Leeds 2002 - Backstage Gossip

Following their pre-festival bus accident, Ash were, allegedly, replaced by stunt doubles. If you look closely at the on-stage picture looking out into the crowd then you can see where the seam is for the full-body disguise. Speculation over who it was that took up the challenge of stepping into Tim's skin was fuelled by the fact that nobody saw him and Jack White together all day...

In actual fact, Mr. White was probably sulking after the little spat he had with Jason from the Von Bondies. We were in the Bondies' dressing room at the time. It was quick and ugly. The fact that Jack White produced their last album and is now dating the guitarist may have had something to do with it. Whilst storming out of the dressing room, White was heard to scream, "I made you, goddamit, and I can destroy you!".

The Vines were reportedly in trouble with the major festival sponsors following the band's unathorised sideline deal with 'Mr Porky' Pork Scratchings. This salty snack featured prominently in all of their backstage interviews. The savoury grissle-enhanced procuct did little to aid the band's Table Football playing in the backstage bar, as they were absolutely annihilated by Virtual Festivals.

Shed 7 were justifying their presence backstage through inventive comedy. Never take the bet that one of their contingent has your name tatooed on his arse...because it's true - he loved this gag so much that he went out and had the words "your name" indelibly inked on his bum cheeks. Ho ho ho.

There continues to be disent in the ranks of Slipknot, and it is thought that the various spin-off bands being fronted by members of the outrageous septet could be a prelude for the band's final split. The argument wages on about whether the collective name for members of the masked posse should be 'Slippers' or 'Knotties'. Frontman Corrie favours 'Knotties', but guitarist Mick (seven) was heard to grunt his definite preferance for 'The Slippers'. You heard it here first.