What a roller-coaster ride of a year it’s
been for UK punk-folkers, Bleeding Hearts! – a German tour, supports
with the Levellers, some great summer festivals, and in September,
the boys found themselves on the other side of the world on a 20 date
tour of Canada! This year really has been about getting out there and
making new friends!
Canada, first stop Vancouver and what a culture shock for the 4
crusty blokes, arriving at their first gig, the Railway Club,
in a stretch limo (bleeding upper-crusties or what!!). “It wasn’t
our choice of transport”, said Gaz, “we were met at the airport
and just told to get in! Next day, we felt more at home though,
cos the promoters gave us a rusty old van with no door locks,
no handbrake and not much windscreen!”. “On top of that” says
Nick, “it didn’t have a stereo so Gel had to sing!”.
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Pic coming soon!
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Bleedin' upper-crusties or what!!
Gaz & Nick stretch out for the first
and definitely last luxury of the tour!
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Gel washes his instrument at the Wash'n'Slosh metal venue
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“Still, it
gave us lots of time to look at the mountains”, says Gel, “Steve
wrote some new songs and I got to see some of the local wildlife!.
We even saw the Northern Lights while we were in Saskatoon,
which made me go a bit pagan for a few minutes”. The Hearts
were treated to the dazzling green sky spectacle after their gig
at the Wash’n’Slosh, a hard core metal venue where punters could
get a drink, play pool, watch a band and do their washing at the
same time! “Yeah”, says Steve, “the venue’s sound engineer said
he normally smoked 5 joints before a gig, but because he liked
our CD, he was only going to have two! We did all our washing
in the sound-check, cos he was too stoned to move!”. Mmmm. Was
a nonchalant toke responsible for the Hearts seeing the Northern
Lights I ask? “No way!”, says Nick, “we were squeaky clean for
nearly the whole tour, although we did get stopped by the police
at Vancouver airport!”.
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Stopped at vancouver airport?
“Yeah,” continues Steve, “Unbeknown to us,
as soon as we’d left Vancouver at the start of the tour, our
so-called promoters framed us for stealing a van, so that they
could bring of an insurance scam!. Luckily Vancouver police
eventually realised that we were innocent and went off to
arrest the w***ers who’d accused us in the first place! Nice one!”
So, did the Hearts enjoy their trip across the pond, and will
they be going back? “Well,” says Steve, “it certainly was an
experience! Since we got back to the UK though, a new promoter
has been in contact, and he seems a bit more kosher than the
last lot!”. Look out Canada! It ain’t over yet!.
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'Like a fish out of water' - the Hearts gaining
inspiration for their new album on Canada's sunshine coast.
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