PAGE 12.

Tuesday 10th May

After a restless night we took an early flight to Amsterdam and Ben and Thalia Marvin came for the last leg of the journey.

The boys took care of my many bags at arrivals and I got another cab straight to another hospital to ascertain the damage and to get the hand re-dressed. More endless paper work and passport checks (no bad thing these days). The doctor told me I had to rest it for a week with my arm pointing upright in a sling. Only four concerts to go. What a way to finish. I was, as you can imagine, very disappointed about it. One bloody splinter and a pair of dirty pliers.

Three days in Amsterdam, I played with the minimal amount of discomfort to the hand. Or, as far as I could go without just walking it. The solo was out and I just rested. At least we were staying in one place for three days. It was a very large venue and I was amazed that all three concerts were sold out. After the first night I had a few drinks with the gang in the Hotel bar and decided on an early night. I woke up with my hand hurting and my watch said three o’clock. I got up to make a coffee, thinking I'd had only had three hours kip, then I noticed there was light shining through into my room. It was three in the afternoon and I had slept for fifteen hours! I opened the curtains to the beautiful view of a dirty brick wall and a large air-conditioning unit. The only thing that cheered me up was a pigeon that was staring at me from a ledge. I was too tired to make a fuss and change to a room with a view.

So I just rested, read and made a few notes for these journals. Played the set each night and tried to build my hands up for the very last concert in Birmingham.

The Shadows with photographer John Humphrey.

We had a few interviews to do but I slept most of the time. Earlier in the year I had promised to do an interview with the Dutch Cliff Richard Fan Club Magazine. The photographer John Humphrey was to take the pictures and Angelique von Söhsten was to do the interview. I remember being very grumpy at the time but they, like Phil Jarvis and so many others over the years, have both been tremendous supporters of the band and like the other regular fans have become friends. A few more people to meet and after three days of rest I packed for the last time and got the last flight of the tour to Birmingham. Erik's part as the European promoter was finished but he came with us for the last show at the NIA and still managed to get us to the wrong check-in desk.

With Ben and Thalia.
Bruce from my POV.	Hank from my POV.
With Angelique von Söhsten.	“Good afternoon and welcome to Amsterdam.”
Strike a pose with your nose, Bruce.
Where's the check in Erik?	One more to go.