Good morning,

Jennifer is indeed on "Cloud Nine" and so too were the others in out happy
(delirious) little band.  The weird feeling was that we had been in a bar
with one of our collective heroes, and he just accepted us as if we were
real human beings.

Brian must have the patience of a saint and it is little wonder that he
doesn't want to come to the Convention - he wouldn't be mobbed, but his
writing hand would drop off and his voice would probably give out very
quickly indeed.  I didn't get a chance to talk with him - I left that to the
professionals, but his demeanor, body language and the length of time
suggested that he was, genuinely, pleased to talk to us.

Anita was, I know its hyperbole, stunning.  She took the time to talk with
us, posed for pictures and chatted as if we were long, lost friends.  She is
extremely petite, thinnish, but full of energy and has a shock of auburn /
blond hair - not curly like Brian's but wavy, almost frizzy.

My posting about "Double Whammy" alluded to the fact that we had had a great
night at the theatre as well as meeting our hero.  It is not the kind of
night, or meeting, that one contemplates having too often - don't think the
old blood pump would last "She canna tak nae more captain, the splunge drive
is on overload".

All in all, what a great start to convention week - and I've only got to
work for two and a half days (Tue, Wed & Thur morn).  Please forgive an old
man his small pleasures in eulogising about his and her adventures in toy
town, but if we don't write it down, we'll forget.

TTFN one and all

KYA

FT

In the cold light of day (Sunday morning) bits of this blur are beginning to
come into focus.

A common thread between all of us when the questions of "What did you
say/what did he say? etc" were flying round our little huddle - was that you
always think of what you should have said/asked too late.  I wish I'd asked
him this or that.  As a result you come away with little ' new' info.

Brian is so interested in wanting to know who you are, and the hero worship
bit gets in the way - where you saw him (what row you were sitting on - as
if he could see you/remember you.) - we had a party for your birthday - "I'm
a complete junkie for your guitar playing, got my own cover band (MayBe?),
love the way you get this or that sound, gush, gush, oh I'm getting
anorakish aren't I, so I'd better shut up" (all from a garbled Nathan) to
which Brian responded "Oh, that's interesting".  BHM asked where the MayBe?s
recorded, to which JT retorted that she was the drummers mum (hoping for
some kind of compliment like "You don't look old enough") and that we did so
in rural Cheshire and that the band had two lovely young blond twins as
backing singers (see earlier postings) - he said that he might like to
borrow them (hopefully to record/tour with!).

No one mentioned Cozy out of respect, although Cozy was on the BTTL cover
that he signed for JT earlier and he asked how she "had got all the guys
(signatures)" - at the Bottom Line, London.

Someone on QMS raised the subject of how he (BHM) got "that dry violin
sound".  Brian said that it was all down to the "Deakie Amp" which they had
had to pieces recently, and it contained some radio batteries, and that they
were considering doing a commercially available copy for the markets - so my
friend, whoever you were, forget the AC30's.

Rachel had asked one of the Questions on BBC's World Service broadcast about
"Rocks".  She told him so, he seemed a bit non-plussed but politely
acknowledged.  She also told him about the MPT gig with Ga Ga in Birmingham
(Birmingham again, it must be the centre of England, or at least the world
for us) and thanked him for the shirt that he had sent (complete with [?]
curry stain).  BHM said that he would send something for this year's event
(Its Roger's 50th celebration and its at the "Tally Ho" in Birmingham on 24
July - so if you want more details or tickets (we only charge 25%
commission, but we've got to eat) give us a bell, we'd prefer money though).

Later Brian, having had the chance to get his brain lubricated by shampoo
(sorry Champers), spoke to Rachel again and said that he did really remember
now (about the BBC broadcast and her question).  By this time Rachel, who
has a quite vibrant titian colouring to her hair, had gone a delicate shade
of extreme blush and come over all wobbly and giggly.

We mentioned Paris, he said "Oh,that's interesting, isn't it in France?
"(Only joking)  What he actually said was "Ah, the Bejart Ballet ......."
before he was ambushed by yet another question.  He didn't know whether the
music from Pinocchio had been published, but knew of the CD (how can he be
sooooo modest?).

A little later JT, ever the thoughtful one, went over to Anita who wasn't at
that time engaged (in conversation) to apologise if we had intruded, to
which she replied "Oh no, no, no don't think that, we just loved that you
made yourselves known".  JT set off back to the circle and AD attached
herself by the arm and followed.  She leaned into the group and thanked us
all - very genuinely.  She whispered to Frank "Love the jacket" (it was the
blue sateen with Innuendo man on back), to which Sue replied "Loved the
Polyester in Scene 1", to which AD giggled like some secretive member of the
girls dorm.  AD had been looking at Sue in the audience as she recognised
her from the statue ceremony at Montreux (wasn't that amazing?)  we had
spoken to her in Paris too when she had the children with her.

Melissa tried to take a grope photo with the fans and Brian and JT found
herself wedged (likely story) next to BHM with her hand jammed against his
leg - oh no not the leg again.  She is absolutely gobsmacked that she didn't
get her arm around him, but a leg is almost as good isn't it.  She says that
she was concentrating on "NOT feeling the leg" at the time of the photo -
the evidence will be provided later as exhibit A m'lud.

Anyway, its 10:00, Thomas' birthday, and we've got to wake him from his
beauty sleep - any girls out there want a slightly used drummer?

TTFN

KGC & KYA

Jennifer & Frank