ritchblog | The Wildhearts

Jägerbomb

Saturday, December 12th, 2009

Fucking hell! I’m just coming up to the grand young age of thirty twelve, I’ve been playing drums for most of my life. Have been in bands for most of the time I’ve been playing drums, and have been drinking for most of the time I’ve been in bands playing drums. So why is it […]

Here We Go Again

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

We’re off on another merry little trip to the frozen shores of Scandinavia. I have to say, last winter’s trip left me slightly jittery after experiencing minus fourteen on the frozen midnight ferry which had to break it’s way through the frozen seas to reach it’s frozen destination. It was more of an eye closer than an eye opener.

But this time I’ve come prepared. Converse, as good as they are for drumming in, don’t really cut it as an all terrain snowshoe. So this year I’ll mainly be wearing the hide of pre-historic woolly mammoths, along with some very flattering thermal underwear made by that classic top Savile Row designer – Thinsulate. Lets face it, you’re past caring about your appearance once your lips have fallen off. I dare say I won’t be so agile around the drum kit, but god damn it I’ll be warm.

Gingerbread People?

Monday, October 5th, 2009

So the UK tour is over and I’m back home doing a bit of shopping with the family. We pop into Thomas the Bakers’ for a spot of light refreshment when my 4 year old daughter says “Daddy, can I have a gingerbread person?” Ah! How cute I think to myself as I correct her […]

Hallelujah! (Day Off)

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

Hallelujah! 5 days rehearsing and six gigs straight and I’m well and truly ready for a day off. Just a couple of hours on the train and I’m back home in the company of my amazing kids and my beautiful wife. The day is over far too soon and before I know it it’s stupid o’clock in the morning and I’m being dragged from my blissful slumber, not by the over enthusiastic driving of our good man Russ, or the smell coming from Dunk’s bunk.

Fish? And Chips

Sunday, August 30th, 2009

Strange butterfly feelings in my stomach. It could only be one of two things. It’s either because we’re about to go on tour and play a load of new songs I don’t remember how to play, and I am going to have to start learning all over. Or I’m pregnant!…………..Again!

I rush to the laptop and on my way to the Wildhearts tour page I get sidetracked and disappear down a very wobbly pathway. There’s an RAC van coming right towards me, and the driver is looking very, very sad and depressed. I’d say he was on his way to a breakdown.

Oh I Do Like To Be Beside…

Sunday, August 16th, 2009

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside, oh I do like to be beside the sea, oh I do…………… blah blah blah. Hi, Ritch Battersby reporting, you may remember me from bands such as Striper, Peters and Lee, and other great Norwegian classics.