Tour Diary

13 June

Fly into New York and head to my friends with whom I am staying in Greenpoint. Miss the Lydia Lunch show at the Knitting Factory due to my faffing about at Jamaica station and head to Union Pool to see Major Stars/ Thalia Zedek. Catch up with old friends. They have closed the Kellogg's Diners at Union and Metropolitan Ave...noo!!! Things have changed so much since I lived here last summer.

14 June

Huge showers and thunderstorms. Have to shelter in Daddy's Bar for two hours. Play the jukebox and go to a party in Williamsburg. They have a goood jukebox here....play some Zombies and United States of America. Go to see Jay DJ at Matchless. Leave my umbrella in the bar, which is something I do with alarming regularity.

15 June

Play a gig today in Washington DC. Get the $20 Chinatown bus. There are only 5 of us on it. Don't know how these guys make it pay. Get to DC, Go to the Whitehouse for token tourist photo, and note the extreme level of homelessness. Arrive at the Lighthouse at about 2 pm and meet the other guys who are playing. I met Layne who runs these shows last year when we played together at the Schoolhouse in Brooklyn. I play first outside on the porch which I guess is how a banjo should be utilised. It's so sunny I can barely play, blinded by the sun...muddle through. The Gamelan Orchestra play next...a great instrument, very much mastered by these three guys. Susan Alcorn plays pedal steel and it's wonderful. Then Cutest Puppy in the World do their thing with a fair few homemade instruments and some effects...pretty mesmerising. After the gig some of us head to the Velvet Lounge- Thalia Zedek/ Major Stars/ Kohoutek. Travelling to Pittsburgh tomorrow with Kohoutek before going on to Terrastock on Thursday. Good show but tired after the travelling/ playing.

16 June

My friend Jeffrey Alexander's birthday party (Secret Eye, Black Forest/ Black Sea, The Iditarod etc) Travel to Pittsburgh with the guys via Takoma Park, Maryland (to pick up Scott) home of Fahey. Get to Pittsburgh at about 11.30 pm. MV/EE and the Golden Road are playing in the garage. Surprised to see Sharron Kraus who is supposed to be on the road...freak guitar incident forced her off the tour for a bit. MV knows a guy in Vermont who can fix it so all is not lost.

Spend a few days in Pittsburgh hanging out with Mike Tamburo with whom I am staying and Sharron, Jeffrey and Miriam. Go record shopping at Jerry's which is possibly the best record shop I have ever been to- they seem to have never-ending copies of Stroll On by Steve Ashley. Go to see The Body/ Mike Tamburo/ Tusk Lord in a gallery space in town on the Tuesday. The Body are deafeningly loud, Chip the guitarist goes through two massive Marshall stacks. Wonder at what point in my life I will start wearing earplugs at gigs....before or after the onset of tinnitus?

19 June

Head to Louisville KY for Terrastock with Sharron and Black Forest/ Black Sea. Stop at a Waffle House, pass the Museum of Creation in Ohio. We are very much on the bible belt. Check into the hotel, head to the Mellwood Arts Centre. It's pouring down with rain. A bit gutted as there is an outdoor stage at Terrastock for the first time ever. Look after some merch stalls, watch a bit of Dead Maids. The highlight of Thursday night came courtesy of Jerry Green. The nightclub back at the hotel, The Brownsboro Inn has it's own nighclub, Jerry Green's named for it's compere and house band frontman. Imagine if Phoenix Nights was re-made for American TV. Damon and Naomi and a couple of locals are the only ones there when we arrive. Have a dance with United Bible Studies and Sharron and drink some cheap cocktails.

20 June

United Bible Studies start things off in a pretty epic way followed by Sharron...beautiful. Ignatz was ace and it was fun hanging out with Brams and Dave who was driving him around. Black Forest/ Black Sea have some sound problems and play without a PA which actually worked really well as they really drew people in....beautiful harmonies from Margot and Miriam...this was really spellbinding. Helena Espvall and Masaki Batoh close the evening. It was very pretty, and kind of epic when Damon and Naomi joined them for In Stormy Nights. Head back to Jerry Green's hoping for more surreal empty nightclub action but it's packed. Obviously a hotspot for the locals. Buy an unfeasibly large bottle of wine from the bar, hoping people will share it with me. Back to Sharron's room for a civilized gathering. Find few takers for the wine. A bit of a Jacqui versus Sandy debate kicks off- bloody folkies. Michael has control of Itunes. Much yacht rock to behold.

21 June

We miss Oneida. A bit annoyed as I really like them. Watch Wooden Shjips outside- the sun is finally out. MV/EE and the Golden Road play...awesome as ever. I play...Bardo Pond play outside at 5.30 and are joined by the mighty Kawabata adding some screaming headless guitar. Ace, but the highlight of today for me was definitely Grails. Immense. I buy their new record which is on purple vinyl.We go to Wild and Woolly Video, an incredible DVD/ Video shop apparently run by one of Slint. I finally buy the Trees record that Byron Coley was selling for the knockdown price of $180. I have been lusting after this since spotting it on Thursday but am pretty broke. It's only been reissued once though and the re-ish is almost as hard to get hold of as the original. Such an incredible record.

Lie outside on the grass for Mono with fireflies buzzing around our heads...pretty perfect. Kohoutek end proceedings....these guys are awesome and Scott is a trouper, he played with United Bible Studies too...and I think some other bands.

22 June

Sex Fist, a last minute addition comprising members of Abunai! and Thought Forms start the day off doing some improv....I look after some stalls for a few hours...the next thing I see musically is Insect Factory. Mike Tamburo plays with him too....Mike has also been a trouper, whipping out his hammer dulcimer at every opportunity and banging away. He played with UBS too when they did an improv thing on the third stage. I think Pelt are my highlight of today, it's like waking from a dream when they finish....it was just incredible, hazy, swelling and serene. Jack Rose was ace with some blues stuff and Kawabata Makoto brought the noise, closing the festival. Ad hoc festival closing party back at the Brownsboro Inn. Get closed down by the manager though....boo!!

23 June

Stay in Louisville another day post festival. Go to the local record shops....Underground Sounds and Ear-Extacy. Can't remember what I bought....a Grateful Dead live album was amongst the haul...errm...

24 June

Head back to New York from Louisville via Greyhound bus which is always an experience. It took twenty hours!! All Greyhound stations seem to look the same and it's impossible to sleep....but it's $100 as opposed to $600 to fly. In no hurry, don't have a gig until Saturday. I arrive back at Port Authority on the 25th June at about 10 am and Naneen is off work today so we head straight to a bar on Bedford Ave....no! I need to sleep!! Thus begins 3 days of hanging out with friends, going to gigs at the Knitting Factory, going to galleries and shopping which I will hereby skirt over!

28 June

I play at the Cake Shop with Silver Summit, Heavy Hands and Jeff. My gig clashes with My friend Anne's which is a shame but bound to happen in New York. It was a good night but I drank a bit too much....gah! Last night in New York simply ends in a taxi home after losing money in a metrocard machine. It ate my money!! You can pay for taxis in New York by credit card now! How sweet!

29 June

Arranged to meet Clare for lunch but upon checking flight details, it appears my flight is at 5.30 pm not 10.30 pm as I had thought!!! No!!! Where did I get 10.30 from? I think it's because I flew from Spain in early June at 10.30 pm so that time was still stuck in my head. Have time for a swift Bloody Mary with Naneen then it's a car to the airport and a long flight with only Galapogos by Kurt Vonnegut and a hangover for company.

15 July

Fly into San Francisco. Stay near Union Square. Make a note of the cold weather and resolve to purchase some suitable clothing eg. cardigan, having packed for tropical climes. Stay in SF for two days. Go to Amoeba Records on Haight street. Buy some Jean Ritchie, Aphrodite's Child, Heart and a few other bits. Go to the post office to ship them home and find out it will cost $40! Noo!! Decide to drag them around with me and not buy any more records :(

17 July

First day of the Diamond Days Festival in Oakland. Get the BART to Oakland. It's remarkably sunny here. What's with SF? It's only just over the water. Eventually find the Ghost Town Gallery. Leave my stuff there and head to downtown Oakland where I find a Marvin Gaye T-Shirt in a Goodwill shop for $2. Result! Potter around before returning to the venue, nothing happening so ring Jay. Go to Mama Buzz to meet Jay and watch some bands before returning to the Ghost Town Gallery. It's all running late so I don't go on until 1 in the morning! Sleepy Sun, Whalebones, Jeff, Young Animals and Cult of Youth play but Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound are my highlight tonight.

18 July

Go for breakfast with Sean and Veronica from Jeff then head to Santa Cruz with the Whalebones boys. Go to a music shop called the Starving Musician on the way. Play a few guitars and a pedal steel. Go to the beach then head to the venue via a Salvation Army store and Mexican restaurant. I like Santa Cruz. I think I could live here. I'm a Gun, Sleepy Sun, Whalebones and Howlin' Rain play...all good. We all crash at the promoter's house.

19 July

Head to Big Sur. Absoloutely breathtaking scenery which none of my photos have done justice to. The landscape has been ravaged by forest fires but it's still pretty epic. The Henry Miller Library is a lovely little place. Whalebones, Assemble Head..., Howlin Rain and Beachwood Sparks played. Never seen Beachwood Sparks play. It was dead good. Head back to the Fernwood campsite. Talk to several people who seem to know Scott Kohoutek from DC....small world, popular man! Gather round a campfire and decide to crack open the champagne I bought for 6 bucks in Santa Cruz. A poor take up with only myself and Michael from Howlin Rain consuming said beverage. Maybe they didn't want to feel how I felt the following morning....Andy from AHISS kindly lets me sleep in his tent while he keeps it rustic in a hammock under the stars.

July 20

Head to LA, which meant another amazing scenic coastal drive. Go to In'n'Out Burger. Despite being vegetarian I do support this enterprise. They were doing organic before it was cool and just keep quiet about it. Arrive in LA, head to Studio City, to a house where friends of Nick's live. Swim in their pool, then head to a taco truck followed by whisky in the Cha Cha Bar.

20-25 July

This midweek period mainly involved going to gigs, record/ clothes shopping, going to the beach. The shopkeepers sure do like their puns in California. I have come across several on my travels. Notably Pizza My Heart in Santa Cruz which is almost, but not quite as good a pun as my local Clapton eatery Nice Plaice. Nice Plaice works on two levels as both the shop environs and produce served within are confidently alluded to as being, and I quote, 'nice'. Located just off what is affectionately known amongst its denizens as 'murder mile', with crumbling shop signage, I'm not sure I would describe its locale thus. As a vegetarian, I'm unable to comment on the quality of the 'plaice' that crosses its counter.

Den of Antiquity in Santa Monica is another contender. If the staff had loose morals (perhaps taking inspiration from antiques dealer-cum-lothario Lovejoy), it would work on several levels. Again, I'm unable to comment on whether this is the case. Interior Motives (soft furnishings) is a pretty good effort too.

26 July

Gig at the Echo Curio on Sunset Blvd. A great gallery space. I knew what to expect having already been to a few gigs here since getting to LA. Met up with Ruthann Friedman and went for a cup of tea. Played at about 8.30, then Ruthann played which was beautiful, particularly the last song about her daughter (can't remember the name and can't play the CD to remind me because my speakers are broken...) Holy Holy Holy were really rather good as was Dorian Wood who is playing in London soon...errrm...what did I do then....oh, stayed up with Grant drinking and listening to music for a bit.

27 July

Go to Amoeba Records to spend some money....bump into Howlin Rain on the street. How odd! They are also going to Amoeba. Have missed Andy Votel's DJ set. Bugger. Buy only one record- Electric Music for the Mind and Body by Country Joe and the Fish. I think the place is too overwhelmingly big. Give me Rough Trade West any day of the week or Rob's Records in Nottingham. I like to feel trapped in my record shops, like I might suddenly get caught in an avalanche of vinyl. I don't like too much floorspace. I don't like shopping in Rough Trade East for that reason- I feel like I'm on a dance floor about to bust out some moves and I do worry that one day I might. Head back to Grant's to see if he fancies the thing that Votel was on about at the Hollywood Forever cemetery. He stays in to do record label stuff. Meet Veronica but we miss the DJ thing so head to Santa Monica for the Howlin Rain show at McCabe's. Get a little lost and when we arrive we have missed the show so go for food. Sad to say bye to V :(

29 July

Get the Pacific Surfliner to San Diego. I do love US train travel. It's just a better experience than in the UK (or maybe it's just that LA to San Diego is a little more enticing than Nottingham to Leicester on the Midland Mainline- particularly now they've stopped doing the free tea and coffee...). I think it's something about the big tan leather seating and wood veneers, it makes me feel like I'm in a spy movie. Even the journey I sometimes take from New York to visit my folks in Red Bank, New Jersey is rendered somewhat glamorous, despite passing through Newark.

30 July

The End. Back to London.