He’s the comedian who also loves to paint, so it’s no surprise that when Vic Reeves travels by train there’s one thing he loves to do: take in the landscapes around him.
“I love train travel because I’m a nosy parker and I’m a complete looker-out-of-the-window kind of guy,” says Vic, whose real name is James Moir.
“I was on the train last week going down the Northumberland coast, and it was one of the best trips I’ve been on. I’d not done it before and I loved it, just looking out of the window at the landscapes. It’s like watching a movie. I get inspiration from everything and everywhere, but just relaxing and looking out of a train window does it for me.”
One of Vic’s favourite places to visit is Newcastle, a city that he has fond memories of because he used to go to gigs there as a teenager. “I grew up in Darlington and left for London in 1979 when I was 19, so my teen years were spent in the North,” he recalls.
(Image: Massimo Borchi/Atlantide Phototravel)
“When I was a teenager, we’d get on the train and go to Newcastle City Hall to see bands. I remember going to see Generation X at the university. Me and my friends used to dress up in black trousers and yellow jumpers and we all looked the same – the whole thing about punk rock was to be individual, so we all had a uniform. We sat on a table as the band came on to the stage and said hello to the singer, Billy Idol. And then we went to see them again about six weeks later and we did exactly the same thing. Billy got really freaked out because we forced a déjà vu on him!”
And Vic was also a frequent visitor to Newcastle in the 80s when the famous music show The Tube was filmed there. “My friend Jools Holland and I used to get the train up. It was great – we’d have a big fry-up breakfast on the train. Then sometimes we’d travel back with all the pop stars who’d been on show, like Sting and Elton John.”
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When it comes to exploring Newcastle, for Vic the best way is on foot. “Newcastle’s such a nice city – I love walking round there,” he says. “I’m a big fan of bridges and there are some fantastic ones in Newcastle. I also recently had an art show at The Biscuit Factory, which is a great gallery near Byker.”
But a day in Newcastle doesn’t extend into the small hours for Vic. “I love to walk about and drink in the atmosphere, culture and architecture. I’ve never been a nightclubber. A night out for me is hanging about with friends. I like talking to people rather than disco dancing.”
After a day of exploring, Vic’s favourite way to get home is by train. “It gets you off the road for a start, it’s good for the environment and it’s great to look out of the window and see what your country looks like – at speed.
“If I’m on the train I won’t listen to or look at anything on my phone because I’m too busy looking out of the window. I’ll bring a corned beef and beetroot sandwich and just enjoy the journey.”
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