Though Rachael doesn't think that the Brits are all that bad.

"I've only played England three times. They are actually very enthusiastic and very responsive when you're a support act nobody knows you or they don't have your records. You have to win them over, you have to earn your keep with them. They are delightful."

Perhaps slightly early days to begin comparisons but Rachael was able to provide details of reactions of other European dates when she toured as support for Ray Lamontagne. At Shepherd's Bush they were merely silent. Paris was dead silent.

"In Belgium they were super feisty and because of the language you couldn't engage them with stories about the songs or general conversation. On the whole it's pretty good. If they are coming along for the headline act they are slightly interested in who they've chosen to come along with you. Tom's a genius. He's a rock star over here
but he had the same problem when he went over to America for me. It's a matter of getting up the ladder."

With a love of travel already, Rachael and producer John Alagia (John Mayer, Dave Matthews's et al) worked on her debut album 'Happenstance'. It was mixed and mastered from August to December 2003 with a few breaks thrown in but was
recorded in six cities. Was this for personal reasons?

"It was like it's the first record, trial and error, sing where we felt like we were being led. We started in the Bahamas because we wanted a nice out of the way place."

No, sounds like you wanted a holiday. >>