23 Minutes Over Brussels

Day 31: Luxembourg, Luxembourg

It exists. Weird. I was told people here are square, but they go nuts at the show & ply us with drinks at the after party. I meet a few Australian bankers after the show, get my accent on & talky footy. The gig’s at Den Atelier, a warm, welcoming & well set-up venue. The girls head to down for a large Italian meal, which I don’t eat. Paris has killed my appetite. But we’re all in good form and Peach, JD & I head to the after party for a dance and huddle in the corner. I throw the apple smokers off the bus so we hang outside and hurry on the bus driver to Brussels when wasted Lux-burgers start banging on the bus. We stay up late all the way to Brussels, with a pit-stop at a services to skate in socks across tiled floors, be stared at by creepy men, drink Chocomel & for JD to buy Peaches a skunk. She names him Stinky. We now have a cow (Henrietta), dog (Max), giraffe (G) and Stinky…lock & fucking loll...

Day 32: Brussels, Belgium

We are playing at The Botanique. I have been wanting to come here since The Tindersticks did a week-long residency here.

I obsess all day over the Suicide bootleg, 23 Minutes Over Brussels. Recorded by their sound engineer on a tape recorder, it documents them supporting Elvis Costello at L’Ancienne Belgique in 1973. As soon as they start on “Frankie Teardrop”, the Belgians crack and a 23-minute riot ensues. Years later, Luna write a song called “23 Minutes in Brussels”. I bore Radio, Dylan, JD, DB and Peach with this story. Separately. I also try to download the Luna song from itunes so I can continue to do so. itunes makes me mad. Fecking © issues…I join JD in the sunshine for a few hours and try not to think about saying goodbye to everyone in a week. I set up in the foyer with Eddy from Psychic TV, Elizabeth from PLANNINGTOROCK. We have a little shop going. Psychic TV fans are mad. By all accounts their show is grand. I miss the Peaches show again but run in to check out the changes in Operate. Short & Sweet.

We cut out early and go for falafels. D, DB, JD & I watch Prison Break in the back lounge. I’m not quite addicted, but I’d do it again. JD's playing Tom Cruise COCKTAIL stylee, so we're kinda tipsy as we pass through immigration. We rock the train under the channel and I don’t like it. I wanted the sunrise on the boat. I stay up late as I no longer want to miss a minute.