Fresh from a year on the road in Europe and the U.S.A, James Milne a.k.a Lawrence Arabia celebrates his mammoth year of 100 gigs (not out) with a timely knock in local haunts, the hallowed arenas where it all began, crafting old-fashioned pop songs with his band The Prime Ministers.

These heavy handed references to the purist passion of cricket is no accident, Lawrence Arabia’s tour is dubbed ‘The Greats of New Zealand Cricket’, homage to the unsung toilers, Snedden, Kuggelijn, Pringle, Latham, Sua, Harris, Germon, Chatfield ... to name a few.

James Milne is obsessed by cricket; the stats, the gentlemanly conduct, the commentators, the traditions… things that perhaps mirror his musical life and dry whimsy. With a deadpan sense of humour and wholehearted reverence you can expect to see Lawrence Arabia leading his team onto the stage donning whites and cricket paraphernalia, a sight that should be a classicist dream, come true.

Meeting up with James, he is dressed in appropriate informal ‘cricket lover’ attire: jandals, shorts, stripy t-shirt and moustache (a strawberry blond version of the Chatfield prototype). Besides, this is what he normally wears when the weather suits. He has just come from the Auckland studio where he is penning his 3rd album, settling back into Auckland after 12 months of touring the much lauded ‘Chant Darling’ album through a frosty European winter and coastal climes of the U.S.

It was a great time for Lawrence Arabia, sharing BBC 2 studio space with Ricky Gervais, eating bacon sandwiches with Bill Bailey at BBC 4 and being given a private show in a taxi. James elaborates on this rather strange slice of comedy.

“When we arrived in London it was snowing, which seems to heighten the eccentricities of the Brits. All the cabbies were raving about the snow and one taxi driver also happened to be a contestant on X-Factor, so we convinced him, or he convinced us, to play his backing track as he sung this ridiculous rock ballad. He was a fat, grey haired Elvis wannabe… so that was kind of perfect.”

Lawrence Arabia has reached critical acclaim both here (winner of the APRA Silver Scroll award for his tune ‘Apple Pie Bed’) and the U.K. where he is signed to the Bella Union label. Milne has certainly embraced his acceptance and attention in Anglo climes, he has found some aspects perplexing, but also

revealing.

“Reviewers from abroad often like to wedge me between Crowded House and The Clean, they feel the necessity to give it a NZ context… for better or worse it’s almost true, strangely accurate. We were also dumped into the ‘Dream Pop’ scene. Everything - in London especially - has to be deemed part of a movement. We played a Mojo magazine gig with Midlake at the Wiltons Music Hall (which is the oldest in the world) in Whitechapel, and we were billed as ‘dream pop troubadours’. I think my music is more like old fashioned pop.”

That sense of tradition comes to fore on this tour where Milne gets to combine his two favourite things, a summer tour with a cricketing theme. He expands his own personal view on the gentleman’s game.

“I’m in love with the NZ cricket culture. As a NZ fan you’re forced to find the best of something that is quite mediocre at times. We also celebrate on a comic level – the tragic performances, like Danny Morrison’s string of ducks, legendary collapses, Lance Cairns’ hitting six sixes when the team was

something like 68 for 8… I would say I’m a purist, which means a love of test match cricket and a disdain of 20/20 as the cancer of the game.”

Milne is looking forward to stepping up to the crease and playing in the ‘v’ – stroking a flurry of songs to a field of attentive fans. With four gigs, it is somewhat of a mini tour, rather than an expedition to the sub continent. Milne is looking forward to all venues, with a particular fondness for Chick’s Hotel in Port Chalmers.

“It is a venue with such a sordid history, there is a tunnel that runs from the dock to the hotel where prisoners were siphoned on land. I think it was also a brothel. Plus the gigs down there tend to be a little more wild and unhinged.”

So at the end of the tour you can expect a couple of rash shots as Milne and cohorts enjoy their growing time at the wicket. A few reverse sweeps and head rush charges down the pitch...

I think this cricket thing is going to get really big with the indie crowd; I should claim the glory and create the scene… wicket wave, crowe rock, googly pop...

In the meantime check out Lawrence Arabia at these locations; they’ll wear the whites, you wear the stubbies.

Lawrence Arabia and the Prime Ministers Live

Wednesday December 8 - Auckland - King's Arms

Thursday December 9 - Wellington - San Francisco Bath House

Friday December 10 - Christchurch - Al's Bar

Saturday December 11 - Port Chalmers - Chick's Hotel