Hello.
I had written, as they say in the classics "quite the rant" on return from the US tour, full of, alternately,creme de spleen about disgruntled Adelaide gig patrons and Rolling Stone journalists, and a hearty jus de amour to...well,as i remember not that many, so the great architect and his gentle, loving ways managed to sweep the, ahem, "rant" underneath the carpet of historic histrionics and give your angry 6'3" sack of bone and gristle the opportunity to render past inglories....unworthy. A note; i use words much in the manner of my 13 year old self attaching stolen BMX bike parts to his non-BMX bike, that is, often inappropriate, but you've got to give it to the little tyke.
Oh Alan Bennett. Two days off the sauce 'n' tinctures and i feel your lilt in my ear as regularly as a sidelong glance to the mirror. How i love your stories of Leeds. How i love you saying Leeds. I think it says a lot about me that in a night of sweats and dread that it's Alan or David Cross that i turn to. Much in the same way my old friend Andy said that he most dug me as i strolled out of a Camden record store brandishing Mary Margaret O'Hara and Discharge LP's. Style icon's? Rosalind Russell and the extras in The Grapes Of Wrath.
Back to Adelaide. I/we never not TRY. That we can't bring our own sound guy, and are not condescending hair straighteners who can, with a straight face, yell out "You guys are the greatest!" "It's so great to be an Australian" et al, to me, just means that i was being myself, riddled with the feeling that things weren't soundin great, and that we're totally inappropriate, well i am as a singer anyhoo, to this sort of gig. We, and I, tried, probably failed, and we will NEVER know the formula.
As footy season has begun one must become familiar once again with the slings and arrows of those with outrageous fortune...i.e. every other freakin footy club 'cept North. As sick as i am of my beloved Shinboners being saddled with a shaky load, and a heavy one at that, until i have a couple of shandies all i feel compelled to say is that any time North run onto the ground my heart skips a beat and i feel, for a blissful few moments, that ANYTHING is possible. It's wonderful. If EVER i write a song that becomes popular i will buy multiple memberships, i have, and will always, be a paid up member, and will proudly make a newspaper and towel hotel room football and sluce the hell out of aforementioned hotel room with mates (tho respectfully replace any damage for our brethren and compatriates the hotel cleaners) whenever said North make as gutsy a showing as they did against the Brians last weekend. It's been wierd of late, but i shout "god bless our native land North Melbourne, North Melbourne!!!"
Congratulations Phil, it's good to see you. Onward and upward dear boy. Your sour, dusted, yet oddly hopeful ol' friend is here for you.
You Am I had alot of folk either physically, financially, aesthetically or illegally help us on the recent US tour. Stories will come out, most of them warm tales of cold climates. To Joel and Craig in particular, we honestly, and fruitily...salute you.
I will be the first to admit that i find YAI perplexing.We wanted to expand our capabilities with limited equipment on this tour..represent parts of our..ahem..catalogue that didn't involve bile, armswings or phlegm. Then what happens? It's like being in a rip,rather than being caught in a hair dryer routine. It leaves me, anyway,feeling very...spent. Does spewing out vengeance perpetuate vengefulness?. Should i buy a second hand rhyming dictionary? To the chap who wrote to me recently saying he was worried about my negativity, well, i'm worried about it too.I hope you're well, i wish it on you, and your collection of pants.
"The Luxury Of Hysteria" starts recording on the weekend.
The tour with Louie Macklin starts soon.We haven't rehearsed yet, but he's charming, handsome, and i have so much time alone that surely some new tales are frotting. We will play new songs too.
I'm plying with a jazz quartet on Thursday led by Fiona Burnett that does a 6/8 Peruvian version of "Thuggery".
New You Am I songs, like strawberries and arsenic.
European and small US solo tour in June/July.

Books :The Adventures of A.M. by Saul Bellow
Early Occult Systems of the Lower Midwest by BH Fairchild
From Dawn To Decadence by Jacques Barzun

Tastes: Cheeses, small parcles of mustard and tomato sauce mixed on a crisp white plate in airports when feeling..giddy..and expectant.

As always, this was done on request. I appreciate it boss.This record will be great and say what really matters. I hope. Spend less time on your hair, Tim.