this is from a while back (see the opinion page) but applies to the next gig as much as ever:
fans do not follow you around in their thousands screaming and trying to shag you. your five die-hard fans and your friends come to every gig and you love them for that (thanks guys, i mean it). everyone else you will have to personally drag there if the gig is more than 10 metres from their house, if it is too hot, cold, rainy, threatening to rain or rained the day before, if it is on a weekday, weekend or holiday, if there is a taxi, bus or trolley strike, if it starts before 7pm or after 9pm, if they have to pay to get in, if they have a child, a pet or mother in law, if they are under 30 or over 35, if they work, they don’t work, they don’t know you, they know you and hate you or if they are breathing. It’s a tough thing getting an audience…
AMEN TO THAT!
MAJOR TOM IS AT ALL YOUR SHOWS.
IF YOU DON’T SEE ME, IT’S BECAUSE OF MY SPECIAL ‘PEEK-A-BOO’ SPACE SUIT.
YOU KNOW.. THE ONE WITH THE 3 NECK TIES !
BE WELL AND PROSPER.
MAJOR TOM
And you’re TOTALLY right to what you’ve written above. This is how things work – but the nature of the hard audience is what gives the ultimate thrill when you manage to REALLY rock with more than five die-hard fans and your friends.