Stephen Duffy is going to be a pop star again. His diary is bearing up under the strain...
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In the morning I go to my therapist and tell her how much fun I'm having. We also go through an extraordinary dream I had last night wherein I drank God's champagne. Around four, Alex calls and offers to buy me an orange squash at the Dreaded Ubiquity. Good intentions soon fall off the wagon, however, and after a fine meal, those tough enough carve "boys keep swinging" into their chests and head over to Terry Venables's club to rough up Morrissey at his album launch. Of course, he's not there and it's all very piss-poor secondary-modern. So we drink the Mo man's complimentary Budweiser and then all our friends arrive.
August 10, Bristol
As the pre-sales of the new singles from Oasis and Blur combine to indicate that every man, woman and badger will be purchasing them on all formats, my single "Sugar High" is released. To celebrate, I entertain my distributor's sales conference to an evening of seamless cabaret. Afterwards, I decide lovingly to punch Ben and Steve, my chums from Indolent Records. Then I punch a very nice man from Wiidja Records who was handy (sorry). Has my long-running affair with the biz ended?
August 14, Manchester
Live radio session. My group and our tour chums - Tank, Ian "Mink" Slater and Colin "Hello" Davies - are all glad to be together again. My guitar explodes in the opening seconds of "London Girls" and I must admit to petulance.
August 15, Cambridge
Interviews. Asked if I'd ever kissed a man, I say: "Only tongue in cheek." Later, a lovely gig, completely sober, at the Boat Race.
August 16, still Cambridge
The whole sky is shining. It's the kind of day to fall in love to. More famous people have lived here than now live in Camden. I overhear conversations that don't mention Menswear. Luckily, we get to see them on the BBC Britpop special. Blimey O'Riley, the Camden Britpop thing has gone bonkers. When I wrote "London Girls", I had no idea I was writing a period piece.
August 21, London
Album released. Last show for a couple of weeks, at the Hanover Grand. We're recording it for a live EP. Naturally, everything breaks. Throw guitar offstage. This goes down great - best reaction of the tour. Afterwards, everyone gets lots of kisses and cuddles and we're gorgeous and then we all get thrown out.
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