Hold on, he's coming
Through the wheels of the star machine
Hold on, he's coming
Through the tears of your shit-stained dream
 ~~~ The world needs a father

That pretty much sums up my  anxiety  as I first know suede is gonna come to HK for the 2nd time in 2 years. What you gonna read is a rather personal experience form me & my fellow members from ASAHK.   We are  no professional celebrities stalkers, it's actually the first time the idea of stalking someone appears to me!  We just don't want to regret for what we could've done & really want to meet this special someone who's work has such a tremendous impact over us, these are the good things you can have if you try.
 

DAY 1 (9th March 1997)
ASAHK members: Maggie, Yolanda, Lucienne, Kelly, Yvonne, Tammy & Ricky

Today, suede is gonna arrived HK (the last stop of their rather exhausting Asia tour) We gather at the airport & choose the most beautiful roses to greet them.

We waited at the side entrance . The time passed and now it's like about 20 people waiting for the big time to come.......  All of a sudden, we heard someone shouted," They're here!"  & everyone rush to the same direction & all of a sudden I saw someone in the eyes & he looked familiar, some white kid with glasses, rather short, was it Richard Oakes, our guitarist?!  He walked pass me then I turned my back and asked "Richard!?", he was just like the little lost child, turned around & stood  there looking at me, I didn't know what to do but since no one noticed him, I gave him the rose and took a photo of him, he said thank you and smiled sweetly for the picture (but sorry, the camera/my skill is no good, that pic didn't come out*sigh*). Then I rushed to the others, I saw Brett, he's pushing a trolley, I thought it's a good trick so he didn't have to sign any autographs.  He looked so cool with sunglasses & it seemed that he hadn't shaved for days. And the new hairdo.... hmm....  if it wasn't  that we've seen his new look from the internet, we wouldn't believe it's our Brett.  No one dared to talk to him but just following him till Yolanda gave him the rose & sure he said thank you very gently. I didn't see Neil or Mat at the airport.   And the nicest one Simon, he walked around & smiled to everyone but no one asked him for a picture!  As I was holding the camera,  we asked him to post with Kelly, he posed a big, sweet smile for us, then they all got into the car & some lucky ones like our Lucy got  Brett's autograph!

We rushed ourselves into a taxi & then went to the hotel. As we arrived, I only saw Brett & Neil, they were  so busy signing for the fans and the first time I heard Neil's voice, his voice was really soft.  And it's the first time I admitted to myself that:  Neil Codling is a "good looking" fellow. Yeah, I read so much about him (how Brett says he's so beautiful & he's his picture of Dorian Gray) but with all the pix I saw, he's way too thin & looks a little odd, I totally agreed with the name "lizard-man Codling".   Since so many girls circled around him, he kept saying, "I'm gonna do this later, I'm gonna......." Then I asked him if I can take a photo with him, he just gave the pen & everything back to the girl next to him (he really didn't want to sign anymore!) & got ready to pose for the picture, but then as I turned to my fellow members, they are too busy following the Lord, Brett Anderson, &  forgot all about me. What a pity!  I didn't get a photo taken with Neil.  They went into the elevator & that's the moment we saw the others in there too, and Richard was the only one who's still got the rose in his hand!!

We waited there at the hotel lobby, and all of a sudden, I noticed this very very tall guy walking towards the information counter, it was Mat Osman, our bass player! But as there were at least ten more girls there waiting for the band, they didn't know it's our bass player, I ran to Mat & cried out to my gang that it's Mat coming down to the lobby.  It's a pretty strange feelings to see the others don't care about Mat, the one who started suede hand in hand with Brett.  When Mat saw us, he just told us to wait for a second 'cos he got to make some changes.  Then he signed autographs for us and posed with everyone, and the other girls didn't come around until our last pix with Mat! For no reason, I was kind of shaking as Mat standing in front of us.  Mat took some more photos for the other girls & he went out of the hotel a few min. later.  Mat must have go out for at least 30 mins as he came back, he brought something  from a convenient store. The store is a few block away from the hotel, could he just recognize the direction  just 'cos he's stay in the same hotel 2 years ago? Strange, strange.

Just when we start to get bored at the lobby, Simon came down, he chatted with us & took photo with everyone. He's just sooooo nice. Everyone ever met him will tell you the same 'cos it's true. I  think he cares the fans most in this band. We asked him if he likes the flowers, but maybe he's too busy with all the people talking to him at the same time, he couldn't remember the flowers & just asked us if it's the flower from London!!!

They are doing this signing session at HMV but as the corporate pigs just gave out some stupid coupon to the people who just brought COMING UP the week before they came(after six months it released), we couldn't get in there, so not much can be report there.  And it's a kinda rip off cos the record company wanted us to buy another CU so as to meet the band!

Seemed it's not a very good start for us 'cos we still hadn't really meet Brett yet.  That night, there were a few sleepless souls there in the little island.
 
 

DAY 2 (10th March 1997)
ASAHK: Maggie, Yolanda, Yvonne, Kelly

Today, the band would hold a press conference in the hotel, we sat there waiting until this blond, short nice guy (he's a reporter or something, we guess) told us that the band was still there at the conference room and persuaded us if we want to meet the band we should go down there. We finally went down to the basement & all we saw was the other fans & it seemed they've got some photo of the band. We were so battled. We went back to the lobby like some little lost sheep and sat  there again, and blaming ourselves for not going down at the very beginning!

30 mins. later, something magical happened! We saw Simon coming out with BRETT! We're so thrilled we couldn't walk 'till Yvonne told us to! We practically ran out (well..... not actually running, of course) to the carpark  & Yo couldn't miss this opportunity & asked Brett if she could take a photo with him. He said, "Sure!"  & hugged her  with both arms! As no one was expected to see him, I was the only one who can put the camera up & took that photo but my stupid cam. was so slow.  It couldn't catch that Polaroid moment while Brett's both arms are around her (you all should see how scared our gal was there, I'm sure she was shaking like hell!). And as the cam was so slow, Brett yelled that he's not gonna let us take the picture..... just kidding *Yo: But you can still see Brett's arm on my shoulder in this pix. :)*!  After that, we didn't want to let him go, but he just kept saying that he got to do some shopping. We stood there & let him go while we kept  watching.  As he crossed the road, we discussed if we should follow him, but then we saw him & Simon walking into the 7-11 just across the road, that's when we decided we're not gonna follow them.

We watched them coming out from the store & took some snap shot of that & as he crossed the road, Brett waved at us & told us to come to him, it's crazy! We stood there & I took everything I could remember out for Brett's signature (I forgot to give him the DMS CD though!!!) He asked us why we didn't sign our things yesternight, we made a complaint to him that we didn't have the stupid coupon & all the facts, and  he just said, "It's not fair, ain't it?" to Simon, for this few words, the anger of last night was gone COMPLETELY!  Then I gave him this photo which I took as their concert here in HK at 95' as Brett saw that photo, he stared at it for awhile. Suddenly,  his face twisted as if he didn't like that pic! I'm so frightened, I just asked , "You don't like it!?" And he said,"It's ok! But I do apologize for that, I was not in a good sharp! I don't usually look like that thought!"  then he still sign on that photo.  Yo gave him the Dali's postcard book, he loved it so much. He said "it's lovely!" for like 2 or 3 times & you can see he really liked it & appreciated it *Yo: Brett even shook hands with me to show his gratitude*.  We asked if we can take some pix with him, then the naughty Brett came again, he just said,"No, I've got to go,"  &  pretend to turn around from us & walked for a few steps.. then he turned back & said, "Nah, just kidding, I won't be so rude. Let's do it."  *Hehehe... Brett, we never believed you'll turn away .* & he put his arms around me as we posed.   BTW, they brought a sandwich from 7-11 'cos Simon was so hungry, Brett just tagged along with Simon to buy a sandwich! Such a lovely guy! He wore sunglasses a lot here in HK, & he tended to wear sunglasses when you take his pic. but as Kel took his photo with Yvonne, he told Kel that there might be a flash on his glasses, he tried to teaches  Kel how to take a photo! Pop star ~~~  Simon was still there all that time, but me & Yo, all we care was Brett I didn't even say a word with Simon, Yvonne was the one who talked to him. She told him that the ticket price was terribly high & they acted like they didn't even know & really surprised cos  it cost us 40 quid for a gig!  Simon was so hungry he started to eat his sandwich bit by bit.   I couldn't remember what more we chatted with Brett but it last for about 10-15 mins. There, until some ugly tall guy from the hotel who wanted to take a photo with them & they got back in there. And as Brett  was leaving, he still turned to Yo and said thankyou for the Dali's book.

We were all so concentrated on talking with Brett, there's a little details I didn't  even noticed.  Yvonne told us later, that as Brett & Simon came back from the 7-11, Simon was all so hungry he turned to Brett & said they must go & started to walk away, but Brett grabbed his arm & stayed there to chat with us, how lucky we were!  But poor Simon, he started to eat his sweaty sandwich outside the log.

We keep waiting there. 20 mins later, we saw the most beautiful picture. Brett came down with Neil! They even wore trousers with matched colour, it's definitely the same pattern. Both of them wear sunglasses, these two looks more like models than some guys in a band! They signed for everyone & now my collection was almost done, Richard was the only one who didn't came down yet, & I thought there must be a chance I can get his autograph. But after I did, I didn't want it anymore.....

We went for lunch & head to the venue.  The band arrived there at about 5. & started the rehearsal. And suddenly we saw Simon coming in from the front door! He's always walking around to greet the fans!
 
At around 7:00pm, after buying the tour book, the t-shirt, we're ready to go in the venue for the suede 2nd time around.

Gig review

After the gig, the band is going to this club, they called it an aftershow party but it's just a promotional stuff for the promoter.  Nothing exciting happened in the club, the security people circle round the band, all we could do was take some pictures outside that little corner. But Simon the nice guy,  he came out from the "security area" but it's really strange how no one noticed our great drummer 'till  we asked him for a pix, then everyone kind of squeezed in our picture!  He even went out of the club 'cos there were some under 21 fans who couldn't get in there. * Yo: Simon being the nice guy once again!*

The band left the club just about an hour after.  As we saw their car arrived at the hotel, Neil's the first one to walked out from the car, then Richard, I walked up to Richard,  he didn't even  knew what he's grabbing & signed his name on Mat's photo on the "Suede" CD leaflet, then as he saw my "Total Guitar" photo of him, he decided he's gonna sign it for me too. He's kind of drawing a snake on that picture, it's not a signature! I couldn't even see the "R" of his name. I wanted to yell at him.  Then everyone just rushed into the hotel  and seemed obviously that they didn't have a good time there.
 

DAY 3 (11th March 1997)

Today the band had this photo session for the NME, so they  go out quite early.  They came out & as the girls saw Richard & Neil, they all followed them to the van.  But me & Yolanda were so determined to wait for Brett, we just stood still there.  Brett came out the last after Mat & Simon.  As he came out, there's only me & Yo there. *Yo: Brett recognised us right the way and said " Hi" to us.* I gave him the present I prepared for the band(it's some shirts).  He said thank you & reached out to shake my hand.  Then, We had took another picture with him.  Later, as Brett got in the van, we saw him turning his back to us, &  he was holding up the shirt really high & showing it to all the others in the van.  It seemed he's quite happy with it! I was so excited!  I almost screamed there at the car park.

Then we're off to the venue 'cos we'd to queue up for the gig,  we really wanted to be in the front row.  We think we're really early as we arrived the venue at 2:30pm (while the gig should be start at 8:00pm.  They let the people in at 6:30 but since its the first ever all standing gig here, the organizers were not really experienced. The securities couldn't control those bunch of suedecrazy teens, everyone tries to mark their own best spot in front of the stage & it's all out of control.  Then they decided they gonna kick everybody out of the hall & to line up again outside the stage. That scene last for almost  30 mins & after the gig Lucienne told us that Brett was so furious about it that he lost his temper inside the dressing room.

2nd day gig review

After the gig, we went to the hotel again to see if there's a way we could get to the aftershow party, but no luck, the staff in the hotel just kicked us(the Chinese) all out & luckily our Lucienne could get in.  But as we saw Brett coming down to get in the car, I asked him how he likes the shirt & he said that  it's lovely &  Mat wore it  at the gig. Well... that's the last words we have with Brett.
 

                       

            Richard's signature                             You know how he hates it!
            He did gets his glasses on .......

We didn't go to the airport the following day 'cos we're all too exhausted. *Yo: And we had got what we want already. Didn't want to chase after them endlessly*There were bruises  on our knees & aches over every inch of our body & I lost my voice.    But I really think all this is worth it 'cos before that encounter, they were just images  from the almost tore apart Love & Poisons & the Introducing the band LD. And in all this years, they were so far away. But finally  I could met all of them in flesh, what more can I say?  See U in the next gig!

Maggie xxx