12. KraftwerkTrans-Europe Express
From a Benidorm bar to a late night café in Vienna, back to Europe and back to Brexit. No one’s going to tell me I can’t go to Europe! I didn’t do Interrail but I saw Europe with Clock DVA as their driver and lighting guy. We went to Paris and Berlin when the wall was up. I loved DVA – I was a fan and then I ended up working with them. We would always play ‘Europe Endless’ as soon as we got off the ferry. I picked up on it via Bowie I think.
When I was thinking of these 13 albums I was sat on a train heading to Rome, so what other track could you play, really? I loved Radioactivity too. But when Nick died this was the album that I’ll always associate with him because he was a railway man. The train driver in eyeliner! The idea of the golden age of the railways. Just being able to drift around Europe. For some people it seems like it’s just not possible now – but it will be. It’s just a beautiful record.’
tQ: Did you ever go to the café in Vienna, café Hawelka? I heard it was that one where they met Iggy and Bowie.
No – but I’ve been to the fish and chip shop where Bowie met Mick Ronson in Hull when Earl Brutus played there! Then we went to Mick Ronson’s grave. After that it was back for some plaice and chips.
