Pajo circa 1984

Here's an ancient picture of me in 1984, in the basement of the "punk house" in Louisville, KY. I don't want to discuss my Tina Turner hair right now.

Come on, Pink Hollers!

Haven't updated this blog in so long-- not because I haven't wanted to. But because ithe domain name expired and I've been "on the road" (a term I've started to dislike). When I get a decent patch of time I'll be able to settle this.

I'm sitting on a plane in Tel Aviv en route to London. It's business class so I feel pretty great despite being up all night. The tour manager is next to me and he's fully blistered-- sauced to the point of gibberish mumbling.

We played to 50,000 people last night, supporting Depeche Mode. All the venues keep getting upgraded to accommodate demand. The fans are intelligent and warm. I feel so privileged to be a part of their world.

Toda Raba

Haven't updated this blog in so long. Not because I haven't wanted to, but because ithe domain name expired while I've been "on the road" (a term I've learned to dislike). When I get a decent patch of time I'll be able to resolve this.

Where am I? I'm sitting on a plane in Tel Aviv en route to London. It's business class so I feel pretty great despite being up all night. The tour manager is next to me and he's fully blistered-- sauced to the point of gibberish mumbling.

We played to 50,000 people last night, supporting Depeche Mode. The band are really accelerating. All the venues keep getting upgraded to accommodate demand. The fans are intelligent and warm. I feel so privileged to be a part of their world.

Sunday Afternoon In The Park

Went to Hyde Park, sat in the shade, listened to Incantation really fucking loud.

Pigs

It's pretty disgusting the way people on the coasts talk about midwesterners, particularly the southern regions. I'm in a very posh hotel restaurant, sitting outside by a massive pool. Someone next to me just mentioned Ohio and Kentucky-- his friend imitated playing a banjo and hummed Dueling Banjos. All the wealthy, beautiful people at his table broke out in laughter.

Wacky Ohio!

So an old guy in a wheelchair lives in a Cleveland suburb. Turns out he's a Nazi death camp guard. Instead of going to trial in Germany as an accessory to 29,000 deaths at Sobibor camp in Nazi-occupied Poland, he's been returned to his home. That trip to Germany might put strain on the poor old guy! So a Cincinnati Court of Appeals said he should hang out at home until they examined his case a little further. Come on, Ohio, what the fuck...

Delirious

I found a file on my computer called 'Delirious'. When I opened it I read the following:

Let's celebrate the fast midget

They just get on their computer bikes and fly away

***

Oh yeah, and playing Saturday Night Live was amazing last night!

Remembering The Center

Amidst all the hustle and fantasy, I have decided to keep my center intact. There are various notions of employment and this is another one. A glinting, empowering job but ultimately we're in the same vessel as anyone.

More Meows

Yesterday was crazy, I feel so honored to be in their world. The evening, and today, were not hands-free (crazy) at all. But I'm hoping that things will change when I fall off the wagon tonight at Lit. I miss my quiet home but so excited about the adventure. As if a satellite fell out of the sky.

I Whistled Moon River

How often do you get a chance to meet Carole King AND The Specials? My first public appearance with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs tonight in London on the Jools Holland show. Everyone did such a great job and I was so proud to be part of the world they've made.

New Tasks Added To Blackberry

"See Aurora Borealis before death"
"Get fish and chips from J. Shakeys"

The UK Is My Home

I don't recall the last time I was in London, has it really been that long? I am almost too comfortable here. In 1987 I spent the summer in Ireland. A year later I lived in Grantham for six months. After Slint broke up I went to art college in Norwich for a year. Did so many UK and European tours with Palace Brothers, Tortoise, Stereolab, Royal Trux, Aerial M, Papa M, Bonny 'Prince' Billy, Zwan, Slint... I love my English friends and family but my heart is in Ireland and Scotland. Virgin Atlantic is great but overall another hellish journey ho ho ho.

I Eats More Chicken

Fell asleep for about 20 minutes at the airport listening to two kids fight over whether I was a boy or a girl. I guess my lips are so full and red and youthful that it looks like I'm wearing lipstick ho ho ho.

London Dungeon

Three hours sleep and I'm waiting at an airport again. Can't wait to get into my hotel bed in London, but that's about 20 hours from now.

Respect The Respectable

Sure is a strange time of transition right now, with Touch & Go severely downsizing and the closing of Virgin in Union Square-- I feel lucky to be experiencing this adventure. I've been up all night traveling. Looking forward to drooling on my own pillow, uber-geeking on my own computer, hyper-dancing on my own disco. I have big plans to polish off an old duet from 2004 that the world needs to hear. Then the touring begins this weekend!

Never Look Back

Just found about a pathetic scheme to usurp what little I have earned. Pretty sad. But I made a conscious effort to kick those people out of my life and things have never been better. Word up: boot the tyrants out now-- boot their little puppets too. You'll never look back!

Running Man

Saw an African American dude on a Harley zipping through traffic on the 405. The back of his t-shirt said "BLACK MAN RUNNING AND IT AINT FROM THE POLICE". Took me a minute to wrap my head around that before I laughed out loud-- running for president!

Rocks Out

I lumbered by in my usual dress rehearsal rags, faking confidence in the background. Something overtook me as I slept and I allowed it, I let it encompass me.

More Employees Than Consumers

Dual lives are easier to juggle than to reconcile. I don't want them to merge, I just want them to agree. I'm not rapping about mistresses and other garbage, just good old-fashioned, internal Armageddon.

Weird Beard Vibe

I honestly don't mean to alienate people. But whenever I'm asked to recommend a current, new release, people aren't too psyched when I say, "I really like 'Sanojesi Aarelle' by Horna" (or something similar). It's always been like that, my friends. I'm a minority and I'll always be a minority. What blows me away doesn't blow the rest of the world away. I'm 40 years old, I'm pretty used to being a weirdo.