Blog: Panic On The Radio

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When last i typed I was sat in the reception of BBC Humberside. Shortly after I'd finished the other Validators arrived, as did Mr Eddy Bewsher, KING OF HULL, and also the team from Raw Talent. Hellos were said, cups of tea and coffee were provided, and gradually we got things together. It seemed to take ages to get going, but eventually we heard Mr Alan Raw saying "And after this track, it's time for our session from MJ Hibbett & The Validators." At this point THE FEAR set in.

As I've mentioned before, THE FEAR is something I tend to get before gigs, which usually disappears as soon as we start. This time, however, Things Were Different. I was EXTREMELY conscious of the fact that people could HEAR this - at gigs, if i forget the words, it doesn't really matter too much, as I can mumble or make something up and, generally, nobody really notices. THIS time though the WORDS were coming through VERY loud and VERY clear on BBC Leeds, Sheffield, York and Humberside. OH NO! I wrote out the words to Quality Of Life Enhancement Device in BRIEF, as I tend to have problems with that one, and hoped for the best.

We began VERY slickly - he said "MJ Hibbett & The Validators", Tim CLICKED, and we started "Billy Jones". It went all right, but i was TERRIFIED. Usually i look around and GRIN at my band mates, but I spent almost ALL of our set GRIPPED by TERROR, staring straight ahead. When the song finished i had to resist the URGE to say "Thank you", and introduced US and the next song, which was "Quality Of Life Enhancement Device". I started to get pleased with myself for singing it right, then realised DANGER DANGER, as this is always when I start thinking "Hmm, what a tight rocking outfit we ARE! I wonder what I shall say before the next song? What song is it again?" and LOSE it, so returned to my STRAIGHT AHEAD STARE of FEAR. At the end of that one I leant down to have a sip of water, and Emma helpfully went to take it from me when I'd finished... however, i thought she was trying to PINCH it, and PANICKED. FEAR! DREAD! That went ahead FINE - I'd been told NOT to leave any gaps between songs, as Dead Air = BAD On Radio, so was trying to sip water, say words, AND adjust my glasses all at the same time. "Never Going Back To Aldi's" COMMENCED, then we headed home with "Easily Impressed", when Emma did the "OI HIBBETT" bit with a serious look on her face, which always makes me LARF, and i felt BETTER. We ENDED with "Easily Impressed" after which i DEMANDED HUGS from the band, as i was EXHAUSTED by the TERROR. Also, the FEAR!

We went back into the proper studio, where Eddie was looking after Edie and Lola, The Pattison Girls. It was LOVELY having them there I must say - it's very difficult to get bored or arsey when there's two little toddlers beetling about the place, and everybody else kept coming through to see them. They were EXCELLENTLY well behaved too, it was IMPRESSIVE. Anyway, we left them a little while longer with Eddy and went through to do the interview which, I must be honest, was MUCH more fun than doing the session itself. Aaah! RELAXATION! We HURTLED through it, and had a thoroughly LOVELY time, even if we did seem to spend half of it slagging off Battles Of The Bands Competitions. Mr Fleay joined in HEARTILY, especially to LAUD the band Candid Bench, and everyone else seemed a bit QUIET. With that done we left via the back door, shared some FURTHER HUGS, especially with Eddy, who we were now saying cheerio too, and SPED off into the night, safe in the knowledge that the rest of us would be seeing each other again the next night, in Leeds.

As we drove back to Tom's parents' house we listened to the CD of the session we'd be given, and HEY! Guess what? It was PRETTY DARN GRATE! This whole Practicing The Songs lark seems to be WORKING, especially on the newer songs. I always realised that our mighty rhythm section ROCKS as you can't get away from hearing them, but with a good mix of the SOUNDS like we got from the session I could really hear Tom and Emma's bits this time, and my WORD but they've got some Good Bits. The way we practice the songs means that it takes a while to notice when things SOLIDIFY - does that make sense? What I mean is, I'm usually so busy trying to remember the words that I don't notice that, say, Tom's got a GRATE RIFF going in the chorus, or that Emma has got some HARMONIES going. Do not think me a SWINE for this - on the way home Tom LARFED at one of the lines in QOLED, as he hadn't really been paying attention to them before. We were WELL chuffed with what we heard, and once again I got all excited at the prospect of our NEXT album. HOOPLA!

We got back to the house, said hello to Mr and Mrs McClure, and then RAN (and i mean RAN) round the corner for last orders. HURRAH! We made it! We then STROLLED back for a glass of whisky and to listen to the tape of the INTERVIEW bit (as that wasn't on the CD, so Tom's Dad had taped it), which actually sounded all right, before saying goodnight. I retired to the attic room, tired but happy, ready for PHASE THREE of our Yorkshire Tour to COMMENCE.

posted 6/2/2005 by MJ Hibbett

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