Nottingham, 24th October 2012.

Nottingham had the worst support act I think I’ve ever seen in my life. I don’t even know what they were called but holy shit they were painfully bad. Their lead singer thought he was the best thing since sliced bread and was thrusting his leather-trousered crotch in the faces of everyone on the front row. I’d lost my voice at this point of the tour, as I had a horrific cold and was getting minimal sleep in between gigs, and I remember going up to Pill and trying to mime something about the support being awful and that the stage was the wrong height for me and the singer wouldn’t leave me alone, and his response was “Just shove him in the face”. I then explained that it wasn’t actually his face that was the problem, and Pill absolutely pissed himself laughing, because he’s a lovely human.

HOWEVER Nottingham was also the second time I saw Sondura, which was a huge bonus. I had my photo taken with Tom this night because the difference between us height-wise is still one of my favourite things in the world.

I suppose it’s a bit early to mention this but I can’t think how else to approach it so here we go. It was through Sondura that I met Stevie D. I went to see Sondura a couple of times at their own gigs because I loved them so much, and I think after a while all of them knew me by sight if not by name. After they fell off the grid I continued to see Tom and Steve around the place at various gigs/festivals and we always used to speak to each other. I don’t think either of them really knew how they knew me until they started associating me with FVK and I think I formally introduced myself to Steve at a LostAlone show in about 2014. As I’m sure many of you are aware, Stevie D became the lads’ tour manager in their last 12/18 months as a band and I swear to God it was an honour to get to know the man better. He passed away in March and I miss him so much. I think about him at least once a damn day, as thanks to the placement of my tribute tattoo I can’t go for a pee without wanting to sing the Sondura song “Live Before You Die”. (Stevie used to drink Strongbow, hence the arrow, and Live Before You Die was always my favourite Sondura song. Jack once dedicated that song to “the Fearless Vampire Killers girls” at a gig at Scruffy Murphy’s, and that’s the only time I’ve ever had a song dedicated to me haha.)

Anyway. Back to what I’m actually here to talk about.

Louise, Annabel and I got emotional in Nottingham because it was our last proper date together on the tour, as Becky and I were doing Wrexham on the 30^th but they weren’t, and Koko, which was the last night, didn’t have The Dead Lay Waiting there. We were all in tears, I remember Maz giving me a tissue, and as the guys were loading out, Beveridge saw me stood on my own (Louise and Annabel were saying bye to The Dead Lay Waiting) and came over and gave me a huge hug and asked why I was crying. I told him that it was our last proper night together on Killing is Dead and he looked down at me and said “You’re coming to Wrexham though, right?” and I nodded.

It wasn’t until afterwards I even realised that I hadn’t told him at any point that I was going to Wrexham. 

I don’t know how he knew. I think he’s magic.

Until next time, 

Meg Mercury xoxo