TENACIOUS D ISN’T EVEN FUNNY TO 8-YEAR-OLDS.
Just thought I’d mention that. I’ve never heard of more money spent on shittier jokes since the little seen ‘Sultan of Brunei Comedy Hour’ back in ’82. I mean, maybe they're trying to prove some philosophical point...'look how much we can be rewarded for for how little thought or effort...isn't that hilarious?' But, really, to me, it's a waste of plastic and a good drum sound. If you want to laugh *and* cry, get the Chunklet DVDs… or pick up the new Big Star album, ‘In Space’, that was released today on Rykodisc…
TALLAHASSEE 9/19
Lots of fun here calling ahead to the radio station at FSU and sassing off the great staff there...fine folks running the club at the University here...cool room to play too. My friend Ane's band Producto came down from Athens and did a fantastic set of music that ranged from soothing to operatic and many points in between and around…and beyond.
We stayed in a hotel that night where a frog was cooling itself off on the ice machine. Since when does a cold-blooded creature need to cool off? Usually the challenge for those animals is to say warm. That's how hot it's been.
BIRMINGHAM 9/21
BBQ'd it up and did our banking and sending money to our bus. managers before heading outta town. Slow roads in Alabama. A lot of 50mph stuff! So, we finally got to our hotel in Birmingham that night, and examined our rooms, and headed right out in the hotel shuttle to the 5 points neighborhood....we ended up at Jim & Nick's BBQ (yes, I ate nothing but BBQ at some point for like 4 days). Even though it was getting close to closing time and they were out of a bunch of stuff we still had an excellent meal. I had ambitions to go to a movie after dinner (my favorite activity on a day off) but I was so tired by the time dinner was done I surrendered to the need for rest, and we walked back to the hotel. Wrote an email or two and went to sleep!
One of the emails I saw was to the address posted on my website, from a fella named named Mike, saying if we needed anything in Birmingham...so I emailed him to call me on the show day, which he did--he and his friends John and Kristy took care of us--got us to Kinko's (daily necessity on tour) took us to lunch, took us to dinner at the French rest. Mike works at...and were just awesome fans and great people. They also got a lot of their friends into the band, so even tho' the crowd that night was tiny, they made up for it in enthusiasm and knowledgeability...see Kristy's 'dream set list' t-shirt...in fact, we did most of her requests and that pretty much made the set list....
The club itself is surely one of the dive-iest of dives...a doublewide trailer mounted on a concrete slab...spray foam insulation painted black on the inside. No amenities whatsoever...not even bottled water! But, it turned out to be a fun night...rousing version of 'Compliment'...thanks to the Bham 3...
ATLANTA 9/22
Birmingham was the start of a nonstop 25 shows in a row run...most bands I know have never undertaken such a feat...shows you our love of bringing the rock to the people. Go to any other band's website, and look at how many shows a week they do...remember they may have a tour bus that makes the travel virtually without impact...we drive ourselves (actually, Joe Norcio drives)...not a complaint, at all...just trying to show our level of commitment to what we do.
Anyway, great instore at Criminal records...I got a Chris Stamey rec. for free (thanks!) plus we were given all the back issues and DVDs that the Chunklet people could bring...and a killer BBQ recommendation for Nashville (we'll get to that).
The show at the Earl was one of the best of the tour....amazing crowd...we were feeling the flames of the volcano god...stormin’.
Thanks very much to George, Ali and Chris who took us into their homes after the show....
NASHVILLE 9/23
Got to town early, spent an hour with our friend Rebekah and her many doggies, sipping ginger ale and what not. Moved into town and loaded in…I walked down the road to Hog Heaven BBQ (thanks Henry)—a must do in ‘shville for the meat inclined. Pulled turkey breast with white sauce…that’s the shizzz. Hmmm. Ahh. Ahem. Walked back in the blazing heat and soundchecked…great sounding stage at the Exit/In. E/I was the site of great Posies shows in 1993 and 1996 (where Tom Peterson and Rick Nielsen joined us onstage for a slaying version of Surrender) and a rather s-s-slushy acoustic show in 2000. Another fine instore at Grimey’s…zipped over to the radio station at Vanderbilt U. for a surreal and fun interview…then we went back to the already closed Grimey’s to retrieve our forgotten guitar cables! Thanks to Meshelle for driving us around! We dined that night at the Elliston Strip’s greasiest spoon, the Goldrush…where all the servers are named Abigail for some reason. And then….the show! We turned the audience around and had them view the show from drummer perspective…i.e., they can now hear that the guitar amps are too loud and they have to look at our butts. They loved it! We passed out a few free beers to the folks we had gathered onstage…a few folks stayed on til the end even when Jon & I abandoned them and jumped off the stage…one poor gal was obviously a very big fan, but had drank too much and was singing along VERY loud and VERY out of tune in the front row (and, when the audience was onstage, into Jon’s mic). Even during our little acoustic interlude, where we did a version of ‘Unsatisfied’ it was, shall we say, marred by her enthusiasm. But, all in all, a great night. During ‘Grant Hart’
Jon’s tricky knee popped out of joint…he left the stage (somehow I missed all this as) and ran into the bathroom that was right off stage and bashed it against the wall in there…and made it back for his cue at the end….
ATHENS 9/24
Another more-than-full day of rocktivity. Big Star-flavored instore at Schoolkids records…lengthy interview and performance on WUOG…and a fairly involved soundcheck…Adam, house engineer at the Tasty World had made peanut butter ribs…you don’t get that at Carnegie Hall, mofos….I ducked out after the radio interview to attend a dinner party in honor up the upcoming nuptials/retirement of one of REM’s office employees, where I got to see the band/office folks/friends etc. under one roof with wine and food to boot. Mills gave me a lift over to the club, and it was pretty much time to go on when I arrived. And, I believe, we delivered a fierce rock show to the faithful. Many thanks to Dewitt for taking care of us, thanks to Phil for driving, and thanks to Mike for the guest rooms…
CHAPEL HIL 9/25
Sleepy Sunday. NOT…!! Another toasty, sweaty rock concert…what can we say…we’re on a freakin rr-o-o-o-ollll…about 800 degrees onstage and I only took my shirt off. Rick Chertoff. Lynn and Dave took us *and* Deathray Daveis into their home…Dave is the trash can basher for SCOTS…Lynn has been a friend of ours for quite a few years…somehow, everyone was so into rockin’ Bocephus on the jukebox and slugging Jameson’s that they didn’t notice the only unclaimed space in the house was the guest bedroom!! I snagged it and locked the door…as I fell asleep I heard the new Big Star album being played…in the morning Lynn had already done a bagel run and put coffee on…*and* she had a good iron and ironing board for me to use! Bless her heart!
Apologies to Chris Stamey for not getting our act together for a grand finale Posies-CS-Big Star etc. epic jam. My bad.
WASHINGTON 9/26
Perhaps the best run club in the country? I wish the Black Cat had more competitors for the title. But, the Black Cat always stands out…top class production, the people working there are knowledgeable and on the case, the shows are promoted, people show up…OK, this show was 10/10. We visited Revolution records that afternoon, cool little store on CT Ave. I thought our versions of ‘Beautiful One’ that day, at the store and at the club, were both tear-jerkers…really, it’s only when I have stuff to complain about that I have that much to say. The last few shows have been put together well, advertised well, with great audiences, and we have played furiously. And we’ve seen our friends. And eaten like kings (Mama Dip’s in Chapel Hill…Sonny’s BBQ in Tallahassee…) this is what it’s all about…and as I write we’re heading towards the fall colors…
Love
KS
on the highway near Wilmington DE
