the band. #1 Crush‘ sounds pretty good. for never having performed an unplugged version before . . .

9.3589} We get back in the van and head out to Long Island where we are doing a radio interview and meet ‘n‘ greet. On the way there we sign one hundred and fifty posters to be given away. which is kinda hard to do in a bumpy van.

‘8. 8 {'t We pile out

of the van and head into a Sam Ash music store. Lots of people everywhere. As we attempt the interview, we have to suffer heavy metal guitar rifts being played at stun volume in the background but all goes well. 9559.9 Back at the hotel . . . head off in

search of coffee and a sandwich.

Pick up lunch and head back to the hotel. l3SPt'} Sign on and check my e-mail . . . call management to discuss our press schedule for the next several weeks.

E‘PF} Head downstairs to meet our publicist and two journalists from Spin magazine as Shirley and l are doing a ‘commentary‘ on the ‘alternative rock hits’ of I998. As we don’t really listen to the radio, we don’t recognise most of the songs. Best moment is when Shirley screams ‘Take it off! Take it off !’ after hearing two seconds of the Bare Naked Ladies.

3559.": We get into the van and

head off to Roseland for tonight’s show which Harald, our tour manager, tells us is sold out.

H.885”: We’re escorted through a gauntlet of fans and we head into the venue. Soundcheck goes smoothly . . . we play a metal polka version of ‘Push It’ and a Black Sabbath cover.

859?: Duke, Steve and I decide it‘s time for a cocktail so we mix ’em up.

1.Pt'} Harald gathers us up and we head off to the official meet ’n’ greet which is about 60 people tonight. We sign photos and posters and have our pictures taken with fans. contest winners, and radio and record company employees.

8.59:? Girls Against Boys have taken the stage and we have 45 minutes to get ready for the show. We mix another batch of cocktails, pump up The Prodigy to stun volume on the boombox and start stretching exercises. 8559?: Brian, our monitor mixer, enters the dressing room, signalling us to start fixing our ear monitors.

9.35M: We head to the stage and blast off. The crowd is great tonight. noisy and very energised. Ninety minutes later, it‘s all over and we pump up Frank Sinatra in the dressing room. It was a great show, our best ever in New York and now it‘s time to blow off some steam. Ijump in the shower and we get ready to leave.

il.lSP:‘t There are several hundred fans near our bus but security whisks Shirley into a van and she races off. We normally stick around and sign autographs for all the fans, but tonight we have a big posse of friends meeting us at Bar 9 for a party, and security

Best moment is when Shirley screams 'Take it off! Take it off!’ after hearing‘two seconds of the Bare Naked Ladies. Butch Vig

GARBAGE

TI|.|. RIKLYN

recommends we bypass any aftershow signings. l sneak out a side door with my friend Amy and start running down the street but not before a bunch of fans give chase and I end tip signing autographs for about fifty folk.

Day 3

lE’USRf': The party. Order a BLT and mashed potatoes.

l358fi Hop in a cab and head uptown for some schluff . . . I need to sleep for a few hours. l'm exhausted and relieved the blitz is over. Bar 9 is still absolutely jammed. mostly with people I don‘t know. I squeeze into a booth with some journalists and Alexis. the drummer from Girls Against Boys. We order Martinis and the gossip starts to flow.

31.38:“. A small group decide to head to another part of Sol-lo. so we pile into cabs and head down town. The cabs drop us off at a new ‘hot spot‘ and. even though there‘s a huge line of people trying to get in. Amy talks to the doorman who lets us slide in a side door. It‘s packed with beautiful people with heavy techno pumping through the speakers. The owner comes tip and escorts us to a private table where we order more cocktails. 5388:“. I‘ve had enough so Amy and l wander a few blocks and head into a diner for some break fast.

8.359.”: Back to The Bowl. where I hope to catch three or four hours sleep before we head off to Asbury Park for another show. I‘m exhausted. The entire stay in New York has been a whirlwind but. finally our NYC trance has been enhanced.

Garbage play the SECC, Sat 23 Jan

21 Jan-4 Feb 1999 THE llST 19