Esteemed Moteliers, 

A big shout out from Mission HQ. 

I was going about my morning ritual - bathing the baby tortoise that our daughter found wandering down the road, purging myself of the previous night's excesses with a mint and green tea, and getting ready to dive into the next chapter of the book when the phone rang… 

‘Alright Claire!?’ One of our Motel patrons asked.

‘Derek!?’

‘How’s the book coming along?’

‘It is a long process, every word has to be just right!’

‘Yeah,’ I could feel him rubbing his hands together in anticipation of revisiting that heady and hedonistic 'time of our lives'.

‘You’ve got to get it right. When I get my copy I’m going to take myself off and give it my full attention.’

I bet you are, I laughed. 

I was glad he called. In the summer of 98 Derek Dahlarge, Wall of Sound DJ/Producer was booked to play the Manumission opening party on Monday June 15th. He enjoyed more than his fair share of Motel mischief shacked up as he was in room no 12 - the room next door to ours. And didn’t leave until it was almost Christmas!

I had been meaning to ask him for his story.

‘What’s it like? Taking yourself right back there!? To the scene of the crime.’ He asked earnestly.

It made me think that you my dear Moteliers might be wondering the same thing. 

I have just finished another chapter for our publisher over at Unbound who has given some great feedback so far… 'it reads brilliantly. I especially love the…’ (The rest of the comment I am omitting as it gives too much away ;) 

Personally I’m loving being back in Calle de la Virgen with La Prohibida, my favourite drag queen, Maxi the Dome bartender...

Me and Maxi at Dome...

Hershey and ‘The Boys’ tumbling down from Anfora and private parties in D’Alt Vila with the world's most famous fashion designers where they confess to me to have been very naughty. Croissant Show when the clubs have just closed, for after-hours, watching the drag queens melt like candles in the sun -  lipstick smudged over more than 5 O'Clock shadows.

Me, Hershey and Joel outside Dome Bar.

You will have to bear with us as Mike and I keep finding new gems that we cannot resist including in the book: like the near fatal trip to the Cannes Film Festival with friends/authors, Irvine Welsh, Kris Needs and his then girlfriend - the extremely dangerous driver K-Roka.

Cannes, before the vintage Beetle sunk into the concrete drainage ditch.

The occasional black spot has led us back to the uncut footage of Manumission The Movie and The Motel Tapes (which we have been tempted to burn, on several occasions!) but they are proving to be a real treasure trove for awakening lost memories - moments when we simply forgot Phil’s ever-present-camera was rolling. 

Formentera as the sun sets on the summer of 98

The thing about the Motel - we were all complicit, so none of us talked. 

We were all too busy living to give too much thought to what it was we were doing, or discuss it with anyone in the outside world, besides, they’d never believe it. 

That Carry On feeling ala Kris Needs and Derek Dahlarge.

‘I’ll give you a story.’ Derek laughed. 

‘Choose wisely!’ I pleaded. 

The book is bringing a lot of great people back together and rekindled a lot of long lost friendships. 

Another of our fabulous patrons has engaged us in a very exciting Motel related project - that is eye wateringly wonderful which we will tell you about in due time. 

As the sun comes up on a Manumission morning. 

In the meantime I want to thank each and every one of you for taking me back to Manumission and I in turn cannot wait to take you with me back to THE MOTEL... Xx

The right honourable and adorable Howard Marks aka Mr Nice.