I can’t fucking wait for next Wednesday morning. For the first time, I’m off to Glastonbury and the rest of the band except Anna are coming along. I’ve read on some websites that we’re playing the John Peel tent, well if we are nobody told me so I’m going to just enjoy the weekend and destroy some braincells.

Friday especially is going to be a bit nuts as long time friend of Red Route and serial wreckhead Séan Shaw turn 25. So if you see any of us looking ferral and shouting loudly don’t worry, we’re really a rather friendly bunch.

hello

Just thought i would write something because I haven’t done so for a while now.

First order of business

Big thanks to all at Slice Of The Pie, I personally don’t remember much after I started drinking tequila but I’m assured it was a good night. well done to Dan and all who helped for bringing the pie back to life in it’s new home @ the Bulls Head in moseley, not sure when the next one will be but it I’m sure it will be a cracking night whenever it happens.

2nd order of business

I put crap loads of photos up a few weeks ago but didn’t tell anybody, so now i am telling you, go look. You will have sen most of them before but i thought it would be nice to have them all in one place. I’ve tried to give credit where it is due to the photographers but if I’ve forgot you then give yourself a pat on the back and rest safe in the knowledge that your work is appreciated. More will be added when i remember to take my camera out again.

3rd order of business

The gigs on the front page should include everything I know about. There will also be a special gig at The Spotted Dog coming up on the 6th of July. This one is special because our hosts are leaving, there may be more music nights at The Spotted Dog but i suppose this one is the end of an era, a drunken blurry era.  We need to make this a good one due to all the help and support The Spotted Dog has given Red Route over the last few years, we’ve all had great nights there and I’m sure this one will be no different.

and for now adios

p.s the mangement will not be attending glasto due to the management being skint, again booooooo

So, no sooner than Anthony announces that ‘Summer is here’ and sticks a picture of Aiden’s crotch up on the site, the weather goes crap again.

But on the plus side, last Friday at the Rainbow went well for most of us, although new stage presence Jerry Lewis was somewhat dismayed at what he called “violation by two randy Shaws”. Obviously I’m not suggesting anything untoward happened personally, I’m only passing on what Jerry said. He has no fingers so he can’t type.

Said Jerry: “One of them feckers kicked me off the stage and then someone tried to throw me about. But ha see cuz I may look soft as but I’m hard as flip and if I land on your bonce I’ll crack you open like an egg, yeah? Then one of them lanky Shaws grabbed me, I can’t remember if it was the lanky flipper or the REALLY lanky fecker and, well…the rest I’ve tried to blot out. But see if I see them again? I’ll twit ‘em!!”

*Please note Jerry’s language was cleaned up for public broadcast, and Red Route are not accusing the Shaw brothers directly of any wrongdoing.

See y’all at the Bulls Head next week.

Summer is here . . .

“How do they know?” I hear you ask the person to your right.

…Aiden has started to wear shorts again.

Sorry, that was crap, but more to come, I promise.

Following on from Midz and actually my first band blog post.

The tv show I’m told, will be repeated at some point, I’ll let yall know when. But was a good day actually, we were all hungover from the headline gig the night before so we met up about 5ish ‘on set’ and gingerly waited around, not sure gingerly is the right word there, but is there any other word you can use for five hungover indie misfit’s waiting around in the sun, impatiently for the chance to go on tv? Whatever. But we played the set after being introduced as ‘this band’ by the lemon fucking presenter, the sound was no doubt shite, but who cares. We got asked to play another song because someone requested it by txting into the studio.

Set finished, and I had Pete sing happy birthday to my mum, awwwwww. What a present eh, well okay, maybe not that great, but I’m sure she’s never had one of them before. Come the interview time, still hungover and safe in the knowledge NO-ONE gives a shit what the drummer thinks, I was actually behind the sofa with Pete playing the other puppet (I was the red one), but Midz got it wrong as it was Brian and I who had the fight at the end. Good stuff.

We’ve been asked to do some more stuff so it may have been the first, but aint the last. Thx all who voted and watched and didn’t play GTA instead, you strong willed people.x

For a first appearance on TV I, for one, actually enjoyed it. Although nervous, the surrealness of live TV made it seem not real.

On arriving to the carpark, which had not one but two bouncy castles and a bar/bbq I was greeted with the news that ol’ skinnyfag Bri had nearly took someones head off on the bouncy castle while they were being filmed. It was then I caught a glimpse of the celebrity presenter for Red TV’s Live and Unsigned, Pete Bennett who was on Big Brother some years ago. Now Pete came across as a genuine bloke, one who is expected to play up to this wacky persona that the show created for him, and yes, he is the one with Tourettes, and yes, he did call us w*nkers on live TV.

Cue some beer, hot dogs and waiting around and then a call to go upstairs to the studio. The band before us talked for a good 5 minutes about their haircuts and then it was our turn in the sweatbox. The 2 songs we played went well, we talked a whole world of sh*te and got Pete to play happy birthday on the accordian when the sexy co-presenter told us they wanted us to play again, which was nice. Then we sat on a settee and talked some more sh*te to the presenters while zany Pete attacked Bri with a hand puppet, who needless to say retaliated with vengence.

We didn’t make it to the final but that was never the point, look at the fun we had, thanks to everyone who watched and voted.

Back to you in the studio.

I know this is a bit short notice but Red Route will be appearing on TV this coming bank holiday Monday. Coming from a secret location some place in Aston and with promises of a bouncy castle and the chance to meet Pete from big brother this should be a cracking event. If you can’t make it, tune in about 18.30 on sky channel 186 (RedTV) to watch the band, then get your phone out and txt”red” to 82070 so they win something. Even if you don’t watch it just send the txt at some point tomorrow and feel safe in knowledge that you have done a good deed for the day.

I don’t know anymore than that so don’t ask me

That is all

The Management

Well here we are, what I like to call “a new era in Red Route’s short but glorious history” Red Route now have a new manager… who is it I hear you ask?

Well it is I, everybody’s favourite former bass player Rob, yes thats right, the man who used to to play with his back to the crowd and generally get way to drunk to practice and/or gig properly is now in control of all things Route.

For those who don’t know me, I write this in a time when I have taken on 3 new jobs in the space of a week (anybody want to buy a T-shirt? I can do you a good deal) and as such am now a very busy boy having spent the last 6 months either getting drunk in asia or sitting around the house not doing a great deal but rest assured I will be doing my best to get the band the recognition that I personally feel they deserve.

So without futher hesitation here are a couple of things to look for in the near future:

• A new lick of paint in the lockup
• Dance routines for all band members (yes that includes you anthony)
• World domination

Well hi there. This is actually my first ever blog, how exciting! Although I don’t actually have anything specific or of great significance to talk about, this is the red route website so surely i should talk about that…good idea.

It would be good to let you all know who i actually am i suppose, well to begin i’m Anna. I’m Andrew’s (Midzy to most of you) cousin which is the main reason i play in the band. Oh and i play the violin. Haven’t been in the band long and its quite different to anything i’ve done before i suppose, as i’ve been ‘classically trained’ since about the age of 6/7, so quite a long time. I’m normally used to playin in big orchestras, surrounded by several others or on occassion traditional irish, which does come in handy i must say, i’ll come to that later.

The first time i met the other lads was on my first visit to the lovely lock up, i suppose i didn’t really know what to expect, from both the music and location. The music i thought was really good, the lock up smelt. Nevertheless, i was excited.

I’ve written quite a lot now

After quite a few practises, a few things came about. I played my first gig and recorded a couple of tracks.
Then a month or two later we played on St. Patricks day, this is where the irish stuff came in handy. It was a fun night which mainly consisted of repeating the same jig several times in the hope people watching wouldn’t realise…i don’t think they did, thanks to a few drinkies.

Well now is the time to say bye as i’ve run out of things to talk about. I’m in the middle of exams atm, but hopefully will play again at the beginning of june.

Goodbye.x

Hi-de-Hi Routeneers!

Last months EP Launch was followed by a lower-key but equally enjoyable Thursday night gig at the Hare and Hounds. One of my personal highlights of the night was the attendance of Mick McKearney at the night. For those of you who don’t know him, he’s not only a cool guy, but taught half the band how to play and when he said “Yeah, you sounded pretty good” we could all enjoy a few pints and quite a lot of nicotine very happily. Coincidently his band, Havana A Go Go also played the Hare and Hounds on Saturday and were ace.

Right. Spotted Dog next then.

Oh by the way, don’t ask someone “Where do I put my belly button fluff” if you don’t want to get looked a funny. Especially on the bus.

Adios amigos!