New York City:

It's taken a few days but I'm starting-slowly-to feel civilized again. Despite my ceaseless desire to be going somewhere else I love New York City and can't imagine I'd feel any better anywhere else. ('cept of course, if I was maybe getting on a plane). I was trying to work out what's behind the wanderlust and I can only conclude-sappy as it sounds-that it's a form a romanticism; always thinking what we lack in ourselves is to be found somewhere else. Keen grammarians will note the sophisticated switch of personal pronoun in that last sentence). I'm only glad that this afternoon I didn't succumb to the urge to go to the airport and fly to the UK because of the fog and delays at Heathrow.

I fasted for two days to try to expedite the recovery from trans-fats and sugar--dietary staples for the past month on tour. It worked some, I'm feeling better than I was and my blood doesn't feel like a slurry of badness. A few other things have gone well too: I got my nice watch back from servicing which was free even though it was out of guarantee (that never happens in NYC). Also, I was about to go to buy a new I-pod and just for luck I tried my old one one more time as I was on my way out of the door and it started working again (why it couldnt' do this on tour when I had hours rattling around in a bunk, I don't know...my god is a smartarse god). Thinking I'd just saved $250 I celebrated by spending all that on Beatles CDs.

Which leads me to...and forgive me for stating the obvious but I forget from time to time...how good were the Beatles? Even now, 40 years on, the records still sound fresh and exciting. Admittedly they trigger a certain nostalgia for me (I can still remember riding my bike around with my friends near the local shops and singing Beatles songs when I was about 7. We used to do that for fun, me and my mate Paul). Paul McCartney is one of the most underrated bassists of all time. His playing is genius. And John Lennon's lyrics are so deliciously nasty. I think being working class and English adds some poignancy to what they achieved because in a way The Beatles, although pop stars beyond compare, were kind of like us. I certainly thought that music was a way out when I was growing up largely becuase I was listening to my big brother's Beatles records from ever since I can remember. I felt so much better just getting into these songs again--I hardly listen to them anymore. I'm always awed by how emotive and evocative music can be. Even now, listening to The Beatles, I can experience my first rock and roll thrill. If I listen to The Jam I can get that teenage sense of defiance and frustration. Music is a such an emotional shorthand - it can always go straight to the heart of things. Unless of course it's a support band soundchecking their drums. Then it's the slow screech of fingernails down an endless chalkboard in the ninth circle of hell. I guess I haven't quite got over being on tour yet.


I'm enjoying the pre-Christmas New York too. All those Christmas lights around Europe has me appreciating the lights in New York so much more. Both the tree at Lincoln Centre and the lights at the Time Warner Centre look great. Not too garish like the old tart of a tree at Rockefeller Centre. I've even walked through Times Square twice and not cursed once. The photo's don't really do them justice but this is the tree at Lincoln Centre...



And these are the colour-changing lights inside the TW Centre at Columbus Circle.



One other small detail about one of the statues in the TW Centre. Take a look at this picture...anything stand out?



If you look closely you can see that its willy has been polished to a different shade of bronze than the rest of the statue (and that's the correct proportion for size vs height by the way...I don't care what anyone else says). It cheers me to think that all the Upper West-Siders doing their shopping in the Time Warner Centre can't help but touch the statue's todger. That's some serious polishing to have changed the shade of bronze. I salute my prurient neighbours! You messy mobsters....

Tour Manager slight geek side-note follows: I've just submitted the tour accounts. Only a month of touring and two currencies so not so much cash changing hands--excepting the merch money (and what is it about local merch' sellers? Out of a month of touring only two could fill in the childproof inventory form and manage the cash easily...kind of shocking really). It was fun getting the merch money every night though. It felt old-school, back to the days of cash every night instead of fees being paid as wire transfers. I remember picking up $50K at a festival one year and carrying it around with me all night while I celebrated...ah, happy days. (There was another festival in Finland where I got chased by security off the scaffolding during Bon Jovi's set--they were being such pissy bitches backstage they deserved someone dancing on the PA during their set, I say. I was good too-groovy as fuck. Then I left the float on the bus...but that's another post). I'm so happy with the Euro. It used to suck having to do accounts for every currency in Europe. I was cursing the Swiss this summer when we visited for a day and I had to open a new sheet to account for about $20 worth of coffee receipts for the band. Poor me, eh?


Anyway, the tour accounts are done and it feels like I've handed in my homework and school's out for the Holidays. I've tidied my apartment, nearly done my laundry, a new Gong Li movie is released tomorrow and I am writing endlessly on my blog as a way of avoiding any "real" writing or studying. I guess I can only put it off for so long. Funny, now I've finally got the time to do exactly what I've wanted to do all year long the first thing I do is procrastinate...well, except about going to see Gong Li.



Keeping me smiling through the Times Square Christmas Tourist Crowds: Oldies but Goldies.

The Beatles - Here There And Everywhere.
The Beatles - The Word - even groovier than my dancing to Bon Jovi.
The Beatles - Girl. Still kills me everytime.
The Beatles - I'm Only Sleeping
The Beatles - Help. What a single--it doesn't stop.
The Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love. Pete Shelly has one of those classic British whiney voices. I don't think anyone else could have sung this song so well.
Neko Case - That Teenage Feeling. Because it's good to be reminded not to settle for things.

And I got this link on a email blast today. The video is well worth a look. It made me laugh because he does actually drive like this. Not that he'll admit it.

Jarvis Single Micro Site