I set my alarm to wake up for the England/Australia World Cup semi-final without realising that my phone didn’t have enough juice to last through the night. So I missed the first half an hour and the first goal. A fantastic equaliser from Sam Kerr after Ella Toon’s classic but England won 3-1 in the end with goals by Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo, final on Sunday against Spain at 10 AM, I’ll make sure I’m charged for that. It’s wonderful to see the rise in the women’s game and how they are inspiring young girls to play. They don’t seem to play-act as much as the men either, they might complain, but they don’t pretend, what a welcome addition to the game that is. I hope it teaches the men something – win fairly. Next job at any sporting event, ban the racist pigs.

Early afternoon, Ricky Maymi from Brian Jonestown Massacre came to visit. He’s in Portugal with the band to play at a festival tomorrow. We had a lot of catching up to do since we both played on The Wild Swans album in Liverpool in 2019 (that’s when I went to Anfield to see Liverpool beat Brighton). He’ll be back on Friday after the festival for some more hanging and some record shop exploring before he leaves Saturday morning for France. It’s been really kool having people over to see the work in progress and although it’s missing the collection, it’s no longer a building site.

Rohan left early this morning for Edinburgh via London, worried that the Oz girls winning would have him refused entry at the border. He was supposed to be going to the Luna Fest in Coimbra to see Devo, but they cancelled and Edinburgh was the alternative. As it happens we are going to the festival on Sunday, mainly to see The Only Ones, although last band on is Gang of Four. Ruts DC are also playing. Thanks to Keith from The Fleshtones for securing our tickets.

I watched the Super Cup game, Man City vs Sevilla. Sevilla really should have won, but Man City won on penalties. It’s always tense when it comes down to penalties – someone has to miss and live with it. Lucía and Max came by towards the end and we chatted for a while, but they have a 6.20 AM flight on ‘Crying Air’, so they had to get some sleep before the torture and eventual arrival in Zürich.

Music today has been The Only Ones‘ debut album (1978) that includes the classic single Another Girl, Another Planet and a whole lot more of Peter Perrett gems with John Perry’s unlikely new wave guitar, Alan Mair’s bass, and with the late Mike Kellie on drums. (RIP Mike.) When I worked in a hotel in Manchester in the seventies as a night porter (yes, really), they came in and I remember Mike being really nice, Zena Kakoulli, Peter’s wife and manager, checked them in. All this pre-coming to Australia, joining the ex-band, and being compared to The Only Ones in reviews in the English press. John Perry arrived at our hotel in London in the early eighties and jammed with half the band. I later jammed with Peter Perrett with the AAE lads, he never took his mirrored sunglasses off the whole time.

Music Of The Daze