01-31-10 Stockholm Sweden: 1734 hrs. Sitting on the bus outside the venue. It’s very cold and very dark but it’s Stockholm so it’s still very beautiful. I have had a lot of great times in Sweden and a lot of great shows in Stockholm.
It’s been a show a night with only one night off so far making it eighteen shows in nineteen days. I would rather be onstage anyway, so the schedule is to my liking. Heidi May, The Demon as I call her, said that last week’s dispatch was boring. She’s a wonderful bundle of vipers and always quick to add levity and light to any situation. I am sorry if it that was the case. Sometimes touring is not the most eventful thing. It’s what you make of it pre-show really. What you get done before soundcheck, pre-show prep and then the show itself. I have been hitting gyms as often as I can, checking record stores and working on a couple of writing projects that I will detail when they are done and approved. Past that, the weather is not the most conducive for getting out and about.
As some of you know, it’s pledge time at KCRW, when we ask for people to show their love for the station and for community radio. It pains me that I was not able to do my show live last night and be a part of it. It’s hard to get all the way out of Europe, do two hours of radio and then come back and pick things back up out here. So, I did what I could via my digital recorder and sent in some messages from a backstage box in Berlin the other day. Hopefully it’s of some use. It’s a hard thing, asking the listeners for money but I think they understand what’s at stake, it is, after all, subscriber supported radio and without the listeners pitching in, it’s not going to happen. In a way, I like that. I like the idea that we at the station have to have faith in the listeners to get what the whole thing is about and take action. Year after year, somehow, the station is still on, so it’s obvious that people get it and that’s great. I must say that it bugs me that I can’t be there to be part of the pledge drive. If I still have a job there six months from now, I will try not to miss it again. I love having a show there. It’s one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.
I have not had the chance to go through the entirety of the president’s State Of The Union speech from a few nights ago. I have heard clips but not the whole. If I am able, I am going to try and download the text tonight before I hit stage and then read it on the way to Goteborg later tonight. I try to never miss the SOTU speech. What I heard, I liked. I have heard the speech vilified by some and have grown used to that but I look forward to reading what the man has to say about where America is at and what is ahead. I know that for some, president Obama will never have the right message. I know how that is, I have felt the same way some presidents myself.
One of the things I have been getting done is listening to a lot of music I have never heard before thanks to Engineer X, Road Manager Ward and Liza Richardson of KCRW. I have a lot of music that they gave me to check out and have been digging it big time. From interesting 70’s French Prog Rock, to Japanese Avant, Swedish Psyche and American Indie music, not to mention all that Sri Lankan Death Metal I picked up recently, all the things I loaded onto my hard drive back in LA several weeks ago to what I have been finding out here, I am fairly spoiled for choice out here. I am working on future radio broadcasts that will incorporate all of these finds. I am going to keep it challenging listening as best I can.
I guess the people who write me and ask why I am ignoring their city on this tour don’t read this thing, otherwise they would know that more shows are being booked. Once more, if you live in North America and you don’t see your city listed in the dates starting in February, please know that the second leg of the North American tour will start in May, when I get back from the Australian/New Zealand/South African dates. If you still don’t see your city or a city near you listed when those shows dates are posted, I will hopefully get there later in the year when the multi week dates are done. This is going to be a very long tour and you know me, that’s what I’m into so please know that I will do my best.
I am having a great time out here in Europe. The audiences have been nothing less than fantastic. I am looking forward to all the shows coming up. I am onstage in about two hours and can’t wait. Until next week, thanks for reading this. Henry