KT Tunstall Diary

27th June, 2005

June 26th, good Glas-god!!

The culture shock! The stress! We arrived at Hampden Park football stadium about 45 seconds before we had to be on stage, which was just after the realisation that my dress, my boots, my gold shoes, Sam’s shoes & jeans, and all my make-up had been left in a bag by the Other Stage at Glasto. Doh. Don’t worry, it’s all safe…

Went on, pedal was on wrong setting so shock horror! didn’t work, but i pulled up, missed the mountain and got there in the end. All in black to mourn our early departure from the Shire music madness, but it felt good. Small children scream very high don’t they? I’m pretty sure very few of them knew who i was, but they all still screached away bless ‘em.

Backstage, bumped into the one and only Daniel Beddingfield who listens to the album with his housemates all the time apparently which is very nice, and ended up doing a surreal rendition of ‘I Want You Back’ with him beat-boxing. Oh, for the want of a video-camera. Champion.

So, leaving Rooster, McFly, Rachel Stevens & Danny B behind, we headed home. Very fast. Tired, muddy, happy, older(!!), and better for it all xx

Posted by KT on the 27th June, 2005
27th June, 2005

June 25th - 'Tunstall and band to enormous stage please, over!!'

I don’t know where or how to start…we were all so wide-eyed like toddlers on wham bars. We all had our oufits ready and felt good. After we all got changed we looked at each other, and i said, “You know what we look like?! The Artful Dodger’s wedding guests!!” which we’ve decided is our ‘look’. Yeah man, ADWG. It’s how all the cats should dress man.

Went over to the stage, didn’t feel nasty nervous, just excited, went on and fuckin ROOOOOCKED!!! It was the best live gig we’ve done so far – the crowd were incredible, i got so absorbed in the songs, but Sam got the gold star; he played such a blinder and listening back to it (thanks to the messageboard) he adds so so much to what we were doing. Respec the Newboy Sam!!

We came off, drank copious amounts of whisky, and all remained absolutely hammered for the rest of the night. Must share with you my amusing celebrity moments & observations:

Impulsive photo shoot of James Blunt, saucily flanked by Joss Stone & I, for Make Poverty History.

A mashed Pete Docherty trying to blag Kate Moss backstage as she didn’t have the right wristband.

The lead singer of Keane is actually very, very tall.

The lead singer of Razorlight looks very confused ALL the time, not just in photos, but i did see him about 100 times, so maybe he was just walking around in circles.

Stephen Fretwell offering swigs on his £2.99 voddy as he couldn’t be arsed waiting at the bar to get a round in.

The bass player from the Futureheads apologising for playing a rather loud & farty note during my Jools Holland performance which nearly meant i had to do it again, thus solving a long mystery of whether it was deliberate and evil sabotage. Lovely lads they are, and i got to tell them that my mum likes them.

Caught the magnificent Earlies followed by the Magic Numbers – so packed we couldn’t even get in the tent – and headed back to bus, sorry to have to leave. Thankyou for the memories Worthy Farm. John Peel lives on xx

Posted by KT on the 27th June, 2005
27th June, 2005

June 24th, Glasto Carnage

Went down to board the bus, the rain was still sh-heeting down, to find out that no vehicles were being allowed on site, the beer tent had been hit by lightening, and there was no power on any of the stages. “Ooooh noooooo!!” we all gasped. So i had a big plate of baked beans and lots of tea.

Finally we were told we could get into the site, so we boarded the bus and joined the huge queue of traffic. Triumphantly, there was a pub on the way in, and the traffic was just slow enough that we hopped off for a cider and hopped back on again just in time. The sun was shining, and hope reigned. The site was pretty shocking in places – the worst bit, just the top 3 inches of tents were poking out. Not good to wake up in. But it was getting sorted, the power was up and running, and everyone was still over-excited or on enough substances to enjoy the mess.

I had lots of interviews, nearly got lost forever when my phone packed up and Kenny & Luke suddenly disappeared in a sea of rainbow jumpers, but made it back to don my gold sparky shoes for BBC2 and a bit of er, acoustic mayhem.

MAY IT BE KNOWN, WEE BASTARD WAS...A SCAPEGOAT!!!!! The sound engineer, who admittedly hadn’t had a good day what with the first BBC tent washing away down the river, didn’t turn WBP up. Poor wee bastard. But it was all the better for it, and very much in the spirit of things.

Then…THE WHITE STRIPES!!!! Jesus Christ, what a show. Totally awe-inspiring. We were all relieved to know that our generation does have a guitar legend after all. The solos Jack White played were up there with Page & Jimi. I know, i know, but they were. And Meg is ace. All the boys fancy her and she’s just a cool bunny.

Decided to can camping as it would only be for one night and it wasn’t gonna be easy…chicken.

Posted by KT on the 27th June, 2005
27th June, 2005

**JUNE 23rd*** WHEEEE!!!

And she awoke from her youth with a mouth like a badgers’ arse. But grinning from ear to ear. Got so many lovely presents, as well as, yes, you read right, A PLATINUM DISC!!!! A very nice 30th gift indeed. So in fact, i got a present from everyone – you all chipped in…

We were on the bus by 10am, and on our way to Somerset in the beautiful blazing sunshine. Little did we know…Had a blast in the Engineer in Bridgewater having dinner with everyone & my mum and dad made it down. My enduring memory of the dinner was Jerry (our mental yet lovely merch fella from Cork) telling a story about local cats killing rabbits, and as kids they liked rabbits better so they started on the cats, and my mum smiling warily at Jerry saying, “So Jerry, is it easy to skin a cat?” “Oh yes boy”, he replies, “I made meself a deadly seat cover for me bike. Proper comfy like.” Dessert anyone…

Gig was such a hoot, Brinkman supported who are one of my favourite bands – beautiful tunes, gorgeous voices, and lovely guys. Didn’t fall over in my gold sparkly shoes which was a bonus, but did feel very guilty that i hadn’t had time to find a kick-ass fancy dress outfit…must try harder…I SOO wanted to go as Princess Leia…

Toddled off to bed in a wiggly line, and then it started…the first thunderclap felt as if someone had come in my room and slapped me in the face. I’ve never heard it that loud ever. And it went on, and on, and on…scary it was. Thinking about all those little Glasto hobbits in their holes, would they all survive?!!! Duh duh duuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhh!!! Find out just up a bit!

Posted by KT on the 27th June, 2005
27th June, 2005

June 22nd, London

A retrospective of my past week…
After a rockin+sweaty rehearsal with the boys, manager Sb informed me i was expected at a record company dinner with some Germans. Then it transpired they wanted me to play for them, in a restaurant. And they wanted to film it. Also, i was being told i had to use a make-up artist. The dinner was enough to put me in a bad mood, but by the time the record company guy was late & we were told we’d have to entertain the non-speaking executives for an hour, i was on fire with rage. The last night of my twenties?!! Honestly, i was about to walk. But my high heels were hurting…
“Think happy thoughts KT”, sb says, “it’s through that door”.

Flash! Pop! Fizz! All the boys, the crew, the label, PR, lawyer, booking-agent, followed later by 10 or so great friends, what a moment. And Lucky Luke caught it all on film. Me coming in & shouting “You Fuc*ers!!” and trying desperately to believe it was true, and i DIDN’T have to grin inanely for 3 hours. The bliss.

Got home late and wrecked, ready for departure…

Posted by KT on the 27th June, 2005
9th June, 2005

Thursday, June 9th

WOOHOOHOOO!! Biker virgin no more. Up the Champs Elysees like a frickin rocket, and a regular visitor to 200kmph on the motorway to the airport. I like it. I like it alot. Grinning like a bloody maniac i was. My driver says, “we av’ to go fast oui?” and i say, “Oui. Tres vite. J’aime bien.” Woof, he was off. Unfortuntely, Sb my manager had no warning of our impending velocity so was a little shocked, but grinning madly also.

In Norway, sun is shining, and whilst i try and do phone interviews and recorded radio shows outside, men will insist on drilling. Must be weather related impulse.

Might swap the bus for 12 Harleys. x

Posted by KT on the 9th June, 2005
7th June, 2005

Wednesday, 8th June, 20 hours after i got up...

Bon soir mes amis!
Arrived in Paris this morning after a 5am start in Madrid(ouch) and just finished a late night radio show. It was all good today, but I was so buggered in Madrid last night, i got that thing kids get when they’re over-tired and become insanely angry and want to bawl. DEFinitely bedtime…

Wanna know where I’ve been this week?! Here goes…Amsterdam, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Milan, back to Frankfurt, Baden Baden, Munich, back to Milan again, Genoa, Turin, Madrid, now in Paris, and off to Oslo tomorrow night. And then off to blessed Scotland and my beloved Isle of Skye for a week of bed & eggs.

But check DIS!! It did make me laugh when i heard this plan…I have a live radio show tomorrow night that finishes a half hour before i need to be at Charles de Gaulle airport to catch the last flight to Norway. However, traffic is so bad at that time that my gear is going in a car an hour earlier, i’ll play the session on a rented guitar, and me, my manager sb, and wee bastard are getting 3 MOTORBIKES TO THE AIRPORT!!! Surely this warrants the purchase of some leather trousers and outrageously large shades? It also surely marks wee bastard’s finest hour – his own private wheels!

I shall keep you informed of proceedings. Wish me luck, that’s a 10/4 good buddies. x

Posted by KT on the 7th June, 2005

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