almost bon voyage

it's a beautiful tranquil morning
dew on the lawn
sun streaming in the windows
the trees are perfectly still
hummingbird at the window
we're all waiting
waiting for the crew to arrive
and shatter the tranquility
with a barrage of hammers
and nail guns
yesterday i said goodbye to pleasantry lane
version 2.0
today it's the beginning of
version 3.0
of course i'm a little sad
because i'm a sentimentalist
but my anticipation for better things to come
far surpasses that feeling

i was on TV last night
http://www.wfaa.com/gordonkeith/
footage coming soon
i first met host gordon keith
way back in the early 90's
when he used to play in a band called
the hemingways
they were very XTC influenced
i've always liked XTC
we were instant friends
he was always a really funny guy
even way back then
in the "dark ages"
so it was good seeing him again
and it was strange
but fun
to be on TV
G money was a perfect gentleman
and he even snuck on there for a few moments
if you watch the guy fake crying
(take a look behind him at the cute kid!)

i gotta say i'm still riding the high
of last week's cd release show
it was the best one i've ever done
in all these years
with all the glowing press
and nice reviews
i feel like it's the perfect way
to say
hasta la vista texas

i feel better than ever
europe is just around the bend

number 9 dream

in the heart of a grand old theater
looking out from the front of the stage
a feeling kinda like being strapped to the front
of the titanic
but it didn't feel strange like it used to
it felt good
and safe
i strummed my guitar
and sang out
to a crowd of smiling
singing
even dancing people
all my friends were there
and they helped me sing
"don't be afraid, don't be afraid..."
the first time an audience had ever taken over
one of my songs
and carried it away
with joy in their hearts
a moment i will never forget
grace
and fred
lisa and lee
jake jayson kyle amber
debbie muellah beth camille
and so many more
especially jayme
over 500 people came through the doors of the granada
friday night
to celebrate music
our music
rahim
johnny lloyd
chris and the slack
levi, dragon, jesse and daniel all put on great shows
all my friends
all great musicians and people
it was a joy to play again with lefler
tj
dufilho
deshazo
and to sing with my old friend paul averitt
possibly the most poignant moment for me

hunter hauk went to bat for this show
getting me on the cover of quick
writing a superb article in the dallas morning news
thursday was dream surreal
a metroplex press blitz for old SN
i didn't think it could get any better
but it did...
friday night
the granada theater
the best show of my life
it took 16 years
number 679
so many memories blurred into the background
countless gigs
songs sung
chords strummed
but this is one
i will never forget
i've never felt so loved
i've never felt so appreciated
it was the night of a lifetime

thank you for helping make it happen

i love you all


s

thank you

i wanted to thank all of you tonight


thank you for another
"best producer" observer award
to put on top of my piano
i truly appreciate everyone that's ever
come over here
to make a record with me
i love you all
this city has an absurd amount of world class musicians
i'm lucky to be here with them all

it was so great to see so many friends
last night at the granada
all recognized for their boundless talents
much deserved awards and nominations
given to most of them
the noise alone had 3 nominees for musician of the year
eric
daniel
and chris
i was so proud of the guys
seeing chris take home his third
"musician of the year" DOMA was a perfect way
to close out the night
absolutely fitting
he is an amazing talent


snowing in my heart also hit texas shops yesterday
the big cd release show with johnny lloyd rollins
the slack
and radiant
is going down next friday
at the granada
(that's august 24
in case you're in to numbers)
i've been looking forward to this night
since i finished the record
in may
the good records in-store party
is planned for the next day
the austin cd release show follows
at bend austin
with bexar bexar and the ashes
on september 1st

then it's off to europe
hamburg
bonn
aachen
schwerte
buchen
frauenau
paris
karlsruhe
st. gallen
vienna
norderstedt
krefeld
back to hamburg
then back to texas
the old 97s will be knocking on pleasantry lane's door
a week later
for 6 weeks of recording
i can't wait
we're gonna make another classic old 97s record
i promise

after that
thanksgiving in CA
disneyland with G and his cousins
snowing in my heart slated to hit the rest of the states
just in time for christmas (fitting, huh?)
thanks to the fine people of secretly canadian
but mainly thanks to brian s.
and tapete

ok
i'm tired now
just thinking of it all
time to sleep

love


s

late night in nourallahland

it's 2:08am
i'm listening to one of the 2 new cds
that came in the mail today
right now it's
liam finn
"i'll be lightning"
i love it
"gather to the chapel" on at this very moment
one guy playing everything
beautiful melodies and singing
a big heart
a great spirit at the core of this record
obviously made by someone consumed by it all
young liam's got a lot of his father in him but he's doing his own thing
i recommend it to you
heartily
this one came from new zealand
where my new TV friends britt and ju-maine came from too
and of course
murry
if you didn't know already
flights of the conchords is the best TV show of
well
ALL-TIME
http://www.hbo.com/conchords/
go here for hilarious "fruity fa-fa" video
http://www.hbo.com/conchords/video/index.html
that's right
you read it here first
i'm advising you to
go get HBO
or find a friend who has it
and be really really nice to them
so they'll let you come over
and watch every episode

anyway
our show tonight
at gezellig
for the dallas observer awards showcase
was fast and furious
sweaty and LOUD
it almost reminded me of the happiness factor days
we were met with a very warm
enthusiastic crowd
it was good fun
a nice bar gig
i'd almost forgotten how those felt
i loved seeing everyone pressed up to the stage
singing and smiling
it made my weekend
thank you
by the way
sorry i've been remiss
in my writing to you
i've just been too busy
i'm going to write more often again
especially during my trip to europe
coming up in september
there should be lots of action
vienna
paris
switzerland
the rhineland
sweden?
ok
cd #2 that came to me today
from the UK
the hours "narcssus road"
i saw these guys on jools holland
and they were GREAT
G even loved them
and he's one picky kid
afterwards i found out 2 of them had played with strummer
then it all made sense
"ali in the jungle"
"back when you were good"
epic sweeping melodic powerful
look for it on ebay
it's import only
and not available on our poor american i-tunes
i'm gonna keep listening to liam now
i don't feel like sleeping
just yet

love


s