PPT - Phill, this time last year, you were interviewed on this site and in response to the question about a sequal, you said "I have often been asked to do a Morrissey's London. There is certainly scope for it, but at the moment I just don't have the time. I am involved with a few writing projects, one of which, if successful, will enable me to be a full time writer - then I will have time. As it stands, there is the day job to do that pays the rent. Besides, I would have to spend a few days in London researching the sites. I'm not sure if I could last that long down there. However, there is a danger that you become a 'Professional Smiths Fan' and also some people accuse you of making money through Morrissey's efforts, both of which I would want to avoid.'' So what has happened during the past 12 months to change your mind?

PG - Well, the above interview was one of the reasons, I received a good number of emails as a result of the interview urging me to do the 'London' guide, so clearly there was a demand out there. To be honest, I fully expected someone from the London area to have produced the guide themselves rather than wait for me to do it! I also received emails asking me to update the Manchester guide.

Then, over the summer I took the decision to quit my job and to concentrate on writing, to make an attempt to do it full time. I had enough money to survive a few months without earning anything, so decided that an updated Manchester combined with a new London guide was a worthwhile project to work on. looking back over the year, it was a big step and a huge drop in income but one that I am glad I took as I am very happy with what I am doing and am still alive and the bills are being paid whilst new doors are being opened. And I dont have to get up in the morning and do a 'real job' which is brilliant!

PPT - So how did you go about producing the book?

PG - Well it was certainly different than the last one! There, all the information was already in my head, I just needed to get it down in print. With London, it was starting with blank pieces of paper and filling the pages in - researching all of the places of interest, their history and relevance to the Smiths / Morrissey story. Then it was going down to London on quite a few occasions and visiting each site, taking photographs and noting the directions. Then back on the computer and putting it all together.

One thing about the Manchester places are they are pretty close together and a day is enough to travel to all of them - the London places are all over the place and would require a marathon few days to visit everyone. I know there are some places that fans will not go to, but you cannot miss them out or someone will say 'You missed xxxx out'.

In the end, I knew that gig venues such as ones in Croydon, Kingston-Upon-Thames and Ilford were just too far to travel in isolation, so I did another section at the back of the book for those places too far away, no longer there or places that are mentioned but with nothing specific to visit (Dagenham, Vauxhall etc). Then it is up to each individual to pick and choose where and what they want to see at their own pace.

PPT - And how did you find London?

PG - I actually surprised myself and enjoyed it! Once I discovered where to buy a pint under £3 it was fine! Seriously, I used a cheap hotel near Paddington Station (£25 a night including breakfast!) as a base, bought myself an off peak travel card and hit the road. In the height of the summer I was out from 9.30am until dusk. I remember arriving at an empty Wembley Arena at 9.10pm - just light enough to take the picture and getting back to the hotel - or the pub near to the hotel - at 10pm, over twelve hours after setting off.

PPT - What were the highlights of the trips?

PG - I had three, which I have put in my introduction. The first was discovering that the Turks Head pub in the video for 'We Hate It When.....' single, was not only still standing, but open as a thriving community cafe (though sadly not selling alcohol!). I had been led to believe it had been demolished. The architecture of some places was also fantastic - Brixton Academy, Kilburn National Ballroom, The Lyceum etc, all places to visit in their own rights. Finally, the panoramic view from Alexandra Palace was breath taking. It was the hottest day of the year and at this point I did not know that the travel pass on the tube was also usable on the buses and I had walked from the underground all the way up the hill to the palace (and back down) without any water. I took a well earned breather at the top soaking up the view as well as the sun.

PPT - Were there any difficulties along the way?

PG - Yes, 32 Chester Square is the 'Suedehead House' that Morrissey receives the package from his nephew. This took ages to find, I had two friends (Peter and Grim) at their homes, watching the video, texting and calling me with their ideas as to where it was. There is a snippet at the beginning of the video of 'Margaretta Terrace' which we assumed was where it was but on arrival it obviously looked nothing like the street in the video. I then found a street round the corner that did have the pillars outside the door and thought I had found it. Then Grim calls me and asks if there was a yellow fire hydrant sign to the right on the railings as in the video. I check the photgraphs taken - there wasn't.

At 11pm I am in an internet cafe near the hotel and finally on one website I see someone has left a message a few years previous suggesting Chester Square. By now, I had one day left and I kidd you not, I had blisters on my feet from all of the walking and some of these blisters had blisters on them! I limped badly and painfully from Sloane Square tube station to Chester Square. And there was No 32 with the fire hydrant sign to the right of the railings. Picture taken, I limped back to the tube, got to Euston where I bought a few bottles of beer and had a self satisfactory and celebratory drink all the way back to Manchester.

I also visited Kew Gardens in December just to take a picture of the pagoda. My request to simply take a picture and leave immediately did not impress the member of staff in the entrance booth and demanded £9. Fortunately, I managed to sweet talk to another member of staff and when I asked him if I could buy a postcard with the pagoda on so I could scan it for the book, he said 'there is a shop, but you have to pay to get into the gardens in order to go into the shop... but... if you come with me I shall take you there (it was yards away) to make sure that is as far as you go.' We then walk through the turnstiles and towards the shop and he turns to me saying 'Oh, I have to go and do something else. I trust that you will only go into the shop and straight out and not go over to the pagoda which is over there (he points in the direction) to take a photograph before leaving - winking as he finished the sentence. He left me and I discretely made my way past the entrance booth and then ran over to the pagoda, took the picture and calmly made my way back to the entrance and on my way to the next site. I did not see the helpful member of staff on my way out to thank him once again. Maybe he had been sacked! I do hope not.

PPT - So you did it all in the four days?

PG - I wish! No, on returning back home, and investigating things further and talking with Peter and Grim, a few more sites were discovered. The number kept rising! Fortunately, I was able to travel a further four times before the end of January in a different capacity and received full travel expenses in the process, so I only needed to pay for the cheap hotel in Paddington. At one such meeting, I bumped into Terry Venables who graces the cover of the 'Dagenham Dave' single. He did not know about this fact when I informed him and he was happy to oblige in posing with me for a photograph!

PPT - So what has been updated in the Manchester tour?

PG - Well, there have been five new gig venues, one lyrical place of reference and I also included Morrissey's place of birth and three places where Morrissey worked / attended college / attended gigs purely as the updated tour takes the visitor right past each of them so it was daft not to mention them.

I have also taken out the Hard Rock Cafe. I had been critical of it in the first book in terms of its content (or lack) of Smiths / Morrissey and Manchester memorabilia. Five years on and nothing has changed. In short, the cafe 'just hasn't earned it yet, baby'. A couple of premises have also changed hands and are operating a different business. Changes are taking place all the time. The Hammersmith Palais is being demolished and the site redevolped as the book goes to print and I dare say it wont be the only one over the coming months / years. At least my book is charting and putting to print such places so they wont be lost to history.

Panic on the Streets is published by Reynolds and Hearns. It is available from all good bookshops.