How I Spent My Summer Anti-Vacation

Wednesday September 12th, 2012

Amazing to think that so much time has flown by that my summer is over and it’s the night before taking off for a much-anticipated European tour. In May, got home from Australia and New Zealand and suffered the worst jet lag I think I have ever had. For about a week I could barely walk and after a trip to the doctor he confirmed that I was indeed alive and that my body was just catching up to six shows in a row, time changes, and 2 weeks of flying almost everyday then 14 hours back home. In other words he said “deal with it”. Oh yeah, and “ pay me” after that.

Soon enough I was back on the mend after furious yoga and coconut water drinking. Yes, I found a magic healing potion that seems to work for me, and its legal. I managed to get in a lot of great ocean time this summer, so much so my hair became almost bleach blonde. I also started working on a few NEW FU MANCHU tunes around the start of June. A lot of great riffs from Mr Bob Balch being sent via the inter-web into my trusty fruit emblem computer. I stuck up a 57 and managed to get a whole drum kit recorded with one mic. Not perfect but fast and good enough for demos. Mr Chris Karn was kind enough to put me on his latest Decca Tree release “ Wasp In The Grass” and as always his instincts for where I would fit in his tracks are remarkable. Just like his music.

Then before taking off to the US and Europe with the Social D crew, my good friend Mitch Townsend and I embarked on a new project called Vikings with guitar player Jay Sota from the band Everest and Todd O’keefe from The 88 on bass. No one managed to sing but over the course of several sessions in beautiful downtown Glendale, we got about 45 minutes worth of big riffs and long passages down and we have all left excited about the prospect of these tunes. These meetings were followed by mandatory “band meetings” at The Red Lion Inn for late night ales and gigantic pretzels to make the drive back to OC bearable. Given the hectic nature of our schedules it wont be until November that we can meet again, but the music is big, bold and invades your head and wont leave. So we have all been congratulating each other and have decided when we meet next” Oars on the water, ROW!!”

Then there were the songs that Bob and I worked on of his for a project titled The Sun And Sail Club. Progressive, metallic, heavy as hell and going to be recorded for sure in November with possibly the OTHER Scott Reeder lending us not only his studio, but also his bass playing. These are songs deemed a little bit out there for FU MANCHU but they are really inspiring to play so they will not just be let go of.

In August, I watched Iron Maiden destroy Irvine Meadows with the MAIDEN ENGLAND tour. Most of it was seen from the pit and I was floored by having seen this original tour at the same venue 24 years ago, and the band being even MORE powerful than it was then. That’s how you do it!!

Then it was on the plane the next day to Portland to bash out a set with the guys in THE POLICE EXPERIENCE. Always fun and challenging to play all of those great tunes, especially since we are doing the live versions so tempos are pushed and its adrenaline at maximum.

Least I forget, this business of getting ready to go to Europe and play all of THE ACTION IS GO, from London to Tallin, Estonia and back again. Lots of long rehearsal to get the limbs ready and knowing that at the very least I should be able to burn the copious amounts of great food and drink that always accompanies a European tour. These shows are going to be insane, with a few sold out already. The US Tour for this is on the horizon in 2013….its no wonder I’m excited and cant sleep…cant sleep…cant….zzzzzzzzzzzz