god bless days off X2. funny stuff.

After last night’s somewhat botched attempt at meeting the locals, today proved entirely more fulfilling. I woke up gladly around 1pm, slightly hung-over but entirely well rested, and began my day. I walked towards Manchester Metropolitan University, taking pictures and I-podding it as I went, looking of course like a total sore thumb. I don’t mind looking foreign, especially because they seem to love yanks here in Manchester. I didn’t really expect that to be the case, but every person I asked regarding fun bars or interesting places to visit was entirely friendly and non-anti-American. I spent a little bit of time in the Manchester University Museum, which had an exhibit on the T-Rex, my favorite of the dinosaur family. Also at the museum was an exhibit entitled “Wild Britain,” featuring the not-so-exotic wildlife of the UK. It was made up of mostly birds and weird regular animals with funny names, but nothing really special. I left around 4 to make phone calls back to the states, waking my parents in LA to discuss the recent happenings in Glasgow and Manchester.

On my way back to the hotel, I stopped in at a bar called The Thirsty Scholar. I chose this place because there is a bar in NY on either 1st or 2nd avenue with the same name. As soon as I approached the bar to order to a pint, a cue ball-headed man named Joshua struck up a conversation. He began by saying, “you look good, man. How are you?” He didn’t seem homosexual to me, so I was in no way suspicious of his motives. He did, however, seem to be noticeably intoxicated. Now, I’ve heard a lot about the tendency towards day-time drunkenness around these parts, but until today hadn’t had a chance to confirm this rumor. Also, this interaction would prove to be my first actual conversation with a member of the Manchester community. My conversation progressed with this friendly, bald, drunken man, whose name I soon found to out to be Joshua. Fully, it’s Joshua Ben Joseph (upon rendering that info, his comment was “yeah I’m a big Jew…”). During the course of his ramblings, I found out that he is a musician/poet, a tarot-card reader by trade, and altogether a totally paranoid and partially psychotic human being. Four or five times he would begin sentences with, “I wouldn’t say this if I were sober, but I’m PISSED….so…..” and then finish them. He was a combination of totally confident in his place in the world and totally paranoid about it. In terms of his art, his conceit is to set the works of famous British poets to music in singer/songwriter form. He invited me to the third anniversary of the “Green Bohemia” evening tonight at a bar/venue right around the corner entitled the Green Room, and I gave him my solemn word that I would be there. Joshua needed someone to vent to today, and I was happy to be there for it. He kept on interrupting me when I would attempt to respond to his ramblings, only to then apologize, rubbing his bald head and closing his eyes, cursing his drunken imposition. He apologized at times for being too loud –which he was not- and for talking too much, and for spilling his guts out to a total stranger. He also repeated himself a lot - a trait true to a true drunk. He shook my hand four times, introducing himself and asking me my own name each time. I doubt he’ll remember it upon reuniting this evening. He also confessed to having a bit of a drinking problem, which I found both innocuous and somewhat tragic…as well as obvious. After last night’s scientific silence and observation, I was happy to meet a Mancunian (as they call themselves here) with a penance for conversation. Another thing he repeated was that many people meet him and ask him if he’s a “puff,” which is English for gay. His response to this subject: “But I’m not a puff. I may look like one, and I may dress like a puff, but I’m not a puff. I have a girlfriend! I love women!” He bought me my second round, a Maker’s Mark neat, and introduced me to a fellow musician friend of his named Kevin Fox. Kevin, upon shaking my hand, reached over and fixed my tie, bashfully muttering, “I’m sorry, I just had to…” He, too, proved to be a musician of the singer/songwriter type, and promptly gave me his promo CD. Both Kevin (Kev), and Joshua, are extremely talented. I implore you to peep their myspace profiles: myspace.com/joshuabenjoseph , myspace.com/kevfox . I sat and chatted with these two jolly lads for a good hour, taking some pics, drinking some pints, and generally having a good time. It’s now 9:19 here in Manchester, and I will soon be joining up with this merry crew again for a “proper” Manchester night. Hopefully my first impression of this city will be rectified. Tomorrow will mark the arrival of Brian, MBD’s drummer for these next two tours, and I am very excited for this. We will also again have a show tomorrow, and I greatly look forward to it. More information to come.