Someone stood beside me for a moment in the rain
A silhouette, a cigarette, and a gesture of disdain
I felt a dark door open
Saw a sudden ghost come through
A spark leapt from a fingertip and I knew it must be you
Ain't you The Man Who Dies Every Day
Ain't you The Man Who Dies Every Day
Yes you're the man…

You always kept a sunset behind your lonely shoulder
You never showed on photographs and you never grew much older
You flicker like a shaky shadow
Move in like a thief
You never drop your facade and you never seek relief
Cos you're The Man Who Dies Every Day
Ain't you The Man Who Dies Every Day
Ain't you The Man Who Dies Every Day
Ain't you The Man Who Dies Every Day
Yes you're the man…

The opening track from every night on the US Tour in 1979. The song usually lasts between 5'30" and 6'00" depending on the length of the introduction.
According to his custom, Foxx introduces the set with "Hello [venue]. This is The Man Who Dies Every Day".
The version recorded in Philadelphia is the best sound quality by a long way, althought he drumming in particular and overall performance is better in Hollywood.
Except that its NOT Hollywood! I have listened tonight over and over, and I am convinced that Foxx shouts "Hello L.A." at the beginning. In which case this is a new date that we don't know about and the Hollywood idea could be wrong. But then is the date right? March 15th?
Need to look into this, but in the mean time inform those that need to know.
On every recording except Philadelphia, there are distinct backing vocals on the chorus and each third line from (presumably) Chris Cross? The lyric is consistent with each performance. I think it is one of John's best, and especially the second verse. The lines scan perfectly and the disdainful attitude of The Man is summed up in the third line. He is world weary (an example of many references to maps throughout John's work), distant and somewhat evasive. Hard to define and with a presence that goes beyond his physical being so far as to be almost entirely separate from it. The poetry is both intensely personal, at the same time detached and aloof.
The band go from this straight into Slip Away from the first album.
The bootleg from Buffalo NY plays too slow and Detroit, though better bass in particular, is quite hissy.

Wednesday's are always a challenge with the early start and late finish - you'd think I would have learned by now that nursing hangover on aWednesday is really quite silly.
It doesn't happen often anymore (I have learned something!) but last night I went out with Ian to see a band and quite forgot to take the necessary precautions - in my case, a glass of milk and a banana before I go on the beers.
Felt rubbish this morning and have not been on the best of form today. Serves me right I suppose. What didn't help was going online when I got in at midnight after walking home from town and then chatting for over an hour.
The band were very good, but so far removed from anything else I listen to that I had decided I was going to be bored before the night even started. I just don't do 'wrock' music - and the Psychics do that very well. They are basically a tribute to Gillan, van Halen and Hendrix. Loud. very very louder. Pretty much a one man band tho. Mark Lawrence plays lead guitar superbly and writes their own material (which actually comes across as their best stuff), his identical twin brother Steve sings (badly) and Ian's friend Ian plays bass. They have a professional drummer to who really knows his sticks. But Mark is a brilliant guitar soloist and I watched enthralled at his amazing technique and sound range. He has been there, done that and toured professionally with both Gillan and Van Halen at the height of his career, selling 200,000 albums across the world. Right now tho, he's happy to play in pubs to fifty people and earns his money writing material for others. Including (apparently) some of the material on Ozzy's latest album...
Watching them tho just proved to me how much I love the whole live music experience, even when the music is Miles Away from my usual taste.

Early Christmas present today from the Inland Revenue in the form of a £300 rebate on my National Insurance.

Invitations to quote for mapping in West Berks and the Isle of Wight from Hidden Britain. At this rate, we will have already tendered for 2006's cartography budget before the end of the year!!

And yesterday I was asked (via Rob) to look into a tracklisting for a definitive Ultravox gig from the 1979 US Tour. There are seven boots on the circuit I think, and it seems I am the only person In The World (??) who has at least six of them. They are varyng degrees of sound quality, but what an honour to be asked to put somethng together. I just have to listen to them all and decide the best version of each song and an indicative track listing. Philadelphia is the best sound quality, but Hollywood has more passion and more songs. Boston offers better versions of The Man Who Dies Everyday for instance, while Detroit is the only recorded version of Radio Beach. So should that be included? Its rare so yes, but its not "typical" so no...

Uh oh. Seems there is a 'tummy bug' going round the school. Both Trx and Elsi have picked up something, so no doubt that will (literally!) run through the family over the next week or two.