I have just returned from a wonderful day in warm and sunny London, renewing old friendships and forging new ones. It was my great pleasure to once again meet old friends from the mailing list: Charlie McDonald (Glasgow), John & Chris O'Hare (Liverpool), Tony & Mary Burnside (London), Linda Stienstra (Holland) and Nicole Tonglet (Belgium). The wonderful thing about these occasions is that it finally affords you the opportunity to put faces to names that you are so familiar with through the internet. So it was especially nice to meet Jane Bozian (Shropshire) who it seems has been a fan even longer than I have. Dale Berryhill travelled all the way from Memphis especially for the show, to prove that distance is not a problem for a dedicated Gilbert fan and he wasn't disappointed. He went home a very happy man. Also great to see Henry Soderstrom from France there. Nice to meet Barbara Bull also, who appears was quickest off the mark to buy her ticket, sitting in A1.
L to R: JOHN, HENRY, CHARLIE, JANE, LINDA AND CHRIS
Outside the group it was a pleasure to finally meet Lorraine Andrews (of Gilbert O'Sullivan Information). Keep up the good work Lorraine!
Finally I would just like to give a name check to other people I met, with apologies to anybody I have omitted. Hi to Martin & Ann Wiseman, their friends Paul, Peter (Birmingham) and to John & Shirley (Durham).
Early in the day I met my old pal Kevin O'Sullivan at the theatre and helped him unload the equipment (Gilbert's keyboards, amps etc) and bring them to the stage. It's showbiz but it's definitely not glamorous. Kevin works hard, he doesn't just stand around. I got a chance to speak to Mick Parker (who supports Gilbert on Synth) as he set up his equipment. He told me that when he's not doing this, he plays accordian in a jazz band and is busy writing music and teaching music technology.
It was clear from the stage layout that there was to be added musicians involved: a drummer, a double-bassist and a saxophone / flute / harmonica player. For anyone that hasn't seen a soundcheck, it's hectic, people milling around, equipment being placed and replaced, microphone check, one two, one two, lights flashing, feedback, where's this, where's that, cables everywhere, but it always seems to come together.
With the scene set Gilbert arrived on the stage, casually dressed and greeted everybody. He then proceeded to run through the songs that involved the new recruits. The "Piano Foreplay" songs for the drummer and bassist and a few more for the sax player. Backing vocals provided as usual by Helen and Eve. Gilbert worked on about 16 songs, all of which appeared in the show later bar one. He played "Ready Miss Steady" (the first song Gilbert wrote, if I'm not mistaken) but it didn't make it to the show. It was treat to hear it though. Gilbert finally left the theatre to prepare for the evening performance.
1st HALF
IT AIN'T FOR ME - [From the album "BY LARRY / THE LITTLE ALBUM"]At 8.05 p.m. unannounced as usual, Gilbert walked on stage to a packed theatre and began the show. As is the norm, Gilbert starts his set with a gentle opener.
THE THING IS - [From the album "A STRANGER IN MY OWN BACK YARD"]Without a word Gilbert goes straight into "The Thing Is" from "A Stranger In My Own Back Yard" accompanied by Julian Webster Green on harmonica. Afterwards Gilbert greets the crowd and says: "It's nice to be here, it's been a long time, two years in fact and it's a tour of one concert (laughing), one show if you're lucky. As a writer who is interested in good titles for songs, I always think of this song when I say, or when I hear 'The Thing Is' said. But what is the thing! Its a good blues song."
NOTHING RHYMED - [From the album "HIMSELF"]The crowd instantly recognise the opening bars of this song and cheer loudly, at which time Gilbert stops playing and jokingly says "And the next." Gilbert was accompanied again by Julian Webster Green, this time on flute.
NO MATTER HOW I TRYGilbert altered the original lyrics by replacing:
"Is there a bank in town
That might cash me as a pound?"
with
"Is there a bank in EuropeThat might cash me as a euro?"
For the first time for a long while there was no applause at the false ending just prior to "I remember our first anniversary" which shows we had an knowledgeable audience of Gilbert fans tonight. Gilbert went on to discuss the two albums he currently has on release ("Piano Foreplay" and "The Berry Vest of Gilbert O'Sullivan") and how well the latter is doing and how happy he is with that.
He added "Like with every new album I approach the major labels, Virgin, Capitol and Radio 1 and basically they say 'Who are you?' They normally say 'your new stuff is okay but not as good as your old stuff. We prefer your old stuff.' So with the release of "The Berry Vest of", I hoped to at least get "Gold Album of the Week" on Radio 2, but it wasn't to be. They said that it was 'too old'." Gilbert looked into the audience smiling and asked "You work it out!"
IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS - [From the album "PIANO FOREPLAY"]This is the first of six tracks tonight from the latest studio album "Piano Foreplay". Referring to the superb warm weather in London Gilbert added "This Is "It Never Rains But It Pours", but not today."
WE WILLGilbert spoke about his late friend and producer Gus Dudgeon who recently died in a tragic car accident. Gus remixed the version of this song which appears on "Caricature - Box" and "The Berry Vest Of". Gilbert explained "Had I given the song to a young producer to remix, they would have made it too modern, Gus kept the same old feel about it. The reason it needed to be remixed was to correct a few of the 'We Wills' sung by the choir boys, some of which were a little dodgy (the We Wills not the choir boys)."
MAKE MY DAY - [From the album "PIANO FOREPLAY"]Another track from "Piano Foreplay" with Julian Webster Green playing the saxophone ending. When Gilbert mentioned the name of the song, a front row seated fan said "I like this one." "Thank God, you sound like a big bloke to me" Gilbert replied laughing.
MISS MY LOVE TODAY - [From the album "SOUTHPAW"]Gilbert changed to his second keyboard (DX7) for this song. Album tracks, Gilbert said gives the artist the opportunity to experiment and try different styles. As a songwriter he is always delighted when somebody says to him about an album 'We like the singles "Alone Again" and "Clair" but we also like this other track.' This gives him immense satisfaction.
"I am good at singing by own songs and I don't do cover versions because I am a bit naff at singing other people's song" Somebody in the audience voiced their agreement with him which raised a smile. " People at EMI are very taken by this song, Steve Hick and Sarah on the production team, the premier league production team."
STICK IN THE MUD- [From the album "FROBISHER DRIVE / IN THE KEY OF G"]
Julian Webster Green played a solo on saxophone. Gilbert was enjoying himself at this stage, so much that he seemed to lose his way in this song for a few seconds. He said "I enjoy that song, I really got into it and I lost the chord." The audience enjoyed it regardless.
CLAIR - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"]It was nice to hear this song played with a true harmonica solo (again by Julian), although Mick Parker always does a fine job on the synth. Gilbert included the audience on this one: He sang: "To me you're more than a child" and we replied "Oh Clair, Clair" and also again at the end of the other verses. In fact Gilbert applauded the audience at the end of the song.
SOMETIMES - [From the album "SOUNDS OF THE LOOP"]Julian on the flute solo.
THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE - [From the album "FROBISHER DRIVE / IN THE KEY OF G"]Gilbert changed again to his other keyboard for this song. He related his experience of playing the Blue Note Club in Japan . Seemingly patrons of the club can have a meal while the show is on. The closeness of this keyboard to a dining couple caused panic the first time he used it for "Miss My Love Today", when he returned to sing this song, they had gone!
WHAT'S IN A KISS? - [From the album "OFF CENTRE"]Gilbert told us that this wife Aase loved these songs but asked "Why are your songs so sad?", Gilbert explained "They are all third person."
FOREVER WONDERING - [From the album "FROBISHER DRIVE"]Gilbert is a big admirer of Fats Domino and that famous riff of his, which Gilbert demonstrated and described as "Magic". He reckoned that Fats should have the copyright on that riff. Gilbert has approached Fats on a few occasions with a view to recording a duet but ill health due to old age has prevented Fats from doing this up to now, but it appears he is keen to do it. Gilbert explained that as an English lyricist in the style of Ray Davis (The Kinks) he likes to use English phrases and terms which are not always easily understood by Europeans and Americans. This song has an example in the lines:
"My girlfriend's name is SusanWe got engaged last march
She was killed while getting off a bus
At the top of marble arch"
"I don't mean on top of the arch but instead the top of Marble Arch (place in London), the same way we would say the top of the road" Gilbert explained.Gilbert finished the song by saying "Good old Fats."
DOESN'T IT MAKE YOU SICK? - [From the album "SINGER SOWING MACHINE"]With a title like this Gilbert is always amused when his music is placed under the title 'Easy Listening'. "Maybe it should be Queasy Listening" he joked.
CONVERSATION WITH FLYING PLATES - [From the album "PIANO FOREPLAY"]Gilbert said "This is a great title for a song, not that my wife throws plates. Okay Mick got your tuba?" (referring to Mick playing the tuba sound on the synth). Gilbert made a snoring sound after he sang the lines:
"What's the point of counting sheepWhen by the time you get
To ten or twelve you're asleep"
HOLD ON TO WHAT YOU GOT - [From the album "BY LARRY / THE LITTLE ALBUM"]Mick Parker backed Gilbert with the piano-accordion.
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING - [From the album "HIMSELF"]Julian returned on saxophone for this track.
THE INTERVAL WAS FROM 9.20 p.m. UNTIL 9.50 p.m.
Gilbert's sister Marie took charge of the merchandise stand and it offered a wide selection of material all at very reasonable prices compared to the highstreet shops. All the material on view is available at ByGum Records also run by Marie. Gilbert was well supported at the show by friends and family. Apart from his sister Marie, I spotted his wife Aase, and his mum.
2nd HALF
MR MOODY'S GARDENThis track is available on the recently released "The Berry Vest of Gilbert O'Sullivan". Gilbert forgot his line here and afterwards explained "I actually forgot the 3rd verse, but I wrote it so if I want to sing the same verse twice I can."
THE MARRIAGE MACHINE - [From the album "A STRANGER IN MY OWN BACK YARD"]Gilbert told us that as one of six children growing up in an Irish family there would often be sing-songs and the piano-accordion would be brought out and that he disliked it, especially Jimmy Shand records. But now that he has grown older he had learned to appreciate it and has come to like the instrument. There was a big round of applause for Mick which Gilbert cut short by saying "Not too much, he'll want a raise."
HAVING SAID THAT - [From the album "SOUNDS OF THE LOOP"]Prior to recording the "Sounds of the Loop" album Gilbert was talking to the A & R man who would help him chose the songs for the album. Gilbert hadn't quite finished the lyrics for this songs but hummed the melody. The A & R man liked it and told Gilbert to come back when he had finished the lyrics. Gilbert returned later with the completed song but the A & R man left the room after the first line of the song. The line was: "I think love is just a load of crap"
SAY GOODBYE - [From the album "IRLISH"]Gilbert introduced the song and the "dreaded drum machine". Instead of the usual Spanish or Japanese chorus he sang the French version which was really enjoyed by Henry Soderstrom (from France) from the mailing list who was seated in front of me.
WATER MUSIC - [From the album "IRLISH"]Gilbert introduced this song by explaining how he got the idea for it. "The basis of this song is the rhythmic sound made by women washing clothes on the rocks at the riverside in the Peruvian jungle." After a response from the audience Gilbert
corrected himself by saying "Okay I'm not sexist, it's the sound of women and men washing clothes on the rocks. get your umberella out. Gilbert stood to sing this song.
WHO WAS IT? - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"]Mick came to the front of stage to play Gilbert's keyboard for this song while Gilbert danced around. During the break in the song Gilbert played sound effects on Mick's synth.
WHAT'S IT ALL SUPPOSED TO ME? - [From the album "PIANO FOREPLAY"]Three songs from "Piano Foreplay" followed and Gilbert, Mick and the girls were joined on stage by Julian Berry on double bass, Simon Lee on drums, on brushes to be more exact and finally by Julian Webster Green on flute. Gilbert told us that all bar one of the songs on "Piano Foreplay" had a double bass on it and all the songs were recorded live in the studio, which was nice for him as he is more used to playing with a rock guitarist.
ANSWERS ON A POSTCARD (PLEASE) - [From the album "PIANO FOREPLAY"]
I GAVE MINE TO YOU - [From the album "PIANO FOREPLAY"]
GO FORTH AND MULTIPLY- [UNRELEASED]
This is a song never released by Gilbert but was played here to show his love of words and language.
GREY HAIRS - [UNRELEASED]Another song which has not been recorded in the form that it was played here although a version of it appears with two other songs under the title "Middle Aged Dread" on "Caricature - The Box". "This is something that the men will know all about" he joked.
A WOMAN'S PLACE - [From the album "A STRANGER IN MY OWN BACK YARD"]When Gilbert said he was going to play this song there was an audible response from the audience which excited Gilbert and he said "Great, it's gonna be a good one. Ever since I wrote this damn song, I've been beaten up so many times about it and I've loved every minute of it." He suggested that he might have called it 'A Woman's Place is On the Phone' or as Eve, the backing singer had suggested, 'A Woman's Place Is On The Thrown', the royal thrown she explained. We then went on to have the 'Battle of the Sexes" where the men sang the line "A woman's place is in the home" and the women replied "If that's the case you're on your own". The men won, hands down, no contest. All the talking had been done at this stage and one song just followed another.
WHAT COULD BE NICER (MUM THE KETTLE'S BOILING)- [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"]
This was done in reggae style.
ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY)A lot of the audience stood to applaund when the song ended.
OR SO THEY SAY - [From the album "OFF CENTRE"]
And as I finish playingThis is my way of saying
"THE END"
Gilbert left the stage momentarily but returned to wild applause.
ENCORE
MATRIMONY - [From the album "HIMSELF"]Gilbert returned to the stage with this favourite from the "Himself" album. Throughout the song Gilbert asked the crowd "What is It? to which we replied "It's Matrimony."
GET DOWN - [From the album "I'M A WRITER NOT A FIGHTER"]Gilbert stood up on the keyboard and rocked the place, and as quickly as he had arrived on stage, he took a bow and was gone.
THE SHOW ENDED AT 11.10p.m.
Within half an hour Gilbert reappeared in a crowded foyer to meet his fans, having changed. He didn't leave until each and every fan was given time to pose a question, make a comment, get an autograph and a treasured photograph. As impressive as this guy is on stage, he is equally as impressive if not more so off stage. It was 1am by the time I left and he was just packing up to go. Kevin as usual was buzzing round taking care of business. So we look forward to the future. Gilbert is going to Japan in June and it is very likely that he will play six shows in Ireland in October / November, all of which have to be confirmed. The most common question posed last night was "When are you going to play the Midlands / Wales / Liverpool / Ireland etc. etc? The answer was always the same, Gilbert would love to play everywhere and keep everybody happy. But unfortunately that's not always possible. It's out of his hands. So I would urge all the stay-at-home fans who are waiting for Gilbert to play in their own back yard to take the opportunity to see him play live while they can. You won't be disappointed.
STATSGilbert played and sang 35 songs tonight representing material from 14 different albums. The breakdown was as follows:
Piano Foreplay
6
Himself
3
Back To Front
3
A Stranger In My Own Back Yard
3
Singles
3
Irlish
2
Off Centre
2
Frobisher Drive
2
Sounds of the Loop
2
Unreleased Tracks
2
The Little Album
2
I'm A Writer Not A Fighter
1
Southpaw
1
The Key Of G
1
Singer Sowing Machine
1
The Berry Vest Of
1
