Not a lot of sleep

I leave Council Bluffs relatively early. I need to get to a post office to mail out some Cds and then I want to spend some time in a Cafe to work. I find a nice place and hang out for a couple of hours. They actually have concerts there as well and the owner asks me when I’m back in the area. It’s a four hour drive to Des Moines and the weather is really nice

When I get closer I see a couple of signs that point out locations I haven’t yet visited and I love that.

Java Joe’s is pretty much downtown Des Moines and looks like a nice place to play. I have 7:30 on my posters and but they tell me to start by 9:30. I’ll see if I do that and actually I like to get done earlier because I probably have to drive at least 3 hours so that tomorrow is not a complete work out. A young man approaches me and we start talking. He’s a musician as well and we connect nicely. Thomas and me chat for a while and have a great conversation going on.

Nobody else is there and this will be it basically. Later on there is an older lady and a young single mom with her little son that I connect with. Here is a view from the stage that speaks by itself.

I finish around 11pm and realize that I’m really tired and the idea of driving three hours does not sit well with me. Fortunately I’m invited to spend the night at Hannelore, the single mom who shares a house with a room mate. Despite the poor turnout it is a nice evening. We stay up late talking before I spread my matte and sleeping bag. I need to leave early and have only about 5 hours of sleep.

McFosters in Omaha

I wake up and am a little disoriented. After taking a quick shower I pack my car and am ready to roll. It is very cold and stormy though the sun shines and my eyes get caught by a huge field with just a single tree on it.

A couple of hours later I’m driving into Iowa. Omaha is only about an hour away so I’ll be there way early. It is the first bigger city that I hit on my tour and I’m excited to see the shyline.

Somehow I mix up 38th Ave and 38th St. and am a little lost but find some cool places and houses to look at.

Finally I have to stop and see if I can snag into someone’s WIFI to get directions. It’s amazing, as soon as I stop I’m on the internet and figure out my way. I realize that I already passed the place but didn’t see it. Here is McFosters, one of the coolest restaurants in Omaha.

Everybody there is very nice and I’m offered to eat and drink as much as I desire. That feels good because I did not have breakfast this morning. Someone comes up to me and asks me if I’m the “posterguy.” The picture seems to work well. He’s a nice fellow by the name of “Fraggle“ and buys 3 CDs before I even start playing. Roxanne, a local singer songwriter comes with her sister. I met her online through a Steven Bishop forum where I found some people talking about my album. We take a pic before I start.

The show is good and people love it, buy CDs and tip well. In the end I get Roxanne up on stage, she wanted to sing some of my songs with me. After that I have dinner and chat ‘till they close. It is another motel night but I feel better about it this time.

Another day in South Dakota

I wake up on a couch after 3 hours of sleep, not rested at all but I have to get going to get my Headlight switch fixed.

First I need a coffee and something to eat, so I find my way back to the Red Rooster. After that I visit with Tim and Janet at the studio. They basically offer me a contract right there but I’m not sure yet. I really have to think about that, after all it’s in Aberdeen and all my musicians are out West. Well, at least it’s exciting what happens. It’s about 10 am now and I got to leave fro Sioux Falls. Once there I find the Honda dealer and get the car fixed. It takes pretty much all earnings of yesterday out of my pocket - at least i made it. I find my way to the Black Sheep Coffee.

The atmo is totally different than yesterday, more like a typical Coffee place in Seattle. I’m not sure what to expect so I don’t. There are actually people coming out and it is a nice show. After the concerts the place clears out way too fast for my taste and I find myself packing the car and falling in a hole.

I have no place to stay so I decide to start driving South towards Omaha, NE to find a motel on the road. I’ll end up in a Motel 8 and start watching X-files until early in the morning before I fall asleep.

Surprise Surprise

I awake early already tired again and wonder where the heck I am. Then I get it and peel myself out of bed. When I peek out the window I only see a white misty soup with nothing to get a focus on. I decide to go back to bed and wait until the fog I awake early already tired again and wonder where the heck I am. Then I get it and peel myself out of bed. When I peek out the window I only see a white misty soup with nothing to get a focus on. I decide to go back to bed and wait until the fog lifts.
Then I pack and get going.

I still have to find a a solution for my tail lights and that I need to get that fixed. Yesterday the head light switch worked a couple of times and with enough wriggling I get is to work but this morning it is simply not happening. The next bigger city is Bismarck, right on the Missouri river and about 20 minutes later I drive into the next depressive place.

Wow, is it me? It might but at the time I can’t see anything uplifting here and just get the notion of how in the world could someone live here. Well, It is me, I’m a little darker than usual and can’t even have music in the car. I try to listen to radio but the stuff is going on my nerves. Finally I turn South in Jamestown going down 281. Slowly the sun comes through the clouds and it’s amazing how a little light can brighten up my day.

I open my windows and start enjoying the ride. I roll into Aberdeen some hours later and go right to the Red Rooster. Nice place! I like it. I start working on some email when I’m approached by someone who introduces himself Tim Anderson, a a studio owner in town. He read about me in the local paper that ran a big story including a photo in their entertainment section. He invites over to check it out. I don’t have anything better to do so what the heck. I can’t describe my surprise once we walk in there.

I’ve been in some studios in my life but this one tops it all, from the equipment to the rooms, everything is top notch and in his office he shows me several gold records that he was involved while being in L.A. It’s stunning to fin this here in South Dakota of all places. Everybody in the studio is very nice and they ask me to play some of my songs and are sincerely impressed.

I have to leave to go back to the coffee but I’ll see them later at the show
Pete Burkhard, a local guitar player and singer opens for me with a nice bluesy set.
Then I go on. Wow, this is a great place the reaction of the audience is simply overwhelming and I feel totally loved. After 90 minutes I’m sweating and standing at the CD table chatting and selling everything on it. I have to run to the car to get some more out of the box. I get a couple of handmade cards and a poem and Paula a very nice woman from Columbia brings a 6 pack of Corona after the show because I mentioned that I’m craving for a beer. In the end I gather everybody that is left for a photo

Than I go and meet with Pete and his sun Justin who is also a touring musician. We have some great conversation before we go to their house where we party on with the whole family until the wee morning hours. What a fulfilled surprising day that was and I’m still stunned when I lay down on the couch and close my eyes for about three hours of sleep before I have to get up and drive to Sioux Falls to my car appointment.

Into the Bad Lands of North Dakota

I get up fairly late but the bed feels so good and I don’t have a show, only a long drive. After a quick shower and breakfast I take a snapshot of Barrie and Carolyn with their vista. It’s so quiet out here!

I feel a little more rested than the other days but get tired fairly fast so I open up the window and try to get some more oxygen into my blood. I’m in the mountains and I love it.

The weather could be a little better but that I can’t change or can I? Soon the landscape changes again and it becomes really flat. Maybe that’s how Kansas is going to be next month.

Montana is way bigger than I had thought and I’m driving and driving and seem to get nowhere. Soon I need to get gas and stop in the next place that has a gas station. They are fairly spread out and I don;t want to take a risk. The city/village is called Forsyth. Very depressing, I wonder how live is when you’re stuck in a place like that. I take a little cruise through the downtown and it looks totally deserted. The only people I see where at the gas station which was just off the highway.

A couple of hours later I finally enter North Dakota. The sky is now almost black and I see horizontal lightning strokes. Yet it is not raining. The view is amazing and then it starts. A lot of water comes down but I can see the light in the horizon

Amazing how quick the weather can change here. I haven’t done any sightseeing yet though I passes Yellowstone and a couple of other places. Net time around I need to plan for that as well but now I need to get going. When I see a sign for the “Painted Canyon” I can’t resist and stop for a little bit and let my mind drift and walk into the North Dakota Bad Lands

It is getting dark now and I cross into another time zone from mountain time to central. I wanted to make it to Bismark so I have a shorter drive tomorrow to Aberdeen but I’m fried and need a bed and some food. I’m out of gas as well and so I stop at a place called New Salem. It’s basically just a motel, a gas station and a couple of houses down the road. The owner of the motel is a nice old guy with a big grin and the room is ok and cheap.
I get a slice of pizza at the gas station and was looking forward to a beer when the guy at the station is telling me that no one is selling alcohol on Easter - Däng!!! What’s with all that wine that those dudes had way back then!

Montana here I come

Instead of having breakfast I’m driving to a car repair place to see if they can do anything about my tail lights. I already checked the fuses so that’s not it. It looks like it is the head light switch, a part that will be available on Monday - alright, that means no tail or dashboard lights until South Dakota. I need to get going, so I get a quick coffee at a drive through and start heading east. Same whether than yesterday and I’m already tired though I just got up. As soon as I’m leaving Idaho and get into Montana there is snow everywhere.

Woo, I hope that is not a pattern. The drive is way longer than expected or maybe it just seems that way to me because the weather is so miserable. It takes until about 4pm before the rain stops and there is finally some light breaking through the clouds.

Montana is after all beautiful and it has a big sky, just as the advertisement says.
It is still about 2 hours to Bozeman and now I can enjoy the landscape and slowly get into the groove. Bozeman is a sweet little college town with no parking meters. The Leaf and Bean is on Main street but I miss it the first time and have to turn around. When I finally get there I’m starving and have to eat first before I set up. When I’m done I start talking to a man who approached me not realizing that I’m in Mountain time and it is already 8:15. A couple of people that waited for the music to start are leaving and I still don’t get it. When I finally get it I’m totally embarrassed and play 90 minutes straight. There are people sitting and listening but the tips are very poor and it is a second night where I have to use positive imagination to not get stuck. MJ Bishops friends Carolyn

and Barrie come by. I stay with them after the show and we connect really well. They both were touring musicians in the 70’ and know the ups and downs. It’s another late night and I end up playing Beatles tunes with Barrie until 2 am

Tomorrow I have a long driving day and no show. I wanna get in at least 10 hours so I’m early in Aberdeen and get the car fixed.

Leaving Seattle

I wake up around 9am and feel pretty beat up after yesterdays show, more emotionally than physically, like when it’s finally done and all the pressure evaporated only that this time it is actually the beginning. All over sudden I realize that I haven’t spend any time on getting ready for my 7 week tour. I know that I talked about it but mostly spend time preparing the Nectar show. Now I have about 3 hours to pack get everything important from my Computer onto my laptop, get my CDs ready - oh yes, print about 50 pages of Promo that I need to send out while on the road, get a good shower and pack the car. I barely make it and still have no clue what I left behind, but I’ll find out in a couple of weeks. It’s raining again and I wonder if I have to drive the next five hours through that mess.

As soon as I hit Snoqualmie pass it starts snowing. I took the chains, just in case Montana is moody and won’t accept springtime quite yet. Once I hit the valley it is foggy and the drive so tiring that I have to stop and get a coffee which I pour into a trash can once nobody looks. I should have gotten a coke but am more strict with sugar these days. I arrive in Spokane at the Empyrean Coffee House just in time to set up.

Jonathan Nicholson is opening up with his beautiful guitar playing that reminds me of some harp players that I played with in Germany.

It’s a very soothing sound and I enjoy his energy a lot. Only a few people show up but it is a good night and I’m still filled with the experience from yesterday at the Nectar, so it is actually kind of cool to chill a bit today so it can sink in.

I stay with Jonathan, his wife Heather, a black lab puppy and a couple of cats in their home a little outside Spokane. Just before we get there I realize that my dashboard lights are all out. So are the tail lights. Well it’s late and I’ll check on kt tomorrow, maybe it’s a fuse (positive thinking...).
We have a nice chat until I feel my eyes won’t stay open much longer. I still wanted to write my journal, it has become a wonderful habit on the road to bring the day to a closure.

Tour Bash at the Nectar

Wow, where should I begin? I had the idea for about 5 months and first I thought about a typical three band bill but then I realized I wanted to achieve something different. I want to built community, so I invited about 16 songwriters to play their best couple of songs with me and my band, thinking that probably only about 8 will say yes - well, everybody said yes and on top of that Blaine, my friend and “Events Manager” invited more to make it a really cool community event. First I was totally overwhelmed due to the fact that I just had arrived in Seattle after a 4000 mile West Coast tour and here I am having only about 10 days to prepare the biggest event I ever did since I’m in the US, while playing 4 other shows and giving a day long workshop. At times I felt it slipping out of my hands but I got a grip on it and pulled through in some 16 to 18 hour days. The Band (Chris on drums, Eric on keys, percussion, accordion and backing vocals and Jon on the bass) had not a single rehearsal and yet we succeeded in playing about 40 songs with totally different artists and do it well.

I was so proud of everybody and the crow just loved it. So many familiar faces that smiled and expressed pure joy and something like “yes, that’s the way it should be.” India and Steven helped a great bit in taking on some responsibilities and everybody was supportive and thankful for a moment of harmony and the feeling of not being alone in this world, sharing the love for music and community. I knew there would be surprises but I had no clue what exactly to expect. I was a little confused when a Pedal Steel player introduced himself to me after carrying all his stuff in and putting it in front of the stage. I never met this person before and he introduced himself as Dan Tyack - well I was not wiser than a second before but kept open to the idea. He told me that he had played with a lot of the songwriters that were about to take the stage and that Blaine had invited him. So now that you are here, how about getting on stage and setting up. First I planned having him only play a couple of songs but after I heard the first notes I knew that I won’t let him of the stage until the end of the evening. What a player!!!
A lot of people showed up and were taken by the level of musicianship and dedication that started with and insane guitar set of Danny Godinez.

Then I played a couple of songs with the band before we started getting Songwriter after Songwriter on stage. I love events like that and it flows very nicely.

The short interludes between sets become their own entity - James Whiton get up and does a bass solo, well it’s more like an orchestral piece and leaves everybody with a dropped down jaw.

The second is going really well and my personal highlight is playing bass with my friend Kym Tuvim - beautiful songs and personality. The next interlude starts with Geoffrey Castle and a violin solo, another Blaine invite. What a great mix of talent, I don’t know where to start, all the songwriters were just amazing and gave all their best which made it an incredible special evening that will always be a highlight in my life. Those are the moments where everything makes sense and I exactly know that there is a purpose.
We ended the night with “Here comes the sun” and a lot of people came up on stage to play and sing again wow - I almost lost the lyrics just by being emotionally overwhelmed. After it was over I realized that the band and me were on stage pretty much from 9 pm to 1:30 am straight with only a couple of 5-10 minute breaks. By 3 am I had the car packed with all my gear and realized that I hadn’t schlepped so much stuff for years, several guitars, bass, amps and CDs and and and...
I’m beat but completely satisfied and happy. When I get home I’m still wired - well, what did I expect, so it takes another hour before I finally crawl into bed. I still can’t believe how wonderful that evening was as well as I can’t believe that I’m leaving Seattle again in 8 hours from now. I got to sleep - I got to sleep -I got to sleep - got to sleep - got to sleep - to sleep - to sleep - sleep - sleep - sl.......psss.

Coming Home

I leave Portland around 1 pm and head for Seattle. Last bit of the trip, it’s raining again - oh what a surprise. Well around 4:30 pm I arrive at home. Tori so excited that she jumps on the trampoline and touches the clouds.

Abby has invited Steve, Colleen and their kids Ian and Elouise for a BBQ in the garden. Luckily the rain stopped so it is actually doable.

I have only about an hour before I have to head out again to play at the Rainbow with my band and two other acts. It’s nice to drive into Seattle again

The show is good and more a rehearsal for the bash party. Only a few people show up and I really have to talk to my fellow songwriter friends about community. It is just not working like that. JD plays a great set of Blues before me and my band. Then Eric’s band - he’s got a new song which I like a lot. Here is a pic with all of us before the show.

Peter, Jon, Chris, Me, Eric and JD

I stay until the end and am glad when I turn the key to our house and slip in a pre warmed bed :)

Schnoodle

In the morning Bob, Kathy and me have a nice breakfast before I head out towards Corvallis. I share a new Waltz with them that I wrote on the piano. Bob is taking some pics...

It’s pouring again and I’m getting a little blue the closer I come to Seattle. I missed my family but I also miss the CA sunshine, well the little we had. Before the show I have a workshop at the Troubadour Music Center. I realize that I forgot to communicate a fee so all the promo went out without having any indication which made people believe it’s free - ah well., only a couple show up and I’m there anyway. It’s a little odd but I can handle it. I know why I don’t teach beginners...
Jorge, who wanted to play again with me left for Portland. He was not feeling well and needed to go. I’ll see him later and will stay with him and Kathy for the night. Here is a view from the stage way before the show.

The 2nd Street Beanery show turns out to be nice, well ok, I guess. Laura and Kevin, old friends of mine show up and Bob and Cathy drop by for the last 4 songs. We chat a little after before I take off for Portland. It’s about a 90 minute drive. Once there I’m being greeted by the attack Schnoodle, Jorge’s Schnautzer and Poodle mixture.

After talking until about 2am we’re all ready for bed.

My little island

When I wake up it seems that everybody is gone and I’m alone. Bill has made his famous cup of coffee for me and put it on a little warmer. Together with Cats Banana bread it is the perfect start for today. It’s a little chilly so I start a fire. It reminds me of the time with Evo and Juliana just when I arrived in CA for the first time.

I cuddle on the couch and start working on my emails. I’m quite behind due to the touring so I’m glad to have some time to hang and focus on it. I always loved to do that in the morning. All over sudden Cat appears from upstairs. She must have been asleep. We chat a little before she has to head out. I still have about a couple of hours time to work on the biz end of being a musician before I have to leave as well and take one last pic of their house.

Today I only have to drive little more than 3 hours from Ashland to Eugene. My old friend Jorge emailed me that he’ll be there to play with me. I’m glad that he’s doing better again. He’s had another set of chemotherapy and felt weak and unmotivated for a while and I was worrying.

We meet at the 5th Street Beanery and play a couple of sets. He’s such a fine musician besides a great friend and I never tell him which song I play or what key it is in. He’s just going for it and we have a lot of fun. There are only a few people there but I don’t mind so much, I had no expectations on this one and I’m just glad that Jorge could make it. Gina, the manager is very nice and accommodating so the whole evening feels good. After the show I’m visiting with my friends Kathy and Bob where I spend the night just like 4 weeks ago when I played the Cozmic Pizza.

They are such wonderful, caring people and have become my little island in central Oregon. Both are passionate Contra Dancers and involved in community and very fun to hang out with. We chat until midnight and then fall into bed. Tomorrow is another day.

Paper Walls

I wake up in a room and have no clue where I am. It lasts for only about 5 seconds but is as real as can be before I realize I’m in the same place I went to bed yesterday. It must have been the hot springs.

I look at my phone and see that it is only 8:15 am so I try to turn around and get some more sleep but I’m awake and nothing can change it so I get dressed and walk to the restaurant where they serve breakfast. Some people recognize me from the concert last night and I’m friendly but not very talkative and so they leave me alone and I enjoy my veggie scrambled with hash brownies while scribbling some new lyrics on the back of a business card. I still have that picture in my head where I saw a man sleeping in the rain outside a 7/11 in L.A. covered with a dirty sleeping bag. It made me think of “Paper walls” and how easy it is to walk through them to the other side though they give us the illusion of separation and safety.

After the breakfast I think about hopping in the tubs but then decide to pack and get going. I have another big day of driving all the way to Ashland and might hit snow again. I drive into Middletown and stop in front of an apartment building to see if anybody has WIFI. Bingo, I check some mail and get caught up in the process and spend almost one hour in the car doing biz - strange but necessary. The drive is long and not very exciting and I just put miles behind me. I don’t feel like listening to anything so I just drive on and on. A couple of hours later I stop and call India. She’s such a good friend, wonderful singer songwriter and also working hard on building community. She’s German as well but we always talk english, it seems just more natural to do so. I’m inspired by the L.A. community that I experienced and fired up to share it with my friends. I’m pondering over a letter I want to write and we talk about the things we miss in Seattle. It’s good to know that someone feels the same so one can work together to make a change. Right after we hang up Phil call and tells me about his meeting with the guy that is in charge of Easy Street, the Tower Records Label. Basically I’m doing currently all the right things and there seems to be no short cut - at least that is what Phil is getting out of this meeting and I’m just fine with that.

Several hours of driving later I reach Mt Shasta and make a stop at the Stage Door. Tom is there and we chat for an hour. Then it’s only another hour until I reach my destination. Bill and Cat are home and await me with a nice dinner. Cat has her ladies tea and plays music with a friend while Bill and I get deeper and deeper into a great conversation about evolution, the brain and culture. At around 10 pm we all go to bed and I work on some emails until two in the morning...

Harbin Hotsprings

I wake up around 8:30 am after little more than 5 hours of sleep. I’m a little exhausted and feel that I partied - but it had to be! After several cups of coffee I load the car and say one last goodbye to my friends James and Melinda. They were wonderful and I’m so glad that we all met and had a chance to get to know each other a little bit.

I’s a long drive way more than the 6.5 hours that I googled. After almost 8 hours I pass the last vineyards in the Napa Valley and start winding my way up in the mountains.

Oh my! It does not end and I get really tired and wired at the same time. Short before I arrive I take a wrong turn and lose another 15 minutes driving down a street that almost kills my car with big holes. Several times I think that this is it but I guess I was lucky and glad when I finally after nine hours reached my destination. The Harbin Hotsprings are natural springs and famous for its healing powers. I’ll check that out later, now I have to get my gear into the yoga room where I perform an all acoustic concert for the most relaxed audience I had so far on this tour. They lie on pillows on the ground and have a great time. I enjoy the show but am also glad when it’s over and I finally can go into the hot pool - uuuuhhhh