| News! |
[Oct. 15th, 2007|06:19 pm] |
Hello friends! Its been ages since I've posted any updates, so I thought It time I broke my silence. In regards to "From The Land Of Volcanos", it is available once again for downloads on itunes worldwide, as well as Sony connect, Rhapsody, emusic, musicnet, Napster and of course KMFDM.net
As most of you know the KGC project released earlier this year (available online at KMFDM.net as well at above mentioned music sites), was pretty much a follow up solo album in my heart....so suffice it to say, it will be moment before another one is forthcoming. Though I have a vision and a plan for it, there are other pressing projects I must focus my attention on before commencing on another solo journey.... By now I hope you are all aware of the recently released KMFDM album Tohuvabohu. It kicks major ass! If you have not checked it out, its time you have! So pick up your copy or download at KMFDM.net and support the ones you love!
Expect more music and mayhem in 2008! |
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| KGC (NEW PROJECT) |
[Dec. 5th, 2006|09:30 pm] |
Well, the countdown has begun for the first KGC release. I'm feeling as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs... Our little labor of love will be delivered on Dec. 14th on KMFDM Records. I've been thinking a lot about it. Of actually nothing else since returning home from the KMFDM tour. Will it be a quiet affair or will our friends around the globe come to our little party. Time will tell... Anyway I wanted to share my experience making this record with you, to prove the beautiful workings of synchronicity. That the power of things unseen is at work in every moment and that anything and everything is truly possible, sometimes mearly by thinking about it. As anyone who knows me can tell you, I have been a Curve fan since the dawn of time. I have always dreamt of someday writing with the man behind the surreal musical landscape, that slithered around the sexiest voice ever, Toni Halliday. So it came as a huge surprise one day, when I received an email from a mutual fan that wanted to make an introduction. I guess I could have easily introduced myself to Dean but I figured it would be like sending a message into a black hole. Anyway, after our mutual friend reached out to Dean and an introduction was made, Dean began sending me tracks. What I heard was so inspiring that I started writing immediately, dragging Sascha into the studio at any given time of day or night, to help me visualize my ideas. The chemistry was undeniable. There was an ease in which these songs were taking shape, it seemed foolish not to keep it up, to see where it would lead us. Sascha and I met Dean for the first time in a pub in London, while we were on the KMFDM European Tour last year. It was of course an honor to meet him but more interestingly, it felt as if we had known eachother all our lives. There was no awkward getting to know you stuff, we were all very much at ease. It was there that we hatched a plan to make a record. At that point we had already written a handful. When we returned home from tour Dean sent more music, I'd listen through and pick the ones that screamed at me the loudest and Sascha would get in there with his scalpel and do what doctors do best, make it better, in all his mad scientist glory. We'd send files back and forth to Dean and kept fine tuning until we were all happy. Over many many months working in this way, we had an album recorded. Obviously I cannot tell you the inner workings of either Sascha or Dean's creative process, as that you will need to hear directly from them, however I can tell you a little bit about my inspiration regarding the lyrical side of things on "Dirty Bomb". When I was first introduced to Dean I was reading "The Collector" by John Fowles. If your not familiar with the author or book, maybe you'll remember the movie that was inspired by it, "Boxing Helena". Anyway, I was pretty fascinated by the ideas, the visual themes that kept coming to mind as I was reading this book. Then something happened to someone close to me. Or should I say something was discovered to be happening to someone close to me, That was incredibly disturbing. During this time another tragic discovery was made, this time involving a long time fan of mine. I was listening to Deans tracks during this period and the lyrics began to write themselves. Little horror stories, with twisted landscapes, over and under exposed photographs in my mind. Visual metaphors representing a myriad of themes. My writing process whether writing for KGC, KMFDM or solo stuff has always been incredibly visual. Like little home movies playing in my head. The music dictates the mood, then I mumble nonsense for a few hours until I puzzle piece my melody/story/lyric together. Since its necessary for me to get as close to the theme as possible, in order to write with integrity, I lived in some pretty dark places on this one. Along the way slaying my own dragons and discovering things about myself, I might not have otherwise known. This record is incredibly special to me for so many reasons but most of all for having the opportunity to work with the fierce talents of Sascha and Dean.
Its always special to be part of something that only a select few know about, as if your in on a delicious secret. In this particular case do us a favor and spread the word, either by putting up a KGC banner, telling a friend, requesting us on internet radio stations, mentioning us in a blog, becoming a part of our street team. Every little bit helps! Thanks!!! more to come :)Lucia |
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| new album release |
[Nov. 26th, 2006|07:46 am] |
Hi Everyone:
I know I've not posted an update in a while and I am incredibly sorry for that. I just returned from a fantastic 6 week US tour with KMFDM. Thanks to all of you that came out to support us! it was incredible!!!
I've got a new album coming out Dec. 14th on KMFDM Records. Its a project called KGC, an album I collaborated on with Dean Garcia of "Curve" and Sascha Konietzko of "KMFDM". It would mean the world to me if you guys came out in force to support us by pre-ordering your copy at the official kmfdm site, kmfdm.net or you can try the link to the direct page;
kmfdmstore.com/products_new.php?osCsid=90907c7ba63d0c5a54724bf512303555
also please visit our myspace page at myspace.com/kgcmusic
Lots Of Love and Happy Holidays,
Lucia |
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| NEW MUSIC |
[Sep. 11th, 2006|10:21 pm] |
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HELLO MY FRIENDS! I KNOW ITS BEEN AGES SINCE I'VE WRITTEN. YES YES I DESERVE AN EARFUL FOR THAT!!!! ANYWAY. GOOD NEWS!!!! I HAVE JUST FINISHED A NEW PROJECT WITH SASCHA KONIETZKO OF KMFDM AND DEAN GARCIA OF CURVE. THE PROJECT IS CALLED KGC AND THE ALBUM IS DONE!!!! GO TO MYSPACE.COM/KGCMUSIC AND TAKE A LISTEN. I WILL HAVE RELEASE NEWS VERY VERY SOON. IN THE MEANTIME CHECK OUT THE SAMPLER WE HAVE UP AND FOR GOD SAKE COME OUT AND SUPPORT KMFDM ON OUR UPCOMING TOUR!!! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU ALL!!!!! ALL MY LOVE AND KISSES!!!!!XOXOXOXLUCIA |
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| Hau Ruck European Tour Journal Part 2 of 2 |
[Jan. 13th, 2006|09:17 pm] |
11/22/05 - Bergen Norway
I woke up as we were driving through the old town of Bergen. The scene
was that of a postcard. White houses dotting the hillside fell sharply
into the sea, framed by mountains and fog. We drove carefully through
cobblestone streets until we reached Hulen, the cave like venue we were
to play. With plenty of time until load in we headed over to our hotel,
had some breakfast and then went exploring through the charming seaside
village. We spent a considerable amount of time walking through the
small fish market admiring all the odd looking fish and sampling local
crab. After that we just walked and walked, drinking mouthfuls of salty
air and taking pictures. When we got back to the vebue load in was in
progress and we headed inside. Due to some hospitality rider confusion
piles of food were delivered and I spent the next few hours making
salads. J&R from PDHH came in during all this and showed us photos of a
huge cod they caught off the docks on their afternoon fishing
excursion. Later I went out in search of the elusive Norwegian pancake,
which I came to learn was simply American folklore. I settled for a
cold soggy crepe instead and walked back to the venue in the poring
rain. Sound check was stressful as it was our first night with a new
FOH. The room presented many challenges and we spent hours trying to
make it manageable for everyone. Pre-show I just wandered around
watching PDHH and talking to fans. When we hit the stage we all
struggled with our mixes but made the best of it and had a successful
show in the end. With an extremely long drive ahead of us to Berlin, we
took off as soon as possible.
11/23/05 - Oslo, Norway
I didn't want to miss the drive from Bergen to Oslo as I had heard it
is one of the most beautiful drives in all of Europe. With some kind of
subliminal alarm clock in place, I woke at 7am and peeked my head
through my bunk curtain. Immediately I threw some cloths on, grabbed my
camera, pushed back the hatch of the roof and starting snapping away. I
raced downstairs as quietly as I could to make myself a cup of tea and
watch from the window. When I got downstairs M was sitting there
transfixed by the view. It was other worldly, in a lord of the rings
kind of way. Frozen forests, snow capped mountains jutting into the sea
and strange waterfall formations frozen mid flow. Frighteningly steep
curvy roads that dropped into an abyss made me thankful I was asleep
when we made this trip in darkness a few nights before. A few hours
later we stopped at a little family owned restaurant on a hilltop and
the few of us that were awake went inside and ate a delicious
breakfast, accompanied by the thickest hot chocolate I've ever had.
When we took off again I curled up in my bunk and went back to sleep
until we reached the venue. "Betong", the student complex we were
Playing, was in the middle of nowhere. Nothing around to see unless you
wanted to take a cab, train or bus. The inside was impressive enough
but there wasn't any crew or anything in our dressing room when we got
there. I took a shower and dried myself off with toilet paper. When the
promoter did arrive he seemed overwhelmed and everything took a long
time to organize. When we hit the stage I was disappointed. The turn
out sucked and quite a few people there were sitting at tables drinking
wine like they were at some kind of lounge bar. I did everything I
could to get into it but I was completely bored. I couldn't wait for it
to be over and get the hell out.
11/24/05 Berlin, Germany
I woke up as we were arriving at the Ferry. Once we parked inside we
all went up to the main deck and either got something to eat or browsed
through the duty free shops. I found band and crew playing poker and
hung out there for the duration of the trip. When we docked we took
pictures with Lutz (our driver) and gave him a big hug. Yup tonight we
would have yet another driver, our last. Lutz couldn't stay with us as
his lovely Susanna couldn't be apart from him for more then 10 days at
a time. We knew this from the beginning but hoped he'd change his mind
and were all a little sad when it came time to say goodbye. At least
we'd have him until Berlin. The drive was endless. Took forever with
all the rush hour traffic and we raced to get everything set up when we
got there. I was excited as my sister who I hadn't seen in ages would
be there and word around the club was that the place would be packed.
Everyone kicked ass and we made it through sound check before doors. I
got dressed as quickly as possible and starting searching for my sister
with mad anticipation. Finally I found her and smothered her in a sea
of kisses. We hung out in the bar and talked with friends and before I
knew it it was time for the show. The crowd was fantastic, the sound
great and we all fed off each other's energy, resulting in a great
show. Afterward it was one big party. The club stayed open and another
opened across the court yard and we just bounced from club to club
talking, laughing, making new friends. Later my sister and her group
came on the bus and we had our own little party, since we didn't have
to leave for Poland until the morning.
11/26/05 Gydnia, Poland
It was freezing in Poland. Inside the dressing room there was a little
fire furnace glowing but unless you were sitting right on top of it,
the rest of the room was cold. We were starving but the only provisions
provided for us were some pickled fish selections, bread and what
seemed to be spam. YUK! I ate a few slices of bread and hoped later at
dinner something edible would appear. Since the club was in a desolate
area none of us ventured out to discover the city of Gydnia. Instead we
stayed at the club setting up for the show and hanging out in our
backstage area. Later we were given a choice of roast chicken or
pirogues for dinner. Since almost everywhere we had been so far had
given us roast chicken most of us opted for the pirogues. Of course
this was the one day chicken was the better choice! The perogies were
disgusting. Mysterious slop stuffed in slimy gluey pockets of dough.
Ughhh. I just wanted to get the show over with and get the hell out of
Poland. When show time rolled around we hit the stage and they all came
up close with cameras in hand, snapping away. By the second song they
were holding their cameras about an inch away from my face and it was
very distracting. I tried to gently push them away but they only became
more determined. On top of that they were doing some kind of local
slapping thing I'd never seen done before. With hands in the air they
slapped them down on the stage or on whatever band member happened to
take the center. It was bizarre and annoying. When the show was over I
was relieved. We went out front to talk with them but nobody recognized
me after I had changed, so I sat at the bar and had a drink. Some guy
came up to me and started talking in Polish. I tilted my head to the
side like a confused dog but he kept chattering away. Finally I just
said I haven't any idea what you're trying to say. Then in perfect
English, he said, I thought you were a Polish girl I met here last
week. I laughed and then he bought me a strange shot off vodka with
raspberry syrup and hot sauce. By accepting he thought I was interested
because before long he was climbing onto my bar stool trying to get
extra friendly. Thankfully AS happened to come by, I introduced the two
of them and slid away. Everyone seemed to be having a good time but I
just wanted out. The people were nice enough but I didn't have common
ground with anyone, so I grabbed my stuff and went to the bus and
watched a movie.
11/27/05 Prague, Czech Republic
I couldn't wait to get out of the bus. It seemed like we were driving
forever and still no sight of the club. Huge imposing buildings with
strict authority lined the streets and I wondered if this was what
people were referring to, when they described Prague as one of the most
beautiful cities. Finally beyond the city on some cull de sac we found
our club. Before we got the last piece of equipment in, AD slipped on
the ice and had a nasty bruise on his hand that was turning blue by the
minute. Inside the promoters organized laundry for us and delicious
food was being brought into our dressing room. They organized
transportation for us so we could go into the city and see the sights
and we accepted with as much grace as our giddy excitement would
allow. Laundry and transportation from the city and back WoW! So a
bunch of us took off to see the sights. Everyone seemed to splinter off
into little groups when we got there and SK and I took off on our own.
The X-Mas market was in full swing and the delicious smell of local
treats filling the air. I heard English more then anything else. It
must have been the time of year as the streets were teaming with
tourists. SK and I walked further on hoping to find something more
authentic, undisturbed, but it wasn't to be. So we we sat at a cafe
and people watched until the designated hour of the first shuttle back
to the venue. When we got back everyone was in good spirits and we
jumped on stage for sound check. After that we did some interviews and
then ate the best meal of the tour so far, at least as far as I was
concerned. They served us heaping plates of roast pork with homemade
sauerkraut, potatoes and a vegetable with cheese which I didn't try.
Everyone was smiling afterwards rubbing their full bellies. By the time
I had gotten dressed the club was packed. I could hear them screaming
and whistling making all kinds of noise. When we hit the stage and
started our show, they were screaming so loud I could barely hear
myself, it was great! One of my top 3 shows of the tour so far.
Afterward we hung out with everyone until they closed the place up.
Later when loading our gear out to the bus, JS got trapped in the
elevator. It was scary for him but funny for the rest of us. I was on
the floor nearly pissing myself with laughter, as I heard his muffled
voice scream , help, help I can't get out.....When we finally did get
him out we stayed until the wee wee hours enjoying the hospitality of
our promoters before taking off Budapest.
11/28/05 Budapest, Hungry
We arrived at A-38, the ship we would be playing on a very rainy dismal
day. A strange sculpture of a baby adorned the top, with what looked
like a giant asshole for a face. I laughed taking pictures wondering
who came up with this odd perspective of infancy and walked down the
plank to the ship. Inside there was a beautiful restaurant framed by
picture windows and down in the basement was the club. Our backstage
area must have been a boiler room at one time as huge pipes ran from
ceiling to floor in a tangle of steel. Converted into a a comfortable
bar area, leather couches and chairs filled the space and a tray of
sandwiches filled a nearby table. Our promoters were great and
entertained us from morning till night with stories and talk of
everything Budapest. In the afternoon JS cut his hand bad on a piece of
gear and it was clear AD had to go to the hospital for his hand as it
was swollen beyond belief, all shades of purple and blue. Some very
cool crew guys took them to an army doctor friend and the rest of us
were brought upstairs where we enjoyed an elegant sit down dinner in
the restaurant. The club filled with a respectable amount of people
and the show was incredibly fun. Afterwards we talked with the fans and
then went backstage again to celebrate a great show with our promoters.
The vodka kept flowing, I tried to sneak out several times but they
kept dragging me back in for one last toast. I'm pretty sure I crawled
up the ship plank back to the bus.
11/29/05 Vienna, Austria
When I woke up we were parked in a garage. I was very confused and shot
out of my bunk like a rocket fearing that some kind of bus malfunction
had occurred while I was asleep. Outside the bus I walked the perimeter
until I found a door that lead me into the venue. Very interesting I
muttered to myself and then found an elevator that led me backstage, to
a duplex room with tons of yummy food. There were gorgeous marble
bathrooms and endless rooms with comfy couches, tables and chairs. I
was very happy. One by one as everyone woke up and found themselves
there, no wanted to leave it was so cosy. The city was a train ride
away and I had a huge headache from the night before and decided to
stay at the club. Later SK and I walked to a mall nearby to get some
stuff we needed and then it was back to the club for sound check. Later
dinner was prepared and a beautiful black forest cake was brought up
for us. The show brought many fans from Budapest and Prague as well as
local fans and a good time was had by all.
11/30/05, Nurnberg, Germany
I hated this place from the moment I stepped off the bus till the
moment we packed our last piece of gear in to leave. The venue was
generous enough with the food but the place was freezing and the stage
was so wobbly I wondered what the consequence would be during the show.
With so much time on our hands JH and I went for a walk in search of
the city. We walked and walked but all we could find was a huge
supermarket that was of little interest. We passed SK on the way back
and he wanted to see it for himself so I walked with him. We passed a
nice looking restaurant from the outside and went in to get some lunch.
The inside was a stark contrast from the outside. It looked like a
cover for something. Odd looking patrons sat around one big table
glaring at us in suspicion. No sooner had our food arrived when some
other people came in and a man came over and aggressively banged on our
table a few times before walking off. SK and I looked at each other and
wondered what the hell it meant. Later a friend told us it was local
custom, a way of saying hi... Back at the club with sound check in
progress, we gave the stage a test run. I shook my head and asked AD
to nail my podium down as it was ready to fall over with the first
note of Hau Ruck. I was very worried. When the show started I caught
my sequencer as it was flying off my podium. AD tried to tape it
down but the vibrations from the stage were so crazy I spent the
rest of the show holding it steady. The crowd was cool though and
we hung out with them afterwards before taking off for Stuttgart.
12/1/05 Stuttgart
When we arrived at Rohre, the venue wasn't opened yet so SK, JH and I
took a walk through the city. The X-mas market was massive with petting
zoo's, rides for kids, food stalls, gift stalls, you name it they had
it. It was very festive and a feast for the eyes. With endless shops we
walked and walked until we worked up an appetite. JH took off in search
of something he needed and SK and I went in search of a restaurant
where we could get a typical meal. We settled on what looked to be the
perfect place but it was awful and we left disappointed. Back at the
club things were moving slow. They didn't have a monitor board and
there was a buzz that could not be located. The local crew weren't very
helpful and frustration hung in the air like a thick fog. SK's mother
and brother were driving out to see the show and take some of our luggage
back to Munich and our booking agent and merchandising agent were
coming down as well. It was a stressful afternoon. When show time
rolled around and the place was full. Drunk people were falling all
over themselves at the front of the stage and one of them passed out
trying to get on the stage. I tried to have a great time and enjoy it
but there were so many distracting assholes at the front I put myself
on auto pilot for most of the show. When it was over we went back to
the bus and stuffed all our clothes into garbage bags and loaded them
into SK's mom's car and then hung out on the bus with our bands/crew
and talked about the border crossing into Switzerland and potential
hold ups we might be faced with.
12/2/05 Martigny, Switzerland
When I woke up we were long past the border and driving through the
little Swiss village of Martigny. Our bus skidded on the ice and got
stuck in the center square drawing a crowd of locals shaking their head
in disgust. After breaking free we parked at the side of Le Caves Du
Manoir, a teeny tiny cave like venue beneath the town museum. We went
inside and ate local meats, cheese and bread with our lovely promoters
before one of them took us for a drive up into the alps. We stopped at
a restaurant that was hanging off the side of a cliff and drank local
wine and enjoyed the view before heading back to the venue. While we
waited for sound check SK and I walked through town and had a snack at
a little french bistro along the main strip, where camouflage knobby
trees adorned the street. The day was crisp and fresh and the alps
framing it all, made it picture perfect. After sound check I took a nap
with the hatch open and fell asleep to the sounds of leaves rustling
along the street. When I woke again it was dinner time. Tables were set
with candles and we were served a beautiful dinner before doors opened
and people started coming in. When we hit the stage the place was
packed and hot as hell. We unleashed a furious set and afterwards
police stormed the place, looking at passports, taking pictures, eyeing
everyone up and down. When they couldn't find a reason to arrest
anyone, they gave the club a ticket for not having soap in the
bathroom. Our new friends kept the club open all night and the wine
flowed and flowed. We laughed all night long and didn't emerge from the
cave until the sun was peaking over the mountains.
12/3/05 Bern, Switzerland
We circled the venue for over an hour and couldn't find parking. With
construction shrapnel all around it, some of our guys had to get out
and remove it so we could get a spot. The promoter was nowhere in sight
and the club was closed. We were all annoyed and SK wasn't feeling well
at all. When the promoter finally did show himself he had an aw shucks
kind of look on his face and I just wanted to slap him. There was no
food to be found and the bathrooms were filthy, toilets filled with
shit. By then SK was feeling really bad and the two of us took off for
the hospital. After many tests and lots of waiting around, he was given
some medicine and we went back to the club. After sound check we ate
dinner in the restaurant beneath the club and got dressed for the show.
The crowd was great and we had a good time. Afterwards in the dressing
room I heard noises and smelled fire. SK and I went to the window and
people were all over the street setting fires, dragging construction
into the road and screaming their heads off. First a fire truck showed
up but drove off after people started pelting it with cement blocks.
Then the riot police arrived in official gear and started tear gassing
the place. We watched as RW & JS raced out to the bus to wake the
driver and help him get the hell out of there. It was the most insane
thing I'd ever seen in my life. None of us could figure out why it all
started but watched for hours until they finally calmed down and
dispersed.
12/4/05 Zurich, Switzerland
When we arrived in Zurich all could not have been better or so I
thought. The backstage area of the club was in a separate little house
a few steps from Dynamo Werk 21 and it was filled with tons of great
food. I hung out there washed some clothes and took a shower in the
next building by the club. After that I went to to see where we would
be playing but the door was locked. I saw some ridiculous looking
people sitting at the bar but they wouldn't answer the door, just
looked passed me and rolled their eyes. Finally RW opened the door and
let me in. I looked at them with disdain, a little early for me to let
the devil out and decided to walk on. The place was small and there was
talk about another band playing. We all said no, absolutely not, there
was no time or space to accommodate them but apparently they cried and
begged and SK caved and said o.k. We were all pissed off but it was a
done deal and that was that. The day dragged on and on, then M and I
went for a walk through the beautiful city before heading back for
sound check. When it was time for the 1st band to go on I went to check
them out. It was the most ridiculous thing I had ever seen. The
clothes, the music, everything. Text book cliche', sad actually. On
top of that they wouldn't get off the stage. They kept playing and
playing. I was mortified! Finally AD went to the side of the stage and
gave them the international sign for get the fuck off and they did.
When PDHH were set to go on I went back to the tiny room beside the
stage and listened. AD was in there pissed about the opening band
coming in and taking beers and staying on stage so long, so we told the
promoters, now that they were done they had to stay out, not enough
room for our two bands and them as well. PDHH had all kinds of
technical problems on stage and we suspected it was due to the first
band carelessly getting their gear off. No sooner had I found myself
alone in the dressing room, when the hideous chick from the opening
band walked in and grabbed a few beers. I said hey take it easy! The
rest of that is for PDHH and KMFDM/crew. With that she struts to sit
across from me and says in broken English "Is there a problem here?" I
said as a matter of fact there is. You've been asked to stay out of the
dressing room and here you are. On top of that we never booked you to
play this gig but somehow you were on it. Then once you were on the
stage you wouldn't get off. Then because of your band's carelessness
getting your gear off, PDHH's gear was screwed up when they hit the
stage and their show ruined, so yes there is a problem. With that
she stood up spun around and started screaming and shaking, "I used
to love KMFDM how dare you talk to me like that! FUCK KMFDM You! You
got paid more then us, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE ANYWAY! I started
laughing but I could feel my blood boiling and immediately
everything froze for a minute. I had a bottle in one hand and a butter
knife in the other. My mind started playing out scenarios, should I
just take her out now, oh god it would feel so good to silence this
silly bitch. As she's screaming I look at the clock, 10 minutes till
show time, hmm if I hurt her this will interrupt our show, do I really
want to mess our show up for this? Oh god, what to do, what to do. Is
it worth it? Then, blip, I was back in the moment. She was still
going on and on and I very calmly yet firmly said get the fuck out
now. She swirled on a hip and left. I rubbed my head and then
laughed my ass off in that hysterical way you do when you narrowly
avoid a car crash and said good girl! When we hit the stage the crowd
was great and the show went on without incident. Afterwards we hung
out and thankfully the 1st band had disappeared. Later we celebrated
a great tour with PDHH and took off for the airport for our flight to
Ireland.
12/5/05- Ireland
We arrived at the airport very early and still half asleep. When we got
to Ireland our promoter was there to pick us up and we dropped our gear
off at the club before going to the hotel for showers. SK and I then
went off for an excellent meal before heading back to the venue for
sound check. AD made us podiums out of beer crates and I sulked at the
thought of having to work with something so unstable and unfamiliar.
With girlfriends in town to see their boys, the dressing room was
filled with happy faces. The show was fun but I felt awkward
maneuvering myself around my unpredictable set-up. When the show was
over we hung out with everyone until the place closed and then SK and I
went back to the hotel and some of the others went to after hours
clubs.
12/6/05 -Ireland
With the day off everyone slept late and did their own thing. SK and I
bumped into JS and RW on the street and joined them for lunch and then
dropped off some laundry and walked around the city before going back
to the hotel to get dressed for dinner. Later we met up with our
promoter and ate the best Italian food I've ever had. Then we went pub
crawling before heading back to the hotel.
12/7/05- Moscow
It was about 5am when we all met in the lobby for the airport. Everyone
was a bit cranky but we made it there without incident. When we arrived
in Moscow it was a cluster fuck and customs stopped some of our boys
and went through everything with a fine tooth comb. Our Russian
assistant L was there to meet us and our worst fears were confirmed
when Alexi showed up to meet us as well. Alexi is some asshole we had
met in
Seattle once or twice, who had forced himself on us in Russia last year
and was now at the airport insisting he drive SK and me to the hotel.
Last year he had introduced us to some lovely people, I'll give him
that. But I've never liked him, trusted him or enjoyed his company. On
top of that he's styled his hair and clothes exactly like SK and openly
admitted that he sometimes passes himself off as SK. In the car
he kept telling SK he needed to dye his hair, of course looking at his
own I could see why. SK wasn't sporting his chicken yellow on this
tour, that would be a problem if Alexi was to try and assume his
identity. It took us ages to get to the hotel and when we did the
others had already arrived. We waited in the lobby for close to 2 hours
for the hotel to process our passports. While we waited we talked with
the friends who we had met the year before that Alexi had invited.
After we got our luggage into our beautiful rooms (way better hotel
then last year) L our asst. organized transportation and we went out
for a typical Russian meal. It was o.k. but Alexi made me sick drinking
from the bottle like a drunk and licking his girlfriend's face. After
that we went back to the hotel and hung out in the lobby bar, where the
prostitutes outnumbered the guests. It was fun watching them scope out
customers, running their perfectly manicured fingers through their
hair.
12/8/05 Moscow
We had a day off today and spent most of it sleeping as it was a
blizzard outside. The phone kept ringing with Alexi's calls, waking us
from our cosy sleep. We ate a snack in one of the hotel restaurants
and he found us there. Afterwards we walked around the city aimlessly
with him and his girlfriend and stopped in some Arabic restaurant for a
drink. Some kids passed the window and started snapping pictures of
Alexi and then they came inside. They spoke Russian and snapped more
pictures of him and then they left. He sat there laughing saying, "see
they think I'm SK". I said yes and you do everything you can to
perpetuate that lie, all the while looking him in the eyes so he
understood exactly how serious I was. SK looked at him with suspicion
and then looked at me. His friend picked us up after that and then we
went back to the hotel to meet the rest of the boys. Alexi kept telling
us we had to come to some party he had organized at a local club, that
it was sooooo important that we all go. Loads of kids from the show
tomorrow would be there and we couldn't let them down. With that we
went over. When we got there they wouldn't let us in, it was like some
horrible joke, "VAIT OUTZIDE"! SK and I looked at each other and
started walking off with Alexi trailing behind us. SK! SK! don't leave
its all a mistake. I glared at him and said "You drag us all here and
the guys at the club don't even know what's going on, they shook their
heads and told us to go outside. We didn't come here to stand in the
freezing rain and snow. After begging us to stay we went back with him
and finally got in. There was no one inside at all and it was a
complete waste of time. He stared at me with eyes that said bitch, I
looked right through him with eyes that said full of shit loser. We
stayed for a few drinks and signed a few autographs but all the CD
jackets looked like fakes. When I asked one kid where he got it he
pointed at Alexi. Dirty fucker bootlegging our shit. I knew he was bad
news when I saw the bruises on his ex-girlfriend's face last year. Why
any of us gave him the time of day then baffled me but from here on out
he was dead to me.
12/9/05 Moscow
We were picked up around 11am and loaded our gear into the van and
headed to the venue. It was in some school or campus. Many buildings
with classrooms, billiard rooms, conference rooms. The room we were
playing in was huge. Big stage, good crew. Everything was easy. After
eating a delicious lunch SK napped on a couch and I read my book.
Before long Alexi and his girlfriend were there. When I saw him trying
to wake SK I told him to let him sleep and ignored him. He kept asking
where we went after we left the club last night and if he'd missed
anything. I looked at him with raised eyebrows and said really Alexi SK
needs to sleep. He left but kept coming back again and again. Then he
started pestering L our asst. demanding to know where the dressing room
was. I told her no one wanted him around and under no circumstances was
he to have access. She agreed and from then on he kept coming in and
out of the main room pacing and fuming like a petulant child. Finally
after sound check he disappeared. Good riddance asshole! The show was
fantastic. With everyone pressed up against the stage we were able to
get in their faces and have a good time. Afterwards we hung out with
them taking pictures, laughing as we all tried to communicate with one
another. Then we went back to the hotel and hung out in the bar. The
prostitutes were at it again, fluttering around like butterfly's,
having the time of their lives along with everyone else.
12/10/05 - St. Petersburg
We all met in the lobby at about 6:30am for our flight to St.
Petersburg. We nearly missed the plane going through security, while
they examined every last thing we had. The plane was teeny tiny and I
sat next to RW. I thought he would pass out from the heat. I kept
taking sweaters off until I was in a t-shirt. None of us could wait for
the damn thing to land. When we arrived we were met by a group of
people who worked with our promoter. They were very professional and
cool. Thankfully they were able to help us locate our luggage when it
was discovered that SK and mine were left at the Moscow luggage hold.
We went straight to the venue and got our gear set us as fast as we
could and then ate some great food that had been prepared for us, by a
very kind older Russian lady. The show was fantastic and lots of laughs
were had by all. We did what we always do after a show and then went up
to some private room for dinner with the promoters and new friends we
had invited with us. Afterwards we went to our hotel, which was another
step up from last year and partied into the wee hours. In the early
afternoon we met in the lobby and our promoter friends took us for an
excellent meal before bring us to the airport. |
|
|
| Hau Ruck European Tour Journal Part 1 of 2 |
[Jan. 13th, 2006|08:36 pm] |
Oct. 23rd:
The flight to England could not have gone smoother. The airport was
near empty when we got there and check-in went by quicker then
anticipated, leaving us with plenty of time to grab a quick snack
before the flight. Once on the plane we all got comfortable and either
slept or watched movies for the duration.
Oct. 24th: ARRIVE IN LONDON
After collecting all our luggage from baggage claim we crammed
ourselves into as many cabs as necessary, gear and all, and headed to
our hotel "The Best Western Master Robert" in Hogarth. I've heard the
Best Westerns in Europe are of a higher quality in Europe, qualifying
as a 3 or 4 star. I guess they rate hotels according to a different
standard over here because this seemed more like a 1/2 star hotel at
best. After dragging all our stuff across the parking lot to our sadly
appointed rooms, a few of us went to the "Robert Inn Pub", We drank a
couple of pints, had a snack and then I was off to bed. I woke up a few
hours later to airplanes landing on my head or at least that's what it
sounded like. I pulled on some clothes and headed down to the lobby
where the boys were in the lounge hanging out. Since last call wasn't
far off, I ordered a drink and sat with them talking about the days and
months ahead. Not long after we all went off to bed as our tour bus
would be arriving early and we wanted to be awake to greet our opening
act Panic DHH, who would be traveling with us. I had a restless sleep
tossing and turning most of the night, waking again at 6am ravenous
with hunger.
Oct.25th: NORWICH, UK
We waited and waited, no bus in sight. We placed call after call and
waited still. We all got a bit panic stricken worrying where it was and
if we would make it to the gig with enough time to get everything
sorted and organized for our first show. Finally 2 1/2 hours after its
scheduled arrival time we caught sight of it. Now we just needed our
opening band and we could head out of this shit hole and begin our
tour. Panic DHH arrived not too long after and we were on our way. When
we got to Norwich AD's wife and kids had arrived and it was all a bit
mad. Children racing around, gear getting set up. AS brother's band
The D- Models were also on the bill for the UK dates, so there was more
organizing to do and of course there was the issue of the bus. Since
European busses are different in that they have to be plugged into a
power supply to have power running or the engine must be left on, I was
left at a loss when the driver told me, the club didn't have the
necessary power to keep the bus running and it was too toxic to leave
the engine on, so we would have to use the dressing rooms provided for
the rest of the day. Usually I wouldn't mind but with so many people in
such a small space, I was anxious. Next thing, the driver(the first of
many we would have) was in the dressing room stuffing his face with our
limited supply of food and then preceded to take an hour long shower.
There is nothing wrong with this when there is enough of everything to
go around but in this case I thought he was pushing it and told him so.
I don't think he liked me much after that but I didn't care because by
this point I was really put off by him. Later I hung out with the Panic
bunch and caught up with them before we all did our respective sound
checks and got dressed for the show. When show time rolled around there
was a good amount of people and the energy was fierce. It felt
fantastic and we all had huge smiles on our face when it was over. All
in all everyone was pleased. Later on the bus we stayed up till the wee
hours.....or what was left of them.
Oct. 26th: NOTTINGHAM, UK
Nottingham ROCK CITY!! The name says it all but sort of leaves you
flat. After hours and hours of preparation and organizing for the gig,
the show felt a bit dull. The audience turn out wasn't nearly what it
was last year and the people seemed unnervingly subdued. I screamed at
them hoping to rouse them from their stupor but it did little good and
in the stifling heat of the room everything went blurry as sweat
blinded me temporarily. The sound was strange in my ears and I wondered
if thats what it sounded like out front, maybe this is why people were
just staring dead ahead. I looked back and forth at my band brothers
and they don't look happy either. Before I could think to pull my ear
monitors out and take a listen to the room, the show was over.
Afterward all I wanted was a cold beer and a clean towel. The best I
could do was a luke warm beer and a brand new blue towel that left
little specks of blue lint all over my body. I looked like a moron.
Thank god I bought some take-out earlier with SW. At least there was
something to eat. SK was pretty pissed off about the show. We could
have snapped him out of it with a clean towel, a shower and some cold
water to drink. Not too much to ask but too much to hope for in a place
like this. With that we went across the street and booked ourselves a
room and spent our remaining hours there. After a shower SK fell
asleep. After mine I ate soup and chain smoked, wondering if this was a
prelude of things to come or just one of those nights. A little after
4am CW banged on the door. Time to go. Waking up SK out of a dead sleep
is like waking a bear, dangerous and always near impossible. No one
wants to do it. On the bus I headed to my bunk as quickly as possible
and fell into a fitful sleep.
Oct. 27th Glasow, UK
I woke at 6am drenched in sweat and gasping for air. No windows or
hatches on the bus and the power was turned off. I flew from my bunk
like a bat out of hell and woke CW. Together we woke the driver and
demanded air. I yelled at him and didn't care. It was careless and
dangerous to pull shit like this in these early days. If we all got
sick we were screwed! GET IT! Turn on the god damn bus already. With a
sour puss he did it and soon we were driving again. We arrived at the
"Cathouse" our scheduled venue, to discover a construction site. The
promoter was no where to be found and the people that were there were
either wielding power tools or simply had no idea what was up. With saw
dust and dry wall flying everywhere we looked back and forth at each
other in astonishment. After many calls to our booking agent the
mysterious promoter arrived and soon there was a flurry of activity. We
were told the club would be ready for us to load in at 5pm. There was
another opening band hanging around dressed in corporate goth wear,
pulling their best cliche poses. We were all wondering who they were
and how the hell they got on the bill without us knowing about it.
After sound check, SK and I headed down to some pub where he heard they
served haggis. This cheered us up considerably and when we got back to
the venue the mysterious opening band was on stage. I choked back
laughter and thought to myself its always those with the least talent
that act like arrogant idiots. In any case soon Panic DHH would be on
and our show would officially begin. There was actually quite a good
turn out considering just a few hours before we weren't sure there
would be a show at all. When we hit the stage all our pent up
frustration unleashed itself on our audience and they in return did not
disappoint. Glasgow knows how to have a good time.
Oct. 28th: Dudley, UK
JB"s is a historic venue from what I've heard and upon arrival
everything seemed poised for a great evening. The food was delicious,
The staff nice enough. There was plenty of time for both opening bands
to have sound check and still time to spare. All in all no stress or
concern. When The D-Models hit the stage we all checked them out.
Though it was early I felt a little concerned and hoped the place would
fill up by the time we went on. When we did there were considerably
more people, however in a place this size it still looked, well... a
bit thin. Despite this we gave it all we had and hoped the sound was at
least good. Afterwards we went to the bar to talked to the fans and
met up with some old friends. Later on the bus we heard strange noises
coming from outside. I poked my head out and saw some guy face down in
a pile of sick with AS standing over him trying to get him to stand up.
Seems AS's old friend had a bit too much of just about everything. No
sooner was I back on the bus and when there was a woman banging on the
door. She was loud and drunk and making no sense at all. Finally CW
went out to have a word with her and they were gone. Later I heard
rumors of strange goings on in the dressing room and decided to take my
camera and go have a look. You never know when you might just get that
money shot hehehe. So there I was creeping behind the cracked door when
I saw the most disgusting site I have ever seen. CW and this woman in a
most unappealing naked embrace with the drunk friend of AS's passed out
on the couch. I snapped away not knowing what I was shooting and later
asked myself why I did at all, as that was an image I didn't ever need
to be reminded of. Around 6:30am I found my bunk and slept the sleep of
the dead.
Oct. 29th Bradford, UK
I woke from what I thought were nightmares but in reality was the
stench of CW's feet coming through my bunk. I love the guy but he's got
a serious foot odor problem and I am always somehow sleeping in front,
behind or across from him. After foraging around for some air spray I
tried to go back to sleep but heard some incessant buzzing I couldn't
seem to locate. It was as loud as a beehive inside my bunk. For the
life of me I couldn't figure it out. Finally I gave up and decided to
get up and go in search of food. When I opened the door of the tour bus
I looked around and there was nothing except for factory type buildings
and a fire burning god knows what behind the bus. As I made my way
toward the club I bumped into M our merchandise girl and she had a
look on her face. I said what is it? She said the place is gross, I
just
nearly stepped in a pool of vomit that was near one of my boxes. We
both looked at each other in disgust and went inside. There was food
but it was pretty slim pickings and the stench and filth of the place
made me lose my appetite instantly. AD said the club had fantastic
history, well thats cool but it smells like it hasn't had a wash in 25
years. We asked if there was a dressing room and the promoter said
"Well you have to sign this little agreement I have here, in case there
are any damages at the end of the night". SK looked at him and said
"wow that must be some impressive dressing room you have, let me take a
look". When he returned he was laughing his ass off. The room
practically had shit smeared on the walls. As the day wore on hunger
gnawed at me with ferocious fury. JH said there's no better indian food
in England then Bradford and asked the promoter for a recommendation. A
bunch of us packed into SW girlfriend's car and headed out in search of
civilization. The desolate streets suddenly came alive and there was
restaurant after restaurant. Ohhhhh I said to no one in particular as I
rubbed my hands together, this is going to be good. The entrance of the
restaurant was beautiful. Gorgeous food on display, a beautifully
appointed dining room. Almost looked too good for our budget. In any
case soon we were brought to our table and looking through menus. None
of us could find exactly what we wanted as the place seemed to be
specializing in regional cuisine. Possibly Bangladesh, I honestly can't
remember for sure. So we ordered what seemed closest to what we had in
mind. Finally the food arrived after what seemed like forever. It
didn't taste like much. SW and I ordered the same dish but they looked
completely different. I threw everything in the condiment dish into
mine, hoping it would taste of something other then slop. When the bill
came our eyes nearly popped out of our heads at the cost, until we
realized they had charged us for 75 orders of some unknown appetizer.
We left in huff. By the time we arrived back at the venue most of us
raced to the bathroom. Up until 5 minutes before the show I was still
in there. Laughing and cursing, worrying I'd shit my pants with the
first good scream that passed through my body. When we hit the stage it
was hot, unbelievably hot! The lights were inches away from our heads
and the room was a steaming stench pit of vomit. I felt sick but told
myself once the intro of "Hau Ruck" began I would forget all and
thankfully I did. Once and a while I looked back at AS and he looked
awful, as if he might pass out at any second from the heat. After the
set we went back stage and AS put his head in the sink getting
violently ill. We poured cold water all over him trying to cool him
down but he was still shaking pretty bad. After the show when everyone
had changed into dry clothes we hung out with friends. Tomorrow London.
Real food, showers, my best friend will be there.....Yippy!
Oct. 30th London, UK
When I woke up we were at a truck stop about 20 minutes outside London.
It was a big day for us as any major city is and we would have loads of
family and friends attending. No sooner did the bus stop in front of
the Scala when I saw my friend and her husband. Hugs, kisses and then
we headed off for lunch. When we got back, there was a photo shoot,
sound check and then SK and I met up with DG for a drink before the
show. On stage I could feel the energy of the room explode and soon the
audience were pressed up against the stage. I was holding fists full
of hair with one hand and using my boot to keep them back. It was
incredible. Afterwards we mopped the sweat off as quickly as possible
so we could hang out with everyone before they start throwing people
out.....which they began to do very quickly. Before we knew it they
were
throwing us out right behind them. Oh those Brits, gotta love their
curfews!
Oct 31st Antwerp, Belgium
Crossing the English Channel via underground train is not something I
ever want to repeat. Sound asleep in my bunk I was woken by a loud
announcement telling everyone to stay in their vehicle and turn off
their engines for the 22 minute crossing. With no air or lights it was
the longest 22 minutes of my life. I felt like I was in a coffin,
imagining a watery grave. When we finally reached land I fell into a
deep sweaty sleep. When I woke up again at the Hof Ter Lo it was like
waking to X-Mas morning. The venue was fantastic. They had everything
we needed, wanted and more. I have never seen such happy faces on
everyone in band and crew like on that day. At least 6 showers, yummy
food, endless amounts of technical toys for all to enjoy. Everyone who
was working there were incredibly nice. When we hit the stage I looked
out at an audience that I knew would take work to win over. When we
finally got their attention, they were with us till the end, screaming
for encores. Afterwards they kept the bar in the front open till the
wee hours. A DJ was spinning some cool music, people were dancing,
laughing. It was a great time.
Nov. 1st Koln, Germany
It was a beautiful day when we arrived in Koln. The sun was shining and
it felt like a spring. Inside the club the staff had prepared
breakfast for us and we all relaxed as we set up the gear. SK and I
laid out in the sun and enjoyed the fresh air before our booking agent
and merchandising friends arrived. My stomach hadn't been feeling too
well but then everyone seemed to be a bit stomach sick these days.
There was some stress later at the realization that there was no
monitor board and everything would be mixed front of house. Even though
we had business associates and friends to talk to between sound check
and the show, the afternoon dragged on and on for me. Before we hit the
stage I realized I put on the wrong boots. This may seem like a slight
oversight but that mistake ruined my show. I couldn't move around as
comfortably as I would have liked and this threw me off. My monitors
weren't good and the combination of these two things did me in.
Afterwards everyone was very warm and supportive. They complained about
the sound too but generally seemed to have had a good time. One bright
spot, we got to sleep in a hotel room for the night. YES!!!!!
Nov. 2nd Hanau, Germany
The Halle 2 is in an industrial area with nothing around but strange
buildings that showed no signs of life. Thankfully everyone in the
venue was nice enough and there was good food waiting for us. You gotta
love Germany, they know how to treat the talent. No matter how big or
small, the food is always fresh and there's lots of it. One of the club
staff took SK, AS and me into the city center as the boys were in
search of pants. We found a cool surplus store and all bought stuff
we needed. Later a new bus and driver arrived. We all fell in love
with the bus instantly. The downstairs lounge looked like an old
elegant dining car you'd find on a European train back in the
70's and the upstairs had larger bunks with better pillows/ blankets
and hatches that could be opened for FRESH AIR!!! . Its always awkward
getting to know the new driver and this one would prove no different.
Not too much warmth emanated from him from the start. After getting
everything moved into the new bus we resumed sound check and got ready
for the show. There wasn't a big crowd but the ones that turned out
were die hards and thats always a good time. The sound was great and
everyone was in good spirits afterward.
Nov. 3rd Haarlem, Holland
I woke to gorgeous blue sky filling my bunk window. Huge windmills,
streams, beautiful homes, people riding bicycles, shopkeepers sweeping
doorways, like something out of a fairy tale. Soon we were navigating
our way down the winding streets of Haarlem to Patronaat, the club we
would be playing that night. We parked inside the venue and were led
through a labyrinth of stairways and hallways that finally lead us
into the actual venue. It was beautiful, clean and had a huge stage.
There were two large dressing rooms with big couches, tables and chairs
and a fridge full of goodies. Since it was such a nice day SK and I
decided to take off and explore the city. We lost ourselves down cobble
stone streets filled with shops and restaurants. A beautiful cathedral
framed it all in the center square. After a delicious lunch we went
back to the venue for sound check. It went by smoothly and everything
was easy. When we hit the stage the crowd was ready and they moved in
close to meet us head on. After the show we hung out with everyone for
a while then moved our little party back to the dressing room where we
shared toasts and many laughs before taking off for the next gig.
Nov. 4th: Hannover, Germany
I woke up wondering what day of the week it was and what the actual
date was. It all started to blur together in a timeless wash of dream.
I headed downstairs to make myself a cup of tea as we drove through the
rain and fog of Hannover, making our way to the Cafe Glocksee. The
venue was in a squat in its own orbit of the city. Strange steel
sculptures adorned the outside courtyard, a menagerie of imagined
creatures. The buildings were joined together by endless extensions and
a graffiti filled skate board ramp along the side. The room we were
playing was pretty small. Once inside candles flickered in the dark
illuminating a long table filled with freshly baked bread and all kinds
of meats, cheese, eggs and sweets. A feast fit for a king. We all made
peace with the fact that we would not be able to move an inch on stage
tonight and agreed to make the best of it. I heard a rumor there was a
washing machine and attempted to quietly shove a load in. I shouldn't
have bothered, the damn thing proved to be my nemesis from the moment I
tossed my last sock in and closed the door. It took hours, then didn't
dry, then there was the issue of its location, that the door to that
room must be locked after 9. I saw red as I hung up my wet laundry all
over the bus. Cursing myself. Served me right sneaking around like
that, Karma got me good. When I cooled down and went back in the venue
dinner was being served. Mother made beef curry for us carnivores and a
lovely vegan dish for the others. I ate both it was so good. After that
I got dressed. By the time I came back into the venue the place was
packed. I spoke to a few people before heading backstage, they were out
of their minds. One lady asked me about the tidal wave, said it would
happen again, did I ever want to know what it felt like to die. I
actually tried having that conversation for a while, until she started
catching nothing in the air with her teeth. Backstage I met an old
friend of SK. He was a former band member for about 15 minutes.
Apparently a very promising artist till shit happened and life tossed
him down a rocky path. Now he just seems sad. When we finally got on
stage it was swelteringly hot and people were packed in there like
sardines. I wanted to love the show but not being able to move, it was
like chaining a wild animal that longed to be freed. I was straining
against the elements till the bitter end. Even tried to squeeze myself
through the small divide between the podiums but knew I'd made a mistake
instantly. With no way to protect myself, some asshole copped a feel,
dirty fucker. I couldn't even kick him from that angle, so I spit in
his face instead and tried to slink back looking cool but it was a
pointless move in the first place. I think AD threw me a glance as if
to say "what were you thinking" but I had to try. Later after the show,
I spoke to some more people and hung out with S and clown face, some
friend he kept dragging from show to show. I can't remember her name
and couldn't care less in any case, I thought she was a bore and
reminded me of a yappy dog.
Nov. 6th, Freiburg, Germany
Freiburg is gorgeous! a stunning gem of a city and Cafe Atlantic, the
club where we played, is steps from all its beauty. Though the venue
was small, the vibe was great. The crew was excited to have us and
they bent over backwards to make us feel welcome. There was lunch
waiting for us in the basement when we arrived and after having a bite
I headed outside to walk around in the fresh air and see a bit of the
city. It was beautiful and charming but all the bakeries were closed so
I lost interest and went back. At the venue it was nearly sound check
so I sat outside and kept an ear to the door, watching boys flirt with
the pretty girl at the newstand in the square. After sound check I
got ready and hung out in the basement playing fuss-ball with just
about every member of every band. We competed against eachother like
seasoned athletes, though sweat was no indication of talent where my
game was concerned. In any case it served as a warm-up of sorts for the
show. When we hit the stage the crowd was close. In such a small room
with only 3 lights it can't be anything but intimate. There was nothing
left to the imagination, no mystery just in your face raw grit and
spit. We got it and so did they. Sometimes you've gotta spin gold out
of thread. Thats what it was for me any way. Later we drank wine with
EEK-A-MOUSE, a reggae legend who needs no introduction. He was
accompanied by the hot chick from the news stand and her foxy momma who
was his girlfriend. We partied till the wee hours with all our new
friends.
Nov. 7th Trier
We spent the day and most of the night in the beautiful city of Trier.
SK and I slept for part of it then went exploring through the
Romanesque splendor of its historic city. We ate at a delicious
restaurant, among local customers who stared at us in mild shock and
curiosity. After that we headed back to the hotel and sat in the bar
lounge with our boys. At some point after midnight but before 2am we
all met in the lobby to head to Paris. On the bus I decided I wanted to
get as much sleep as possible. Not being tired at all I took a sleeping
pill and curled up in my bunk. Soon the lights passing my picture
window began swirling then blurring and before I knew it I was out
cold. About 1/2 an hour later, or so it seemed, the bus began careening
left and right and finally stopped at the side of the road. Before I
could get my bearings we were being told to get off the bus by our
driver. Apparently the bus had lost power and it was unsafe for us to
be on board while awaiting emergency service on a highway of darkness,
drizzle and fog. I was dizzy and cold, teetering all over the place as
we shuffled between the side of the bus and the edge of the highway. It
must have been at least an hour before emergency vans arrived and
picked us up, dumping us at a gas station not too far away. There are
so many fantastic rest stops in Europe. The kind where you can sit
down, order a decent meal, meander through magazine shops. Not this
one. We were dumped at a literal gas station at about 4am. There was a
small convenience shop where you could get coffee and a roll but not
much else. After 3 hours we were really uncomfortable and pissed. by 8
am I lost count of how many times I had gone in an out of the store,
pacing back and forth talking to myself muttering madness. By 10am a
passenger bus had arrived and we were on our way to some garage to meet
the bus. When we got there we were told it would take most of the day
to fix it. After transferring our gear from the tour bus into the
passenger bus, we were near collapse. Twisting ourselves into various
positions in our uncomfortable seats we tried to sleep. In Paris, at La
Locomotive it was a race to get all our gear inside. When everything
was set up we had another 1/2 hour to go before we could make noise due
to city restrictions. All of this took place in a haze exhaustion.
Later after sound check the promoters took a bunch of us for dinner, My
one and only time in Paris and we ate average Italian. Oh well at least
the company was good. Back at the venue people began filling in and by
the time we hit the stage the place was packed. Finally old faithful,
2nd wind kicked in and the show was magic. I loved every second of it.
The closest to flight I'll ever get without wings. When we got off the
stage I drank a cold glass of champagne and smiled like a cheshire cat!
With not too much time to hang out, we raced out to the bar and said
hello to as many people as we could before dragging our gear to our
tour bus (which had finally arrived before we went on stage) and took
off for Munich.
Nov. 9th - Munich
Today would be a busy day as beside the usual show stuff we had family
to see as well. As soon as we arrived, which was later then expected,
we jumped in a cab and went to SK's moms house where we would be having
dinner. When we got there I took a a long hot shower and did some
laundry. Then we sat down with family to an incredible meal before
jumping in a cab back to the venue. I raced to get changed and then it
was show time. After the show we spent time with friends and family.
With bus problems still haunting us Milan was cancelled. We spend the
night in the parking lot on the bus playing poker and laughing till the
wee hours.
Nov. 10th - Munich
We had a few hours to enjoy Munich before heading to Rome, so we went
into town and ate a typical Bavarian Meal. Afterwards we walked around
and enjoyed the day. Later we went back to SK's mom's house to have
dinner again before heading to the airport to pick up two temporary
drivers and making our way to Rome.
Nov. 11th - Rome
We arrived in Rome at 1:30pm. With hours to kill before the venue
opened most of us jumped into cabs and made a plan to meet at The
Spanish Steps. Once there the search began to find a restaurant that
could fit 13 people. With camera's in hand we snapped away at
everything in sight and the only sound that could be heard among our
group was ohh and ahh. Finally we found a restaurant that could squeeze
us in and we ate. I wouldn't say it was the best Italian I've ever had
but it was memorable as it was the first meal I've ever had in Rome.
After that we raced to the coliseum and tried to take in as much as we
could in an hour, which as I'm sure you could imagine wasn't nearly
enough. When we got back to the venue the gear was being loaded into
the club and we went inside to take a look around. We each muttered
under our breath to no one in particular "well this is an interesting
gig we've got ourselves into here, we're playing in a fucking party
tent". Once we reminded ourselves it didn't matter where we were
playing because WE WERE IN ROME, we had a great time. Later on after
sound check our lovely promoters took us for dinner and then we
literally jumped on stage. The turn out wasn't great. It made no sense
to us at all. The stage, the setting...it was all wrong for a band like
us. At one point I'm not sure what it was I just burst out laughing, in
one of those laughs that no matter what you do, you can't make yourself
stop. After biting my cheek or something I finally pulled myself back
into focus. The fans that came to see us seemed to really enjoy the
show but I just couldn't help but feel I wished they had seen us in a
different venue. When we went outside it seemed all of Rome had
converged into the square. This was a popular late night area and
people were dancing in the street, drinking in little groups, stumbling
along, you name it, they were doing it. There was lots of laughter and
lots of illicit action and of course I did my very best to capture as
many images I could with my camera.
Nov. 12th-Veneto, Italy
Tossing and turning I woke to see rolling hills and beautiful farm
houses dotting the landscape of Bologna. It was early and all the bus
was quiet except for the sounds of snoring and people talking in their
sleep. I stumbled downstairs as the bus pulled into a truck stop with
SW trailing behind me and went in search of coffee and breakfast. The
inside of the truck stop was a smorgasbord of Italian gastronomy. Huge
shanks of every kind of meat hanging from the ceilings, cheese cases,
breads, pastries, chocolates, toys. It was incredible. I've never seen
anything like it. SW and I exchanged smiles and sniffed the air in
glee. Back on the bus we ate in silence and then climbed back into our
bunks and slept. I woke again to more rolling hills, mountains,
gorgeous stone villas. I imagined walking from the venue to some
picturesque mountainside cafe for a glass of wine and a great meal but
soon the beauty faded and we were in a dilapidated ghetto. We parked in
a lot filled with garbage and a strip club or two. Out the window I saw
a scraggly old man walk down long stairs to where we were parked and
the
movie
music to Phantasm played in my head until I got the chills and had to
look away. We followed him inside to look around and decided this was a
step up from the venue the night before and hoped for the best. Later
AD dragged me by the hand from the bus back into the club to show me
the delicious hospitality that had been provided for us. Inside the
old man was lurking and on closer inspection I spied one lazy hazy gray
eye and another almost violet eye staring right through me. Backstage
my jaw dropped at the site of what had been provided for us. A couple
of cut up hot dogs and two slices of white bread ripped in half with
flies circling the plates. I walked out in disgust. Everyone was
starving and there was nothing to eat. We decided to get cabs and head
into the center of town hoping to find something at this odd post lunch
pre-dinner hour. We walked and walked but the best we could find was a
cafe that served terrible sandwiches. Afterward a few of us checked
into the little hotel that had been arranged for us, to take showers.
We hung out there until sound- check. Back at the venue sound check
went by quickly and then thanks to our lovely promoters we finally ate
at meal that did Italy proud. Though I enjoyed the show very much I was
disappointed by the turn out. Ciao Italia!
Nov. 14th Hamburg, Germany
We arrived in Hamburg in the early afternoon and SK and I met up with
friends. We walked around the city, had some lunch and then headed back
to the club. After all our gear was set up our new driver arrived. He
was cool in a Santa Claus kind of way and we all nodded in mutual
approval. Our teeny tiny dressing room was a bit of a drag with so many
friends who wanted to hang out but the general vibe was good and we
were all excited about the show. When we hit the stage the place was
packed and everyone was throwing fists in the air, dancing, screaming.
A good time was had by all. Afterwards we partied with friends until we
have to catch our ferry to Sweden
Nov. 15th- Goteborg, Sweden
I slept through the ferry and most of the drive to Goteborg. When I
Woke, rolling hills and soon the city of Goteborg came into view. When
the bus stopped in front of Sticky Fingers a bunch of us went out
wandering in search of food. We found a cave like pub on a side street
and ate like kings for 10 euros. Afterwards I went off on my own and
lost myself in the city, enjoying the spring like day and admiring all
the beautiful shops. Later after sound check people started coming in
and I watched them from a catwalk high above the stage. When it was
time for us to go on technical difficulties caused us to have to stop
and start again and the sound through out the show was utter shit.
Afterwards we were a bit mortified but raised are heads and went out to
talk to the fans despite this. The kindness and support extended to us
by the Swedes was overwhelming. They made us feel like there was no
problems at all, that it couldn't have been better, completely punk
rock. I was totally blown away by their graciousness
Nov. 16th Stockholm, Sweden
SK woke me early so that we could grab some breakfast and enjoy the day
walking around the city. It was colder then it had been anywhere else
so we wrapped ourselves up in everything we had and headed out with RW
to a place called August for a typical Swedish meal. When we were done
we went back to the club to check it out and make sure everything was
cool. Afterwards SK and I walked to the old town and wandered around
for a few hours before returning for sound check. Later we ate
excellent Japanese next door and then hung out back stage and got ready
for the show. Before long the place was packed. The show was absolutely
thrilling. The whole club was throbbing. The audience was jumping
around so much I could feel the stage beneath my feet lifting up and
down. I never wanted it to end it felt so good. After the club closed
everyone went to some local watering holes. A few of us bought some
excellent wurst and made our own party on the bus.
Nov. 17th, Stockholm, Sweden
We arrived at the ferry a little after 2pm for our journey to Helsinki.
I reserved any preconceived ideas of what to expect as I had heard so
many conflicting stories, it was pointless to assume anything. When we
walked into the main entrance of the ship I knew immediately it had
exceeded all my esthetic expectations. Huge crystal chandaleirs hung
from the ceilings, restaurant after restaurant, bars, gift shops.
Everything you would expect to find on a proper cruise ship. After
dumping all our belongings into our cabins and taking showers we met in
one of the ships lounges and our evening began. Looking around at our
fellow passengers I knew this night would prove to be an interesting
one. Around dinner time we all went in various directions. SK, RW, AD,
JS and I went for the best the ship had to offer and ate a haute
Scandanavian meal. Afterwards we met up with everyone back in the
lounge and from there went to the disco to see what was going on. All
the Swede/Finnish beauties singing karioke was too much to resist, we
had to jump in and sing some classic's of our own. In pairs and singles
various members of KMFDM/Crew and PDHH all got up to show their stuff.
It was good fun and quite the spectacle. Later SK and I walked around
the ship and saw all kinds of drunk insanity taking place; people
passed out in corners of the main deck, lovers in embrace, half naked
people running around the outside deck in the snow, others starting
fights. We decided we were tired and headed back to our cabin. Hours
later we were woken by shouting, kicking and banging outside our door.
One of our own had lost his mind and two of our others were holding him
down trying to calm him. It went on and on escalating to the point that
he had to be slapped and sedated. When we asked what had happened a
story beyond belief unfolded, with the finale being that yet another
one of ours was being held in the ship's brig, handcuffed with only his
underwear to keep him warm in a cage at the bottom of the ship. None of
us present went to sleep after that. We sat on the steps smoking
cigarettes, talking and keeping watch. We went to our cabins around 6am
and tried to catch a few hours sleep before the ship docked at 10am
Nov. 18th, Helsinki, Finland
Getting up was near impossible. With so little sleep my eyes were like
anchors. How we made it from our cabin to the bus I honestly couldn't
tell you. At the club a heaviness hung in the air. There were things
that needed to be dealt with and they were not pleasant. Everyone felt
down and when the deed was done, our boy let go, it was rough. SK and I
went out for a a walk and found a typical Finnish restaurant for lunch
but my stomach was in knots and nothing tasted good. When show time
came around Tavastia was brimming with bodies. We had barely gotten on
the stage and they were ready to go. I let that energy carry me and
lost myself in a sea of faces. Afterwards on the bus it was
uncomfortable. Since we were making a very early airport run to drop
off he who shall remain nameless, we said our goodbyes and made all
kinds of small talk that did nothing to disguise the visual discomfort
that was evident on all our faces. I woke up when the bus stopped early
the next morning at the airport. From my bunk window I watched SK and
him talking outside. I was torn as to whether I should run out and say
goodbye but in the harsh light of morning I couldn't bring myself to do
it. I was mad about the choices he made, had been making on our time
and it seemed fitting that SK, the one who had given him his
opportunity with KMFDM would be the last face he saw before boarding
that plane to go home. So I drew my curtain, rolled over and went back
to sleep.
Nov. 19th Tampere, Finland
When I woke up again we were parked outside Klubi. I saw a mall a few
feet away and went out in search of coffee and something to eat. When I
got back I found a way into the venue and went to investigate. In the
backstage area there was food already laid out for us, a sauna and a
washing machine. I let out a deep sigh and raced to the bus to get my
dirties. One by one as everyone woke up they went straight for the
sauna. Our backstage area resembled a spa more then anything else for
most of the day. The show was good but the turn out not what we
expected. A little surprising considering the night before but not
tragic by any means.
Nov. 20th-Ferry to Stockholm.
We took an extremely early morning ferry to Stockholm. Everyone
stumbled to their cabins to sleep while SK, AD, AS and I sat and
watched the children's entertainment hour in the lounge. We laughed at
how different the day ferry was to the night. The day ferry seemed to
be filled with opportunistic parents prostituting the talent of their
children. Everywhere we looked there were little girls and boys in
their finery dancing, singing. It was bizarre. Not being able to
understand Finnish I couldn't understand what was on offer but there
must have been something in it for them. Later after taking a shower we
arrived in Stockholm. On the way to Norway, we stopped at a small
rustic restaurant before searching for a place to park so the driver
could sleep for a while. It was dark and drizzling but the lights of a
nearby city illuminated the sea in front of us. A beautiful spot to
spend the next 8 hours. We walked around on the dirt beach in the rain,
played poker, watched movies and SK got a fright when he was taking a
leak near the waters edge and a huge fish jumped out of the water
spitting water two inches from his face. |
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| Home Coming!!! |
[Jan. 6th, 2006|03:21 pm] |
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Hi Everyone, just got back home last night. I will begin updating my tour journal today. If anyone sent me mail at my private email address, send it again. After 4 months with no email access, my computer crashed while downloading and I lost everything old and new!!!! Ughhh my head HURTS!!!!! Hope all of you had a great Holiday. I am relieved to finally be home after being away for so long. Be patient with me as my journal entries will come through a week at a time. xoxLucia |
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| happy holidays |
[Dec. 31st, 2005|02:30 pm] |
Happy Holidays! I will be back home from Europe in another week and will be able to update my journal entries of the most recent KMFDM world tour. Can't wait to get back. Hope you all had an incredible holiday!
:)Lucia |
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| greetings from finland |
[Nov. 19th, 2005|06:53 pm] |
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hi everyone. i'm in finland today and the venue has internet access, so i thought i'd drop in and say hi. the tour so far has been fantastic. we've are having an incredible time and seeing places i never thought i would see in my lifetime. i have kept to my word and kept a daily journal, however i will not be able to get it to you until the tour ends as internet access is very hard to come by most of the time. i just haven't been able to seek out internet cafe's with our insane schedule. the craziness of it all is going to be one funny read, so check back in mid-december for it. lots of love, lucia |
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| KMFDM WORLD TOUR |
[Oct. 22nd, 2005|10:50 am] |
Hello: I have just returned to Seattle from the first leg of the KMFDM world tour. Canada as always was a breath of fresh air. We toured through major cities as well as less frequented locales. No matter how small or large the city, the hospitality is always the same...INCREDIBLE! It was great to see familiar faces and those experiencing KMFDM for the first time. Our short run of US dates getting us back to Seattle was overwhelming. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who came out to support us. On 10/23/05 we are off to Europe where we will continue our tour in support of the new KMFDM album Hau Ruck. I will be making daily journal updates while in Europe. My apologies for not doing so for Canada and the US. It was a bit difficult for me to manage being the beginning of the new tour, I was a bit overwhelmed and there never seemed to be enough hours in the day. I appreciate all of you who have reached out requesting updated journal entries. I will do my best to give you an in depth account of my life over the next two months in Europe and Russia.
In regards to my next solo album. I have 5 songs written that I am VERY excited about. I will finish it up when I return in the new year. I am looking to release it in the fall of 2006. Stay tuned for updates and thanks to all for your incredible support!!!! Against the grain we shall remain! |
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| HURRICANE KATRINA |
[Sep. 2nd, 2005|12:52 pm] |
It is unfortunate that Hurricane Katrina made landfall killing an untold number of people and leaving millions of people with no power, no water and no home. The city of New Orleans has been heavily affected, with about 80 percent of the city flooded and some areas still under 20 feet of water. Reality is, it could have been us. Please reach out to help in the following ways (information for donation was forwarded from a reliable source).
Thank you and please forward this to your friends.
1. The American Red Cross
The American Red Cross has mounted the largest mobilization of resources in its history for a single natural disaster. Please either click to http://www.redcross.org/donate/donatephone.html
To Donate By Phone: Call # (800) HELP-NOW
Call
1-800-HELP-NOW
(1-800-435-7669) - English speaking
Call
1-800-257-7575 - Spanish Speaking
Call
1-800-220-4095 - For TDD Operator
2. Salvation Army
Currently, the Salvation Army is providing relief to residents and first responders in Hattiesburg, Miss., Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans, La. Additional Salvation Army emergency disaster services vehicles (canteens) are staged in surrounding areas and are prepared to be deployed to other affected areas once emergency management officials determine it safe. The Salvation Army is prepared to serve 500,000 meals a day as well as provide emotional and spiritual support to those trying to recover from Katrina's wrath. Donations may be sent your local Salvation Army earmarked 'Disaster Relief," made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
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| Hurricane Katrina |
[Sep. 1st, 2005|05:14 pm] |
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In a flood of tears and outrage I referred to said hurricane with the wrong name. Please forgive me, I am so overwhelmed with emotion from the footage I have seen, I typed the wrong name. .... |
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| HURRICANE KATHERINE |
[Aug. 31st, 2005|03:05 pm] |
MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED BY HURRICANE KATHERINE. THIS DISASTER IS ONE WE MUST ALL MAKE DONATIONS TO NO MATTER HOW SMALL, EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!
PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH CHARITIES THAT WILL WILL BE GIVING DIRECT AND IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE.
American Red Cross (800-229-819,1-866-GET-INFO or 866-438-4636)
FEMA (1-800-621-FEMA)
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org |
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| news |
[Aug. 28th, 2005|04:58 pm] |
Hi Everyone-
I know its been ages since I've written. I am so sorry for that. It has been a very busy time. Between writing and recording the new KMFDM album, getting married and beginning writing on my next solo album, days seem just to fly by. The new KMFDM album Hau Ruck will be released on Metropolis Records September 13th and our world tour in support of it will kick off September 21st in Seattle at the premier Club. I am very excited about my contribution to the new album and hope all of you will check it out and love it as much as we do. During our little break between recording and rehearsal I have begun writing some songs for my next solo album and am very excited. It is too soon to say too much but I wanted to let you all know the muse is with me. My next album will be a bit of a departure from my last musically but one thing you can expect that will remain the same is my heart and soul laid bare. I will be posting some new song snippets up on my myspace page very soon. Please feel free to write me there, I would love to hear from you.
Not sure if this is of interest to anyone but I have put some of my stage costumes from past MDFMK and KMFDM tours up for auction on ebay. For any die hard fans that are interested in owning something very special, please follow the link below.
<http://my.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?myebay&loguid=kmfdm41oq¤tpage=myebayselling&sspagename=strk:me:lnlk> |
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| Myspace |
[Jun. 19th, 2005|01:26 pm] |
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Hi Everyone! For anyone wondering why I have not responded to email on myspace, it is becuase my accounts have mysteriously ceased to be recognized by the myspace server. I am trying to figure it out. Hopefully I will be back in contact with all of you very soon. Other then that in the final stretch of recording/mixing on the KMFDM album and have begun putting a strategy together for my own. Thanks for all your support! :)Lucia |
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| Have you seen this |
[Jun. 8th, 2005|12:24 pm] |
Hi Everyone: Just wanted to steer you in the direction of an incredible show that was on Jay Leno recently. Huge props to Jay for having the courage to allow Bright Eyes to perform "When The President Talks To God". Follow the link below to be blown away! :)Lucia
onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/002095.html |
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| hi |
[Jun. 1st, 2005|09:04 pm] |
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Hello everyone I am so sorry I haven't updated my journal. I am still working on the new KMFDM. Days seem to be going by faster then ever before and though my day to day life varies to some degree, the recording process doesn't change all that much from album to album. I spend long periods of time locked away by myself trying to find a perspective for the tracks that are sent my way and once I have it, endless days finding the words to best illustrate my thought. It is during these times when I am cocooned in a little room far away from the others on my own planet, orbiting my soul peeling away the layers for my truth in its most potent form. Though I am extremely excited about the new KMFDM album and all the touring that will follow, I feel a bit restless when thoughts of my next solo album come up. My greatest wish is to record another album to follow up "From The Land Of Volcanos". I have an incredible pool of talent and good friends in the business at my disposal at the moment, who have shown me that there is faith in me beyond my wildest dreams. When the dust settles a bit in the world of KMFDM I will be able to focus my attention 100% and deliver on my promise of another solo album. I'm sure all of you are aware of the fact that I have joined myspace. If not please feel free to write to me there at myspace.com/luciamusic. Any free moment I have, thats where you will find me talking with friends. I plan to begin regular updates to my journal in July when I will have many interesting stories to share and further updates regarding developments with my solo project and news pertaining to KMFDM. Thanks so much for your patience and continuing support! |
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| hello |
[Mar. 15th, 2005|09:33 am] |
Hello everyone! I'm sorry I have been out of touch. I've been tucked away in the studio writing for the next KMFDM album and beginning work on my next solo album. During times like this where the schedule doesn't vary too much. Life consists of writing, recording, eating, sleeping and starting all over again. I'm just trying to stay focused and do the best work I can. I'm very excited about the songs that we have begun recording for KMFDM and hope that once things are a little further along, I'll be able to begin recording some material for my next solo album. Thankfully the muse is with us all at the moment and there is an abundance of creativity.
I hadn't anticipated all the excitement that last year would bring and hope this year surprises me as well. I continue to be inspired and challenged by my brothers in KMFDM as well as by the idea of a new album for myself. As collaborations begin to manifest themselves, where the latter is concerned, the possibility of completing another solo album before 2006 is likely. As soon as I have some tracks I'm ready for you to hear I'll post them on the site so you can get a taste of things to come. In the meantime thanks for sticking with me! Stay tuned for more :) |
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| HAPPY HOLIDAYS! |
[Nov. 30th, 2004|11:08 am] |
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I aplogize for neglecting to update the last remaining dates of the KMFDM tour. In all the craziness I flaked out! The last week of shows in the US was fantastic. Everyone was a little sad when it all ended, though we will all be together soon enough in Australia! I'm getting exciting for the holidays, as it will be my first X-Mas at home in many years! I will try and update my journal from Australia. If for some reason I am unable to do this, I will update upon my return to fill you in on all the details! Thanks to all of you that came out to support us on the KMFDM 20th Anniversary Tour! |
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