Pre-tour Confessions

My oldest friend (and new Dad!) Scott, brought to my attention that I have not contributed properly to this blog. As the tour countdown clock ticks relentlessly away, I feel the pressure of time squeezing my brain and my heart, like water balloons hovering over the keyboard of a borrowed laptop. The signs of leaving are everywhere: giant tour bus parked outside, huge trailer with 3' 7k logo in the side yard, piles of lighting and PA equipment all over the studio, and a giant vacuum where all my money & free time used to be. Even my pets seem to know I'm leaving. Typing this paragraph has been a battle of wills with my youngest cat Knack, who is alternately passionately hostile and aggressively amorous.

Going on 7-week US tour with my band has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I am inspired, excited, terrified, and prematurely homesick. I can hardly believe everything we've accomplished. Everything seemed impossible from the front side and miraculous from the back.

I'm consistently shocked at how different this already is from how I imagined it, but equally surprised at the parts I enjoy. Probably the most powerful part of this thing so far is that I've really become present to how much I love my wife, my friends, my band mates, my family, my dog & cats, and all of you. I am going to miss all of you. Parting is such sweet sorrow, wrote the bard, and I'm getting equal doses of the sweetness and the sorrow.

The next blog entry will likely be from the road! I will see you out in the U.S. somewhere!

Well, here I sit frazzled, jumbled, excited, anxious and scared out of my mind. We embark on our U.S. Tour 12 days from right now. I'll blame my utter lack of regular blogging squarely on the complexities of tour planning. It's safe to say that the enormity of it all has swallowed the three of us whole at times. Unified and galvanized we're all beginning to grin and lick our chops. Anyhow, I thought it would be fun to launch 10 random tidbits for the sheer fun of it, than once we're on the road, I pledge to keep up with the regular blogging in my series called "Tales from the Road". For now, on with the randomness first 10 things to come to mind...

1. I am listening to, being inspired by and loving: the new Dredg record, the new Third Eye Blind record and the new Muse record.

2. I happen to think the 'Big Carl' at Carl's Jr. is a homerun.

3. If you wear a baseball hat and tuck your ear inside the headband, you've clearly missed the point.

4. While on tour I will miss my bed, my girl and the beach.

5. If your pants sag showing the waistband of your underwear and you're wearing a belt, you've clearly missed the point.

6. The amount of time that we'll actually be performing is such a small percentage, I am planning to relish in the sights, sounds and experiences of a cross-country drive with two of my very closest friends.

7. K

8. I'm proud of all we've accomplished and think our Spark Lounge Kick Off Show is the ultimate culmination of all our efforts, new RECORD, new MERCH and all that goes along with being with our supportive friends and fans. Please come.

9. I was brought to tears when I learned we'd be playing a show in my hometown of Madison, Wisconsin.

10. Stop watching the news. Go live your life and be a good person who contributes and experiences love.