MARCH 1983

Thur 3
Ian plays Leeds on the continuing Invisibility Tour. David and Steve have song writing ideas day.

Mon 7
Repeat run of Peter Powell session begins today.

Tues 8
Word from Chris Carr that after the delays a Polydor signing is on the cards for the end of the week. Ian, Steve and David do interview with Wakefield fanzine "Positive Touch" at Wakefield pub The Elephant & Castle.

Thur 10
All down to London. First to Chris Carr's office and then to Polydor. A&R man Billy entertains us at office then dines us at nearby Pizza Pie Factory. Then to Columbia Hotel where Billy buys the drinks. Meet Nico who is also staying there and whom Chris knows.

Fri 11
All afternoon with lawyer James Wylie looking over the latest version of the Polydor contract. Back to Polydor for a bit of a social, still not ready for the signing. Back to Yorkshire stopping at Steve's Dad's pub in East London on route.

Mon 14
Return to London. Spend all day at Polydor. Finally signed the contract by the afternoon! 5 year deal with yearly options on Polydor's side. £60,000 for year one, Polydor funding all recording costs and tour support. Steve announces engagement to his girlfriend Gill who has accompanied us. All out for celebration pizza with Chris Carr,  and his and his PA Sarah. Band staying at Columbia Hotel Bayswater again thanks to Polydor.

Tues 15
Meeting with Polydor PR man Paul Lowe to discuss tactics. The feeling is that the next single should be produced by Bill Nelson and perhaps be recorded in Leeds again.

Peter Powell gets excited about the signing on his Radio 1 teatime show. Continued stay at Columbia Hotel. David retires early Ian & Steve go on a drinking bout.

Wed 16
Steve too hung over to emerge from room, so David and Ian only attend meeting with Chris and I to formalise management arrangements with Chris's lawyer Nigel Pegriff. Then on to RCA music to talk about a publishing deal. Ian to The Dominion Theatre to play in the London climax of Bill's Invisability Tour. Ian's wife Mary attends as does Bill's wife Jan, James Wylie and we meet Mike Score from the Flock Of Seagulls.

Thurs 17
Early start for a meeting with Bill at his hotel to discuss making the next single with him. Chris Carr in attendance. It is agreed that we will go back to Ric Rac studios and that the tracks to be recorded with be "Photography" b/w "Comfortable Life". Both were on the original demo sent to Bill last year.  Next a meeting with accountant Ian Harring followed by lunchtime drinks in Holburn where char informally with Melody Maker journalist and pal of Chris,  Steve Sutherland. Ian and and Mary stay in London with Bill while the remainder of us return to Yorkshire.

Mon 21
Ian playing with Bill in Paris.

David with girlfriend Helen travels by train to London. They Meet Chris Carr at their hotel (The Grosvenor) and then on to Polydor to make arrangements for the official signing party. Evening drinks at the Columbia Hotel with Chris Carr, and Sarah. They meet Mute boss Daniel Miller and Depeche Mode plus Alan Rankine from The Associates.

Tues 22
David and Chris have an afternoon meeting with Polydor A&R team Billy Keane and Alan Sizer plus Paul Lowe about the single plans and possible video to accompany it. Ian and Mary arrive at the Grosvenor in the evening.

Wed 23
Steve now also in London with Gill. Meeting and lunch with Chappell Publishing Alan Maliena and his assistant Richard. Steve and Gill and David and Helen go on to Polydor to supervise arrangements for the official signing party this evening. Remainder of us go with Chris Carr for another meeting at the accountant Ian Harrings. Fiat Lux Signing Party at Polydor starts at 5.30pm. Non-Polydor guests include Janice Long, Chris Marshall our plugger, Richard Jobson and various Chappell reps who were allowed in by Polydor because they are a sister company. Also there Claudine, Chris Carr's business partner and her husband Michael from Steel Pulse. At 8pm the party moves on to the Pizza Pie factory in adjacent St Georges Square where Polydor foot the bill for 10 diners. A cost of £113! All then go on to The Columbia Hotel where we are joined by Alan Rankie, Mike who owns Leeds venue The Warehouse and…Dean Friedman.

Thur 24
All back to Yorkshire.

Mon 28
BBC North In Concert Show recorded on 10/02/83 Transmitted tonight under the title "Bubbling Under".

Wed 30
Back to London by train. To Polydor and with Billy Keane have a conference call with Bill Nelson about recording plans. Then band get taken to Rod Argents Music in Denmark Street to check out keyboards. Back to Polydor for wine with Alan Sizer and Billy where we meet producer Hugh Jones (Echo & Bunnymen and Teardrop Explodes among his credits) who is set to work on material for Sheffield signing Clock DVA.  Billy then takes the band and Hugh for food and drink at Legends then on for after hours drinks at The Columbia. Hugh and band hit it off very quickly.

Thur 31
Meeting with Zomba Music publishers, somebody called Steve. Different from the rest in that  they didn't take us to Lunch. Then on to Polydor for a low key meeting about video and gear required to be hired for forthcoming Ric Rac/Bill Nelson recording session. Then to a party downstairs for Haircut 100. Sent home with sandwiches from it packed up for our train journey back to Yorkshire on which we all have to sit in the corridor for much of the trip.

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