Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Does it seem like I'm complaining: Back at the 9-5 grind...
3 months on the road and as quickly as it started, now it's all over and I'm back at my day job. WEIRD! I'd like to reassure all the folks that have responded to my blogs that I haven't given up. Yes, the road life was tough. The Chief was unpredictable at best and damned uncomfortable at worst. My band mates were both a pleasure and a nightmare to live with. I travelled into terrain that made my mind reel in awe and recoil in disgust. I met people who were fabulously talented, beautifully generous and seriously crazy. I played my heart out to the masses, ate crappy food and lived on precious little sleep. When asked, my stock answer to the question "how was it" is "it was an experience". That really covers it-totally. It WAS an experience. Not one that I would trade for anything. Now that I am again waking at a 7am to the annoying alarm and making my lunch for another day at the grind, I take solace in the fact that this was the first, but not last time I will be doing this. To be honest, I can't wait to do it again. Thanks to everybody who gave us advice, believed in us, and wrote words of encouragement. I'm glad that you were along for the ride. It WAS an experience. All I can do is promise to continue to document these experiences and hope that everyone who is reading this gets something of value out of our crazy life on the road. You are the reason we keep doing it. Keep checking back. There are so many more stories to tell...
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Phil, it was a pleasure seeing you and the Wilders last Wednesday at Davey's Uptown and Saturday at the Paloa Roots Festival. As stated above, the group is even better, what I like to call "tight". For all of you who missed it, it was the best live performances I have ever seen. Phil, I do appreciate you letting me write out a few requests at Davey's, but especially taking my 40 song typed up request list at Paola. The truth is, as long as you all play, I do not care what you play. I met Mrs. Phil and I remembered some of her antics at the past Christmas shows. You are a very lucky guy. I got to meet some new fans, but I really want to meet tickmiester. Please keep blogging, see ya soon
ReplyDeleteHey BP and the rest...
ReplyDeleteI've been reading all the posts, but haven't felt like posting comments (I've been kinda anti-social... heck, anti-human really) since the election in August.
However, listening to your CD had helped improve my mood... I had to put the OTWOAD CD away for a while... as much as I enjoy hearing the songs from my youth, I think I've had enough JoN related music for a while. What with the election and all...
So anyway, I just wanted to pop in and say "hi" and that the power of music (specifically Wilders music... and that one They Might Be Giants song that I simply can't listen to and remain in a bad mood) will eventually get me out of this human-hating mood, and thus is a good thing.
Looking forward to your next post! And hope to see you guys at your next in-town gig (I missed a couple... must pay more attention to your schedule page...)
Congratulations on completing a long summer, and I hope you all tough it out and do a few more of them. Bands are ephemeral things with a typical life span only slightly longer than that of a fruit fly. Do it while you can. Looking back at my own checkered past, I realize that every memory that is of great value comes from something that was either hard, stupid, or both at the time I did it.
ReplyDeleteDon't know how many of the correspondents to this blog will be at Winfield. Might be cool to have a bit of a gathering at some point. I'd certainly be glad to meet any of you folks, except for those that I have borrowed money from. I'll try to get together with you in a couple of years.
Cheer up, Eyerytstuff. I've followed politics for 40 years (Started when I was in the womb.)and have been disappointed about a lot of elections. Usually turned out not to make much difference or I decided I was wrong it the first place.