20th October 2025
Welcome back Team PL. Are you ready for some more of my story telling wonders, opinions and truthful tales from the road?
I must be honest I was ready for a break at the end of summer. We began touring together at the start of June and finished on August 18th. I was playing gigs, working on the road for my business and as soon as we returned home from any shows, I was back in the office so there were no breaks whatsoever. We got back from Romania and then I went to Spain for ten days for a break with the family which was ace. On reflection, after the tour, I was able to sit back and take stock of the whirlwind I had just been involved in. Certainly, something to be proud of, in fact, life felt very normal and to be back with Paradise Lost felt like a piece of the puzzle that I had been missing. I felt content, fulfilled and happy.
At the end of the summer run we discussed the upcoming European tour, and we unanimously wanted a big set shake up. We all suggested songs to take out and more importantly songs to add in so at the start of September we had sorted through, and the Ascension tour set list was born. We felt the set represented a good cross section of all PL’s long history but whatever we chose we knew not everyone would be happy.
So, my homework was set. Home rehearsal and absolute audio blinkers fixed so the new setlist would be the soundtrack of my existence for the next 6 weeks.
We got together to rehearse before the album release show at The Brudenell in Leeds. We set out two days for rehearsal and I have to say I was so nervous I made myself ill. When people learn things they do so in one of two ways which is something I learnt from coaching football. You are either a ‘see-er’ where you know what to do after watching the process, or in this case listening, or you are a ‘do-er’ where you need to physically do a task for it to sink in. So, for all my listening to the new songs and new set I needed to rehearse with the band to settle my mind. The black dog of self-doubt crept in and I was worried to death that I wouldn’t be able to play the new material. I literally could not sleep two days before meeting up with the lads, but rehearsal went well, I could breathe again and look forward to the show.
The Brudenell gig was great. This was the first show with our new engineer team. Gabe was our new front of house engineer with Gaz handling monitors. Both talented chaps and as time has shown a great addition to the team. The shows have sounded amazing on and off stage. Also Danny our guitar tech was back so all in all the touring team was tight, fresh and ready to go with Will back handling my drums. The new songs felt energetic and tight. Opening with Serpent feels like starting with a real old school metal track, I love it. Heads down and see you at the end! That song has been in my head all summer. That bloody chorus…it’s just brilliant innit!
Quote of the night from Nick, ‘I looked in that mirror over there and thought to myself who is that bald c**t…then I realised it was Jeff…then Steve…then Aaron and then me!’ Very very funny.
I went for a full health check and the results were good. All the important stuff, bloods, stomach, the dreaded Prostate all excellent. I have to watch my cholesterol and my iron was down easily fixable with supplements and some sardines! Apparently I have the metabolism of a 39 year old….and the humour of a 10 year old!
After Brudenell my headspace was completely focused on the tour. I rehearsed so much I was sick of rehearsing at home and I trained hard in the gym to get myself as fit as I could be.
I was approached by Yamaha drums to ask if I wanted to move my endorsement back over to them. I already use their excellent hardware so it seemed like a natural thing to do. Apparently their roster is full but they wanted to make an exception with me which is a pretty great statement. So my new kit arrived and it is nothing short of exceptional, it has blown me away. It has incredible power and projection which you will have heard if you have seen us live on the new tour. For those interested, it is a Oak Hybrid Custom kit in Ice Sunburst…not cherry rose…which leads me on to my relationship with colours….
It has been hilarious to see the reaction to socials about the cherry rose kit audition. It is funny….(now)…but something else has happened. I bought a new car last year, a hybrid, and it was the worst car I ever owned. I fought with the garage and, eventually, we came to an agreement for me to send the car back. Their offer was in September to let me have (and here’s the good bit) a top of the range full electric VRS Enyaq. It is amazing in every way, but…and it is a big but; it is bright green! Suits the car, maybe doesn’t suit me. If I had a pound for everyone who tells me that they won’t miss me coming I would now be a rich man and anyway, it’s not green…it’s Hyper Green!
So the tour kicked in Manchester. It was a new venue I had not played before and I was nervy. First show, new songs, lots of family and other guests. It was a tough one. We now use a perspex cage on stage to isolate the sound of the drums. It does feel weird to me and I felt a little separated from the others but I guess I will get used to it and night two did feel better.
Straight after the Manchester show I went to see all my friends and family, but then, to my horror, we had to say our goodbyes…for a month which was really difficult especially for Rachael, Alfie, Charlie and Jax (my dog…who wasn’t at the gig if you were wondering).
Having said that it feels like an honour to be out here headlining with this amazing band after all of these years and, as you know, I don’t take these things lightly.
Next time we can talk about more tour life, spending time with old band mates and whatever points of interest pop up on this leg of the Ascension tour.