WATCH "AN TOUR" WITH THE POSIES ON TMF MUSIC TELEVISION IN BELGIUM 9PM ON DECEMBER 27
LICHTENBERG 12/10
the day couldn't have started any better--we were up fairly early and on the road to Keysersberg, about 45 minutes drive from Strasbourg. We had a morning appointment at Domaine Weinbach, one of France's most celebrated wineries, and perhaps the most lauded producer in Alsace. The Domaine consists of many acres of vines, planted on flat ground around the main buildings of the estate (that are both where the wine is produced and stored, and the residence of the Faller family that owns the Domaine), and on the surrounding hills. You can investigate further at www.domaineweinbach.com. Their most coveted wines are sweet, late-harvest Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris wines that have been affected by the botrytis fungus--they also make a number of other wines as well. I didn't know they made a pinot noir as well, and having tasted their "W" pinot noir (they also make another pinot noir that they call "Reserve", but the "W" is a bit more expensive and less is produced) I pronounced it excellent.
We were received by Catherine Faller, who runs the estate with her sister, Laurence, who is the oenologist, and their mother, Collette. We tasted about ten different wines, all wonderful, and a couple of them I would say were exceptional. They manage to keep quality very high, even on their higher-production wines. I couldn't bear to spit. Yum.
Well, I hate to say it was all downhill from there, but I will say my senses were overwhelmed by the flavors of the morning, and I suppose it was a bit hard for me to keep my energy up, but I think the second SuperDog show was quite good, but I couldn't help but compare it disfavorably to the previous night, as far as my parts were concerned. But, also, the previous night was such a fly-by-the-seat-of-khakis kind of event, and on night #2 I somewhat *knew* what I was doing, so it was less experimental for me. It was possibly better from a technical point of view but I thought the spirit of the first night was a bit more...spirited! Haha. But, the attendees seemed to be really into night #2. Proving, once again, my opinion doesn't matter.
After the show we headed back to Strasbourg, and Kenny, Yves, Julia and I polished off some eau de vie a fan had given me (uh...thanks. Ouch). And called it a night. Yves had to be on the radio at 6 the next morning--my sympathies!--and then head to the castle to deal with the gear. Julia walked us to the train station, which, in anticipation of the TGV's extension to Strasbourg (riddle me this: If they can't get the TGV to Strasbourg because they have to build a special set of rails for it...how do they get them out of there? Because they *make* the damn things in Strasbourg!) a big mess. But the TNV (train de normal vitesse) ride, 4 hours long, to Paris was pleasant enough.
That night Kenny & I went to see Mono, the epic-instrumental music makers from Japan. The rest of the week was mellow, with Kenny & I doing a bit of wine shopping, family dinners at home, and on the eve of our departure, I stopped into a local recording studio to quickly record a version of the Yes-tnut "Time And A Word" so my covers EP is complete--I am handing the masters to the label tomorrow. On Saturday morning, Kenny & I went to CDG; his flight to Seattle (via JFK) left in the morning, and my flight to Oslo a little later. Just as Kenny made it up the front of the line to check in, there was a kind of bomb scare--the police found an abandoned piece of luggage, and cleared everyone away (I was in a cafe adjacent to the check in desk, and luckily had just finished my cafe and croissant--but unfortunatley had also paid, too--I could have walked away after that, easily!). But the interruption was brief, and he got on his flight just fine. I got on mine, and off I went to Oslo.
LARVIK 12/16
I had a long day of travel that day. We left the flat at about 7.45, 12 hours later, after getting Kenny on his flight, getting on mine, a layover in Stockholm, another short flight, a train ride into Oslo, and the drive to Larvik...I was still traveling. But the arrival was sweet. I was at a party for the 60th birthday of Claus' (Disciplines' drummer) dad, and the 50th birthday of his cousin. It was held in a lovely old manor home in Larvik (Larvik is a little down the road from Torp airport, well-known to Ryannair travelers). There were 80 guests; friends and family, mostly older folks but a few of Claus' friends too. There was a buffet, and endless bottles of wine. A sadcore duo, Bellman, played; and I did a few songs, too--I thought it might be a difficult enterprise, to play my music to a gaggle of inebriated 60-year-olds, but in fact they were a fantastic audience--I was as amazed as anyone that they were able to quiet down, and that they enjoyed my little set. I finished it by moving everyone over to the bar, where there was a Steinway, and did "Something Stupid", dedicated to Claus' parents, and then "Here's To The Future". After that, I managed to get the old and young folks grooving to my Itunes! Awesome! We rounded out the night drinking some wine at the home of one of the Bellman guys, and then crashed at Bjorn from the Disciplines' mom's place.
Hey, I just remembered, that I did "Joe Dallesandro" with Lise and Bjorn...funny!
Today, we rose not too early, took a lovely breakfast chez maman e Bjorn, and drove back up to Oslo on a brilliant clear Sunday afternoon, and spent 6 hours working on new Disciplines material. That's our mandate for the week...
Love
KS
Oslo NORWAY
