We hit Berlin yesterday for a day off before tonights show. Of course we know a german minimalist techno DJ here who took us out to a smoky and( I mean smoky )  bar which reminded us how bars used to be back home , eyes blazing , clothes reeking – in the UK now you go outside to smoke but in Berlin you go outside to breath!! – it showed us how much we’ve adapted to the ban in the uk , maybe we’re fragile old men underneath these muscular exteriors.

The Euro tour has kicked off  to a good start , admittedly on the first night ( AMERSFOORT ) we were working out how to do it . When we mentioned how it was the first night ever as a four piece ( no keys this time ) someone shouted ” so it can only get better !” and quite rightly so . Amsterdam was a sold out and bouncy crowd , and by then we were getting more sure of what it was we were going to do . Hamburg was a really good looking room full of lovely people .

Not so many food pictures I’m afraid as we have been a lot busier so far and have been enjoying mainly flat meat and cheese . The Swimming schedule is going swimmingly well , especially in Germany . I’m off to find a new hat in Berlin and heave some flight cases around. All the best . G

Meanwhile, Janice Long played Rocket Song on her show last Tuesday, announcing it would be out in 4 weeks time. Turin Brakes themselves were a guest on German radio station Radio Eins, but I can’t get the session or interview to work… If someone else manages to get it to work, please get in touch.

Finally, the AOL session, recorded back in early February with Olly, Gale and Eddy has now been made available. Besides an interview, it features 5 songs: Paper Heart, Underdog (Save Me), The Sea Change, Never Stops and Painkiller. Watch it here.

If you like the work of the live band TB are touring with: Eddie has played bass on Conrad Vingoe’s new record. Vingoe has supported Turin Brakes in the past (in 2008) and his new album (Simple Secrets) features a lovely set of acoustic singer/songwritery-songs. Check it out here.

Listen again on iPlayer here >>