By now I should be reporting that I have become a road-hardened warrior - but, in truth, this trip has been so well organised and chaperoned by Amy and Jim (to whom ongoing thanks) that I am actually becoming road-softened. Little trips to LA, Cambria, San Francisco and now San Jose. Oh, how hard is my lot!
We had our first small, select gathering in San Francisco on Wednesday evening at the two-star Hotel Acceptable, The Beresford, complete with a very British-stye pub. It unwittingly acted as the family-and-friends warm up gig for the following day. From it, I shall be returning home with an enlarged wish list for reissues, while everyone else went home with party bags.
On Thursday morning, we rode the tram to Fisherman’s Wharf for the obligatory photos of the Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz (recently memorable for my nightly addiction to the America’s Cup yacht races) before the relatively short hop to San Jose. Through the mysteries of Expedia, the two-star Beresford in San Francisco, with its worn red carpet stairs and wet-painted walls, has been transformed into the 4-Star Fairmont in San Jose for exactly the same price (although you do have to pay extra for internet access, so this diary has cost me the price of a much needed cocktail).
Yesterday evening, was Round Two courtesy of, and thanks to, Streetlight records. They sold out of copies of the Vicar Chronicles and everyone I think, had their questions answered. So happiness all round. I even met the one person in the world who is waiting for a second album by Camilla’s Little Secret. There’s nought so queer as folk. I even have an invitation to speak on KRUP radio.
Today, I jumped sideways into iTunes land, with what might have been a well-oiled presentation of all things Vicar for the next twelve months - slightly hampered by their inability to get pictures from their fine Apple laptops to appear on their no doubt fine Apple mega-screen. I recall something similar many moons ago at Microsoft. Heartening to know that the technology companies are as bamboozled as the rest of us. A little like asking a musician to play something in a different key, assuming that this might be a basic skill, only to learn that they can only play in E. A very positive meeting for which I have to thank Bill, who flew the width of the continent specially to arrange it, Heather and Lauren. They even came up with the best joke yet by asking for the business/marketing plan for the next twelve months. This is DGM, for God’s sake. I jest (slightly). Your wish, miss Lauren, is my command.
An 8.30 start tomorrow for the return trip to LA.
"Trust the process."
