Cheers for the info Al. She was one sexy minx and I can see what PH saw in her. They were always together when he was not on stage. I did chat with her briefly at one of the clubs after the Dallas gig.
The build up to the show started around 4 days earlier when I met up with a guy called Rob O'Neill who was (is?) one of the top DJ's in Houston backstage at the show at Astroworld.
I was invited back for an after show party and ended up staying a week! A majority of his friends were on the zany/crazy side of the fence so I fitted in perfectly in those days although once the party ended I put myself in a rather embarrassing position.
While I was at the party I noticed this right fit looking bird and I was flirting ridiculously with her and I was delighted when Rob informed me that she would also be staying the night as she had drank too much and was not in a fit state to drive home.
She of course got the floor and I got the settee (A gentleman to end here!) and we once the lights were out we started what I believed was the 'build up' to a prime sweating session.
After around 15 minutes I heard what I believed was the standard 'come on' but I could not have been more wrong. When she stated that she was 'chilly' on the floor I did the decent thing and suggested that I could join her and warm her up. There was a moment’s silence before she responded.
"I would be no good to you. I'm a lesbian".
Talk about a conversation stopper!
Tiredness immediately set in of course and I was quickly pretending to be asleep.
Over the next few days I was introduced to a number of Robs friends and I actually had TRUE FAITH dedicated to me live on his show. I did have the occasion recorded but like so much of my stuff seems to have gone missing. Bugger.
On the day of the Dallas show I was informed that Toni (Robs house mate) and a girl (Karen, although she liked to be known as Kay-Ren) would be driving down to the show but before we left Rob decided on a Barbe and festivities began once again and it was certainly the first time I had seem people sniffing lines of cokes as they were scoffing chicken wings!
By the time I managed to focus on the hands of my watch time was getting on so I told Toni that we really should hit the road.
We really had to give it some to arrive at the gig on time so Karen put her foot down and we were all anxious not to get caught by the Texas traffic cops. We were right to be concerned because just as we hit the 50-mile boundary of our destination I can remember being blinded by flashing lights reflecting off the rear view mirror and yes it was the police.
I was not too sure about the others but I was not in a fit state but what I can remember is what happened when he first bent over and looked through the open window of the car. I was giggling like a school kid and when he enquired about how I was Karen simply replied "Oh, he's English", as if it explained EVERYTHING. Whatever it did it did the trick and after a firm talking to Karen got us back on our way and back on track to the gig.
The venue was not hard to find, as it was smack right in the middle of an Amusement Park similar to the others to band played such as Atlanta (with Jon Scott who was obviously impressed with speaking with me for the first time 14 years later as I have not heard from him since)....and indeed Houston.
We arrived about half way through the first track although the actual gig itself was much a blur (not that the powder mad any difference, try watching NO almost every night for two months with a similar track listing) but the aftershow entertainment would prove to be a great deal more spectacular.
After the gig we were told to head downtown to a bar/club where the usual 'meet and greet' stuff would be taking place. Rob Gretton was in his usual top class form as he invited my friends and I into the VIP area.
It was not the largest room in the world but it was really rather smart with a FREE bar in one corner and comfy seating areas together with television screens all the way around it. The 'Round & Round' video was playing as we entered and it did not take too long before we were on Melon balls again and boy do those things mix well will illegal substances.
The evening was enhanced further as I started chatting with the local dealer who just happened to be handing out anything they wanted to everyone who wanted it obviously on the instructions of the owner and/or promoter.
Disco Biscuits were the order for the evening and before you knew it I was on cloud 67 and most certainly in that 'loved up' frame of mind.
'Time to mingle me thinks' I said to myself, but boy was the first person I spoke with a tester as to how effective the pills were. Terry Mason, like a 20 stone Paul Calf with a quarter of the brains. The bane of any long term NO fan that could not get into a sold out gig but what I believed used to piss him off the most was that he was basically Rob Grettons monkey.
You could beg Terry for hours for him to get you in with no luck but just one request from the magnificent Rob would get you what you wanted, and whom would he get to stick you on the guest list? Kind of rubbed the salt in every time. Shame that.
Anyway, I thought after several years this would be an appropriate moment to put all that stuff under the bridge but he was having none of it. Bear in mind that I was probably 2 stone lighter then and more than likely drooling as a consequence of the earlier endeavours.
"Just keep out of my face" (Every time I get to see Coronation Street and I see Les Battersby I think of that moment!) 
Just after he went the other direction with his teeth griding Barney popped out from nowhere and told me not to worry about him as he was always grumpy because he never got his leg over! Sumner also asked me to write down my name again on a piece of paper and he would ensure that I was on every guest list (This was prior to Rob and Andy landing me the Laminate Access All Areas which Terry was obviously delighted to see and I was to play my trump card on the plonker on the very last date in New York!)
I then found myself in deep conversation with Barney and just as we sat down the local radio station shoved a microphone in his face and asked him to say "Hi. This is Bernard Sumner from New Order, and you are listening to.…”
Of course he kept ballsing it up much to the delight and amusement of Hooky who was sitting the other side of Barney.
The evening then moved onto a warehouse club, which was owned by the same guy Paul who owned the previous venue. (It was apparently used for the opening sequence of the original Robocop when the got his arm ripped off)
I was well up for a wiggle and I danced until the dark turned to light and I can remember chatting with the Shan (drummer roadie, ex-Stockholm Monsters and who has gone to greater things) and from what I can remember he was pretty much out of it also.
Another interesting episode of the evening was when the DJ stopped the proceedings to ask someone to stop whistling while the music was playing. Can any of you guess who is was? Yes, it was Barney! He took it like a man though and went back to dancing badly, but NEVER as bad as Steve Morris!
Time for us to depart and by the time we were sitting in the car drinking bottled beer making our way to Waco to see Tonis family it was getting on for 6.30AM and what I needed was a good rest after all the recent activity. Thankfully what laid ahead was top draw stuff as after breakfast at his Mothers we made the short journey to his brothers who had a nice sized house and huge swimming pool.
"We'll hang here for the day Dave and get back on the road early evening." Lovely.
After a more than refreshing swim I snuggled into one of the comfortable sunning beds by the side of the pool and slept like a baby all day.
By the time I woke I was in the need for some serious grub so I was obviously delighted when Toni announced that his sister in law had prepared a delicious buffet meal for us all.
I had never heard of Waco before that visit. Later it was to be infamous thanks to David Koresh.
It was a slower less intense drive back to Houston but we headed straight into yet another crazy night with the gang before the flight for the next show in Arizona. You already have the lowdown on the party antics after the Phoenix show!
DM
