Steve Ignorant

John Robb, Penny and me. Photo by Dod Morrison.

Right, I know it’s been a while as usual, but obviously as the tour gets closer everything round here starts getting really manic, so my apologies. Thanks to everyone who came to the Blackpool show, really nice to see you and have a bit of a laugh, it’s nice to have time out sometimes ain't it?

I must admit Blackpool for me was a little bit special – it’s the first time in years me and Penny have done anything like that and we both felt it went really well and hopefully has dispelled this stupid myth that was going about that me and him weren’t getting on. I think that’s partly why I was mucking about so much on stage – I was so pleased to be doing something with him again, and hopefully there’ll be more to come.

One thing that struck me was on the journey up. Jona booked the train tickets and got the cheapest deal she could, so we went Cambridge to Peterborough, changed trains to Leeds, then changed at Leeds to Blackpool. The thing was the train from Leeds went through Hebden Bridge, Halifax, Preston and places like that, following the route of many a Crass tour back in the day, and it really took me back.

Pen and me. Photo by Dod Morrison.

Arriving in Blackpool, it did look a bit run down, but it was brightened up by loads of  Punks strolling around with their kids and things, and no one taking a blind bit of notice, and no trouble going on. Bloody great. As it goes I think I was probably the worst culprit, because after me and Pen did our thing with John Robb, I settled myself in the bar upstairs and had a couple of drinks. Then Beki turned up with Steve and they bought me a beer which would have been rude to refuse, then Oddie come over and got me one, then Ben from Hard Skin come in and got me one, and I think I had a couple more, so by about six I was getting giggly and sloppy sentimental. Jona sensibly got me to leave ( I hadn’t eaten all day – nerves ) and we went back to our B&B.

Apparently I fell asleep for a couple of hours and when I woke up I insisted we go and watch the cabaret show the B&B was putting on. So we sat in this room with a group of Scottish people out for a good time and listened to this woman doing songs like Aga bloody doo doo doo and Viva Espania. But I have to admit there was something sort of heart – warming about it all – probably the beer – but something about the way people stoically insist on having a good time on a windy, rainy week – end in a run down seaside resort, and I’m not about to run that down, so I joined in as well. Just think: a pissed Ignorant singing along to ‘Your sex is on fire’. Twat.

Call outs on the lifeboat have been coming in left right and centre, so that’s been taking time up too, sixteen so far this year I think, however no fatalities (touch wood) so that’s good.

My autobiography, The Rest Is Propaganda, is now finished and on its way to the printers, so hopefully it won't be long before you can all have a laugh at my expense. Getting it done was a bit of a nightmare but now it’s all done.

We had rehearsals on Tuesday and Wednesday, and again next Monday and Tuesday, and it’s all going really well, the only problem being that I’ve got the Crass lyrics back in my head and they won't go away, I’m gonna be singing ‘Mother Earth’ at the kitchen sink till I’m ninety, if I last that long. And so what, who cares, fuck the system.

Me and Hot Rod Hector on Future Radio Norwich. Photo by Jona.

Last week I did an interview with a community radio show in Norwich which I really enjoyed, you can listen to it on iPod or something, anyway if you go to my Facebook  page the details are on there, and I'll stick a link at the end of this.  I haven’t listened to it yet but I remember it being a laugh. Neil, the DJ wants me to do another one in October which I’m well up for and which is really nice of him, also he’s going to come to the lifeboat and do a little programme about it, so we get to take him out and chuck him in the sea. Of course we’ll pluck him out again. I’ll let you know when it’s happening nearer the time.

Right, that’s it for now, I’m off to cut the grass, I’ll really try not to leave it for so long before I write a blog again.

Later,
Steve.

Listen to me on Hot Rod Hector's Variety Show on the Future Radio website.