Mick Marson and Don in Bilston 

Going back to Birmingham

Returned from my trip to England. I spent a bit of time with mates in Birmingham and also some in Wolverhampton where I met up with Don.  He introduced me to a lot of his old friends and colleagues, among them Johnny Howells and Mick Marson, which was really great.

Birmingham by night 

Going back to Birmingham

It’s now settled. I’m going to Birmingham to see a specialist. He can’t cure my back disease, nobody can, but hopefully he’ll be able to help with some pain treatment. I’ll be leaving on Sunday and although the trip will be hard on me, I hope something good will come out of it in the end.

Don with Rocky 

Visiting Silkeborg again

Tuesday I went to Silkeborg on a crisp October-morning and Don picked me up at the station. We then went to the house where I was introduced to Rocky, Don’s 10 weeks old Golden Retriever-puppy. It was just so cute! We went to have lunch in town (excellent buffet, by the way) and then back home to do a short Slade box interview and some pics. After that we worked a bit on Bibble and just chatted and as the day progressed, more and more family-members got home from school and work. We all had a lovely dinner together (thanks, Hanne!) and in the evening Don and Hanne drove me to the station. As usual a superb day in superb company.

Don, 60 years old! 

Don’s birthday

Sunday I went over to Hanne and Don to help out Hanne with a surprise-party for Don’s birthday. He turned 60 Sunday. We had such a nice time preparing the party and the party itself was wonderful. Don had no idea and was very surprised to get home from the Czech Republic to find his house filled with guests, a rock band and lots of food and cake! We all had a great time. I stayed over for the night and slept like a log for the first time in months! I had to be helped out of bed the next morning, though, as I couldn’t get up on my own because of my back. Don then drove me to the station, so I could be home in time for Tea getting back from school. Thanks for a wonderful time, guys!

At the new house. It's beautiful! Don't muscle in on me, Don! We know you have good biceps (or whatever those muscle-things are called!). 

It’s a pleasure!

Tuesday I went over to Don and Hanne, and it was so much fun. As usual we had a bit of work to do, going through the e-mails that people send me about Don and doing a promo interview re the re-issuing of Slade’s back catalogue. But as usual it was so much fun, the work we did was good, wonderful photos as well, good, deep talks and we ended up watching Reeves & Mortimer! It’s always a pleasure being with you guys. Work or pleasure, it’s always a pleasure! Thanks for caring!

Florasaurus 

Blue cows 

A guillotine! 

Flower woman 

Ferriswheel 

Flower festival

Last weekend was the yearly floral festival here in Odense. The displays this year weren’t as impressive as usual, but still there was a few really nice sculptures and arrangements

Me, Don and Tea in Holstebro (c) John Andresen, a-star-is-born.dk 

Slade-gig in Holstebro

Saturday Slade played a fantastic concert at an open-air festival in Danish town Holstebro. It was really awesome although almost everything that could go wrong, went wrong. The train to Holstebro was 1½ hours late, it was pouring down with rain, and the boys had lost their luggage in Germany! Well, helpful people and inventive ideas made the experience unforgetable, and the concert turned out to become one of the best that the guys have ever done in the present line-up. It was great seeing Hanne and Don again, as well as the rest of the guys and all the friends and fans who had turned up despite the rain. Thanks for a wonderful time!

Hanne, me and Don and a perfect summer evening 

Don and Tea watering the garden 

Holidays

Sunday Tea and I were off on a mini-vacation to Don and Hanne in Silkeborg. Tea had a blast swimming in the nearby lake, playing LOUD on the piano and helping Don watering the garden. And I totally enjoyed the warm summerdays in Don and Hanne's new, beautiful home, the trips we made to the lake and to town, and just sitting there in the garden in the light summernights, chatting. Don and Hanne are always excellent company and it did my back good to have those days off and just be pampered!

Hanne, Don and a sandwich!! 

Slade and a bad back

Saturday I was going to the Slade-concert in Danish town Mørkøv. I met up with Don and Hanne and some Danish friends at the hotel in Holbæk and we had a lovely time together. Unfortunately my back is killing me at the moment. I slipped a disc when giving birth to Tea seven years ago, and by now it is almost impossible for me to live a normal life because of the pain. I'm not allowed to sit down for very long, I'm not allowed to carry anything or even to bend down, so it makes life a bit difficult. Wednesday I then learned that I'll probably have to have an operation in the back. But despite the pain it was really nice to get out, to chat with Don and Hanne and the rest and to attend yet another fine concert.

Hanne and Don during sound check in Nordborg 

Slade posing for the press

Another Slade-gig in Denmark

Slade did another gig in Denmark, this time at The Nord-Als Festival on June 10. The festival was beautifully situated at Nordborg Castle and Slade played the Park Stage with a wonderful view over a lake.
But it was sooo hectic! The guys had played in Holland the night before and they didn't have any sleep before going on stage in Denmark. They were delayed upon arrival, so the concert also had to be delayed. The concert itself was hilarious and a huge success. Not until after it was over did Don have the time to say hello to me. I then went to the castle with Hanne, Don and the rest of the band where we had a bit to eat, before they guys went home to sleep. Hectic but nice.

Me and Don backstage (c) Per Christensen 

The mighty Don! 

Slade in Denmark

Thursday Slade played the Sølund Festival here in Denmark. It's a festival for mentally handicapped people, the biggest one in Denmark, so they had an audience of 16,000! It was such a nice day and a great experience. My daughter Tea and I had a lot of fun and such a pleasant day hanging out with the band and with Hanne and Don in particular. Thanks as always, guys!

Tea, second to the right, looking into the camera

Me and cameraman Magnus

Shooting in the rain

I've just returned from Copenhagen where I did some shooting for a documentary based on my book about Peter Pan. I really enjoyed doing it. It was such a pleasant atmosphere, the surroundings were great and the guys on the production were just so nice to work with. Although we were doing the shootings indoors we still had to stop from time to time due to the weather. Sometimes it actually rained so much that you could hear it through the mikes! Well, I think it turned out okay in the end, anyway.

Birthday greetings

Violin take 1 

Violin take 2 

Violin anniversary coming up

It's almost a year since I ordered my new violin from Scotland, the violin that was the direct cause of me starting this blog, which was the first of so far five. The latest addition being my blog with interviews with Don. Because if this "anniversary" I found it suitable that my boyfriend took some pics of me actually practising the instrument.
My boyfriend was over from England last Thursday and stayed for four days during which he took a string of pics, some on hot days, some on cooler. Afterwards I asked him to pick his favourite for the blog. Being a typical double-minded Gemini he of course picked two. So here you have them.

Tea and Don in Aarslev

Tea's 4 drawings of Slade