My second stint with Supertramp, and this time a little less stressful as the band has moved on without Roger and a new album has been recorded.
I get to stay with Rick and Sue Davies, in their home, and Sue and I set up the tour from her offices in Encino, around the corner from the house. We then travel 4000 miles to get to our first show, and we haven't left North America!!
Having your cake and eating it takes on a whole new meaning on the road. Brendan was unfortunatly a birthday boy on this tour, as I was to be too. In my case, Dougie tried to handcuff me to the toilet door in the venue, however I managed to escape that one and ended up handcuffed to him for the next two hours instead.....
The Lighthouse at St John's Newfoundland. Our first show and the furthest one can drive from Los Angeles without getting too wet. Over 7000 kilometers. That's Bill Vuylsteke, our new tour accountant posing by the door.
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Neil Glover in the foreground here below, a more sociable scouser I've yet to find. Neil and I worked together on the '83 World tour and I have fond memories of days off in bars across the world with this man.
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I have got to figure out where this picture above was taken. I'm trying to understand why there is an audience obviously enjoying a performance, BUT, Mrs D is sitting in the middle of the stage along with various crew members all over the stage as well. I'll figure it out I'm sure................ help
Bourbon and Coke, just the right mix, it was the easy way to drink and not spill it all over his desk! A truly beautiful thing in action. Curry Grant, our Lighting Designer, ably assisted by Mr Louis Ball, along side Dougie Thompson.
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Here is Nipper, the logo of HMV Records and famously on top of the Companies original headquarters in the centre of Albany New York. This picture taken from the roof of the venue we were playing in Albany.
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I can just hear Scott in this pic above, as he's thinking, 'Where the fuck are we" ha ha . He bought me the badge after I had got lost one time getting from the hotel or airport to the gig. I can't remember exactly which place I couldn't find but with no sat navs I'm amazed we ever found anywhere. You see on this tour we drove ourselves around quite a bit, in station wagons. I drove one, Bill our tour accountant drove another and I think most of the time John Helliwell was my co-pilot with the map. He should have got the badge really....ha ha. Anyway I still have the badge Scott!! xx
Dire Straits are represented here as it was half way through this tour that we bumped into them in the same hotel. If I recall we came back to the hotel after the show, they were playing the same venue the following night. We all ended up around the hotel lobby piano with Mark Knoffler playing Beatles songs and everyone joining in. A very enjoyable evening was had by all.
Ahh pictures on the road, just snap shots of minutes spent in some strange places. I think I've captured a couple here on this page of a small airport...... On the right, the sign behind Dougie's head saying 'Arrivals'. On the left a photo from Portland. We flew from Portland to Ottawa on 19th October and I'm guessing the Portland airport is a little dinky.
Mr Carl Verhayen looking very dapper in this photo. Whose trousers are those Carl?
A shot of Brad Cole, not long after he's arrived to save the day on this tour. Brad learnt the tunes and stepped in as one of the band had to rush home for personal reasons.
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So another tour completed, we have enough time to go home for Christmas and then meet up again in the New Year for the start of the European leg.
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