INBEDDED
I haven't had a day that could be considered remotely restful in so long I have forgotten what to do with it. So far, I am in bed, and blogging. I haven't gotten up to eat, caffeinate or anything...no plans to move in the near future.
On Monday, all was calm and going well. My shuttle arrived to pick me up--I was the only passenger in a bus bound for ZRH. Check in, a breeze--they decided to forgo charging me for excess weight even tho' technically I was over the limit. I spent my remaining Swiss francs on Swiss chocolate for the family. Security, passport control, all easy. Got myself out to the gate, and found the flight was running behind. Well, what can you do. But, by the time we left, it was 45 minutes or more behind schedule, and of course, this sets in motion a series of cascading booboos. I found that on the flight to Vienna, that we were already on the same plane that would be taking us to Paris. So, I knew it would be just as late, and I would make it...however, I knew that the passengers and luggage had to go thru the same motions as before, meaning, the plane had to be emptied and reloaded. Chances my stuff would make it: slim to none. My chances of making it: good if I hustled. So, we deplaned, were bused to the terminal, and, one of my pet peeves--transfer passengers, who have already been screened that day, are made to go thru security again. So, I ran, with my belt in my hand, and got to the gate just as we were loaded onto a bus and I was taken exactly where I came from. And we flew to Paris, the last flight in to Terminal 3 at CDG. The good thing is, Terminal 3 is really small, so you get your bags right away...IF they come off the plane. Incredibly, my guitar made it. My suitcase came as well, but 2 days later. And I left about 9 hours after arriving. Consolation prize: for being an Alaska Airlines MVP Gold, they sent me a box of delicious cookies. And Dom & I ate Swiss chocolate in bed.
HELSINKI, 11/27
Blue Shuttle is quite a bit cheaper than going by cab to CDG but they have an annoying habit of showing up earlier than the time you booked, and putting pressure on you to adjust accordingly so they can get the other passengers etc. Well, my phone rang at 7.35, fully 40 minutes ahead of the time I booked online (and verified by checking my order online). I mean, who is ready 40 minutes ahead of schedule in the morning? They agreed to come back, but they were still 10 minutes early--I need every possible second in the morning. Plus, I had to build a travel kit from scratch--find a replacement razor, contact lenses and fluid, shampoo, deodorant, a toothbrush, floss, etc etc -- luckily we have ample backup for situations like this--I needed some cables for my guitar, and some CDs to sell...I packed a change of clothes, and all of this went into a small bag that Dom dug out of the closet for me. For backup toothpaste, I grabbed Aden's Shrek toothpaste! Knowing her habits, I doubted it would be missed...
so, these flights went ontime, I was very nervous about connecting flights at this point--no backup this time, tho I stuffed everything that wasn't liquid into my computer bag. All was OK. Lenny, the promoter in Helsinki, picked me up at the airport, and we stopped in the hotel long enough to get my key, and proceeded straight to Tavastia (Posies/Lemonator '96, Posies '98, acoustic Posies '00, White Flag '02, KS '04, Posies/Latebirds/video shoot '05) and set up, soundchecked, rehearsed a few things. Jon & I worked out a set over dinner, and I stayed at the venue to check emails, and suddenly it was time to 'do it'. And it was done! Despite a few hilarious senior moments when the words just wouldn't come, we blazed, a mostly effortless 2.5 hours...I think our encore alone was like 8-10 songs. About 250-300 people were singing along and not letting us go! As always, Finnish friends like Lasse from Lemonator, photo wizard Tomi Palsa, etc were along. We were onstage at 9--and it was suddenly 2am when I walked back to the hotel and checked some final emails before going to sleep.
LONDON, 11/28
I was left wanting for a massive slab of smoked salmon at the Hotel Presidentti breakfast spread--but anyway, I had bigger fish to fry--I needed a new book, having finished the excellent Kornwolf the day before. Now there's a huge mall in between the Hotel Presidentti and Tavastia, so I managed, in like 15 minutes, to have a macchiato, lunch, and grab from the reasonable selection of English books (it took me the longest time to find the word 'bookstore' in Finnish) a huge slab of intricate wordplay--Thomas Pynchon's 'Against the Day'...like Kornwolf's just-enough-of-a-step-back-to-let-the-irony-write-itself view of the Amish, Against the Day so far plays a similar rube ruse on the 19th century (for a an extremely well done similar stance on 1920s attitudes and language being wielded unironically by a character to again, let the irony write itself, see the film '
Man of the Century').
Anyway, Jon & I were picked up by an enormous airporter van, for which the club had provided a one-shot debit card--after the ride/swipe, the driver breaks it in half and gives you half of the card with your receipt. Our flight was ontime, no hassles with check in, and we arrived in Stockholm with ample time to make the (rather distant) gate. Now, originally, we had booked an early morning flight, which would have gotten us into London (with the advantage of 2 time zone changes) in the morning. Dominique was coming in to spend the day with me. But, SAS changed their schedule, and luckily Jon got an email notification--I didn't! And noticed that the new time of departure from Finland got us in to Helsinki after our connecting flight was taking off. So he rebooked, and told me the story, so when I was rehearsing with Subterfuge in Düsseldorf, I was able to call SAS's German number and get myself on the same flight. Now we were landing at about 5pm, which meant two things--I wouldn't be spending the day with Dom, and there was pretty much no way we could do a soundcheck. OK. I told the club the scoop, and anyway I knew the Disciplines full band check at the Borderline (KS '01, KS '04, Disciplines '07) took like 10 minutes so surely, two voices and two amps could be done almost instantaneously as we were going on.
Our flight from Stockholm was actually a little late out of the gate (I said: good, more time for our stuff to get loaded on) and we landed at about 5.20 at Heathrow. It didn't take us too long to get our bags and have our work permits approved, and we jumped on the standing Heathrow Express and raced in to town. We wolfed down sandwiches at Paddington, and then grabbed a cab for the Borderline. I did the standard London cab things: I came around to the window and told the cabbie where we were going, and he knew the place. Now, help me out here, and tell me what I did wrong. Jon & I loaded in our stuff--two guitars, Jon's huge suitcase, my little temp bag, and our two computer cases, into the cab (did we have too much stuff? Isn't that normal for people getting picked up at Paddington, a large number of which are coming from Heathrow?). When we were on the little Soho Street I spotted the arch that is right by the club--I said 'ah, you can let us off here if you like'--and he said, irrelevantly, and with venom: "you see the sign that says no left turn? Well, that's exactly what I'm following". Oh. "I didn't say turn, I said stop". "well, you should have said so a long time before". "Sorry, I didn't realize where we were until that point". "I thought I'd take you around so you could be dropped off right in front". "You're right, sorry--carry on". So, I guess, we crossed a line by leaving the sacred "INDICATE YOUR PREFERRED ITINERARY
IN ADVANCE" zone. We arrived, and I came around to the window; Jon hopped out and started to move the stuff. He was waiting for a car to pass before coming around for another load--the stuff was leaning on the door closest to the kerb, so he had to come to the outside door. I said I'd need a receipt--and the cabbie said "I'm not stopping the meter until you get the rest of your stuff out of my cab--it's going to be a lot more than £11." Again, I apologized, and helped Jon get the stuff out with tremendous urgency. It took all of ten seconds. I was pleased to find the fare still at 11. "that's cuz I stopped the meter". "well, sir, thank you that was kin--""no it was bloody stupid" I handed him exact change--he said something strange about "legal money" and told me to have a "shit night". It is my conclusion that he is just a "cunt".
We entered, and things were just opening up at the Borderline--I put my stuff in the dressing room and saw Dom's coat on the hook, and soon she strolled in, and we hugged and kissed. I said hello to Dawn Landes and Malcom from Tape the Radio (TV on the Tapes N Tapes?), who were loaning us our amps; I secured use of Malcom's tuner (Lasse had lent me his in Helsinki--mine was to arrive in Paris the next day). I checked email backstage, but had so many that I sort of gave up and tried to just relax before the show. Showtime already--the place had filled up, at least a couple of hundred people and the place doesn't hold much more. And they were nutters, I tell you--they were so into it, and we were so ready for it, with one show rehearsal under our belts, and I was so, post-asshole-cabbie/insane travel/three-legged-dog-using-his-daughter's-Shrek-toothpaste beyond the pale that I was able to just deliver--our timing, singing, playing, interaction and jokes were spot on, and the people were going insane. I think this in many ways was our best London show to date. I dedicated "Solar Sister" to Dom, "who looks like my sister". Gross!
After the show, our crew of pals went to a little Italian social club, i.e. a basement afterhours bar--Dom's old boss from V2 was there--for a coupla drinks, and then we cabbed it to Duncan's place (where we had just stayed during the Disciplines visit, and where much hell was raised by the Posies in '05). Dom crashed, I checked emails, and never slept--I snuggled Dom for an hour or two and then we headed to the airport--at 4.30am!!! We had pre-booked a cab to take us there, for £50--a lifesaver. I managed to sleep in the cab a little, and then we checked in. Something about Gatwick--fluorescent lights, dazed 6am travellers, crummy croissant in plastic wrap, squished; racks of Posh Spice autobiographies (as in -nography)--was so depressing. No sleep. We never saw the sun--it was night from the time we landed thru the time we walked out on the tarmac, in the pissing rain, to head to France.
TOULOUSE (LABÉGE), 11/29
Not enough time to sleep on the plane, I was weak-kneed when we landed at Blagnac. We were met by Sophie, from the Diagora, the unusual venue (KS '07) we were to play that night. Essentially, my friend Eric, with whom I had just worked, as a producer for his band Palace of Sin, works at a convention center in a
zone industriale outside Toulouse, and was given the go-ahead to put on shows in their little
rotonde. I love culturally enriched Europe! You'd get fired for even writing an email discussing a similar possibility in the States. So, Sophie, who is a terrifying driver, took us to our little apartment hotel next door to the place, and I chilled, ironed my threads, emailed until I could email no more, et cetera. I took a long bath. I was coming around. The team, including Eric and Paul from P.o.S., took us to lunch at a brasserie across the street. I didn't, for whatever reason, nap. I *wanted* to be good and tired after the show. We did our soundcheck; I did the usual tuner-begging from the support act (although in this case, it was a more primitive one than the Boss stompbox to which I am accustomed--I connected it to the preamp output, since it only had an input and no throughput, but would not be able to cut the sound while I was tuning). We had dinner with everyone at the same brasserie, and finally, headed over to the show. People had come from Bordeaux and Angouleme for the show--a small but very dedicated crowd hustled out to Labége. The night before, the BBC was reporting that Toulouse was burning in the latest riots. I had asked everyone what was going on and they hardly knew about it. They scoffed. I said "but I heard they burned down a public library!" Everyone: "oh...yeah, they did, didn't they? Hmmp!" (shrug/smile).
!!Anyway, we played and had the deluxe production that only the A/V team at a trade show center could provide--psychedelic twirling lights projected on a kind of tent-thingy that was behind us. We did a wicked version of "Coming Right Along" where Jon & I alternated verses--just guitar and voice V1, just piano and voice V2. We honored Eric's request for "Chainsmoking in the USA".
After the show we were supposed to DJ til 2am, but as we finished at midnight, by the time we sold a few CDs, the place was totally empty. Eric was so happy with the show that he tried to give me his Epiphone flying Vee that I used for some of the set when I broke a string. I told him to sleep on it (damn!). The bar staff opened up the unsold plates of food--assorted
viandes sechees, cheese, and a cafe/chocolate tart that was pure evil (meaning, good). We
cochoned out
The team wanted to go for a last drink at the newly reopened Bikini Club (the old club was where the Posies played in '96--the club was blasted off the side of a cliff in a huge chemical plant explosion in 2001). Judging from my thrashed state, and judging by the fact that Eric was trying to give me his guitar for free (he gave me two rolls of gaffer tape, too), I thought it safer to head to bed. Good call!
PARIS, 11/30
Jon was so tired that he went to bed, forgetting that his guitar was still in the hall outside his door. It was still there in the morning. Not too much action going on at the apart-hotel in Labége. A nice taxi was there to take us to the airport, and we did our thing, and guess what: our flight left more than an hour late. What the?? We were already cutting it close with soundcheck as it was; now we would have to really boot scoot. We cabbed in to town, and pulled up to Remi from Cheap Star's place, where jon was staying; Remi met us downstairs, took Jon's suitcase and loaned Jon his little amplifier, and delivered Jon some CDs he had mailed himself (he had already mailed some of *those* to the Diagora!). We stopped by my place and made an executive decision not to change cabs and take my huge keyboard to the show. I went up, grabbed my tuner and my amp, dropped my bag, got some merch, etc., kissed Aden and mamie Claudette (Dom's mom, who had repaired my tie, which I put on!), etc and ran back down, and we headed up to La Fleche D'or (KS '07), just a little late for our 4pm soundcheck. Or not. There was a furious electro band soundchecking very loudly. Until 5. Marie from LFD: "Ah, yes, you soundcheck at 5. We probably told you 4!". Yes, you did. Oh well. I had a cafe and checked email. Axe Riverboy soon arrived--yes, that's Xavier from Tahiti 80, my friend and neighbor (who headlined the last time I played LFD). He had agreed to support us, and not only that, he and his band learned our versions of "O-o-h Child" and "Song of A Baker". Great! Aden and Dom arrived, and Aden brought her little keyboard to help with soundcheck. I pointed out to Dom that instead of the keyboard's power supply, she had brought the charger for her cell phone and the power supply for her old Compaq laptop. I was laughing until the Compaq thing actually worked. So Aden and I jammed for a bit, and then I borrowed the synth band,
Principles of Geometry,--this is the band whose cover art was banned by Itunes--'s Juno-106 and we rehearsed the two covers. Tahiti 80 curated a comp. in Japan that featured our "O-o-h". Dom took Aden home (LFD is too crowded, loud and smoky and the backstage is small, dirty, and not easily accessible--I saw a mouse there last time!). The shows at LFD are almost always free, so by the time Axe was on, there were something like 300 people there. People had come from Germany & Japan to see this show! Our set was a brief by our standards one hour and ten, including the two covers (which rocked! I was jumping up and down like an idiot, and Julien from AR is beast on the skins). We sold tons of CDs (and the Amazing Disgrace vinyl Carsten had found for me). And then the electro part of the evening started--Principles of G.'s soundcheck was promising (and they were super nice) but whoever went on before them was pretty average electro. So, we cabbed it home, dropped my stuff, and reassembled at Le Motel for a round or two, and then went to bed. I saw a mega rat on the way home...in Paris, that's your power animal.
OSLO, 12/1
Reunited with my stuff, I was able to take the proper things for our weekend trip to Norway. Why is it that when your bags are late, they go thru this extra process of being gang raped by meth'ed-up grizzly bears? My contact lens solution had fully emptied itself in my shaving kit, and caused a chain reaction, melting several hundred Rennie tablets in my stuff. Gross! Oh well. At least it all came. As did, presumably, the grizzly bears. Narf.
Yadda yadda, our flight left an hour late, yadda yadda. I don't even care anymore. We landed, took the train into Oslo, and Claus & Baard Discipline picked us up; we grabbed Bjorn Discipline's amp and guitar, and went to soundcheck, late as usual, but it didn't matter (even tho' the club is supposed to be open in the afternoon and they were holding the doors for us). I went to my new flat! A friend of a friend has an extra room, where I'll be staying for the Disciplines' recording session. Very nice he is to take me in! Emails: done. Then I had dinner with Baard, Claus, and some other friends...and then proceeded on down to Cafe Mono (KS '06, Disciplines '07 x 2) for our SOLD OUT* SHOW there. It was great! How could it not be? Again, we were ready, and everyone was willing. Huzzah! I was aglow, with the free glass of Tokaji from the server at the restaurant, who is coming to tonight's show!). We did 'King Midas in Reverse' for the encore. And told the audience to write the next night's set on the back of a poster and give it to us for literal replay (it starts, I believe, with 'Dancing Queen'). So, we'll see...
I arrived pretty late back to my flat--stopping off at my HQ, Revolver, for the obligatory glass of water!--and there was a raging party happening. I had half a glass of champagne, stepped over the guy passed out in the hall, and went to bed! And there I remain, at 1.30 on Sunday afternoon.
If you are in Oslo and are unconvinced about coming to the show tonight (we're on at 22h)--I assure you, we will astonish you with versions of "Eye of the Tiger' and whatever else is on that list. And some Posies songs, perhaps!
Love
KS
Oslo NORWAY
*incredibly, Gogol Bordello and Kent also had sold out shows in different, bigger venues last night. And the National has a show tonight that's been bumped up from a 500 cap. club to a 1500 cap. club--and yet, I am not worried in the slightest. Evidently, there's enough Norwegians to go around.
