JUJU SPACE JAZZ TRAVELOGUE UPDATE - PARIS PT 1



August 1998

This is long one - read (or skim) at leisure

Right, the last gig of the Ju Ju tour. Booked to play a big French trance party called 'Hovek Olam'. Organised by POV - a French trance label. Glossy flyer booklets all over Europe with Daggy Ju Ju pictures, other artists include: Tsuyoshi, Mark Allen (Return to the Source), Fred Giteau (POV DJ and producer we met in the back of a van coming back from German party), Willie Auf der Lake (German Trance D/producer) Joujouka (Tsuyoshi's new live act), Quirk (Matsuri live act), Kopfuss Resonator, DJ Nartag (from free-form Germany, the crew who did the German festival we played at.) plus heaps of others. The concept, an outdoor party at 'Parc de Floral' a big beautiful sculptured park in the middle of Paris. MMMMMmmmmmm. Soundz nice.

We hooked up with a few extra musicians for this one. Pierre, a French dude who turned up at one of our London gigs and blew some crazy sax with us. Our French connection. And Mathew, old friend from Sydney (originally Canadian) now living in Canada again, met in London to play some didge with us.

So Monday the week before the gig, lets have a rehearsal. All bail into Pierre’s little flat right above some groovy markets somewhere in behind Waterloo station. CD's have been replaced (thanx be to the Fluid international backup and support crew). Time to play some jams, and work out some lines. Groovy, groovy. Al, Pierre and Mathew are all off to Paris tomorrow so this is the only rehearsal possible. Vibin’ the room up. Crazy little red thing action - didge sounds awesome. Then a suggestion. Why don't I (Dan) come to Paris early as well. We can rehearse some more while waiting for lee to turn up (Lee is in Germany and cruise in to Paris on Saturday arvo (we play early Sunday morning). And we can all hang out in Paris and CHECK IT OUT. Agreed.

Tuesday - Daniel rises early, books ticket. £80 - one way. Oooooh that hurts. Then a hectic day of running around organising shit before making my way to Liverpool international train station. Am greeted at the entrance to the station by a cheerful Australian backpacker waving bits of paper around and saying - anyone want a free ticket to Paris (AAAAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!).

Anyway, Eurostar. Clanking through the English countryside at a measly 100 mph before plunging into the ‘Chunnel’. Sense an increase in speed. 20 mins later and bang! Slam out into the French countryside and SUN!!!!!! Train is fully shlooming now, cruising 180 mph – Apparently English tracks are so bad only slow speeds possible. Soon gets dark, beautiful sunset through tinted windows of zooming train. Wow!

Right Paris. Get off (no Passport control) and enter tube system. Suddenly the implications of being in a place where I don't speak the language sinks in. Wheee this is fun. Broken phrases in bad French and lots of hand signals to ask directions. Every conversation leaves me in stitches. Giggling to myself through the tunnels. First change - Chatalet les Halles. Wow what a beautiful tube station (have still not seen above ground yet) surreal hexagonal light boxes surround entrances and exits to concourse. Cool little metal boxes every 10 meters or so along the platforms playing French hip hop. Funky!!!! And this station is where they shot the final scenes to that film. And my god, a full-on Delicatessen in the subway. Shutting up shop but a brief glimpse of rows upon rows of yummy looking cheeses, cured ,meats and delicacies, ahh yes, that's right French food......mmmmmmm. Looking forward to this.

People have so far been friendly and helpful - not much English around though. Cool. Have to learn French.

Finally make my way to exit station. Walking up stairs to leave underground. Look ahead up stairs. Night has fallen and, oh my god, what a beautiful sight. Simply a standard Paris building. Floodlit, Beautiful romantic and ornate engravings, so lovely. First sight oh. Then clear the top of the stairwell, turn around and almost faint. My God the Arch de Triumph. Right there, towering over me. How can anything so massive and with such a sense of permanent-ness have such a feeling of lightness, delicateness. The proportions are just stunning. I stand, flummoxed, almost in tears. My god. How beautiful. I've been on the streets of Paris for a full 45 seconds now.

I walk towards the Arch, all thoughts of contacting crew forgotten. There is a massive (and I mean massive - perhaps 500m) roundabout around the bottom of the arch. To walk to it you must use the subway underneath. This roundabout must be about 8 or even 10 lanes wide -and is completely unmarked (as in lane markings). And I have never seen such crazy, chaotic and nonetheless efficient traffic flow. Absolutely insane. Yeah, I remember now, some-one told me the give way rules are different here. Once on the roundabout you have to give way to anyone entering. Therefore people just barrel on at top speed and join the happy throng of darting, and swerving cars. Hysterical.

Contact Pierre from the brasserie next to Metro exit and he is coming to get me. Rest of crew are all well arrived and already at billets. Settle back against a low wall surrounding Metro exit and enjoy the sights, smells and sounds. Allo, allo, allo. Three Gendarmes round the corner looking smart and dashing in their cute little blue outfits. Oh yeah, that's right. French law, guilty until proven innocent and all that. Ohoh! I'm in a sporting mood, and totally legit in all ways (as usual) so flash 'em a big smile and maintain eye contact as they saunter down the road. Sure enough, all three swerve towrds me. Young man dressed in black with big fat jacket, two small bags loitering by the subway. This should be Fun.

Gendarmes: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (something in French - imperious tone)

Daniel: Excuse-moi, no parle Francais.... (big shit-eating grin)

G (all): Ahh. - Nationalite?

D: Australie

G: Ahh, c'est bon,

D: Bonsoir

and off they go. HA HAH AH HAH what a giggle!

Anyway, Pierre shows up (very unsteadily) on roller blades. Woohoo. We truck off down the street, Pierre falling over twice (blades borrowed from brother, where I will be staying). Once almost through plate glass window holding bag with MC303 in it. Hey - gimme that. You're not safe.

Arrive at Brothers place. A nice looking building off Ave Niel, not to far from the Arch de Triumph. A good landmark. Squeeze into lift. So this is the French seduction technique, I presume. Build the lifts so small that your squeezed up against your date - and hey presto - by the time you get to your flat......Anyway.

Pierre’s two brothers are Jean and Serge, they share a tiny flat in a kind of groovy area and are only to happy to let me stay for a while. A quick meal is prepared and then sleep. Jean must get up to go study (law) at 6:00 in the morning (it is not11:00).

Wednesday off on the metro, pretty easy really, to some more of Pierre’s friends to rehearse. Groovy tunes. Write a quick jam on the MC303 so Pierre can do a rap he's written (in French) cool.....

Thursday, Sightseeing. Meet Al and Mat in the morning, they have the master plan and we are going to see as much as we can today. Meet at 11:00, by 12:30 we are still just sipping tea in the mosque which was supposed to be our first stop. The Muslim and North African influence is really strong here. And the mint tea (with HEAPS of sugar) is amazing. Cool as.

Then off to Notre Dame. One entering we all just silently go our separate ways. The first time I have been moved to tears by architecture. We all emerge thoroughly stunned and stoned at the murky majesty and quiet beauty of this amazing place. GET TO THIS PLACE. IT IS WORTH ANY EFFORT. Amazing.

Then the Sacre Ceur (sp??) for a view over the rooftops of Paris, wild! What a densely populated city. Then wandering through little backstreets where Matisse et alia hung out. So sweet, so romantic. Cafes, churches and little shops.

End the day by strolling through the red light district. Just to late to get into the Museum of Erotica - that's the second time in two cities (also Hamburg) I’ve turned up at closing time. Damn.

Then we want to eat. AL's got a vibe. Through to one of the Arab parts of town. Quite dark and dangerous feeling. We huddle but feel basically pretty safe. And AL's got that glint in his eye. We turn a corner. and yep. This is us. A dodgy, run down little restaurant. North African food. Obviously a family affair. Soon we are tucking into the couscous and meat, quaffing Moroccan wine and making friends with the wonderful people who run this place. GOOD PEOPLE! From Algeria. Stories are swapped. Much laughter. In the end the owner drives quickly to his house and returns with a fossilised plant thing they call 'the jewel of the desert' in Africa. Amazing little thing. Finally they insist we keep it. And it is obvious it means a lot to them. wow. What a great vibe. Long farewells, and finally back to respective bases to sleep.

END PART ONE!

Next Bad news and then the light.

Have to get off this 'puter, will continue soon.