Instead of Willie's Diary, we have Shirley's

[Giant Lemon]

Well, sort of. On garbage.com Shirley Manson keeps an online diary, so I thought you guys might be interested in the U2 entries.

Hamilton - Saturday 13th
Tonight we played in a little town I've never heard of before called Hamilton, just outside of Toronto and I got off on a fantastic buzz I have to confess. The crowd were just totally up for having a great time and their vibe was completely infectious!!! I got so jonesed on the show I had a hard time coming back down to earth. Oh it is so crazyfantastic to be back on the road again.
And the U2 folks.....all their crew and staff have been so accomodating and kind that it makes me dizzy. There's an incredible atmosphere backstage which believe me,is highly unusual. And the band themselves couldn't be more gracious.
Everyone in Garbage ( band and crew alike ) feel extremely priviliged to be on this tour and we're sucking every glorious moment of it deep down into our lungs.

Chicago - Tuesday, October 16th
2nd night in Chicago and oh lord......... yet another melt down.This time we endured the self-immoliation of Duke's guitar rig. Smoke began to spew forth,roadies swarmed over the stage in frantic damage-control mode and an enormous buzzing sound could be heard throughout the entire duration of "Shut your mouth". As much as our crew struggled to fix the problem,we were unable to continue with our set. It was a very humbled and grumpy Garbage that left the stage tonight. Zero for two in Chicago,Ilinois. Have I mentioned already how incredible the U2 show is? It's weird.........don't know if it's the way everyone is feeling following the World Trade Centre disaster or what but the atmosphere at these shows have been insanely intense. Bono just has such an incredible ability to harness the crowd's energy and feed it straight back to them, resulting in what seems like communal ecstasy.I've never seen anything quite like it.O ur Bono is indeed a mighty force. He walks into a room and all the air gets sucked right out. He is completely magnetic.

Baltimore - Friday, October 19th
Butch is in the hospital and so of course we are absolutely worried sick. He was rushed into the emergency room yesterday evening, right after we flew into Baltimore so we are cancelling tonight's show despite a gallant offer from Larry Mullen Jnr. to fill on for our missing man. (Larry Mullen Jnr. offering to play with us? How absolutely darling is that?!?!?) Some of our crew headed up to NYC this afternoon whilst the rest of us stayed behind to watch the show. It was utterly fantastic and incredibly moving. U2 are just such an outstanding and inspirational live band!!!! And above all I found the show to be so bloody moving. An entire stadium singing at the top of their voices.........for one brief moment,completey united and utterly connected. Immediately after the show......and I mean IMMEDIATELY.... we enjoyed the luxury of a police escort (It was totally CRAZY and sick fast!!) as we followed our Irish heroes in convoy to a little airstrip where we all stepped on board a private plane to NYC.The entire flight lasted 35 mins!!! Now THAT"S what I call travellling in style!!!!!

New York - Thursday, October 25th
Last night was so utterly magical. We played great, if I DO say so myself (!!) and the crowd couldn't have been more hospitable. I could have just burst with happiness and excitement. We were all feeling really emotional for some reason.......(I suppose playing in NYC for the first time since September 11th may have had just a little to do with it) and what with Butch being really sick but struggling through the set for the team....oh I dunno....I guess that's what completely set me off....so OF COURSE I didn't get through the evening without sheding a few tears!!! Damn I am such a hopeless case!!!!! But I swear to god................. the atmosphere in the venue was INSANE and all anxiety and fear and hopelessness was momentarily banished and seemed to disappear into the ether!!!! Oh it was an incredible night. Just incredible.

Extra special moment? There was a little meet and greet after the show where I got to witness Bono meeting Debbie Harry for the first time. It was delightful to watch but I felt like a dirty peeking tom. Not for any reason other than it was a captivating moment that I didn't feel I deserved to be privy to.It was like a scene pulled straight out of Cameron Crowe's "Almost Famous".

New York - Friday, October 26th
Went to a nutty little party tonight that was being held in honour of U2 and their visit to NYC and to say that I felt a tad out of place........ like Zelig amongst the stars, is putting it mildly. When you are rubbing shoulders with Caroline Kennedy and Yoko Ono in one night,you know your life has taken an alarmingly surreal twist into the stratosphere. Highlight of the evening:Meeting John McEnroe. (Fucking AMAZING!!!!) Lowlight:Tripping over a table on my way out of the bathroom ,right smack bang infront of Michael Stipe and Bono. The latter gave me a wry little grin and didn't seem in the least bit phased by my buffoonery whilst Mr Stipe on the otherhand looked rather pained. Needless to say, I felt dreadfully embarassed by my spectacular gaff but rather pitifully tried to pretend I wasn't.

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Don't worry baby, it's gonna be alright
Uncertainty can be a guiding light

"We miss our lemon, I'd just like to say that." - Bono 5/9/01

 

[Bonochick]

Cool reads!

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"I don't know you,
But you don't know the half of it..."

 

[tkramer]

shirley rules!

 

[browneyedgirl]

Shirley seems really humble....but I guess you would be opening for U2.....
Anyway, cool to get her insight.