3.27.2005
ANTARCTROPICS As I write I am at an airport lounge waiting for flight to Brisbane...spent the last week in NZ which, despite being a bit soggy, was quite calm and enjoyable. Auckland is a lovely city, sun always seems to be out there...we based ourselves there and had a puddle jumper take us down to the show and back yesterday, which was in a tiny town called New Plymouth, being in the middle of nature/farmalnd, and having a lovely natural amphitheatre, to which folks make the trek from Auckland, Wellington or wherever to go to events there. New Plymouth lives in the rain shadow of a revered mountain...so, by showtime...the mountain was representing, heavily. Despite a fairly steady downpour, we had many 1,000s punters. Oddly, there is a moat that separates the stage from the audience...it's something like 15-20 feet...weird, eh? Well, a few people plunged in and stood in the chest-deep water splashing around in the front...as Homer Simpson said: 'ah, alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all life's problems'. Now, let's be clear: they were standing and soaking in duck shit. These will be some itchy people today...but, they did break the forcefield that inserting a body of water between you and your audience has a tendency to create. We needed 'em, so: thanks, brave, and now dysentery-stricken, souls! Furthermore, we were double-rocked both NZ nights by the deadly array of support firepower, the ever-soul-rattling Bright Eyes, and NZ's maximum R&B young gods, the Checks. We became familiar with the Checks via a sampler CD of music from Auckland that our tour mgr. found in a hotel in Vienna last year...with one of their songs, 'Tired From Sleeping' on it...Modern Lovers, AC/DC...uhn...just any of you who have the slightest interest in rock and roll take fucking note: the Checks have the goods. Unf. no record yet but a 7" is rumored to come soon. (Later that night--)I am proofreading and addending here in Oz, land of many beloved friends of KS...bugs have been eaten, clothes ironed for tomorrow's festival show in Byron Bay, and all systems seem to be healthy and clean. Gun it. Love KS Brisbane AUSTRALIA
3.22.2005
ISLAND POSTING SLIPSTREAM I’ve been out enjoying Hong Kong, a place that’s changed in innumerable ways since I spent 8 hours there in 1995 on a layover on my way from Bangkok home to Seattle (back when Seattle was my home…sniff!). The tallest building then is coming in at about number 3 now, the Brits are no longer running the show…and I have friends on the ground now, so, I was shown where to go. I managed to peacefully avoid the ruggers, listen to karaoke enthusiasts mangle Cantonese pop and ‘My Way’, eat brilliant food in the most brightly-lit restaurant I have ever seen…(how do they tell people it’s closing time???) thanks to Brenda and Nastassia and Mark for all the tips on where to go and translating the menus and the vibes… Love KS HKG I am wrapping up our visit to Japan...as I knew it would be, it was 4 days of feeling very loved by fans (they are more friendly and enthusiastic here than anywhere else in the world) and culinary orgasma. One peculiarity of Japan is that shows here are generally over by 9.45...which is kind of when I'm just really coming to life typically on a show night. Also, it's among the most philosophical of places for me...it is so full of things superficial and bubblegum and neon and plastic...but you have to tune so much out that in a werid way, at least for an in-need-of-ritalin child like me, you get closer to your own thoughts...this place knocks me so far our of balance, being of such a different looking language and different feeling culture, that I have to find out what my balance is comprised of...and, helpfully enough, the oddest of experiments are tolerated...heavy drinking seems to be encouraged, judging from the young businessmen I saw being escorted home by their friends...I actually saw two people loaded into ambulances last night in Osaka...but, let me add…Japan is lovely and fun and poetic and charming…and a place I hope to return to many, many times. Love KS KIX 3/19/05
3.17.2005
JAPAN ON JUST PENNIES A DAY! Carsten W. found this link to purchase Soft Commands with Japan bonus tracks for a lower price than I listed earlier...link and log...http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=VACK-1287 KS Nagoya
KS ANTIPODATES Here's the long awaited (by me) run of KS dates in the southern lands... Australia: KS shares a bill with Even, plus all meet up for a few larfs towards the later side April 9: The Zoo, Brisbane April 10: Annandale Hotel, Sydney (http://www.annandalehotel.com/anh/) April 12: The Swan Hotel Basement, Fremantle (KS only) April 13: Northcote Social Club, Melbourne April 14: Grace Emily Hotel, Adelaide April 15: Republic Bar, Hobart (http://www.republicbar.com/gigguide.cgi --right now only Mar. shows are on their calendar) KS solo dates in NZ April 16: King's Arms, Auckland April 17: Matterhorn, Wellington
3.16.2005
BELOVED REVEALS ITSELF I am on my way to Japan after spending 12 days in South Africa. My time there opened my eyes to many things and I met and enjoyed the company of so many people. I can only say I was deeply moved. In the course of my visit my heart was warmed, broken, moved, and my thoughts were filled with many questions; answers on many are still cloudy. I was impressed by the devotion that people I met there have for their country. I think no situation is without hope but it will take some head scratching from a series of benevolent geniuses and the passage of a few years to lift the lots of those who have yet to fully benefit from all the changes that have taken place. But it?s certainly a country that is fueled by much optimism. My show last night, where I played an hour's worth of songs in the middle of two excellent sets by local youngin's the Bang, was very well received the joint (the Blues Room, with a very kind staff at every level) was packed, and the Saturday nighters and REM curious were very patient considering I was presenting the mellow sounds of KS--hitherto unknown in ZA. Anyway, I also lightened up my vibe by hopping up with the Bang and banging away on Replacements and REM covers! It sounds corny but by the time it was happening, ample lubrication made everyone slippery enough to accommodate my sliding up there...ahem Many thanks to Rob C. and all the Sheer folks for putting together my solo press and show activities there, as well as showing me some of their town (incl. Soweto and Wandie's Place! Thanks to Kenny for directions and company) and to DJ Barney for his Posies and KS enthusiasm! And to the Warner Music Dist./Big Concerts folks who were very friendly on the REM side. The REM shows themselves were incredible...really, you could feel that people were ecstatic that this band had arrived at last--we played to about 50,000 people over the course of 5 shows--15,000+ a night in JoBurgyes, it blew our minds. The Durban fans standing in the pissing rain and loving it. It had been since REM's show in Irvine Meadows last Oct. that we had played outdoors--I forgot how much I love it. Listen folks, I am just nailing down one more date and I will announce the Australia KS tour; in the meantime, I am heavy lidded and ready to take advantage of the remaining 7 hours of flight time for some hush eye. Love KS On Cathay Pacific flight from Johannesburg to Hong Kong Mar. 14 ADDITIONAL ROBATA YAKI AND AUSTRALIA TOUR HOCKEY I never did get a chance to send the above post, so I will just add a quick note, several days into REM's tour of Japan. I Tuesday in the offices of Video Arts, who distribute Soft Commands (as they will the upcoming Posies and Big Star rec.'s) here, which comes with a total of four bonus tracks: the covers of Neil Young's Down to Wire and the Association's Never My Love, which are on the European (and other outside the USA spots, excepting Spain) edition--plus a cover of REM's New Test Leper and Stevie Wonder's Knocks Me Off My Feet! Seriously. www.videoartsmusic.com is the website, it's mostly in Japanese however. I did look around on amazon.com and found you could buy the Japanese edition even tho it is listed identically as the int'l version (Soft Commands + 2 Bonus Tracks, even tho' there are four). But, it's about $41 bux, or $30 used. Damn, it's worth it tho?! I am thru with 'tho''s for now. REM played to a delightful (and quiet, I think Japan might be the ultimate place for me to perform my solo material) sold out show at the legendary Budokan in Tokyo last night. I was trying to count the number of places I have played where the Beatles played: Budokan, the Hollywood Bowl, Maple Leaf Gardens and Red Rocks with REM; Seattle Center Coliseum (now Key Arena), Festival Halls in Melbourne and Brisbane with the Posies. I have played L'Olympia in Paris, but it was moved some years ago from its original location. When we opened for Teenage Fanclub at the Royal Court in Liverpool, they were under the impression the Beatles played there, but I only found evidence of gigs at the Cavern, the Empire and some other theatre or other, but no mention of Royal Court. Ah well. Love KS Nagoya, JAPAN
3.05.2005
IT ENDS HERE The Old World that is…south of here there be monsters…I believe Melbourne and Buenos Aires are further south, but…I’m not one to let the record holder diminish my appreciation of an achievement, place, or object. So, I have been exploring and observing Cape Town with REM, with the added bonus of a visting Dom, and letting the many images and contradictions roll on into my senses…I have to admit, it’s some of the most dramatic geography I’ve seen…Cape Town, at least where I’m staying, seems like a land of many malls…it all looks built yesterday, but yesterday was the Expo in Vancouver 86. Like many Australian cities, the gleaming white, too clean to be believed Cape Town, with all its shifting dynamics, varied (but individually isolated, largely) cultures, seems to be gripping with a fragile toehold on a lonely landscape that just wants to be left alone. But…that’s not to write off the country in any way, it’s just hard to ignore the size and freshness of the band aids applied here. And I fully acknowledge that in the US, the cultural dynamics are temporarily gridlocked, with little interest to stimulate real power sharing among communities and businesses and religious groups…at least here, they are obligated by law to represent the various populations in business, politics, and culture (and thus often motivated to do the minimum to dodge the statutes)… it’s really just another view of true human nature, which is ultimately tribal, whether your tribe is the Romanian community in Newark NJ or your golf buddies. You go with what you know, and leave the others alone. It’s just that…except many times, others aren’t left alone at all and you get all the conflicts we have in this world now…mostly tribal/xenophobic in nature. Your preemptive strikes. Whew. Listen, generally, I am just another asshole with a blog. My opinion is just another sliver in the white noise cavalcade. I gotta move on…I’ve met great people here, seen the most famous sights (the Cap de Bonne Esperance, the beach where penguins do their thing while you do yours), had brilliant food and wine…and the REM shows were sweaty, fun, and obviously long-awaited… According to some, my solo show this Saturday (March 12) at the Blues Room in Johannesburg is already sold out…BUT if you read this and want to go, I have a feeling there’s always room for one more…go to www.bluesroom.co.za/ for info… My New Zealand solo dates are on, April 16 at the King’s Arms in Auckland (Phone: (09)373-3240. Fax: (09)309 8108. Email: kingsarms@hotmail.com), and April 17 at the Matterhorn in Wellington (00 644 384 3359). Australia KS solo dates coming soon… So…I suggest a bit of rest on this day…for those of you with the opportunity, enjoy it… Love KS Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA
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