Page 30 - Black Velvet Issue 85

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Austin, Texas, somewhere I really, desper- to ideas that I’m creatively pregnant with. here?” I understand what it’s like to be ab-
ately wanted to go. And through splitting up And not many people in the world are as solutely broke because that happens as well,
with my missus and splitting up with the lucky as me in that respect. I don’t have a it goes up and down and up and down.
band and being stuck on this ranch and then boss, my boss is my missus, she’s my man- That’s why I really appreciate our community
this guy who run this amazing ranch, this ager. Instead of giving someone 20% to go understanding that and helping out the fans,
reverend who loved me, said “Regrettably, and spend on holidays and cars we put that but I do believe as well, if you get some
they’ve ordered you to be off the premises. money into our family. And we put that money, do something with it, don’t just
You’ve got to go and stay somewhere else” money into being able to do events like this. squander it or try and save it forever, and I
and I just phoned out of the blue Ralph Jez- No-one’s getting rich from this tour but we think that’s one of the reasons why I’m still
zard who had produced one of The Wild- can afford to put it on because it’s some- a happy person because I’m happy when I’m
hearts’ albums, I said “Where are you living thing that I want to do.” broke and I’m happy when I’ve got some
now? Can I come and stay with you while I Ginger’s eyes then widen as he excitedly money and I try and do my best for other
get my head together?” and he said “Yeah, leans forward to tell us, “I just bought a car- people.”
I’m living in Texas. I’m working in Willie Nel- avan!” He explains with a glow on his face
son’s studio” and that’s how the solo album that shows his love for his family and how e tells us more about being 50 - and
came about. The greatest mind in the world much he cherishes them and making them Hhow it feels different to how he imag-
couldn’t have made that story up, it’s ab- happy too, “I just went on holiday with my lit- ined it when he was a youngster himself.
solutely ridiculous, it’s Lewis Carroll stuff. tle boy. We haven’t paid for it outright ‘cause “When I was young, 50 was old. Everyone
My imagination definitely couldn’t have writ- we’re not rich but we were on holiday having was bent over like a horseshoe when they
ten that as fiction. So yeah, like everything boys’ time. This little thing that me and my were 50 and had old people’s face that came
else, I went solo for a bunch of completely little boy do. For whatever reason, we hadn’t out here and here…” He emphasises his
unrelated fluke things.” been given this wooden lodge that I wanted, nose and chin. “And no hair and stuff. I have
we’d been given a caravan instead and I’m a got lots of hair under here,” he says, touch-
ne thing that’s good to know is that little bit kind of mehhh, the traffic’s been shit ing his cap, “but I’m growing it so it looks re-
OGinger is happiest right here, right and we got there a little bit late and he’s ally ridiculous so I’m sticking it in a hat.
now. And he’s excited for the future. “I’m the joined in, “Yeah, it’s not what I thought it was Obviously we’re a different generation now.
kind of guy that I’m excited about tomorrow. going to be,” like little kids will do, and we We’ve got different habits, different diets, dif-
I really do think that the best times of my opened up this caravan door and we both si- ferent ideas about health, we live longer,
life… and probably because we didn’t have multaneously started laughing ‘cause it was we’re healthier. A 50 year old now isn’t like a
a massive success, and definitely not a mas- this gorgeous caravan. Caravans have 50 year old in my mam’s generation and def-
sive success when we were really young, changed a lot since I was a kid! Three bed- initely not the generation before hers so I
‘cause that’s got to really suck – being really rooms. And at one point he said, “Dad, can don’t feel 50 – whatever that’s supposed to
successful when you’re young and then the we live here forever?” and I went, “That’s a mean. Some days I wake up and I’ll be
rest of your life is just looking back at the really good idea,” and I started looking ‘Maybe we do live too long. Maybe animals
best times of your life, when you were a kid, round the caravan showrooms and just from have got it right. Another 50 years? That’s an
and you knew nothing. Kids know nothing. the logic of a child, beautiful untarnished awful long time. It looks like I’m going to be
Now that I’m 50, being able to still have a ca- logic that kids have, he said, “Why don’t we here for ages. I’m going to live till I’m 150 or
reer and just going “I fancy doing a spoken just buy the caravan that we’re in?” which a something. It’s a long time. You can achieve
word tour and we’re going to book old the- grown up would never think of doing. And I everything you want to do in that time and
atres around the country” and then doing it, went, “I don’t even know if it’s up for sale” then you’re just thinking ‘What am I going to
it’s ridiculous. How dare I?! And people turn but I’ll ask. And the guy went “I’ll phone my do next?’ and sometimes I think that dying
up. And shut up while I’m talking! Honestly, boss and ask,” and not only did they sell us at 50 would be great. If we all died at 50 you
the best times really are now. Being able to the caravan that we were in, that we fell in could complete everything that you need to
just change your mind and going to do love with, they gave us it at a massive dis- do. And then other days I just think I’ve got
something else that stimulates you more be- count because it’d been used by some peo- so many other things that I want to do, thank
cause I don’t just wanna make money. I want ple, so we got it at a snip. So we now own a God I’m still fit and healthy, but then so are
things to have a reason behind them. I want caravan. How lucky am I that my little boy most people my age. There’s no reason to be
them to have a meaning. I want to give birth can say, “I’d love to live here, can we live unfit at the age of 50 anymore, unless you

Ginger at the Old Rep in Birmingham, before doors.