Better late than never ... summer shennanigans!

Better late than never?

Dear Blog reader … my humble apologies for being so tardy in getting this particular batch of memories up and running. I have only my innate laziness and various “life” distractions to excuse my inaction these past few months but hope that you will forgive me and continue with your unstinting support? That said … let's waste no more time in useless, inconsequential banter and fall head-first into the melting pot of worldy adventures I've been privileged to undergo since my last entry!

Before Bob and I flew off to Washington DC in July we were happy to go bike riding one Sunday afternoon with our friends Dave and Christy. They … regularly bike ride … we … do not! So Bob and I hired bikes for the day and followed in their more experienced wake. There's a wonderful track that follows what used to be a railway line from the east coast of the Island straight through to the west and we went as far as St John's, a few miles short of Peel and what would have been the end of the line. All in all about a 17 mile round trip. From nought to 17 miles in one day? Not the best idea we've ever had but … it was mighty good fun!

A jolly ride out ... adventures in cycling! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Just before flying off to the States for the summer, Dave and Christy were working on a special commemorative DVD for the local Government here on the Isle of Man. It was to celebrate the Bee Gees acceptance of being made Freemen of the Borough of Douglas. For those of you who don't know, Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb were all born on the Isle of Man. Oh yes they were! For some reason, beyond my comprehension, Dave and Christy both thought I was the ideal person to present the program - I humbly picked up the gauntlet! The dvd is now finished and ready for purchase should you my lovely reader feel curious enough to buy, here is the link to the website:Bee Gees commemorative Dvd.

A walk in the sunshine ... a dvd in the making ... from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Let us move swiftly on from the gentle, rolling countryside of the Isle of Man, to the bustling metropolis that is Washigton DC. The idea was to spend the summer in LA via a little east coast jaunt that allowed us to take in a couple of Back Door Slam gigs before settling in the sunshine of northern California.We were excited to see Davy and his new line-up who were on tour supporting the brand new rock super group Chicken Foot. We wanted to get a taste of things to come before they moved out to the west coast later in the tour. So Bob carefully studied the tour dates and came up with the idea of starting in Washington where – according to his information – they were to play the day after our arrival. Only … the date had been rearranged and they were now playing in Cleveland – a good 5 hour drive away! - 2 days after our arrival! Ha!It gave us the opportunity to play at being proper tourists … which was in fact wonderful:

Washington DC ... weeee from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

The drive to Cleveland was easy-peasy lemon squeazy.

On our way to Cleveland ... from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

The gig the following day was sensational. The new band definitely ROCK! And we loved the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
… I now have many new and interesting ideas for my next show!Can you guess what inspired me the most? ...

Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame ... & BDS of course! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

And so, onto New York, New York. We had a few days here which allowed me to wander off and do my own thing. Which consisted mainly of window shopping (well I went inside just to keep cool!) no purchases were made during the making of this Blog! It was ridiculously hot and humid which made for some very interesting al fresco smells. The air was so thick you could chew it!

New York, New York .. so good they smelt it twice! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

And of course the reason for being here at this time … Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam!

Star Gazing in New York ... BDS ROCK! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

And so we flew across the great expanse that is America and found ourselves, once again in Los Angeles. I don't care what people say … I love it!

La, la land and some of it's charms ... from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Famous McCabes Guitar Shop Santa Monica ... from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Grooving at the Grove ... from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

The Getty Museum ... wow! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

About half way through our stay, we drove up to see Davy
and the boys again, still on tour with Chicken Foot, at Lake Tahoe
Nevada. It's a fair old schlepp from LA so we decided to go via Death Valley
– something we've been planning to do for ages – stop over night – at Stove Pipe Wells!
- and drive on the next day. When we left Hollywood it was a very pleasant 80F. Several hours later, driving ever downward into the Valley itself, the temperature gauge in the car started going up and up! It was 112F by the time we arrived at out Motel! It was like being wrapped in cling film and instantly baked! Amazing.The highest temperature that day was at the aptly named Furnace Creek at a whopping 117F! Phew what a scorcher!

We'd been reliably informed that one thing we HAD TO DO, was get up ridiculously early to watch the sun rise over Zabriskie Point
(which I kept calling Zabrinskie!Doh.)So we woke at some un-Godly pre-dawn hour, in order to get there before the sun had fully risen. Amazingly there was a full moon that night and it was swinging low over the hills as we set off – beautiful.

The whole experience was utterly breath-taking. The changing light over the strange and moon-like landscape was simply wonderful. I couldn't stop snapping away with my camera. Everywhere I turned was another “must-have” picture. Bob … apparently inspired by the location … asked me to marry him!!!!! I said YES!!!! Hurrah.

A momentous time at Death Valley! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

After all the excitement of Death Valley it was a relatively calm and sedate drive up to Lake Tahoe. That was until we decided to follow our “Lady-of-the Dashboard” along a “short-cut” route halfway there. It became clear after about 10 or 15 minutes that this was actually an imagined (on her part!) alternative route and we were properly lost for about an hour! At one point there was NO ROAD at all, just the cracked bed of a dry river and a few stones.Talk about adventure. Luckily the road re-appeared several miles later and we were dropped back on the same road we'd started on an hour earlier … only a few miles further up. So much for short cuts!

Lake Tahoe couldn't have been a more different experience to Death Valley.It's 6 or 7 thousand feet above sea level in an Alpine Mountain range . The lake itself is immense and surrounded by lush green pine forests and a good 30F degrees cooler. We stayed at one of the many Casino Hotels in the area who were hosts to Chicken Foot and Davy K. The gig was set up in a massive car park to the side of the hotel which was cordoned off for a series of summer concerts. The boys went on in what was left of the days light and played as the sun was going down. The atmosphere was truly electric and the crowd, as-they-say, went wild! It was a great gig. Quite a day all in all!

Lake Tahoe and BDS!! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

The band had their own head-lining gig at Slim's
in San Francisco the following day a mere 3 hours away by car. There were major bridge works on what would have been our most obvious route into the city and so our drive was a little more circuitous than expected but we managed to get to the venue on time … the band, bless them, were a little late! It was a very important gig for them, as the The Times Culture Magazine
had arranged to fly one of their regular writers, Paul Sexton
over from the UK to do a special feature on Davy and the band! Paul was more than happy to hang out at the gig and soak up the wonderful atmosphere before the boys and their Bus finally turned up to do a very quick sound check. My favourite part of the night was being invited on stage to sing backing vocals on a couple of songs – I was a rock chick for a few minutes – yeh!

Are we going to San Francisco? from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

The drive back to LA is always delightful when you take Route 1 down the coast road past, Nepenthe
and Big Sur
. It was getting quite late as we approached Santa Barbara
and feeling more than a little tired, we decided to stay the night. I was driving and had been stuck behind a line of particularly slow vehicles at this point, when I'd had enough! So I put my foot down and sped past them. 30 seconds later I spotted flashing blue lights in the rear-view mirror and was told - in no uncertain terms! - to pull over! Eek! I was SO apologetic, that the incredibly stern Policeman, who stood legs akimbo, hands on hips as he “questioned” me, was more than a little puzzled and it wasn't just my accent.When he came back from checking out my Isle of Man
driving license he basically told me off and informed me that the speed limit in “this country” is 70 miles an hour … keep to it! OK officer I will … thank you! Phew! I was so wound up by the experience I hardly slept a wink.

A couple of weekends later Bob and I were invited to stay with our good friend Christine Hansen
. We'd met her together in 2007 when she was part of the organisation that promoted the Nelson Mandela concert in Johannesburg which Corinne was invited to perform at. Christine, originally from New York, was then living in LA and had recently moved out to live in Ojai California
, a beautiful place an hour and a half north of where we were staying in west Hollywood. We jumped at the chance.

Driving up the driveway to the Mansion Christine's little house was a part of, was such a thrill! The main house, which belongs to a close friend of Christine's, is in the beautiful style of a Mexican Hacienda and we both fell in love with not only the house but it's absolutely fantastic location. High up on a mountain ridge over looking the small town of Ojai, we were on a level with Eagles as they flew by – breath-taking!

The entire weekend was like a fairytale, including going to a “Pirate's Weekend” convention down at beautiful lake Casitas. An eye-popping experience if ever I've had one! We also enjoyed local rich, gastronomic delights, deep tissue massage and a midnight dip in the hot spa pool. Too much information?! It was all a total joy. Christine is the perfect hostess … witty, vivacious, generous and inspirational! It's a weekend we'll never forget. I hope it's not the last time we get to sample the high life in this most beautiful of places with our lovely friend.

Oh hi it's Ojai! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Towards the end of our summer stay in Hollywood, Davy and the band were set to play their last couple of gigs on this particular leg of their almost continuous tour. The last night of the Chicken Foot extravaganza took place at The Gibson Theatre Universal City on a stupidly hot Sunday evening. The support band for this particular gig had been set months in advance which meant the band weren't allowed to play; Davy, talented boy that he is, did a blinding solo set which went down a storm. Of course he'd rather have played with the band but sometimes these things are set to thwart us. He was awesome!

Bob and I got to the venue late afternoon in time to be at sound check and took the opportunity to wander the strange and surreal streets that make up Universal City
.

Davy K with Chicken Foot @Gibson Amphitheatre LA from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

A couple of nights later the whole band played atThe Mint
, a newly revived gig on the outskirts of Hollywood. This small venue is camp as camp can be and a great place to watch a show. There were loads of friends and fans who came down for the gig and none were disappointed. I was thrilled to be invited to sing again, this time alongside Peter Frampton
too! Yeh … the Framptonettes are alive and kicking (we sorely missed Christy D
though!)! There was a palpable wave of excitement as Peter was announced on stage. Davy and he - and the entire audience - grinned from ear to ear the entire time they played! It was quite something to behold.

Me, Davy K and Peter F at The Mint! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

We left our pals in Los Angeles at the end of September and made our way back to the Isle of Man and this side of the pond. We had a short 2 week turn around before heading off to Australia and all things Antipodean … all to be revealed in the next installment!

Blog on the run prt III ... the last installment ...

The final five and ... a few bits in between

I always feel somewhat in awe of time when the end of a tour is looming… where did all that excitement and expectation go? Why has it all stopped? When can I do it all again? So much thought and energy goes into the preparation and performance then once the final bow has been taken … it’s as if it never happened … and yet … there are flip charts that say otherwise! Come with me and I’ll prove that it wasn’t just a figment of my imagination.

The Processed Pea was the last gig I Blogged about and it was, if you remember, a strange and wonderful affair. There then followed 2 delightful days of rest in the old market town of Hitchin Herts, with our lovely friend Paul Leitch. I spent a fair amount of that time Blogging myself into a Filp-ing frenzy – the results of which took a further 2 weeks to post. Not enough internet-connection is my excuse … oh yeh and the little matter of five further gigs!

Bob and Rob actually got out to Wembley to see Oasis! But after a morning of Oxford Street schlepping I was in no fit state and waved them off as I trundled back to Hitchin and an early night. Though they had a high old time, they also had several VERY frustrating security guard experiences, which I did not envy. Ah bless.

So Friday July 10th quickly arrived and after a spot of lunch in Hitchin’s bustling town centre we left for Crouch End – not a difficult journey. Poor Bob though, had a painful back problem compounded by his Wembley Arena run around and so I sent him back to rest … he got as far as the car park but his pronounced limp (that’s: L.I.M.P – limp!) brought out the mother hen in me and I shooed him back to our room. Bless.

The Kalamazoo Club is another old favourite of mine. The sound engineer, Peter has been there many years and is always helpful and mercifully quick in setting up and getting a great sound – thanks Peter - which left Rob and I plenty of time to eat! Not always a good thing before a gig. This was another culinary experience – not as good as some but better than we expected and funny too.

I was delighted to see Peter Emery from the Travelling Gentlemen in the crowd and to hear, once again, the unforgettable laughter of our lovely friend Chris Howarth … this was his 3rd gig of the tour. Yeh! It was also great to meet a fellow Manxie at the end of the night: Rob Heeney… a successful comedian no less… this is his local gig – lucky man. He and Rob got on brilliantly and addresses were exchanged. It was a lively show with a fair amount of audience interaction and a fabulously generous response. Thank you Kalamzoo – we love you too!

A spot of luncheon in Hitchin. from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Now normally when touring there are certain things one tries to avoid – one of them is working in London one night and Carlisle the next. But that’s what we did and I have no one but myself to blame. The thing is, when someone like Jil Bark says that’s the only night she could put on a gig, it’s plain stupid to say no.

Bob was feeling a bit better on Saturday and was happy to sit in the back of the car for 5 hours. The time went relatively quickly and for some reason I did the whole drive … you get so far and somehow want to finish what you started … well that’s how it felt at the time.

I’ve known Jil Bark a long time now and 3 years ago she and her partner Ishka moved into a large terraced house in Wigton, just outside Carlisle. I remember them both telling me about a shared dream they had at the time, to run a little Bistro with concerts at the weekends. I had no idea just how close those dreams were to coming true. It’s taken a ridiculous amount of hard work and much planning and negotiation but soon … they’ll be developing the basement of their gorgeous home, into a 45 seater Bistro-style restaurant and holding concerts in the same space on a regular basis. Hurrah.

For the last 18 months they’ve been running monthly house concerts in their lovely, large, front room as a steppingstone toward their final goal and have amassed an enviable mailing list of very satisfied customers – from far and wide. At half time … they serve delicious food. It’s brilliant!

This gig in particular was VERY HOT. Talk about free sauna. Rob and I were the last official house concert – an honour. In the next few months the builders will be in to renovate the basement area and in the New Year … fingers crossed … they’ll be ready to open their fabulous new place – The Monkey Tree . We wish them huge success. We had an absolute ball in their wonderful home and fabulous company. We’re hoping for a return gig at the new grown-up venue.

London to Wigton ... a gig too far? Never! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Because I’d managed to book a gig all the way back in Hitchin on Sunday – yes really - London/Carlise/Hitchin – we had little time to socialise, though we’d love to have done, we had to get back on the road relatively early the following day and drive ourselves right back to Hitchin. Yeh … we love being on the road. Rob did the lion’s share of the drive this time … phew.

Hitchin Folk club won the prestigious Radio 2 Folk music award for best Folk club in 2005. It’s been running for over 40 years.In fact last time I played here was to celebrate that achievement. For much of that time it’s been held in the ballroom of the Sun Inn – where Paul Lietch has been the manager for the last 3 years. Maureen and Keiron Jones are the club’s wonderful organizers and they do a brilliant job - I also know that they truly appreciate Paul’s huge passion for music. It’s a great combination.

It was quite late in the day when we arrived to set up our
Carlsbro PA and we were all more than a bit hungry but I wanted the gear up and running so I knew everything was OK before rushing off to eat … with Rob’s amazing patience, it was all sorted out and we sat down together with Maureen and Keiron exhausted but fairly happy. Rob did a short but perfectly formed set of his own songs before I joined him on stage. It was great to see friends we hadn’t seen in some time who managed to make it to the show … Steve Lima and Ted Kelly, and some more we’d only seen recently and were equally happy to see again … Pam and Martin Drury and of course … Chris Howarth, notching up a fab 4th gig this evening. Oh how sweet it is to be loved.

Back unto Hitchin once more dear frineds ... from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

On Monday July 13th we packed up our stuff and set off for the last time from The Sun Inn … we had a fabulous time settled within it’s hospitable walls … many, many thanks to Paul – you’re a star. We were in convoy for these last few gigs and set off for Birmingham where we were invited to stay with one of Rob’s long time friends, Aaron - a fellow Manxie! Aaron works for the ICC and is a brilliant sound engineer which came in handy for our last show. We spent a delightful night in his new gorgeous flat and ate royally at a local Indian restaurant called “Deolali”.

Our penultimate gig was at Biddulph Town Hall, organized by Eric Cox who’s been putting on acoustic shows in the area for more years than either of us would care to admit. I’ve always played at the club before and was pleasantly surprised at how well the larger hall suited acoustic music.

The Loud Mouthed Women are a large choir made up of local … as the name states … women. There were maybe 25/30 of them all told? They made a wonderful sound and had the audience eagerly joining in … I love hearing that many voices raised in song – it’s brilliant.

We were very tired this night but managed to muster ourselves and put in a pretty decent performance I think. The crowd certainly went wild at the end of the night. And afterwards it was fantastic to see some friends I’d not seen for far too long. Unfortunately Howard Lees was ill but Jean and Alison and her lovely beau Andy came along without him – bless. And Potter, he who first introduced me to Patty Griffin and “Mary” was delightfully positive about our new musical shenanigans. Hurrah. Rob and Aaron headed back to Birmingham and Bob and I made our way across to the incredibly accommodating Ansell’s once more – yeh!

Loud Mouthed Women ... and a few blokes too! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

There were 3 full days off before our final musical fling and we made the very most of them for sure. Two nights with Diane and Bryan enjoying wonderful food and company – it’s been fantastic to spend time with them again and I’m totally indebted to Maria’s wonderful willingness to share her hard earned knowledge about hatching chicks. Enjoy.

Maria Ansell ... Superchick! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Our next friendly port of call was to see Rob and Jo Selbourne at Prebendal farm in Wiltshire. We love staying with them in their beautiful home which is also a B&B. In fact the last time we were able to sample their hospitable delights, was last June while on tour with Dave Kelly and the Gentlemen. Lucky for us we were the only people allowed to stay for 2 delicious nights.

Prebendal Madness! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

After a night of raucous daftness, the heavens well and truly opened the following day. I’ve rarely seen it pelt so hard. Knowing Rob had harvest a couple of weeks later made it all the more dramatic.

A Perfect preamble at Prebendal. from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Thankfully later in the afternoon it eased off enough for Jo and I to take their little black and tan Jack Russell Matty and the nieghbour’s Border Collie Socks, for a walk in Ashdown Woods. It was an absolutely fantastic experience – Jo is a brilliant person to walk with, as she knows so much about the countryside … it was an honour.

Take a walk on the wild side with Lady Robert selbourne prt I from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

(a photo I took of the beautiful 18th Century House at Ashdown Woods)

A walk on the wild side prt II from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Mutual friends from the village came to play with us all on our second night. Nick and Sarah are great fun – we all egg one another on! The Flip was left well and truly alone. Before we bid our fond farewells Rob decided to take his 1932 Morgan out for a spin and took Bob with him – eek! It’s a beautiful machine and has taken years to get to its’ present pristine state … Rob it would appear is a dab hand with motors. I hope it’s not too long before we have the Prebendal Experience again. XX

Gutta Morgan! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

And so it came to pass … the final show. As a way to ease ourselves into the right frame of mind we arranged to meet up with Rob and Aaron at the Orchard Tea Rooms in Granchester – this would be the 4th time Rob and I had been here during this tour! Yeh … d’ya think maybe we like it? We set off to the Acoustic Routes in Cambridge right after scones, clotted cream, jam and pots of tea! Yum.

I remember meeting Bernard Hoskin for the first time at a strange but bizarre outdoor Festival in Suffolk maybe 4 years ago? Anyway the story goes like this: It was a huge site with … no people attending! Well OK there were, maybe 10 trusty onlookers and – yes that’s right – a dog! There were 2 stages side by side and one enormous covered sound desk a good 200 yards away in the centre of the field. The idea being that one stage could be set up while the other stage is being performed on. Great idea. However … the techy guys were straight out of school and I mean school not college and they didn’t really care let alone know what that were supposed to be doing and … I went on a solo performer and three lines into my second song … the PA blew up! Man I must have been belting it out!

So I, being an old trouper, promptly jumped down off the stage onto the grass and walked to the huddled crowd of … 15 (I really brought them in!). After finishing the song I’d started on stage, we then proceeded to the blue and white stripy beer tent 500 yards away up hill at the edge of the field and “did the show right there!” Bernard was one of those few people … so you see I remembered him well.

Bernard runs a monthly acoustic show in a tiny cellar room beneath a very nice café/restaurant in the middle of Cambridge and he does a wonderful job. Dedicated, enthusiastic and an all round good egg; I love playing here. It was a fitting end to a fabulous tour. Aaron, bless him, on his day off ended up basically doing the sound for us – for which thanks! Chris Howarth bless him also, bought tickets for his fifth show of the tour … this time with a very lovely lady at his side … a Collister virgin no less. Hurrah.

The beginning of the end ... from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Rob for the last time … ah … played his final opening set and I joined him once more for a wonderfully joyous and emotional end of tour show which was thoroughly and ecstatically received by the full house crowd! Yeh … this is the way to end a perfectly, beautiful run of dates. Thank you EVERYONE! But especially ROB CROSS who was a joy to be around and a fabulous musical cohort. I hope he’s willing to do it again … sometime … next year? Maybe?

Cambridge Acoustic Routes ... the end of the road ... ah. from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

To everyone who made it to a gig and those who wanted to and couldn’t … I thank you … your support is not only appreciated it’s essential!

Bob and I are off on our travels once more next week; we fly out to Washington August 13th to see Back Door Slam on their continuing adventures before jet setting it to Los Angeles on the 18th! Yeh … I love my life! I will, of course, be carrying on with the writing process and Flipping a few moments in the sun for you all to – hopefully – enjoy.

Thanks for taking the time to read my Blog and watch the daft Flip videos I’ve learnt to edit along the way. For someone who’s not at all techy I’ve really enjoyed that new experience – I hope you have too.

Take care … remember I’m on Twitter, The 61 and Facebook too … all cool ways to find out what’s going on, on a more regular basis.

See you out there ...

Much love

Christine XX ;-)

Blog on the run: instalment II … 7 dates and 6 mighty gigs on the trot … will our trusty musos survive?

We last left you at Maltby heading for a few days rest at the delightful Ansell household. Rob went to Whitby to stay with friends and returned Monday afternoon just in time to give Bob a lift to Newark train station to start his long journey back to the Island – ah. We missed him! Well I certainly did!

I took the opportunity to go into Nottingham with Diane and Maria Ansell to do a spot of mid-tour shopping! I can share with you that it was a very successful trip … 2 jackets and a pair of funky shoes later (all in sales!) and before we knew it we were sat at a pizza place ready to eat a well deserved luncheon – phew! Maria did especially well, managing not only to purchase several birthday presents for her mum but having 4 new – mostly purple - outfits bought for her by her mum … all in all a dizzy and exciting experience!

Shopping for purple things! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Rob and I did an impromptu performance for the Ansell’s after yet another delicious tea … due to Maria having her tonsils removed the following day, Diane and Bryan were unable to make it to our next port of call so we thought it only right and proper we sang for our supper. All much appreciated on everyone’s part.

We left the Ansell’s on Tuesday morning and headed for Leigh-on-Sea Essex to the Hoy At Anchor Folk club,which takes place on Tuesday evenings at the Ship Inn, opposite the train station in Old Leigh. I’ve played here several times now and always relish the experience. We arrived, after a particularly sweaty drive – too much information? And continued the physical heat by lugging our Carlsbro PA up the narrow stairwell that leads to the performance space.

Now when I’ve been here before the stage has always been set up in the window near the station but this time there was a bigger stage already up and functioning at the opposite side of the room so we rigged the PA to go there … seemed the right thing to us but … apparently we were supposed to wait till the lovely organisers turned up and use the window as usual… oops! Sorry! But there was no going back once it was all up and running! And they were very philosophical about our obvious conclusion.

Several people I know and love were coming to the show this night and I was very excited to see them all: Gary and Fiona, Ky and Emma, Phil and especially our hosts for the next few days: Helen Watson and her delightful partner Clea. Yeh!

I was still feeling a little off kilter at this point and not as confident as I like to be in general banter terms but no one else seemed to notice – phew! Rob’s extra harmonies were starting to come together and all the loop station and stomp-box songs went by without a hitch- hurrah. Another great gig under our belts – thanks Leigh! You were marvellous!

Untitled from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Rob had met many people on the tour so far who waxed lyrical every time the delightful Ms Watson was mentioned. So his expectations were very high and possibly, he was a bit fearful that she couldn’t live up to the abundant praise we all lavish on her when given the opportunity to express our utter confidence and love for her presence. Well … she did not disappoint! They hit it off straight away – of course! Which is a very good thing given we were to spend the next few days in her and Clea’s tiny but perfectly formed blissful home in Burnham-on-Crouch.

Helley-welleny-Botson-Swotson-Watson from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

A day at the sea side - Burnham on Crouch - a guided tour! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

I don’t know what it is about Helen and I that makes us so childish when we get together but whatever it is I am very grateful for it … we are like a pair of very naughty little girls who egg each other on to more and more ridiculous heights!

Foxy Watson sings the ballad of The Slimy Slew-ably assisited ... from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

We laughed the entire time we were there. It’s always a joy to be in her company. Clea and Rob coped with us very well too – ah bless. It was hard to leave … we love you gorgeous girls! We’ll be back!

Next on our gig sheet was a run of 6 dates back to back – gulp! First on the list was The Musician in Leicester and the opportunity to stay with David and Jean Suff – Mr Fledg’ling Records himself. It’s been far too long since I saw them; in fact the last time we met was at the Musician last year when I played there with Dave Kelly and the Travelling gentlemen! We called in on the way to the gig and dropped off our speakers and sundry leads etc not wanting to leave them in the car during the show … time for a hug and cool drink – essential things both!

The Musician is a strange and wonderful venue … brilliantly equipped and presented and I always feel positive before the show. It sounds great and looks fab but somehow I always feel deflated by the end of the night. It’s difficult to get much response from the generally quiet audience … yet at the end of the show they go berserk! Weird … I suppose they just save it all up for the end? My lovely friends Ann and Brian James tried their best to whoop and cheer but even they couldn’t get their fellow audience members to give out … until the last song.

The Musician Leicester - legendary gig! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

David and Jean made us feel very welcome back at their lovely home in Uppingham and a sound sleep went a long way to restoring my dented demeanour. Onward and upward … well actually downward as our next port of call was Brighton!

On the road again ... from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

When we left Uppingham it was grey and damp and more rain accompanied us on our drive down. By the time we entered the M25 the sun had returned and the traffic had built up … and I was not happy about the 2 hours it took to get from the A1 junction to the M23! Argh …

The Open House is home to Brighton Folk and Blues club and a very funky place it is. We both loved it on first sight. Vanessa and Alan are the delightful organisers of this very lively club, which has only been running about a year. It’s a fantastic venue and once we got the sound check done the room filled up really quickly. Whatever fugue had plagued me surrounding my general stage persona, it disappeared at Brighton!

Perhaps it was the fresh sea air or conversely the stupid drive down but I felt my old confidence return and enjoyed a very light-hearted and witty performance -as did the substantial audience. Hurrah! Rob did a splendid few songs before the second half and James Asher turned up … co-writer of All About Love … another lovely friend I haven’t seen for far too long. It was the first time he had heard our version of the song he and I started many years ago but which Rob and I finished … and is one of the high lights of this tour. I can report that he gave it and us his full approval - phew! Rob had never been to Brighton before and his first impressions were very favourable. He was heard to say as we left the gig … “I haven’t seen a single ugly person yet!” … He may move there!

We stayed with Ness and her lovely partner Chris at their gorgeous home in Hove just 10 minutes from the gig and discovered – over a lovely glass of red wine - that Ness and I had met years ago (I’m talking 22 years!) when she lived in Hong Kong and I was there performing with Clive Gregson at the Hong Kong Folk Festival! Bloody hell! I thought she looked familiar when we met! We reminisced.

Before moving onto Aldershot we enjoyed a coffee and a walk round Hove … but didn’t make it to the sea front due to inclement weather … not what we ordered! Goodbye Brighton … we’ll be back.

Brighton! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

We somehow found ourselves in Horsham in West Sussex looking for food … lunch to be precise but what we found there left us very confused and for sometime … very hungry … but it was a very interesting place!

Horsham ... myth or legend? from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

We were invited to stay with my lovely friends Pam and Martin Dury in Sandhurst for the next 2 nights, covering Aldershot and Bournemouth nicely – thank you! I have to say that Rob has been brilliant, accepting every situation I’ve thrown his way – he’s delightfully sociable and quite house-trained and has made a positive and lasting impression on everyone he’s met – not least Pam and Martin!

We arrived late afternoon and made ourselves at home while Pam and Martin, together with our mutual and equally delightful friends, Phil and Pat Chappell, left for theWest End Arts Centre in Aldershot, where the festival we were booked to perform at was taking place.

We were due on stage at 10.30 for a 40-minute slot at the end of the night. I don’t think either of us has ever been to, let alone played at, an Indoor/Out-door Festival before … it’s one hell of an experience! Barney Jeavons is the very likeable organiser of this event and it’s due to his innovation and creative input that the centre’s floor surfaces are completely covered in turf! That’s right … grass … the real stuff too … it’s amazing and quite smelly! Last year apparently they had live sheep and goats! There’s also a small wooden bridge and stream running under it … all in doors. I dubbed the space by the river “Glastonbury” as by the time we arrived it was a proper muddy mess and I lost my shoe more than once to the suction it created. The other remarkable thing to mention was the amount of young people in the audience … brilliant!

Aldershot indoor/out door festival - say what? from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

There were a number of excited people who’d been to see me before who shouted out song titles with a fair amount of passion … I was quite taken aback … in a very humble way. These same people decided to come to East Grinstead too! Bless them – and thanks!

Rob and I got back to the Dury’s lovely home about 12.30am where Pam was in full entertaining mode and assembling a mountain of food for us to enjoy. It was a full-on party including champagne and red wine. Phil and Pat were also there and before we knew it, it was 4.30! Ouch. For some reason I still can’t fathom … Rob mentioned Amaretto and so it was produced from Pam’s magical never ending supply of lovely things to enjoy… which later … Rob regretted.

Aldershot aftermath! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Ah bless. We had a very long lie-in the following morning – what was left of it! I was surprisingly fine but poor Rob was not at his best. We drove to Bournemouth mid afternoon leaving enough time to meet up with Martin, Pam, Phil and Pat to enjoy a bite to eat before sound check. While waiting for food that never arrived ... we were a bit bored and Phil made good use of the time; thanks also to Pam for the group pic ... still no food!BTW ... Kipper Collister and the Amaretto Kid are still on the loose!


The sun shone bright in Bournemouth and a new venue to experience awaited.The Centre Stage, home to the Bournemouth Folk Club , is a rather wonderful venue imbued with a great sense of atmosphere that lends itself generously to anyone who treads its lovely stage. Paul Burke organises 2 nights of music each week, made us feel vey welcome. His obvious love of music is so warm and giving that we felt immediately at our ease. Nick is the in house soundman and was equally accommodating and very good at his job!

I haven’t played Bournemouth for quite some time and had no idea what sort of attendance to expect … I was very pleasantly surprised. We had our first – and only – funky dancer when we played “The Ones That Love You” … a delightful 5/6 year old girl who commented that I had tiny curls at the end of my hair … that’s what a very hot and sticky night will do for a girl! We loved the entire experience. Bournemouth ROCKS!

Beautiful Bournemouth! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Rob was still feeling a little iffy – bless – so I drove back to Pam and Martin’s, while he snored! Pam, Martin, Phil and Pat all absolutely loved the show and were very impressed with some of our “tricks”! I’m not giving the game away here of course! Pam laid on another spread … how do we survive without these lovely social gatherings? Rob went to bed before the Amaretto could make a move!

We left Sandhurst feeling very loved and appreciated – we can’t thank the Dury’s nearly enough… though we try! We love you too.

Monday July 6th had us heading for the Chequer Mead Theatre in East Grinstead. I’ve played here several times before and loved it each time … Monday was no exception. Martin Snodin has promoted gigs in the area for a number of years now and always does a first rate job … he somehow managed to get me on the front cover of the theatre’s brochure even though the deadline had gone! Hurrah.

We were supported by a very young – 19 year old? – but very talented singer-songwriter:Alex Hall who was delightful … I’m sure he’ll have a very long and successful career – we wish him luck! Bob travelled from the Island that morning to be with us for the show – he was up at 5.30m! It was a joy to see him.

East Grin-stead! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

It was another great gig full of daft moments and one big memory lapse that even I couldn’t bluff my way through but no one seemed to mind me starting again. Phew. Leaving East Grinstead proved harder than expected especially as I kept ignoring our Lady-of-the-Sat-Nav! Oops. We drove up to Hitchin to stay at the Sun Hotel. In fact we’re here until Monday now … a home away from home. Thanks to Paul Leitch … our friend and the hotel’s manager!

And so we come to gig 6 out of 6 … The Processed Peain Etton East Yorkshire. I’ve played here a number of times over the years and was amazed to find that they celebrate their 40th year this September … and in the same venue too! Brilliant. No mean feat.

The drive up from Hitchin was spectacular … amazing cloud formations and several torrential downpours in equal measure … both of which I loved! We also took the opportunity to stop off at Lincoln for a spot of cream-tea – mmm delicious.

the long and cloudy road ... to etton from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Martin Peirson is the Processed Pea’s gallant organiser and took in his stride my change of mind about not using our own PA – only the day before – when we realised how long a drive back it would be. Martin’s PA is more than adequate and would save us a fair amount of time at the end of the night in not having to pack down and fill the car before leaving into the long dark night. Thanks Martin! You’re a sweetheart!

The gig itself was a very strange affair. For one thing the stage erected at the front of the room was relatively high off the ground … or perhaps it was just that that the ceiling was quite low to start with and meant the lovely (6 feet 2 inches tall!) Rob was unable to stand on it without fear of concussion! So we had to improvise and devise an arrangement that allowed us both to be on stage at the same time and after several tries with various pieces of furniture, eventually used a tall stool placed on the floor behind the stage (are you still with me?!) so Rob ended up wedged in a corner of the stage surrounded by his gadgets! It’s probably the only time I’ve been taller than him … and I had to keep flat shoes on so I didn’t bang my head!

For some reason this all added to our growing sense of hysteria and other-worldliness and made for a rather surreal experience. I have no idea what the audience thought about all this but their toes tapped through-out the night and their lovely smiley faces beamed up to our dizzying heights – though only a little laughter was drawn from them despite my silliness and general comic efforts – I was assured when their Flip moment came by their enthusiasm at the end of the night! Bless.

Anyone for a Processed Pea? from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

After big hugs and goodbyes, Rob took the first leg of the journey back while I surreptitiously flipped the full moon and Bob’s curious penchant for bursting into song! You gotta love him – OK maybe that’s just me then? And I do – very much!

It's a long way back to ... Hitchin. from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

We have a hefty 3 day run starting tomorrow – Crouch End, Carlisle! Then Hitchin! I have only myself to blame.

Thanks, as ever, for stopping by and do come back to find out what happens next!

Much love

CC ;-) XX

On the road again ... Blog on the run ..

On the road again … blogging on the run …

Thought I’d try and write as things are actually happening rather than as an after event recall. Intentions are great … following through with the action to make it happen is where it really matters … let’s see what kind of follow up I’m made of shall we? Mmm

So we now have 5 gigs officially under our musical belts … plus … on the last foray into Cardiff to rehearse with Rob, we also did a strange but necessary run-through gig in the heart of Cardiff city centre at a regular gig of Rob’s in O’Neills! This kind of venue is NOT, repeat NOT what I enjoy and when we turned up to set the PA in place, the pub was heaving with hundreds of very drunk 18 year old students who had just finished their exams and were in a fully fledged frenzy of celebration! I was VERY nervous! Their excited collective noise was so loud that even with a PA in full throttle we couldn’t hear ourselves … amazing. Rob assured me that by the time we were due on they’d have all gone on to wreak havoc at alcoholic pastures new … I closed my eyes … and an hour later all was mercifully student-free






There was, in their stead, a delightfully small and perfectly formed crowd of Rob’s friends and musical associates who cheered us on and helped make the process from rehearsal to performance space relatively pain-free. In fact they were fabulously generous with their praise and a good time was actually had much to my surprise. Thanks Cardiff!

A big, big thanks are also due to Andrew Bishop and Mick Wittemoore of Carlsbro PA http://www.carlsbro.com/ who very generously gave us the use of a wonderful Carlsbro set up for those smaller gigs where the PA can sometimes be a lottery. When Loop stations are emplyed to enhance one's musical exploits, a decent and reliable PA makes a huge difference to the performing confidence! We greatly appreciate the help! Thanks guys. XX

I made it home in time for mum’s birthday and a wonderful orchestral concert at the Villa Marina. Mum, dad, Diane (big sis!), Colin (lil bro), Rachel (lil bro’s gorgeous wife!) and Aaron … fabulous nephew who adores this music … all attended. We LOVED the entire experience and tears of joy were a collective bonus! Anna Goldsmith – local musical heroine – had the honour of singing with a full orchestral arrangement of a(yet more local musical heroes!) Bee Gees song – arranged by our very own Dave Armstrong! Anna and Dave’s arrangement were superb.
It was a thrill to spend a little time in the company of Andy Brown,London Metropolitan Orchestra's enthusiastic conductor, after the show.A group of us enjoyed a delightful meal with him a couple of nights later at niarbylcafe . I think he took a shine to the Island! And who could blame him … the sunsets lately have been breath-taking!






















There was also time for a little TT outing with the Armstrong clan one day ... culminating in a rare ice-cream treat in Peel ...








And so our first gig was upon us! Sunday June 14th at Erin Arts Centre . We had great intentions of getting there early and having loads of time to sort out any technical hitches but … time sped up and we were scrambling around in a panic trying to sort everything out with little time to spare! We were very ambitious wanting to not only film the show but properly record it as well … some how … we managed it!


Rob and I were a little nervous and many songs found a speedier tempo than we rehearsed. The most memorable moment was our second Loop Station arrangement … where something went horribly wrong … and everyone … after a split-second silence, burst into absolute hysterics! This “feature” my dad assures me should be kept in the show … I think not! Thankfully, enough of our hard work paid off and the majority of songs came through with flying colours – phew! It was a great night and a brilliant way to start the tour. A few very important factors came to light too: there were 2 songs too many overall and a couple of songs didn’t sit as well together as we’d hoped but with a little jiggery-pokery I think it all works fine now.



The next few days were a fraught whirlwind of rehearsals – editing and producing and by the time we left the Island we had in our possession – thanks to the hard work and focus of Dave Armstrong and Christy DeHaven -a fair few copies of our tour cd: “Under Construction”! - available at a show near you!!! ;-)

We left the Island on Thursday June 18th and headed for my delightful friend Lynda Turner’s home, in Chadderton. She made us very welcome and cooked up a storm producing an amazingly delicious risotto, washed down with a generous glass-full of fruity red wine. She began what has become the trend of this tour with her fine food and wine and great company. This is Rob’s first tour and it’s a brilliant starting point … he’s very impressed.

On Friday morning we were due to pick Bob-the-Boyfriend up from Manchester airport. He’d been in New York to be with Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam at the launch of their second album “Coming Up For Air”. All had gone brilliantly well and the signs are more than favourable for a very successful album and tour. Hurrah!

Though his flight was delayed by a few hours he emerged from his travels as perky and positive as ever. It was great to see him and brilliant he made it for the start of the tour. He brought back for me a new video gizmo – an HD Flip camera! A very whizzy bit of kit. So far I’ve filmed a handful of clips at sound check and in the car as we drive through this beautiful country. As I get more familiar with it’s workings I’ll find more reasons to use it and “share” with you.

First Flippin moments! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

So … we drove up to Knaresborough- our first port of call. The Frazer Theatre is a gorgeous performing space normally used exclusively for the local Knaresborough Players Dramatics Society but for the last year, with the able help of John Haxby (thanks to him for the fab live pic from the night!) they’ve given over a night or 2 a month to music and it’s a wonderful space to perform in. Originally according to Mike (who I kept calling Mark!), one of the Board of Directors, the Theatre was a Dance Hall with a live band perched on a precarious platform way above the dance floor. There are still some original features here and there alluding to it’s colourful past.

Sound check was quick and painless and all technical devices were in good working order! I was very pleased to see our great friend Chris Howarth just before the show … enjoying local fish and chips, as we had ourselves had a little time before.

Sound Check Knaresborough from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

A healthy crowd filed into the auditorium and Rob, taking a deep breath, went on first to do a 15 minutes set – greatly appreciated by the people of Knaresborough. I joined him and off we went on our musical odyssey. Everything went well though I still fell off the guitar several times … having someone else there making up for my chordal faux pas is great! Mr Ben did a roaring trade at half time and the second half went by really quickly. We’ve made a few more changes since then but all was as well as could be. Knaresborough showed their appreciation in no uncertain terms and left smiling.

We met up with friends Andrew and Alison Bishop along with John and Mike from the theatre at a local Wine Bar. I was lovely to relax and wind down with friends. A perfect end to a pretty much perfect day.

I decided that lunch at the Queens Head in Troutbeck, just outside Lake Windermere was the right thing to do on a Saturday in June, so we drove from Knaresborough to the Lake District the following day. Brooding clouds above luscious green rolling hills - wonderful. And the food! Mmm ;-)!

Brooding clouds ... luious green hills from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

I’ve played at the Acoustic Tea Rooms in Kirby Stephen once before and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Penny and Paul who put their considerable energy into running these wonderful events, had since sold off the Tea Rooms where it all began and now set everything up in the local Masonic hall.

Untitled from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

The night starts off with an exceptionally delicious 2 course meal (bring your own wine – everyone does!) and we get to sample dinner before anyone else arrives … once PA has been assembled and sound check achieved of course. We do work you know! Bob and I had the vegetarian lasagne – spinach, pine-nuts and blue cheese – scrumptious. Rob chose the one pot chicken tagine with minted cous-cous. My mouth’s watering again just thinking about it. We held off pudding till after the show.

Untitled from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

While the audience arrives and settles down to eat, we relax back at the ranch a few minutes walk away and make our preparations. Rob’s the only one who uses an iron! Penny often says that her food is the opening act and it’s an easy act to follow as everyone feels so good!
So this is our third show and things are still getting moved about a bit . It was a very warm evening and guitars notoriously hate being that hot but we managed to stay in tune, just about. After a request at half time there was a spontaneous song change in the second half which left me wondering about my lyrical recall! Apart from that … we had the most ecstatic response so far. It was a very special night. Topped off with fabulous cake and wine after the show.






Continuing the culinary extravagance we were treated to one of Penny’s beautiful breakfasts and deep rich coffee sipped, sitting in the front of her shop Sunday morning. Astonishingly the shop next door had been broken into in the middle of the night and the whole village was a-chatter with speculation! We came to the conclusion the thief was not very bright … having broken into an Estate agents Paul was heard to say … they could have waited till Monday to get the particulars!


After a long goodbye we headed off to stay with Jo and Mike (Bob’s daughter and son-in-law) to celebrate Father’s Day. Mike’s family were also there and we all enjoyed yet more amazing food, wine and company! Rob’s definitely up for more touring.

Untitled from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

On Monday Rob and I took advantage of the afternoon by rehearsing some more trying to tighten-up some of our arrangements and getting Rob to add a few more harmonies here and there. We’re getting there.

We called in to see Diane and Bryan Ansell in East Stoke en route to Hempstead and the Bluebell Inn. Introducing Rob to their wonderful family and home. We would be staying with them for a few days in the gap between Hempstead and Maltby.

Return to Stoke Hall! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

I’ve played the Bluebell Inn several times before and delight in landlord Rod Stokes telling of the story of Dick Turpin’s downfall. How after years of terrorizing the countryside with his evil antics Mr Turpin managed to escape to York – a veritable distance in those days – and lived undetected for years under a different identity. Only to be take to prison for shooting a chicken (presumably someone elses?!). While in prison in York he wrote a letter to his brother, still living in hempstead, to ask for help but the postmaster, who had taught him to write in the first place, recognised his handwriting and so shopped him to the magistrates in York, where he was put on trial for his Highwayman past and found guilty. You just never know the day!

This was the first night we tried out Rob’s brand new stomp box … very high tech! Plus another new gadget in the form of a reverb pedal - just to add a little atmosphere from time to time. It may have added a bit more than we expected as we’re pretty much convinced that Dick Turpin’s ghost was present at the show … several technical shenanigans occurred seemingly for no good reason? Despite that it was a great night with plenty of interaction and joking about and for the first time I turned the Flip on the audience instead of taking the usual snapshot at the end of the night … now we have actual moving, cheering pictures … the circle of friends on the front row were there to represent the other unseen but felt presences!

We were treated to yet another great English breakfast experience courtesy of Rod the following morning and I remembered to take a few minutes of Flipness for your delectation:

Stand and Deliver ... a night with Dick Turpin! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

We dropped Bob off at Cambridge train station around mid-day, he had several lots of meetings to take in London while Rob and I carried on further north. He met back up with us late Thursday night – bless. I thought Rob might appreciate the loveliness that is The Orchard Tea Rooms at Grantchester. I wasn’t wrong! After our large breakfast with Rod there was only enough room for coffee and a small piece of cake … food maketh the tour.

We arrived at Diane and Bryan’s late afternoon and unloaded the gear from the car and set everything up in the conservatory to rehearse a little more the next day. Always trying to improve! But one thing was missing … the bloody stomp box!!! After scratching our heads over where on earth it could possibly be I decided to call the tea rooms just in case … and lo- and behold someone had found it in the car park that afternoon and thankfully handed it in. Rob had really enjoyed the experience there and wanted to go back … not sure he meant only 24 hours later but that’s what we did!

Grantchester Stomp-box madness! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Bob’s train was stupidly late on Thursday night due to another train breaking down just north of Grantham; so while I patiently waited outside Newark station he was, equally patiently waiting outside Grantham. In the end I drove to Grantham and picked him up there. Ah it must be love.
Last night, Friday June 26th, was our fifth show and the best technically so far. All that rehearsing is paying off – who knew?! The Rock folk club has been running many, many years now and I’ve played there on numerous occasions over several decades - gulp! And always loved it. Not least because of Rob Shaw’s presence and energy – he’s been organising shows – formerly at the Rockingham Arms in Wentworth -for as long as the club has been running and now in it’s, relatively new home, at the Wesley Centre in Maltby, that experience continues.

Back stage shenanigans The Rck Maltby ! from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

It’s certainly a beautiful venue and apparently – I only have Rob’s word for it – the beer’s even better! It was a stupidly hot evening … I should be several pounds lighter than I am after the experience – Rob Cross, started the evening a towering 6 foot 2inches … shrank from perspiration! You don’t have to believe me of course. He also broke ahis G string (yes really!) in the 3rd song! So I sang an impromptu Gear jin Ayr ... all in a days work you know.

Dylan Felix and his partner Roger were able to come to the show – Dylan looks after the Myspace site for me and does a great job. It’s always a pleasure to see them. Jo and Mike were there too – Mike was a Collister virgin till last night! They were both very effusive and full of praise – thanks guys!

Bob and I are staying here at their delightful home just outside Worksop and Rob has gone off to visit old friends in Whitby for the weekend. It’s not all slog.

So … 5 down 12 to go! I hope to see some of you out there very soon. Thanks for stopping by. If you haven’t already done so check out the new-look website: www.christinecollister.com – thanks as ever to Christy DeHaven.

Much love

CC XX ;-)

Great expectations ...

I thought the time was ripe to write a blog about the up coming tour and the preparations that go on behind the scenes plus of course " ... any other business". Mainly I've spent time wrestling with what songs to include in the set. It's difficult to get the balance of old, new and borrowed just right. I started off with about 30 songs which I whittled down to say... 22. Then, after several rehearsals with Rob Cross (he who shall make me sound musically exciting and bless him, had to learn everything from scratch ) I realised I had too many certain types of songs and not enough of others ... plus there were too many songs altogether! Argh! So ... I've deleted 3 or 4 songs and added 2 and now have a "subs bench" of about 5. Are you still with me? Thought not! It's a strange and sometimes satisfying conundrum. I've thought about having an online post show debate ... where I post the set list for each night and you ... my dear, dear listener ... get to comment on it, whether you're at the show or not. It's just an idea ... and generally speaking once I've found the list that works I stay with it but this being a new way of working for me, perhaps I'll veer off the normal way of things and be even more adventurous?! Only time will tell. Apropos of nothing really I just want to say how beautiful the Island is ... look!

On Sunday May 17th my good friends at Stereoscout records started a weekly music event at the award winning and beautifully renovated court house on Atholl Street in Douglas (iom). Christy DeHaven (guitar,vocals and loop station!) with Dave Armstrong on bass, (Mr and Mrs Stereoscout ) were hosts and first up ... I'm so proud of Christy's confidence now on stage ... hard won and well deserved, she was fab.


Truman Falls were next and filled the place with their gorgeous harmonies and brilliant songs - the tiny isle has a wealth of musical talent. Anna Goldsmith should have been here too but was fighting a nasty virus - she has since fully recovered - hurrah. So I was up last to finish the night. It's a while since I stood on stage on my own and I have to say I was quite scared ... but loved every minute of it once I get going. I played a few tried and tested songs from the past and one of my new songs for the first time ... "We Spoke Today" ... glad to say we both came out of the ordeal shining bright. It was a great opening night and each week will have a different Stereoscout host with 2 or 3 guest artists doing 2o minutes a piece ... as I say the Island is chock full of very talented people and these events are a brilliant way to get aquainted with a whole host of different artists and their wonderful music. If you live on the Island or just visiting and here on a Sunday ... GO! Thanks to Martin Critchley for the photos!

I was invited to Manx radio last week (May 26th) for an interview and a song or 2 on Bob Harrison's afternoon show, ostensibly to plug the very first gig on the tour (eek!) at Port Erin's Art Centre. Christy DeHaven came along and very kindly videoed the proceedings. I'm not sure we made much sense to anyone listening but we sure had a lot of fun ... Bob is a great supporter of live music and is always generous and sincere ... oh yeh and very cheeky! I was blown away by the emails that came pouring in while I was there ... from fans as far afield as Essex, Ramsey, Suffolk, Buckinghamshire, Belgium and California! Fair tickled the cockles of me 'eart! Thanks!

We Spoke Today from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

I took advantage all week of the full fat gloriously bright sunshine and practiced in the garden each day ... much more satisfying than stuck in a room in the gloom on your own. I have so far been through at least 4 lots of false nails ... can't keep the glue going long enough ... must try to have a professional job done for the tour ... just one hand though, I wonder how often that happens in a nail salon?;-) Talking of salons ...another essential part of the preparations for touring is a new hair cut! I tried a salon in Douglas that has a great reputation and has won awards over the years, called "Utopia" and is ... as I found out ... difficult to get an appointment at. But I persevered et voila! I dared to go darker and richer in colour ( sloughing off my recent middle aged grey) and love the bright red glints. The salon may not get another award for my new look but I like it .... just need a fab new outfit now ...

Stereoscout and DAM productions are involved with several great projects on the Island at the moment, one involving the Manx TT ... which is already upon us! ... and the worlds first zero carbon, clean emissions Grand Prix Race, scheduled for June 12th: www.ttxgp.com . As part of the promotion of the event Dave Armstrong at DAM has been inspired to make a music video capturing the spirit of the venture. He came up with the brilliant idea of using John Mayer's "Waiting For The World To Change" and has filmed and recorded a multitude of local musicians at various outside locations, all live each time adding their performance to the growing track. I added my part a few days ago on a perfect evening at the Sound, on the southern tip of the Island, driving back via Port Erin which looked stunning ... it was a fabulous experience and I think the final results are wonderful; here's a clip to give you the idea:

Waiting On The World, by 'Treisht' from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

There's also a music event affiliated with the clean emissions race an orcestral concert with the LMO entitled "The Promise of a Generation", we've bought tickets already and are bringing mum, dad and my sister Diane ... it's being held on mum's birthday so all round we're very excited. It promises to be a wonderful evening.

Another project that myself and other Stereoscout artists are included on is a cd "One In Three" for a local Cancer charity now available on Amazon.co.uk: One in Three. A great collection of songs/artists showing off Manx musical diversity at the same time supporting a very worthwhile cause.

One last thing before I blog-off ... I forgot to mention last time about the re-release of HBHB II Money The Final Frontier now available at: Stereoscout
... and also available at gigs! Hurrah.

By the time I next Blog I should be on the road! Yeh ... and I'll have details of the cd that will be available on tour ... some live recordings of Rob and I doing our new thing ... plus a few new demos ... a sign of things yet to come ...

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and read my meanderings. If you make it to a show please come and say hello ... I'd love that!

Take care. See you out there soon ...

Christine ;-) XX

My First Full Fat Greedy Blog! :D X

2009 … an adventure in the making …

Just to get you all used to the idea I’ll be out on the road again – very soon! I thought I’d start a blog and do a quick rundown of the first few exciting months of this year.

We started 2009 with Bob’s lovely sister and family in New Zealand … we’d been there the whole of December and were thrilled that Bob’s daughter and son-in-law, Jo and Mike, were able to join us for Christmas. Needless-to-say we had a fantastic time. On New Year’s Eve Bob and I went on a dolphin boat trip … simply awe inspiring!

While Jo and Mike flew back to the UK, Bob and I headed for Los Angeles, visiting Palm Springs the first few days we arrived, before moving to a town house owned by friends right in the middle of West Hollywood, sandwiched between Sunset and Santa Monica Boulevards a great place and a brilliant location!


We were in Los Angeles for most of January – escaping the cold and grey back home – and it was an exceptionally warm month! We spent a fair bit of time with Davy Knowles -of Back Door Slam- ironing out the last few organisational details in order to make his/their second album … much more of which later!

I finished off a song I started with Christy DeHaven back on the Isle of Man in November (no one could accuse me of being prolific!) entitled “Get Up!” a really fun track with a deep and heartfelt message. Also started a “story” song with Davy … his delightful guitar work and my vocal meanderings – still a song in embryo but with great promise.





We were home on the Isle of Man towards the end of January for what felt like a very short month. A week on the mainland catching up with family and friends there and several meetings with music-company bigwigs for Bob. All to the tune of wind rain and snow! Yikes! It was great to be home all the same.

Then after an unexpected call from John Haxby
http://www.haxby.net asking if I’d be available to perform at Knaresborough’s Frazer Theatre in June, I somehow managed to cobble together a whole slew of dates! I’ll be starting rehearsals with Rob Cross who’s accepted the position of musical genius for the duration! http://www.myspace.com/robertmichaelcross I’m very excited about it all.

Dave and Christy from Running Media travelled with Bob and I back to LA at the end of February. Before we left I was able to go to the Purcell Rooms on the South Bank and watch one of Barb Jungr’s wonderful shows http://www.barbjungr.com/ – the theme for which was Songs of War and Peace – and was totally blown away with her vision and elegant performance … it was a beautiful and moving experience and I couldn’t be more proud of her.

When Bob and I had left LA Davy was about to start the process of recording and … when we returned … he was nearly done! He has co-produced the album with Peter Frampton! The connection was made after a successful writing session with Peter back in November and by some wonderful quirk of Fate he was not only available but also very excited to take up the role.

A Day in the (LA) Life of Davy K from Davy Knowles on Vimeo.

Dave and Christy wanted to video as much of the process as possible while they were there and to that end, set about filming Davy et al at various locations in and around the LA area and in situ at Frank Rozella’s delightful studio in Sherman Oaks. Christy and I also had the thrill of singing backing vocals on a George Harrison cover “Hear Me Lord” with Peter Frampton himself!We are now officially called the Framptonettes – although we may have forgotten to tell Peter! I used to have a poster of him on my teenage wall!!!!


http://www.frampton.com/


There was time also for Davy and I to spontaneously figure out an acoustic duet version of John Martyn’s classic song “Sweet Little Mystery”- the seeds for which were sewn back at a BDS gig last summer in New York … it’s our tribute to a troubled but very talented soul … which Dave Armstrong and our good friend Jordan Harriman kindly captured – warts ‘n’all- on film! Ah … the Hollywood glitz and glamour is finally rubbing off!

"Sweet Little Mystery" (J.Martyn) with Davy Knowles from Christine Collister on Vimeo.

Some of the fun and memorable things we did while Dave and Christy were with us were: watching Slumdog Millionaire (me for the second time!) and Coroline in 3D – both amazing films. Wandering the dizzy heights of the Griffiths Observatory and watching the presentation in the planetarium: The Story of The Night Sky – awe-inspiring. Visiting Paradise Cove – aptly named. Generally enjoying the company of good friends, fine wine and delicious food under a warm and sunny sky. My gratitude is unbounded!










There were a few last minute touches to add to Davy’s record by the time Dave and Christy were flying home. I was invited to sing on several more tracks … an honour and a privilege. On one track “Amber’s Song” I hummed along with Davy on the choruses and … one of those hums ended up looking like this!

This is the audio picture of the hum as I sang it …
I have no comment to make other than a raised eyebrow and a question mark hanging in mid air … oh yeh!and a twinkle in my eye!

Once the over-dubs were finished it was time to organise the mixing sessions. Life can be very strange n’est pas? And although other arrangements had been made … circumstances were such that they became null and void … and then … opportunities arose that far out-weighed the original scenario. Am I being obtuse!? Yep!

The up-shot being that Bob Clearmountain was able to take up the baton and mix the album immediately! http://www.mixthis.com/ Amazing. Bob (BTBF!) and I were there for the first few exciting mixes and though Peter Frampton was physically in Cincinnati, by some wonderful Apple Mac gizmo – iChat – he was also able to be - as-it-were - there too!

Bob and I flew off to New Zealand leaving a very happy and overly excited Davy Knowles in Bob and Betty Clearmountain’s wonderful care. Yet another piece of “luck” fell into place a few days later when Peter F was able to procure the services of another legendary record maker: Bob Ludwig, who mastered the album in New York State a week later.
http://www.gatewaymastering.com/mastering.asp. Wow … Davy has some powerful friends on his side. The album’s called “Coming Up For Air” and will be available to download this May and in cd some time in June. Go out and buy it! It’s a brilliant piece of work … and I’m on too! Hurrah.











For the next 3 weeks Bob and I enjoyed a brilliant time on the North Island of
New Zealand. We spent the first week in and around the Bay of Islands … utterly breath-taking.

From there we drove down through the Coramandel Ranges, finally heading to Mount Maunganui and Bob’s family once more. While we there this time we celebrated Easter (well the eating of chocolate at any rate!) and Ken’s 88th birthday! He’s an inspiration to us all. Also this time Phil, Yuri and little Koto were able to join us – they’re Chris and Ken’s youngest son and his gorgeous family.








We returned to LA April 18th – arriving 7 hours before we left! Don’t ask … maths was never my strong point. In the 10 days we had before coming home, we tried to catch up with as many friends as possible but Bob, bless him managed to get food poisoning the first night back and was laid low for 3 or 4 days. Which left me to go to see Davy support, Jeff Beck at the El Rey Theatre LA, on my own. Ah … do you feel sorry for me? Nah … didn’t think so.

Davy had been the opening act for Mr Beck for his US tour the past 2 weeks and this was 1 of 3 shows I was able to get to. Davy was great of course though by this point … having played acoustically the whole tour … he was itching to strap on his Les Paul Gold Top and crank it up all the way up to 11! He grabbed the mainly male (90%?!) audience all the same and definitely garnered more fans.

There were 2 surprise appearances at the end of Mr Beck’s set in LA … luckily I was primed for them and manoeuvred myself into a great position to witness first … Rod Stewart! He sang “People Get Ready” and “Ain’t Superstitious” which he introduced as being 41 years since they originally recorded it! Wow … he sounded wonderful and … did I mention that … yes I think he’s sexy! More so now than way back then! When he sauntered onto stage the entire room erupted. It was a great moment. The second surprise and the final song of the night was Joss Stone singing Sly and the Family Stone’s “I Want To Take You Higher” … and she did! She sounded and looked amazing. I was whooping and cheering as loud as the rest of the audience.






Though Bob and I were both there the following night to see Davy, we weren’t able to stay for Jeff Beck’s set and so missed John Mayer! However … he came into the theatre as we were leaving so … I was inches away from him! I’m a huge fan of “Continuum” and just love his live DVD “Where The Light Shines”.

The following day we drove up to San Francisco for the final show at the wonderfully refurbished Fox theatre http://www.historigraphics.com/fox/default.shtml. Another great night for Davy and the chance for me to sit and talk with John Murray and John Eckstrom , organisers of the charity show for Haitt Ashbury Free Clinics the following night, where both Davy and I performed.

The charity concert consisted of a 20 minute set from myself, where John Ekstrom played bass on “Boulder to Birmingham” and the Davy joined us for “Sweet Little Mystery” … it was a joy for me on so many levels.

Davy then did a brilliant acoustic set before he and I both joined the wonderful singer/songwriter Bonnie Hayes (keyboards and vocals) http://bonniehayes.com/ her brother, drummer Kevin Hayes along side bassist Karl Sevareid – both long time members of the Robert Cray band - http://www.robertcray.com – for a ridiculously exciting romp through a few rock and blues numbers … mostly written by Bonnie and Kevin. Songs like: Back Door Slam (the song Davy took the name for his band from!), Love Letter (which Bonnie Raitt made famous on her “Nick of Time” album) and Phone Booth, now a Robert Cray classic. They let me rock out on a wonderfully up-beat version of “Love Me Like A Man” which went by far too quickly for me … more of this please! I musically oohed and ahhed at moments but mainly grinned from ear to ear throughout the set. It was most definitely good for me!

The final portion of the night was given over to Narada Michael Walden – check out his credentials! http://www.naradamichaelwalden.com/ playing wild drums for a free-form Jimi Hendrix tribute set with John Ekstrom on bass and Davy on equally wild electric guitar and vocals … thrown in at the deep end with no rehearsals whatsoever! And swimming admirably up-stream! It was one hell of a ride.


The Haitt Ashbury Free Clinics http://www.hafci.org/ set up in the mid 1970s by John Ekstrom, are an amazing charitable Trust that support and do vital work for the underprivileged and down-at-heel members of San Franciscan society. It was a privilege to be asked to take part in this extraordinary concert and I hope to be able to take part in more fund/profile-raising events in the future.A big, big thank you to Laura Kudritzki of Muse Studios http://www.musephotostudio.com/ for the brilliant photos!


We drove back to LA the next day, saying au revoir to Davy who was on his way to Seattle to rehearse his new band for the up-coming tour in June http://davyknowles.com/ it’s going to be mega!

We had little time left before coming home but managed to see our good friends the Nebens and Slamers up in Northridge one evening. While Mike Slamer- http://www.myspace.com/mikeslamer - and I got together to finish our 3rd song: “Edge of The World”, the day before we flew. Phew! No mix as yet but when there is I'll let you know

We’ve been back a few weeks now and I’ve already started the rehearsing process with Rob Cross in Cardiff. It’s all beginning to come together. I’m really excited to be going out on tour again, with a different musical approach and a whole load of new songs … I hope you’re all excited too!

Thanks as ever for stopping by. Do come to a show and say hello … I always love to meet people at gigs … feed back always welcome too!

Take care and see you out there soon!

Much love

Christine XX ;-)

PS: Check out my twittering too: http://twitter.com/ccsings