Munich - Mannheim - Lyon - Nantes - Rouen - Paris - Eindhoven - Utrecht

Munich show was fun but almost eclipsed by the splendid breakfast experience of the nearby Hotel Brack. You don't get portraits of hotel founders like this anymore.

Spot The Church Competition

I compiled this Spotify playlist to listen to en route to Munich. (Ended up playing it on the way to Mannheim.)

I drew Steve Martin (whoops. As someone pointed out it could be Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Ally MacLeod.

Somehow Mannheim doesn't feel like other German cities. I can't put my finger on it. Groovy place to wander around.

Some LP signage

Gig =  great.

Drew Matt Smith, myself & Jocky Wilson (sounds like a good night out)... 

Arrived en France. Big Star "I'm In Love With A Girl" was playing in the first service station visited.

Hello chocolate eclair....goodbye chocolate eclair *burp*

Drew Shirley Bassey.

Arrived in Lyon.

Went here...

Splendid experience. Huge, popular restaurant. Proud Gallic waiters straight out of central casting: disapproving of us bampots mixing up our our wine and water glasses; wheeling out an old hand-cranked pipe organ (while dimming the lights) to play a short verse of Happy Birthday for a customer at a far off table while looking faintly grumpy, as if they wanted the whole episode over and down with tout suite; forgetting and re-forgetting my 'cafe solo' and bringing it after the bill, etc. 

I had Baked Alaska for the first time (no photo of that - too busy eating).

Some French onion soup in Lyon recently.

Nightcap on the way home.

Dreadful attempt at Charlie Drake...

What went wrong?

Wandered around Lyon. 

Fast broken.

Saint Nizier is an impressive church...

Nice set of pipes.

The Stations Of The Cross are interesting. Looks like one of the high priests is consulting Pontius Pilate with an iPad...

Loved my visit to the Museum Of Fine Arts...

Yikes - the stuff of nightmares...

The Age Of Bronze. There's a cast in Leeds Museum too. (Rodin had to disprove accusations that he cast this figure from life...)

Drew Julie Kavner, voice of Marge Simpson but she'll always be Brenda Morgenstern to me...

Jane Weaver + band rocking Feyzin, Lyon.

Gig was fun once again.

To Nantes. On the way I drew Serge Gansbourg, Picasso and Francis Bacon. Had another bash at poor Charlie Drake and a self-portrait (in case you though it was Brad Pitt).

 

Service station stop biscuit tin design selection:

Drew Sempé and someone wearing a Ronnie Corbett mask...

Arrived Rouen.

Soundcheck

Last known picture of Norman before he was tragically hoovered up by a giant overhead microphone.

Drew Hergé...

Played fun show here...

Next morning I sneaked a visit to the Rouen Museum Of Fine Arts before hitting the road - and I am sure glad I did...

Democritus by Velazquez

Christ At The Column - Caravaggio

Freemason Monkeys

Drew Georges Simenon and Liz Lochhead...

Georges Simenon

Liz Lochhead

To the wonderful city of Paris (where I discovered it is entirely possible to have a disappointing steak & chips - but I digress)...

After soundcheck I had a stroll with Norman past the Pompidou Centre, popping into the Église Saint-Merry then over the Seine and round past Notre Dame. 

I don't usually drink before a show but this was a perfect ending to our sojourn...

Daughter sent me a photo of our dog (Caption = "Bonjour")

Paris gig was a highlight. Great sounding stage/venue; great audience. A few years ago I got a handful of helpful piano lessons. My erstwhile piano teacher Moyra was in attendance with her beau so "I Don't Want Control Of You" was dedicated to her.

Next morning I got a coffee and pan au chocolat from a dreadful bakery by the hotel...

To Eindhoven.

Attempted sketches of John Le Carré, David Sedaris, David Attenborough (not realising it was his 96th birthday!) and Sally Hawkins.

Arrived Eindhoven. Worked out I could grab half an hour in the Van Abbe Museum before soundcheck - so grab it I did...

Pretty city. Fun show (again). Nice breakfast.

Eindhoven dressing room

A pancake breakfast recently.

Bolognese crisps?!?!?!? Och maybe just the one...

Another ill-fated attempt at Sally Hawkins...

Listening to Jonathan Richman's "The Velvet Underground" inspired this.

Hello Utrecht: city of canals, cafes and outdoor escalators. Where the bicycle reigns supreme and visiting pedestrians do well not to get knocked down.

Jane W + band rocking the joint one last time.

Last show was fun. Got to watch most of Jane Weaver's set and Jane and the band joined us for an end of tour glass of fizz after our set. 

Norman saying thanks and farwell before playing the last song of the tour - "Everything Flows"

Some thoughts:

I sure do appreciate playing with Teenage Fanclub, getting to play fun shows with good people (band and crew) in amazing cities. 

On communal tour listening: I may never listen to Trout Mask Replica or Tim Buckley's Starsailor again. Blonde On Blonde, on the other hand, sounds better than ever.

Glasgow could do with celebrating its river more (*cough* Gothenburg *cough*) - and promoting the humble bicycle.

I can't draw (among others) Sally Hawkins. Or Charlie Drake.

If every piece of art is a self-portrait - what on earth does this reveal about me?:

Flying home

Nothing says Welcome Home like a slice of home-made Victoria sponge.

I'll leave the last word to Norman.