RED BANK This is our second visit to the Count Basie theatre which although built as the Carlton theatre in 1926 was only renamed in 1984 to honour jazz great and Red Bank native William “Count” Basie. The theatre also hosted James Brown's last show before his death. Although $1 million has been spent on [...]

UNHINDERED CROSSING When I last came to Niagara Falls back in 2008 I….no wait a minute, I didn’t. That was just a movie....for which I scored the music. Niagara Motel was a fun little black comedy starring Kevin Pollak, Craig Ferguson and Anna Friel directed by Gary Yates set in this weird and wonderful town, [...]

TOURING WHEELS   With the sunshine glistening on the water of Boston harbour, we flew up and away towards Pittsburg. Mark and I were trying to work out when we last visited this great city and neither of us could recall doing a show here since the heady days of DS. Unless I’m mistaken, it [...]

STATE CAPITAL Today consisted of another quick trip out of Boston and back, this time to the New York State capital, Albany. Once again, it’s a trip revisited as five years ago we played the same venue with Bo Ramsay and Pieta Brown. The weather was perfect for flying and with Debbie treating us to [...]

BLUNDER BUS After yesterday’s deluge, the weather today was crisp and bright. Not a cloud to be seen in the sky as I investigated the proximity of the closest Whole Foods store. I’ve finally given up with hotel breakfasts, something I should have done long ago. The other day at the Toronto Four Seasons I [...]

POLICE FIRE   The windows of the Montreal Ritz-Carlton looked out this morning to a proper dreary day. Probably the first such day of this leg of the tour. It was cold and very wet. Our departure was a little earlier to allow for any immigration hold-ups flying into Boston, Logan airport. I found Jim [...]

DELICIOUS NIBBLES   My goodness, another ridiculous day. Gym, self-made brekky with PG tips and Nespresso coffee in the room. Then a walk about the neighbourhood in search of Buckley’s ORIGINAL cough medicine. I should explain. A few of the band have had a tickly cough - nothing serious - so a bottle of Buckleys [...]

NEGRONI CLUB Another day off and another round of golf but this time was different as I managed to organise something which the crew boys could enjoy as well. We all found ourselves in the same city with no travel preventing their inclusion. Mr. Saggers, T.C. (guitars) Robbo (Stage manager) and Tellson (L.D.) all joined [...]

REVEREND COYOTE Almost exactly five years ago we flew in to Ann Arbor from Chicago for a show at the same venue with an evening flight after-show to Toronto. I recognised this fact whilst on the plane looking out somewhere over cloudy Kalamazoo. My one and only experience of Kalamazoo. We landed at Willow Run [...]

SOCKS For me and I think a large proportion of the band, today was a slow day. Exertions of the past few nights take an inevitable toll and every now and then there comes a day like today. Everything seems to move a little slower, traffic seems heavier, my bag seems heavier, the sunlight - [...]