My dearest Patrons. I write to you from an infinite-seeming check-in queue (pronounced queue) at LAX. Here I conclude the final stretches of my travels around the US, supporting Value Select and his team of comedo-musicological wizards.
As a tour summary, it has been a better experience than I ever could have imagined - by many multiples. The shows have been wildly different every night. I have been most surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed being in the moment on stage, rather than sticking religiously to my script. More and more I find myself enjoying the potential chaos of live performance, rather than fearing and seeking to control it. I feel the thrillings!
One of my favourite examples was in Boston, when someone in the audience passionately and out of nowhere demanded a rendition of Hot Cross Buns. Which I played, naturally. Only to discover that the UK and USA versions of Hot Cross Buns are melodically completely different, so I was met with a sea of blank faces. Sensing their confusion I leaned into it and improvised something even more baffling. Another favourite moment was in Boise, Idaho (where we played to our smallest audience of 28 people...). I had spent an hour before the show jamming with the boys in Value Selects band, having a beautiful time, forgetting that all the while my EWI battery was draining. It came to the biggest solo of the show and it died instantly - I ended up screaming a description of what I would have played over the music (the most potent solo known to man, of course, inventing new notes in the western scale). The looseness and freedom of performing this show has been a joy to me and has only confirmed that I am in the right place doing the thing I need to be doing right now. That’s Nice! Meeting lots of you after shows has also been a true delight, especially to learn what my humble tunes have meant to you. What a gift you have donated unto me.
As much as this, I am also so grateful to Value Select and his incredible team for having me, and for welcoming me so warmly. Nine of us enormous boys have been living out of an RV designed to ferry two small families of four. We drove over 11,000 miles - almost half the circumference of the earth. The teamwork and respect for each other’s space required to live in such close quarters cannot be understated. All eight of them have been an unmitigated joy to work with; welcoming me so heartily, ensuring my comfort, engaging with and supporting my show on a deep level. It has been no mean feat putting together a show I can perform anywhere by myself, that I also hope does justice to the content I’ve put online. The rehearsal process was pretty lonely and disheartening at times, standing in my bedroom and having no idea if what I was doing would work. So it meant a lot to have a big group of fellaboys who I felt were looking out for me and cared about the success of my show as much as theirs.
Their show is a phenomenal synchronisation of comedy, theatre and live music and deserves all the praise it receives, and it was a joy for me to watch it every night after my show. I will miss them all dearly. We’ve talked a lot about working together again. I pray we can find a way. Either way I have made new friends for life.
Huge thanks also go to Hunter, whose killer visual work has been elevating the show to something utterly different. Also to Adam who gave me direction and the impetus to put together the first version of my full live show in London (many elements of which made it into this show). I’m coming away from this tour so excited to continue developing this live show for Edinburgh Festival, whilst also hatching the seeds for the next show. Bigger; Bolder; Sexier. And with a live band!
I also wanted to give you something more than my vague sleep-deprived rambles, so I’m attaching above some behind the scenes photos of the Pilot. Thank you so much for your kind comments and enthusiasm, we are feeling so proud of it and feeling confident that we’ll find a way to make more, whether that’s through crowd-funding or sheer commissionary luck.
Attached are photos of the process, including the first time Phil Wang tried on the Crimpsy helmet in the read through. Note my serious expression, which is actually poorly concealed nerves about putting an incredibly heavy, stuffy and uncomfortable helmet on one of my heroes. I’m also processing the knowledge that when this came off we would need to hit him repeatedly on the head with a polystyrene ball. When we got to this he was extremely gracious and admirably professional, but audibly screamed at one point and said “It’s okay... but... it’s not nothing”. If it’s any commiseration for Phil and his bruised noggin, we ended up using the very final take. I'm forever in his debt.
You can also see Hunter crouching behind the SNOY TV with his monitor, directing us from the floor (the room was tiny and this was the only way he could be in the room and out of shot).
You can also see Ellen (who plays Ulla) trying on the mask for the first time. I bought it 3 years ago planning to make a music video with it, which we never had the resources to do. I’m so glad it’s seen some use.
You can also see a glimpse at some of the posters and artwork in the background, which was a combination of work by myself and Henri at Blink Industries.You can also see the brilliant set and art designer Jimmy slim, creating the most beautiful long sub sandwich I have ever seen, which we promptly immediately destroyed.
You can also see our outstanding producer Alex doing what he does best (leaning in doorways and ferociously sorting all of our problems via iPhone Mail).
You can also see the moment we tried to get a drone shot for the opening but one of the propellers of Hunter's drone instantly flew off and we had to abort the shot entirely. You can't tell but it was freezing cold and raining incredibly hard that morning and our morale was at an all-time low.
These are the things you can see!
Thank you as ever and always for your support. And greetings to the many new friends that have joined over the last few months. Your presence is felt strongly. We are building some special here.
New music coming soon.
All my love
JE xxx