17 December, 2004

Happy Holidaze All of You!!! It's a big Buy Nothing Holiday for me!! Just send money!! Let people buy what they need. I stay out of the way of the psycho shoppers during December. Lotta things in the works right now. First up.
Last solo tour took me to Portland, OR where I re-met Amanda Stark from Stark Raving Chandler. She and I had a meeting of minds and are in the planning stages of a very cool thing. It's called The Love Your Enemy Tour, a caravan-style tour traversing the West Coast in Fall and the East Coast in Spring each year up to 2008. 2008 we will run someone for President of the United States of Hysterica.
The Love Your Enemy Tour is our answer to the war-crazed, fear-drenched consumptive selfishness that is George Bush's America. We refuse the lies of this administration and it's illegal war against the good people of Iraq among other things.
We are a group of progressive musicians, artists and activists bringing Truth directly to people thru music, art, video, theatre and internet to name a few. We plan to drive eco friendly buses up and down America, eat real food and do real work. We'll keep you posted on this site as well as another currently being built.
In other news, I am working on the songs for the third Peasant record to be recorded sometime late Feb/early March at The Outpost, Stoughton with Jim Siegel, where we always record cuz Jim is the balls!!!!
The Peasants will be playing alot of shows in January 1) Cuz I am here and not working 1) Billy Close is here for a little while longer and is the greatest rock and roll bass player I know and 3) Steve Hart, the mightiest drummer on the East Coast has given me some rope to book shows so that he may unleash the beast that lives inside him.
New Year's Eve, if you are in Boston, please come to The Abbey Lounge to see a stellar, most ass-kicking lineup of rock. First up is a Cult Cover Band with Bill Close on lead guitar. Next is a Cheap Trick Cover band and lastly, BEEFY DC returns with some new classics from Bon Scot, dusted off to bring in the New Year. Details at http://www.beefydc.com
Lastly, I am happily getting dragged into yet another fuckin 70s tribute. I get to be Ace Frehley in the soon to be launched KISS tribute Dressed To Kill. Stay tuned!!!

5 December, 2004

Played THREE sets @ The Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain Friday night. Audience was amazing. Steve and Billy were all over it. We did a few KISS songs, I'm The One, by Van Halen and a shitload of my stuff. It was sooooo fun to stretch out and play for a few hours at the Midway, coziest bar in Boston. Next show is January 22nd upstairs at The Middle East Restaurant.

20 November, 2004

Good show at The Abbey Lounge tonight with Steve Hart and Billy Close, the A Team Peasants. They've been the rhythm section on both Street and Welcome CDs. We didn't practice at all yet it was very tight. Did Skinny and Black Coffee. Was good. Dirty Truckers and Downbeat 5 were excellent too. Here's a little quote.

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

--H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)

14 November, 2004

Played a Benefit today at The Middle East Restaurant with a bunch of local songwriters. All proceeds go to helping Refugees. A great thing to do, especially now, as the United States is turning Iraq into one gigantic Refugee camp with thousands of crippled people. Some of the most crippled people will be our troops as they return from Iraq. Feels good to try to do some good, something positive, no matter how small.

9 November, 2004

US Troops are invading Fallujah, Iraq again. They've taken over a hospital full of pregnant women and prematurely born children. US Missiles blew up the other hospital. Oops! I guess those weren't smart bombs. Feels good to know billions of my tax dollars are blowing up hospitals that are probably full of pregnant women and premature children. God Bless America!!
In other news, I had a good gig at Flan O'Brien's Pub, Mission Hill Saturday night. Ton of people there. Jason Bennett of Suspect Device was excellent. I will be playing THIS SUNDAY, November 14th at The Middle East with a bunch of notable rock star types for a benefit show called Rock For Refugees. See touring page for details. Peace!!!

4 November, 2004

Four More Years!! Breath deep and relax!! If you voted Democrat you are one of 55 Million Americans who did so. No small number. BUT there were 58 Million people who did vote for George. And in our political system, it is winner take all. No coalition like in Europe or other civilized countries. Someday, perhaps, we will change that but not yet.
I don't feel as bad as I thought I would. I guess if I was in Iraq, starving to death, I'd probably feel worse. The Election is the least of our responsibilities as American citizens. We must hold this administration accountable for every tortured Iraqi prisoner, every violated civil right, every homeless person, every murdered Palestininan child, every American kid without a lunch and every citizen without health care. We have to take care of each other. Don't give in to the politics of Greed and Hate. It ain't over. Not even after his brother counts the votes. So keep your chins up, don't let the bastards drag you down and remember that tomorrow is another day.

1 November, 2004

The wonderful Carmelita of WAAF invited me on her local music show last night. Played 4 songs. Fortunate Son, by Creedence Clearwater Revival for the troops in Iraq who are dying for a Republican Administration that did NOT serve. George Bush, Dick Cheney and all the rest of those Chickenhawks had "better things to do," according to them. But they are happy to send you and I to die for a war they created and would never fight themselves.
Did Goddamn Job, by The Replacements for the Three Million Plus American workers who've lost their jobs since George Bush was selected to occupy the White House against a majority of people who voted for Al Gore in 2000.
Played Hate Nation, my song, for the Rightwing propagandists at FOX and CNN. Again, happy to send you to die in a war they would never fight, never mind report honestly about. By the way, a report came out today that 100,000 Iraqis, mostly civilians, have died since the beginning of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Most of the casualties, 80%, are from US planes bombing Iraqi cities and towns. 100,000 people. We are freeing the Iraqi people by killing them. God Bless Amerika.
Last song I played was American Idiot from the new Green Day record of the same title. I think I did a pretty good rendition though I did blow a few words. Some of the DJs on WAAF, especially the morning jock, are very rightwing and refuse to play American Idiot so I felt it my duty. They should not be censuring a great band like Green Day with a great song like American Idiot. I hope some folks heard this show. If you want a copy of it, I have it on a CDR. Just write to me at petecassani@yahoo.com.
Election day is tomorrow. John Kerry is going to kick Bush's Ass!!!!!!!! For all of you who are Democrats, get out there and show Kerry you love him. For all of you who are Republicans in love with George Bush, you're day to vote is Wednesday, Nov. 3rd. Try to get there early on Wednesday good people of the Republican Party. Be the first in line. On Wednesday!! November 3rd!!

28 October, 2004

The Boston Red Sox just won the fuckin World Series. First time in 86 years. My neighborhood, mostly college students, is exploding with fireworks, cars driving by leaning on horns and people out in the streetscreaming their fuckin heads off. It's a great day for Boston Red Sox fans who've been watching their team come dangerously close to winning for 86 years, only to blow it at the last minute. It's a historical fact that the Red Sox always lose eventually. People here call it the curse of the Bambino. Back in 1918, The Red Sox traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees and the Red Sox have never won a world series since that trade. With this win fans believe the Curse of the Bambino has been lifted. So there you go. Congratulations to Boston and The Red Sox. They finally fuckin did it!!!!

21 October, 2004

Watched a baseball game for the first time all year. Not a big sport fan but this is Boston and The Red Sox are going for the World Series. Seventh game of the Playoff series. 3 and 3. Classic Rivalry of The Boston Red Sox vs The New York Yankees. People of Boston HATE the Yankees. Though I come from NY, I was hoping maybe the Red Sox would win this time. They've been losing forever but keep coming back. They are the underdogs so I am with them. Plus I grew up on Long Island where we like the Mets. Tom Seaver '68!!
Sooo anyway, after watching the Red Sox claw their way back from losing the first three games of the series, the whole city of Boston was hanging by a thread. Thank God The Red Sox kicked the Yankees ASS 10 to 3. A decisive victory. No question that the Red Sox beat the Yankees. Now the Sox go to the World Series but it doesn't really matter. They beat the fuckin Yankees and it's all gravy from here. Still if The Red Sox win the World Series, it will be the first time since 1918 that they've won a World Series. And the alleged curse of the Bambino will be broken. I'll stop now.

14 October, 2004

Great crowd at Passim's tonight for the triple bill of Chris Chandler, Sandman aka The Rappin Cowboy and moi. Competing with the final presidential debate, a huge benefit show at The Paradise and the Red Sox vs. The NY Yankees, we still managed to draw a good, spirited crowd to this top notch Cambridge Coffeehouse.
Chris sounded great with his new partner Joana Smith on keyboards and vocals. She has a great voice and knows all Chris' material. He's very fortunate to have hooked up with her. Never saw The Rappin Cowboy. He was pretty much a guy from Montana who ... well.. raps. And he's real good at it too. Had a Boston friend jump up and do beatbox and accompaniment. Then they did two raps at the same time. Great shit. Very good. Chandler and Sandman are doing a string of dates together. For dates and info, go to http://www.chrischandler.org/
I'm at The Sidewalk Cafe in NYC tomorrow night and then back up here to play the street Friday.

9 October, 2004

Was out in Harvard Square for the third time this year. The Pit was hopping. A few friends from the Kucinich Camp stopped by. A kid got hit in the head with a bottle by some punk rock kids. Ambulance came and took care of him. Dunno what happened about the punk rock kids.
Heard Kerry kicked Bush's ass all over the street during the 2nd debate tonight. I'm not surprised. Bush is a stupid, ignorant man who stumbled into the White House. He's been cloistered and protected from the public and the press until now. There is no way around these debates. It's going to hurt him. People are seeing for the first time how weakminded Bush really is. It's probably shocking alot of people. I have complete confidence that John Kerry is going to sweep this election and get our people the fuck out of Iraq, where they never should've been sent in the first place. He knows what it's like to be bogged down in a senseless war. Bush is clueless. He should never have been put in the White House.

7 October, 2004

Did you watch the debate last night? I trust nobody to be surprised that I did. Thought John Edwards did a great job as did the majority of people who watched. I was glad he called Cheney and Bush the party of the millionaires who give tax breaks to millionaires while cutting funding for everyone else, including the combat troops wages.

Though both John Edwards and John Kerry are millionaires, I trust when they are elected they will take the tax breaks away from the wealthy who never needed a tax break in the first place.

I did NOT like to hear Edwards bumbling about how he basically doesn't support Gay marriage. The Dems should've supported it. They have nothing to lose. Right wing homo phobes are all voting for Bush and Cheney anyway. Kerry and Edwards had an opportunity to show some spine. Still he did kick Cheney's ass. Cheney looked like the evil, corrupt, lying sack of shit he is. I loved it when Edwards quoted Cheney as being one of the only guys in Congress to vote against Martin Luther King Jr Day. He also voted against some other Black Civil Rights thing. I guess he just doesn't like Black people.

Could've done without the Pro Israeli Plug from Edwards, ie. Israelis have the right to kill terrorists. Today the Israelis shot a little Palestinian girl 20 times when she dropped her book bag near one of their military installations.I don't think the Israelis need any encouragement to kill Palestinians. All those people need to stop killing each other. And we need to stop helping the Israelis kill Palestinians. OK I'm done.

1 October, 2004

Watched debate between John Kerry and George Bush tonight. Was not looking forward to having to watch it but felt I must. My duty as a citizen of this country to sometimes have to gaze at the idiot box.
Tonight I was pleasantly surprised. John Kerry was intelligent, articulate and scathing in his criticism of the incompetent George Bush. George, on the other hand, fell back on his old mantra of Fear and trusting his gut no matter how much the facts stated otherwise. Bush appeared to be confused and agitated much of the time during the debate, a slow minded man far out of his league, who stumbled into the White House and was in over his head.
I am very pleased for the first time in a long time with this election. I think if the Republicans continue to present themselves as they really are, most people will vote them out. Their policies are bankrupt. See you on the street tomorrow night.

25 September, 2004

Drummers are hard to come by. Always have been. Dave (bass) and I put flyers up around Boston for a drummer.
We're holding auditions Monday, Sept. 27th in the basement here. We're looking for a guy to play on the streets with us.
Been having alot of trouble finding someone willing this year.
Everyone's too busy. Want to be out there by next friday. Saw Mike Viola and Friends at The Paradise Lounge last Wed? Mike Viola and The Candy Butchers.
Great songs!!! Highly recommend latest record called Hang On Mike. Excellent lyrics. Beautiful songs. Was listening to it on last solo tour.
Sometimes so sad I couldn't bear it. Now after I've seen the guy, (and am safely off the road) I rediscovered it.
If you like really, really good songs, buy Hang On Mike, by Mike Viola and The Candy Butchers.
I hope we are out next Friday in The Pit, Harvard Sq.

18 September, 2004

War in Iraq is totally out of control and lost, according to most Senior US Military Officers. I just read a book on Kennedy and Vietnam. Iraq and Vietnam have so many similarities. History really does repeat itself when you don't learn from it. I doubt George W Bush has learned anything from anyone. I wonder if he's ever actually read a book cover to cover. I would not be surprised if he hasn't. Played last night at The Abbey Lounge as a favor to my fave club in Boston. Some band cancelled so me and Ray (from Beefy DC) did solo sets. It was cool. Played a bunch of Replacements songs and a few new Peasant numbers. Playing tonight on the streets of Cambridge. Really looking forward to it. I miss the street. Hope we get the pit.

12 September, 2004

Last night @ The Middle East was incredible. Over a dozen great Boston Bands played three or four song sets in tribute to Lili Dennison, a woman who loves original rock and has done so much for so many bands in this city. You could really feel the love in the room as band after great band took the stage to rock for her. And everyone was on FIRE. It just kept getting better as the night went on. People came from NYC to play. Thalia from COME, The Lyres, The Upper Crust, Unnatural Acts (old school Boston Punk Rock... real fuckin Punk Rock), The Dogmatics (Classic Boston band), Rockbottom, Beefy DC and a bunch more. It was an incredible night. This is a great city for original music. There are so many great bands here. Good luck in New Orleans, Lili!! Boston will miss you.

11 September, 2004

Tonight The Peasants finally hit the streets of Cambridge. After the first set in front of the Old Unitarian Universalist Church, an angry cop came up, said we were too loud and threatened to fine us $300. I've been playing on the street for over 15 years and I've never heard of a $300. fine for playing too loud. Pig faded into the crowd as quickly as he appeared. We turned down and didn't see him again.
Truth be told, I was a little loud but so is the traffic, the fire engines and the cars on the street 5 feet away. It's incredible that in our society Music is thought to be obnoxious and loud but we accept the constant blaring of Fire Engines, Emergency trucks and police cars all night long screaming down the street. Weird. God forbid my stupid little electric guitar competes with the fucking sirens of trucks roaring by.
Regardless, we had a good time with the people on the street. Lotta drunks. Nothing's changed. One guy was dancing around the whole time. You'd think the Grateful Dead were in town to watch this guy. But it was just us and a guy who probably should stop drinking. I guess he's still having fun. I'm going to sleep. See you next Friday. Hopefully this time we'll get The Pit.

05 September, 2004

Abbey Lounge was screaming last night. Great crowd, huge slabs of rock and good times. Welcome after the mindless savagery of last night at TTs. The Drags sounded great. Old Money looked great. And The Peasants with Steve and Billy are the best band in the whole fuckin world and I'm not just saying that cuz it's my band. I'm saying that!! It was great although I could've done without bleeding all over myself. Cut my thumb into the second song. Once the blood thickened up, the pick stuck very nicely to my finger. Now I know how Townsend feels. ROCK!!!!

03 September, 2004

Altamont came to Beefy DC tonight at TT The Bear's. We were halfway thru our set, the crowd was toying with some slam dancing and then it happened. Our friend Jay was watching the show when a slam dancer in a Mad T-shirt slammed into him. Jay pushed the guy away as usual. That's what you do with slam dancers. This guy, however, took offense and smashed a beer bottle over Jay's head. Jay went down. Then Mad T-shirt guy and two of his buddies literally kicked the shit out of Jay as he lay on the ground half conscious. Meanwhile we're playing "Have A Drink On Me," oblivious to what is happening. Now Jay is at the hospital getting stitched up. We think he'll be ok but it's not ok.
Doorpeople and the soundman at TT The Bear's report an increase in violence among patrons at rock shows in the last year. Instead of once a year, there's an incident every couple of months. Violent crime is up again in Boston too. Kids are shooting each other more frequently than in the past ten years. There was alot of gang violence in Boston around 1992. The neighborhoods, police and church people organized and fixed it. Now it's back. Only this time it's just kids killing kids over the smallest slights.
I attribute it to Karma. In the last few years, the US has slashed spending on the poor, lost at least 2 million jobs overseas and invaded two third world countries, slaughtering thousands of their civilians. Violence begets violence. You can't fuck people and expect nothing to come back at you. The USA is the most violent, aggressive country in the world. We are considered by most Europeans nations to be the biggest threat to world peace.
Altamont. Many attributed it to the culmination of the violence that the US metted out over the course of the 60s. Assassinations of JFK, Martin Luther King, RFK and Malcolm X. The Vietnam War where US bombers killed over 2 Million Vietnamese civilians in both the North and South in an attempt to destroy the Vietcong who really were just fighting for their independence.
Violence begets violence. What goes around comes around. There is no way around that one. And tonight it came home to us. Senseless, stupid violence.
We as a nation are destroying the world and ourselves. The sooner we either crash and burn or go into a depression and wake up, the better. We cannot keep going on like this. I hope Bush doesn't win another 4 years. Imagine the damage he could do in just four more years. Four more Wars!! Four more years of tax cuts to the rich. Four more years of slashing spending on children, education, housing, jobs, the economy, the environment. Four more years of terror and fear. Four more years of lies, distortions and hate radio djs spewing bile at anyone who says anything against the Military Industrial Corporate Elite, who run everything, including the Media. Four more years. God help us. And God help Jay tonight.

30 August, 2004

Just drove back from NYC where between 1/2 and a full million American Citizens were marching thru the city protesting Bush and the Republicans having their convention. NYC does not like Bush. It was great!!! You should've been there. Lots of creative signs and costumes. TONS of people. The cops were well behaved. Someone mentioned that there were 10,000 of them. We didn't really need them but it was fine for them to be there, earning some overtime and shooting the breeze.
Played a short set Friday night at a corner dive bar in Crooklyn called Hank's Saloon. It was a complete dump so I felt right at home and a few fine friends actually showed up for me. Played the electric thru a Marshall with a drum loop. It was the best I ever did with it. Thanks Lindsey of The Kowalskis for coming out and John, I hope you got something funny. I'll be down there again in October @ The Sidewalk. So millions marched against Bush... again. Bush has really energized people. I've never seen so many people so mobilized against one dumb bastard and his cadre of evil fuckers. It's exciting.
If you don't know where you stand or don't really care, here is a quote to ponder. "The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who were neutral." Have a nice day!!!

23 August, 2004

"Most Americans seem to act as if their country were just "one among equals,"
as if their country were ordinary and benign, like a great big New Zealand,
and not the society with the largest military machine and the most brutal and
unforgiving socioeconomic order."
Prof Rick Fantasia
Smith College
Northampton, MA

I thought the above quote was brilliant. Going down to NYC this weekend. Playing Friday at Hank's in Brooklyn. Will be out in the street with millions of other Americans on Sunday protesting the Republican National Convention. See you there???

13 August, 2004

Dog days of August. Sweltering humidity. Working alot at the real estate office renting apartments. Trying to sock away enough for third album. Hope to be playing in Harvard Square Friday nights in September.
A show featuring original Peasants Steve Hart and Billy Close is set for Saturday, September 4th at The Abbey Lounge in Somerville. Close is back from the Left Coast for a visit.
Todd Spahr, former Peasant Bassist and guitarist of The Cavedogs was in Boston for a week around the Wellfleet shows. He did a show at The Abbey with The Stinkin Lincolns. He was hysterical. The Stinkin Lincolns are five guys dressed in Abraham Lincoln beards who play great rock and roll cover songs. Todd is the front Lincoln.
Might do a show or two down in NYC during the Republican National Convention. I am torn between making money and protesting the Bush Family Evil Empire.

1 August, 2004

Just got back to Boston from Cape Cod. Did two huge shows down there at the beautiful Beachcomber, an old Lifeguard Station on the beach turned into a Seafood and Music Joint.

Friday night Beefy DC tore the roof off after The Other Girls and Sugabomb (all Boston bands) kicked fat asses. Massive turnout. Much sweat. Even more booze. And plenty of sex. Beefy DC had a good night!

Then Saturday, last night, The Rudds and The Count Me Outs warmed things up for Lard Zeppelin. They were both great!

Lard Zeppelin: J Mascis as John Bonham. Ray from Beefy plays a very, very fat clown of a Robert Plant. Tony Goddess played keyboards and acoustic guitar. Kurt from Gobblehoof played bass. I got to live the recurring adolescent dream of every american boy growing up in the 70s, being Jimmie Page in the mighty Led Zeppelin. Played the newly refurbished Cherry Sunburst Les Paul I was trying to sell for awhile. I'm glad nobody wanted to buy it. It sounded incredible. I don't think I will ever sell it now.

Despite Ray forgetting most of the words, we had a great time jamming on No Quarter, Black Dog, Celebration Day and Heartbreaker. Hope to do it again. Depends on the availability of Mascis more than anything. Perhaps this Fall 2004 in Boston or Northampton. We'll see.

29 July, 2004

Felt like we were on a movie set last night playing at The Coyote Ugly Saloon, down the block from the Democratic National Convention. Girls working the bar and the audience, strutting around, selling shots... different from the usual rock dungeon. Dave Tree with his new band Save Yourself were way cool. They did a punk version of This Land Is Your Land, Woodie Guthrie. It was great.
Scott's band, Daisycutter, dressed up like Colonists and had a midget, Tiny the Terrible, dancing around onstage with them. He was fuckin hysterical!!!!!
Goin down to the Kucinich wrap up party at The Paradise tonight to see what's what. Lick Bush!!!!

28 July, 2004

Standing on a big stage surrounded by State Police in riot gear, helicopters flying overhead, I played Homeland Security to the gathering of people in Boston Commons. Some great performers. Dave Rovics played after me. Wherever there's a protest against oppression, you will find Dave.
Last night went to a vigil for the US Soldiers and Iraqi civilians. Military Families Against The War in Iraq were there. They read some letters from soldiers who were there and then were killed. One letter from a Marine Sargeant said he doesn't understand why we are there!!! He was later killed.
A woman from Military Families said there are now over 1600 military families actively against the war and demanding withdrawal from this illegal occupation of Iraq. Bush lied about Iraq and has betrayed the soldiers in an illegal war. They are dying for the corporate occupation of Iraq, nothing more.
Over nine hundred pairs of boots were laid out graveyard style to symbolize the over 900 now dead soldiers. There was also a pile of 1,000 shoes for a fraction of the over 12,000 Iraqi civilians who've been killed since this illegal invasion began.
Tonight The Peasants play @ Coyote Ugly with two other bands against Bush, the war, etc... Should be a good time. The club is right across the street from where the Democratic National Convention is being held. Not that Kerry and Co. give a shit but it's pretty cool that we are there.

26 July, 2004 (midnight)

Streets of Boston are unusually deserted. Thousands of Bostonians have fled the DNC. A strange quiet envelopes the city. There is no traffic. There are lots of parking spaces. There are policemen in riot gear everywhere too!!!
Whenever anyone is marching or anything, they are followed by a gang of motorcycle cops. Last night at the Jamaica Plain Block Party in the Park, a huge gang of motorcycle cops circled the entire park to show all the old hippies, women and children just how tough the Boston Police really are. Listening to music and speakers as motorcycle cops surrounded us and police helicopters circled above us. Weird Police State shit.
An American Indian speaker said, "Get used to it. We've been living like this for years." I think the terrorist has already won. His name is George Bush.

26 July, 2004

My 30 minute set at The Boston Social Forum began with me having to throw some guy off the stage. He had booted the previous musician and was not very good so I didn't feel too bad about giving him the hook. He turned the PA system off during The Patriot Song.
Started to play song #5 and a policeman shut me down. Then, as I was packing up, a girl came up to tell me she thought the lyrics to Sweet Little Asian were not correct. Some things never change. I am honored to be in the mix. God Bless The World.

25 July, 2004

Playing this afternoon @ 3:15 pm for the Boston Social Forum, University of Massachusetts, Boston. Closing weekend of political activism, films, workshops and MUSIC at the University.
Tomorrow playing at a Bazaar with tons of musicians in the Boston Commons. It will be all day and alot of fun. Activists everywhere. Stuff is heating up around Boston. Weather has been unusually cool though, as if Fall was already here. Strange.
Freedom of Speech has been banned from the Democratic National Convention. A small cage with barbwire around the top has been set up as the official place for protesters and activists to stand with signs. It is out of sight of the delegates. Anyone protesting anywhere other than this cage will be arrested. Dissent in the United States has been effectively stifled. We live in dark times.
Went to The Paradise Lounge last night to see The Drags, Suspect Device and Dave Tree's new band, Save Yourself. It was a political rock night. All the bands are committed to overthrowing psycho George W. Bush. It was great to see. Dave Tree has created some cool political artwork too. Best one was a T-shirt with Bush's face on it saying 'UNELECTABLE'

14 July, 2004

A friend was watching Guns 'n Roses Behind The Music on MTV or the other shitty video channel and thought he recognized the music playing in the background. Right there during the part where Slash is destroying himself with drugs you can hear Let Me Out from Welcome To My Country. Cheers!

Here's a quote from Teresa Heinz Kerry:

''We need above all a president who is not fazed by complexity. A president who likes to read. A president who loves history."

Alot of my Republican friends don't read books either. Is that a Republican thing??

5 July, 2004

David Lee Roth embarrassed the shit out of himself last night w/the Boston Pops Orchestra. Sang 'Jump' horribly while old fellas playing violins actually jumped. It was awful. Diamond Dave is not aging gracefully. I will try to remember him as part of one of the greatest rock and roll bands of America and not a prancing idiot cheerleader for an arrogant country celebrating nothing.

We need to take back our country from these privileged assholes. Stop sending poor kids to Iraq. To kill and be killed. Killing poor kids in Iraq who are defending themselves against us. July 4th was a hollow holiday. Sad. I feel like I live in the Roman Empire as it's rotting from within. A sea of SUVs and beer swilling morons, watching sports and getting fat while people in third world nations die under our missiles. We send missiles to their wedding parties. We shoot their children with Israeli soldiers. We pretend we are a great nation. We are the assholes of the world. Happy 4th of July!!!

Tonight @ Passim's in Harvard Square there will be a show of political folk music and comedy. Starts at 8 pm and should be a blast. Come down if you live in Boston. I'll be playing some political songs for a change. Peace!

29 June, 2004

Saw Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore's new movie, yesterday in
Northampton, MA. What a great fuckin movie. I hope it is in your
state or country. If not now, soon. It is an amazing movie. You
absolutely must go see it and bring anyone you can with you. It will
make you laugh, cringe, fume and cry. It's the facts you never got
watching CNN and Fox.

I'm working in Boston, renting apartments to people with money,
planning to do another Peasant CD by Fall 2004. Reentry was tough
after that two month tour, three months off and the two month tour
before that. I forget how hard it is to work in the straight 40 hour
a week world. It requires alot of numbing and dumbing down. But it's
easier and more predictable, safer and more comfortable in many ways
than touring and being a musician. I'm torn.

Check the website for new developments. Our Webmaster and his wife
had a baby girl a few days ago. Congratulations to Ed and Daisy over
there in The Netherlands and your new baby girl. I hope she continues
to sleep like a log so you can rest too!!!

Go see Fahrenheit 9/11. It's one of the few movies out today that
is worth every fuckin penny!!! And pls keep an eye out for The
Peasants and a new record in the fall. Peace!!!

26 June, 2004

SATURDAY JUNE 26 RALLY AND MARCH BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!!!
Copley Square 1-4 PM

The “handover” in Iraq is one more lie!
Rally and March to BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!
Saturday, June 26 1 PM - 4PM Copley Square

Speakers (stay tuned for additions)
Chuck Turner - Boston City Council
Felix Arroyo - Boston City Council
Nancy Murray - US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
Jean McGuire - METCO
Terry Rockefeller - Peaceful Tomorrows
Darly Wright - Dorchester People for Peace
Military Families Speak Out
Music: Pete Cassani, Lisa Doyle. http://www.justicewithpeace.org/

20 June, 2004

Jimmy Kimmel Live, Good Morning America, Nightline, World News Tonight... These are just a few of the shows that played 'Let Me Out' by The Peasants back in December 2003. How do I know??? Cuz I just got a fat check from ASCAP. ASCAP is the company that tracks songs and pays you based on whether you're getting played or not. For years I've been getting checks from ASCAP for $1.03. or .67. Nobody was playing the little old Peasants. Then yesterday I came home from work and there was a letter from ASCAP. I figured it was another check. Maybe this time for $6.77. I opened it up and there was all this documented airplay from ABC, the TV Company. And a fat check!!!

Apparently ABC got hold of Welcome To My Country and has been playing the SHIT out of track #3, Let Me Out. You know the one..."welcome to my country, we're all fat and hungry, watchin' cops beat drunks up, while I smack my bitch up!!!! ABC TV LOVES that song and they've been using it for ALL KINDS of shows. Even their NBA Basketball and NFL Football shows have given it a few spins. So thank you ABC. Thanks for playing my song!! And thanks ASCAP for finally paying me after all these years. I guess you can't ignore television, can you?!?

18 June, 2004

Boston is starting to heat up politically and climatically as we approach July and the Democratic National Convention. Whole sections of Boston will be shut down, businesses closed and security tightened as thousands of politicos and activists converge here.

I met with some activist rock and rollers last night before a Beefy DC show downtown. We're doing a huge rock show last night of the convention right across the street from The Fleet Center at a bar called The Coyote Ugly. I'll release more details as I know them.

Got back from the tour and crashed pretty hard as I always do. A little post tour depression. Always happens. Got back on some pills and got a job at a real estate office downtown renting apartments. Will be doing that every day until September, trying to pay off my touring debts and put together enough money to go back in the studio and do another record. Will be playing Harvard Square second, third and fourth weekends of July leading into the DNC. Keep you posted. Viva la resistance!!! CIAO!!!

15 June, 2004

Sorry about the history lesson. Unfortunately, most Americans have forgotten where they've come from. Forgotten that only a few decades ago, the United States was in danger of revolution. So many millions of Americans were homeless, jobless and literally starving to death. The Socialist Party was getting over 30% of the popular vote during presidential elections. Union workers were having gun battles with private corporate policemen who were hired by coal mining companies to assassinate the union leaders. Black people were being hung from trees EVERY DAY DOWN SOUTH. It was no big deal.

Roosevelt started public works, welfare, education, all kinds of shit to put people to work and feed families. He saved the country from going under. Reagan started dismantling those programs in 1980. First thing Reagan did was start giving tax breaks to rich people and cutting education, health, housing and anything else that didn't benefit the wealthy. He also funded death squads and dictators in El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Iraq and Iran. And when he got caught selling arms to terrorists in return for hostages he suddenly couldn't remember anything. That was called the Iran Contra Scandal. Mt. Rushmore? I don't think so. The bastard should've been in jail.

To the present. The Masterful Michael Moore, creator of Bowling For Columbine, has a new movie coming out and the trailer is way cool.
Some are already saying that it is the best anti-Bush commercial ever made.
Here's the link to the trailer: http://www.fahrenheit911.com/trailer/

12 June, 2004

SOLD OUT The Abbey Lounge last night. Everyone was good. The Blackjacks. The Dents. Actually was very blown away by The Dents. Whole band was smokin. They did the BCN Grumble so they massively have their shit down cold. Johnny Angel was good to finally meet. He's a Talk Radio DJ and old Boston Rocker from the late 70s to late 80s, now living the life in LA. Great band. Far From Finished opened with old school street rock.
Beefy DC did what we do. People were going nuts, end of the night, nice and drunk. Felt good to be playing guitar with a good band again. I was really missing that on my two month excursion around the country.
Beefy Scott did a little something special during Highway To Hell. Laid to rest the myth that Ronald Reagan was such a wonderful guy. The B actor supervised the deaths of millions of innocent civilians during the early 1980s down in Central America. Catholic Bishop Romero, who preached peace, was assassinated during a mass during Reagan's Presidency. Also 4 catholic nuns were raped and murdered down in El Salvador by death squads funded thru Reagan. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Beefy didn't say all that but did thank god Reagan is down in Hell where he belongs. Actually I don't really believe in a hell. I think Ronald 'The Amiable Dunce'Reagan really believed he was right to support any evil bastard who professed to be anti-communist.
Reagan was a good actor but a dangerously unengaged man. During his Presidency the Republican party began the dismantling of The Great Society, which was created during The Great Depression to both fend off revolution and create a middle class.

7 June, 2004

"Naturally the common people don't want war: Neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

--Hermann Goering, President of the Reichstag, Nazi Party, and Luftwaffe Commander in Chief

5 June, 2004

Last minute call from Rich Hoss of The Drags to open for them tonight at Great Scotts in Allston Rock City, just down the road from my basement dwelling. Yes I'm staying in the basement. It's free, cool and dark as hell if you like that sort of thing. Used to live upstairs, before the mad touring started.

Settling in to the dwelling. My cat, Sid, said hello for about 5 minutes before he was off again. Hasn't seen me in two mos and had very little to say. I guess I deserve it. He looks great. Though 14 years old, he's down to fighting weight and agile as hell. Spends all his time running around outside in the woods by this house. All black. Fearless, friendly. Coolest cat on Earth. People at this house tell me he's been staying out all the time since I've been gone. He usually sleeps on my right side. They grow up so fast...

Beefy DC has THREE shows in June!!! And we're doing a weekend down in Cape Cod after the Democratic National Convention so all protesters who aren't in jail should come down there July 30-31st. We're doing Lard Zeppelin on Friday with Mascis (Dinosaur Jr) on drums and Beefy DC on Saturday.

The Peasants will be out in Harvard Square soon too. Maybe even next Saturday. Keep you posted.

2 June, 2004

Boston, MA: So there I was, onstage a few minutes after I wrote that last entry, and I was feeling mighty sick. I was thinking, wow, I've heard of people throwing up on the audience but never thought I would be in that position. There I was in a really beautiful, acoustically perfect performance space, built into this huge, state of the art bookstore. They had a great PA System, food, drinks, advertising, merchandising... all this shit and I was just gonna puke all over it.

Played one hour. Halfway thru the last song I realized I had to go. Cut it short and made it to the bathroom where all hell broke loose. God what an awful feeling that is. Then chills that wouldn't quit. Poor folks at the bookstore must've thought the musician from Boston really needs his heroin.

Tried to drive but couldn't. Went to a Days Inn and for $66. I lay on the bed waiting for whatever this was to end. That was the last gig of this tour. I guess after 2 months and 15,000 miles my body said enough!!

Got back last night. Drove from 7 am to 9 pm. straight. Cut thru Canada. Got a little hassle at the border but got thru anyway. Never liked Border people. They have a certain prissy, judgemental way about them that inspires zero kiss ass in me.

Was soooo happy to see the clouds, trees and hills of The Empire State, New York. Very happy to be back in the Northeast after a long trip. The USA is a great big place with many beautiful, varied landscapes but there is just something about the place where you come from that is always home. New York is that place for me. New England is my second home. It's all so similar it doesn't really matter, especially when you've been all over the fuckin place.

Looking forward to some Beefy DC shows in June and playing in Harvard Square on as many weekends as we can manage.

29 May, 2004

Grand Rapids, MI: Drove up in mass of traffic to Northern Michigan resort town of Traverse City. Cape Cod clone. Place to escape for watersports and gambling all summer. Played in bookstore. Was weird at first but then people started sitting down and listening. About an hour into it some kids showed up and by the end I had a nice little crowd. Kids 15-22 after the show, buying stuff and talking, made it worth it. Bookstore was cool too. Dunno when I'll ever get back up there but the people were very cool.

Just drove into Grand Rapids to do second to last show. Another bookstore. Big place. Nice PA System and listening room. These bookstores are better than most of the clubs I've been playing all my life. Hmmm... I get paid, food and coffee. Weird. But really, really nice.

Tomorrow I drive to Toledo and play the last show of this behemoth of a tour. I am glad I did this and also ready to go back to Boston. It's been a long one. Back to Boston and work. Back to Boston and all the regular stuff. Bills, jobs, band gigs, street performance, politics... all a welcome change from driving thousands of miles to the next coffeehouse or bookstore. It's been fun but enough is enough.

28 May, 2004

Flushing, MI: Played standing solo acoustic in the back room of the Elbow Room. Bunch of kids there. Very cool place. Nice owners. Great coffee. Tiny town with american flags and stickers all over the place, reminding me of Nazi Germany, but the people turned out to be open minded at the coffeeshop.

Saw Rightwing media (FOX, CNN) roasting Bill Cosby for saying parents must take interest in their children. This is a story?? This is news?? How about US troops shooting civilians all over Iraq. That's a story. How about US troops raping Iraqi prisoners! That's a story. How about George Bush lied about ... EVERYTHING!! And Colin Powell is burnt out and ready to retire after having bought into the whole WMD thing only to find out he was used and all the information was bullshit. Iraq is being massacred so Corporate America can control the Middle East. And everyone is talking about fucking Bill Cosby. Yes, David Cross, we ARE a nation of 6 year olds. Fat, spoilt, SUV driving morons. Wave goodbye! You're going to Iraq next spring... to protect our FREEDOM you fucking morons.

Some Americans say hey what can you do?? I can't watch the news. It's too depressing. I don't vote. What's the point? Etc. Well, the point is this. Your country is murdering people for power and money. It's your responsibility to stop it!! Any way you can. Cause if you don't, some day they will be coming after you too!! Or your kid. Or your wife. Or your daughter. First they'll take your vote away. Remember the 2000 Election. Then your son's life ie. Iraq and the draft in 2005. Then your daughter's right to choose by rolling back abortion rights. Pretty soon you'll be standing there wondering how the fuck did the United States turn into Nazi Germany. Good morning.

27 May, 2004

Today is my birthday. I am 42 years old. Thank you, thank you. Drove up into Militiagan from Chicago yesterday and stopped at Xhedos Cafe, Ferndale, MI for the open mike. Only 4-5 people there. Terribly vacant for an open mike. Played a few songs. Swapped a cd with an old feller I didn't want. Broke my own rule. Sell, don't swap. Most of it is junk. It's the truth. Anyway, hooked up with my old college buddy, Leif, who lives in Michigan now and I have my own room for a couple of days. Nice.
Headed out to The Elbow Room coffeehouse in Flushing pretty soon. See how that goes. Got a show way the hell up in Traverse City tomorrow, which is way up at the top of Michigan, near Canada (supposed to be beautiful) then back down and over to Grand Rapids on Saturday. Sunday night is Toledo and I'm done!!!! Whew!!

25 May, 2004

Chicago, IL: Chase Cafe. Drove from 8 am till 8 pm, starting in South Dakota, to play this gig in a cavernous, old, funky coffeehouse on the north side of Chicago.

Place was sparse for a Sunday night. Three women folk singers and myself. Everyone was very good. Good songs. Good singers. Made it just in time. Went to Stone Soup after and crashed in Mother Superior's room. Not very eventful.

Went to an open mike on W. North last night, monday. In a bar, a band playing upstairs, songwriters sitting quietly on lounge chairs near the small stage while loudmouth drinkers stand at the bar yelling at each other.

Got up to do my three songs. Asked the people at the bar to shut the fuck up or leave. I think I'll do that from now on. They still didn't shut up but it felt good to say. Did Don't Think Twice in honor of Bob Dylan's 63rd birthday. Head out to Militiagan tomorrow. Almost finished with this monstrous 2 month, 15,000 mile tour of the evil empire.

24 May, 2004

CHICAGO, IL: OK, it's been a few days. Let's see... went up to Great Falls, MT day after Missoula. Missoula, by the way, is a beautiful city with old Western style buildings and wide streets. You can almost still see cowboys driving cattle down the block. Great place. They also have a cool radio station but they censor the hell out of all their music so I dunno if it's worth sending them anything. They probably won't allow themselves to play it. Christian fundamentalism controls the heartland and it's pretty scary.

Montana. Fuckin beautiful! Rolling green hills, mountains, valleys, rivers and lakes everywhere. Hardly any people. Cows lounge around chomping grass all day. Crisp, cool weather with a big blue sky and a strong sun. Really nice drive up to Great Falls.

Great Falls. Scattered fast food joints, auto parts, random strip malls and a military base. Houses scattered in no particular order. In short, one very butt ugly place. And, of course, the gig is cancelled. Nobody got in touch with me.

Not to worry. I am used to this shit. I get in the car and drive the 12 hours to Rapid City, South Dakota. Political punk rock kids in Rapid City, lovers of all things musical and political, sat on a bridge over a river in a public park while 5 different acoustic musicians played. Punk rock kids who listen attentively and request political songs. What fuckin country is this!?!? I was truly blown away by the kids in Rapid City. They were AWAKE!! They were interested. They were not beer swilling morons watching sports and eating McDonald's. I got alot of hope for the future of this country from Rapid City. I would highly recommend all touring bands stop and play there. You will be glad you did.

Next stop was Vermillion, South Dakota, a small college town on the opposite end of SD from Rapid City. Again, a group of politically engaged youth going apeshit to the two punk bands and me at an American Legion Hall that was having a NASCAR Party at the same time on the other side of the bar. Incredible. Both sides of the spectrum doing their thing side by side. It was pretty cool.

Next drove to Chicago. Took all day. Driving has become something I just endure. I can drive for 6 hours, 8 hours, 10 hours, or more and I just don't think about it anymore. Try to snap out of it when I get to the show and play as good a set as I can. I usually do pretty good.

No show until Thursday in Michigan. Think I'll stop driving for awhile and hang out in Chicago. I'm staying at a Cooperative that works for Peace called The Stone Soup Cooperative. The people here all work for change within the system ie. housing for the poor, food for the poor, stuff like that. It's a great place and everyone is very nice. Used to be a convent. I'm sleeping in the Mother Superior's old bedroom. Crazy.

20 May, 2004

Missoula, MT: Just drove in here from Seattle, WA and found the public library with the free internet. I never pay for computers. Find public library. They're free.

Did an open mike at the Seamonster Lounge in Seattle on Monday night. It was cool. A few pretty good songwriters and one really horrible earnest yuppie guy vomiting mediocre passion all over us, afterwards giving away free CDs of his dead band. Yuppies who play earnest passionless bullshit. They are everywhere, begging you to love them, wanting so desperately to be famous. Why do I hate them so much?? Cuz I feel like them sometimes?? Cuz there's a little yuppie in me dying to be mediocre and loved??? Maybe a little bit but mostly cuz they suck so bad and don't know it. I think that's the worst thing.

Last night in Seattle my gig rolled around. Tuesday songwriter night at the Sunset Tavern. Very cool place with red velvet walls, cool artwork, great stage, PA system and nice folks at bar and door. 5 acts. They put me on last but I switched to the middle. Whew!! That would've sucked. Playing last to the crickets. Never go on last... esp. if you are 5,000 miles from anyone who knows you.

Did a good set. Seattle audience was strange. Place was packed but everyone was talking to each other. Not really listening to the people playing. I resolved before I got up there not to yell at the audience though I was a tad perturbed. Nonetheless did a stellar set and got off without incident.

4th act was nice guy and his female violinist whom apparently everyone was friends with. He sucked. Nice guys generally do but people were quiet for part of their set. Then they started talking again. So did I. Fuck it!! When in Seattle, ....

Last guy up was Christopher Blue. Wanted to swap cds before I heard him. Wasn't down. Done that before and am almost always disappointed. He was cool though and did a great set of engaged stuff. Controversial, political, pissed off, even told the audience to leave or shut the fuck up. From that point on, he had my vote. I would've elected him Pope at that point. He will be doing a radio tour of the USA this summer and coming to Boston. Probably has a website like Christopherblue.com or something like that. Very good. Real deal. Go see if you can.

Bartender was saying West Coast is sometimes tough cuz everyone is nice even if they don't really like you whereas on the East Coast people don't pretend they like you or not. They just go about their business. I don't need anyone to pretend they like me but I would appreciate it if they would shut the fuck up while I'm playing. CIAO!!!

16 May, 2004

Pulled into beautiful town on Northwest corner of Washington State in sight of Canada. Port Townsend. Nice place. Streets jammed with tourists and townfolk celebrating the blooming of the Rhododendrons. Called Rhody Day or Week. Big deal. Streets jammed.
Lehani's Coffeeshop, sight of my 'gig' turns out to consist of me standing in the corner of a coffee store screaming my ass off to be heard over the fuckin espresso machine. Middle aged patrons chat thru every song. I do The Patriot Song and the lady behind the counter freaks out. Starts admonishing me for using profanity. I said 'goddamn.' It's in the song. I'm thinking, "Do I leave now or tough it out like a professional." Other thoughts like "What the fuck am I doing with my life!!" are creeping in as well.
I play a few more songs. Nice songs. A few covers. Feeling it out. Like the street only worse cuz there's just these three old assholes talking over everything. I can't take it anymore. I break out Homeland Security. They shut right the fuck up and keep shut up after the song is over. They get up and leave. I decide my work here is done and start packing up as well.
Mother Theresa behind the counter is telling a cool guy who just walked in that the music will begin again shortly, the musician is taking a break. I walk over to inform her that this break is a going to outlive her. I feel sorry for the guy. Turns out he's a Minneapolis transplant, knew The Mats, Soul Asylum, all those people and is sorry I'm in the wrong venue.
Tells me about the Teenage-run Coffeeshop where the punk bands play whenever they wander up this far north. Offers me a crash site too!! I thank him and head up to the teenager place, called 'The Boiler Room.' A few kids are hanging around. I play a set for them. They turn out to be smart, politically engaged people who appreciate the songs. One buys a cd. I leave another behind the counter. Would love to go back there and do an actual gig. They say please do.
Now I'm in Seattle staying with a sweet gal I rented an apartment to back in Boston a few years ago. Nice to see my client still likes me after the deal has been done. I'll be here a few days.

14 May, 2004

Portland, OR: Quiet, attentive audience in converted Baptist Church that is Mississippi Studios. Opened for Ed Haynes, a very funny Portland songwriter. He opened for me last time. Sold some stuff. Talked to the nice folks. Met Amanda Stark of Stark Raving Chandler from 1992? She's working with my friend and booking agent Andras Jones on a collective of independent songwriters for touring all over the country. Called The Pop Ghetto. Keep an eye out.

Spoke to Andras today about future touring. Am thinking of just doing East, Midwest and South in Fall 2004. This all over the fucking country in eight weeks in my little fuckin Subaru is a little fuckin crazy. I'm up to it but it just doesn't make alot of sense most of the time. Let's just say it's a really good experience that doesn't need to be my life.

Am trying to figure out what to do for another record when I get back. Electric or acoustic? Probably both? Put it out again myself? Jesus Christ!!! Or try to find some small, progressive label? And just who the hell would that be? And how the fuck do I pay for all this? Stuff like that.

Show tonight was pretty good. Last night was more loose and fun I think because I just got all warmed up doing a full set on KAOS, Evergreen State College Radio. After a radio show, a live show at a club is gravy. Note to self: Play on radio before EVERY show in EVERY city and town!! Yea, that'll happen.

Funny thing is happening out here. I'm getting pretty lonely and tired of being out here. It's cool to be seeing the world and I love playing every night but there's alot of downtime to each day and a lot of hours driving alone. It gets old. Must really suck to drive a truck. Those bastards have it bad.

Head back up into the state of Washington tomorrow. Playing in a small town called Port Townsend. Small place called Lehani's. Everything we do here in The Peasants is small. And obscure. Don't want too many people knowing about this great fuckin music. Pls keep it to yourself. Don't spread it around!!

13 May, 2004

Eugene, OR: Played first of three at Sam Bond's Garage in amazingly crisp, sunny, green Eugene, OR. Really beautiful place. Great audience. Sold some stuff. Met the owner. Door girl. Bar folks. Everyone is so fuckin nice out here. Maybe it's cuz the weather is so great. They have no reason to be miserable. It's just 'nice.' That must be 'nice.'

Said bye to all my pals in San Fran and drove 10 fuckin hours up here today. Whew!! Try to stay out of the sun too. Sucker is nasty on my Irish skin. Gotta watch out. Ozone isn't anywhere near what it used to be.

Tomorrow go to Olympia, WA to play at Cafe Vitta and KAOS, the greatest college radio station in the United States. KAOS is the station that all the other college stations try to imitate. They are the coolest. I'm doing a live thing with them at around 7 pm.

Don't forget to watch 'The Shield.' zzzzzzzzz

12 May, 2004

Still in San Fran. Just out of the most kick ass open mike at a Hostel. Tons of international travelers in a big room with bands and solo artists. Got to play a good set and jammed with a band. Sold a ton of stuff. Really nice folks. Finally!! Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout man! Been to so many lame open mikes. Found a great one on my last night here. Very cool! Whew! Must get up in less than 5 hours to drive 12. Back on the Subaru horse.

Had a great time here thanks especially to Reno Mike who completely took me under his wing and showed me around San Fran. We basically went out every night and played every fuckin open mike we could find. Stellar man. Thanks Mike!! Truly Rule!!

11 May, 2004

Four Open Mikes tonight. Went up to Marin County and found three in a row on one street plus another at a place called Sweetwater in Mill Valley. Never did four in a row before.
Mill Valley was older hippie types that actually sat and listened. Great stage and sound. The three in a row was just a string of bars where all the musicians bounced from one bar to the other, playing their set. Some very fucked up people in Marin County but then sane, well-balanced people aren't usually out drinking on a monday night. Still it was cool to do 4 in one night.
In other news, 40 Lines will be played either this week or next on Cable TVs FX cop show The Shield. Check it out!

9 May, 2004

San Francisco, CA: Still here, hanging at Reno Mike's place. Reno Mike is the self appointed President of The Peasants West Coast Fan Club and a stellar dude. Went to open mike at Black Magic, a pretty cool local bar on Lombard and Van Ness Ave tonight. Every Sunday. They put me on as their feature and gave me a nice, long set. Very appreciative crowd. Bought CDs and T-shirts.

Now that's what I'm talking about!! Will be here a few more days. Try to do more of that. Tour starts back up in Eugene, OR on Wednesday night. Got burnt in the sun today while sitting in the park playing guitar with some friends new and old. San Fran is beautiful!!

7 May, 2004

Played Simple Pleasures Cafe tonight w/no PA and no promo. Was tough. Thankfully Lynn Ervin and husband Hal showed up and got me through. This tour has suddenly become really difficult. The shows on the West Coast are just really sucking. No promotion. No PA. That's just really hard to transcend. Did one set and split. Went to a party where there were some bands. Got up and did a few songs. That was cool. Then went to a club with some DJs and tons of funky San Francisco people. I like the San Fran vibe. People are very easy going and happy. Not uptight. Not too cool. Just having a good time and don't give a shit about what you're doing. This is a good city. You can feel the people are happy to be living here.

Getting alot of distressing news re. torture going on in detention centers in the name of the war on terror. Only terror going on is the US terrorizing Arabs that have nothing to do with anything. Iraq didn't have anything to do with 9/11 but their citizens are paying with their lives for that event. It's so sad. America has turned into a place where torture is ok. You can feel the news people rationalizing it. Read it in The Times. It's right there. Our brave troops trying to wipe out this small evil element when really it's the entire country. We cannot kill or torture everyone who doesn't agree with us. And that's not what the USA is about. We used to be about helping other people. Now we are about helping ourselves and fuck everyone else. It makes me ashamed to call myself an American. We have to take our country back from these assholes. Like Woodie Guthrie said, "This Land Is Your Land..." not some rich asshole in Texas.

http://www.antiwar.com/orig/rothschild.php?articleid=2529

7 May, 2004

Woke up with the sun in the back seat of the car again. Played a good show last night in Davis, CA w/a six piece band from Eugene, OR called Eleven Eyes. Great stuff. Great guys. Incredible musicians. It was like Jazz Hip Hop with a DJ scratching and playing samples. Many George Bush quotes. We matched up well politically. Audience was laid back Northern California college kids of UC Davis. Very fun people. Dancing, drinking, doing their Thursday night in this big, liberal college town. Weather is beautiful as are the people. Club was very kind. Great sound system. Paid us and everything. G St. Pub. Good place. Would love to play there with the full band. That would be a good place to play with The Peasants. Maybe on a future tour.
Here is a poem sent to me from a good friend that sort of captures a bit of this road trip.

Perpetual Motion By Tony Hoagland

In a little while I¹ll be drifting up an on-ramp,

Sipping coffee from a Styrofoam container,

Checking my gas guage with one eye

And twisting the dial of the radiio

With the fingers of my third hand,

Looking for a station I can steer to Saturn on.

It seems I have the traveling disease

Again, an outbreak of that virus

Celebrated by the cracked lips

Of a thousand blues musicians ­ song

About a rooster and a traintrack,

A sunrise and a jug of cherry cherry wine.

It¹s the kind of perceptual confusion

That makes your loved ones into strangers,

That makes a highway look like a woman

With air conditioned arms. With a

Bottomless cup of coffee for a mouth

And jewelry shaped like pay phone booths

Dripping from her ears.

In a little while the radio will almost have me convinced

That I am doing something romantic,

Something to do with ³freedom² and ³becoming²

Instead of fright and flight into

An anonymity so deep

It has no bottom,

Only signs to tell you what direction

You are falling in: CHEYENNE, SEATTLE,

WICHITA, DETROIT ­ Do you hear me,

Do you feel me moving through?

With my foot upon the gas,

Between the future and the past,

I am here ­

Here where the desire to vanish

Is stronger than the desire to appear.

OK, the poem is over. So, yea, sometimes I feel like that but I'm a tourist on a mission. To pose the alternative thru songs. Whoever is in the room at the time will get a dose of what I've come to say and play. It's a crap shoot. It's the grassiest of grassroots touring. It's an off the cuff, flying by the seat of your pants tour with minimal planning and maximal making it up as you go along, a plan few would be comfortable with but travelers know what i'm talking about and to them it's no big deal. I just wish there was a more effective way to do it without getting bogged down in a million bullshit details.

Drove back to San Fran today and found my long lost friend from Boston, Lynn Ervin, who used to play drums for The Bristols. She is happily married to a Jazz musician (her father was Booker T. Ervin, a famous jazz musician) so I guess every girl really is looking for her father? Anyway, she's happy and has a great place in the Castro district of San Fran., let me crash on her couch all day. I needed it bad!!

Tonight I drove out to Half Moon Bay, a beautiful town on the coast of Hwy 1. Heard a traveling musician could make some tips playing for the locals at the Half Moon Bay Inn. Got there and a sign on the door said, Sorry, Business has been Sold. Walking around this pretty town I heard two girls playing acoustic in a coffeeshop. As i walked up, they were taking a break so I got to play 3 songs for the people there. That was my gig tonight. Very cool folks here in Half Moon Bay. Someone was telling me both Neil Young and Tracy Chapman live nearby here. Sometimes Neil comes out and plays at The Princeton Bar and Grille. I could see living here if I had a few million dollars. Quiet and beautiful. Great if you like to surf too.

Tomorrow I'm back in San Fran. at Simple Pleasures Cafe on Balboa. Then 3 fuckin days off. Gonna have to get creative.

6 May, 2004

Trying to be positive can sometimes be difficult. Maybe I won't bother. Slept in the car last night after all the hippies at the Canvas Gallery blew me off. I don't think these Californians understand what it's like to be on the road. They seem blissfully indifferent to an awful lot. A hippie I will never be.
You could hear the crickets at the open mike I featured in last night. Highlights were drunk Mexicans telling non-jokes. Incredibly unfunny. Not even embarrassing. Sad when the wannabe comedian is so bad you don't even care to be embarrassed for him.
Another highlight was San Franciscans playing Grateful Dead songs.... badly. Holy Shit!! Jerry Garcia must be spinning in his fucking grave. I'm not a huge Deadhead but I respected Jerry and the boys for what they accomplished. And when they were on, they were ON!! I saw them a few times. These folks at the open mike should probably stay away from Dead covers. Won't need to go back there again. Hoping it gets better tonight but dunno. I'm in Davis, CA opening for a "jammy" band tonight. Trying to remain positive but it's hard. College kids here are nice though. Writing this from the food coop. Free internet. Great food. Nice folks. Good politics. Beautiful town. Beautiful weather. Blue skies for miles.
Did manage to track down a friend who left Boston years and years ago. Lynn Ervin. Used to play drums for The Bristols. Remember them?? Lynn is here! So far the show in Ypsilanti, MI is cancelled and the show in Vermillion, SD was moved to a different venue... for anyone home keeping score. Hope to replace the Ypsilanti show with something, somewhere. Hopefully Andras Jones will come through with something else. More than halfway thru. Try not to sleep in the car tonight..... Try not to break a window..... again.

4 May, 2004

Las Vegas, NV: Played three shows with full band. San Pedro was sparsely attended but great club and nice folks. May go back in Fall. Los Angeles show at Molly Malones was like a Boston Rock Reunion. Three former Peasant bass players in attendance. Pete Downing, Billy Close and Todd Spahr. Todd was in The Cavedogs. Billy was in The Freeze and Pete was in Mezz as well as The Peasants. Those are just a few of the bands. It was great to play for friends in LA. Good set. Drove back to Vegas and played at a place called The Boston tonight. Strange. Lotta Boston stuff right around this part of the tour.
Hung out all day in LA with Billy Close and Donna Lee. Went to a few flea mkt rock clothes type places. Hotter than Hell on the Left Coast. Sun will burn your skin right off out here.
Back in Vegas we played to a good crowd, many of which work for Blue Man Group out here. We've been playing the whole Welcome To My Country record. Makes it easy. It's now 6 am and I have to crash. Heading up NorthWest next two weeks and reverting back to being a solo acoustic guy. It has been great playing these three shows electric rock!!! I like this best. Too bad I can't swing it all the time. Tons of great musicians in Vegas too.

Here's an article every American citizen should read. God Bless Everyone and let's see if we can't put an end to this insanity. Peace.
http://www.sundayherald.com/41693

1 May, 2004

Woke up early in Las Vegas. Sat by Billy's pool, playing guitar as his little black cat, Mr Sack, fucked around nearby. Reminds me of a mini Sidd, my all black cat back in Boston.
Nice to be in one place for more than a few hours. We leave for San Pedro, Mike Watt's hometown, in a little bit. The club, The Sacred Ground, doesn't have us listed as playing. Not very helpful on the phone either. I feel like I'm back on the East Coast. I guess all coasts are the same. Clubs run by incompetent assholes. They probably think the same thing about the bands.
Las Vegas is way hot and sunny. You get a sunburn walking to your car. Lots of bad news on the internet about the occupation of Iraq...and everywhere else. If you really want to find out what the US Gov't is up to, go to YellowTimes.org. I'm trying to refrain from sending out all the articles to my mailing list. Every single one seems essential. Americans should know how their money is being used to murder various people around the world, from villages in Afghanistan to cities and towns in Iraq. And Israel/Palestine. Lotta people are being killed so the United States can control the world. In the end, we will control nothing. We will stand over alot of dead bodies and say things like...." I didn't know this was going on!" Or "It was George Bush's fault!" but the thing is we let it happen. We gotta stop these assholes. If you get a chance, pls go to YellowTimes.org and read a few articles. Every American should know. I know I'm preaching to the choir. If that's the case, pls forward YellowTimes to all your friends. We have to get the word out. You'll never hear about it on CNN or FOX.

30 April, 2004

Drove over 1400 fuckin miles in the last two days. From Austin to Albuquerque was the worst. 833 miles.... in 10.5 hours. I dunno how that is possible but they let you speed down here on these desert roads. It's nothing to be doing 100 mph. I saw some cops but somehow they didn't catch me.... or care. Got there an hour before my show. Funky coffeehouse called The Blue Dragon.
Nobody there at first. Did two sets. Ended up having a nice little crowd. Grateful for that. As Ray Neades said, "this is about as grassy as grass roots gets." I'm basically playing in places I've never been to people who've never heard of me with zero promotion. Whoever is there when I walk in is The Audience. Sold a few cds and slept on the couch in the coffeehouse. They fed me too. Nice folks. Will definately want to go back.
Got up this morning and only had to drove 567 miles to Las Vegas. Pulled up to Billy "Vegas" O'Malley's house just in time to walk into the rehearsal room and blow thru the 12 song set we will be playing tomorrow... with a drummer I just met. Thankfully he can play the drums and actually learnt the songs. I feel like Chuck Berry , rolling into town and playing with a pickup band...well at least as much as a white kid from the suburbs of NYC can feel like The Angry Black Father of Rock and Roll.
We ran through Welcome To My Country, some of which I haven't played in about a year. Weird. Forgot a few things. Will practice tonight. Staying here at Billy's. He's got a huge amplifier, a computer, air conditioning, a fuckin pool... now all we need are some Vegas strippers.
I think that is all. It's been a bit gruelling these last few. I'm looking forward to watching someone else drive.

28 April, 2004

Austin, TX. Got in here 5 am from Houston. Played acoustic to tables of patrons, troubador style, at beautiful outdoor hippie blues club called Last Concert Cafe. Nice folks. Great food, kind patrons, didn't see much of Houston. Did go to the YMCA and felt amazing afterward. Thank god for the fuckin YMCA.
Night before that was in New Orleans. Played coffeehouse far away from anything to do with the famous Jazz Festival that is rocking all over that city right now. Nobody where I was. Actually the worst time to go to New Orleans and play but city was very interesting. Spent the day listening to the street performers play jazz standards and whatever. Love this place but don't think I could take the heat. Stayed at bartender's place. She was very cool. Had two cats and a Boxer. Makes Fairy Wings and sells them on the street too. New Orleans has one of the coolest vibes for a city that I've seen so far.
Must find an open mike tonight, then make it to Albuquerque, NM by tomorrow night. I have a feeling it's gonna suck!!!! Yee haa!!!!

26 April, 2004

Left Louis and Maria in Nashville w/a tear in my eye (not really) and a three cdrs full of great Southern songwriters. Been drivin and cryin, listenin to Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, The Drive By Truckers and Dylan's Nashville Skyline? Incredible songs.
The South is a beautiful, scary, sweet, fucked up place that I'm sort of fallin in love with a little bit. Can't help it. The songs from here are incredible. Anyone who knows me knows I hate everything, especially the latest, greatest thing and rarely listen to music at all. Sad but true. Don't care what's on the radio and can't stand tv. So when I'm driving is the only time I listen to anything.
Lucinda Williams' voice and words will rip your fuckin heart right out. Same with Steve Earle. Ugly, fat, grovelly mother fucker who writes the most incredible shit. And I thought I was the only one!! (I'm kidding... sorta.)
The Drive By Truckers too!! Singing about the South after rejecting Lynyrd Skynyrd. We all grew up on Lynyrd Skynyrd. Even up in the suburbs of NYC. And we all had to put it in the closet at some point for lack of cool. I was never really cool enough for the punks and didn't quite get the Grateful Dead, the other alternative in NY, so I inhabited the 70s guitar rock territory pretty much thru high school.
If you're lookin' for a new song to listen to, I suggest the aforementioned but like most, you've probably known about these guys for years and I'm just wakin' up. Some are slower than others.
Met a young kid down in Georgia at an open mike who was wanting to know things. Realize all I can offer is how to NOT BE SUCCESSFUL in the music business your whole life and take pride in it.
Tonight I'm in New Orleans at a songwriter circle somewhere. Tomorrow I go to Texas, a place that rightfully belongs to Mexico. Fuck the Alamo!! Remember Mexico City!!

25 April, 2004

The Family Wash, an old laundromat in a seedy part of Nashville, is a great restaurant with a stage for solo and band folks. Jamey Rubin, Boston transplant (Modern Farmer), is down there runnin' the place and gave me a stage for the night.
Played an acoustic set for the dinner crowd. Very appreciative. Very attractive women down here in The South too. Receptive, good lookin audience.
Singer for local indie band The Carter Administration did a set of cool songs after me. He played Mats song In Love With Nobody to my Mats Lonely, which I always do. No cover. Pass the hat. He gave me his tips for gas. Very kind. Good policy. Give touring person bulk of money for gas. Been getting that quite a bit out here.
Did electric set with Mr Drum thing. Plugged into an old Fender so it was alright. Did Skinny, Black Coffee, Loser, roadhouse stuff. Went over good but a little loud. Small place. Folks getting drunk. Didn't care.
Super hot and sunny today, Sunday, in Nashville. Having Waffles with The Bogash Family and driving halfway to New Orleans. Jazz Festival there now. Lotta driving from here. Houston, Austin, Albuquerque and Vegas.... four days in a row. Better get another oil change.

24 April, 2004

Nashville, TN 8:30 AM. Drove all night to get to Lewis' house. Lewis is a Long Island transplant. Moved down here to work on a TV show. Now he's getting critically acclaimed TV award winning stuff. Pretty fuckin cool.
Last night in St. Louis, MO gig at Mokabe's turned out great. Had to do it with no PA system or amplifier. They had nothing. No stage, nothing. Basically just stand in the middle of the room and scream. But it worked out cuz when people stopped talking, you could hear the guitar. Need to make sure we get a PA next time.
Mokabe's is a great place. Vibe is very friendly. Great food. Great fuckin coffee and very open politically. Last night the owner, Mo, was headed down to Washington, DC to participate in the huge Women's Rights Rally on Sunday, April 25th. The Major Media will cut the actual number of women down in DC down to about 25% of the actual number, as they always do, but you can be sure there will be hundreds of thousands of women there if not millions. If you are a female, George W Dumbass is not your friend.
Sold a TON of shirts at Mokabe's. This t-shirt has the cover of Welcome To My Country on it. Many straight women have a problem wearing a sexy Statue of Liberty on their chest but not the lesbians of Mokabe's. They LOVED it!!! Thank you Mokabe's. This place rules!!!
So the last few nights have been really good shows, good audiences, etc. Wonder what will happen tonight in Nashville. If you are reading this and you have friends in Nashville, pls tell them to go to The Family Wash tonight!

23 April, 2004

Great night of music at The Melody Inn, Indianapolis. The Abbey Lounge of Indianapolis, The Melody sports the neon, cracked floors and billions of band stickers. Played first. Did electric with drum thing. Drum was blowing speaker. Need a bigger amp or something but had a good set.
Mary Prankster, solo acoustic punk babe from Baltimore recently transplanted to NYC followed me and was great. Great songs. Great stage presence.
Supagroup!! Sure are! 4 piece from New Orleans. Massive AC/DC influenced rock. Drinkin and fuckin! Two asian brothers with guitars fronting. Great show. Play with The Upper Crust in Boston when they do. Got cd. Rocks!
Last band was Retread, very humorous Indianapolis punk rock band. Nobody sucked. And I just called the owner up a few weeks ago, no demo tape or anything. One of best nights of this tour. The Melody Inn is a must for any touring band. Go to www.punkrocknight.com to hook up with these people. They do shows all over the Midwest and are always looking for good bands.
Drove to St. Louis today. Playing at Mokabe's, an alternative coffeehouse I've always gone to whenever here with The Peasants. Playing solo acoustic without a PA system, a net or anything apparently. See how it goes. Owner is off to Wash., DC tonight to protest Bush trying to roll back Abortion Rights. George W. Bush, bringing back coathanger abortions in 2005. Ever wonder how people who are against abortion are for the death penalty. We must protect every drop of semen but once they're here, electrocuting them is fine. Make up your fuckin mind!!!

21 April, 2004

Drove over 700 miles yesterday and still missed the fuckin gig. Somehow the map said 400 miles from Atlanta to Louisville but I found out otherwise. Apologies to Heidi Howe. She was hosting this show.
Am right back in Cincinnati where I was a week ago. Heading out to The Southgatehouse in Newport, Kentucky for another open mike. Lot of good music around this Newport,KY-Cincinnati, OH area. Met a few great bands when here last week and hoping some of them show up tonight.
For the record, last week's bands that I couldn't remember were: The Minni Thins from Cincinnati with the big, bald guy who screamed like Frank Black and had hysterical stage presence. Other band was Sailing from Dayton, OH. They were doing a psychadelic thing I can't stereotype but it was cool.
Heading out to Indianapolis tomorrow. Been watching the news and constantly amazed at the spin everything you see on tv has these days. I know to go into it here is preaching to the choir but I have to say it is truly amazing... truly amazing that an illegal invasion against a third world country that had NOTHING to do with 9/11 or terrorism has turned into another Vietnam and they are now trying to whip the country up into a Patriotic hysteria for a Draft. I think if anyone is thinking of going to Iraq, you should go and help the Iraqis fight off the real terrorist, George W. Bush, who's been shipping Oil out of Iraq since day one.
Wars come and go but the basic premise never changes. Rich guys start wars over power and money but the poor always fight them and never get any benefit from them. I see alot of bumper stickers down here in The South. Freedom is not free. That's one that made me laugh. Well the Iraqis sure are paying a premium for their freedom, aren't they?? Our Marines have been shooting them for over a year now and it's just getting worse. Freedom will be won when the US leaves Iraq. The sooner, the better.

19 April, 2004

Waking up in a friend's house in Winston-Salem, NC where it is politically correct to smoke anywhere at any time. Pregnant. On crutches. While eating in restaurants. Winston-Salem. We make the cigarettes that fuel your addiction. Say it proud!!
Chapel Hill was beseiged with black folks yesterday. Called The Apple Chill Festival, thousands of young black men and women flooded the usually very white, liberal streets of Chapel Hill, a hip little college town in the middle of North Carolina. Whatever the Apple Chill Festival is, it attracts ALOT of rap and hip hop oriented folks. They were in the streets partying thru to midnight. Needless to say, the gig at The Skylight Exchange Coffeehouse was NOT a big focus in Chapel Hill last night. I did, however, manage to play 3 songs for about 15 folks, five of which were long legged girls from NYC. It was cool. Coffeehouse vibe was decidedly anti fascist.
Procrastinating the 8 hour drive to Decatur, Georgia. It's been really great to see my friend and her kids again. Two boys. Growin' up fast.

18 April, 2004

Sitting in the kitchen of a friend in Winston-Salem, NC talkin' politics. She's got two kids, goin' to school and no husband. Trying to sort it out. Hard for poor, powerless people to make sense of the current political landscape.
Her sister was over in Iraq for a year and has many horrific stories about it. Mostly she was guarding trucks taking huge amounts of Oil out of Iraq. Most important thing was getting ammunition to the troops so they could keep killing the local people off while the large US corporations carted off the resources. We've come a long way from "the redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming." Welcome to my country. We ARE the redcoats!
Drove all night to get here from Maryland. Had a great time at The Quilt Festival with the good people of Greenbelt, MD. Driving in I noticed alot of huge flags and Bush/Cheney bumper stickers. The locals said around here, in Washington, DC, you just adorn your car with whoever is in power to keep the police off your back. What a sad state of affairs.
Had a good show. Played all acoustic. All the acts were great. Sold a bunch of things and they fed me. The New Deal Cafe is THE PLACE in Maryland. Great food, great music, great coffee. Huge enclave of progressive people there. If you ever need a gig or are stopping through Maryland, you must go to The New Deal Cafe, 113 Centerway, Roosevelt Center, Greenbelt, MD. (301)474-5642. http://www.newdealcafe.com.
Tonight I go down the road to Chapel Hill. Used to play Chapel Hill all the time with The Peasants. At The Local 506. Am playing a small coffeehouse/bookstore called The Skylight Exchange, a cool place we always stopped in on whenever we were at the 506. Hopefully some folks show up today. Getting hot down here already.

17 April, 2004

Seattle's Coffeehouse, Wooster, OH

Coolest place in Wooster. Owned by Andy and Shelly. Hooked me up with good food and the YMCA. Beautiful weather. Drove into town and stood by a manmade pond playing acoustic in the sun as ducks waddled by. Off in the distance stood a big, ugly bldg that said Halliburton on it. Loud, ugly truck stopped by pond too. Said Halliburton on it. Surrounded by scumbags. Halliburton has been paid millions of US Tax dollars to rebuild electricity in Iraq and it's still not working. Halliburton. Scumbags.
Played two sets. One acoustic. One electric. Acoustic went great. Electric set the drum machine still feeding back. Needs some kind of ground. Still sold a bunch of stuff. Everybody likes Skinny Waitress. Also Sweet Little Asian and Homeland Security seem to make big impressions.
Drove all night to get to Songwriter Quilt Festival in Greenbelt, MD., right outside of Wash., DC. Traffic here sucks. Weather is beautiful though. Spring is really swingin. Lotta driving next few weeks. Chapel Hill, Atlanta and Louisville all in a row.
Will now go check out this Quilt Festival. Just woke up from sleeping in the car. Will have to get better at that. Can't really afford motels. Don't like them anyway. Something more honest about sleeping in the car although it doesn't really leave you feeling very rested. I'll have to get better at it.

16 April, 2004

Newport, KY (across bridge from Cincinnati, OH)

Played well enough to please good folks in York St. Cafe tonight however was not pleased myself. Must practice loop thing. Not really cutting it yet. And amp sounds like the cheesy little fender it is. Got spoiled plugging into that Sovtek in Pittsburgh. Oh well. Great band from Cincy headlined with me. Singer was big fat bald guy that had a killer scream. Very Frank Black. Very funny too. Called Mini something. Everyone was. There was a duo of guys with acoustics singing in perfect harmony called The Great Depression. They were very hypnotic, trancelike someone said. Very much so. And another band from Dayton, OH. whose name escapes me. Cool place. Will swing back thru Cincy next Wed. on the way to Indianapolis and do the open mike at SouthGate.

Staying at the home of Rick and Karen. Rick is a transplant from Boston. Used to play blues with Pete Downing in 1991. Pete Downing is one of 14,000 guys who've played bass for The Peasants. Rick loves it out here. Has a good thing going. Nice house too! Beautiful woman. Clean clothes. I'm goin' to couch.

15 April, 2004

Still in Columbus, OH

Bobby 'Blasto' and I went out again last night in search of a good open mike. Found one at The Thirsty Ear, the club that cancelled me on this tour. Weird. The Thirsty Ear, a squeeky clean blues club for white people, got a call from an actual authentic black bluesman and fell all over itself to accomodate him. I'm glad the man got the gig. I just don't like these kinds of fake clubs. Unfortunately, you must take what you can get and this is what sells these days.

Signed up and sat down. Owner came over to harrass me about having my guitar out in the 'drinking area.' Whatever. I just want to play. Put the guitar in approved area for dangerous musical instruments.

They put me on second and gave me 20 minutes. That's a lengthy set in open mike circles. I did 5 songs. Sold 2 CDs and made a bunch of friends. Owner came up to apologize for giving me shit earlier. Gave me his card. Wants to book me. I didn't have any interest in telling him he did already AND Cancelled me too!!! This happens all the time. Welcome to the Music Business.

The more I travel around the USA playing, the more I realize the importance of just showing up and playing some good songs. And doing it well. That is all that matters. Who is signed or who is popular or who is rich or who is fucking who means about as much as what did you have for breakfast. Show up and play a good song. Connect with people, maybe sell them a CD so they can remember what they liked about you and go to the next town. And if nobody buys a cd, fuck it!!! Impeach George W Bush, International Terrorist.

14 April, 2004

Still hanging at Bobby Starker's place. We went and played at an open mike tonight. Played one of the first songs I ever wrote, Stuck On You, that we used to play on the street, in the clubs, wherever. Bobby remembered it, sounded great, blew the shit out of it. Played Homeland Security too.
One more day off tomorrow and then it starts in Cincinnati. Watching George Carlin right now. What a funny, angry bastard. Hysterical.
Watched a little TV today too. All the jokers of the current US Gov't were on TV trying to convince us that they know what the fuck they're doing.
A little more than a year ago, millions of people all over the world protested against the invasion of Iraq. Millions of people all over the world knew that invading Iraq was a really bad, stupid idea. We knew, cuz I was one of those people, anyway, we knew that Iraq had NOTHING to do with 9/11 and was not a threat to anyone. Unfortunately, most Americans are like frightened children who don't know how to think for themselves. And so I guess they need to suffer and die by the thousands. Lose their jobs. Lose their rights. Lose their minds. Eventually, when the adult babies of the United States have learned their lesson, they will throw the boy king out of office and try to repair the incredible damage he and his criminals have done to the world.
Until then, young americans will die in Iraq for NOTHING. They will die or come back with radiation in their bodies that will destroy their lives, their families lives and their future children's lives. Thank you George Bush, you dumb, evil unelected prick!!!
PS Someone said a country gets the leader it deserves. I guess America deserved George Bush. I just hope he is thrown out of office soon. Don't think Kerry is really very different from Bush, agrees with everything Bush did, but at least he's not Bush. Maybe he'll do a better job. Cheers!

12 April, 2004

Columbus, OH. At the home of Bob Starker, inspiration for the song Bobby's Down South. Always like to stop here when tearing around the US on a tour. Pittsburgh, PA show with The Cheats and The Dog Dead Cowboys was great. Opened it solo electric with my little loop station thing. Getting better at setting the drum and guitar dub live.
Watched a movie about the genocide of Rwanda, where 600,000 people were slaughtered by their own countrymen. Former President Clinton failed to act soon enough and regrets it probably more than any other thing in his presidency.
Staying here in Columbus till Thursday. Next gig is in Cincinnati. Hope to do some recording with Bob. He has some great songs to which I might get to inject some guitar licks. We tend to do well together.
Current situation in Iraq seems to be getting worse and worse. Hopefully, the worse it gets, the sooner Bush pulls out. Ironic how the US was unwilling to do anything to protect 600,000 people from slaughter in Rwanda because Rwanda didn't have anything we wanted. However, Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with 9/11 or Al Queda, and didn't even have any weapons of destruction, is all the current administration can focus on because it holds billions of gallons of Oil beneath it's sand.
If you are in the military, you are dying so the Bush Corporation can steal the vast natural resources of Iraq. If you are ok with that, I guess, you should join the military and go over. And forget about having children. Even if you make it back alive, you will probably die of radiation poisoning or complications from exposure. So far over 100,000 US military personnel from the first Gulf War are suffering from Radiation poisoning from the missiles we dropped. We are killing ourselves. God save the world from this deadly, mixed up country and it's insane leadership.

10 April, 2004

2 AM. Back in the dorms of Swarthmore after playing amazing little club in Philadelphia tonight. Everyone played great. Club was a tiny room above a restaurant in a very cool, student oriented section of town. Place held 20-25 people maximum. Audience was really attentive and cool. Club is called Fiume. It's a hangout for anarchists and political radical types. They were amazing people. Was a guy from Brookline, a girl from East Germany and a guy from West Africa. Cool gig. Best so far.
Evan and Sally were way better tonight. And the guy who played first was cool too. Sat tapping on wood plank with tapdancing shoes like a human drum machine... if that makes any sense. My drummer is getting better, I think. I had a talk with him a little earlier and straightened out a few of his loops. I'm tired.
Tomorrow go to Pittsburgh, play with my friends from Ragweed. Haven't seen them in a few years. We're playing a place called Excuses. Sounds like a strip club.
Swarthmore's been good to me. Seems like a good school if you're looking to go to college and your parents have deep pockets.

8 April, 2004

Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania. Beautiful green campus. Green students too. Liberal. Intelligent. I like it. Doesn't remind me of the USA. Sort of a haven for knowledge. Outside the CNN idiocy onslaught continues. Troops continue to die in International Terrorist Bush's Illegal Occupation of Iraq. US Citizens are very slowly waking up to the fact that they were lied, manipulated and now are dying for nothing at all. Poor, stupid sheep. When will we learn. Never trust politicians to do the right thing. Now we have to pull out of this bloody mess and help the Iraqi people with the mess we've made of their country. It never stops.
Fifteen percent of the Republicans who voted for Boy King Bush are disgusted with his illegal war and rampant spending and are voting for Kerry or ANYONE who will stop this insanity. Not so sure Kerry can or will at this point but it's heartening to see that even the Republicans are waking up.
Tonight Evan Greer and I will be rocking this beautiful place. Can't wait.

7 April, 2004

Drove down to Baltimore, MD yesterday and opened for NYC punk band signed to Capitol Records last night called the Star Spangles. They were pretty good. Spk a bit with them and their road manager, an English guy from Liverpool. We were swapping political horror stories. No shortage there. Tonight in Delaware.

Here's a little something for you all. Peace.

http://www.takebackthemedia.com/bushnonazi.html

1 April, 2004

Tour's cancelled on acount of I've decided to give up music and focus on working hard, screwing as many people as I can and making a pile of money for me and my own cuz I don't care about anybody else.... April Fool's!!!! Actually my car broke down and I had to get it fixed. The first garage, run by a lyin' sack of shit told me everything was broken and it was gonna cost me at least $1400. in ESSENTIAL repairs to get back on the road. I was born at night but it wasn't last night and I've been robbed by far more intelligent people. I thanked this lyin sack of shit at Brookline Foreign Auto Repair on Cypress St., Brookline and took the car to my friend down in Cohasset. Boston is a city of scumbags when it comes to auto repair. Try to get your car fixed before you come here cuz you WILL be robbed and you have NO recourse.

I'll be heading down to NYC tomorrow. Meanwhile, here's a video clip a friend sent me. It's George W Bush boring some poor kid to death during one of his moronic braindead lying sack of shit speeches. The kid is yawning so much his head is about to split open as he's standing right next to Bush. It's hysterical. Check it out...

http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/log/

Hope to see you all soon. We will be adding shows as we go along. Keep checking this section for updates. Peace!!

28 March, 2004

Four days to kickoff of Spring 2004 Regime Change Tour!!! Thank you to everyone who is putting up posters in cities and towns across the country!!! I truly appreciate it. Almost done with booking. Another 8-9 shows and the tour is ready.

In other news, George W Bush reinvents the feminine napkin on The David Letterman Show (during 2000 campaign) when he wipes his glasses on female assistant during a commercial break. Page down and see it for yourself. Here is the link:

http://www.dubyaspeak.com/incidents.shtml

Bush will later go on to steal the Presidency of the United States, invade two third world countries with the National Guard and cut military benefits as these Guardsmen (and Women) die in wars he lied and fabricated to wage. Finally, in a stroke of indifference known only to ruthless dictators and insensitive morons, Bush cut taxes to the wealthiest 1% of the US population while losing 3 million jobs overseas and plunging the US Economy into the deepest debt in history.

In his next four years, Bush hopes to bring back the coathanger by banning legal abortions in the United States, privatize Social Security (putting your benefits to work in a Wall Street Executive's bank account) and permanently banning civil rights with The Patriot Act, effectively making dissent illegal.

27 March, 2004

On Thursday afternoon, about two hundred of us gathered at The Park Plaza in Boston to protest George Bush's $2,000. a plate fundraiser. Police were all over the place. We, The People of The United States of America, are the enemy now.
As wealthy businessmen met with Resident Bush high up in the plush Park Plaza Hotel, a crowd of angry Americans grew from a few hundred to about 3,000. Many students from local colleges, punk rock kids, union people who's jobs have been shipped overseas and colorful characters were in attendance.
Drums, Bullhorns, Bagpipes and Creativity flourished. The police kept us away from the hotel, letting in only well dressed business people thru the barricades who were there to bribe Bush. Billionaires for Bush were walking around chanting "Fuck The Poor!" or something to that extent. It was beautiful to see so many people out who were pissed off and doing something about it.
A TV reporter asked me a question about how come there weren't more people. I wanted to tell him to go back to his studio and stick his head back down the toilet bowl where he gets all his stories but was also hoping maybe, just maybe I'd get to be on TV and get a message out. I told him the REAL Protest was down in NYC and all across the World last Saturday, March 20th when millions of people marched in every major city in the world against Bush's Illegal Invasion of Iraq. I saw his eyes glaze over. He's not used to that much information. Needless to say, they didn't use me for a soundbite.

18 March, 2004

One of the many, many guys I've toured with over the years called me last night. Thing about Jeff is I had to ask his mother's permission to take him. He was 15 years old at the time. It was his first tour. That was 1999.
Now Jeff DaRosa is playing in a smokin' trio out of NYC called The Exit. Went down to see them at The Middle East (Boston) last night. Jeff sounds like Bono of U2 in a good way and is a mother fucker on the bass. The guitarist does that wall of sound thing very well and the drummer is just SICK. They sound like The Police of the 21st Century. And they got some great new songs and a new record coming out in May? Go see The Exit. They are on Some Records, NYC. Here is the link: http://www.some.com/new/00exit.htm

17 March, 2004

St. Patrick's Day used to be a great day to get drunk and wind up in jail. Glad those days are behind me. Today, anyway.
Northampton show was cool for a Monday night. Spent all day yesterday working on a new song with my friend Dave Hull down in Plymouth, MA. Called Sweet Little Asian, this song is really something else. Won't say anymore. Maybe we'll put in on the downloads page if it gets done soon.
Check out my old college buddy/suburban father rocking from a safe distance in Boulder, CO. Helped him record a bunch of stuff on my last tour. He now has a website up and you can preview one of my tunes, Less and Less, right here: www.richhandband.com
Lastly, there is a huge anti war rally this Saturday in New York City. Anyone from Boston wanting to go can get a bus down. Go to this website:

http://www.justicewithpeace.org/index.php?target=march20bus&PHPSESSID=671b11365b96a1c3a237e4e1bb03ef9f

15 March, 2004

The Shield, a cable tv cop show now in it's 3rd season, may be airing a song from Welcome To My Country in late May. I can already see it... a couple of cops sitting in a strip club, sipping some beers... a leggy asian stripper gyrating around a pole.... "you were madder than a hatter, drunker than a skunk..."
Ken Cmar of Wonderdrug Records, Boston, informed me that he may have licensed Forty Lines (#7) to the show. He has already licensed a few bands this way and says it usually goes through soooo the little ol' Peasants might be on cable tv in late May!!! If you have cable, (I don't) keep an eye out and let us know if you hear it.

11 March, 2004

Richard from England says buy our CD!! It's TOP SHELF!! Thanks Richard. You are The MAN!!! We encourage everyone to go to CD Baby.com and order Welcome To My Country if you haven't already. You will NOT be sorry. You'll probably want Out On The Street after that too!!!!!!!

Anywayz, we played a private show for Northeastern University students on their campus last night. Of course it was not open to the public so nobody came. Not even the students. We got paid anyway. I don't really get it though. We're not allowed to invite people from outside. They don't tell the people on the inside. Not very bright for a school that prides itself in turning out practical business minded people. Northeastern University Student Union looks like a Food Court at a giant Mall. The future is one big mall with us staggering down the hall like a bunch of zombies, buying crap.

What else? Bush is a lying sack of dumbass but everybody knows that by now. New report written by a woman who worked in the Pentagon tells the whole sad story. Here it is:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2004/03/10/osp_moveon/

In other news, I'll be doing another solo acoustic show in Northampton, MA on Monday, March 15th. April Fool's Day I leave for the Second Mighty Solo Pete Peasant Tour of the USA. Can't wait to go back out. Have a bunch of new tunes. Here are a few titles: Sweet Little Asian, Hate Nation, Homeland Security and something about a monkey in a white house that needs to be deloused. God Bless Everyone... NO EXCEPTIONS!! That includes Iraqis, gay people and even Hate Radio Hosts!!!

29 February, 2004

New songs on WAAF Bay State Rock with Carmelita, The Most High DJ Priestess. Dunno if anyone was listening but got good recordings of a few new songs. Opened with ancient song written in 1989 about going to a wedding sober for the first time.
Always have a blast with Carmelita. She's the greatest DJ in Boston. Highly, highly recommend her to Boston bands who want to get their stuff out. She is very supportive... unless you suck... and even then she is always kind. Every Sunday night from 9-11 pm. 107.3 FM.
Back to back solo acoustic shows in Boston this week. Check touring for details.
Democratic Primary on Tuesday. Been helping Kucinich campaign climb over corporate media blackout. Kucinich equals Ralph Nader if Ralph were a Democratic congressman. Kucinich has been speaking for the little guy against corporate aggression his whole career, just like Nader. Every time Nader speaks, he is voicing the policy of Kucinich... just in case you were wondering. Many people have never heard of Dennis Kucinich. If not, go to the site at
http://www.kucinich.us. And please vote this Tuesday!!!
The USA is 139 in the world for voter turnout. That SUCKS!! If you don't vote, you should shut the fuck up and never complain about anything. If you do vote, educate yourself. Start with Kucinich. Peace!!

22 February, 2004

SOLD OUT!! The Bags Reunion Show!!!
Downstairs at The Middle East Beefy DC had the honor of opening. Biggest crowd I've ever played in front of in Boston.
We got a slow start but kicked it in halfway thru. Had a new Angus suit as the old one fell apart.
Played all the hits and ended with blistering version of If You Want Blood, You Got It. Can't go wrong with AC/DC.
The Bags came on around midnight and played Old hit, new song, Old hit, new song, etc.
They were great. Jim Janota on drums is unstoppable. John, bassist, sings his ass off and Crispen still plays SMOKIN guitar!!!!
Feel a part of the Boston Music Community after last night.
Though it wasn't The Peasants, I felt it merited mention here. Many Peasant fans in audience.
I hope to do one Peasant show in Boston before leaving again on the Spring Solo Acoustic Tour April 1st.
See what happens.

23 January, 2004

Once again The Peasants are on VH-1. Forty minutes into VH-1 special When Metal Ruled The World you can hear Let Me Out from Welcome To My Country. That's two songs on VH-1 this past year. First was the intro to Out On The Street used on a VH-1 Girls Gone Wild Video. Nice to be appreciated. Thank you VH-1. Never watch it....
Guitar lessons from the awesome John Dougherty are blowing my mind. Learning names for all this shit. Twenty years later. See!! It's never too late to learn!! Stay warm. Playing Jacques Underground solo acoustic tomorrow. Drag Queen Central!! Girls Gone Wild is right!!!!!!!!!!!

12 January, 2004

Brrrrrr!!! Yesterday was the coldest day in Boston since 1875. Still managed to go out over the weekend and see some great music around
Boston. Andrea Gillis Band was at The Abbey Lounge and they were screamin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not much else to say.
Still want to sell my Les Paul. If anyone wants to see photos of it, just click here or on the link above. Taking some guitar lessons from an amazing
musician here in Boston named John Dougherty. If anyone really wants to play guitar, don't waste $40,000 a year going to Berklee School of
Music. This guy will teach you more than you can handle for $35. an hour and good luck keeping up with him. Very psyched to have hooked up with
John. Planning Spring Tour 2004 right now. If you have any ideas, I'm all ears. Still thinking of London in March. Same thing. If you have any
ideas, pls let me know. Lastly, will do a few Peasant shows around Boston while here. Possibly some acoustic solo stuff too.
Stay warm!!!

January, 2004

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!!!!!!!

Opened 2004 with a bang at The Abbey Lounge. On the bill was The
Other Girls, The Downbeat 5 and BEEFY DC!!! Full house. Great crowd.
Good to be back in Boston, MA. Miserable out today. Wet and cold. God it feels great to be home!!!
Sold master tapes of Welcome To My Country to another band to tape over for their project. Got $150. for them.
Some say you should save all your masters. I disagree. The record is done. I don't need to fuckin masters anymore.
Plus I could use the money. On to the next one.
Will be crashing in Brighton for two mos. working on new stuff.
European tour is off. Economy sucks and I'm not interested in begging for shitty gigs in Germany.
I don't need to go to Europe to do that. I can keep doing that right here in the good 'ol USA.
Speaking of which, I just sent out an email I got from Chris Chandler recapping events of 2003. Very funny. Hope you got a copy.
Am planning to fly over to London, England in March and do a few solo acoustic shows in the pubs and coffeehouses.
Anyone who knows anything about London, pls contact me.
I don't know anyone over there but heard it's a good scene for songwriters.