted on April 16, 2013 by karlhyde

IN TWO MINDS:

As we climb into the tour bus leaving Essex for Sister Europe,

smiles & laughter & the thrill of expectations rendered mute by

thoughts of friends in the beautiful city of Boston.

(K)

Monday 15th April

Posted on April 15, 2013 by karlhyde

READY FOR EUROPE:

The web throbs at 4:00am talking up the wire to European friends

getting ready for our gigs in Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels. We got

a tourbus full of soundscapes & grooves I wanna drive it round the

world, get closer to you.

I haven’t slept for days, scuffing round the dark house hungry to

be back on stage – connecting.

(K)

Saturday 13th April

Posted on April 13, 2013 by karlhyde

BACK FROM JAPAN:

Flew back into the arms of Essex last night, beans on toast

& bin bags. Japan was a blast, a joy, tears of genuine happiness

from faces in our audiences. The new band, the staging, the crew,

this team, this time is a happy thing. Lot’ve hard work, spread

the word, it’s going to be all word of mouth from here, building,

generating good vibrations from playing & meeting people again,

I love it! And if you like what’s happening here please pass it on

this feels like early U/W – nation-to-nation-to-nation, one love.

(K)

Friday 12th April

Posted on April 12, 2013 by karlhyde

…AND BEAUTIFUL:

Two hours sleep before breakfast & the 8:30 lobby call

for work, but you can’t call this work. Mining is work,

working shifts in the factory is work, this is more like

tiring fun, so it’s with ragged features I step once again

in front of the camera & answer questions that make me

think, inspire & fill me with confidence. The day concludes

with an evening at the Tower Records ‘Live’ space, giving

my first truly ‘solo’ performance, pushing on past

the way post that used to signify the furthest I was

prepared to go. Acoustic guitar – iPad – PA.

A mic, a stool & a bunch of notes for a fried memory.

People clapped & cheered & responded with such honest joy

that I had to lough out loud, watching fear walk out the door,

disgusted.

Thank you Japan, see you at FujiRock.

(K)

Thursday 11th April

Posted on April 11, 2013 by karlhyde

DOGBOY IN SOLO SHOW TOKYO:

Tonight, for the first time, since I picked up a guitar, age 7,

I’ll take to the stage alone. Never imagined this nor used to

wish it, but there’s something about the challenge of it I

couldn’t resist. May be madness, yet it felt natural to do it.

So – tonight, in Tower Records Shibuya, I’ll play a borrowed

Gibson through an iPad & sing, with no idea how it will sound,

but with a faith that if I do what comes natural something good

will happen & here in Tokyo is as good a place as any to step

off into the unknown.

(K)

Karl Hyde

Author Archives: karlhyde