Day 12
Universal Ampitheatre, Los Angeles, March 12 2005
OK, thank you, settle down now. Is everyone here? Good. I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Ben Hales, Mr; I am a 31 year old English musician with poor eyesight. I work with my brother Matthew who performs under the name of "Aqualung". We have come to the United States to perform various promotional activities in support of an album entitled "Strange and Beautiful" which is to be released on Slightly Bigger records via Red Ink via Columbia Records (part of the SonyBMG behemoth) on 22 March 2005.
This record consists of songs taken from Aqualung's previous two albums "Aqualung" and "Still Life" that were released in the UK in September 2002 and October 2003 respectively. These records have been available in varied territories with varying success, but due to a decision not to include North America in the original UK deal, no Aqualung product (aside from the recent "Still Life 1" EP now available at iTunes) has been issued in the US.
Ironically, despite negotiations with numerous American labels since 2002, it is only now that Aqualung has been dropped by its earstwhile UK label, Warners (the act having been 'sold' to Warners by its subsidary B-Unique Records to whom it was orginally signed, prior to the release of "Still Life") that the US deal has been signed. This means that Aqualung is effectively a new American artist.
So hello America. We're very pleased to meet you. Does anyone have any questions? Ah yes, you, California... That's a very good question. I believe he brings me along because he doesn't know any other guitarists. That's fine by me. I feel I have a stake in the whole thing with very little of the responsibility. No, Maryland, I don't feel it demeans me. I feel that I can express myself through my solos. And besides, in England I am locked into a rigid class system that means I must only aspire to high culture and social work. Here in America I feel that even I, a humble immigrant from the Old World, can follow my dream. Well, Georgia, my dream is much the same as everyone else's; to be left alone in a bath of money.
Tonight we're playing a benefit for the excellent KCRW radio station. The sandwiches they have backstage are beyond compare.
Oh, and I met Alison.
