I’ve had a bit of a dilemma recently. China Crisis are doing a show in Auckland this Saturday and I want to see them – but my usual live music companions are in the “No!” and the “Hell, No!” camp.
So I am going back to my teenage years and going by myself – hanging out quietly at the back, by the bar, with a can of Red Stripe. Except…the (very reasonable) ticket price includes a “VIP Meet and Greet” with the lads themselves. I have no idea what this entails. All I know is you have to get there an hour or so earlier than when the doors open.
I could forget all about that and turn up just as they come on as per my teenage MO but I am intrigued enough to want to meet them.
I have heard that these packages can vary a great deal. I’d be OK with a handshake and a few words but what if I get to hang out with them for an extended period of time? I’m not sure what I have in my locker other than “I like that song you did…”. What would you say to China Crisis?
I guess you could always ask if they’ve seen anything of Auckland before, and recommend some restaurants etc… š
I have very vague memories of China Crisis, and that video didn’t spark any more, so I certainly wouldn’t have any questions for them (except for “So, who were you again?”)
I don’t think they were very big in Sweden.
I think this is their most well-known one:
(Black Man Ray)
No point in asking about what their lyrics mean. Most of the time, they seem random words that fit.
Saw them here on Sunday night (a friend had a spare ticket). I admit I only know the hits, but they were very good; Gary Daly has a great line in between-song patter…you’ll enjoy it!
Ask them if they enjoyed swimming with dolphins, Gary did sound like he was looking forward to it.
OK I will ask about the dolphins. If I get blank looks, I will be very cross.
Iām officially jealous. Theyāre playing Manchester next year but itās the Saturday right in the middle of Easter so Iām not allowed to go.
As @sniffity says, they are funny live, in a good way. I remember a lot of scorn being poured on Richard Branson, I think because of problems with their Virgin contract.
Their last record, Autumn in the Neighbourhood, is excellent.
As a veteran of meeting semi-famous people with my semi-famous tall chum, my only advice is “keep calm and be yourself”. If you’re fawning, or sweaty, or hopping from one foot to another, or gabbling nonsense, they will back away.
I find “Would you like a cup of tea?” is a good start, but then I’m usually either making one or drinking one.
In my late 20s, I found myself backstage zipping the semi-famous singer of a semi-famous band into a sparkly dress before showtime and thinking “I didn’t imagine this when I was watching you on ToTP ten years ago”. I just about managed to keep my composure.
I do so vividly remember seeing Wishful thinking on TV AM in their 7.55 video spot. Wincey Willis didn’t think much to it but frankly she can bollocks.
I used to linger before school just to watch the video Wincey had on.
I didn’t think they were the Willister’s videos as such, she just happened to come on after them and usually had something to say about them. (She didn’t like “Paisley Park” either…tchuh)
Unless you’re talking about something very different.
Yes, Iām sure record execs across the nation fretted over whether their latest offering would pass the Wincey test. From what I recall, she was a bit of a lip-curler to anything interesting, indie or metal. She was probably put there by Thatcher.
In the mid-80s absolutely everyone on British television seemed to be or actually was an absolutely hardcore Thatcherite – Kenny Everett, Cilla Black, Jimmy Tarbuck, Ted Rodgers, Bruce Forsyth, in fact almost everyone on ITV and BBC1. Even Inspector Gadget was probably true blue – come to think of it, I’ve never seen him in the same room as Michael Howard.
Wellā¦I have met them! Lovely chaps and very down to earth. I also interviewed Eddie Lundon, so this might helpā¦
Forgot to mention, but covered in the interviewā¦there is a big Walter Becker link and they love Steely Danā¦!
Yes indeed! This was my only useful contribution to the thread, but Nige pipped me to the postā¦
Wow! Thanks for that – I will give it a listen before Saturday.
I’d want to know about Walter’s sick humour. Did he play tricks on them or give them weird instructions? That’s your territory isn’t it, BC?
Totally up my alley, so to speak.
Blimey!
Really enjoyed that interview Nigel. My daughter will be impressed about the Dua Lipa connection – she saw her at the venue next door to where CC are playing tonight a few weeks ago.
Iāll report back on how the Meet and Greet goes later.
Gary Daly has a solo album called āGone From Hereā which is really good. I bought it via musicglue and he must have posted it himself as it came with a postcard of one of his paintings with a handwritten message on the back thanking me personally for buying it.
Paging @lennylaw.
Saw China Crisis in a very small local venue about a year ago and they were great, musically of course, but also having a nice line in self-deprecation. They seemed to enjoy the gig so much that they said they’d be back, and hey presto, they announced a return.
Artists in my experience often hate being asked to give any analysis of their work, so asking what they meant in verse three of Working With Fire and Steel probably isn’t a great plan.
Saw them before covid in a lovely barn in Bishops Cleeve and they were really good . African & White still makes my all time top ten . Ask them if there coming back to Gloucestershire š
As an organiser of a few rendezvous at the merch stand, if you’ve bought something or have a VIP meet and greet then take a polaroid camera if you know anyone with one. Take a selfie with the band, then unlike your phone snap they can sign the photo with the sharpie that you also took with you. Top framed souvenir.
I think my daughter has one of those. I will check that out. I was thinking of bringing my vinlys and getting signatures on them.
A great band.
If they come to Oxford I’ll be there.
Thinking about possible tribute band names:
Kinda Crisis
Chinear Crisis
Chin Crisis is surely the winner of “ruin a band name by removing a letter”.
Didn’t Walter Becker think they were called Vagina Crisis?
Chimera Crisis
Chinese Five Crisis?
Working With Fire and Steal?
Crisis what Crisis?
“Sooooo…which one’s Crisis?’
I’m very jealous. China Crisis sit firmly in my fey 80s synth pop duo sweetshop. There’s a guitar solo in You Did Cut Me that would fit very nicely into the current thread. Itās wonderful and just right. Those first 3 albums are just about perfect. Enjoy š
I have seen live footage of You Did Cut Me where they demonstrate the effect of Beckerās āmagic dustā over the intro. Itās a cracking song, one of their very best.
Little known* fact: The Julia McKenzie/Anton Rodgers ITV sitcom was actually named after Jean Walks in Fresh Fields
*because I just made it up
Well, as everyone has already said – Garry and Eddie were the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet. I mentioned the Afterword. Eddie remembered your interview @NigelT and passed on his regards.
About 30 of us had the Meet & Greet package. The way it worked was that we were all given a high table to sit at with bar stools – as the gig was standing only, this was a blessing as the night went on. Presently, they arrived and perched themselves at a table at the front. We were all given a few minutes with them and I got a lovely personally signed gig poster (which I might put in a frame).
I forgot to ask about dolphins but we chatted about Liverpool and being from big families (we lived there when I was very wee). I congratulated them on their latest LP Autumn in the Neighbourhood. They said they were very pleased with it. I am quite a bit taller than them so we had a bit of a laugh about that when the photos were taken.
My only misstep was shaking hands with Eddie and then shaking hands with Garry and also calling him Eddie. I corrected myself quickly but I think the overall good vibes compensated.
Iāll do a Nights Out piece about the gig itself.
Aw, thatās great, thanks! Eddie was very kind when I met him at the gig following the interview.
Great band on record and live. Seen them twice in a very modest pub in St Albans and both times they were excellent with very funny, very sweary stage patter. I thought the Autumn in my Neighbourhood album was far better than I expected and was in my AOTY list for whatever year it came out.