Got three heroes is my life....
- Bobby Moore, My Dad and Ginger from the Wildhearts. Bobby Moore is sadly no longer with us, My Dad I owe my life to but this story is about the latter - one Geordie singer of the greatest band ever.

I fell in love with this band back in the 90's, as they seemed to be singing all about me. I got to see them a few times, until their collapse in 1997. Sad times - the drugs had got the better of them, and it was kind of inevitable.

However fast forward to 2001. I'm working in the Netherlands and had just received notice of my contract finishing in a month. Within a few minutes of this I also got the news they were reforming. I decided this feat needed to be properly appreciated, so I came up with the mad idea of getting together a few hardcore members ("listees") from the mailing list, hiring a bus and going to every show on the tour (including the warm up solo shows and Silverginger 5 dates). The response to the idea was a bus that was quickly filled up with like minded members from all over the world - The US, Japan, Germany, The UK, The Netherlands - it was all going to happen.

First gig was at my mates record shop in South Shields (the sadly defunct Changes One), memorable for the first ever live airing of the 10 minute opus "Sky Babies"- accompanied by Alex Kane of Antiproduct I was even invited on the stage to sing it as I knew all the words - I declined. Anyway after the gig I finally got to meet Ginger, and told him about a record he saught which I had tracked down and bought for him. I told him about the Busties tour, and how we might see a bit more of eachother.

Anyway we made all the gigs, the second night I got completely drunk, as did Ginger and we ended up as only drunks do, hugging and confessing our undying love for eachother (we are both men, so no sordid ideas - just man love, you know?). We then proceeded on the tour to Glasgow where the Bus was hired and the original and hardcore busties ammassed. We hadn't met all of them before, but two women on that bus became historical with me. The first was a German who became my stalker, following me relentlessly, and freaking me the fuck out. The second was V, a very beautiful American girl who I know realise I fell in love with instantly.

Bear with me as this is important - The gigs continued with legendary status - people got lost from legs of the tour, the bus broke down three times, and the German stalker began to seriously freak me out, much to the mirth of the other people on the bus. At the gig in Dudley, I was trying to pursuade one of the girls to get off with me just to throw her off - I even considered the offer of one of the fellers, but the best thing of all was, after the very dissapointing show (the Bass player had problems and collapsed on the stage) I went to the bar with V, we got talking, hit it off and then spent the night together. The next morning everyone was pissed off with the show and the van breaking down again, yet me and her were in that post-coital bliss which was blatantly evident to everyone else.

Back to the Wildhearts - anyway we did the whole tour and became well known to the band for our efforts. It grew friendships you cherish for life. One of our crew, the Infamous Trace we lost to cancer a couple of years back and is very sadly missed. Friendships formed with the band, and with a couple of fellow fans, we took over the operation of their website, and I got not only to photograph them, but was held in so high esteem I got to tour with them for 10 nights, along with Therapy? which is worth writing a book about. I've got to know Ginger at his best and at his worst, but at his best he has said some of the most touching and wonderful things about my efforts and work. He's also been a cunt at times, but I guess you can say the upside of that is that I have truly gotten to know one of my heroes, and I still hold him in that esteem.

But there is one thing that he blessed me with more than anything. The relationship I had with V - we fell in love, albeit her in the US, me in Amsterdam. We got to see eachother a few times a year, but sadly with long distance relationships, they break down, which was so sad as she was/is the love of my life. I still love her very deeply, yet I haven't seen her in 6 years. But tomorrow, I'll fix that - she lands here at 8.20am to come and live with me. I don't know if reconciliation is possible, she has a lot of sore memories of the breakup, but she loved me, and I am sure, still does a little. Tomorrow my new life starts, and this time its with hope and understanding, as I really do love this woman.

So one of my heroes changed my life in so many ways - if you hadn't written those wonderful songs I would never have met her. And I would never have realised my potential as a photographer, made the friends I have, or had anything like the memories I cherish. And that Ginger, makes you a hero of the highest fucking order, and I love you for that.
(Waynster James Joyce is fucking my sister!, Sun 19 Apr 2009, 10:13, 8 replies)

I like mushy.
*hugs and clicks*
best of luck mate.
(Poppet some assembly required., Sun 19 Apr 2009, 11:24, closed)

You see, this is why Ginger rocks so mightily.
Good luck to you both.
( Wicca'd Witch needs ideas for a new sig on..., Sun 19 Apr 2009, 11:47, closed)

*clicks*
Lovely story fella.

And the Wildhearts are pretty damn fine on their day.
( Boss Keloid Got your mother's maiden name tattooed on my arm, Sun 19 Apr 2009, 11:49, closed)

Best of luck fella
Truly.

/Edit

Just started listening to the Wildhearts. They're not so bad actually.
( jim_bob can herd cats., Sun 19 Apr 2009, 14:01, closed)

When you're drunk
It's called "Bro Love"

Or possibly a "Bromance".
(Scritty Bakerman., Sun 19 Apr 2009, 15:17, closed)

Shes a headfuuuck...
Good luck wi all that, I would so buy yer book.
(DownhillGardener no-one does it like that anymore, Sun 19 Apr 2009, 15:52, closed)

happiness
Good luck to you both, we all deserve a little hapiness!
(grumpynurse ,is playing minigolf on, Sun 19 Apr 2009, 16:37, closed)

A lovely tale!
I too have been into the Wildhearts since the 90s, picking up 'I wanna go...' when they released it as a single at the tender age of 14. They shaped my musical upbringing, and over the years I have seen them over 20 times.

During that time I only got the chance to speak to Danny, albeit only briefly. Even though I was a young, naive grammar school boy I noticed the affects of what he was going through. Nice guy though.

Still haven't seen them play Sky Babies live yet though ;)
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Mon 20 Apr 2009, 16:23, closed)