"Steven, you rock"

From a gig at Manchester university in 1993. I don't remember 4AD label-mates Ultra Vivid Scene at all. In fact, I'm certain the support was The Cranberries.

I know this 'cos on the back of the ticket is the autograph (possibly someone else's, as it says "Vic Vega" - the lesser-known real name of Reservoir Dogs' Mr Blonde!) and home address of then-Belly bassist and all-round fuck-you-up rock chick rebel, Gail Greenwood. She and I corresponded for a while after this tour (I sent her some "Cranberry Crusher" soda to a gig in Sweden - I am weird, right?), but then she left the band (or they split up). I can't post the back of this ticket, 'cos she still lives in the same house, with her boyfriend and new-band-co-member, Chil Mott.

One of the thing's I really like about Gail is that she is a complete, snowboarding, skate-short-wearing, turquoise-haired, kick-ass punk metal guitarist (see http://www.bennysizzler.com for proof - typical song titles, "Los Angeles Shitstarter" and "Don't Fuck Up My Buzz"), but she is also a hippie, veggie, art school trained graphic designer and active conservationist (railing against the big bucks expansion of Wal-Mart and the like, see http://middletownfirst.org for more info). Mind you, what could be more counter-culture than that?

I also like Gail 'cos she's the only high octane forty-something rock guitarist I know (and that gives me some hope). And I like her 'cos she wrote "Steven, you rock" on this ticket.

She's right. I do rock. Totally.

In fact, Gail, if you're reading this (and I know you're web savvy so you might just have vanity-Googled your way here) and you fancy a trip over to the UK, drop me a line. I'd be delighted to put you up and give you the tour of London.