1990. A NEW DECADE. We had a promising itinerary as we were gearing up for our second trip to Germany. In February, the sight we'd been looking forward to became a reality when the huge white Mercedes van again pulled up outside the practice room. Sadly, our excitement about making a home in the Merc again would be short-lived as it refused to go as soon as we got in it. The curse of the Scottish trip seemed to be striking again as the steering had gone. Frantically, we sorted out a covering note with the insurance people and went in Tony's Transit-sized van with no windows in the back. Because of the hassle, we'd left late and despite driving to Dover on what seemed like two wheels, we missed the ferry by about thirty seconds. And consequently the first gig of the tour.

Instead, we made straight for Darmstadt and a repeat engagement at the Goldene Krone. Once again, we got a good reception there and some of the crowd were even singing along to the songs as they'd previously taped them off the radio when played on Bayerischer Rundfunk.

Danny and Paul were becoming a double act in terms of their wicked sense of humour and Danny was turning into a real party animal on tour. On stage, he indulged in some bizarre antics. At the Goldene Krone gig, he strolled off the foot of the stage with his super-long guitar lead behind him, then skipped back up the steps slipping on the top step in the process. He lost his balance and went towards the drum kit at full tilt. Somehow, he managed to remain upright and miss Tony's drums, but then he was gone again and I'd no idea where he'd vanished to as I couldn't see him anymore. Yet he was still playing! It turned out that he'd ended up in a sitting-down position in the dressing room next to the stage but hadn't missed a note.

We had a 400-mile drive ahead of us again after that, but we did have the prospect of a gig in the new East Berlin to anticipate. We got there in good time and had a couple of hours to spare before we had to meet the promoter at the legendary Checkpoint Charlie at midnight.