Okay, now we're really on the road. No more of that flying around to exotic places and playing showcases. It's real shows to real people with really long drives in-between them. This is the real thing -- finally.
We're five days into what's shaping up to be a really fantastic U.S. tour. The first four shows were all really great in their own ways. We had sellout crowds in San Francisco and in Los Angeles which was amazing. It's a real trip to realize that so many people have heard our record and are willing to trek out to see us play live. San Diego was also a really cool show. It was smaller, but we had a really fun time. I wound up singing a song from the middle of the theater because I didn't feel like people were getting involved enough. We wound up having a really great time. Last night found us in Tempe, Arizona. Lots of people and a really supportive, listening crowd--especially for a bar. Much thanks to all the people who showed up and were supportive.
Michael Kroll and his band Ether County have been putting on really amazing shows. I'd not seen Michael with his band before, but they're really amazing. The crowds are really into their show, and I'm totally inspired to see them every night.
We went into the recording studio while we were in Los Angeles with producer Joe Chicarelli. We cut a Vic Chesnutt song called "dodge" for the new Sweet Relief record which comes out on Columbia in June (I think). The record will include Vic Chesnutt songs covered by Live, REM, Cracker, Joe Henry, Soul Asylum and Garbage among others. We also recorded a Louden Wainwright song that we play live every now and then called "motel blues". That should show up in a movie or as a b-side soon.
This tour is great, and I'm sure it will get better. The more people at shows who've heard more than just the single, the better. We're learning new levels of exhaustion as most days we start doing radio station visits and interviews by about nine a.m. and then work all through the day until the show.
In case you don't know who the band is at this point, a brief recap.
Drums: Alan Bezozi. He played on the record, and has toured and made records with Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey, Freedy Johnston and They Might Be Giants. From NYC.
Bass: Dermot Lynch. Played with the band The Fat Lady Sings on Atlantic records, and has also played with David Gray. Originally from Ireland, resides in the U.K.
Guitar: Tim Bradshaw. Also played in the band The Fat Lady Sings, has also played with Eddi Reader and Nan Vernon. From London.
Me: me. I'm Peter Stuart. I slummed around the U.S. for a couple of years playing shows with Fat Lady Sings, Counting Crows, Tori Amos, Marshall Crenshaw and the Jayhawks. I'm from NY.
Well, that's about it for now. I haven't really been listening to anything lately. There's a cool band from Australia called Ammonia and the Fugees do a version of "Killing Me Softly" that absolutely rules, but that's about it.
We have some great new shirts available. Check them out if you can. I'll try to get pictures of them up on the page.
Also, on the news front, we've entered the Billboard top 200 at #186 with a "bullet". That's because of you, kind person, whoever you are. Thank you.
We'll see you soon.
Love,
Peter and the rest of dog's eye view.